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My Lords

Being persuaded of your Lordships tender feelings, flowing from those truly humane principles which have ever distinguish'd Britains from the more barbarous Nations; I cannot but flatter my self with hope of your Lordships immediate interposition in behalf of the American prisoners, who are now Actually perishing with hunger,

My Lords, the relation of Facts I humbly beg leave to lay before your Lordships, & what you may depend upon as Real, without any exaggeration, does not emerge from any attachment to the prisoners, considered as Americans; no but purely from a principle of humanity, nor can I quiet my consence without letting your Lordships know how government is impos'd upon, and the prisoners treated. What discretionary power is lodged in the Agent, your Lordships are the most competent judges, my charge against him is included in the following particulars which upon the strictest enquiry will be found just —

Charge 1st For reasons well known, Mr Cowdry² connives at the Butcher's (Mr Hall of Plymouth) serving in Hucks and Necks of Beef instead of whole Quarters, some times tainted that the maggots drop out of it, being the refuse of the Market, & bad in Quality,

Charge 2d he does not give the prisoners, Government Allowance, which he says is three pounds of Beef to four men Pr day — this allow­ance, tho very scanty, if well served, & the water in which tis boild was converted to Broth, might render their lives supportable, But their allowance, when boild, being repeatedly weighed amounts to no more then, from a pound & half to two pounds, Bones included Query what must the meat be considering the first, charge the 3d the meat tho' bad in Quality, is so much boild, that all the Fat & marrow might be extracted for the chandler which affords a considerable perquisite,

Charge 4th he robs the Prisoners of their money, & other little things of value they brought into the Prison, has denied them the priveledge of working & the public of having access to buy of them, or give to them, has set up a Charity Box to beg money of the publick for the poof Prisoners the greatest part of which is put into his own Pocket, but one dividend has been made to the prisoners of a penny pr Man which is notoriously known, would have amounted to many Shillings.

Charge 5th the prisoners put into the black hole for attempting to escape, are put on half the abovementioned allowance on which it is impossible for them to live.

Charge 6th the Black hole into which they are put being low, the water lies upon the Floor like a Hogstie, & the prisoners lie all night upon an old door or two they found there,

Charge 7th he allows the prisoners in the Black hole, but one hour in the day to take fresh Air: and other prisoners are not allowed fresh air but a few hours in the heat of the day.

Charge 8th he denied the prisoners a sufficient quantity of water, untill a worthy Captn of the guard insisted they should have what they stood in need of — Thro' these unheard of Scences of cruelty many of the prisoners last week were actually perishing with hunger, and in a Delirium whose ravings peirce the hearts of all who pass'd and re­pass'd near this horrible Inquisition & infernal Slaughter house of American Victims.

Charge 9th he has removed a poor woman who sold small articles to the prisoners, and is now turn'd huckster himself, that he may exact upon them without mercy, and open another vein of profit.

Charge 10th he has made a hogstie of a place within the walls of the prison where Coals were kept in the French War, and has now near 20 hogs feeding there, on what the prisoners ought to have, otherways would be no profit to him, this must corrupt the Air, & may breed a fever among the prisoners which will be injurious to the Country, 

Charge 11th thro' carelessness one day, a Dog eat the Flesh of four mens allowance, the prisoners seeing it, refused to pick the gnaw'd Bones. — The Agent ordered all the prisoners out into the Yard with the parrade of a Nero, insisted upon knowing who objected, and if they did not deliver them up, he would put all the prisoners on half allowance however he thought proper not to put his threats into execution.

Charge 12th The Small beer is mixt with water to make a saving in that Article for himself.

My Lords, such a scene of horrors this country never saw before, Town & Country are alarmed & what may be the consequence I know not if not timely remedied, Cowdry pleads his own innocence, & says it is no fault of his, it is Governments Orders: which is in affect to say, Government has ordered me indirectly to murder all the prisoners. I doubt not but the principles of humanity & ties of nature will excite your Lordships to exculpate Government from the odium, relieve the miserable & teach the barbarous Culprit his duty by bringing him to condign punishment which will relieve the anguish of mind your Lordships real friends labour under amongst which number is

Your Lordships in Duty & respect

[Endorsed] Recd in Mr Stephens's Letter of the 3d Septemr ³