Bermuda als Somer Islands

By His Excellency George James Bruere Esqr Governor, Commander in Chief and Vice Admiral of these Islands

L: S: P: To all to whom this Present Writing or Instrument of Protest shall come or may Concern Greeting —

Know Ye that this Twelfth day of December in the Year of Our Lord one Thousand seven hundred & Seventy Six, before me Personally appeared George Evans Master of a Certain Brigantine called the Necessity who Solemnly made Oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that on the Eighth day of September last past he Sailed from Bermuda bound for Liverpool in Nova Scotia, & that on the Ninteenth of the same Month September, being then in the Latitude 43° . 30' No Longitude 63°. 30' Wt a Vessel appeared in Sight which chased him and in a Short Time came up with, and brought him too, she proved to be an Armed Brigantine called the Hancock, Wigens [sic Wingate] Newman Commander, belonging to Philadelphia, that upon Examining her Papers and finding he was bound to Liverpool aforesaid they took his Vessel into their Possession, and sent his People on board the said Armed Vessel, & put a Prize Master and five others of their People on board the said Brigt Necessity, with orders to proceed to the Port of Newbury in New England, at which Place they arrived in safety, and after lying some time four of the Owners of the aforesaid Arn1ed Brigantine came and delivered up His Vessel & Cargo to him, upon it Appearing to them to be the Property of Bermuda, and upon the Condition that the Cargo should not be carried out of the Province, he therefore was Obliged to dispose of his Cargo, and to take their Paper Currency and some Lumber in Payment for the same —

And in like Manner also appeared Percival Trott Mate of and belonging to the said Brigantine Necessity who likewise Solemnly declared that, all what the abovenamed George Evans hath before deposed is true — Wherefore the sd George Evans for himself his Mariners, Owners Freighters & all others whom it doth or may Concern does hereby Protest against the Matters aforesaid, and all Damages Occasioned or Sustained thereby, as also against all Costs delays disappointments, Expences and other Matters and things which can or may lawfully be Protested against in the large and Ample Manner as the same can or may be done by Law or Form, and Persevering in the said Protest, the said Appearers have hereunto set their Hands the Day and Year first above written —

This Done and Protested before me the Governor and Admiral aforesaid. In Testimony whereof I have hereunder set my hand and Caused the Great Seal of these Islands to be Affixed the day and year aforesaid —

George Ja^s Bruere

By his Excellency's
Command
Jn^o Randle D: Secy