To the Honble the Council and Honble House of Representatives of the State of Massachusetts Bay in General Court Assembled

The petition [of] Jacob Eaton of Bristol and Joseph Berry of Topsham in the County of Lincoln in said State

Humbly sheweth

That they were taken by Men of War belonging to Britain vizt the said Eaton the 5th of November 1775 and the said Berry in August 1775 & brought into the Port of Boston, afterwards they were put on board the Boyne Man of War to help Work her home to England & they arrived safe in Plymouth, & from thence your petitioners ran away and got to France, where they Entered on board a Continental Vessel bound to America. That on their passage they were taken off the Capes of Philadelphia & carried into New York, from New York they got to New Haven & there obtained a pass to get home.

And your petitioners being now about two hundred Miles from home & Neither Money nor Cloathing & being now in their own State from which they were taken having lived upon Charity ever since they left New York —

They humbly pray your Honors would be pleased to take their distressed case into your Compassionate consideration, & to Grant them a Supply of Money & Cloathing to get home to their Families, or relieve them in such other way as your honors in your known Wisdom shall see Meet —

And as in duty bound shall pray &c