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| July 26. |
Order of Council (July 13) upon a draft of a circular letter to the Governors of Plantations read. |
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Order of Council upon Sir Stephen Evance's petition read. |
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Order of Council about stores of war for New York read. |
| July 27. |
Two Orders of Council, May 25, and June 29, relating to Pennsylvania read. Affairs of that Province considered. Letter to Mr. Randolph ordered, and signed. Representation upon Peter Van Belle's petition signed. |
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Affairs of Pennsylvania considered. [Board of Trade. Journal, 12. pp. 128–134; and 96. Nos. 116–118.] |
July 26.
Boston. |
680. Governor the Earl of Bellomont to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I shall confine myself to an account of my proceedings with Capt. Kidd. On June 13th Mr. Emot, a lawyer of New York, came late at night to me and told me he came from Capt. Kidd who was on the coast with a sloop, but would not tell me where; that Kidd had brought 60 lbs. weight of gold, about one hundred weight of silver and 17 bales of East Indian goods (which was less by 24 bales than we have since got in the sloop); that Kidd had left behind him a great ship near the coast of Hispaniola, that nobody but himself could find out, on board whereof there were in bale goods, salt-petre and other things to the value of at least £300,000; that if I would give him a pardon, he would bring in the sloop and goods hither, and would go and fetch the great ship's goods afterwards. Mr. Emot delivered me that night two French passes which Kidd took on board the two Moors' ships, which were taken by him in the seas of India, or as he alleges by his men against his will. One of the passes wants a date in the original as in the copy I send. On Thursday, June 15, I sent Mr. Campbel, the Postmaster of this town, Kidd's countryman and acquaintance, along with Mr. Emot, to invite Kidd to come into this Port. Mr. Campbel returned June 19 and gave in a Memorial to myself and the Council, containing what had passed between him and Kidd. On June 19 as I sate in Council I wrote a letter to Capt. Kidd and shewed it to the Council, and they approving of it, I dispatched Mr. Campbel again to Kidd with my letter. The promise I make Capt. Kidd in my letter of a kind reception and procuring the king's pardon is conditional, that is, provided he were as innocent as he pretended to be, but I quickly found sufficient cause to suspect him very guilty, by the many lies and contradictions he told me. I was so much upon my guard with Kidd that, he arriving here on Saturday the 8th of this month, I would not see him but before witnesses; nor have I ever seen him since but in Council twice or thrice that we examined him, and the day he was taken up by the Constable, it happened to be by the door of my lodging and he rushed in and came running to me, the Constable after him. I had him not seized till Thursday, July 6th, for I had a mind to discover
where he left the great ship, and I thought myself secure enough from his running away, because I took care not to give him the least umbrage of my design of seizing him, nor had I till that day (that I produced my orders from Court for apprehending Kidd) communicated them to anybody, and I found it necessary to shew my orders to the Council to animate them to join heartily with me in securing Kidd and examining his affair nicely, to discover what we could of his behaviour in his whole voyage. Another reason why I took him not up sooner was that he had brought his wife and children hither in the sloop with him, whom I believed he would not easily forsake. He being examined twice or thrice by me and the Council and also some of his men, I observed he seemed much disturbed, and the last time we examined him I fancied he looked as if he were upon the wing and resolved to run away, and the gentlemen of the Council had some of them the same thought with mine, so that I took their consent in seizing and committing him, but the officers appointed to seize his men were so careless as to let 3 or 4 of his men escape, which troubled me the more because they were old New York pirates. The next thing the Council and I did was to appoint a Committee of trusty persons to search for the goods and treasures brought by Kidd and to secure what they should find till the King's pleasure should be known as to the disposition thereof, as my orders from Mr. Secretary Vernon import. The Committee were made up of two gentlemen of the Council, two marchands and the Deputy Collector, whose names are to the enclosed inventory of the goods and treasurer. They searched Kidd's lodging and found hid and made up in two seabeds a bag of gold dust and ingots of the value of about £1,000, and a bag of silver, part money and part pieces and piggs of silver, value as set down in the inventory. In the above bag of gold were several little bags of gold; all particulars I believe are very justly and exactly set down in the inventory. For my part I have meddled with no manner of thing, but put everything under the management of the Council and into the custody of the Committee, that I might be free from the suspicion and censure of the world. The enamelled box mentioned in the beginning of the inventory is that which Kidd made a present of to my wife by Mr. Campbell, which I delivered in Council to the Committee to keep with the rest of the treasure. There was in it a stone ring, which we take to be a Bristol stone; if it were true it would be worth about £40, and there was a small stone unset, which we believe is also counterfeit, and a sort of a locket with four sparks which seem to be right diamonds; for there's nobody here that understands jewels. If the box and all that is in it were right, they cannot be worth above £60. You will see in the middle of the inventory a parcel of treasure and jewels delivered by Mr. Gardiner of Gardiner's Island in the province of N. York and at the east end of Nassau Island, the recovering of which treasure is owing to my own care and quickness. I heard by the greatest accident in the world the day Capt. Kidd was committed that a man had offered £30 for a sloop to carry him to Gardiner's Island, and Kidd having owned he had buried some gold on that island (tho' he never mentioned to us any jewels, nor, I believe, would he have owned the gold there but that he thought he should himself be sent for it), I
