State of Rhode Island
and Providence Plantations |
 |
To the Honorable John Foster Esquire Judge
of the Court of Justice created for the
Trial of Prize Causes in and throughout the
State aforsaid
|
Arthur Crawford of Providence in the County of Providence and State afor[e]said Mariner Commander of the Private Sloop of War called the Hawke fitted out from Providence afor[e]said and duly Commissioned with Letters of Marque and Reprisal to Cruize against the Enemies of the United States of America, Comes into this Honble Court and for himself and in Behalf of the Owners of and the Officers and Mariners belonging to said Sloop, gives your Honor to understand and be informed That on the Twenty first Day of September AD 1776, being on a Cruize against the Enemies of the said United States on the High Seas, in Latitude 45°. and Longitude 48° he took and captured the Ship called the Thomas burthened Two Hundred Tons or thereabouts late Commanded by one Thomas Bell with her Appurtenances together with her Cargo consisting of Blankets, Coarse woolen Cloths, Irish Linnens, Sheeting, Shoes, Stockings, Dowlass, Brandy, Port Wine, bottled Porter, Cheese &c.&c.&c. bound from London in the Kingdom of Great Britain to Quebec in the Province of Canada; and which said Ship with her Appurtenances together with her Cargo before the time of Capture belonged to and were the Property of some of the Inhabitants of the Island of Great Britain, and were designed to supply the British Fleets and Armies now acting against these United States; and that your Informent hath sent the said Ship into the port of Providence within your Honors Jurisdiction. Wherefore he humbly prays that your Honor would take the Premises into Consideration, and order the proper Process and Monitions to issue as are in such Cases required by Law or that your Honor would otherwise Proceed as to Justice and Right appertaineth.
John Cole Proctor for the said Arthur Crawford &c.&c.
[Endorsed] Libel vs Ship Thomas and Cargo. Recd Octor 9th: 1776 Trial ordered to be Octor 28: 1776.
