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| [Sept. 16.] |
1,436. Petition of William Martyn and others to Samuel Pepys, Secretary of the Admiralty. Complaining of the behaviour of Captain Crofts to the master of the ship forty-eight hours, till William Gennes the master gave him a bill of exchange for twenty pounds, another for five pounds, two silver dishes, two silver spoons and three gold rings. Signed by William Martyn and five more. Annexed, three attestations by various witnesses in support of the complaint, all sworn before John Trelawny, Mayor of Plymouth, 16 September 1687. The whole 4 pp. Endorsed, (see No. 1,264). [Col. Papers, Vol. LXI., No. 35.] |
| Sept. 16. |
1,437. Declaration of William Gennes, giving the history of Croft's behaviour. Sworn as the foregoing. Large sheet. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXI., No. 36.] |
| Sept. 16. |
1,438. Further declaration of William Gennes. Sworn as the foregoing. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXI., No. 37.] |
| Sept. 18. |
1,439. Additional instructions to the Duke of Albemarle. To enforce strictly the Acts of Trade and Navigation. Details at great length. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXXI., pp. 310–323.] |
| Sept. 19. |
1,440. Minutes of Council of Maryland. Two Indians came and said they would endeavour to keep Long Tom from further faults, since he was condemned only to be whipped. The articles of peace with the Nanticokes were then agreed on. Eleven articles in all. The Council then gave their chief a laced coat, a shirt and a hat, which he very thankfully accepted, and the Indians then took their departure with great satisfaction. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LIV., pp. 116–119.] |
Sept. 19.
Barbados. |
1,441. Lieutenant Governor Stede to Lords of Trade and Plantations. The island is fairly healthy, though the want of seasons still continues. Everything is scarce and dear, and we are in danger of losing the most hopeful crop of corn for these many years for want of rain to wash off off the caterpillars. We are past all hopes of any considerable quantity of sugar for the next two crops, so that the people grow much in debt. Money, too, is scarce here, and land so little valued that no one cares to buy it or take it for debts if anything else can be got; and if not creditors are content to wait rather than take land. Unless prices improve, the island will decay. We have now hardly one considerable merchant in the island, and not half the shop-keepers that there were twenty years since, so that, but for some jews who keep shops, all necessaries would be wanting and very dear. I have lately sent the Mary Rose to St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Dominica to disturb the French from settling there, and have burnt their huts and sent the people off in their own ships without any hurt to their persons. This return of the French to these islands, is, I conceive, contrary to the Treaty of Neutrality, which I have strictly observed, even sending to Martinique the Frenchmen deported by the Mary Rose. Yet the French Governor is full of anger, now that he is disappointed of the liberty he formerly enjoyed in those islands of taking from them timber, without
which they could never have fortified themselves as they have. The same reasoning makes these islands of great importance to the English possessions, so that if my actions are approved by the King I shall rejoice that I have angered the French Governor and persist in so doing as far as it is for the King's interest. I enclose copy of Count de Blenac's letter from Martinique, expressing much resentment and some menaces, also a deposition of Mr. Piers Lynch, reporting that the French still lay claim to those islands. By implication you will perceive that the French are the great cause of the enmity of the Indians towards the English. We have long suspected it here, and now it is proved by the Indians sending to Martinique the heads of the Englishmen they murdered in St. Lucia, and the joy testfied by the French at the receipt thereof. Signed, Edwyn Stede. 1½ pp. Endorsed. Recd. 23 Nov. 1687. Annexed, |
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1,441. I. Count de Blenac to Lieutenant Governor Stede, Martinique, 19–29 June 1687. The affair of St. Lucia will be settled shortly, the King my master having sent to ask satisfaction for all that you have done. It is therefore useless for me to reply to all your letters on the subject. I shall only send the last injuries that the captain of the Mary Rose has done to the French at Dominica, that an explanation may be asked for again. You tell me that the three inhabitants of Martinique which you return to me were concerned in the murder of certain English by the savages. How could they have been, since they were on the Mary Rose a week before the murder. Such assertions serve only to cover a bad case. In compliance with my orders I have restored and caused to be restored to the English Governor of St. Christopher's all the negroes in French territory that belonged to the English. I have his receipt for them, and I hope that you likewise will restore me the mulatto belonging to Martinique as you promised me. Signed, Blenac. 1 p. Endorsed. Recd. 23 Nov. 87. |
