Appendix. 589

THOMAS GAGE

To his Excellency Horatio Sharpe Esq.^r Governor & Com-
mander in Chief in and over the Province of Maryland and to the
Honourable the upper & Lower Houses of Assembly of said Prov-
ince now Sitting

The Petition of Thomas Gage a Poor Languishing Prisoner in
the custody of the Sherif of Calvert County, Humbly Sheweth
That your Petitioner has for above Ten Months past been a
prisoner in the Custody of Joshua Beall Gent. Sherif of said
County under Execution at the suit of Sundry Persons for Diverse
& Sundry Sums of Money & Tobacco far Exceeding all that he
hath in the world to pay or Satisfie, which hath not been occasioned
by any profuseness or extravagance of your Pet.^r but by a long
series of Ailments & he being well stricken in years hath rendered
him unable to Labour as formerly he was wonted for the Support
of himself wife & family. That your Pef has made all the over-
tures in his power to his Creditors in case they would set him at
Large so that he might be endeavouring to earn Somewhat in time
towards Satisfying them their Claims besides the Support of him-
self wife & Family, hath offered to Surrender up all he hath in
the world, nay hath besides offered to enter into Servitude, (which
altho some of his Creditors have been & are willing to assent to)
yet the Greatest of them without whose assent it would not Avail
him any thing still remain inexorable & refuse to Come into any
Terms whatever without giving them Such Security as your Pef
cannot by any means procure. Your Pet^r therefore most Humbly
beseeches your Excellency & Hon.^rs will take this his deplorable
case into your consideration & give him such relief in the Premisses
as in your Legislative Capacity shall seem Just & Reasonable and
y^r Poor Pet^r as in duty bound shall ever Pray &c
Thomas Gage

Calvert County ss^t By the Justices of s^d County Court March
18^th 1762 Sedente Curia namely present ss James
Weems: David Arnold: Young Parran William Allnutt: John
Beckett & Samuel Chew
Upon hearing the Petition of Thomas Gage a poor Languishing
Prisoner in the Custody of the Sherif of said County requesting
the recommendation of this Court to the next Gen^l Assembly of
this Province in Order for his relief the said Court having maturely
considered the facts in s^d Petition set forth are of Opinion that the
said Gage is an Object worthy of the notice of the said Hon.^ble
Assembly & of this their Opinion Order their Clk to make Certifi-
cate to the s^d Hon.^ble Houses under the Scale of s^d County when
thereto required by s.^d Gage. In Testimony whereof the scale of
the same County Court is hereto affixed the 3^d day of April Anno
Domini 1762

MSS
Archives
of Md.
Black Book
No. 4
Letter 83
Hall of
Records