The Inhabitants of several of His Majts Colonies and 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, and, having in a hostile manner array'd themselves in Arms and committed Acts of open and actual Rebellion; You are hereby required and directed in pursuance of the Kings pleasure, signified to Us by the Earl of Dartmouth One of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, in his Letter of the 29th of August last, to seize all ships & Vessels belonging to any of the said Colonies, or owned by the Inhabitants thereof, except only in Cases where it shall clearly appear by their Papers, or from other Evidence, that they are bound to, or returning from some Port or Place in Great Britain, Ireland, or His Majesty's 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 or Ammunition on board, which Ships and 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 Commissioners of His Majesty's Customs.

You are to bring with you into some British Port, not within the twelve aforesaid Colonies, such Ships & Vessels as you may seize in the Cases abovemention'd, there to be detained til further Order, or be proceeded against according to Law, as the nature of the Case may require.

Given &c. the 16th Decr 1775
Captn [John] Morris, Bristol
"    [James] Worth, Deal Castle
"    [Anthony] Hunt, Sphynx		Sent to Sir Peter
"    [Charles] Thompson, Boreas		Parker in Town.
"    [Christopher] Atkins, Actaeon
"    [Thomas] Symonds, Solebay, at Cork (by the Bristol)
"    [James] Reid, Thunder Bomb By &c. G.J. DS.