Know all Men by these Presents That we John Innis Clarke and Joseph Nightingale both of Providence in the County of Providence and Colony of Rhode Island &c. Merchants in Company are held and firmly bound unto Joseph Clarke Esqr. General Treasurer of the said Colony in the Sum of Six Hundred Pounds Lawful Money of the said Colony to be paid to the said Joseph Clarke in his said Capacity or to his Successors in said Office for the Use of the said Colony. To which Payment well and truly to be made we bind Ourselves our Heirs Executors and Administrators firmly by these Presents. Sealed with our Seals. Dated this First Day of February in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and Seventy Six.

Whereas the said John Innis Clarke and Joseph Nightingale have imported into the said Colony a Quantity of Powder and warlike Stores amounting to Eighteen Hundred and Sixty three Pounds 11s/2d and in Consequence of a Resolution of the Continental Congress of the Fifteenth of July last for the Encouragement of the Importation of Powder &c. have equipped the Sloop Mermaid Lemuel Bishop Master with a Cargo for Surinam but have put on board Goods to the Amount of Three Hundred and Fifty Nine Pounds 1s/6d more than the Value of the Warlike Stores so imported; and whereas pursuant to said Resolution and of an Act of the General Assembly of the said Colony the said Lemuel Bishop hath received Permission from the Honble Nicholas Cooke Esquire Governor of the said Colony to proceed to Surinam in the said Sloop with the said Cargo. Now the Condition of the above Obligation is such That if the said Lemuel Bishop shall in all Things during his said Voyage conform himself to the Rules of the Continental Congress and shall lay out such a Proportion of the Neat Proceeds of his Cargo as the said Sum of Three Hundred and Fifty Nine Pounds 1/6. bears to the Sum of Five Hundred and Twenty Eight Pounds 6/9. (the whole Amount of his Cargo) in Powder, Saltpetre, Small Arms, Sulphur, Duck, Ozenbriggs or Ticklenburgh, giving the Preference to Powder Saltpetre and Small Arms and import the same into this or some other of the United Colonies & lodging within Three Days after his Arrival in this Colony proper Certificates in the Secretarys Office (the. Danger of the Seas and Seizure by an Enemy always excepted) then this Obligation shall be void or else in full Force.

Sealed & Delivered in the Presence of

Henry Ward Sam Sanford