presently reflected that that man, whom I have since discovered to be one of Kidd's men, was to defeat us of that treasure. I privately posted away a messenger by land with a peremptory order to Mr. Gardiner in the King's name to come forthwith and deliver up such treasure as Kidd or any of his crew had lodged with him, acquainting him that I had committed Kidd to gaol as I was ordered to do by the King. My messenger made great haste and was with Gardiner before anybody, and Gardiner who is a very substantial man brought away the treasure without delay, and by my direction delivered it into the hands of the Committee. If the jewels be right, as 'tis supposed they are, but I never saw them nor the gold and silver brought by Gardiner, then we guess that the parcel brought by him may be worth £4,500; and besides Kidd had left six bales of goods with him, one of which was twice as big as any of the rest, and Kidd gave him a particular charge of that bale and told him it was worth £2,000. The six bales Gardiner could not bring, but I have ordered him to send 'em by a sloop that is since gone from hence to New York, and is to return speedily. We are not able to get an exact value on the goods and treasure we have got, because we have not opened the bales we took on board the sloop, but we hope when the six bales are sent in by Gardiner, what will be in the hands of the gentlemen appointed to that trust will amount to about £14,000. I have sent strict orders to my L. G. at New York to make diligent search for the goods and treasure sent by Kidd to N. York in three sloops mentioned in Gardiner's affidavit, and I believe I have directed him where to find a purchase in a house in N. York, which by a hint I have had I am apt to believe will be found out in that house. I have sent to search elsewhere a certain place strongly suspected to have received another depositum of gold from Kidd. I am also upon the hunt after two or three arch pirates, which I hope to give you a good account of by next conveyance. If I could have but a good able Judge and Attorney General at York, a man-of-war there and another here and the Companies recruited and well paid, I will rout pirates and piracy entirely out of all this north part of America. But as I have but too often told you, 'tis impossible for me to do all this in my single person. |
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I wrote you on the 8th that Bradish and one of his crew were escaped out of the gaol of this town. We have since found that the gaoler was Bradish's kinsman, and the gaoler confessed that they went out of the prison door, and that he found it wide open. We had all the reason in the world to believe the gaoler was consenting to the escape. By much ado I could get the Council to resent the gaoler's behaviour, but by mere importunity I had the fellow before us. We examined him, and by his own story and accounts given us of his suffering other prisoners formerly to escape, I prevailed to have him turned out and a prosecution ordered against him to the Attorney General. I have also with some difficulty this late session of Assembly here got a Bill to pass that the gaol be committed to the care of the High Sheriff of the County, as in England, with a salary of £30 per ann. I would have had it £50, for the sheriff's encouragement
to be honest and careful, but could not prevail. I am forced to allow the sheriff 40s. per week for keeping Kidd safe. Otherwise I should be in some doubt about him. He has without doubt a great deal of gold, which is apt to tempt men that have not principles of honour. I have, therefore, to try the power of iron against gold, put him into irons that weigh 16lbs. I thought it moderate enough, for I remember poor Dr. Oates had a hundredweight of iron on him when he was a prisoner in the late reign. There never was a greater liar or thief in the world than this Kidd. Notwithstanding he assured the Council and me every time we examined him that the great ship and her cargo waited his return to bring her hither, you will see by two informations of masters of ships from CuraÇao that the cargo has been sold there, and in one of them, 'tis said, they have burnt that noble ship, and without doubt 'twas by Kidd's orders, that the ship might not be an evidence against him, for he would not own to us her name was the Quidah Merchant, though his men did. Andries Henlyne and two more brought the first news to York of the sale of that cargo at Curaçao, and never such pennyworths heard of for cheapness. Capt. Evertz is he who has brought the news of the ship's being burnt. She was of about 500 ton, and Kidd told us at Council never was a stronger or stauncher ship seen. His lying had like to have involved me in a contract that would have been very chargeable and to no manner of purpose, as he has ordered matters. I was advised