Your Humble Pertationers do Desire your Honours Assistence. We Was put here for Whot We Cnnot Tell by Capt. Hardwine Commander of the Black Egal Luggar Privateer After we had sarve.d. the Cruse out With him faithfully. I Joseph Cornell am A True Born American and have sarve.d my Country upward of four year as follows. Viz in Capt. John Earls Com.y of Vollonteers three Months ni Capt. William Barton Com.y one year in Capt. Gideon Wescotts Com.y. of Artilery one year as Serj.t and then I had a Commission in Colonel Christopher Greens Regt. as Ensign Two year and was Discharge.d by Maj.r Genl. Gates in Providence the 20th of June 1779.

I was taken in the Brigg Fame Capt. Joseph Costin Comm.dr Bound from Amsterdam to Boston by the Diania frigit and Car.d to Cork. I Runaway and got to Ostend and from thence I got to Dunkark Where Shipd. on board the black Egal Luggar Privatier for Six Weeks and have perceeded the the Cruse as Aforesaid.

If We have Done Any thing Contarary to Law we are Willing to Suffer for it But if not we Desire to be set Clear from this pleace With A pass to Return to our own free Country Where Some of us have Wives and Children Which Country We are         my Five Shipmates Was all put in here for the Same as I was we Cannot Tell for Whot for the Capt. Never Said Any thing to us only he told us to Come on Shore with him Aad [And] he give us our Discharge and And A pass to go to Dunkark. I Wrote A Letter yesterday But forfear that Shud not git to your Honour we Write this So Praying for your Honour to Assist us We Remain Your Honours Humble Pertationers