to it. He told me you came to Oyster Bay in Nassau Island
and sent for him to New York. He proposed to me from you that I would
grant you a pardon. I answered that I had never granted one yet, and
that I had set myself a safe rule not to grant a pardon to anybody
whatsoever without the King's express leave or command. He told me you
declared and protested your innocence, and that if your men could be
persuaded to follow your example, you would make no manner of scruple
of coming to this port or any other within her Majestie's Dominions;
that you owned there were two ships taken but that your men did it
violently against your will and had us'd you barbarously in imprisoning
you and treating you ill most part of the Voyage, and often attempting
to murder you.

Mr. Emmot delivered me two French passes taken on board the two ships
which your men rifled, which passes I have in my custody and I am apt
to believe they will be a good Article to justifie you if the peace
were not, by the Treaty between England and France, to operate in that
part of the world at the time the hostility was committed, as I almost
confident it was not to do! Mr. Emmot also told me that you had to
about the value of 10,000 pounds in the Sloop with you, and that you
had left a Ship somewhere off the coast of Hispaniola in which there
was to the Value of 30,000 pounds more which you had left in safe hands
and had promised to go to your people in that Ship within three months
to fetch them with you to a safe harbour.

These are all the material particulars I can recollect that passed
between Mr. Emmot and me, only this, that you showed a great sense of
Honour and Justice in professing with many asseverations your settled
and serious design all along to do honor to your Commission and never
to do the least thing contrary to your duty and allegiance to the King.
And this I have to say in your defense that several persons at New York
who I can bring to evidence it, if there be occasion, did tell me that
by several advices from Madagascar and that part of the world, they
were informed of your men revolting from you in one place, which I am
pretty sure they said was at Madagascar; and that others of them
compelled you much against your will to take and rifle two Ships.

I have advised with his Majesty's Council and showed them this letter
this afternoon, and they are of opinion that if your case be so clear
as you (or Mr. Emmot for you) have said, th