by the Council to dispatch a ship of good countenance to go and fetch away that ship and cargo. I had agreed for a ship of 300 ton, 22 guns, and I was to man her with 60 men to force (if there had been need) the men to yield, who were left with the ship. I was just going to seal the writing, when I bethought myself 'twere best to press Kidd once more to tell me the truth. I therefore sent to him two gentlemen of the Council to the gaol, and he at last owned that he had left a power with one Mr. Henry Bolton, a marchand of Antegoa, whom he had committed the care of the ship to, to sell and dispose of all the cargo. Upon which confession I held my hand from hiring that great ship, which would have cost £1,700 by computation. To-morrow I send the sloop Kidd came in with letters to the L.G. of Antegoa, the Governors of St. Thomas' Island and CuraÇao to seize and receive what effects they can that was late in the possession of Kidd and on board the Quidah Merchant. There is one Burt, an Englishman that lives at St. Thomas' who has got a great store of the goods and money for Kidd's account. St. Thomas' belongs to the Danes, but I hope to retrieve what Burt has in his hands. The sending this sloop will cost but about £300, if she be out 3 months. I hope your Lordships will take care that immediate orders be sent to Antegoa to secure Bolton, who must have played the knave egregiously, for he could not but know that Kidd came knavishly by that ship and goods. 'Tis reported that the Dutch of Curaçoa have loaded 3 sloops with those goods and sent them to Holland. Perhaps 'twere not amiss to send and watch their arrival in Holland, if it be practicable to lay claim to 'em there. Since my commitment of Kidd I hear that upon his approach to this port, his heart misgave him, and he proposed to his men the putting to sea again and going to Caledonia,
the new Scotch settlement, but they refused. I desire I may have orders what to do with Kidd and all his and Bradish's crew, for as the law stands in this country, if a pirate were convict, yet he cannot suffer death. The Council here refused the Bill to punish privateers and pirates, which your Lordships sent with me from England. I shall by next conveyance acquaint you what a prejudice I have found in some of the Council to the Laws of England this Session, but having writ myself almost dead, I must till another opportunity forbear to treat of the affairs of this province. When I do, I will not dissemble with you to favour any man. I am both above it, and I should think I did not do the part of an honest man, if I concealed anything from you that tends to the prejudice of the interest of England. You will observe by some of the informations I now send, that Kidd did not only rob the two Moors' ships, but also a Portuguese ship, which he denied absolutely to the Council and me. I send papers relating to him. 'Tis impossible for me to make remarks on the several matters contained therein, in the weak condition I am in at present, but must leave that trouble to Mr. Secretary Popple, whose excellent clear method in business fits him incomparably beyond me for such a work. Signed, Bellomont. Endorsed, Recd. Sept. 20. Read Sept. 26, 1699. Holograph. 5 pp. Enclosed, |
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680. I. Abstract of preceding letter. 2 pp. |
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680. II. Copy of a French pass taken by Kidd on board the Moorish ship the Rouparelle. Same endorsement. |
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680. III. Copy of a French pass, Jan. 14, 1698, taken by Kid on board the Moorish ship the Cara Merchant. Same endorsement. |
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680. IV. Duncan Campbell of Boston to Lord Bellomont. I went in a sloop with James Emott on June 17th and about three leagues from Block Island met a sloop commanded by Capt. Kidd with 16 men on board. Kidd desired me to acquaint your Excellency that he had brought a ship of about 500 tuns from Madagascar, which some considerable time since he had met with in— and commanded her to bring to. Thereupon the pilot, a Frenchman, came on board and told Kidd he was welcome and the ship a lawful prize, she sailing under a French pass, whereupon he took the ship. Afterwards, understanding that she belonged to the Moors, Kidd would have delivered her up again, but his men violently fell upon him and thrust him into his cabin, saying the ship was a fair prize, and then carried her into Madagascar and rifled her of what they pleased. But before they got there the galley under his command became so leaky that she would scarce keep above water, whereupon her company having taken out her guns and some other things and put them on board the prize, set the galley on fire. Several of his company moved Kidd to take the Moco frigate that lay ready fitted at a place not far distant in the possession of certain privateers, and to go in her to the Red Sea. Kidd said that if they would join with him he
