Know all Men by these Presents That we Richard Fry and Silas Casey both of East Greenwich in the County of Kent in the Colony of Rhode Island &c. Merchants are held & firmly bound unto Joseph Clarke Esquire General Treasurer of the said Colony in the Sum of Five Hundred Pounds Lawful Money to be paid to the said Joseph Clarke in his said Capacity or to his Successors in said Office for the Use of the said Colony: to which Payment well and truly to be made we bind ourselves our Heirs Executors and Administrators firmly by these Presents Sealed with our Seals Dated the Twelfth Day of January in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Six.
Whereas George Harrison Master of the Sloop [blank] burthen about Thirty Six Tons is bound by Permission of the Honble Nicholas Cooke Esqr. Governor of the said Colony on a Voyage from East Greenwich to the Province of Maryland with Forty barrels of Cyder, Two Hogsheads of Apples one Hogshead Pottatoes Three Hundred Pounds weight of Cheese and twenty Bushels of Salt: Now the Condition of the above Obligation is such ー That if the said George Harrison shall proceed with his said Sloop to the Province of Maryland and there discharge his said Cargo and take on board the Produce of the Country or other Articles under the Direction of the Committee of Inspection of the City Town or County where he shall lade and take in his said Cargoe and also bring back proper Certificates both of Exports and Imports from them and lodge the same in the Office of the Secretary of the said Colony within three Days after the Return of said Sloop, and further shall not proceed to any Port or Place not being within the United Colonies (the Danger of the Sea and Seizure by an enemy always excepted) then this Obligation to be void or else in full Force.
Richard Fry Silas Casey
Sealed and delivered in the Presence of } James Arnold Jur William Mumford 2
1. Maritime Papers, Bonds, Masters of Vessels, R.I. Arch.
2. Ibid., two similar bonds were executed the same day and witnessed by William Mumford. One was that of Silas Casey and William Sweet, owners of the sloop Greenwich, of which Sweet was master. She was bound from East Greenwich for Connecticut and New York, in ballast, and bonded for three hundred pounds. The other was, Nicholas Brown of Providence, owner, and Christopher Gardner of Nantucket, master of the schooner Sherburne, bound from East Greenwich for Nantucket with a cargo of apples and cider, and bonded for five hundred pounds.