To the Honourable General Assembly for the Colony of Massachusetts Bay now sitting at Watertown July 1775
The Memorial of John Calef, of Ipswich in sd Colony Shews
That your Memorialist hath built a Ship which he designs for the West Indies, and may be ready to Sail in a few days; But the troubles in which this country is involved are such as forbid your Memorialist sending away the Ship without permission from this Court, Your Memorialist begs leave to inform your Honors the said Ship now lyes at Danvers exposed to the Season & lyable to many Casualtys where she now is likewise that he is at great expence in supporting the Officers of the Ship in wages and Provisions.
Therefore your Memorialist humbly Pray this Honble Court will grant him leave to send said Ship to Penobscott to lade with Lumber, & proceed from thence to West Indies
Your Memorialist will bind himself with Sufficient Surety that said Ship shall return from the West Indies to this Colony so soon as she can have her outstanding Cargo Sold, & relade with commodity for this Market, (the Danger of the Seas excepted) or that she shall return within proper time limited by this Court
And as in Duty bound shall pray
[Endorsed] Mr Wheeler
Deacn Plympton Esqr Johnson
