To Clark Gayton Esqr Vice Admiral of the White, & Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Fleet at Jamaica &c
The petitioners John Morris Esqr Mr Hugh Inglis, Mr Arthur Clarke, on the part of his Wife Katherine, & Mr John Morgridge humbly sett forth.
That your Petitioners, late inhabitants of the Province of So Carolina & Georgia, suffering under the present Anarchy in America did embrace the earliest opportunity of removing from it, and availing themselves to the permission given by the People of So Carolina, did sail from the Port of Charles — Town on the 12th of July last, in a French Brigg, for the Port of Cape Francois in Hispaniola, as the only means of getting to this place, and arrived at the said Port of Cape Francois on the 9th Instant.
There your Petitioners there hired a small French Sloop nam'd the Cooper, now in this Port, for the purpose of conveying themselves and baggage to this place, and sailed from Cape Francois the 17th August Instant, That your Petitioners had no sooner left the Port in the said Sloop, than they were boarded by a boat with 12 Arm'd Men, within two Miles of the Fort, who took possession of their Vessel, and carried her down to a Sloop about two Leagues to the leeward, which was Arm'd with Ten Carriage Guns & twelve Swivels, having Eighty Men onboard, all Foreigners, tho' under American Colours.
After standing off Shore for about an hour, both Vessels Tack'd and put into Port Francois, about three Miles from the Town of the Cape.
Your Petitioners were immediately sent onboard the Pirate Vessel, where they continued from the morning of the 19th to the Evening of the 20th during which, the whole of their baggage, was sent onboard the Pirate, and every thing valuable, but wearing apparel, was taken from them, as specifyed in the inclosed account, which your Petitioners are ready to attest; after which they were order'd to proceed on their voyage, and arriv'd here the 23d instant.
The Pirate Vessel as far as we cou'd learn is called the Fanny, a Sloop about 80 Tons, American built & Commanded by a Frenchman Nam'd Hegue, there was also onboard two French Gentlemen Monsieur Courtan & Monsr Banan known to be residents at Cape Francois & suppos'd to be part Owners.
The Captn Shew'd no Commission, and when asked whether he had any, answer'd it was of no consequence that his Vessel had been plunder'd and robbed by an English Man of Warr, and that he was determin'd to retaliate upon the first English he shou'd Meet.
As your Petitioners flatter themselves the Viciousness of the Act, will clearly appear, from the few Matters of fact herein stated, they have only to request you will be pleas'd to consider their sufferings, and make no doubt but you will endeavour to obtain them such redress, as you may judge them entitled to as British Subjects, and your Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray
