The petition of William Johns of Plympton, Devon, 1663
To the right Wor[shipfu]ll his Majesties Justices of the peace for the County of Devon nowe assembled att the generall Quarter Sessions holden for the said County
The humble petic[i]on of William Johns late of Plympton in ye said County of Devon
Humbly sheweth that yo[u]r petic[i]oner is and ever hath been a most faithfull loyall and obedient Subject, both vnto his late pious, nowe ever glorious Majesty with the Lord, and vnto his most Sacred Ma[jes]tie that nowe is And was a Souldier in his said late Majesties Army vnder the Comaund of Major John Sprye in the regiment of Collonell John Trevanion, vntill hee was slaine, & afterwards vnder Collonell William Arundell as by a Certificate ready to be shewne vnto yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps vnder the hands and Seales of severall p[er]sons of quallity may appeere In which his Service hee demeaned himselfe faithfull as a Souldier ought to doe But nowe soe it is may it please your Wor[shi]pps your poore petic[i]oner is taken blinde in both his Eyes Soe that hee is not able, to vse any imploymentt, to mainetayne himselfe and Family (nowe resideing in the Cittie of Exeter) But must of necessity come to misery vnlesse yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps bee pleased mercifully to looke vpon him,
In tender considerac[i]on whereof yo[u]r poore petic[i]oner on his bended knees doth most humbly beseech yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps to take his sadd Condic[i]on into yo[u]r most serious considerac[i]on and to bestowe vpon him that penc[i]on or Stipend which his most Sacred Majesty is pleased to allowe vnto poore Souldiers in your petic[i]oners condic[i]on And as in duty bound hee shall ever pray &c.
40 s. p[er] Ann[um] when money comes in