Smith, Jane

Port Elizabeth /
Dec 4\th/ 1821 /
To His Excellency /
Sir R Donkin /
Governor 7+ Commander /
of the Forces 7+c 7+c /

The Humble Petition of Jane Smith /
Wife of W\m./ Smith Settler /
Humbly Sheweth /

That Petitioner is the Lawful Wife /
of W\m./ Smith, Mason, a Settler, that Petitioner /
has been Married to the said Smith, upwards of /
twelve Years, during which period she cannot /
say she has enjoyed that happines+s expected in /
the married State her Husband being much /
addicted to drink, in which state, he treats 7+ /
ill treats her in such a manner that her /
life is in danger. /
Petitioner humbly begs leave to annex /
A Copy of her Husbands acknowledgement of /
his conduct upon a former occasion in presence â
of the Gentlemen whose Names are thereto /
affined as a confirmation of her Statement /
>
That your ExcellencyŐs Petitioner is a /
Milliner and Mantle Maker, and capable /
of carring an honest livelihood without becoming /
a burthen to the Colony _ . /
Your Petitioner is reluctantly compelled /
to solicit your Excellency would be graciously /
pleased to grant her a Pas+s to proceed /
to Cape Town 7+ from thence to England, as she /
cannot any longer live with her Husband /
who on the Evening of the 27\th/ November last /
in a State of intoxication beat her 7+ would /
were it not for the interference of M\[r]/ /
Nicholas Hitge 7+ his Wife have stabbed /
her with a Knife which he then had in /
his hand _ /
And your petitioner as in Duty /
bound will ever pray 7+ /

Jane x \mark/ Smith /
Mark /
Witnes+s /
John Carter /
>
[Copy!]
Port Eliz+abeth /
Ap\l/ 23_ 1820 /
I W\m/ Smith do acknowledge that /
I have too often behaved improperly /
to my Wife and ill treated Her; which /
she never deserved, is a Virtuous. good /
7+ well behaved 7+ {Wife} # affectionate Wife /
to me. I have in presence of the undersigned /
Gentlemen acknowledged my Error, am sincerely /
sorry for it 7+ promise if now forgiven, /
never to behave ill towards her again, /
and I do agree if ever she have cause /
of Complaint against me, that I will /
Renounce all claim to all 7+ every thing /
I am pos+ses+sed of except my Weaving apparel /
W\m/ Smith /
his /
X /
Mark /
Witnes+s /
John Craig /
J Laylock /
J Evatt /