The petition of Thomas Jordan of Stafford, Staffordshire, April 1653
To the Right W[o]rsh[ip]full the Justices of the Peace for the County of Stafford
The humble petic[i]on of Thomas Jordan of Stafford Mason
<Sheweth>
That your petic[i]oner beinge souldier form[e]rly vnder the Com[m]and of Collon[el] Leigh in the States service, beinge drawne out in a party for the releivinge Tongue Castle was wounded and thereby maymed in his left hande to the overthrowe and Ruine of his trade, shott in the side of his face broke his Jawbone and at the same tyme taken prisoner to Patshill, w[hi]ch Imprisonm[en]t was a greate damage unto hym then which form[e]rly he had receyved by reason of many inconveniences that haue happened to hym both in his speech and other Impedim[en]ts besydes your petic[i]oner beinge formerly ent[e]red for 40 s. Annually beinge constantly payd and admitted continually from tyme to tyme both at the quarter sessions and at other monthly meetinges and not beinge in health at the last Sessions for his appearance in Court, was dismissed and so putt out of the bookes.
Wherefore your petic[i]oner humbley prayeth yo[u]r W[o]r[shi]ps to take his condic[i]on into your worthy Considarac[i]ons and that you may be pleased to allowe hym his former graunt wherew[i]th he wil be well contented, and consideringe his great greyvances both formerly and at pr[e]sent sustayned thinkes he is noe way worthy to be putt of consideringe he hath a great charge of hymselfe his wife and three children to mayntayne and nothing but his owne carefull endeavours to doe yt w[i]thall and p[er]forminge this Charitable Act yo[u]r petic[i]oner will as bound
ever pray &c.