192 



TOM HYNES. 



" The said Thomas Hynes, at his enlistment, was aged 16 years, 5 feet 4 

 inches high, light brown hair, fresh complexion, hazlc eyes, a native of Rattery, 

 in Devonshire, by trade a labourer. 



" Given under my hand, at the Royal Marine Barracks, Plymouth, April 

 20th., 1810." 



(Signed) "SAMUEL MALLOCK, 



Lieut, and Adjt." 



[COPY.] 



** To his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury." 



**The Petition of THOMAS HYNES, now residing in Wright's CohtI, 



Catte Street, Plymouth." 



" SHEWETH,— That your petitioner is a very poor man indeed, of the 

 great age of W years ; and having no friend on earth but himself and wife, it 

 induces him to apply to your Grace, as one of the king's friends, hoping you 

 will lay this before His Majesty, and use your interest to procure a pension 

 for me, or any situation in your Grace's or His Majesty's gift, that my shining 

 abilities, and my noble and glorious character, may qualify me for. 



"That 1 have gloriously fought and suffered, but without any honour or 

 profit to myself, (to my praise be it spoken) for his late majesty, our royal 

 King's father, upwards of seven years, and for my disinterested and praise- 

 worthy conduct, was discharged for being deranged in mind ; and I hope your 

 grace will agree with me, that it was no wonder after being shipwrecked, 

 then I got a cracked skull, and a situation as a prisoner of war, in a French 

 prison, and after I came home, I made interest to get into Hoxtou Madhouse, 

 near London, and if all that I have stated above (and I assure your grace 

 upon the honor of a crazy man, that I have not exaggerated) is it not enough 

 to make a man crazv, I hope you will say so at once. But stand my friend 

 only this once, and I will pray for you as long as yon live, and after you are 

 dead too; only first obtain my request, and then I will tell you all about it; 

 but as I SHid before, after I came home, and out of the Mad-house, I was 

 discharged for a mad man, and I believe nobody disputes about it but myself 

 and the doctor, who says, " that I am downright staring, stark, roaring mad," 

 and I in return tell him that it is himself who is mad and that be is a fool for 

 not know'ing better ; and, as we cannot agree on this point, I wish you to 

 judge between us ; but 1 hope that you will hold on my side, for if you do not, 

 your judgment, in my grand ideas and opinion, will not be worth a straw; — 

 but get me a pension, or a good, snug, warm, comfortable berth of a situation, 

 of £'2,Q00. or £3,000. per year, and I will proclaim your Grace to the whole 

 world, as the wisest man on the face of the globe. 



" Your Grace knows, by this time, how 1 stand with the world, and how 

 that a man's will is of no use until he be dead, but my good will has been of 

 service, while 1 am yet alive. First, in serving my king and country, then in 

 undergoing so many sntterings, and almost last, though not least, is my goml 

 WILL, in having been in Exeter jail about twenty dirterent limes, not for 

 being a tliief, but for hawking my best, shining, Japan blacking, without a 

 licence; and, lastly, I adopted a little girl, who had no parents, as a daughter ; 

 ^ and one time, when I was in jail, the parish officers took the child from my 

 wife, and bound her apprentice to a brute of a farmer, in the country, where 

 she was compelled to work hard, fare hard, lie hard, and all but go naked ; 

 upon my learning and understanding the usage she received, I had her hard 

 hearted master J)eforc the Magistrates, who cancelled her indentures, and I 

 took home my darling adopted child once more. 



" Now if my (good) will has not been of service in my life time, say so ; — 

 but, only get me a good pension, or some situation — I think that of Master 

 General of the Ordnance, First Lord of the Treasury, or of the Admiralty, or 

 General of Marines, would make myself and family quite comfortable for life. 

 If you cannot assist me, yon can show to some of your friends, who may 

 perhaps lend me one of their good ortices, to do something for me. As for my 



character, y»)u may, if you please, enquire of the of ; or else of 



. Hoping you will comply with my request, your petitioner, as, 



in duty bound, will ever pr;:y. 



(Signed,) THOMAS HYNES." 



G. P. IIEAIIDER, PLYMOUTH. 