would attempt it, supposing the ship a lawful prize, as formerly belonging to the King of England, but would not afterwards go with them to the Red Sea. Whereupon 90 of his men deserted him, took the ship and sailed on the said design, obliging one Capt. Culliver, the then commander of her, to go along with them. Kidd then thought it his best way to preserve the ship then in his possession for his employers or the proper owners. With the few men, about 20, he had left, and some he procured at Madagascar, he intended to bring her to Boston, according to his orders, but touching in his way at St. Thomas's and other places in the West Indies, he heard that great complaint was preferred against him, and he proclaimed a pirate, which occasioned him to sail to a place called Mona, near Hispaniola, whence he sent to Curasso and bought the sloop on which he is now, taking out of the said ship to the value of 8 or £10,000 in goods, gold and plate, for which gold and plate he traded at Madagascar, and was produced by the sale of sundry goods and stores that he took out of the Adventure galley. He has left the ship near Mona in the custody of about 6 men of his own company and 18 others that he got from Curasso, the merchant of whom he bought the sloop being entrusted therewith, unto which hath promised to return in three months, he resolving to come into Boston or New York to deliver up unto your Excellency what goods and treasure he hath on board, and to pray your assistance to enable him to bring the ship thence, she being disabled for want of furniture. But by reason of what his men had heard in the West Indies of their being proclaimed pirates, they would not consent to Kidd's coming into any port without some assurance from your Excellency that they should not be imprisoned or molested. He protested he had not done anything contrary to his commission and orders, more than what he was necessitated unto by being overpowered by his men that deserted him, who evil entreated him several times for his not joining with them. And all the men on board the sloop solemnly protested their innocence. Kidd also said that if you should so direct, he would carry the ship to England, there to render an account of his proceedings. Signed, Duncan Campbell. Same endorsement. 1½ pp. Boston, June 19, 1699. |
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680. V. Copy of Lord Bellomont's letter to Capt. Kidd, inviting him to come into Boston, June 19, 1699. Same endorsement. 1¼ pp. |
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680. VI. Copy of Capt. Kidd's letter to Lord Bellomont. Block Island Road, on board the sloop St. Antonio, June 24, 1699. I thank you for your letter of the 19th. I cannot but blame myself for not writing to your Lordship before, knowing it was my duty, but the
clamours and false stories that has been reported of me made me fearful of writing or coming into any harbour till I could hear from you. Ninety-five men went away from me in one day and went on board the Moca, Capt. Robt. Cullifur, who went away to the Red Seas and committed several acts of piracy as I am informed, and am afraid, the men formerly belonging to my galley, that the report is gone home against me to the East India Company that I have been the actor. A sheet of paper will not contain what may be said of the care I took to preserve the owners' interest and to come home to clear my own innocency. I do further declare and protest I did never in the least act contrary to the King's Commission nor to the reputation of my honourable owners, and doubt not but I shall be able to make my innocency appear, or else I had no need to come to these parts. There is 5 or 6 passengers that come from Madagascar to assist me in bringing the ship home, and about 10 of my own men that come with me would not venture to go into Boston till Mr. Campbell had engaged body for body for them that they should not be molested while I stayed at Boston or till I return with the ship. I doubt not but you will write to England in my favour and for those few men that are left, and wish you would persuade Mr. Campbell to take your letters home, who will be able to give account of our affairs. Signed, Wm. Kidd. Same endorsement. 1½ pp. |
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680. VII. Lord Bellomont to Mr. Gardiner. I have secured Capt. Kidd in gaol. I require you in His Majesty's name immediately to bring to me the parcel of gold and other parcels he left with you. Boston, July 8, 1699. Signed, Bellomont. Same endorsement. Copy. ½ p. |
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680. VIII. Examination of Gabriel Loff of Long Island, one of Kidd's crew, before Lord Bellomont and the Council, Boston, July 10th, 1699. In Sept. 1696 he sailed on the Adventure galley from New York to Madera, Bonavista, St. Jago, Madagascar, Joanna, Mehila, back to Joanna and thence into the Red Sea to cruize for pirates. Then to the coast of India where Capt. Kidd made a prize of a Moorish ship with a French pass, and another ship from Bengal, Quidah Merchant, commanded by Wright, an Englishman, chiefly manned with Moors and Armenians. They divided the bale goods at Madagascar. Most of the men deserted at St. Mary's Capt. Kidd proposing to them to take the Mocha frigate, but the generality refused saying they would sooner shoot him than go into the Mocha frigate, and they went on board the said frigate. Describes movements of Kidd in the West Indies. Signed, Gabriel Loff. Same endorsement. Copy. 2½ pp. |
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680. IX. Information of Andries Henlyne, John Pero and Jacob Rateere, of the sloop Mary from Curasso. Several sloops had been on board Kidd's ship in the River
Romano near the Island Catherine and fetched East India goods thence to Curassoa and St. Thomas'. July 10, 1699. Endorsed, Recd. Sept. 20. Read Sept. 27, 1699. Copy. ¾ p. |
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680. X. Information of Capt. Nicholas Evertse. I saw Capt. Kidd's ship in the lagoon at the Island St. Helena, where the inhabitants of Curaçao and St. Thomas traded with her. On June 29 I saw it on fire and almost burnt down. Same endorsement. Copy. ¾ p. |
