Sir,

From the entire Confidence we Repose in your faithfulness and Abilities, we consider it the happiness of this Colony, that the important trust of Agency for it, in this day of unequalled Distress, is devolved on your hands, and we doubt not, your Attachment to the Cause and liberties of Mankind, will make every possible Exertion in our behalf, a Pleasure to you; altho' our circumstances will compell us often to Interrupt your repose, by Matters that will surely give you Pain. A singular instance hereof is the Occasion of the present letter. The Contents of this Packet, will be our Apology for troubling you with it.

From these, you will see, how and by whom we are at last Plunged into the horrors of a most unnatural war.

Our enemies, we are told, have dispatched to G[reat] Britain a fallacious Account of the Tragedy they have begun; to present the operation of which, to the Publick Injury, we have engaged the Vessel that conveys this to you, as a Packet in the service of this Colony, and we Request your Assistance in supplying Captain [John] Derby, who commands her, with such Necessaries as he shall want, on the Credit of your Constituents in Massachusetts Bay.

But we most ardently wish, that the several papers herewith Inclosed may be immediately printed, and Disperced thro' every Town in England, and especially communicated to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the city of London, that they may take such Order thereon, as they may think Proper. And we are Confident your fidelity will make such improvement of them, as shall convince all, who are not determined to be in everlasting blindness, that it is the united efforts of both Englands, that may save either. But that whatever Price our Brethern in the one, may be pleased to put on their constitutional liberties, we are authorized to assure you, that the inhabitants of the other, with the Greatest Unanimity, are inflexibly resolved to sell theirs only at the Price of their lives.

Sign'd by order of the Provincial Congress

[Endorsed] A true Copy from the original Minutes

Samuel Freeman, Secretary, P.T.