Bilboa Octr 2d 1776
ー Capt John Lee of a Letter of Marque Schooner of eight Carriage & 14 swivel Gunns, belonging to my Friends Jackson, Tracy & Tracy of Newbury Port2 (New England) arived here the Evening before last ー On his passage he made Prize of 5 British Vessels and sent them back to America, one of them was a Transport ship mounted with 16 Carriage Gunns besides swivels & 18 Hands ー Some of his Prizes are valuable: He brought in here the Masters of two of them, who have entered their Protests ー A Person here who from motives of Intrest is inimical to America, has made use of those Masters Names to Petition the Commissary of the Marine Department here to stop the Vessel which he has accordingly done. In this Petition they represented Capt Lee to be a Pirate, although he is not treated as such here, but he is obliged to wait here for the determination of the Court of Madrid ー I am not Knowing of any person being appointed Agent there since the Coloines have declared themselves Independant States ー If there should be one there I must beg your influence with him in Capt. Lee's favour. ー The matter will go forward, from hence properly represented by, our good Friends Messrs Jos. Gardoqui & Sons as well as by the Commissary who Transmits in his proceedings a Copy of Capt Lee's commission & instructions. ー I am Sir [&c.]
Extract
Jno Emerson
1. Stevens, ed., Facsimiles, No, 587,
2. According to the Massachusetts bond, John Lee commanded the privateer schooner Hawke, commissioned August 10, 1776, and mounting only six guns with a crew of thirty, Mass. Arch., vol. 6, 77, 80.