The petition of Richard Vigers of Plymouth, Devon, Epiphany 1650
To the Right W[o]r[shi]p[fu]ll the Justices of peace for the County of Devon assembled att Exon att the Gennerall Sessions.
The humble petic[i]on of Richard Vigers of Plymouth.
Sheweth
Thatt whereas yo[u]r poor Petic[i]oner by the space of a yeare & halfe in the late warr was a souldier vnder Comand of Major Harbert within the Garrison of Plymo[u]th And at the Storming Mount Stampford worke neere Plymo[u]th by ye com[m]on enemie (to whome after divers assaults the same was yeelded being drawen forth of the s[ai]d garrison w[i]th ye said Companie thither for defence thereof was in the fight there made, dangerously wounded by some of the enemy in divers parts of his bodie By meanes whereof the Petic[i]oner [(]being made vnfitt for martial service, & disabled to worke in his trade for ye maintenance of himselfe, his wyfe, & fower children) was by Collonell Gould (whome the Almighty w[i]thin short tyme after tooke vnto his mercy) comisserated and releived. Butt since the said Collo[ne]ll Goulds deceace this Petic[i]oner hath nott received any meanes of subsistance from the Parliam[en]t & he w[i]th his family hath suffered much penury.
In tender considerac[i]on whereof & forasmuch as this petic[i]on[e]r hath alway beene faithfull to & in the servis of ye Parliam[en]t & is oftentyme for long continuance soe greivously pained in his right hand (wherein he rec[eive]d on of his wounds) that he is nott able to vse ye same nether is he ever like to haue ye p[er]fect vse thereof
May it therefor please yo[u]r wor[shi]ps to administer vnto yo[u]r poore pet[itione]r some releife or to pr[e]scribe vnto him some course wherein he may obtayne ye same to pr[e]vent ye missery w[hi]ch otherwais will inevitably soone seize on him & his sercharge.
And yo[u]r pet[itione]r shall euer pray for yo[u]r wor[shi]ps pr[e]servation &c.
Richard Viggar{s}
Richard Viggars