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May it Please Your Excellency

Since it's my hard fate to be placed over a Seditious Company and cannot meet with assistance from my superiour officers to submit them to a due obedience, but rather encourage them in there Seditious practices, that it may Please Your Excellcy in Countermanding my warrants of Distress, Issued against those that absolutely refused to appear at Muster, as well of those that appeared no ways accourtred according to Law, (thō its a scandalous thing in time of war) must beg leave to lay down my Commission at Your Excellencys feet with that submission as becomes a true and Loyal Subject, which I hope your Excellency will Grant unless your Excellency will be pleased to reprimand them for there unlawfull practices;

May it please your Excellency, there's Major Hurst (a good officer) well knows my Endeavours to bring my Company in good order; but its Intirely out of my power they depending intirely on the Col's and if men is not to be Trained and kept in subjection these times I am at a

loss to know when they should My Serg'ts laughs at my warrants & me too, I have fined one according to Law, I have sent my warr't Inclosed to your Excellency for your approbation and humbly beg you'd be so good (if your Excellency approves of it,) as to order your Secretary to send it back to me together with what Commands you shall think fit to lay on me & my company which I shall with great pleasure obey, and as I think myself in Duty bound to obey my Superiors, so I think those under me are in the same duty bound to obey me & would where they not Incouraged to the contrary.

May it Please your Excellency, if you think proper to let me lay down I make bold to recommend Phillip Pryor Esqr to succeed me he being a Gentleman [of] Strict Honour good Estate and true courage, Submitting these lines to your Excellencys wise Consideration, and begging pardon for so often troubling your Excellency beg leave to subscribe my self with the Greatest Respect

P. S.—May it Please your Excellency to excuse the many blots, & badness of writing I being at Court and paper scarce.

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