Lane, Thomas

To His Excellency the Right Honb\le/ /
Gen\l/ Lord Charles Henry Somerset /
Governor and Commander in Chief 7+c 7+c 7+c /
The Memorial of Thomas Lane, Labourer, residing at /
Graham’s Town, belonging to M\r/ Thomas Wilson’s party of Settlers. /
Humbly Sheweth. /
That your Petitioner came out as a Servant with /
M\r/ William Currie for 3 years, during the time your Petitioner /
remained with him was afflicted with the Rheumatism for 11 Months /
and quite incapable or rendering him the least As+sistance. As soon as /
your Petitioner got better, exerted himself on behalf of his Employer to the /
utmost of his power and remained with him to the date of the annexed /
Certificate. The Reason M\r/ Currie delivered your Petitioner said Document /
was considering him incapable Earning his Livelihood. ([Ingratitude])
Your Petitioner has resided in this place ever since date of said /
Certificate and finding himself getting much better strived beyond his Nature 7+ /
Strength to earn his Maintenance, for a fortnight from this date has been /
again afflicted with said Complaint and almost incapable of going out of his /
place of residence with Crutches. /
[Your Petitioner is only 25 years of Age, An Object of pitty, no property /
and no friend to render him the lease as+sistance.]/
„Your Petitioner got Married to a Servant of M\r/ Currie’s soon after /
being Located, since which her Conduct has proved most Infamous in deserting /
me during my Illnes+s and living from that time to the present Period with /
a young Man belonging to said Party. At present they are each residing in /
this place”. _ Fortunately your Petitioner has no Child to look forward to” . /
Your Petitioner has a peculiar desire of obtaining a pas+s for England. /
Should your Excellency think proper to grant him his request, has not the /
means of defraying Expenses to Cape Town relying on your Excellency you will pitty .
his Case and Arrange matters in such way for him to reach his native Country. /
Provided your Excellency disapproves of your Petitioner’s Observations /
sincerely trust your Excellency will do the needful for him during his Present /
Indisposition, which your Petitioner Imagines he shall never get the better of. /
At present your Petitioner resides with an Inhabitant of this /
Place who favors him with Board and Lodging untill Your Excellency thinks /
proper to Commiserate his Case, therefore your Petitioner Humbly hops your /
Excellency will be pleased to answer his Memorial and for which if granted /
your Petitioner as in duty bound will every Pray. /
The Sign or Mark of /
Thomas Lane /
Graham’s Town /
March 1823 /