The petition of Thomas Higharne of Coggeshall, Essex, 1646
To the Right Hon[oura]ble and Wor[shipfu]ll his Ma[jes]ties Justices of the Peace, as this pr[e]sent Sessions assembled.
The humble petic[i]on of Thomas Higharne of Coggeshall in the Countie of Essex.
Humblie sheweth
That yo[u]r poore Petic[i]oner have beene long in the Parl[iamen]ts service under the Lord Grey of Warke before Reading and afterwards, in other good services, in w[hi]ch services yo[u]r poore Petic[i]oner hath lost his limbes, and is no {?way} able to subsist of himselfe, but is like to come to gr{eat} poverty.
Yo[u]r s[ai]d Petic[i]oner doth therefore humbly crave yo[u]r Hono[u]rs and Wor[shi]ps seriously to Consider of his sad & deplorable condition that he is now {in}. And to take such Order, for his Subsistance as yo[u]r grave wisdomes shall seeme meete.
And yo[u]r poore Peticoner shall ever pray &c.
Yo[u]r poore Petic[i]oner was an Ensigne to Capt[ain] Jermin but now like to come to greate poverty.