State of the Massachusetts Bay

To the Honble the General Court of the said Stateー

The Petition of Thomas Cragg humbly Shews ー that your Petitioner being part owner of the Ship Isaac & her Cargo was on a Voyage in said Ship from the Island of Tortola bound to Liverpool in England, to visit his Family & attend to his private concerns, that in prosecuting said Voyage he was taken & brought into this State² ー this unexpected Event has thrown your Petitioner into the most distressed & pitiable Circumstances ー a principal part of his Fortune is taken out of his hands, and what remains, must suffer inevitable ruin from his absence in a short time - he has a Wife, Children & a large Family who cannot long subsist without his support, & himself tho' unused to want the Conveniencies of Life, must soon experience the wretchedness of extream poverty ー your Petitioner begs leave to declare that he has never taken an active part in the unhappy Controvery between Great Britain & America, & from his Age & standing in Life, it necessarily follows that he never will; he therefore humbly prays your Honors to take his unhappy case into your consideration and grant him & one Servant Liberty to take passage for some part of England in the Ship      owned by Mr William Ross and by your Honors permission bound for some part of England,³ or grant him such other relief as your Honors well known Wisdom and Humanity may point out, and your Petitioner as in duty bound shallever pray.

Boston Sept 4th 1776

[Endorsed] In Council [Watertown] Sept 6[th] 1776

Read & Ordered That the Prayer of this Petition be Granted and that the Said Thomas Cragg with one Servant be permitted to depart from this State to any part of Great Brittain in such Vessell as Willm Ross and Nathl Morgan, (who lately had Liberty obtained to depart) may purchase for that Purpose⁴

Jn^o Avery Dpy Secy