To the Honble. the Judges And Worshipfull Courts and Jury of the sessions
of Oyer and Terminer, holden at the Old Bailey

The Humble Petition of William Smith< no role >

Sheweth

That your Petitioner stands Indicted before this Honourable
Court for feloniously stealing a peice of Woolen stuff the property of
Messrs, Andrew and Fisher of which Crime your Petitioners conseious to himself
of having committed and not willing to give trouble to this Honble. Court Pleads
guilty be lying wholey on your money,

That your Petitioners who is but a Youn man has a Wife
and her Children unprovided; for owns her has been quilty of Actions Base,
and scandalous in their nature into the commission of which has been lod by
loose company and from which if happily extricated might still become a
usefull member of the Community, conscious to himself of having become
Ameneable thro such Irregularities to the Lands of his Country Yet hopes
as Justice is tempered with Mercy, that he may find Acmoney in this
Honorable Courts

Your Petitioners thro such reflections and conscious that
this Court of Judicature in every of their Proceedings wish rather to add
to the community a penitent Culprit who might be, usefull than make a
Sacrified hope as he has been a Seamon and in that Line may still be usefull
and his future actions atton for his past misconduct may again be added to that lord

Your Petitioner therefore most humbly Pray this
Honoroble, Court that in consideration of his youth the
deep contriction of his Heart and sincere depentance the
rigorous sentence of the Law may be, mitigated and that
he may be permitted to serve his King and Country as a
usefull member of the Community in the Navely or Army
as to your Lenity shall seem meet

And your Petitioner as in Duty bound shall ever Pray