Jamaica ss To the Honorable Edward Webley Esquire Chief Justice of the said Island of Jamaica.

The Request of James Davis of the Parish of Kingston Merchant in behalf of Benjamin Bell, Eliphalet Smith, Daniel Dyke, Benjamin Appleton, America Rogers, Theophilus Lindsay and Daniel Towser Mariners now Prisoners in the Custody of Clark Gayton Esquire Admiral and Commander in Chief of his Majestys Fleet upon the Station of this Island of Jamaica and detained by him on Board his Majesty's Ship called the Antelope under his Command in the Harbour of Port Royal

Sheweth

That the said James Davis on the behalf aforesaid did between the Hours of Nine and Eleven of the Clock in the fore noon on Monday the twenty second of this Instant January go to the said Clark Gayton at the Admirals pen near Kingston and demand from him a Copy of the Warrant or Order of Commitment and Detainer of them the said Benjamin Bell, Eliphalet Smith, Daniel Dyke, Benjamin Appleton, America Rogers, Theophilus Lindsay and Daniel Towser by virtue of which he detained them Prisoners in his Custody as aforesaid and the said Admiral Clark Gayton Esquire did then declare to the said James Davis that the said Benjamin Bell, Eliphalet Smith, Daniel Dyke, Benjamin Appleton, America Rogers, Theophilus Lindsay and Daniel Towser were Prisoners in his Custody and detained by him on.Board the said Ship called the Antelope and that he did there detain them Prisoners by Virtue of his Orders and Instructions or to that Effect but the said Admiral Clark Gayton Esquire did th[en] possitively deny to give to the said James Davis a Copy of the Order or Warrant of Commitment and Detainer of them the said Benjamin Bell, Eliphalet Smith, Daniel Dyke, Benjamin Appleton, America Rogers, Theophilus Lindsay and Daniel Towser or of any order Warrant or Authority for Committing or detaining them.

Therefore

The said James Davis on the Behalf of Benjamin Bell, Eliphalet Smith, Daniel Dyke, Benjamin Appleton, America Rogers, Theophilus Lindsay and Daniel Towser doth hereb[y] request Your Honor to Grant u[nto] him his Majesty's several Writs of Habeas Corpus upon the Statute of the Thirty first Year of the Reign of King Charles the Second returnable immediately to be directed unto the said Clark Gayton Esquire Admiral as aforesaid to have the Bodies of them the said Benjamin Bell, Eliphalet Smith, Daniel Dyke, Benjamin Appleton, America Rogers, Theophilus Lindsay and Daniel Towser before your Honor together with the Cause of their and each of their Caption and Detention to the end that your Honour may examine into the Legality of such Caption and Detention and thereupon do what unto Justice and Right doth appertain

James Davis

Witness

Dⁿ Pennington
Ja^s Martin

[Endorsed] Let Writs of Habeas Corpus issue for each of the above named returnable immediate.

Edw^d Webley
1776 January 23d