Esperance was originally the British privateer Ellis. A vessel by that name and described as being of 345 tons burthen (bm), with twenty-two 6-pounder guns and a crew of 100 received a warrant on 3 June 1793. Her captain was John Levingston. The French frigate Gracieuse, under the command of Captain Chevillard, captured Ellis on 22 July 1793. The French took her into service as Elise. Later that summer the Spanish captured her. In November ownership returned to the French who renamed her Esperance.