In the House of Representatives: Read, and concurred, and Nathan Cushing, Esq., is joined.

Memorial of William Sever and Thomas Durfee, setting forth: That your Memorialists were, by this honourable Court, with others, appointed of a Committee for building and equipping sundry armed vessels, which were proposed to be rigged sloops; that your Memorialists are of opinion the two vessels they are now building for that purpose are of such size that it will be very inexpedient to rig them as sloops. They therefore request that they may be authorized and directed by your Honours to rig and fix the said vessels as brigantines. Your Memorialists would also represent to your Honours, that they are unable to purchase duck for sails for the said vessels; and if your Honours think proper, they pray that the Commissary-General be directed to supply them with eighteen bolts of duck, out of the Colony stores, for each of the said vessels.

Read, and committed to Moses Gill, Esq., with Mr. Perry and Captain Cutter.

The Committee of both Houses, to whom the foregoing Petition was committed, have considered the same, and are of opinion, that William Sever and Thomas Durfee, Esquires, two of the Committee for building and equipping sundry armed vessels, have leave to rig the two vessels they are now building into brigantines, instead of sloops, as was first intended, brigantines being of more general service, and best answering their intended use. Your Committee are also of an opinion, that it will be expedient for William Sever and Thomas Durfee, Esquires, part of the Committee aforesaid, to receive from Richard Devens, Esq., the Commissary-General of this Colony, thirty-six bolts of duck, which will be necessary for the furnishing said brigantines with sails.

MOSES GILL, per order.

Read, and accepted, and thereupon

Resolved, That the said William Sever and Thomas Durfee, Esquires, accordingly rig the two vessels they are now building into Brigantines, instead of Sloops, and that they receive from Richard Devens, Esquire, the Commissary-General of this Colony, thirty-six bolts of Duck, wherewith to furnish said Brigantines with sails.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to consider what is proper to be done with those persons in Boston who have appeared to be inimical to the Colonies, be directed to consider what is proper to be done with the effects of such as may be confined by order of Court, and report.

Ordered, That Colonel Lovell and Colonel Dwight be of the Committee on Commissaries’ Accounts, in the room of Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Rawson, absent.

The Committee appointed to consider what is proper to be done relative to a sloop having on board Jolly Allen and others, said to be cast ashore at Provincetown, on Cape-Cod, take leave to report as their opinion: That a Committee be appointed to repair to said Provincetow forthwith, and there take such measures as may be needful to prevent the persons who were on board said sloop from making their escape, or from communicating the infection of the small-pox to any of the inhabitants. The said Committee likewise to take the most effectual measures for the securing the said sloop, with all the cargo and effects on board; and in case any part thereof has been taken out and distributed, that they collect the whole thereof, and cause the same to be deposited in such manner as that it may be forthcoming at the order of this Court, taking as particular inventory thereof as they conveniently can. The said Committee to be authorized to require the aid of the sea-coast men stationed there, or of any others, as they may think proper, for the fully accomplishing this business.

BENJAMIN GREENLEAF, per order.

Read, and accepted,

And Ordered, That Joseph Pearse Palmer, Esquire, with Major Demick and Colonel Cobb, be a Committee for the purpose mentioned in the above Report.

Ordered, That Jedediah Foster and Jabez Fisher, Esq’s, be of the Committee to concur and pay Accounts, in the room of Benjamin Lincoln, Esq., excused, and John Taylor, Esq., absent.

Whereas, there hath been exhibited to this Court, by their Committee, a list of persons now residing in the Town of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, who are apprehended to be inimical to the interest of the United Colonies, and of this Colony; and as their being suffered to go at large may be attended with danger to the publick, as well as afford them an opportunity of escaping from justice:

Therefore Resolved, That the Honourable Joseph Palmer and Benjamin White, Esq’s, Joseph Greenleaf, Samuel Niles, Thomas Penniman, Theophilus Cushing, and Thomas Crafts, Esquires, Justices of the Peace in and for said County, be, and they or either of them are hereby directed immediately to issue their warrant, directed to the Sheriff of said County, his Under Sheriff, or either of his Deputies, or the Constables of any town within said County, requiring him or them forthwith to apprehend and bring before them, or the major part of them, at such place in said County as they shall appoint, the bodies of all the persons contained in said list, viz: John Lovell, Jun., Samuel Danforth, Timothy Prout, George Lush, Hopestill Capen, Augustus Moore, Thomas Amory, Thomas Edwards, Edward Wentworth, William Clarke, John Field, William Perry, John Erving, Esq., Stephen Greenleaf, Esq., John Timmins, James Perkins, Ralph Inman, Richard Green, Daniel Hubbard, Joseph Turell, Nathaniel Carey, Edward Hutchinson, Doctor Miles Whitworth, John Hunt, tertius, Nathaniel Brindley, Isaac Greenwood, Doctor Isaac Rand, Jun., Doctor James Lloyd, John Hodgson, Doctor Thomas Cast, Samuel Minott, Edward Davis, Downe Cheever, Joseph Laughton, Jeremiah Allen, Samuel Bradstreet, Doctor James Pecker, Samuel Wallis, Richard Billings, Benjamin Phillips, John Haskins, Shubael Hewes, Bar. Wall, John Stevens, William Davies, John Homans, John Magner, John Rice, Simeon Stoddard, Caleb Blanchard, John Bryant, Captain Conner, Shippy Townsend, Thomas Clemens, Joseph Clark, Edmund Gookin, Ambrose Vincent, Moses Pitcher, John Howe, Rufus Green, Benjamin Green, Benjamin Green, Jr., William Wait Wallis, Jeremiah Jones Jenkins, Charles Whitworth, Ebenezer Allen, one Blaisdel, Stephen Fullerton, Samuel Gore, Ebenezer Norwood, Richard Madden, John Tufts, John Fillis, Samuel Bulfinch, William Downe Cheever, Jacob Wendell, one Hoffin a Dutchman, John Green, William Parker, Andrew McKean, Thomas Turner, Job Prince, John Gray, William Rodgers, and Thomas Mewse; all of whom are now residing in said Boston; together with many others, in said Boston, which are, or may be complained of, having designs to act, or having acted against the rights of this or the other United Colonies, or of having in any manner aided, abetted, or assisted, the enemies of the United Colonies, or either of them. And the said Justices of the Peace, or the major part of them, are directed, as soon as may be, strictly to examine said persons, and to consider the evidence that may be procured and laid before them in the premises, and that they, without delay, safe secure all such persons, which they may judge have acted, or are acting as enemies, spies, or traitors, to this or the other Colonies, either by taking sufficient bonds, payable to the Treasury of this Colony, for their good behaviour, or appearance at some Court proper to try them, or causing them to be committed to Jail, as the nature and aggravation of their several crimes may admit or not admit of bail, or the apprehension of danger to the publick from their going at large, may require.

CALEB CUSHING, per order.

Read, and accepted.

Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Boston, setting forth: That the said inhabitants apprehend themselves very insecure in their habitations, being deprived of their arms by the perfidy of General Gage; and as many of the ships of the enemy are in this harbour, and may at any time be brought up to cannonade the town, and again disperse the inhabitants aforesaid, having no sufficient batteries to repel or keep them back, the inhabitants therefore, in duty to themselves, and to save the Continent the expense of again repelling the enemy, and to prevent further depredation, humbly pray your Honours that some proper steps may be immediately taken to prevent the return of the enemy, either by erecting forts at proper passes, sinking hulks in the channels, or otherwise secure said town in such manner as your Honours may think best, that the present inhabitants may continue, and the dispersed may return, without fear of future molestation.

Read, and committed to the Committee on the state of the Colony.