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April 21.
Whitehall. |
349. Earl of Jersey to the Council of Trade and Plantations. The King commands me to transmit the enclosed extract of a letter from my Lord Bishop of London, and to signify his pleasure that you consider and report your opinion upon the particulars therein contained. Signed, Jersey. Endorsed, Recd. 22nd, Read 23rd April, 1700. 1 p. Enclosed, |
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349. i. Extract of letter from the Bishop of London, April 16, 1700, to the Earl of Jersey, to know His Majesty's pleasure (i) whether His Majesty will continue the lease of the Farm at New York to the Church lately there established; (ii) that His Majesty would be pleased to grant a letter to the Governor of Virginia for the carrying on of the building of His Majesty's College there; (iii) the inhabitants of Newfoundland are very earnest in building a Church and settling an establishment for a minister to remain among them; if, therefore, the King would be pleased to settle an establishment for a chaplain to his fort upon that place, that with the Church would make up a sufficient maintenance for a good man to live there and make them good Christians. 1 p. [Board of Trade. Virginia, 37. pp. 398–400; and Newfoundland, 25. pp. 379, 380; and New York, 9. Nos. 26, 26. i; and 54. pp. 196, 197.] |
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350. Memorandum of above. ½ p. [Board of Trade. Virginia, 8. No. 8; and Newfoundland, 4. No. 14.] |
| April 22. |
351. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Draught of a Representation about the Indian conspiracy considered. |
| April 23. |
Letter from Mr. Haynes, etc., about Naval Stores, read. Answer ordered. |
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Letter from Mr. Burchett, Ap. 19 read. |
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Order of Council, Ap. 18, upon the petition of William Crouch, read. |
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Letter from Lord Jersey, April 21, read. |
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Act of Jamaica, June 27, 1699, "to oblige Patentees of Offices to reside in this Island," with Mr. Attorney General's report thereon, read. Representation thereon ordered to be prepared. |
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Testimonial in favour of Capt. Hasket, together with a copy of the bond given by him with two sureties to the Earl of Bath, as one of the Lords Proprietors of the Bahama Islands, read. Letter to Mr. Thornburgh, to same effect as was writ to him, May 6, 1697, ordered. [Board of Trade. Journal, 13. pp. 12–14; and 97. Nos. 74, 75.] |
April 23.
London. |
352. Duke of Schonburg to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Capt. Brooke has served as my aide-de-camp, and so long under my command in England, Ireland and Flanders,
and given me such proofs of his diligence, prudence and conduct, that I dare assure your Lordships he is perfectly well qualified for the Government he is a petitioner for. Signed, Schonburg and Leinster. Endorsed, Recd. Read April 29, 1700. 2 pp. [Board of Trade. Bermuda, 4. No. 23.] |
April 23.
Whitehall. |
353. William Popple to Richd. Haynes and others. The Council of Trade and Plantations, since in your letter of April 17 you positively decline the undertaking of Naval Stores in the Plantations unless upon a fixed price with the Government, do not think it needful to enter into any further consideration of that matter until you have first applied to the Navy Board, unto whom the care of making such contracts belongs, and settled such agreement with them as you shall think fit to proceed upon. [Board of Trade. Plantations General, 35. p. 201.] |
April 23.
