The petition of Robert Thorold of Marston, Lincolnshire, July 1660
To the Kings most Excellent Ma[jes]tie
The humble petic[i]on of Capt[ain] Robert Thorold.
Most humbly sheweth vnto your Ma[jes]tie
That your Petic[i]oner in the late vnhappy Warrs did faithfully serve your Ma[jes]ties Royall Father till the delivery of Newarke in the quality of Capt[ain] of horse in his highnes the duke of Gloucesters Regiment.
That in the yeare [16]48 yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties Pet[itione]r was ingaged in your Royall Fathers service under the Com[m]aund of the Lord Langdall.
That in the yeare next following yo[u]r pet[itione]r went into Ireland where hee served yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie vnder the Comaund of his Excellency the Marques of Ormond L[or]d Leive[tenan]t of Ireland and after vnder the Lord Marques of Clanrickard Lord deputy till the end of the warrs there.
That yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties Pet[itione]r was Ingaged in yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties service in March [16]54 when the Earle of Rochester was in Yorkshire to have Comaunded the Northerne forces.
That yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties pet[itione]r was the last Sum[m]er ingaged in yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties service in the designe then on foote and being then imployed by a person of Quality for that purpose did raise eightscore men for yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties service and Conveyed them from London into Kent.
That yo[u]r Ma[jes]ties pet[itione]r hath likewise byn imployed at other times in the performance of severall other services for yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie And lastly yo[u]r Pet[itione]r further sheweth vnto yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie that in the performance of his duty to yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie in the services before expressed yo[u]r Pet[itione]r hath received severall wounds and hath laid out and lost all that small fortune hee was owner of and hath at severall times since the end of the said vnhappy warrs suffered nere foure yeares imprisonment for his Loyallty to yo[u]r Ma[jes]tie.
Now may it please yo[u]r gracious Ma[jes]tie out of yo[u]r Princely goodnes to graunt vnto yo[u]r pet[itione]r for his support and livelyhood the Tickett office belonging to the Custome house in London for the giveing informac[i]on to Merchants & shopkeep[er]s what goods are dayly exported or imported now in the hands of one Hewitt Cromwell’s barber as by vertue of a pretended Patent from the said Cromwell.
And yo[u]r petico[ne]r as in duty bound shall ever pray &c.