To Sir John Hawkins< no role > Knight

The Hble Petition of Owen Neill< no role > and Dennis Crawley< no role > now in New
Prison Clerkenwell and Sentenced to work for three Years on the river Thomas

Sheweth

That Your Petiitoners fully impressed with a Just conception of your
knowing Judgment, and truely Sensible now Powerfully the Evidence advanced
on their tryal must operate agt. them, can not breathe a murmur of his
content at the fatal issue it produced, but your Honours Petitioner [..]
fioling in the unlimited benevolence of your heart, as well as tender See
lings for the unfortunate, and afflicted, humbly, presence in consideration
of Their hepless, and wretched familys, to supplicate your gracious
interference for the mitigation of the hard sentence their conviction
unavoidably bespoke, your Petr. Neill having five small help
less Children and a deserving wife almost distracted at the time
tying and heart breaking prospect of the ruin that must [..]
verdably await them as also the aged inform Parents of your
Petrs Crawley tottering on the verge of dissolution, and bending under
oppressive woe, at the sheadful apprehension of a final Sepe [..]
ration from an unhappy son, on whom labour and industry
their Support entirely depended: your Petitioners apprized of the
general resentment that has been long provoked by the Nefarious proe
tises too frequently exercised in the another trade, have to cameout with
sorrow, Their hard destiny, in becoming the first devoted [..] to
public Prejudice, And to public Justice; yet Your Petrs however
appearances argued agt. them) do most solemnly and Sincerely
declare in the presence of Almighty god that they Neither meas [..]
nor designd a fraud nor imposition in the sale of the goods made to
Mary Dale< no role > , which assertor they humbly hope will stand in a
great measure wined by their upusat of an accommodation off
ferd and held out by the Prosecution the day previous to their tryal
Your Petrs. as men whose characters have ever before stood unimpeached and
whose future shred shall be to render themselves useful to society and to atone for
this transgussion, humbly appeal to your commiseration in behalf of this
hapless familys who must either inevitably perish or become burdensome to the
Animosity Shoud the [..] of their Sentence be executed agt them
Deign Wortley Sir from that inexhaustible Store of goodness and Clemency
Which has so universally distinguished yours character to look on
Your grieved Petrs. with eyes of Mercy and compassion oalen the
Sorrows of their Miserable familys and deal to there better Sorrows
such comfort and alteration as to your Wisdorn and Judgement
Shall seem meet for which as in Duty Bound your Petrs.
Will ever Pray

July ye. 2d
1778

Owen Neill< no role >
Dennis Crawley< no role >