The Subscriber declare, that having been in the Month of September last in the Port of New Haven, with a Cargo, I there purchased a vessell fit for a Privateer,² pierced for eighteen Guns, which Vessell, I promised his Honour Governor Trumble of Connecticut to arm at Cape Francois, and to return to the Continent loaded with Provisions & Ammunition; In consequence thereof Admiral Hopkins at Rhode Island granted me the Commission of Lieutenant in the Service of the Continent in order to make use of it in the above mentioned Armaments.

I went to Cape Francois, in the Month of February last, where I compleated the Armament, which I had promised, but having arrived within ten leagues of Cape Henlopen I had the misfortune of being taken by Three Frigates,³ who carried me to New York, where I have remained ever since the month of April, confined on board of a Prison Ship, among every Class of People suffering Death and what is hardly to be described during four Months, where I should undoubtedly have died, had I not saved myself by swimming at the risque of my life; as for my Vessell and Cargo although I was cleared out for Dunkirk it was confiscated and sold for the benefit of the British King on the Deposition hereunder mentioned. Vizt —

At two hundred Leagues at Sea I met a Brigt from Surrinam bound to Philada to whom I promised my Company and assistance against our Enemies, which I did some days after, when opposite a small Privateer, by which she would inevitably have been taken, if I had not compelled her to sheer off. The said Brigantine was afterwards taken by the same Frigates that took me and the Captain had the Treachery to make the wicked declaration against me, who deposited as well as all his Crew that I had protected them, in hopes thereby to obtain his liberty. A certain named Raphael Isaac Merchant at New Haven with whom I had (as his Honour Governor Trumbull well knows) some difficulty relative to his dishonesty, in the account which he ought to have rendered me has wrote (in order to revenge himself) to Government at New York, that I had promised to bring back my Vessell; armed and loaded with Provision & Ammunition, and to prove the Thing better has sent twelve Sailors & Carpenters of New Haven who came to make Deposition against me before the Mayor, that I had been the cause that Mr Isaac's had been found out to be a Tory and thereby put into Prison, which Sailors and Carpenters I know very well by sight, are married there and return'd thither, after having took the Oath of Allegiance at New York, where they only went to answer the bad designs of Mr Isaac's this is what has occasioned the bad treatment which I have sustained by Government at New York and the Confiscation of my Vessell and Cargo.

I hope the Gentlemen of the Congress will have some regard to my misfortunes and situation which is very distressing, Seeing I have lost all even my Clothes, and that they would furnish me with an Opportunity of revenging myself of the Cruelty which they have made me suffer, The right means would be to advance me an armed Vessell or I will go to arm it at Cape Francois at my own expence, which vessell I will answer in Case she is taken by my engagements if it is thought convenient.⁴