My Dear Sir, Boston Augt. 5th 1776

It wou’d give me great pleasure & satisfaction to have a line now & then from Philadelphia, so that I might peep into the Secrets & Mysteries of the Grand Book of Temporal Fate; but if I do not, my Weekly Journal will go on, such as it is, ’till eternal fate prevents it.

Monday 29th. Benja. Davis & others that were taken yesterday, landed at the Long Wharf from Marblehead & from thence conducted to the prison; they have a number of Women with ’em. The Cargo of the Ship consist of £1500 Sterling in Cash, a quantity of English Goods, 200 Tierces of Beef &c.

Tuesday, 30th. Nothing.

Wednesday, 31st. A Schooner was bro’t into this port to day, taken by two Whalemen; she is from Jamaica to Liverpool, Nova Scotia, laiden with Rum & Salt; she is said to be own’d by Derby of Salem & sail’d from thence above a year ago, when the Capt. had orders to make her Jamaica property; since which he has been Trading from Jamaica to Nova Scotia. Her Condemnation is uncertain. The Tory Ship came from Marblehead to this port to day.

Thursday, Augt. 1st. A General Fast. No perticular occurrance.

Fryday 2d. A Large Jamaica Ship is arriv’d at Townsend at the Eastward, sent in by one of our Privateers.

Saturday 3d. The Juliana a Jamaica prize Ship, was tri’d at Salem yesterday, when the Mate claim’d 1/8 of the Ship & some of her Cargo, as being Jamaica property; the evidence was so clear, that the Jury were oblig’d to acquit the part claim’d. It gives some uneasiness. But I am just inform’d that the Congress have allow’d the seizure of all West India property, except Bermudas & the Bahamas, which I rejoice at.

Sunday 4th. Capt. White of Darby’s Privateer has arriv’d at Casco Bay with two very large Jamaica Ships, having taken on this Cruize no less than 4 or 5 of sd. Ships. What grand fortunes will soon be amass’d.

The Troops that were to march from this State to Canada are cheifly gone, as well as those for New York, & the Militia are now marching down to take post on Dochester Heights. We have had & now got the finest Season that was ever known for Grain. There will be the largest crops of Corn that ever was since the Colony was settl’d. God be thank’d for it.

263

The Selectmen of the Town were so kind as to appoint me last Saturday the Care of the Small pox Hospital on one of the Islands,1 which I hope soon to fill with patients. Dear Sir Adieu! and in all your secret interviews whether with yourself or the Deity, remember me as your Constant Friend,

David Cobb

RC ; addressed: “To The Honble. Robert Treat Paine Esqr. At Philadelphia per Post”; endorsed.

1.

Rainsford’s Island in Boston Harbor.

Sir, Boston August 8th. 1776

Permit me1 to trespass so far upon Your Time & Attention to the important Business of the United States, as to Sollicit Your Interest on my Behalf for some Employment in their Service, within this State.

I ask not for great things. My only wish is to obtain some little additional Support for my Family, and that you may be induced to favor me in this respect, I beg the liberty to mention; That about ten days after the Battle at Lexington, being determined not to Submit to the Arbitrary & Tyrannical Impositions of the British Administration, I Voluntarily made a Sacrifice of all my Business & means of Support, and with my Family left Boston, and from that time, till the disgraceful flight of the British Troops, remained in the Country; where I had not the means of earning a Shilling; and the little Business I am now employed in, does not equal a fourth part of the Expence of my Family, altho I live in the most frugal manner; and I am Reduced from a State which made me easy in Life, to a Prospect of Distress.

Thus Sir, I have laid before You my Situation and Circumstances in as few lines as possible, & would Beg Your favorable attention to the same. Should I be so happy as to obtain Your kind interposition on my Behalf, it will always be Remembered with the utmost Gratitude & Respect by Sir, Your most Olibged and Obedient Servant.

Ezekl. Price

RC ; addressed: “To The Honble: Robert Treat Paine Esqr. at Philadelphia”; endorsed.

1.

Ezekiel Price (1728–1802) was confidential secretary to several of the Massachusetts provincial governors. Shortly after independence was declared, Price became clerk of the courts of common pleas for Suffolk County. He was also very active in Boston politics and the longtime chair of the town’s selectmen (Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1st ser., 8:85). His diary, kept during the siege of Boston, appears in the Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society 7(1863–1864):185–262.