Colonial Office Records

To the Honorable John Byron Govenor Of Newfoundland Coast of Labrador

May it please your excellency
We his Majestys dutiful Lloyal subjects, the Merchants Traders Planters and principal inhabitants of the ports of Fogo, Twillingate & Tilton and the other fishing places adjacent  in this his Majestys Island of Newfoundland (now assembled) do humbly beg leave to embrace the earliest opportunity of congratulating your excellency , on your happy and safe return to your goverment of this island and the territorys thereonto belonging.
Truly sensible of your excellencys vigilance steady attention for the improvement and welfare of the trade & fisherys within your goverment and your sanguine wishes to encourage the extension of said industries, so valuable a commerce to Great Britain in which the public welfare of that kingdom is so much concerned, by having a bold and hardy people ?? and all times ready to be brought forth to man our fleets, permit to thereforeto assure your excellancy we will not fail on our parts in forewarning your great and well disposed purposes for the increase of his majestys [???] Convinced as we are of the great advantages that we have already enjoyed under your Goverment & satisfied that you are our fathful servant to this crown an affectionate friend to our country, we cannot sufficiently express that its our most ardent wish that your excellency may long continue to preside over us as a father to an industrious people that we may thereby ??
the blessings of an experienced and upright authority, for the advancement of his Majestys services & the prosperity of the trade and fisherys Originated with those sentiments we will endeavour by our own conduct to deserve a continuance of your Excellenceys protection and [????] with the warmest sence of duty and gratitude for the many marks of grace and paternal regard that we have experienced under a King ?? with those virtues that distinguish  our most gracious sorviegn. We beg leave to assure your Excellancey on our being ever faithful  & jealousy affected to His Illustrious house and that it is our sincere & constant wish that his Majesty may reign through a long  course of years and that he and his royal and most excellent and adored consort may be blessed with the increase of every public and domestic happiness felicity supported by the chearful & unanimous voice of all his Majestys subjects.

May it please your Excellency

                             Your excellencys most obediant and most humble and very dutiful servants. The merchants, Traders and Planters and inhabitants of the harbour of Fogo, Twillingate and Tilton and the fishing posts adjacent now assembled & met signed in our names Fogo Newfoundland 30th July 1771.

Wm Lane
Rich Vick [?]
Nicholas Pain
John Brown
John Symes
Thos Gobay [?]
Sansone Cook
Jam Morey
Richard [???]
Thomas Lock
David Magner [?]
Edward ? Bartlett
John Bartlett
[???????????]                                        
Thomas Miller

Merchants

[???????????]
Rob [?] Tite [?] Durell
In the absence of my father John Slade
John Haytor Slade
Sam Miller Jun
Benj Corbon [?]
Thomas Riggs
Hezikiah Goy or Guy [?]
John Bird
Willm Burden
Humber & Sikimison [?]
Richard Brown                               Perkins & Coghlan
Of Bristol

Transcriber notes:

There are two columns titled Planters and Merchants but I don’t see Traders mentioned.
All of the names appear to be signatures some very crudely written. Question marks indicate word or name is very hard to make out