To the Honorable Benjamin Nicholson Esquire
Judge of the Court of Admiralty for the State of Maryland John McKee! Esquire Captain and Commander of the private Vessel of War called the Sturdy Beggar as well on Behalf of himself the Officers and Mariners thereof, as of the owners of the same against the Ship called the Elizabeth commanded by Joseph Snowball propoundeth and claimeth the following Articles
Imprimus. The said John McKeel doth propound and article That the Honourable the Congress by their Resolve passed on the twenty third day of March in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six, did ordain and direct, That all Ships and other Vessels their Tackle Apparel and Furniture and all Goods Wares and Merchandizes belonging to any Inhabitant or Inhabitants of Great Britain taken on the high Seas or between high and low Water Mark, by any armed Vessel fitted out by any private person or persons, to whom commissions should be granted and being libelled or prosecuted in any Court erected for the Trial of maritime affairs in any of the Colonies, should be deemed and adjudged to be lawful Prize, And that the Honourable the Congress by their Resolve passed on the [24th] day of [July] in the year aforesaid did ordain and direct that the above mentioned Resolve should be extended unto all Ships and other Vessels their Tackle apparel and Furniture and all goods Wares and Merchandizes belonging to any Subject or Subjects of the King of Great Britain not inhabiting the Bermudas [New] Providence or the Bahama Islands.
Item. That the Owners of the said private Vessel of War, in pursuance of the Resolves of Congress aforesaid did fit out arm and equip the said Vessel as a private Vessel of War
Item. That after the fitting out of the said Vessel the Honourable the Congress did issue their Commission unto him the said John McKeel thereby constituting and appointing him Captain and Commander of the said private Vessel of War called the Sturdy Beggar
Item That after the fitting out the said Vessel and issuing the Commission aforesaid he the said John McKeel proceeded to Sea in the said private Vessel of War called the Sturdy Beggar and on the high Seas met with seized and made prize of the said Ship called the Elizabeth, in pursuance of the Resolves of Congress aforesaid which said Ship when seized was the Property of some Subject or Subjects of the King of Great Britain not inhabiting the Bermudas Providence or Bahama Islands, and which said Ship when seized to wit on the second day of February in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven in the Latitude of seventeen Degrees North an[d] the Longitude of fifty eight degrees West from London was laden with sundry Articles and Commodities the Property of some Subject or Subjects of the King of Great Britain not inhabiting the Bermudas Providence or the Bahama Islands and liable to Condemnation according to the Tenor Meaning and Effect of the Resolves of Congress aforesaid
Lastly. The said John McKeel as well for himself the officers and Mariners of the said private Vessel of War, as for the owners thereof claims and prays that the said Ship Elizabeth with her appurtenances and Cargo may be by Sentence of the Court adjudged and condemned, an'd in order thereto that such Proceedings may be had as by the Course of this Court hath been used and Accustomed.
Port of Baltimore 24th March 1777
