To Benjamin Franklin from ——— Branco, 7 October 1780
From ——— Branco
ALS: American Philosophical Society
à Brou8 ce 7 Octobre 1780
Monsieur
Je n’ai reçu que hier le Decret de la Reyne de Portugal: Je serai charmé qu’il vous plaise: J’y ajoutai une traduction litteraire, que faira bien comprendre l’esprit, malgré le defaut de phrase.9
J’aurai l’honneur de vous faire ma Cour lorsque je recevrai les pieces justificatives concernant la prise faite par le Corsaire de l’Amerique:1 Le Capitaine du Brigantin améne à Bosthon vient d’arriver à Paris.
Je suis avec la plus parfaite et respectueuse consideration, Monsieur, Votre très humble et très obeissant Serviteur
Branco
Notation: Braner, a Bruce ce 7 October 1780
8. Near Chartres.
9. The now-missing enclosure probably was a copy of Queen Maria’s Aug. 30 decree forbidding privateers or prizes from any country to enter Portuguese ports: Wharton, Diplomatic Correspondence, IV, 83–4.
1. The ship undoubtedly was the Nossa Senhora do Livramento e Senhor do Bomfim (Joze da Fonseca Soarez de Figueiredo, captain), which had been captured on Aug. 31 by the Mars (Simeon Samson, captain) and sent to Boston: JW to BF, Sept. 14, above; Smith, Letters, XVII, 286n; John A. McManemin, Captains of the State Navies during the Revolutionary War (Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J., 1984), pp. 165–6. On Dec. 19, Branco forwarded the documents to BF; his covering letter is at the APS. By then BF had already discussed the case with the Portuguese ambassador: Wharton, Diplomatic Correspondence, IV, 180.