South Carolina

By this Public Instrument of Protest, be it known and manifest to all Persons, to whom these Presents shall come that on this Day being the Seventh Day of December One Thousand seven hundred & Seventy five, Before me Fenwicke Bull one of his Majestys Justices assigned to keep the Peace and a Notary Public by lawfull Authority appointed, duly Admitted, and sworn personally appeared Solomon Gibbs Master, Thomas Burrows Mate & Hinson Gibbs Mariner, all of and belonging to the Sloop Thomas & Stafford, wholly owned by Elias Young of the Island of Bermuda Mariner, and they being all Severally & duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God made Oath and declared, that being off the bar of Charles Town on the fifth Instant in the forenoon & in Ballast only being then not determined whether to come in here, or proceed to Georgia (Having cleared from the Custom House in Charles Town; on or about the 24th Day of May 1775 with a Cargo of Rice for Surrinam, which paid the half Subsidy; on the 14th June they arrived in Bermuda, and was there Stopped and detained by the Legislature of that Island, on Account of the Scarcity of Provisions, and on or about the 5th of September they were cleared from Bermuda for Surinam, but some Circumstances happening they altered the Voyage and went to Martinico, and have there delivered the Cargo they called at St Christophers on their way for Carolina or Georgia, at which ever port they could have procured a Cargo)  They were boarded by two officers, Two Pilots, and Sundry Seamen, and other Persons, all of them of and belonging to the Scorpion Sloop of War Commanded by the Honourable John Tollemache, and not withstanding that they were as above and aforesaid legally, and in every respect cleared as is Customary According to the Acts of Navigation, yet they were Seized and Carried, and Moored near unto the said Sloop Scorpion as aforesaid, and from whence (being in Rebellion Road) they can have no redress, or relief, as the Commander of the said Sloop Scorpion will by no Means release and restore the said Sloop Thomas & Stafford, to the Claimants, but is fitting her out as an Armed Sloop for purposes to themselves best and only known ー

Wherefore I the said Notary at the Special Instance and request of the said Master Solomon Gibbs, as aforesaid, as well on his own Account, as onAccount of the owner Elias Young of the Island of Bermuda Mariner, as also all & every other Person that is or may be interested or concernd in the said Sloop Thomas and Stafford, do Solemnly protest against the said Honourable John Tollemache Commander of the said Sloop Scorpion herein and as before mentioned for all Losses Damages, Costs, Charges, Detention & Expences hitherto accrued and Sustained or that may hereafter happen accrue, or be sustained by reason of the premises they these deponants declaring also upon their Solemn Oaths that they do believe the said Sloop Thomas & Stafford to be well worth as she was when taken; Five Thousand Pounds Currency of South Carolina/ To be all allowed and recovered in Time and place convenient and of these presents to serve and avail for that purpose as occasion may be or require  Thus was this done and protested in Charles Town aforesaid, In Testimony of the Truth whereof the said Attestants have hereunto set their hands and I the said Notary have also set my Hand and affixed my Seal of office on the Day Month & Year first and before written ー

Signed

Solomon Gibbs Thomas Burrows Hinson Gibbs   Fenwicke Bull J. P. & Notary Public

South Carolina Charles Town District

ss.

By Fenwicke Bull one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace & a notary Public dwelling in Charles Town ー

To all whom it may concern

I do hereby Certify that the aforegoing is a true Copy from the Original Protest, made & done before me the 7th Instant ー This copy having Four very small interlineations

Given under my hand and Seal this 21st Decr 1775 ー Fenwicke Bull Jus. P.
& Notary Public