To The Hon^ble. Councill & House ofRepresentatives—ofSaid State nowSitting in Boston­—

The Memorial of John Rowe of said Boston Mercht.
Shews—That your Memorialist is Agent for Carter Braxton Esqr of Virginia & the Hon­ble Robert Morris Esqr one of the members of the Continentall Congress & others who are Owners of the Private arm'd Schooner Phenix¹—commanded by Joseph Cunningham

That Said Cunningham has Lately captured & sent in a Snow calld as he thinks the S^t Joseph Jungo Seco Master²—mann'd by Portuguese & tis Said bound from the Brazills to Fyall [Fayal]—The papers that are Sent in are all in the Portuguese Lan­guage—That upon the most diligent Enquiry your Memorialist cannot find any Per­son in Boston that can justly Render the Portuguese Language into English—So  that no Judgment can be formd whether the Said Snow or her Cargo is the Property of the Subjects of the King of Great Britain or of the King of Portugall

Your Memorialist is apprehensive that Shoud She prove to be the property of some Subject or Subjects of the King of Portugall her being Libell'd here and con­demnd, as it is Probable She would be there being no One here to Claim in Behalf of the Owners,—it might be Attended with bad Consequences to the United States of America & possibly involve them in A Dispute with that Nation—Your Memorial­ist is therfore at A Loss how to proceed in the Premises—and as it will be Some con­siderable Space of Time before he can Receive any Advice from his Employers how to act,—He begs the Advisement of this Hon^ble. Court. what Shall be done Respecting Said Snow—& her cargo—and that your Honours would advise & direct in the Mat­ter as in Your Great Wisdom shall Seem meet³ And Your Memorialist Shall ever Pray—

Boston Octo 3^d. 1777—