America and West Indies: October 1699, 2-10

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 17, 1699 and Addenda 1621-1698. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1908.

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'America and West Indies: October 1699, 2-10', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 17, 1699 and Addenda 1621-1698, ed. Cecil Headlam( London, 1908), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol17/pp452-458 [accessed 29 November 2024].

October 1699



Oct. 2.	832. Isaac Richier to Mr. Pollexfen, enclosing an account of the lands in Bermuda, belonging to the King, private persons, and commons appointed by the Company. Signed, I. Richier. Endorsed, Recd. Oct. 27. Laid before the Board, Nov. 3, 1699. Enclosed,
	832. I. Account of the lands in Bermuda. 1¾ pp. [Board of Trade. Bermuda, 3. Nos. 50, 50 I.; and (without covering letter) 29. pp. 235–237.]
Oct. 2. Whitehall.	833. R. Yard to W. Popple. Upon your letter of the 26th, the Lords Justices have directed the Board of Ordnance to make an estimate of the charge the stores required for St. Christopher's will amount to. Their Excellencies noticing that supplies of stores are frequently demanded by H.M. Plantations, and that the necessary care to make forts and fortifications is not taken, desire the Commissioners for Trade to report what method they conceive most proper to oblige the Plantations to furnish themselves with such stores and make provision for their own safety. Signed, R. Yard. Endorsed, Recd. Read Oct. 2, 1699. 1½ pp. [Board of Trade. Plantations General, 5. No. 23; and 35. pp. 72–74.]
Oct. 2.	834. Minutes of Council of Massachusetts Bay. On the petition of Capt. Gullock for the effects of the Adventure, an account was ordered from the persons with whom they are lodged. £10 paid to Benjamin Bevins who piloted Kidd's ship from Rhode Island to Boston.
Oct. 3.	Accounts of some soldiers at Dunstable approved and paid.
	Accounts presented of the Adventure's goods etc. referred to a Committee. [Board of Trade. New England, 49. pp. 244–247.]
Oct. 2. Whitehall.	835. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Letter from Mr. Yard about stores and forts for the Plantations read and answered.
	Order of Council, Sep. 26, read. Directions given for writing to Mr. Attorney and Solicitor General and Sir Charles Hedges to desire from each of them the form of an order in which pirates may be sent for hither.
Oct. 3.	The above letters were approved.
	Letter from the Earl of Ranelagh, Sep. 24, read.
	Orders of Council, Sep. 26, about New England Appeals, case of Sir Peter Colleton's executors and Mr. Richard Bate's petition read.
	Letters from Sir Charles Hedges and Mr. Attorney General about Appeals read.
	Letter from Samuel Cranstone, Governor of Rhode Island, July 21, read. Consideration deferred till Lord Bellomont's report be received.
Oct. 4.	Lord Bellomont's letter of July 26 considered, and several of Sir William Beeston's letters to which no answer has yet been made. [Board of Trade. Journal, 12. pp. 192–196; and 96. Nos. 152–154.]
Oct. 3.	836. Attorney General to Council of Trade and Plantations. I have considered the Acts past in the General Assembly of Maryland, 1692, 1694, 1695, 1697 and 1698. Some are expired, some repealed (enumerated); as to the rest I find nothing therein contained contrary to law or prejudical to H.M. prerogative. Signed, Tho. Trevor. Endorsed. Recd. Oct. 6. Laid before the Board Dec. 14, 1699. 8 pp. [Board of Trade. Maryland, 3. No. 75; and 9. pp. 443–467.]
Oct. 3.	837. William Popple to the Attorney and Solicitor General. There being several persons in the Plantations committed for piracy, and remaining in custody there, and it being thought necessary that they together with the evidences be sent hither, in order to their being tried and punished here according to Law, the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations desire you to send a draught of a warrant or order in due form of law, whereby they may be accordingly sent for.
	837. I. Memorandum of a like letter written to Sir Charles Hedges. [Board of Trade. Plantations General, 35. pp. 75, 76.]
Oct. 3.	838. Journal of Assembly of Barbados. Thomas Maxwell re-elected Speaker. Bill for presenting the Governor with £2,000, read. Salaries of the Clerk and Marshall passed. The Assembly waited on the Council with these and other bills. The Governor recommended the formation of a Committee of both Houses to consider the proposals of Magnus Popple for erecting a bridge and forming a harbour. Committee formed. Resolved that the old arms in the Magazine be delivered to the respective Colonels for the use of the country. A Bill to empower the respective Captains of the Militia to draw their Companies together for exercise at convenient places every Saturday for such time as shall be thought fit, ordered to be prepared. [Board of Trade. Barbados, 65. pp. 424–426.]
