[Extract]

To the Honble the Council, & the Honble House of Representatives, for the State of Massachusetts Bay in New-England in General Court Assembled —

May it Please your Honors —

The Petition of the Committees of Safety, Correspondence, and Inspection, for the severall Towns of Georgetown, Pownelborough, Edgecomb, Bristol, Boothbay, & Woolwich, in the County of Lincoln, in Behalf of the Town of Boothbay, and the Places adjacent — Humbly Shews —

That the Rainbow man of war, commanded by Sr George Collier, together with severall other arm'd Vessells lately Came into the Harbour of Booth­ bay,³ & took possession thereof, and while there stript and Carried off from severall of the Inhabitants of these parts, a Considerable Number of their Cattle, Sheep, swine & poultry, & other Necessarys, and water'd their vessells and while they lay there, made prizes of & carried away a Number of Vessells belonging to these states to the Number of Fifteen or twenty, they also while they lay there threatned the Inhabitants to return with Sufficient Force, & Conquer or Destroy all before them, thereby Putting the Inhabitants in great Terror, we have also the Deposition of a Person on Oath, who was captivated by them, that their intention was to return in about a Fortnight or three weeks, and sweep all before them, and as we doubt not their intention is to make the harbour of Boothbay a Place of Rendezvous for their Ships. . .