Boston. |
354. Governor the Earl of Bellomont to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I writ your Lordships, Nov. 22, of the great abuse, in my conception, done the King in their sending ship-timber from Pescattaway in N. Hampshire to Portugal, and notwithstanding I then rebuked Mr. Partridge, the L.G., and the others concerned in that former ship's loading of ship-timber, and told'em I would complain to the King of their carrying on so criminal a trade, yet it seems they consult their own profit more than they mind my checks and menaces. I heard not the least syllable of their loading this ship with ship-timber at Pescattaway till Mr. Sheaf, the Deputy Collector there, writ me word of it. I enclose extract, and a copy of my letter to Mr. Partridge finding fault with him for conniving at the ship's being loaded. Mr. Daniel Oliver and Mr. Wm. Welstead, marchands in this town, are fraighters of this ship, and own to me her loading is to be pipe-staves, plank for ships and eight masts of 16 inches diameter. They say, too, she is almost quite loaden and designed for Portugal. I have but their words that she carries no more masts or that their diameter is no more than 16 inches. I am sure 'tis by no means prudent to suffer ship-timber of any sort to be carried to a foreign country, because 'tis furnishing our enemies, and because it tends manifestly to the disfurnishing the King of such a nursery of noble timber for building ships as I believe he has not the like in all his dominions. I dare not take upon me to stop this ship at Pescattaway, having no orders so to do at any time, and there being no law against it that I can find. Mr. Bridger, one of the Agents of the Navy Board, assures me that by the prodigious havock he has seen and been informed of in those woods of New Hampshire, there has not been less than a million's worth of timber cut and carried away out of the country within these four years, at the rates it would sell for in England. Mr. Partridge told me last year, when I was at Pescattaway, that he had built as many ships since the war at that place as he was paid 22,000l. for in England. He had then a great ship on the stocks. I was then told, I think by Mr. Partridge, that he and some others were
going to build a vessel of 600 ton. I am in no manner of doubt but if such a vessel were suffered to be built there, those people would adventure to make a trip to Portugal with a load of masts, etc. I suspect this design because Mr. Partridge told me, if I could have leave to send a ship's loading of masts for men-of-war to Lisbon, I might have any money for 'em that I would ask. My letters of Sept. 8 and 9 last have informed you of the prodigious waste of woods in N. Hampshire. I find that besides the timber exported from Pescattaway to Spain, Portugal and the West Indies for the account of the marchands and inhabitants of the place, the marchands of this town also are furnished from thence with almost all the timber they send to the forementioned countries, and very nearly all the sawn timber used in building here and in all the towns on the sea-coast of this Province come from N. Hampshire, and from thence too the town of New York and most of that Province are supplied with boards and sawn timber. So that your Lordships may conceive what a vast consumption of timber there must be in that little Province. I shall by this conveyance, if I have time, demonstrate that if a speedy course be not taken to prevent the inhabitants from exporting any timber out of that Province, it will be an unspeakable loss and prejudice to England, and in two or three years there will not be a good tree left for the use of the King's Navy, but what will be so far up in the country that the carriage will cost more than it is worth. The great pines, which are now or in a few years would be fit for masts for the ships of war, they saw into boards, and the great oaks they cut into pipe-staves, which they export to Spain, Portugal and the West Indies. Mr. Bridger tells me they have cut down oaks near Pescattaway which they have got 14 lengths of pipe-staves out of, at 4½ ft. in each length. I send Mr. Partridge's letter in answer to mine, that you may observe how tenacious and fond he is of transporting ship-timber abroad. I have no prejudice to Mr. Partridge, but do say with submission that he is not fit for the post of Lieut. Governor. He is a millwright by trade, which is a sort of carpenter, and to set a carpenter to preserve woods is like setting a wolf to keep sheep. I see plainly that he has so found the sweet of building ships that he will not be broke of it. He is of the country, and the interest of England is neither in his head nor his heart, like the generality of the people in these Plantations, and he is a mean man, and as such unfit for Government. I know him not enough to judge of his morals, but what I quarrel at is his selfishness and interestedness in preferring a little sordid gain before the interest of England. If he is not to be prevailed with to forbear that trade of ship-timber to foreigners now I am so near him, what will he not do when I am gone to New York? |
