To the Hon [o] rable the Council of the State of
Massachusetts-Bay in New England.

The Petition of Elias Hasket Derby, Miles Greenwood and Joseph White, all of Salem in the County of Essex and State aforesaid. ー

Humbly Sheweth

That your Petitioners are now fitting out, and have almost compleated for Sea, a Private Sloop of War called the Revenge of Ninety Tons burthen, to be mounted with twelve Guns from four to Six pounders, owned by the Subscribers, and whereof Benjamin Warren is intended to be Master; to be maned by eighty men, to be victualled with thirty Barrels of Pork, fivety Barrels of Beef and Seventy Barrels of Bread; and to be provided with eight hundred pound weight of Powder and one thousand Shotー

Your Petitioners's humble Prayer therefore is, that the beforenamed Benjamin Warren may be commissionated Captain of the said Private Sloop of War Revenge, & your Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray.

Salem September 4th 1776

[Endorsed] In Council [Watertown] Sept 4th 1776 Read & Ordered that the Prayer of the within Petition be granted and that a Comission be issued to the within mentioned Benjn Warren, he complying with the Resolves of Congress -²

Samuel Adams Secry