10£ one years Interest Paid Dated Jan' first 1777 one Do Jan'y 2 1777 10£ one Do Jany 2a 1777 10£ Jany 15th one Do of 10£ four pound ten Shillings Indors on yo back one Do December 1, 1777 of 24£ 13/ Payable to John Hovey one Do Jany y° 15th 1778 10£ one Do Jany yo 1 1777 10£, one Do Jany 1st 1777 of 12£ 10/ Payable to Charles Huff. All Which Notes he Lost With his Pocket Book on yo 22d Day of said Month and hath Never found neither his Pocketbook nor his notes. The Manner in which sd Notes were Lost is as follows Viz on y° 224 of June Last y° Deponant was Coming to Boston by Water they were Pursued by an Enemy & out of hopes of Escapeing in the Vessel Bundeled up their Cloathing & Beading in a hurry & threw them into their Boat & Endeaver to make their Escape in her & y° Deponent Puting his Pocket in a bundle Loosely not haveing time to Secure his things well. and y° Enemy Pursuing them in yR Boat brought them to and ordered yo Deponent on board to take in his things which he Did and Missing his Pocket Book Made Enquiry of his own People whither they had seen it, and y man that handed in the bundle said that it Dropt out & fell in y Boat and he took it up and Laid it upon the Chain-wale of ye Brig and thought that I had taken it. Upon Which I made it known to y° Master of yo Brig not knowing but some of his People might have taken it and he was so kind as to make Diligent Enquiry of all his hands Whither any of them had got it or had seen it Which they said they had not Upon Which your Deponent Concluded that it fell overboard.

Boston March ye 24th 1783

Jn° Hovey

the above Named John Hovey Personaly appeared and made oath to the truth of ye above Representation by him.

Subscribed Before me

Jabez Fisher Just Peace

The Governor to General Court.

Gentlemen of the Senate & Gentlemen of the House of

Representatives

Upon the arival of the armed Sloop Winthrop in this Port from her Cruize, I gave early directions to the Commissary General to fit as Quick as possible the said Sloop for the Sea, that she might be employed for the protection of the Eastern Coast; By a Letter I have this day received from the Commissary General, which I have directed the Secretary to lay before you, I find the Commissary is not able to Compleat the Business without further means, I am therefore under the necesity of Requesting the attention of the General Court to the situation of the Sloop, as with their aid the Sloop may be at Sea in a Very few Days,

John Hancock

Council Chamber Boston March 24th 1783

In Senate March 24th 1783

Read & sent down

S Adams Presid

Letter Enclosed.

His Excellency John Hancock Esq' Governor & Commander in Chief of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

May it please y' Excellency

Being sensible of the Importance of the Sloop Winthrop being ready for the protection of the Eastern Coast as soon as possible, I have lost no time since I receiv'd your Excellency's order of the 14th Instant, and she is now in such forwardness that she may be ready for sea in two or three days, to proceed so far as I have; I have borrow'd money and contracted debts for Immediate pay. Supposing that by the

Resolve of Octob" 21st 1782 I should receive the money brought by Cap' Little but Cap' Little informs me the money is Otherwise disposed off: I must therefore beg your Excellency to relieve me in some Other way or it will be Impossible for me to compleat the business.

I am y1 Excellencys most Obedient Hum1® Serv

Rich Devens Com' Gen

Receipts and Reports in re Absentees' Estates.

To the Honorable Senate and the Honorable House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of MassachusettsMay it please your Honors

In Pursuance of your Honors Resolve of the fourth of February last for satisfying the demands of the Creditors of Francis Waldo an absentee out of his Real Estate. We the Committee for selling absentees Estates in the County of Cumberland, have caused Two Lots or Parsels of said Waldo" Real Estate, which, after consideration & enquiry, we judged most advantageous to the Commonwealth, to be appraized by three good and sufficient Freeholders on Oath viz A Lot of Land on Falmouth Neck in said County being two thirds of three fifths of the Homestead of the late Brigadier Samuel Waldo Deceased which was appraized at £208 and a Lot of Land at a place called Stroutwater in said Falmouth appraized at £75 as by the Return of said Appraisers accompanying this Report will appear

The Demand of one of the Creditors viz Thomas Child Esq. was £197..9.. The amount of the other Demands was £57..8..8. as from a Certificate of the Honbl William Gorham Esq', Judge of Probate of Wills &c for said County of Cumberland appeared

Your Committee judged it would be injurious to the Commonwealth to divide the last mentioned Lot, as the Sum it

was appraised at, is as much, in all probability, as it would ever fetch We have therefore given the Creditors whose Demands amounted to £57..8..8 as above mentioned, a Deed of the whole, and received of them security for the Ballance being £17.11.4- We have likewise conveyed to Mr Child, the whole of the Lot first mentioned-as the value of it according to said appraizement, was so near the Sum due to him, and have taken his security to pay the Ballance being £10..11.. on demand for which Ballances your Com

Imittee will be accountable

We hope our doings will meet with your Honors Approbation and that in confirmation of the Sales above mentioned, your Honors will be pleased to accept of this Reportwhich with all due deference & respect is humbly submitted by Your Honors most obedient hum' Servants

John Lewis Sam' Small Sam' Freeman

The Receipts of the Creditors in satisfaction of their Demands upon the Estate above mentioned, accompany this Receipt

Falmouth March 28 1783

Falmouth March 28 1783 Received of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, by Deed from the Committee for selling Absentees Estates in the County of Cumberland, a Lot of Land in said Falmouth being two thirds of three fifths of the Homestead of the late Brigadier Samuel Waldo Deceased in full satisfaction of all my Demands upon the Estate of Francis Waldo an Absentee as already settled with the Judge of Probate of Wills &c for the County aforesaid. Said Demands being One hundred & ninety seven Pounds nine shillings Tho Child

Falmouth March 28. 1783

Received of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by Deed from the Committee for selling Absentees Estates in the

County of Cumberland, A Lot of Land, at a place called Stroudwater in said Falmouth, containing One Acre and three quarters of an acre, late belonging to the Estate of Francis Waldo Esq. an Absentee, in full satisfaction of ourrespective Demands upon said Estate- Being the Sums severally set against our names. viz

Enoch Freeman Twenty five Pounds ten shillings & eight pence

The Honble Sennate & house of Representatives in General Court Assembled

The Petition of the Plantation of Little falls Humbly Sheweth that we are Cappitally agrieved in our apportion of the public taxes assigned us this three Years past from time to time, The Ground of our Confidence in this Ascertion, is founded on the following Particulars. As we are not establish'd by Law in any Particular Boundaries, nor Ascertained what Particular Courses & Distances Comprehends any Certain Body, or tract of Lands, the three Adjacent towns to us have taken the Advantage of the Same and Renew their Bounds about the time of the Last General Valuations taking place, and have taken off near one third part of the polls and estates that we Included in our Valuation of which we stand Charg'd with and taxed for, of which the said Adjacents proceed to Recover taxes of each Particular so taken. Another Particular Instance May Serve to Remove all Doubts of this ascertion. The town of Cox Hall (adjacent to us)