Gentlemen

I hav this Day Rec'd very Extraordinary Orders from The Intendant of This port Dem.anding me,to ,Leav this port in 24 Hours he Says This Order is Given in Consequence of A possitiv Order Recd. this Day from the Minister at Parris I Asked Liberty To heav Down my Ship and Repair her on my Arrival but it has never Bin Granted on being,told That I mus[t] possitivly Depart in 24 Hours I Told the Intendant that it Was not in my Power to Depart,in;So Short A time as my Ship Was not fitt To proceed to America Without heaving Down and Repairing & Beg'd he Would Send Carpenters Of[f] to Exammine the Ship & Take Thier Report Accordingly this he Consented to and Sent them off they Return'd and told the Intendant That they thought It highly Nessessary to Carreane & Repair the Ship Before She Departed for America he then possitivly Refused to Grant me Liberty to Refitt Unless the Carpenter & Caulker Would Sighn A Certifycate that We Should be in Emminent Danger of Loosing the Ship If not Repaired this Certifycate they Could not Sign, As they had not bin to Sea in the Ship & it Was not in thier power to See the Ships Bottom Without heaving her Down he then told me I Must Depart Immediately We are Now takeing our Water on bord & Geting Ready to proceed but shall not be Able to Sail before Friday the 28th in the Evening & Am in hopes of I Shal have the pleasure of Receaving your orders and Instrucktions on this hed by that time but If Oblig'd to Depart Sooner or before I Recv. your orders I Shall Run into Nantz & there Enter A protest and Ask Liberty to heav Down & Repair Tho I Am Ordered by the Intendant not to go in to Any port in France These are very Extraordinary orders & such as I Little Expected to Recv. in Fra[n]ce

I Beg Leav to Congratulate you on Our Late Suckses in America as I Am lnformd We have Gained a Very Signal & compleat vicktory Over our Enemies At Trentown you'l See by my Declaration Made on my Arrival That I then mentioned my Ships being Leaky & beged Liberty To heav Down & Repair If this favour Cannot be Granted as it is Absolutely Nessessary prior to my Departure I Should be Much Obliged If you Would forward your Dispatches as Soon and Send me of[f] for America as Soon As Possible from Gentlemen your [&c.]