State of New Hampshire

In Committee of Safety of said State conven'd at Exeter the 22d. of June 1778

To M^r. Nathaniel Sherburne—

You have hereby Licence to Sail from the port of Piscataqua in the Schooner [blank] Burthen about Forty Tuns as a flagg of Truce to Halifax, in the State of Rhode Newport, or Newyork to Endeavor to procure the Release of the Crews of the Privateers for the sole purpose of carrying Necessaries to the Crews of the Privaters Portsmouth¹ & Mc.Clary,² now Prisoners at some one or more of those places and if possible to Effect the Release of said Prisoners & bring them to their homes in this State. In prosecuting which Business when you arrive at any one of the Afores^d ports where any of said prisoners may be, you will apply to the Commanding officer for leave to deliver the prisoners the Necessaries you carry for them, & likewise deliver the proper officer in whose power the Liberating of the Prisoners is Vested, the Letter you have from this Committee to request their Release—³ by order of the Committee