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Updated Saturday, 28 January, 2006

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Petition to His Royal Highness, Frederick Duke of York, from the prisoner William Turner, 24th Oct 1817

Transcribed & edited by Helen Wilson ©2004

To his Royal Highness, Frederick Duke of York, etc... etc… etc…

The honourable petition of William Turner, late of South Wingfield, in the county of Derby, herewith.

That your petitioner in the year 1797 enlisted into the Derby Militia and from thence volunteered into the 20^th Regiment of Foot, and proceeded to Holland, where he served under your Royal Highness during the campaign in that country in the year 1799; very soon afterwards the regiment was ordered to Egypt and your petitioner served there until the termination of hostilities, he then returned to England and received the enclosed discharge, soon after the ensuing peace.

Unfortunately at this time your petitioner is a prisoner in his Majesty’s Gaol at Derby, and has been convicted of High Treason, and must suffer an ignominious death if your Royal Highness does not intercede in his behalf, but from the known humane disposition of your Royal Highness your petitioner indulges a hope that after due consideration of his prior conduct you will interact yourself in his favour to save his life.

Your petitioner regrets that ever he should have been induced by visionary thoughts to withdraw his allegiance for a moment from his sovereign  the weakness of human nature  the agitated state of the public mind aided by the distecssion the neighbourhood caused that disturbance of which your petitioner was a party.

Your petitioner has an aged father & mother dependant upon him for their support, and whom he has assisted to support for a many years.

Your petitioner therefore humbly begs leave to entreat your Royal Highness to take this unfortunate affair into your consideration, and mediate for such mitigation of the sentence as Your Royal Highness thinks proper, and your petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray &c.

(Signed) William TURNER

Derby Gaol October 24th 1817.