Sir

I beg leave to lay before you that Mr Samuel Thompson of Brunswick one of the Delegates of your Congress has attended by about Forty or upwards of His Minute Men &c Armed, restrained me from following my lawful Occupation, and has detained me here, and compelled a Bond to be given the 4th instant with two Securities for me in the penal Sum of £2,000. lawful money payable to you or the Heads of the Province for the time being that may be appointed by the People ー The Condition of the Bond prevents me or any Person for or under me from removing certain Masts, Spars, Oak Plank &c that are now under my care in this River and procured for the Service of His Majesty's Navy ー and that I should be kept in safe Custody here until I may be released by your Orders ー he has also required that I shall not write to any Officer of the Army or Navy for Protection ー He Grounds his pretences for these Violences to me by a Resolve of your Body (as he says) passed the beginning of April ー The Subject matter of which as near as I can recollect is ー "That Colo Samuel Thompson be appointed to notify certain Towns in the Eastward, that one Perry was gone down thither to Ship Masts Plank &c for the Dock Yard at Nova Scotia, and that he and they should use all possible and effectual means to prevent the same being done"

And likewise the People &c I employ'd have been intimidated and influenced from carrying on their work to my great detriment by Persons who appear by their Conduct to place Reliance on your Approbation ー I imagine you will not justify but disavow these injurious proceedings ー and I expect you will order without delay the Bond to be cancelled and myself released from my present confinement.

I am Sir Your very humble servant

To The President of the Delegates of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay assembled in Congress at Concord