Osler, Jane

Pendennis near Bathurst April 6.\th/ 1822 /
To his Excellency the right Hon\ble:/ Lord Charles Somerset /
May it please your Excellency to attend to the /
Humble Petition of the Widow of Benjamin Osler /
who lately arriv’d in this Colony with the hope of improving /
the condition of a large Family of young Children by under=taking /
a portion of the Land propos’d by liberality of the /
British Government to be Cultivated by a new Settlement /
the sad 7+ recent los+s by Death of her late Husband has /
now depriv’d them of the hope of succes+s in that way /
the family being reduc’d to a Widow, five Daughters /
from four to 14 years of age and a Youth of 15 _ 7+ consequently /
they are incapable to provide for themselves in an Agricultu=ral /
pursuit, the Widow humbly begs that your /
Excellency will allow them to return to the Cape, where /
by the practice of Millinary /
7+ Mantall Making 7+c they hope they will be able there /
to gain a livelihood _ if this should fail _ they wou’d endeavour /
to return to England, where they have Friends who wou’d /
help them ) your most humble Petitioners would also /
most humbly beg that your Excellency will also allow /
John Colman to return to the Cape _ who has been accustom’d /
>
to a Seafaring life and consequently cannot get a livelihood /
by Agriculture _ he has some Friends at the Cape who would /
as+sist him in getting a Situation _ as Master or Mate of a /
Ves+sel _ and if not suces+sful in this _ his good education 7+ abilities /
wou’d enable him to get on in some way of obtaining a living /
for him 7+ his Wife who is a Daughter of your Petitioner /
and is a Ladie’s Dres+s Maker 7+ Mantall Maker _ and /
wou’d most probably be of much as+sistance to her Mother /
7+ Family _ your Excellency’s humble Petitioners _ /
most humbly beseech your Excellency to comply with /
and grant their request _ as it is a case of much expedience /
for a Family which it has pleas’d the Almighty to deprive /
of their dearest Friend 7+ Father _ and if your Excellency /
will be also pleas’d to send them a speedy answer /
they will ever be in duty bound to pray for your Exellency /
Jane Osler /