The petition on behalf of Henry Smith of Mere, Wiltshire Hilary 1651
To the right wo[rshipfu]ll the Justic[e]s of Peace of the County of Wilts[hire]
The humble Petic[i]on of the Inh[ab]itants of the p[ar]ish of Mere in the said County.
Shewe that at the Quarter Sessions held last at Warminster an order was there made for iii s. vi d. a weeke amounting to ix li. ii s. vi d. p[e]r ann[um] to be paid by ye Pet[itione]rs for the Releife of one Henry Smith, then in the state of impotency as wee are informed to w[hi]ch ord[e]r y[ou]r Pet[itione]rs haue conformed, though made w[i]thout their knowledge or privity:
They humbly pray that in regard ye impotency of the said Smith is hapened by meanes of hurts and sicknes receiued in ye late warres in the service of the Parliam[en]t and is a single man w[i]thout any famely that yo[u]r wo[rshi]ps will please to aford him such releife as yow shall thinke necessary of out out of the com[m]on Stocke of the County, as is vsuall in other like cases & yt yo[u]r pet[itione]rs may nowe be discharged of the said order, And the Pet[itione]rs shall pray &c
2 next Justic[e]s to examine the pr[e]misses & to lesson the rate of the s[ai]d Cause