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680. XI. Examination of William Jenkins, of Bow, near London, apprentice, who sailed on the Adventure galley from Plymouth some time after Xmas, 1695. Describes her voyage. After the taking of Quidah Merchant, Capt. Wright declared she was in the employment of the English and that the lading belonged to them. About four or five days after Capt. Kidd called the company together and proposed to them to return the ship to those from whom they had taken her or sell her to them, and said he would agree to anything they should do therein, were it for the value of a piece of eight. The taking of the ship would make a great noise in England, and they should not know what to do with the goods taken in her. But the company carried the ship into St. Mary's and there shared, Capt. Kidd having forty shares. On her way to St. Mary's the Adventure had also taken a barque of 150 tons, Bengal to Goa, navigated with Portuguese, which the company began to plunder, but seeing several ships coming down towards them the galley with her other two prizes came to sail and left her last prize at a place between Brin John and Angingo, an English and Dutch factory. Describes voyages of the Quidah Merchant and the Antonio. The Antonio touched first at Hoorkills in Delaware Bay and James Gillam, one of the Mocco frigate's crew, sent his chest ashore; then at Gardner's Island where Capt. Kidd delivered to Mr. Gardner two bales of goods, two negro boys and a negro girl. Other bales and chests belonging to Humphrey Clay, English Smith, Gabriel Luff and Martin Skinke, were put on board a New York sloop, Hendrick, a Dutchman, skipper, which went back to New York. Kidd proceeded to Block Island and gave one Sands there two guns; then to Tarpolin Cove, where one or more bales of the Captain's were put on shore. The captain and crew traded Boulton and Burt. Signed, William Jenkins, Boston, July 6. 5½ pp. Copy. |
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Deposition of Richard Barleycorn. 1½ pp. Copy. |
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Deposition of Robert Lamley, corroborating above. ¼ p. Copy. Same endorsement. |
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680. XII. Narrative of Wm. Cuthbert, late gunner of the Charles II. Coming out of the Gulf of Persia we sighted Kidd. I was commanded to place a shot betwixt his forefoot, and upon the same he clapt his helm hard a weather and bore away right afore it. Wm. Burinster,
second in command (on the Bombay side) told us few days later that Kidd was in Carwar, one of the E.I. Company's factories, the other day and watered there, when two of his men left him because, as they said, he was going upon an ill design of piracy. They were sent to England aboard our ship (Jan. 29, 1697) as prisoners to be examined before the Admiralty, and found innocent. Before we went from Bombay, the general informed our captain (John Dorrell) that Kidd had taken a great ship of the Bantans and kept the mate, an Englishman, upon which depredations 'tis usual for the inhabitants to take the English there and secure them and seize their estates for satisfaction, which, if wanting, many families have perished in prison. Kidd's two men told us that he had made many attempts upon vessels, but could not prevail, and that he was very crude to his men, and abused them, especially such as did not adhere to those evil practices. We heard that Capt. Edgcomb, the Moquo frigate, belonging to the E. I. Company, was murdered by his men as he lay asleep, and that Gillam, who went by the name of Sampson Marshall, in the Indies, had turned Moor, and was circumcised, and one of 12 men (names given) ran away with her. Signed, Wm. Cuthbert. Same endorsement. Copy. 1¼ pp. |
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680. XIII. Deposition of Samuel Wood, master, as to the sale of the Antonio to Capt. Kidd. Signed, Saml. Wood. Same endorsement. Copy. 3 pp. |
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680. XIV. Deposition of Thomas Way, mariner, of Boston, about some goods put on board his sloop by Capt. Kidd, and delivered to him in Boston. Signed, Thomas Way. Endorsed, Recd. Sep. 20. Read Oct. 3, 1699. Copy. 1 p. |
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680. XV. Boston, July 12, 1699. Deposition of Robert Livingstone, of Albany, when summoned before the Council, about some of the treasure Kidd told him of, saying it was for the account of the owners of the Adventure galley, whereof the deponent was one. Kidd gave Duncan Campbell 100 pieces of eight. Signed, Robt. Livingstone. Same endorsement. Copy. 1½ pp. |
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680. XVI. Deposition of Edward Davis, one of Kidd's men, about goods put ashore from the Antonio. Signed, Edward Davis. Same endorsement. Copy. ¾ p. |
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680. XVII. Depositions of Duncan Campbell and Susanna, his wife. Kidd sent by the narrator as a present to the Countess of Bellomont an enamelled gilt box with four sparks set in gold and a stone ring, and, later, a green silk bag of about 5lb. weight of bar gold, which was returned. Details of other presents and payments made by Kidd. Same endorsement. Copy. 2¾ pp. |
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680. XVIII. Deposition of Hugh Parrat of Plymouth, who joined the Adventure galley at Joanna. Account of
Kidd's voyages. Signed, Hugh Parratt. Same endorsement. Copy. 2½ pp. |
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680. XIX. Inventory of the gold, silver, jewels and merchandise late in the possession of Capt. Kidd. July 25, 1699. Gold, 1,111 oz., silver, 2,353 oz. etc. Signed, Sam. Sewall, Nath. Byfield, Jer. Dumer, Laur. Hammond, Andw. Belcher. Same endorsement. 1 large p. |
