I Walter Hatch of Hingham in the County afores^d. of lawful Age, Gentleman, testify and declare, that about the twentieth Day of April last past, being second Lieutenant on Board the Brigantine called the Hazard,¹ commanded by Simeon Samson Esq^r. on a Cruize at Sea against the Enemies of the United States of America; in the Morning it being my Watch upon Deck, William Spear of said Boston, then being on Board s^d. Brigantine, came to me, and informed me, that the People on Board were about signing a Round-Robin, and that they wanted him to write something for them, upon which I advised s^d. Spear not to have any Thing to do with that Matter;² And I declare that I never said or did any Thing to encourage it myself: that soon after (s^d. Spear being then gone below) Capt^n. Daniel Turner, a Prize-Master, came on Deck, to whom I related what s^d. Spear had said to me, relating to the Round-Robin before-mention’d, who said let us talk with him, meaning s^d. Spear, upon which I called s^d. Spear, who immediately came to us; I then in Presence of s^d. Turner, and s^d. Spear repeat what he had before said to me, concerning the Round-Robin, which he accordingly did, using the same Expressions which he had before used, relating to the People's signing a Round-Robin: S^d. Turner and I advis'd him not to have any Thing to do with that Matter; upon which s^d. Turner and I parted from s^d. Spear, and went immediately down into the Cabbin, and informed Capt^n. Samson that s^d. Spear had just told us that the People were about signing a Round-Robin; to which s^d. Samson return'd for Answer, let it rest: I farther declare, that I heard nothing more from the People concerning a Round-Robin for two or three Days; after which Time, I being in the Cabbin with Capt^n. Samson, he shew'd me the Copy of a Round-Robin, which he had just received from the People, (as he informed me) and also said in my Hearing, and in the Hearing of Lieutenant Dyer,³ who was at the same Time in the Cabbin, that what he had received as aforesaid, was only a Copy, and that it appeared to him, Viz; Samson, to be wholly wrote by one Hand: I farther declare, that from that Time, I never heard Capt^n. Samson say any Thing to the People, nor the People to him concerning a Round-Robin, 'till we had taken a Prize,⁴ which was about a Week or ten days afterwards, when some of the Men whose Names were wrote in the Copy aforesaid, applied to s^d. Capt^n. Samson for Shoes, who, Viz; Samson answer'd them, that no Persons whose Names were wrote in the said Copy, should have any Shoes of him, neither had they any, though he furnish'd others with Shoes, whose Names were not wrote in the Copy aforesaid: I still farther declare, that I heard a Number of the People at sundry Times say, that they thought that after the Expiration of five Months, the Cruize would be out, but that I thought, and also told the People, that our Time was not confin'd to five Months only, but that Capt^n. Samson had ship'd us for a Cruize: And farther I say not 

Mass. State
Suffolk-County		Boston July 3d. 1778.

Walter Hatch after being examin'd, and
duly caution'd, made Oath to the Truth of the foregoing Declaration by him subscribed: Taken at his Request,
Before me, Sam^l. Pemberton, Just. Peace