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If it were not a presumption in me to write anything that looks like advice, I wish with all my heart some few things were observed in the management of these Plantations for the time to come; (1), that there be great care taken in the choice of the persons employed by the King, from the Governor to the
meanest officer—I mean that they be men of undoubted probity and well born; (2) that they be not men of the country, but Englishmen; (3) and men of some fortune in England, to be a tie upon 'em to behave themselves honorably in their respective trusts. I should humbly advise the Governors and Lt. Governors especially might be of quality, because 'tis a debasing of the King's authority to put those employments into the hands of litle men. I may be allowed to complain of this mischief, because I find the ill-consequence of it every day. What a disparagement was it to Government and the King's authority to advance a man, that was a carpenter and wrought in this town for day wages, to the post of Governor, and to be stiled Excellency; which title after all, I believe, belongs not to any of us, and whether it does or no I little care; a title is what I shall never value myself upon; but a mechanick or mean Governor like him I have hinted, or like Mr. Partridge, holds the reins of Government with too loose a hand. They cannot maintain the authority and respect that is necessary to their character, because the people know their meanness and despise 'em. And mean or corrupt Governors are a great allay to the people's affection toward the King, they conceiving an idea of their supreme Governor the King according to the qualifications of the subordinate Governor he sets over them. I should humbly advise that an order be sent immediately to me to stop the exportation of any lumber or ship-timber whatsoever out of N. Hampshire, that is, in case the King can lawfully grant such an order, and an Act of Parliament for enforcing such a prohibition will be very proper. I have newly received a letter from New York, which makes me sensible of the difference between the timber in that Province and that in N. Hampshire. Mr. Latham, the ship-carpenter whom I employed to cut ship-timber to send to England in the Fortune at New York, writes: "I have found a noble range of timber for knees and plank, but no trees that will afford beams of the length you bespoke" (from 44 to 52 foot long). Yet Mr. Bridger sent home beams of the latter dimension from Pescattaway. I am glad, however, Mr. Latham has found such knee timber and plank; 'tis on the land formerly granted to Capt. Evans by Col. Fletcher and lies very convenient for water-carriage on the bank of Hudson's River. I do not despair of finding good beams on the side of that river, for Latham was in haste, because the season for cutting timber was almost over. I shall in another letter demonstrate that the King will be better and cheaplier furnished with principal ship-timber from Pescattaway than he is now of the growth of England, for I have made a nice calculation. If my predecessors had applied their thoughts to the true usefulness of these Plantations to England, the King had saved a great many thousand pounds. If an objection should be made that a total prohibition of lumber and ship-timber from N. Hampshire would be ruinous to the inhabitants and therefore an injustice, I answer, they may as well subsist by the fishing trade as this town and Province do, they being much better seated for that trade than this Province
is; and they do at this time trade both in lumber and fishing, whereas in this Province they trade not so much in lumber as in fishing, which is their staple. Besides, I would ask any reasonable man whether the interest of ten or a dozen private men ought to be put in the scale against the interest of the King and Kingdom of England in so essential a point, too, as that of supplying the Navy of England with such masts etc. as are not to be had elsewhere in the King's dominions. I take this matter to be of that moment that it deserves your sending an Adviceboat purposely with your orders to me therein. |
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Last February, Mr. Usher came and complained to me that his father-in-law, Col. Allen, was notoriously wronged by the Superior Court of N. Hampshire in putting off the trial between him and some of the inhabitants about his title to all the lands in that Province, for so it was virtually, tho' there were but four defendants named. I confess I was much provoked at what Mr. Usher told me, he assuring me confidently the defendants had by a trick put off the trial, and contrary to a compromise I had brought all the parties to when I was at Pescattaway, viz., that they should come to trial in the Superior Court the 2nd Tuesday in February last, and to make their agreement more solemn and binding on 'em, I had them before myself and the Council, and a Minute of Council made of their mutual engagement and read to 'em. The Minute is to be seen among those I first sent you, and bears date Aug. 15, 1699. Upon enquiry, I found Mr. Usher misinformed me, for it seems the Court would have proceeded to trial, but that Col. Allen's Attorney omitted taking out venires for summoning juries, whereupon the causes were deferred till another Court. Col. Allen showed me some writings at Pescattaway, but not the deeds whereby Mr. Mason conveyed him that Province; he shewed