William Dyer's Petition to Governor Endicott for Mercy to his Wife.
Honord Sr
It is no little greif of mind, and sadness of hart that I am necessitated to be so bould as to s upplicate yor Honord self wth the Honble Assembly of yor Generall Courte to extend yor mercy & favoure once agen to me & my children. Little did I dream that ever I shuld have had occasion to petitõn you in a matter of this nature, but so it is that throu the devine providence and yor benignity my sonn obtayned so much pitty and mercy att yor hands as to enjoy the life of his mother, now my supplication to yor Honors is to beg affectionately, the life of my deare wife. Tis true I have not seen her above this half yeare & therefore cannot tell how in the frame of her spiritt she was moved thus againe to runn so great a Hazard to herself, and perplexity to me & mine & all her freinds & well wishers: so itt is from Shelter Iland about by Pequid Narragansett & to the Towne of Providence she secrettly & speedyly journyed, & as secrettly from thence came to yor jurisdiction, unhappy journy may I say, & woe to that generation say I that gives occasion thus of greif & troble (to thos that desire to be quiett) by helping one another (as I may say) to Hazard their lives for I know not whatt end or to what purpose: If her zeale be so greatt as thus to adventure, oh Lett yor favoure & Pitty surmount itt & save her life. Lett not yor forwonted compassion bee conquered by her inconsiderate madness, & how greatly will yor renowne be spread if by so conquering you become victorious. What shall I say more. I know you are all sensible of my condition, and left the reflect bee, and you will see whatt my petiton is and what will give me & mine peace, oh Lett mercies wings once more sore above justice ballance, & then whilst I live shall I exalt yor goodness butt other wayes twill be a languishing sorrow, yea so great that I shuld gladly suffer the blow att once much rather: I shall forbeare to troble youre Honr wth words neyther am I in a capacity to expatiat myself aft present: I only say that yor selves have been & are or may bee husbands to wife or wives, so am I, yea to one most dearely beloved: oh do not deprive me of her, but I pray give her me once agen & I shall bee so much obleiged for ever, that I shall endeavor continually to utter my thankes & render yor Love & Honr most renowned: pitty mee, I begg itt wth teares, and rest yor
most humbly suppliant
W DYRE
Portsmo 27th of 3d: 1660
Most Honed Sr Lett these lines by yor favor bee my Petiton to yor Honble Generall Court: at present Sitting
sd W D
[From Mass. Archives, X. p. 266 (MSS.).]