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680. XX. Inventory of the Antonio, Boston, July 24, 1699. Signed, Sam. Hogg, Nath. Cary. Same endorsement. Copy. 1p. |
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680. XXI. Narrative of John Gardiner about money and goods left with him by Kidd, and others sent to New York by New York sloops. Boston, July 17, 1699. Signed, John Gardiner. Same endorsement. Copy. 3 pp. |
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680. XXII. Memorandum of goods left by Kidd with Gardiner. Sworn, July 17. Same endorsement. Copy. ¾ p. |
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680. XXIII. Depositions of Abel Owen, Cook, and Samuel Arris, Steward, of the Adventure galley. The ship was launched at Deptford in Castles Yard about Dec. 4,1695, and came to the buoy and oar [? Buoy in the Nore] the end of February. About March 1 the men were pressed for the Fleet and she was stayed about 19 days. On Ap. 23, 1696, she sailed from Plymouth, and some time in May met with a small French vessel bound for Newfoundland, which they took and carried into New York, July 4th. The same was condemned there as lawful prize, etc. At St. Mary's, Capt. Kidd proposed to take the Mocco frigate, but ninety of the crew said that they would fire two guns into him rather than one into the other, and immediately deserted and went on board the Mocco frigate. Signed, Abel Owen (his mark), Samuel Arris. Confirmed by English Smith, Humphry Clay, Hugh Parratt. Boston, July 4, 1699. Endorsed, Recd. Sep. 20. Read Oct. 4, 1699. Copy. 2¾ pp. |
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680. XXIV. Examination of Capt. Kidd before the Governor and Council, July 3. He said that his Journal had been destroyed by his crew at St. Mary's, but that if granted time, he would prepare a narrative in writing. He gave an account of the lading on his sloop, all which he said he purchased at Madagascar with the powder and small arms, etc., belonging to the Adventure galley. He gave an account of the goods on board the Quidah Merchant. Signed, Wm. Kidd. Same endorsement. Copy. 1½ pp. |
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680. XXV. Narrative of the voyage of Capt. Kidd. Begins as xxiii. supra. On Sept. 6, 1696, sailed for Maderas in company with Joyner, master of a brigantine of Bermudas. Arrived there Oct. 8. Arrived Bonavista 19th Oct., took in some salt. Arrived St. Jago, Oct. 24. Took in some water and stayed 8 or 9 days. Sailed for Cape of Good Hope, and on Dec. 12 met with
four English men-of-war. Sailed a week in their company, then parted and sailed to Telere in Madagascar. A sloop from Barbados arrived Jan. 29. Mr. Hatton, a merchant, came on board from her and died suddenly in the cabin of the Adventure galley. End of Feb. sailed for Johanna, the said sloop keeping company. Arrived March 18, and found 4 East India merchantmen there, outward bound. Watered and sailed March 22 for Mehila, 10 leagues from Johanna. Careened the Galley. About 50 men died there in a week's time. April 25, 1697, set sail for the coast of India, and came upon the coast of Malabar in the beginning of Sept. Went into Carwar upon that coast about the middle of the same month. Watered there and the gentlemen of the English Factory informed him that the Portuguese were fitting out two men-of-war to take him and advised him to set out to sea. Sailed Sept. 22 and next morning at break of day saw the two men-of-war standing for the Galley. He said he was from London, they said they were from Goa and so parted, wishing each other a good voyage. Making still along the coast the Commodore of the men-of-war kept dogging the Galley all night waiting an opportunity to board her, and in the morning without speaking a word fired 6 great guns, some whereof went through the Galley and wounded four of his men. He fired and the fight continued all day. The narrator had 11 men wounded. The other Portuguese men-of-war lay some distance off and could not come up with the Galley, being calm. The fight was sharp and the Portuguese left with such satisfaction that the narrator believes no Portuguese will ever attack the King's colours again in that part of the world especially. Continued cruising upon the Cape of Cameroon for pirates till the beginning of Nov. 1697, when he met with Capt. How in the Loyal Captain, an English ship bound to Surat, whom he examined, and finding his pass good, designed freely to let her pass, but having two Dutchmen on board, they told his men that they had divers Greeks and Armenians on board, who had divers precious stones and other rich goods on board, which caused his men to be very mutinous, and got up their arms, and swore they would take the ship, and two-thirds of his men voted for the same. Narrator told them the small arms belonged to the Galley, and that he was not come to take any Englishman or lawful traders, and that if they attempted any such thing they should never come on board the Galley again, nor have the boat or small arms, and that he would attack them with the Galley and drive them into Bombay. He could scarce restrain them, but at last prevailed, and with much ado got him clear. All which Capt. How will attest. |
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Nov. 18 or 19 met with a Moor's ship of about 200 tons, Surat to Malabar, loaded with horses, sugar and cotton, having about 40 Moors on board and a Dutch pilot, boatswain and gunner. They declared it was a Moor's ship. They showed a French pass from Surat, narrator believes by mistake, for the pilot swore sacrament she was a prize and would not return but stayed on board the Galley. |