me the opinions of Sir Jeffery Palmer and Sir William Jones in assertion of Mr. Mason's right and title to the soil of that Province. I am a stranger to the handwriting of those two eminent lawyers, and so cannot tell whether those were really their opinions and signed by them, but if they are, is it not possible for an able lawyer to give a wrong opinion upon a case wrong stated, as perhaps Mr. Mason might for his own interest give them a partial state of his own case? If I be rightly informed, there are two very material defects in the deeds under which Mr. Mason claimed before he sold his interest to Col. Allen, first, 'tis said that none of the Council of Plymouth, who granted the patent, did set their hands to it as they did to others of the like nature; secondly, 'tis said there was no livery and seizin given upon the patent, and so no lands could pass thereby. 'Tis also suggested that one Capt. John Mason was Secretary or Clerk to the Council of Plymouth, who, having the custody of their seal, forged a patent by affixing their seal, but could not so well counterfeit their hands. That Capt. Mason, it seems, made the said Mr. Mason his heir, obliging him to change his name from Tufton to Mason. This account I thought fit to communicate to you as it has been related to me. I have not the least prejudice to Col. Allen; he has
always carried it with great civility to me, and I have great compassion for him upon the account of his hard circumstances, for he has been, 'tis said, a flourishing marchand; but I cannot see the Crown cozened of a province, that will be so vastly useful to England as that will be, and be silent. If Col. Allen's title be defective, I am almost confident the inhabitants' title is so too, which will let the Crown into a just challenge of a good quitrent for all their lands. I have been told the inhabitants have many of 'em carved themselves great tracts of land. I do not find they derive from the Crown, nor from anybody else that could make 'em a good title. I desire your direction, if Col. Allen's title to the soil be found deficient and that the title is in the King, for the setling and setting forth the lands there to the inhabitants. I think truly the rules prescribed by the late Lords Justices, Nov. 10, '98, about the lands of New York, will do well in N. Hampshire; I mean as to the method, but the lands in N. Hampshire being a great part of 'em cultivated, I should think the Crown might reasonably expect 3d. per acre, which is the quit-rent Col. Allen told me he expected from those people, and half a crown per every 100 acres uncultivated or unreduced from the woods, which is the quit-rent ordered by the Lords Justices to be laid on the lands of New York. If a Judge and Attorney General be sent from England for New York, I desire the same persons may be Judge and Attorney General in N. Hampshire; there will be the same necessity for putting that province on a right foot that there is for New York. I find great want of an able Attorney General here in this province to assert the King's prerogative, and the same persons may serve for Attorney here and in the other provinces too. Signed, Bellomont. |
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I send three papers which will discover an irregular thing done by Mr. Brenton, brother to the Collector of this Province, N. Hampshire and Rhode Island, and two Scotchmen, viz., Will ffulton and John Porterfield, in loading a sloop at Bristol in this province with provisions, and clearing her at Rhode Island, and afterwards proceeding with and selling the sloop and provisions to the Scotch of Caledonia. One of the papers shews that Capt. Drummond, in the sloop Anna, stole a load of provisions from New York and carried them also to Caledonia. I know not how these things are to be remedied without an Act of Parliament empowering Governors to require bonds from the owners of all ships outward bound, in treble the value of the cargos, that they shall not send their ships to any prohibited places. They write me word from New York that there are four or five vessels expected every hour from Madagascar there, that the impudence of the marchands concerned in them is such that they stuck not to talk of it, and were providing boats to go and meet them and bring off the goods and treasure. Both frigats are cruising and I hope will meet them. |
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John Trimingham, master of a brigantine that's come from the Bay of Campechi to New York, says he saw three Bermuda sloops taken by a pyrat, that, coming up with the Capes of
