The petition of Thomas Orrige of Aston, Cheshire, Michaelmas 1662
To the hon[oura]ble the Comic[i]on[e]rs appoynted by his ma[jes]ttie for the releife of indigent soldiers of the late King Charles of famous memorie.
The humble petic[i]on of Thomas Orrige of Aston
Sheweth.
That yo[u]r petic[i]oner was a souldier in S[i]r Thomas Astons Regiment for the space of foure yeares first driueing of a wagon then had Charge of a sumptier horse and afterwards was intrusted to carie lert[e]rs from Litchfild for the late king vnto his most excellent Ma[jes]ttie that now is to the furthest p[ar]t of Cornewall, trauiling aboue 2 hundered miles w[i]th great hazard of his liffe being seuerall tymes taken prison[e]r by the Parlament Armie stript out of good Clothes and put into Raggs yet by gods p[ro]uidence did safely conuaiey the said lert[e]rs to his Ma[jes]ttie in w[hi]ch tyme his wyfe was plundered at Aston by the said Parlament partie; and moreouer at his returne home to Aston yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r was forced to pay vnto one Shakeshafte a souldier of S[i]r W[illia]m Brereton v li. for a horse that yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r was ordered to ride on by his Cap[tain] in the said warrs. For all w[hi]ch foure yeares seruise yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r hath not anie pay or recompence for his great losse his poore wyfe sustayned by being plundered by the parliament souldiers.
May it therefore please yo[u]r hon[ou]rs to take into yo[u]r mercifull Considerac[i]ons the sadd Condic[i]o{n} of yo[u]r poore petic[i]on[e]r being aboue 74 yeares of age and not able to worke for his liuing and yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r will euer pray for yo[u]r hon[ou]rs healths happinesse and eternall felicitie.
<Wee whose names are vnd[e]r written doe beleeue the contents of this petic[i]on to be true and that he and his pore wyfe to be poore aged and impotant>
Hugh French Quarter master
John Right Corporall both of the same Regement
Thomas Harper
John Harper
John Dutton
John Lewis of Chester
John Seffton
Thomas Pikering
Richard Taylor
<Referred>