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About Feb. 1 upon the same coast, under French colours with a design to decoy, met with a Bengal merchantman belonging to Surat, 4 or 500 tons, 10 guns. The Commander, a Frenchman from the French factory at Surat, and the gunner came on board as Master. Then narrator caused the English colours to be hoisted. The Master was surprised, and said, "Here is a good prize," and delivered him the French pass. With the said two prizes sailed for St. Mary's. The Galley was so leaky they feared she would have sunk every hour. It required 8 men every two glasses to keep her free, and was forced to woold her round with cables to keep her together. With much ado arrived St. Mary's, April 1,1698. May 6, the lesser prize was haled into the careening Island, the other not being arrived, and ransacked and sunk by the mutinous men, who threatened the narrator and the men that would not join with them to burn and sink the other, that they might not go home and tell the news. There was a pirate ship, the Moca frigate, at anchor, Robt. Culliford, commander, who with his men left her at his coming and ran into the woods. Narrator proposed to his men to take her, having sufficient power and authority so to do, but the mutinous crew told him if he offered the same they would rather fire two guns into him than one into the other. Thereupon 97 deserted and went into the Mocha frigate, and sent into the woods and brought Culliford and his men on board again. For 4 or 5 days, the deserters, sometimes in great numbers, came on board the Galley and the prize, and carried away great guns, powder, sails, etc., and threatened several times to murder the narrator, which they designed in the night to effect, but was prevented by his locking himself into his cabin at night, and barricading it with bales, and having about 40 small arms besides pistols ready charged kept them out. After they had plundered sufficiently, they went four miles off to Edward Welche's house, where the narrator's chest was lodged, and broke it open and took out of it gold and money and his journal and many papers belonging to him and the people of New York that fitted them out. About June 15 the Mocha frigate went away, manned with about 130 men and 40 guns, bound out to take all nations. The narrator was left with only 13 men, so that
the Moors he had to pump being carried away, the Adventure galley sank in the harbour. He and his men went on board the Adventure prize, where he was forced to stay five months for a fair wind. He took some passengers on board to help to bring her home. The beginning of April, 1699, he arrived at Anguilla and sent his boat ashore, where his men had the news that he and his people were proclaimed pirates, which put them into such a consternation that they sought all opportunities to run the ship upon some reef or shoal, fearing the narrator should carry them into some English port. They came to St. Thomas, where his brother-in-law, Samuel Bradley, was put on shore being sick, and five more deserted him. The same news heard there incensed the people more and more. Sailed for Moona, an island between Hispaniola and Portorico, where they met with the St. Anthony, bound for Antego from Curaçao, Wm. Bolton, merchant, and Samuel Wood, master. The men swore they would bring the ship no further. Narrator sent the St. Anthony for CuraÇao for canvas to make sails for the Prize. When it came, in 10 days, he could not persuade the men to carry her for New England, but six of them carried their chests and things on board of two Dutch sloops bound for CuraÇao and would not so much as heel the vessel or do anything. The remainder not being able to bring the Adventure prize to Boston, the narrator secured her in a good safe harbour in some part of Hispaniola and left her in the possession of Henry Bolton, the master, three of the old men and 15 or 16 of the men that belonged to the St. Anthony and a briganteen belonging to one Burt of CuraÇao. Narrator bought the St. Anthony for the owners' account, and after he had given directions to Bolton to be careful of the ship and lading and persuaded him to stay three months till he returned, made the best of his way to New York, where he heard Lord Bellomont was, who was principally concerned in the Adventure galley, and hearing his Lordship was at Boston came thither. |
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July 7. The ship was left at St. Katherina, on the S.E. part of Hispaniola, about 3 leagues to leeward of the westerly end of Savano. Whilst he lay at Hispaniola he traded with Bolton and Burt to the value of 11,200 pieces of eight, whereof he received the Antonio at 3,000, and 4,200 by bills of exchange drawn on Gabril and Lemont, merchants in CuraÇao, and 4,000 in dust and bar gold, which gold, with some more traded for at Madagascar, 50 Ibs. weight in quantity, narrator left in a box in the custody of Mr. Gardiner. The gold seized at Mr. Campbell's he traded for at Madagascar with what came out of the galley. He carried in her from New York 154 men, 70 whereof came
out of England with him. Some of the sloop's company put two bales of goods on shore at Gardner's Island and narrator a chest of goods, but no goods anywhere else. Several of his company landed their chests and goods at other places. He delivered a small bale of coarse calicoes to a sloopman of Rhode Island that he had employed there. The gold seized at Mr. Campbell's narrator intended for presents to some that he expected to do him kindness. Some of his Company put their chests and bales on board a New York sloop at Gardner's Island. Signed, Wm. Kidd. Same endorsement. Copy. 6¼ pp. [Board of Trade. New England, 9. Nos. 64, 64I.–XXV.; and (without enclosures) 37. pp.175–187.] |
July 26.