Virginia, he spoke with a Liverpool ship of 150 ton, bound to Virginia, that was robbed near the said Capes by a pyrate, who, that she might not get soon into port, cut down her mainmast by the board and cut off her bowsprit. The pyrat had 24 guns and 150 men, and 50 of his men he has manned a pink with, which he had taken, and the pink it was that robbed the Liverpool ship in sight of the pirate ship. I hope the bigger of the frigates will meet those pirates, for I ordered her to cruise that way, besides I hear the Captain met in his way with the news of the pyrats being off the Capes of Virginia. But if the sixth-rate frigate meets the pyrats, she will run a hazard of being taken, for I hear she is but weakly man'd. Capt. Morris, the Commander of the sixth-rate, so scrupled my orders to him to come hither with the pyrats and their treasure from New York, that between his scruples and the L.G. of New York's eagerness in his consenting to his going a cruise, notwithstanding my positive order that he should bring the pyrats and their treasure hither, Rear Admiral Benbow with his three men-of-war will be forced to wait here a moneth for anything I know, which will cost the King 2,000l. The Lords of the Admiralty have sent me a new order, whereby I have power to send the two men-of-war attending this province and New York to Saltertudos every winter, and where else I shall think necessary. I will be sure to keep 'em much at sea and very little in port, for I will not indure laziness in others, while I take such pains myself to serve the King. Rear Admiral Benbow tells me that Kidd was so wicked as to murder all the Moors he took in the ships he made prize of, in cold blood; and that he murdered several English and Dutch among 'em; only there were 10 or 12 young Moorish boys he saved, intending to make slaves of 'em, and one of 'em has some way or other got to Jamaica, who has discovered this villainy of Kidd's. The L.G. of New York has sent me a parcel of papers belonging to Capt. Kidd, which were delivered him by Capt. Clark of New York, whom I formerly mentioned as having been on board Kidd's sloop at his coming to Long Island, and received a good quantity of East India goods and treasure from Kidd and Company. I send your Lordships the only papers among them that I conceive any way useful. Enumerated.—As to No. xiii., the receipt of Daniel Honan, Secretary to Col. Fletcher, for the King's tenth and Governor's fifteenth of the Adventure's prize, I desire you will consider by what law Col. Fletcher pretended to a fifteenth of prizes brought into his Government, and secondly, whether he was so just to the King as to account to His Majesty for the tenth of that prize. I send a copy of my letter to the Admiralty. Holograph. Endorsed, Recd. June 27, Read July 3, 1700. 7¾ large pp. Enclosed, |
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354. i. Abstract of above. 5 pp. |
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354. ii. Extract of letter from the Dep. Collector of New Hampshire to Lord Bellomont, Newcastle, April 3, 1700. On March 14, Capt. John Delves, master of the Unity of Exon, entered her here for Lisbon, and reported that he was to load oak and pine plank for
the said port. There is also launched and registered here a new ship, the Mary frigate, Capt. John Pindar, master, which Capt. John Wentworth told me was bound for Lisbon with the same sort of lading which himself carried. Signed, Sampson Sheafe. Copy. ¾ p. Endorsed, as No. 354. |
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354. iii. Lord Bellomont to Mr. Partridge, L.G. of New Hampshire. Boston, April 10, 1700. I received your letter of 8th inst. yesterday, and am sorry I cannot comply with your recommendation of Mr. Hinckes for the Naval Officer's place of New Hampshire, it being directly contrary to sense and reason to put that employment into the hands of a trading merchant. I have made Mr. Armstrong Naval Officer. He came well recommended to me from England and has found undeniable security in this town. I am informed that the Unity of Exon and the Mary frigate are intended for Lisbon, laden with planks for ship-building. I am of opinion this sort of trade will be very ill resented by the King and his Ministers, and I expect orders by the first conveyance from England to put an effectual stop to it. Copy. 1 p. Same endorsement. |
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354. iv. Governor Wm. Partridge to Lord Bellomont. Portsmouth, April 17, 1700. I have discoursed Capt. Delves, Commander of the Unity, who tells me he is following the orders of his owners in England. If any prohibition be made by King or Parliament, he will readily submit. As to the Mary frigat, she's a ship I am partly concerned in, in company with some gentlemen in England, whose positive orders are for a loading of plank and timber, but since your Lordship's advice I intend to enter her for England, and, in case any prohibition come to hinder that trade to Portugal, or your Lordship see cause here to do it, she shall sail directly for London. But it will be three or four months before she is ready. Copy. 1 p. Same endorsement. |
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354. v. Duplicate of receding. |
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354. vi. Lord Bellomont to Mr. Partridge. Boston, April 22, 1700. I wonder you make me such a proposition as that of suffering you to load the Mary frigat with ship-timber. 'Tis fault enough in you to suffer the Unity to do so, when you knew I had sent to England to know the King's pleasure. I will not suffer you nor anybody else to load a stick more without the King's order. If you attempt it, I will quickly put the command of the fort on the island into such hands as shall hinder you, and if that will not do I will order the man-of-war to go and lie in Piscataqua Harbour and seize any vessel so laden. I do not say there is an Act of Parliament against such a trade, but there are reasons of State for preventing certain mischiefs
