[1777. June] 4.  As we were discharged yesterday, and the boat did not come for us, we were again put upon cazzelteers and draw only a quart of milk, and a half pound of bread. Today is the King's birth-day, and there is great firing of cannon, and chiming of bells, in Dock and Plymouth. This morning about three o'clock, another prisoner died of small-pox — the same person who jumped from the window, as before mentioned. He was taken in the privateer sloop Charming Sally. After he was dead, his coffin was brought, which proved to be near six inches too short. But rather than have another made, they jammed him into that, in a most shocking manner.

5. This morning early, the boat came for us and twelve of us went on board and were carried along side the Blenheim, to which ship our company, and that of Captain [Francis] Brown, had been removed since we went on shore. Four of the twelve that were in the boat belonged to the captain's crew.² They were put on board the Blenheim, but the rest of us were carried on shore again, and guarded to the Fountain Tavern, to be tried by the judges; for that is the place where they sit. We were put into a small room, surrounded by a guard, and having eat nothing through the day, were very weak; so we got the soldiers to boil us a little meat, which we had obtained at the hospital. After this, we were all called up before the judges and examined. They asked each of us in what province we had been born, and whether or not we had a commission from Congress? At what time we entered on board the Dolton? Whether we were taken by the Reasonable [H.M.S. Raisonable]? To each of their questions we answered. We were then sent below into the little room again; then we were called up the second time, one at a time, and asked the same questions, to which we answered. They then read them over to us, and asked us if it was true, to which we replied it was. We told them we were out to fight the enemies of the thirteen United States. After we were examined one by one, the third time, we were all called up together, as at the first, and our commitments were read to us and delivered to the constable. My commitment read as follows:

"Charles Herbert, you are supposed to be guilty of the crime of high treason, and committed to prison for the same until the time of trial."

We were then delivered to the constable, and guarded to Old Mill Prison, Plymouth.

Alas! I have entered the gates but the Lord only knows when I shall go out of them again.

June 6. Our allowance here in prison is a pound of bread, a quarter of a pound of beef, a pound of greens, a quart of beer and a little pot­liquor that the beef and greens are boiled in, without any thickening, — per day.

7. Pleasant weather, but we are kept in all day as a punishment for a misbeholden word spoken to the sentry on guard.