The petition of Richard Pepper of Stafford, Staffordshire, 11 January 1659
<County of Stafford>
To the Right Worr[shi]p[fu]ll the Justices of the Peace of the County aforesaid at this present Sessions assembled.
The humble petic[i]on of Richard Pepper:
Humbly sheweth
That whereas yo[u]r poore petic[i]oner hath bin a souldier in the States service eu[e]r since the warres beginine (both in England and Ireland) where he behaued himself very faithfully and valiantly dureing the said warres; and rec[eive]d many sore and desperate wounds which haue brought such a Lamenesse together w[i]th a weaknesse vppon him, that he is not in a Capacity to gett a Liuelihood for himselfe and Family, but is likely to be exposed to much pou[er]ty (being now very ancient) vnless yo[u]r Worr[shi]ps will be pleased to comiserate his sad Condic[i]on.
May it therefore please yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps to take yo[u]r poore pet[itione]rs deplorable Condic[i]on into yo[u]r pious Considerac[i]on and to allowe him yo[u]r Worr[shi]pps order to be admitted a penc[i]oner w[i]thin the County afores[ai]d and yo[u]r pet[itione]r as in duty bound shall eu[e]r pray.
Wee whose Names are subscribed doe certifie the Contents hereof to be true.
Symon Fowler Maior
John Tanner }
Noah Bryan Min[is]t[er] John Hitchcock } Justices
Geo[rge] Brett
Tho[mas] Backhous
Richard Newbailte
Thomas: Chamberlaine
John Weston George Fowler
John Doodie
Thomas Lander
Willea[m] Rownde
no order. 4 [?nobles] a yere till further ord[er]