Fortitude Hulk  Jan.y 10 1837

Hond  Sir

This comes from an unfortunate and truly unhappy youth, who in an unguarded moment who has brought grief and sorrow upon himself and disgrace upon a kind and indulgent father and mother, and eight Brothers and Sisters, I am the first unhappy son who has so disgraced them and tho it is not in my power to undo what I have done I do feel it my duty to express that sorrow and heart felt contrition under wich I now labour.  I am not twenty years of age and am of sound unimpaird constitution, and Oh must I drag out a long life in an exile in chains, my only ray of hope is Mercy and this morning I have heard the joyful news that those that have known my life till the preasent time and the Prosecution have united their kindness and Sympathy to implore mercy of His Majesty on my behalf, but I expect without your concurrence the effort will be in vain and I now humbly and heartly pray you will be pleased to use your influence for me by recommending me as an object of His Majesty’s mercy that my heavy sentence may be mitigated, I bow and acknowledge it as justice and wish’d in an hour after I had done the deed I would have given the wourld could I have recald the act, till that fatal time my honesty was unimpeached I had become the companion of persons indifferent carrecture and it was proposed that we should take an excurtion to Dover fair and in order to afford  means it was pland that I should commit the act and I did it, and was by myself, alth others were aware of it and I acknowledge I suffer justly, but Oh Sir if mercy should be gracucly extended to me I most solemely and with the sincerity of a dying pillow declare that my future life shall be a living comment and expression of my gratitude and shall till my latest breath possess a feeling in my heart to you and the rest of them who kindly assisted on my behalf that I cannot express.

                                 I remain
                                   Hond   Sir
                                    Your Humble Servent
                                      William Rook