British Colonial letter of Marque

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 encourgae 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