East Florida (Copy)
By His Excellency Patrick Tonyn, Esqr Captain General, Governor & Commander in Chief in and over His Majesty's said Province, Chancellor and Vice Admiral of the sameー
A Proclamation
Whereas I have received information from Alvara Lofthouse Master of the Brigantine called the Betsy, that on the Seventh day of August Instant, He the said Master being on Board the said Brigantine then lying at anchor off the Bar of St. Augustine in the Province aforesaid; A Sloop Commanded by one Clement Lempriere run alongside of the said Brigantine and in a Hostile and violent manner instantly boarded her with Twenty six Men; some armed with Muskets and Bayonets fixed, others with Swords and Pistols, and were Commanded by the said Clement Lempriere and one Simon Tuffs, that the said Clement Lempriere ordered a Guard over the said Master and the People and then in an audacious and Piratical like manner opened the Hatches and took out of the said Brigantine, and put on Board the said Sloop one hundred and eleven Barrels of Gun powder belonging to His Majesty, and about four hundred Weight the property of Mr. Robert Payne, of St Augustine Merchant. And the said ー Clement Lempriere for a justification of his conduct shewed to the mid Master a Letter or Commission from Henry Laurens, styling himself President of the Council of Safety in Charles Town, to Seize the said Brigantine and take whatever Gunpowder or Warlike Stores he could find on boardー
And whereas such proceedings are not only unwarrantable and illegal, but subject the Offenders & Perpetrators thereof to great and severe Pains and Penalties, and it is ー highly necessary such atrocious Offenders should receive the Punishment due to their Crimes. To the Intent therefore that the Persons concerned in the above Piracy may be apprehended, and brought to condign Punishment, I have thought fit by and with the advice of His Majesty's Honble Council to issue this my Proclamation offering and I do hereby promise a reward of two hundred Pounds Sterling to any Person or persons who shall apprehend and bring to Justice said Clement Lempriere and Simon Tuffs and their associates in the said Act of Piracy. And I do hereby likewise offer His Majesty's Most Gracious Pardon to any one of the Persons on Board the said Sloop Commanded by the said Clement Lempriere who shall give certain information of the other Persons concerned in the aforesaid ー Act of Piracy, excepting Clement Lempriere and the other Persons herein before namedー
Given under my Hand and the Great Seal of His Majesty's said Province in the Council Chamber at St. Augustine this Twenty first day of August in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Seventy five, and in the Fifteenth year of His Majesty's reign
By his Excellency's commandー
(Signed) David Yeats Depy. Secry
God Save the King
