The Inhabitants of several of His Majestys Colonies & Plantations in North America Vizt in New Hampshire Massachusets Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania the three lower Counties on Delaware, Maryland Virginia North Carolina & South Carolina having traiterously combined together for the general purpose of resisting the Authority of this Kingdom & having in a Hostile manner arrayed themselves in Arms & committed Acts of open and actual rebellion; You are hereby required & directed in pursuance of the Kings pleasure signified to Us by the Earl of Darmouth, one of His Majestys Principal Secretaries of State to seize all Ships & Vessels belonging to any of the said Colonies and also to Georgia or owned by the Inhabitants thereof except only in Cases where it shall clearly appear from their papers or from other Evidence that they are bound to, or returning from, some port or place in Great Britain, Ireland orHis Majestys Islands in the West Indies; But you are to observe that this exception is not to extend, or be applied to such Ships or Vessels as may have Arms & Ammunition on board, which Ships & Vessels are to be seized in all Cases whatsoever unless it shall appear that the Arms & Ammunition shall have been shipp'd with Licence either from His Majesty in Council, from the Master General & Principal Officers of the Ordnance or under the usual Clearances from the Commissrs of His Majestys Customs: And you are to send all such Ships or Vessels as you may seize under the above Circumstances into the first convenient Port of Safety, there to be detained 'til further Order or proceeded against according to Law as the nature of the Case may require.

And it having been represented to His Majesty that a resolution had been taken in the Congress of Delegates from the Twelve associated Colonies assembled at Philadelphia that after a certain Day all exportation from the said Colonies to great Britain, Ireland & the West Indies should be discontinued and there being great reason to suspect that the Ships & Vessels belonging to those Colonies & hitherto employed in those Channels of Commerce (many of which Ships are of large burthen) may be fitted out for the purpose of supporting the unnatural rebellion now carrying on; You are in pursuance of His Majestys further pleasure signified as aforesaid in case you find any Ships or Vessels which come within the above description in any of the Ports or Harbours you may visit within the said Colonies to take away their Masts & Rudders or otherwise so disable such Ships & Vessels that they may not be fitted & employed for the purpose abovementioned And if you find that the Inhabitants of any of the above Colonies are collecting & fitting out Armed Vessels for affecting their rebellious purposes; You are to exert your utmost endeavours to prevent such preparations and to burn & destroy every Vessel that shall appear to be fitted out with such traiterous designs. Given under our Hands the 21st Novr 1775

Capt. Cooper ー Hawke ー Spithead
By &c PS