The petition of William Marker of South Molton, Devon, 28 September 1686
To the Right Wor[shipfu]ll the Justices of the Peace for the County of Devon.
The humble Petic[i]on of William Marker of Southmolton in the County aforesaid Blacksmith.
Most humbly sheweth,
That whereas yo[u]r poor Peticon[e]r for divers years past, Loyally and faithfully serv’d his late Ma[jes]tie King Charles the first of ever blessed Memory, under the Command of the Lord Willmott. In w[hi]ch Service yo[u]r poor Petic[i]on[e]r rec[eive]d a Shot, & severall other dangerous Wounds, and also lost one of his Sights; and since, by an accident hath lost the other Sight, so that he is now quite blind, and thereby utterly disabled to get a Livelyhood for himself his wife & Children.
Therefore yo[u]r poor peticon[e]rs deplorable Case considered, he doth most humbly beseech yo[u]r Hon[ou]rs favo[u]r & Compassion, That y[o]u would be pleased to vouchsafe unto him such annual Pension out of the Store of the County, with other his Ma[jes]ties maymed Soldiers, as in yo[u]r Hon[ou]rs Wisdom shall be thought fit.
And yo[u]r poor peticon[e]r shall daily pray &c.
We the Major & Justices, with the Burgesses, & other the Inh[ab]itants of Southmolton aforesaid, do believe, & p[ar]tly know the Contents of ye Petic[i]on above-written to be true; And we do allow Eight shillings a month, towards the relief of the Peticon[e]r his wife & fower small children. In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands the 28th day of Septemb[e]r in the second year of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord James the second, by the grace of God, of England Scotland France & Ireland King, Defend[e]r of the Faith &c. Annoq[ue] D[o]m[ini] 1686.
<Wee beleiue this petition & Certificate to bee true & recom[m]end it to the Sessions &c.>
<Jo[hn] Giffard>
<Edw[ard] Lovett>
James Broad Maior
Hum[phrey] Shobrooke Justice
John Hauhe Jno Badcock
Christopher Tucker Richard Bawden
Sam[uel] Badcock
[Overleaf:]
30 s. p[er] annu[m]