From Thomas Malony (unpublished)

Honourable Sir

April 4th. 1780

As Being Prisoner to the United Stated of Immerica and Taken by Captn. Jones I make Bold to Peticion your honour Seting forth My Loss And Presnet Sittuation Deair Sir I sailed from Liverick August 17 And Was taken 20th. By Captn. John Pll Jones and fleet My Vessell Was Called the May Flower With a cargo of Beef and butter Quils and Porter for London But to My Misfortune arived Safe At Loryong as being half owner and Not one Penny ins[torn] On the Evening of the 24 Ult Captn. Jones Requested I w   Go Abord the Cutter surf one of his fleet to Pilot her Into Dingal Bay In the West of Ireland after two of his Boats   Seventeen of his Men that Deserted his Ship I went Wi    Takeing Nothing With me But What Was on my Back Thinking to Return the Next Day But Was Prevented by A gale of Wind Sprung the Cutters mast and Lost The fleet. Deair Sir I have been 14 Day at Sea, Lying on a locker Wet and Dry one mont In Prison In Nants With the Same shifting that I wore Laveing Captn. Jones and have No other At Presnet. It is Cruel to think What I underwent All By serveing Captn. Jones and his Employers Which I hope You honour Will take Me Into Consideration, And Order me my Exchange as there is No other Gentelman In this Contery Can Do It But yourself. I am the only Support Of A wife, a poore mother A widdow two Sisters and Blind Brother And had Nothing to mintain them But half the Vesell I lost. The Value of Which I had aimed In the NewfoundLand tra   I beg for Gods sake your honour Will Consider me and favour me with your kind anser and Charity to Get Me Ashifting As from Your frendship to other Captains. I hope you Will. Captn. Jones Is Confident of my Loss of Clothes Bucks and Beding the are sunk With his ship Me Very Well Whilst Abord his ship Which made    To serve him abord the surf Deair sir my mate With Captn. Day and mate Captn. Cunningham and mate Ware Exchand from Angers March 4 and saild In the Furst Carteel. They Were taken By Captn. Jones and After me. It is hard I should Be the only one kep behind. They spoke to me as the   By Deair Sir By Giving My Exchange Your honour Would Do As Great Achan As Ever Was Done a poore Distresd Prisoner as agentleman Of honour And Charity. I hope You Will favour me with Your Anser Remaing he that Will Ever Pry for Your success And Am Your Distresd Prisoner And most Obedient servant

Thoma. Molony

Addressed: To / The Honble. Benjamin Franklin / Esqr. Embasider from the / United States of Immerica / at Passi
Endorsed: Thomas Molony Anconis April 4. 80 Prisoner
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