These are to certify that Joseph Freeman of Liverpool in the
Province of Nova Scotia Master of the Ship called the Duke of Kent a
British Ship Navigated by one hundred men including officers Mounting
Twenty Carriage Guns having Applied to me for an Authority to cruise
against all His Majesty's Enemies & having received his Majesty's
Commands to encourage all His Majesty's Subjects by every means in
their power to distress and annoy the Trade of all His Majestys Enemies.
And the said Ship having been duly Registered in His Majesty's Custom
House in this province as a British Ship & being regularly described in
such Register to ehivh there present refer.
I do by virtue of the Power & Authority to me given conformable
to His Majestys pleasure expressed to me by the Right Honourable and
Most Noble His Grace the Duke of Portland & by the Right Honourable
Henry Dundas, Authorize and Empower the said Joseph Freeman in and
with the said Ship called the Duke of Kent to cruise against all His
Majesty's Enemies, and am fully authorized to assure him all all others
involved in said private Ship of War, That His Majesty will consider him
& them as fully Entitled to an having a just claim to all vessels & property
of every kind which he or they shall make prize of from all or any of His
Majesty's Enemies, provided the same shall have been first condemned as
Lawful prize to His Majesty In His Majestys High Court of Admiralty or
in some of His Majesty's Courts of Vice Admiralty having lawful
authority to take Cognizance of the same.
Given under my Hand & Seal of Arms at Halifax this 6th day of Nov. 1799 in the 39th Year of His Majesty's Reign
By His Excellency's Command
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