The petition of William Venner of Heavitree, Devon, 1676
To the Right Wor[shi]p[fu]ll S[i]r Thomas Carew Kn[igh]t And to the rest of his Ma[jes]t[y]s justices assembled in sessions
The humble petic[i]on of William Venner of the p[ar]ishe of Heavitree husbandman
<Humbly sheweth>
Vnto yo[u]r wor[shi]ps that yo[u]r poore peticon[e]r hath ever beene a Loyall subiect to King Charles the first of blessed memory & to his now Ma[jes]tie & hath served them seu[er]all yeares in their wares & borne the office of a sarjant & receiued seu[er]all wounds in the seige against Lyme & Taunton w[hi]ch are still visible by reason of w[hi]ch wounds do now in his old age make him vncapable of getting his liveliehood by his employm[en]t & is fallen into greate povertie & not able to subsest without some charitable releife from yo[u]r wor[shi]ps And farther yo[u]r peticon[e]r sheweth to yo[u]r wor[shi]ps that vpon his humble peticon[e]r [sic.] about seaven yeares since to this sessions yo[u]r wor[shi]ps were pleased out of yo[u]r Charitable considerac[i]on to allow him 20 s. for a yearelie penc[i]on allotted for mayme [sic.] souldiers w[hi]ch he hath ever since beene contented with but by reason of old age comeinge on him cannot subsist therewith
Therefore the humble request of yo[u]r peticon[e]r is to desire yo[u]r wor[shi]ps to take his low Estate into yo[u]r serious & Charitable considerac[i]on & avgment his penc[i]on for the sustayneinge of nature And as in Duty bound shall
Ever pray &c
<I beleiue this to be true>
<J Acland>
<Edm[und] Walrond>
<S[i]r>
<This poore petit[ione]r deserves yo[u]r favo[u]r & I desire that you would avgment his pentio[n] at ye next sessions, I am yo[u]r servant>
<Cop[lestone] Bampfylde>
Will[iam] Bankes
George Glanuill
Robert Smith
William Pile
Nicholas Pennole
Nathaniel Pyne Ouerseers
[Overleaf:]
W[illia]m Venners Petition. Order[e]d That 20 s. yeerely be added to his Pension. He had 20 s. p[er] ann[um] before