Oct. 3.	839. Minutes of Council of Barbados. Col. William Wheeler sworn a Member of Council in place of the Hon. Francis Bond, Esq., deceased. Report upon the petition of William Adams concerning the division of the estate of the late Thomas Walrond read. Adams ordered to present an account to a Committee. The Assembly presented an Act for the payment of £2,000 to His Excellency, which was read three times and passed, and an Act for laying an imposition upon wines, etc., which was read once. His Excellency announced to them the repeal of the Act for declaring and ascertaining the rights and powers of the General Assembly. (And see preceding abstract.) He recommended a Bill of four pounds odd money expended by Capt. Michael Staples on account of some sailors sent in search of pirates, and recommended that all the old arms and a quantity of powder be delivered to the several Colonels to supply such persons as cannot furnish themselves. The Colonels to be accountable for the same. Upon the addresses of the Assembly, John Holder was granted an allowance for a sick servant that was put upon him and died. Lt. Col. George Peers, Keeper of the Magazine, William Rawlin, Clerk of the Assembly and William Woodhouse, Marshall of the Assembly, were ordered to be paid arrears of salary.
Oct. 4.	Minutes of Council of Barbados. The Excise Bill read second time. The third reading was deferred on the petition of Thomas Sadleir that he be first heard or be secured what is due to him as Treasurer by a clause in the Bill. Abraham Baruch and Isaac Francis, Wardens of the Hebrew Nation, ordered to pay a levy of 24,000lbs. of Muscovado sugar, from which they petitioned to be relieved, to the Church Wardens for the use of St. Michael's parish. [Board of Trade. Barbados, 65. pp. 439–441.]
Oct. 4. New Providence.	840. Read Elding to James Vernon. Yours dated Jan. 2 reached me via Carolina. As directed I immediately forbad the holding any correspondence with the Scots while they are on their enterprise. I enclose a copy of my proclamation. I have not been in the government as deputy longer than from April 14, at which time Governor Webb left the government and designed for England. I have taken all possible care to see all His Majesty's laws put in execution. The West Indies are full of pirates. I have been so severe to those sort of people that about a fortnight now past I had a notorious pirate tried here, condemned and hanged. I am informed that there are several pirates at St. Thomas and Danish port to windward, and so scattered amongst some of the Maroon Islands, which they expected that some encouragement might be given them, as formerly used to be among these territories. But, to the contrary, I shall and do my utmost to suppress them, wishing that I could but trepan one of their ships, in order to bring them to public justice. Signed, Read Elding, addressed on back to James Vernon, per Captain James Roissie. 1 p. Enclosed,
Sept. 12. New Providence.	840. I. Proclamation by the Dep. Governor of New Providence forbidding any correspondence with the Scotch expedition; "no person whatsoever [to] presume either to send or carry them any provisions, arms, ammunition, or other necessaries whatsoever." Sept. 12, 1699. Copy. Signed, Read Elding, Deputy Governor. [America and West Indies. Bahamas, 452; Nos. 56, 56 I.; and (duplicate of letter), No. 69.]
Oct. 4. Port of Annapolis.	841. Minutes of Council of Maryland. On the question of how many Rangers would be sufficient to be kept out for the security of the frontier during the winter season, Col. Ninian Beale gave an account of 200 Seneca Indians lately passed over Susquehannah, and advised that as the Indians are such sudden and uncertain enemies the same number be kept out as at present, viz., two officers with eight men, and that care be taken that they be paid the arrears due to them. The corporal punishment and fine imposed upon John Coode by the Justices of the Provincial Court remitted by the Governor upon their representation in consideration of the good services done by him on the Revolution. Unanimously approved by Council, who recommended Coode to pardon if he behaves well. Col. Henry Ridgley being very antient and desirous to lay down his command of the County of Ann Arundel, Major John Hammond appointed to succeed him.
