Sir,

We the Subscribers, both of Providence in the State of Rhode Island &c. Merchants, request your Honor to Grant a Commission or Letters of Marque and Reprisal to John Tillinghast Commander of the Private Sloop of War Retaliation of which we are Owners. She is burthened Ninety Tons carries Twelve Carriage Guns, Six, Four and Three Pounders, and Fourteen Swivel Guns, manned with Seventy Men, and fitted with a suitable Quantity of Muskets, Blunderbusses, Pistols, Cutlasses, Powder Ball and other Military Stores. She hath on board Fifty barrels Beef and Pork, and Five Thousand weight of Bread &c. John: Jacobs is First Lieutenant [blank] Tobey is Second Lieutenant, and Ebenezer Hill is Master of said Sloop. We are with great Respect Sir [&c.]