The petition of Thomas Foster of Walsall, Staffordshire, 3 October 1654
To the right Wor[shipfu]ll the Justices of the publicke peace at the gen[e]rall Quarter Sessions of the peace houlden for the Countie of Staff[ord] the therd day of October 1654.
The humble petic[i]on of Thomas Foster late of Walsall in the said Countie.
In most humble manner sheweth yo[u]r good Wor[shi]ps That yo[u]r poore Petic[i]oner was a Souldier for the State vnder the Com[m]and of Captaine Baxter in his highnes the Lord Protectors owne Regem[en]t in Scotland, where, after nyne mounthes service, hee was visited w[i]th the Cuntries disease whereof he lay tenn weeks, & beinge ther[e]by vnservisable, was sent by passe, to his Friends in England where soe soone as hee had recov[e]red his (almost vnrecou[er]able) disease, hee was pressed for the Ireish Service for Horton in this Countie And served the State in Ireland two yeares & three mounthes where hee was shott into the legg w[i]th two bulletts, & could gett noe cure, notw[i]thstanding all the meanes of the hospitall And was therfore returned into England about May day last, And, all hopes being taken away of the recou[er]ing his legg, had it cutt from his bodie to save his life And is now vnder the hand of Mr James Till the Surgion at Stone to be healed.
Therefore yo[u]r Wor[shi]ps poore Petic[i]on[e]r humbly prayeth you to take into Consideracon his lamentable estate & Condic[i]on & to afford his [sic.] a pension.
And yo[u]r Wor[shi]ps poore petic[i]on[e]r, as in duty hee is bound shall eu[er] pray &c.