	Mr. Vernon's letter, requiring the pirate Turner now in custody to be sent to England, read. An instrument under Turner's hand, obliging himself to become an approver against the rest of his fellow pirates, read. Mr. Vernon's letter about illegal trade, read. The Board replied that all diligent care is taken within this Government. Letter about the Scotch at Darien read and Proclamation ordered accordingly. The Oaths and Test and Association were administered to the Governor. The examination of some discourse by Capt. Richard Hill, wherein he had expressed himself disaffected to H.M. Government here, referred to a full Council. Upon Joseph Tilly's petition, it was recommended to the Court of Chancery that he be admitted to prosecute in forma pauperis against the administrators of George Parker. [Board of Trade. Maryland, 13. pp. 679–682.]
Oct. 5.	842. Copy of Col. Romar's Journal of his expedition to Onnondage, with Peter Van Brugh, mayor, Alderman Hendrick Hansen, and Lawrence Claesen, interpreter. 3¼ pp. [America and West Indies. Canada, 485. No. 2.]
Oct. 5. Whitehall.	843. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Answer to Sir William Beeston's letters considered. Agents for Barbados and Leeward Islands ordered to be consulted about the Act of Parliament for settling the Royal African Company.
	Three letters from Capt. Webb, Dec. 19, Feb. 7, Feb. 18, read. Copies ordered to be sent to Sir W. Beeston.
	Mr. Overton, attending without, was informed that Lord Bellomont's report upon Mr. Levingston's case, New York, which he had brought to the Board, should have been put in the hands of a Secretary of State.
Oct. 6.	Answer to Sir W. Beeston considered. Consideration of the petition of Leonard Compere deferred. [Board of Trade. Journal, 12. pp. 196–199; and 96. Nos. 155, 156.]
Oct. 5. Whitehall.	844. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Agents for Barbados, desiring information as to what convenience or inconvenience they conceive may accrue to His Majesty's subjects in the island of Barbados by the last clause but one in the late Act of Parliament, To settle the trade to Africa. [Board of Trade. Barbados, 44A. p. 338.]
Oct. 5.	845. Council of Trade and Plantations to Richard Cary, Agent for Nevis and Antigoa, enclosing a Clause in the Act for settling the Trade to Africa. Memorandum. [Board of Trade. Leeward Islands, 45. p. 411.]
Oct. 8.	846. Extract of a letter from Porto Bello. The French Court neglects no occasion to establish the trade in America with the Spaniards, as being of great profit, which reason doth oblige the Jamaica merchants to conserve themselves to preserve that trade which decays every day. Copy. ½ p. Endorsed, Recd. Read Jan. 25, 1699/1700. [Board of Trade. Jamaica, 9. No. 8.]
Oct. 9. London.	847. Copy of above-mentioned clause [No. 845]. No Governor or Deputy Governor or Judge of any of His Majesty's Colonies or Plantations in America, after the nine and twentieth day of Sept. 1698, to be Factor or Factors, Agent or Agents for the said Company or any other person or persons, for the sale or disposal of any negroes, under a penalty of £500. 2 pp. Added on second page,
	847. I. I cannot consider that any inconveniency can accrue to His Majesty's subjects in general in the Leeward Islands by this clause, but do believe it is for their interest and advantage. Signed, Rd. Cary. Endorsed, Recd. Read Oct. 10, 1699. [Board of Trade. Leeward Islands, 6. Nos. 39, 39 I.; and 45. pp. 412, 413.]
Oct. 9.	848. Sir Charles Hedges to Mr. Popple. I do not remember that any prisoners in the Plantations or elsewhere beyond the seas have been sent for by warrant unless their names were known or informations upon oath given against them. The usual way hath been for the Secretary of State to write to the Governor of the place where they are to deliver them on board one of H.M. ships, the Lords of the Admiralty giving orders to the Capt. of any man-of-war to receive them on board and bring them over in safe custody. signed, C. Hedges. Endorsed, Recd. Oct. 10. Read Oct. 11, 1699. ½ p. [Board of Trade. Plantations General, 5. No. 24; and 35. pp. 78, 79.]
Oct. 9. Whitehall.	849. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Letter of Governor Grey, July 20, read. Directions given for a letter to him.
	Letter to Mr. Pulteney about stores of war ordered; and several agents sent for to consult on that subject.
Oct. 10.	Representation upon Lord Bellomont's letter, April 17, ordered, recommending an experiment to be made by employing some of the soldiers at New York for collecting naval stores as he proposes. This representation was ordered to be suspended pending further information, on their Lordships being informed that two ships are lately arrived from Russia with pitch and tar, which had not usually been brought thence.
