Sir

There is another subject that in Honor I am bound to mention to Your Excellency.

When our two Ships² were taken by Capt^n. Parker and Capt^n. Smedley;3 the small Number of Seamen that Capt^n. Parker had on board his own Ship putting it out of his Power to send to the Keppel such a Crew as was necessary to navigate the Ship, he applied to me and desired me to chuse such a Number of good Seamen, and Sober quiet Lads, as I thought would answer the Purport. I gave him the inclosed List:⁴ and these poor Fellows, rather than leave me in Distress came on board, losing by this means the chance they had of Being put on Shore in any of the neutral Islands, which step Capt^n. Parker must necessarily take should his Cruize prove successfull, for fear of being encumbered with too great a Number of Prisoners.

Lieut^t. Tillinghast⁵ who was our Prize Master, and whom I beg leave, though a Prisoner, to mention to your Excellency as an Excellent Officer, and who has done more than could be expected in the difficult situation he was in, will and does assert that they behaved to the utmost of his Expectations, and that they fully answered the character I had given of them to Capt^n. Parker.

Such being the situation of these honest and unfortunate Seamen, I hope Your Excellency will not think I presume Too much in recommending their Case to Your Consideration. If I might be permitted to purchase a Vessel, they might be put on board to navigate the said Vessel.—

I should previously, by obtaining your Excellency’s Permission to go to Rhode Island, endeavour to get them exchanged for an equal Number of your own Seamen that may be prisoners at Rhode Island. I have the Honour to be [&c.]