Sir

Amidst the Greatest of Troubles and Difficultys of this World I find their is at times some Pleasure I Shall Indeavour in the first Place to give your Excellency a Short Detail of the former and Conclude With the Pleasing Circumstance of the Latter— On my first Weighing Anchor in Boston harber I found a man on board With the Small Pox and to Prevent its Spreading I thought Proper to Send him a Shore in the Pilot boat but to my sorrow it had Not the Desired affect for on 13^th Day from Boston I had Six break out With the Same Disorder two of Which is Since Ded my Chief Carpentor² and a Petty Officer belonging to Cape- Cod I held a Councel ov [of] the Officers and as we had upwards of fifty on board Which Never had it I thought Proper to Inoculate them all According it Was Done and are in a fare way to do Well but as it happen'd they Ware taken Down With the at a Time when they Ware most Wanted for on Tuesday 13^th at Night we brought too a french Ship from france bound to the Cape³ which give us an Acc^t. of their Parting with with two Large Ships from Bristol bound to Jamaica that Same Day mounting twenty and Eighteen Guns Each we Immediately Drove on the Course We thought best to fall in With them—and accordingly the Next Day in the morning Discoverd them we Soon was a Long Side and A Warm Combat Insued Which Lasted for three Glasses When they Struck Cap^t. Parker⁴ Engag^d the Warmest Ship⁵ Which to his honour be it Spoken Behave'd with that Conduct which would have Done honour to the Greatest Admiral In Europe—and I have the Pleasure to inform your Excellency that Ever Since Our Acquaintance there has been the Greatest Union Between us and in my Distressed Situation Given me much Assistance—Considering the warm Reception my Antagonist Gave me-Come of[f] much better then one Could Expected all tho. Hull and Riging of my Ship was much Damaged we had but two men Wounded Which am in hopes will Do well— I must Conclude by Wishing them both Safe in and for further Perticu[lars] Shall Refare to the Officers On board I am your Excellencys [&c.] 

N B: my Ship Ever Since I have been Out has been very leakey therefore Shall be Oblig^d. to go in Some Port Soon—the Ships Ware the Admiral Keppell mounting eight een Six Pounders & 47 Men the other the Cyrus Sixteen Ditt^o. 36 Men two Letters of Marque—