Providence May 11, 1776
Capt Joseph Comstock
You being Master & part Owner of the Sloop Polley bound To Surinam Our Orders Are that you proceed & make your passage as Soon as possable and Dispose of the Cargo to the best Advantage and layout the neet proceeds in Good Melass[es] Sugar, Cotton Powder Small arms, Nutmegs, Silk & Linnen Henkerchiefs Rousia Drab Ravens duck Ticklinbourg Ozenbrigs (but no Heavey Duck) Course Linnens and such other things as you may Think Will best Answer Making all the Dispach you Can & to keep a Good look out with all possable Care to keep Clear of the Enemie, your Commissn is to be 5 pCt for sails & 2½ pCt for Returns, and Three hhds Priveledge & to see that no more Priveledge go on bord than is Agreed for
Wishing A Good Voyage we are your friends & owners You are to bring no English Manufactures or Tea
N Brown Abner Thayer Benja Comstock
[Endorsed] Recd a Copy of the forgoing or order to be Observd. to the best of my Judgment p me ー
Joseph Comstock2
1. Nicholas Brown Papcrs, JCBL. A "Price Curt of Goods at Providence" was included in the letter.
2. Owners' bond for Polly and another bond executed the same day by Nicholas Cooke, owner of sloop Sea Flower, in behalf of his son Nicholas Cooke, Jr., for a voyage to New York, are in the collection Bonds, Masters of Vessels, R.I. Arch.
