[Extract]

Twenty Officers in the British Navy the greater part Midshipmen were confined to this Town on their Parole not to go beyond the Bounds of it the Complaints of the Inhabitants that they were abroad unseasonably in the Night to the Disturbance of the People induc'd us to resolve that they should not be from their Lodgings after 9 oClock in the Evening ー though several of them have since declared they were not properly notified of it ー About the 20th of March from an Apprehension that some might be inclined to make their Escape a mutual Parole drawn up by one of their own Number & at that Time known only to themselves was proposed to each of them to sign in which the Subscribers after reciting the above Apprehension reciprocally engaged to each other that they would not leave the Place of their Confinement without the Knowledge & Consent of the Majority, all of them signed the above mentioned Paper except Messrs [Henry Edwin] Stanhope, [George] Gregory, [E. E.] Webb, Robinson, Curtis & [John] Atkinson soon after the Comittee was informed by some of the People with whom they lived that a Design of Escape was certainly in Contemplation among the Prisoners, but as they were closely connected among themselves it was impossible to learn who in particular entertained the Design & being often out on Horseback late in the Evening & sometimes absent through the Night, the Comittee thought it necessary about the Middle of April to direct them for the present not to be from their Lodgings after Sunset ー In the Evening of the 27th of April Mr Stanhope & Gregory absconded they were pursued & retaken at Middletown in Connecticutt & brought back to this place on the first of this Month & comitted to Gaol ー when they were examined the next Day before the Comittee Mr Stanhope declared that any Restriction laid on him by the Comittee would discharge him from every Obligation to observe his Parole & that the Order not to be out after Sunset or even after 9 oClock would justify his going away, Mr Gregory excus'd himself on similar Principles they were recommitted & are now in close Confinement.

In the Night of the 30th of April Mr Robinson also absconded & has not yet been retaken ー On the first of this Month Mr Webb (of whom there had been strong Suspicion) was desired to attend upon the Comittee, one of his fellow Officers declared he had heard him say that he did not think his Parole binding, another testified that Mr Webb had told him he would make his Escape if he had an Opportunity ー the Comittee also confined him in Gaol as the other Gentlemen did not appear to be privy to their Companions going off & had only heard them express themselves in general Terms our Conduct toward them is not altered ー We should be happy to know the Sentiments of Congress touching the Matters abovementioned & it would be perfectly agreable to us if any other Place could be chosen where those in Gaol could be confined in a Manner less disagreeable to them however we shall with the greatest Punctuality observe any Instructions we may receive ー

Northampton 16th May 1776