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1,441. II. Deposition of Piers Lynch, merchant, In April last I put in with my ship to Martinique for wood, water and went ashore to see the Governor, who spoke of Captain John Temple and his piratical proceedings at St. Lucia and Dominica, adding that those islands belonged to the King of France, and that he was daily expecting French men-of-war to take vengeance for the outrages of the English. The French at Martinique seemed greatly incensed against the English. Sworn 23 August 1687. 1½ pp. Endorsed. Recd. 23 Nov. 87. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXI., Nos. 38, 38I., II., and (despatch only), Col. Entry Bk., Vol. VII., pp. 453, 454.] |
| Sept. 21. |
1,442. Minutes of Council of Jamaica. Francis Hickman sworn clerk of Council on the death of Mr. Egleton. Francis Hickman sworn and admitted secretary in his place. Charles Boucher appointed clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in the
room of Harbottle Wingfield, deceased. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXXVI., pp. 171, 171A.] |
| Sept. 21. |
1,443. Minutes of Council of Maryland. Order for prorogation of the Assembly. Judicial business. Order for issue of writs to summon the justices of Talbot and Somerset counties to meet and impose the levy. Proclamation for quickening the building of towns under the Act of Advancement of Trade. |
| Sept. 22. |
Order for new commissions of the peace for Charles and Talbot counties. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LIV., pp. 126,127.] |
| Sept. 21. |
1,444. Minutes of Council of New England. Several inhabitants of Essex examined for refusing to pay their rates and for publishing factious, seditious writings. Order that they be committed for trial by special commission at Boston. Five others bound over to appear and take their trial. Certain others discharged. |
| Sept. 23. |
On the refusal of all the towns in Essex except Salem, Mowberry, and Marblehead, to pay rates, order for the estates of the inhabitants to be assessed and for the factious and seditious people to be bound over. Order for preparation of bills to regulate the choice of select men, to enlarge the jurisdiction of the inferior courts, and to require masters of ships to give security. |
| Sept. 24. |
The Act as to select men read twice. The Justices of Boston to meet and report as to the price of corn. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LXIV., pp. 141–145.] |
Oct. 2.
Quebec. |
1,445. Governor de Denonville to Governor Dongan. I send you copy of a letter which I have received from the King, wherein you will see how anxious the King is for friendly relations between the two nations. It has also resolved me not to await your answer to my letter of complaint sent by Antonie Lespinard. Though I have still ground of complaint against you and your people, since you have lately hired a party of sixty Mohawks to make a raid into New France, I have, in obedience to the intentions of the King, determined to send you back Mr. Gregory and the rest of his party, rejoicing to shew you my readiness to act in accordance with the treaty. I send duplicates of my former letters that you may understand why I detained him. As it is necessary to a good understanding between us, I have, in order to afford you an opportunity to communicate with me, retained only Captain Lockerman, the son of Arian Schuyler and Jean Blaquerd, who shall want for nothing till I have received satisfactory assurance from you that henceforth we shall live on good terms. The season is too far advanced for me to send a gentleman to you to season is too far advanced for me to send a gentleman to you to speak such matters as cannot be written in letters, but if your intentions for a good understanding between us are genuine, you will have no difficulty in sending such a gentleman to me to make temporary arrangements till our orders arrive from home. I must not omit a new ground of complaint in the plunder of Pentagouet by your commandant of Boston. You know that by a treaty between the Governors of Boston and Acadia, Pentagouet
is recognised as a French possession. Pray bear in mind that you cannot furnish the Iroquois with ammunition without infraction of the Treaty of Neutrality. Signed, Le M. de Denonville. French. 3 pp. Translated in New York Documents III., 512 [Col. Papers, Vol. LXI., No. 39.] |
| Sept. 26. |
1,446. Minutes of Council of Maryland. Order for displacement of Allan Smith from the office of Sheriff of Kent county. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LIV., pp. 127, 128.] |
| Sept. 28. |
1,447. Minutes of Council of New England. Several petitions read and considered. |
| Sept. 30. |
Order for grant of lands in the King's province to Simon Lynds. Dudley Bradstreet, committed to custody for neglecting his duty in respect of collecting the rates of Andover, acknowledged on examination that he acted by orders of the town, and was recommitted. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LXIV., pp. 145–148.] |
| Sept. 30. |
1,448. Pass for the Lieutenant Governor of Barbados for the ship Three Friends, bound for Tobago. Signed, Edwyn Stede. Scrap. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXI., No. 40.] |
Sept. 30.