	Letter from Mr. Cary about the African Trade, Oct. 9, read.
	Letter from Col. Nicholson, Virginia, July 1, laid before the Board: directions for replies to his letters of Feb. 4 and 27 given.
Oct. 11.	Letter in answer to the President and Council of Nevis, July 7, prepared.
	Letter from Sir Charles Hedges, Oct. 9, read.
	Col. Nicholson's letter, July 1, considered. Extract ordered to be sent to the Treasury.
	Sir B. Gracedieu, Mr. G. Heathcote and Mr. Broughton attending as desired said the forts in Jamaica had been built at the country's charge, but all stores of war furnished by the Board of Ordnance. They would desire Capt. Lilly the engineer who has lately been there to bring a copy of his report upon the state of the forts. They regarded either the Governors or Judges of Plantations being factors for negroes as prejudicial to the country, but were doubtful if the Councillors were comprehended within the meaning of the clause in the African Act (See Cal. 1698, No. 1028), and, if not, they thought it no inconvenience to the Island that they should be factors. They said they had taken care in another place to prevent... Toplady being Provost Marshall. Messrs. Bridges, Littleton and Holder, agents for Barbados, said the forts there were in very ill condition; they would endeavour to get a copy of Capt. Edwards' report. Stores of war, besides powder brought in by the powder duty on ships, had been supplied from hence. They had an address from the Grand Inquest of the Island to be presented to H.M. after his return, wherein it is desired that the 4½ per cent., as it was first given for providing for the defence of the island, might be still applied for the same use. They would lay a memorial on the whole subject before their Lordships. As to the African Act, they gave their answer in writing, and added that Councillors seemed to be included in the sense of the Act. They think it would be prejudicial to the Island that Councillors should be factors for negroes, though perhaps in other Plantations it may be otherwise. [Board of Trade. Journal, 12. pp. 199–211; and 96. Nos. 157–159.]
Oct. 9.	850. Minutes of Council of Massachusetts. Assembly prorogued till Dec. 6. Account of John Hornebrooke, interpreter to the Indians, approved and paid. Soldiers' accounts at Saco paid. Account of the Nevis Merchant employed on H.M. service paid. Bartholomew Green, printer, paid £24 for account from Nov. 9, 1698—Sept. 6. 1699. Abigail Williams licensed to be married again, her husband not having been heard of for 6 years.
Oct. 11. Oct. 12.	Wait Winthrop, Judge of the Court of Admiralty, sworn. Accounts of Bradish's goods and Capt. Gullock's exceptions to some of them referred to the Committee. A sum of Bradish's money ordered to be sequestered towards his prison charge if not provided for by the Assembly. Bradish's money and goods less 1,000 pieces of eight, deposited with Mr. Dummer towards prison charges, etc., ordered to be restored to Capt. Gullock. Provision ordered to be made out of Kidd's effects for clothing for the prisoners to prevent their perishing of cold. Payment of £40 8s. to Thomas Powell, innkeeper, for keep of the Governor's coach and horses ordered. Payment of 25 shillings ordered to Lt. John Woodman for a gun lost in H.M. service. Payment ordered to two soldiers. Sarah Lynde licensed to marry again, her husband not having been heard of for five years. [Board of Trade. New England, 49. pp. 247–252.]
Oct. 10. Whitehall.	851. William Popple to the Agents for Jamaica. The Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations desire to speak with you or any of you with what speed you can in order to their information in some things relating to the Forts and Fortifications of Jamaica and the usual method of supplying the island with warlike stores. [Board of Trade. Jamaica, 56. p. 368.]
Oct. 10.	852. Council of Trade and Plantations to Richard Cary, enquiring about fortifications in the Leeward Islands and the method of supplying them with stores. Memorandum. [Board of Trade. Leeward Islands, 45. p. 414.]
Oct. 10. Whitehall.	853. William Popple to John Pulteney. In a report made by the Board of Ordnance to the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Romney, May 3, 1698, there is an expression intimating that H.M. Plantations have been at the charge of providing for their own security.
	The Council of Trade and Plantations desire thereupon to be informed whether any stores of war had been sent from the Ordnance Office to any of the Plantations since the year sixty until the beginning of H.M. reign, with particulars, having already before them the account of what had been sent Nov. 1, 1689—Nov. 1, 1696. [Board of Trade. Plantations General, 35. pp. 76–78.]