Cause

Sir Geo. Collier Commander of His Majesty’s Ship of War the Rainbow VS. the Brig Henrica Sophia, Peter Heldt Master.

July 18		Libel filed & Entered & Order made thereon as on file—
1778		Registers Office 21st July 1778.

John Bohannon Commander of the Rainbows Tender called the True Blue being duly Sworne Deposeth that being on a Cruize in the Bay of Fundy on or about the 7 of this Ins^t. July, they fell in with a Brig¹ which they Chaced about 5 Hours, when they came up with and took her & found that she was in possession of the Rebels, who were Carrying her to Newbury,² that she was taken by the Revenge Rebel Privateer³ about the 31 of Last May on her Passage from London to Teneriffe, Loaded with Bale Goods, Iron & Stores that she was Armed with two three Pounders, that the Master and 4 of the Brigs Crew were on board, & 8 Rebels belonging to the Privateer, that she is about 200 tons Burthen, the Deponant put an Officer on Board who brought her into this Harbour the Brig was called the Henrica Sophia.

John Buchannan

Sworne before W^m. Morris D Reg^r

Peter Heldt Master of the Brigantine Henrica Sophia being duly Sworne Deposeth that the said Brigantine is Owned in Stockholm in Sweden, that he was bound on a Voyage in said Brig from London to Teneriffe, that in the latter end of May last being in Lat 40° & Long 12 from London they fell in with an American Privateer called the Revenge mounting 14 Guns & had 60 men, that the Privateer fired a Shot at the Brig and brought her too, & Ordered the Deponant to put out his Boat & bring his papers on Board the Privateer which the Deponant did that afterwards they sent an Officer, & Examined the Letters and papers, that the Capt. of the privateer one Cunningham⁴ then told the Deponant the Cargo was English property & therefore was a Prize, that he took out the Deponants mate & 7 Hands & put on Board the Brig a Prize master & 8 Hands from the Privateer, & then Ordered the Prize master to make the best of His way with the Brig for Newbury, Piscataqua or Casco Bay which ever they could get into, that the Mast^r. of the Privateer told the Deponant he should have his Brig again and Freight for the Cargo Six Hundred Pounds Sterling⁵ that before this 2 Days in Lat. 42°.50 ́ another Privateer fired a Shott under Striped Colours brought them too, Sent his Officer on Board the Brig opened Several Chests & Boxes Looking for Papers, after examining the Papers, told the Deponant he might proceed his Voyage, And the Deponant further deposeth that on their Passage towards America as aforesaid on the 7^th. July Ins^t. being then off the Seal Islands⁶ near Cape Sables in this Province they fell in with an Arm’d Schooner called the True Blue, who retook the said Brig and Brought her into this Port of Halifax.

Peter Heldt
Isaik Hallbarg
Jacob Kudding

Sworne before me
Charles Morris Jun^r. Reg^r.

Jacob Cudding & Isaac Halbairg both belonging to the Brig Henrica Sophia, being duly Sworne, Confirms, the Evidence of Peter Heldt

Charles Morris Jun^r. Reg^r—

June 21st 1778

William Nesbitt appear’d & filed a Claim, to the Brig Henrica Sophia & Cargo, on behalf of Peter Heldt the Master as on File

July 28^th
Court being open, as the usual Persons, appointed, to Appraise y^e Brig Henrica Sophia and Cargo, Reported that they should be under y^e Necessity of Unloading the whole Cargo, before they could make a just Estimation of the Value of it, and pray’d that they might be allow’d a further Time, to make a Report of their Proceeding, the Court haveing taken their Report into Consideration, Allow’d them a further time, till the sixth of August next, and then Adjourn’d to that Day at 10 oClock at Noon—
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