Jamaica. |
1,449. Lieutenant Governor Molesworth to William Blathwayt. Since my last Captain Spragge sailed direct to Havanna to demand Captain Bear. He had advised me that he could not go first to Providence, for want of a pilot to windward, so I added a postscript to his instructions (see No. 1,405), giving him latitude to sail for whichever of the two he judged most convenient. I lately received a letter from Providence from Mr. Bridge, who has been elected Chief under the name of Moderator. He writes that they would not receive Woollerly there, so I expect he is sailed for New England, where he was brought up. Copy of Mr. Bridge's letter is enclosed. About a month since Captain Yankey came near this island, having privately warned his old correspondent to supply him with necessaries, and directed whither they were to be sent. The correspondent, however, frightened by my recent severity towards his kind, refused to supply him, but shewed the letter to me, which told me perfectly where Yankey was, and asked for my directions. I answered that I could not permit him to be supplied from hence with anything whatever, but that if he was ready to come in, and live honestly among us, giving security for the same, he might be received. His ship has forty guns, but he had not at that time above sixty or eighty men; but having little idea that he would come in upon so slender an invitation, I sent to Captain Talbot to tell him that Yankey's ship was a capture from the Spaniards, that she was weak, and manned chiefly with Englishmen. He was therefore to demand the surrender of Yankey and bring him into port. Captain Talbot, however, wrote to me a day or two before he received my letter that he had split some of his sails and was short of provisions, so on receipt of my letter he came straight into port. If he had gone straight down the North Coast as I ordered him, he would have met Yankey in less than twentyfour hours. Copies of our correspondence are enclosed. Some
time after this I received a letter from Yankey and one Jacob his partner, both Dutchmen, on behalf of themselves and their people, desiring to live honestly here. I sent a friendly answer, imposing certain conditions, of which the principal was, that their ships should be broken up, which, after all, is the best security that they shall not return to their old trade. It is now about a fortnight since the messenger left with my letter, but so far they have neither answered nor come in. But we have had bad weather, and I am told that they have been as if making for some of the leeward ports. If they do come in, it will be a good service done to Jamaica, and even better to the Spaniards. I was not a little encouraged towards this method of clearing the coast of pirates, by advice of a proclamation which the Duke of Albemarle is to bring with him for calling in privateers and pirates. The secretary's office being void by the death of Mr. Egleton, I have for the present put in Mr. Francis Hickman, pending further directions from the King or orders from the Patentees. 3 October. I have now received your letters of 8th and 16th July with the orders contained therein. Recd. 11 January 1687–8. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXXII., pp. 55–60.] |
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Enclosures in the foregoing letter. |
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1,449. I. Thomas Bridge to Lieutenant Governor Molesworth, Providence, Aug. 23, 1687. In April last John Thurber, master of a New Bristol ship, came here from Campeachy and delivered to me four Indians, which had been piratically taken and forced on board his ship by Coxon. I shall send them to you by first opportunity. At the end of May a large ship appeared off the harbour and sent a boat ashore to say that she was from South Seas, Thomas Woolerly, commander. I told them to leave one man ashore and go back, which man told me that she had Goffe on board. I told them that it was the King's order that they should not be entertained, and as she continued standing in I fired a shot across her forefoot. She then anchored, and next day Woolerly told me that he was come to wood and water, that he had Colonel Lilbourne's commission, and had done nothing contrary to it, and that he had taken in Goffe and his companions in extremity of distress. I refused him leave to come in, and he sailed away next day. I am told that they burnt the ship at Andrew's Island and dispersed, leaving only six or seven men in the Bahamas. We are awaiting the King's orders for the settlement of this Colony, and meanwhile our situation is shewn by the following instrument. Here follows copy of a manifesto dated 13 July 1687, declaring twelve persons elected by public vote to carry on the Government, one of them to act as Modcrator, always subject to the Royal authority. Signed, Tho. Bridge. Copy. 2 pp. Endorsed. Recd. 11 Jany. 1687–8. |
