To the honble the Council1 & the honb!e House of Representatives in General Court assembled Decr [13] 1776 ²

Humbly shews John Emery of Newburyport in the County of Essex Merchant, that under the Encouragement given by the honble continental Congress he engaged in a foreign Voyage to France & Spain, & has lately imported to this State a considerable Quantity of Linnen & woollen goods, which upon his Arrival he offered to the Committee of Cloathing for the Continent, who received to the Amount of near seven thousand Pounds that while in Spain your Petitioner being himself acquainted with the Resolves of the continental Congress, respecting a free Trade, communicated the same to Messrs Gardoqui & Sons at Bilboa, & obtained a Credit from them for a large Sum, upon his Contract to repay them in Rice, that upon his Arrival at Newburyport he found the Embargo which your Honours have thought best to lay upon all Vessells prevented the Performance of his Agreement, without he can have Aid from this honble Court he would suggest to your Honours that besides the great Inconvenience to your Petitioner from this Restraint, the Credit of other Americans will doubtless be greatly affected, not only with that reputable House at Bilboa, but with the other Merchants in Spain, who are now disposd to serve the American Cause, if they find there can be no Faith put in their Contracts, he therefore prays your Honours would permit him to send two Vessells from Newburyport to Carolina, there to purchase Cargoes of Rice, & thence to proceed to Bilboa, & that your Honours, if you should think best, would recommend to the Committee at Carolina to permit your Petitioner under these Circumstances to load from thence for the Purpose aforesd & as in duty bound will pray.