Whitehall. |
681. William Popple to Sir Thomas Trevor. I send you two parcels of the Acts of the Bermuda Islands, some Acts being omitted in one, together with some Acts passed in the General Assembly held there Oct. 31. Annexed, |
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681. I. List of Acts enclosed, 1691–1698. [Board of Trade. Bermuda, 29. pp. 188–199.] |
July 26.
Whitehall. |
682. William Popple to Sir John Hawles. I send for your opinion some Acts passed at a General Assembly of the Massachusets Bay, Nov. 15, 1698, and four private Acts, 1696–98. Annexed, |
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682. I. List of Acts enclosed. [Board of Trade. New England, 37. pp.165–169.] |
| July 26. |
683. Minutes of Council of Montserrat. A new execution in place of an irregular one according to a verdict and judgment granted to Isabel Scheurman. [Board of Trade. Leeward Islands, 64. p. 544.] |
| July 26. |
684. Minutes of Council of New York. Col. Schüyler's report of transactions with the Indians approved. [Board of Trade. New York, 72. pp. 263, 264.] |
July 27.
Whitehall. |
685. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Earl of Jersey. Letter enclosing, |
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685. I. Representation upon the petition of Mr. Peter Van Belle. We are informed that Van Belle is an inhabitant of St. Thomas, and there employed as a Factor or Agent for African Company of Embden and have no reason to suppose him ignorant of the laws relating to trade between that and Your Majesty's neighbouring islands, but rather much reason to suspect him well versed in the methods of interloping and trading there illegally, a practice very prejudicial to Your Majesty's service and the interests of this Kingdom. The seizure of his negroes was made in pursuance of the very first clause of the Navigation Act; a suit was begun and is being pursued in the Courts, which we conceive is not fit to be stopt, upon any pretence of the Governor's permission, until judgment be given. But if in the end it do appear that the Governor has in that acted contrary to his duty, Van Belle will either have remedy against
him in law or Your Majesty may punish him with such marks of your displeasure as shall seem suitable, and if after judgement either party shall think themselves aggrieved, an appeal will then be open from thence to Your Majesty. Signed, Lexington, Ph. Meadows, Jno. Locke, Abr. Hill. [Board of Trade. Leeward Islands, 45. pp. 393–395.] |
July 27.
Whitehall. |
686. Council of Trade and Plantations to Edward Randolph. Your letters have been very acceptable to us, only the last very surprising and unwelcome. But we have procured an Order in Council for your discharge, and written to the Governor in terms that will make him very sensible of his error. We desire you to continue the like information to us, as you have done hitherto, through the rest of H.M. Plantations. Signed, Lexington, Ph. Meadows, Jno. Locke, Abr. Hill. [Board of Trade. Bermuda, 29. pp. 199, 200.] |
July 28.
Salem.
And
July 29.
Newbury. |
687. Minutes of Council of Massachusetts Bay. Several Justices took the oath. [Board of Trade. New England, 49. pp. 230,231.] |
| July 31. |
688. Minutes of Council of New York. Salary of the Custom House Barge Crew increased, and a suitable livery voted for them. Dorothy Lee, widow, who was left in possession of Mrs. Kidd's house, when she went to her husband, denied upon oath that she knew anything about goods from Kidd's vessel. John Tuthill, a J.P. for the county of Suffolk, summoned to bring with him some East India goods and bullion from Kidd's sloop, which were reported to be in his possession. |
| Aug. 2. |
Persons complained of in a petition of the Indians summoned to appear. [Board of Trade. New York, 72. pp. 264, 265.] |
July 31.
Portsmouth. |
689. Minutes of Council of New Hampshire. Governor Lord Bellomont read his Commission and took the oath appointed. William Partridge, L.G.; John Hinckes, Nathaniel Fryer, Peter Coffin, Robt. Elliot, John Geerish, Councillors; and Sampson Sheafe, Secretary, were also sworn. Writs issued for calling an Assembly, Aug. 7. Upon a petition of Richard Waldron, Maj. William Vaughan and Capt. Henry Dow against the Judges of the Supreme Court, a Proclamation was ordered for the continuance of the J.P's. and constables only in their respective places for the conservation of the peace. On the advice of the Council, William Ardell, "given to drink and abusive in his drink," etc., removed from being High Sheriff and Richard Jose appointed in his stead. |
