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Die Lunae 17 April. 1699.
WE Your Majesty's most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects, The Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament Assembled, Humbly acquaint Your Majesty, That We have received a Petition from Charles Desborow, late Captain of Your Majesty's Ship the Mary Gally, em∣poly'd in the Expedition to Newfoundland in the Year 1697. under the Command of Captain Norris: Which Petition sets forth, That on the 21st of July, 1697. Mon∣sieur Ponti appeared off the Port of St. John's, which gave the fairest Opportunity imaginable to those that were then employed on that Expedition, to have taken the French, if the Intelligence that from time to time was given by the said Charles Desborow and others, had been believed: And that instead of receiving any En∣couragement for his Readiness to do Service to the Na∣tion, he was unjustly charged with Breach of Orders, and Neglect of Duty, and dismist from his Command.
Which We conceived to be a Matter of so Ill Conse∣quence to Your Majesty's Service, if there were Truth in it, that We thought fit to enter into a particular Exa∣mination upon Oath, of the Allegations of the said Peti∣tion: Wherein the said Desborow does acquaint the Com∣mittee of this House, That on the 21st of July Five French Ships appeared off St. John's, which were re∣ported by Prisoners taken, to be part of Monsieur Nes∣mond's Squadron appointed to Attack St. John's.