The petition of William Traherne of Hereford, Herefordshire, 9 January 1668
To the Wor[shi]ppfull John Smith, Esq[ui]r[e] Major of the Citty of Hereford & others the wor[shi]ppfull the Justices of the peace of the said Citty.
The humble petic[i]on of William Traherne of the said Citty tailor a poore impotent aged Freeman of the same vtterly ruined, & brought into a very lowe & decayed Condic[i]on of poverty for his fidelity in the seruice of his Ma[jes]tys Royall father of blessed memory deceased in defence of this Citty, when as S[i]r William Waller in opposic[i]on of his Majesties power entred the same:
And in respect, & for that your poore aged petic[ione]r was then plundred of most of all his poore goods to his vtter ruine, & decay, euer since altogeath[e]r disabled to recover himself in course of livelihood beinge a poore lame aged maimed soldier in sauegard, & pr[e]servac[i]on of his life, & this Citty vpon S[i]r William Wallers invadeing ye same, as by inspecc[i]on of your petic[ione]rs maimes might app[ea]re; insoemuch, that your petic[ione]r is vnable, as formerly to worke for a Livelihood, or in any respect to pay rent for an habitac[i]on any longer, his right strength & Limbes much faileinge him; haueing bin a poore Freeman & inhabitant of this Citty most daies of his Life,
That your wor[shi]pps wil be pleased to put your petic[ione]r in pr[e]sent hopes of the next Fall of one of Prices or S[ain]te Giles, or other good hospitalls app[ur]tenant to this Citty farr meritinge it before Laboureing Foreigners expecting the same noe way hurted, maimed, or plundred for their seruice, or Affecc[i]on to his Ma[jes]tie; And this considered your petic[ione]r shall daily pray for yo[u]r wor[shi]pps &c