Document: Petition of John Parcel and Ytie Janse for pardon

[several lines lost] and Itje Jans [ ] mercy from justice [ ] confessing their guilt and sin and great remorse, praying God for forgiveness of their sins, not doubting that he, as a charitable God and merciful father, out of mercy will forgive such crimes as well. Therefore, the petitioners’ humble request to your honors is that they, as poor miserable people, out of mercy may be spared the pronounced sentence for several years [ to come ], not knowing to which place they will flee with their five innocent little children and this in this extremely cold winter weather. Also, they, petitioners, find that the cattle and hay [ and also those things ] to which otherwise they used to pay much attention, now, since their imprisonment, are ruined and scattered, to the petitioners’ extreme loss, which loss cannot be recovered in such a short time. Praying your honors for God and for the love of God, out of mercy to pardon the petitioners and to allow them to stay in this province, and to agree that they, as wedded people lawfully may be married for the protection of the innocent children, who otherwise [ ] the crimes of their parents [several lines lost] if one [ ] not be able

[ ] being assured [ ] and the people a

[ ] while meanwhile praying to God Almighty that He will move your honors’ hearts to [blank] and fatherly compassion, so that the petitioners may be heartened by a merciful resolution. Doing this (lower stood) remaining your honors’ subservient and distressed sinners Jan Parcel and Itije Jansz.