The petition of Robert Bowden of Bridford, Devon, Easter 1679
To the Hono[u]rable the kings Ma[jes]ties Commissioners for Maimed Souldiers Justices of the peace in the County of Devon.
The humble Petition of Robert Bowden of the p[ar]ish of Bridford in the said County of Devon still and always was a true Loyall Subject and souldier to the kings most Excellent Ma[jes]tie in the Late Warres wherein he sheweth
That yo[u]r Humble Petic[i]on[e]r hath for a long time used the best of his Endeavour to get a smale Livelyhood for himselfe and his poore family but nowe being Aged and weake and haveing not wherewith to sustayne beseeching yo[u]r Hono[u]rs to take his miserable and deplorable condition into yo[u]r serious considerac[i]ons he haveing in the said Late warrs in his said Ma[jes]ties service Received a shott being then under the command of Leiut[enant] Col[one]l Fullford when Exon was besieged, and under the command of Major Fullford when Dartmouth was besieged and taken and in all the sieges of Lime under the command of S[i]r John Berkley Govourner of Exeter and in Major Howards Company, who are now all deceased Except one Benedict Webb of Taunton in the County of Som[er]sett who was then a quarter master in the same Redjem[en]t who hath hereunto sett his hand in Testimony hereof.
May it please you therefore to take it into yo[u]r tender considerations to appointe an order that some convenient maintainance may for time to come be allowed to yo[u]r Petic[i]on[e]r as a maimed soldier for and towards the help and comfort of himselfe and his pore family in this their distresse as in yo[u]r Hon[ou]rs discresion shall think fit.
And yo[u]r Petic[i]on[e]r shall ever pray &c
<To the contents abovementioned I shall bee ready to attest>
<Benedict Webb>
Wee whose names are subscribed doe believe the contents of this petition to bee true.
Tho[mas] Walker
Sam[uel] Sainthill
[On the reverse:]
30 s. p[er] ann[um] & 5 s. in hand & ye p[ar]ish to pay 20 s. p[er] ann[um] more