To William Mainwaring< no role > Esq Chairman
of the Quarter Session at Hicks's Hall etc

The Humble Petition of Henry Richardson< no role > now under sentence
of Transportation in Newgate

Most Respectfully Sheweth

That your Petitioner was unhappily tried this
[..] on a charge of [..]
Stay and Corn the property of Mr. Spencer and having been found Guilty received Sentence
to be Transported for Seven Years:

Your Unhappy Petitioner having the greatest Veneration for
the excellent Laws of his Countries would not presume to Vindicates his Conduct after
Conviction but at the same time most humbly begs leave to represent to your
Worship that premises to this affair happening he ever bore the most unexceptionable
Character for honesty and Industry and always endeavored to support himself and
family by honest Labour as a Farmer ; nor was he ever before in the least Con-
finement or even before a Justice till this unfortunate Period of his Life Your
Petitioner further beg leaves to state to Your Worship that Your Petitioner has
a Wife and four Tender Infants for whom he has the most Affectionate and
Paternal Regard and he expects his Wife to be delivered of another every Day and
as they never had any Support but what arac from his Industry if he should be
snatched from them by undergoing his present dreadful Sentence they will be left
to all the Nisenys of Want without a Friend to Comfort them in their Afflictions
or to relieve them in their Distress:

Your Petitioner from these Circumstances most carnertly impl [..]
Your Worship to take his unhappy case into your serious
Consideration and in pity to the Distress of his Distressed Family
the present Situation of his unhappy Wife and its being the
first Act of Dishonesty ever laid to his Charge that your
worship [..] to miligate his sentence by [..]
him to serve in his Majesty's Navy, where he flatter himself [..]
he should be found useful as he has been on Board of a sha [..]
before or as he is a stout healths Man in the Arms which [..]
may meet your Worship's Approbation and it shall be your
Petitioner constant phides to merit such Mercy by a strict
Attention to his Duty and an earnest endeavour to prove
himself once more a useful member of Society

And your Petitioner shall as in Duty
Bound for ever Pray Etc

Henry Richardson< no role >