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1,449. II. Sailing orders from Lieutenant Governor Molesworth to Captain Charles Talbot, R.N. You will sail from Point Morant by the North Coast to Point Negril, when
you will certanly encounter Yankey on the way, to find him and bring him into port. At your first meeting you will demand the surrender of all Englishmen on board, which will make your conquest the easier. If he refuses, you know your duty. If you do not meet him you will certainly hear of him at Point Negril, and if information is refused to you by Johnson, you will arrest him for corresponding with pirates, for he can certainly give it to you. If he or any of his men are ashore at Point Negril you will endeavour to seize them there. I enclose you an order for all military officers to assist you. Copy. 1½ pp. Endorsed. |
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1,449. III.Captain Talbot, R.N., to Lieutenant Governor Molesworth, 2 September 1687. I have received your letter of 30th, but have come into port, being short, as I told you, of provisions. I should have waited on you before, but I have been ill, and the distemper has broken out all over my face. We have patched up our suit of sails well enough to have served probably for the best part of our voyage home, but they are so shattered by this cruising as to be far from serviceable. I must therefore ask you to give us credit for new sails, especially topsails. I should willingly have observed your last orders, but one suit of sails is not sufficient for a cruise so far to leeward at this time of year. The season ought to be considered, as also that we shall probably sail for England, so that if we batter all these sails the King will be at considerable expense. Signed, Charles Talbot. Copy. 1 p. Endorsed. Recd. 11 Jan. 87–8. |
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1,449. IV. Ensign William Geese to Lieutenant Governor Molesworth, Montego Bay, 3 September 1687. Captain Yankey and Captain Jacob have come into the bay and asked me to write you the enclosed letter. Yankey has a large Dutch-built ship with forty-four guns and a hundred men; Jacob has a fine barque with ten guns, sixteen patararoes and about fifty men. They have also a small sloop. When I had written the letter the whole company agreed to it. I cannot discover that they have any old privateers on board. Signed, Willm. Geese. Copy. |
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Copied below. Captains Yankey and Jacob to Lieutenant Governor Molesworth, Montego Bay, 3 September 1687. We have arrived from Carolina and brought several people thence who have been driven from the Colony by the trouble with the Spaniards, In all sincerity we present ourselves, our ships and company to the service of the King of England, and hope for your assurance that our ships and men shall not be troubled or molested, as we are ignorant of the laws and customs of this island. We can satisfy you that we have never injured any British subject. Signed, John Williams, Jacob Everson. The whole, 1 p. Endorsed. Recd. 11 Jan. 87–8. |
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1,449. V. Lieutenant Governor Molesworth to Captains Yankey and Jacob, 12 September 1687. In reply to your letter, your ships and men shall be received in all friendliness, nor shall you be troubled on account of any accusation of piracy, for which you shall receive the royal pardon. But if any of your people owe money here they must expect to be dealt with according to law, for it is not in my power to forgive men's debts. As earnest of your intention to abandon piracy you must give security not to leave the island without leave from the Governor; you must take the oath of allegiance to the King, and you shall receive letters of naturalisation conferring on you all the liberties of British subjects; and you must positively break up your ships, for, being foreign-built, they cannot be used for trade here, and consequently will find no buyers if sold. I expect your answer or your speedy appearance at Port Royal. Copy. 1½ pp. Endorsed. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXI., Nos. 41, I.–V.] |
