The petition of Thomas Wall of Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, 11 January 1659
To the Right Wo[rshipfu]ll the Justices of the peace for the County of Stafford
The humble petic[i]on of Thomas Wall of Wolverhampton Malster
Humbly sheweth
That by an ordinance of Parliament bearing date the second day of Sept[ember] which was in the yeare of our Lord 1654 It is enacted yt all such persons as have served the Comonwealth of England within this Nation by the space of foure yeares at any time since the yeare of our Lord 1642 and before the third of September 1651 & should be apt or able to follow any trade or mistery or occupac[i]on might soe doe in any place where they should reside though never bound apprentise therevnto And yo[u]r petitioner further sheweth that hee having served the Comonwealth of England as a souldier in the late warrs within this Nation by the space of eight yeares & more after ye yeare of our Lord 1642 & almost two yeares more since then in Scotland & having had divers sore wounds in the said service hath according to the liberty to him granted by the said ordinance of late exercised the trade of a Malster as he hopes he lawfully may yet nevertheles is, as he is informed, indicted before yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps for following the said trade, contrary to the said ordinance,
Yo[u]r petitioner therefore humbly prayeth yt the processe, vpon the said indictm[en]t ag[ains]t yo[u]r petitioner may be stayed & six moneths time allowed to yo[u]r petition[e]r to proue his said service by certificate, or oath as the said ordinance requireth, And your peticion[e]r shall pray for yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps happiness.
stay ye p[re]sentm[en]t
giv[e] a [illegible]