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To Henry Mowat Esqr Captain of His Majesty's Ship Canceaux. The Memorial of Us the Subscribers, for themselves and many other faithful Subjects in the County of Cumberland

Sheweth  That since the Arrival of His Majesty's Ship under your Command, we have been relieved by your Spirited Conduct from those Anxieties natural to Persons who are abnoxious to the Enemies of our happy Constitution; and by your courteous and kind behavior to all the Friends of Government, flattered Ourselves with the pleasing Prospect of a continuance of your Protection; but those agreeable Sensations are entirely vanished, and we are reduced to the last degree of despair, by your information, that when Captain Coulsin's Ship will be ready for Sea, You are immediately to leave this Place ー and consequently Us, a prey to the Sons of rapine and lawless Violence. We therefore intreat that in your goodness You will remain with us till we can make known our deplorable Situation to General [Thomas] Gage, which we shall do without delay.

We further in treat You will be so obliging to represent our dangerous Situation to Admiral [Samuel] Graves ー and as we are now deprived of sending a Petition to his Excellency by Land and having no effectual Method of conveyance by Water, we beg You will suffer an Officer, and a few Men from your Ship to proceed for that purpose.

Falmouth 2d May 1775