The petition of Samuell Constantine of Kettlewell, West Riding of Yorkshire, 14 January 1679
<West ridding s[ession]s>
<Com[itatus] Ebor>
<1678>
To the Hon[our]able and Right worshippfull his Ma[jes]t[y]s Justices of the Peace at the Quarter Sessions holden at Wetherbie
The humble Petic[i]on of Samuell Constantine of Ketlewell
Sheweth
That yo[u]r Petitioner hauing beene a souldier in actuall seruice for his late Ma[jes]tie Kinge Charles the first of euer blessed memorie, and since in his most gratious Ma[jes]t[y] Kinge Charles the second that now is, in w[hi]ch said his faithfull & loyall seruices he hath spent and lost his whole estate, w[hi]ch heretofore was verie considerable. And therevpon did Petic[i]on his Ma[jes]t[y]s Justices of the Peace w[i]thin the said Rydd[ing] that he might be admitted a Penc[i]oner to receaue some pay as a lame souldjer, haueinge rec[eive]d seuerall great wounds whereby he is become lame, very old & infirme, Vpon verie good knowledge the said Order that yo[u]r Petic[i]oner shold be admitted Penc[i]oner and receaue the pay of one George Ibbotson a Penconer late of Ketlewell afforesaid deceased, And yo[u]r Petic[i]oners name was entred in the Penc[i]on Rooll at Pontefract Sessions held for the yeare 1676 but againe put out by some induced meanes, Since w[hi]ch time at the Quarter sessions the pr[e]sent yeare holden at Skipton, it was ordered by the whole Bench of Justices there, That yo[u]r Peticoners name shold be inserted in the Penc[i]on Rooll w[hi]ch was done accordinglie in open Court. And yo[u]r Petic[i]oner rec[eive]d then his Penc[i]on accordinge to his first Order. And expectinge to receaue the like at the last Quarter Sessions holden at Knaresbrough, his name was rac’ed out of the said Rooll contrarie to the said Order, soe that yo[u]r poore Penc[i]oner rec[eive]d not one pennie, And now beinge grown verie old and not able to travaile, is likelie to loose the hopes heare, of his faithfull and loyall service, if speedie care be not made for his future subsistance.
Yo[u]r Peticoner therefore humblie prayes this hon[ou]r[a]ble Bench will be gratiouslie pleased to take the pr[e]misses into yo[u]r most Juditious considerac[i]ons, (yo[u]r Petic[i]oner being infirme and lame as afforesaid, and not able to appeare at the Sessions to make his wants & grievances [illegible] knowne) And that he may be soe setled in the Penc[i]on Rooll as noe further obstructions hereafter may be had or made. And that he may, together w[i]th this receaue his last Quarters pay.
And yo[u]r Peticoner as in Dutie bound shall euer pray &c.