show him and such as fall into our hands, that Americans are humane as well as brave. You will therefore, sir, treat the prisoners with all possible tenderness. There are on board the vessel from Antigua two gentlemen, passengers, Mr. John Burke and Mr. Gregory. The former is strongly recommended to our good friends in Boston; though not a friend to American liberty, lie still has the character of a gentleman; as such, it is the General's orders that he be treated. The other was on board a man-of-war. You will offer these gentlemen a parole agreeably to the enclosed sketch, which I suppose they will not object to; if they should, you must send them to Head-quarters.

The captain and crews of both vessels had best remain with you; and, if you see fit, they may remain on board their vessels until further orders; but do not run the least risk of their doing mischief by so many being together. If any way apprehensive of them, let them be sent to some inland town in your neighbourhood, recommended to the care of the Committee of Safety, who must provide them with necessaries, for which they will be paid. Should they be disposed of in this last way, get the captains to sign the paroles for themselves and their crews, a copy of which you will transmit to the Committee of Safety to whose care they are sent, and mention to the Committee that they be treated with humanity.

There are limes, lemons, and oranges on board, which, being perishable, you must sell immediately. The General will want some of each, as well as of the sweetmeats and pickles that are on board, as his lady will be here to-day or to-morrow. You will please to pick up such things on board as you think will be acceptable to her, and send them as soon as possible; he does not mean to receive any thing without payment, which you will please to attend to. The General is informed that the prizes are crowded with people from shore, as well as those belonging to the armed schooner. It is his positive command that no person be suffered to go on board any of them, the officers and agents excepted, that embezzlements be particularly guarded against. If any should happen, the agents will be blamed and held accountable, so that you see the necessity of being strict in enforcing this order. Pray when are you to send the porter, &c.? We want it much.

I am, &c.,

STEPHEN MOYLAN.

To William Bartlett, Esq., Beverly.

COLONEL MOYLAN TO CAPTAIN BARTLETT.

Cambridge, December 10, 1775.

SIR: I wrote you this day, to which refer. The cargo by the two prizes to be laid up in a secure place if you think the vessels are not sufficient for that purpose. Captain Adams will deliver you this. He says he will take a cruise while the sails, which he thinks absolutely necessary, ate making. You will please to let such sails as he wants be put in hands immediately, as we cannot have two many armed vessels out. Give him every assistance in your power. He wants to change his swivels and some of his guns. Dear sir, indulge him, and let him proceed to sea. I am, sir, yours, & c.,

STEPHEN MOYLAN.

To William Bartlett, Esq., Beverly.

GENERAL GREENE TO COVERNOUR WARD.

Prospect Hill, December 10, 1775.

In my last I mentioned to you that the troops inlisted very slowly in general; I was in hopes then that ours would not have deserted the cause of their country, but they seem to be; so sick of this way of life, and so home-sick, that I fear the greater part, and the best of the troops from our Colony, will go home. The Connecticut troops are going home in shoals this day. Five thousand of the militia, three from this Province, and two from Hampshire, are called in to take their place. There is a great defection among their (the Connecticut) troops, but from the spirit and resolution of the people of that Province I make no doubt they will furnish their proportion without delay. New-Hampshire behaves nobly; their troops engage cheerfully. The regiment raised in the Colony of Rhode-Island has hurt our recruiting amazingly; they are fond of serving in the army at home, and each feels a desire to protect his own family.

I harangued the troops yesterday; I hope it had some effect; they appear of a better disposition to-day; some have inlisted, and others discover a complying temper. I leave nothing undone or unsaid that will promote the re-cruiting service. But I fear the Colony of Rhode-Island is upon the decline. There have been, and now are, some unhappy disputes subsisting between the town and country interest, and some wretches, for the sake of a present popularity, are endeavouring to widen the breach, to build up their own consequence, to the prejudice and ruin of the publick interest. God grant that they may meet with the disgrace they deserve.

This Province begins to exert itself; the General Court has undertaken to provide for the army, wood, &c., Their troops begin now to inlist very fast. They are zealous in the country to engage in the service.

I sent home some recruiting officers, but they got scarcely a man, and report that there are none to be had there. No publick spirit prevails; I wish you and your colleague were at home a few days to spirit up the people. Newport, I believe, from the best intelligence I can get, is determined to observe a strict neutrality this winter, and in the spring join the strongest party. I feel for the honour of the Colony, which I think in a fair way, from the conduct of the people at home and the troops abroad, to receive a wound. It mortifies me to death that our Colony and troops should be a whit behind the neighbouring Governments in private virtue or publick spirit.

I have been strengthening this Hill, in order that if the soldiery should not engage as cheerfully as we expected, might be able to defend it with a less number.

ADDRESS OF THE PROVOST, ETC., OF THE BURGH OF WICK.

Address of the Provost, Magistrates, and Common Council of the Royal Burgh of Wick, in Council assembled, presented to His Majesty by John Sinclair, Esq.

Unto the King's most Excellent Majesty.

The humble Address of the Provost, Magistrates, and Common Council of the Royal Burgh of Wick, in Council assembled.

MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN: We, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Provost, Magistrates, and Common Council of the Royal Burgh of Wick, for our-selves, and in behalf of the other inhabitants of this Burgh, beg leave most humbly to approach your Majesty with the genuine sentiments of hearts full of loyalty and affection to the best of Kings, and flowing with gratitude for the in-valuable blessings and privileges which we enjoy under a mild and constitutional Government.

We should be wanting in duty to your Majesty, to your Parliament, and to our country, did we not declare to the world our hearty disapprobation and abhorrence of the re-bellious conduct of our fellow-subjects in America, and of the seditious spirit of a discontented faction at home, whom we consider as the worst enemies of their country, and the corrupted fountain whence the present evils have sprung. We always understood that the acts of the Supreme Legislature of this Kingdom should extend, with equal force, to every part of your Majesty's extensive dominions; we must therefore consider every attempt to oppose that power as repugnant to the British Constitution. And when we reflect with what daring insolence and contempt the authority of the laws has been repeatedly set at defiance by the Americans, we can no longer withhold our unanimous assent to the vigorous exertion of such measures as will force these deluded people to submit to a constitutional dependance upon your Majesty's Government. And at the same time we do assure your Majesty that, with our lives and fortunes, we are ready to contribute to the due execution of such necessary and indispensable measures.

Signed in our name, and by our appointment, by our Provost; and the common seal of the Burgh is hereto appended, at Wick, the eleventh day of December, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five years.

JAMES SINCLAIR, Provost.