Personally appeared before Andrew Leitch Esquire one of His majesties Justice of the Peace for Charlestown District & The Committee for St Pauls Parish, Allen Miles, Robert Miles & Melcher Garner being Presentー

Agreealble to a summons by us to Cause Charles Webb to Clear himself of some Malicious Expressions said against His Honour the Lieutenant Governour & the Committee's of the said Province ー Messrs John Jackson, William & James Rugge & Jno Humphreys being Witnesses to what they Heard the said Charles Webb Say in Public Company ー The affidavits of the Said Gentlemen are as followsー

That on monday the 8th May Last, Jno. Jackson in Company with the aforesaid witnesses, went from the quarter house to Charlestown to the house of Valuntine Lynn, their in the Eveninng of the same day Charles Webb ask'd the Deponent to Walk with him to Francis Bremars, according he went with the said Charles & found Mr. Bremar at Mr Ramages Tavern, when on that very Day the news was brought that Hostilities had commenc'd against Boston, & the Bostonians were Success, full, & there was Mrs. Ramage & Mr Bremar Present when Charles Webb Declared he woud go to England take a Commission & come Against the Americansー

Mr. William Rugge on Oath saith That on the Precedeing 8th Day May, he heard the said Charles Declare he would Stand by what he said at Mr Ramages Tavern, then the Deponent asked him what he said; he Answer'd That he wou'd go home & get a Commission & Come Out & fight against the Americans ー Shortly after That, at Mr Edwards Tavern on the Bay, the Deponent with Jno Jackson heard the said Charles Call the Lieutenant Governor² a Damn Fool for not Hoisting the King's Standardー

Mr James Rugge on Oath saith That some time in April last that the said Charles Inform'd the Deponant, that his Father-in-Law Thomas Harcombe was then Just return'd from Charlestown, during the time he was Their, one Mrs. Pendergrass Dun'd his Father (meaning Mr. Harcombe) for an Accot Due Mr. Long Publicly in the Street, & had Threaten'd him that she woud apply to The Committee, Provided he woud not settle the Account with her, the said Charles Replied, a Pretty Joke indeed, to apply to such a Sett of Mechanical, Ignorant Rascals, & that they consisted of Butchers, Taylers & Coblers & Hop'd that his Father wou'd not obey aney Summons from Them, wch If it was his Own Case he wou'd not ー sometime after, the Deponant came from Charlestown & the said Charles ask'd him whether the Delegates were Sail'd for the No. Ward.³ in Answer, he told him he Believ'd they were; he then reply'd, that he wish'd the men of War woud meet with 'em & take them Pris'oners & carry them to England, Their to be Treated as Rebels, for he thought them more so than Ever the Scotch were, & he was not Supriz'd at the Scotch being such Loyal Subjects, for a Burnt Child wou'd Dread the Fire & how Pretty the Foolish Rascals of Property wou'd Look when their Lands & Negroes comes to be forfeited to the King that he cou'd take the whole Province, if he had a Regement of the Kings Soldiers, for he well knew that the Americans wou'd not fight. The Deponant Farther heard the Said Webb say that he Blam'd the Leieutanant Governor for his being so Inactive & that the People wou'd not been so Rebelious had it not been for his Foolish Proceedings, that he wonder'd he Did not Put up the King's Standard, that he mout be able to know who was Friends to the Government or who Notー

Mr. Jno. Humphreys on Oath, saith that In may last Their was some Gentlemen at Mr. Thomas Harcombe's Talking about the Affairs of the Country, Sr after those Gentlemen went away he heard Mr. Webb say he thought it was a Pit'y their was not a gallows in Charlestown to hang all the Americans in a String, & as for the Committee They were a Lousey Sett. Blackgards, such as Butchers, & Taylers ー & Further Saithe Notー

Sworn the 18th July 1775 before me

St Pauls Parish the 18 July 1775

Whereas Charles Webb being brought before the Committee for saying many disrespectfull words agains the Lieutenant Governor (of this Province) & the Committee in general. ー it has appeared to us, by several Affidavits that the said Charles Stands Guilty of the Accusation ー Wee Therefore Look on him as an Enemy to This Province & America in General And an Object of the Resentment of the Publicー

by Order of the Committee

Melcher Garner Chairman