that our law-givers did not imagine would ever be practised. I have made such a representation of this presumptuous management of yours, that I dare undertake there will come an order from the King to put an effectual stop to it, and an Act of Parliament to that end. Copy. ¾ p. Same endorsement. |
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354. vii. Duplicate of preceding. |
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354. viii. Copy of bill of loading of the sloop Society, for the West Indies. Bristol, Sept. 21, 1699. Signed, Joseph Lord, Master. ¾ p. |
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354. ix. Agreement between Capt. Tho. Drummond, Councillor in Caledonia, and William ffulton, in name of Ebenezer Brenton, John Porterfeild, John Cockburne and himself, for the purchase and delivery of the cargo of the Society at Caledonia or elsewhere upon the coast of New Spain. St. Thomas', Oct. 27, 1699. Signed, Thomas Drummond. Witnessed by, Alex. Stewart, Joseph Lord. Copy attested by, Wm. ffulton, Jno. Porterfeild. 1 p. |
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354. x. Copy of the narrative of William ffulton of Bristol in New England, and John Porterfeild. Boston, March 27, 1700. Part owners of the Society, they sailed from Bristol on Sept. 21, 1699, with a cargo of provisions; entered and cleared her at Rhode Island for Curraçao, and made a bargain with Capt. Drummond at St. Thomas'. Admiral Benbow with three ships of war was then at St. Thomas'. Deponents sailed with the Society in company with the sloop Anna, belonging to Capt. Drummond, to Caledonia. Soon after coming thither, the Rising Sun, 60 guns, arrived and three other large ships from Scotland with upwards of 1,000 men and stores. 1¾ pp. |
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354. xi. Duplicate of preceding. |
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354. xii. Copy of the inventory of the French prize taken by Kidd in the Adventure galley between England and New York. 1 p. Endorsed, Recd. June 27, Read July 3, 1700. |
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354. xiii. Copy of receipt of 58l. 6s. 10d., in full of the King's tenth and Governor's fifteenth of a prize taken by Capt. Kidd. July 30, 1696. Signed, Dan. Honan. ¾ p. Same endorsement. |
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354. xiv. Copy of letter of attorney of Mich. Hawdon of the city of New York, Vintner, to Capt. Kidd, James Algeo, Edward Buckmaster, Andrew, and James Hows, to take his servant Saunders Douglass on a voyage on the Adventure galley and to pay upon his account the half part of one full share of the profits of the voyage. Aug. 24, 1696. Signed, Mich. Hawdon. Witnessed by, Henry Mead, John Weir, Sam. Willard. Attested before, William Merret, Mayor of New York. 1 p. Same endorsement. |
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354. xv. Copy of the gift by Jan. Cornelius to Capt. Kidd of
one half of his share in the present voyage. Sept. 27, 1697. Signed, Jan. Cornelius. Witnessed by, John Weir, James Algeo. July 17, 1698. Received of John Braberne 8 oz. of gold and eight pieces of eight belonging to John Cornelius, deceased. Signed, Wm. Kidd. 3 p. Same endorsement. |
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354. xvi. Copy of receipt of Jan Van Der Biest, merchant of Curaçao, to Samuel Aris, one of Kidd's crew, for 20 bales of goods. ½ p. Same endorsement. |
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354. xvii. Copy of articles of agreement between Capt. William Kidd, Commander of the good ship Adventure, and John Walker, Quartermaster. Sept. 10, 1696. (i) The Captain shall receive for the ship, the finding her in wear and tear, 35 shares, and five full shares for himself and his commission of such treasure etc. as shall be taken by sea or land. (ii) The Master shall receive two shares and the Captain shall allow all the other officers a gratification above their own shares as he shall deem reasonable. Other arrangements for rewards, fines and compensations, e.g.: (6) 100 pieces of eight for the loss of a finger or toe; (8) 100 pieces of eight for the man who shall first see a sail, if she prove to be a prize; (10) that man that shall prove a coward, or (11) that shall be drunk in time of engagement before the prisoners then taken be secured, shall lose his share. Signed, William Kidd. Subscribed and agreed to by the ship's company; |
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Starboard Watch. |
Larboard Watch. |
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Robert Bradinham. |
Henry Meade. |
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George Bollen. |
John Warker, |
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Alexander Milberry. |
(Quarter-master). |
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Wm. Beck. |
Henry Olive. |
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John Torksey. |
Wm. Moore. |
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George Sinkler. |
Alex. Gordon. |
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John Wier. |
John Finely. |
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Samuel Bradley. |
Joseph Palmer. |
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Peter Hammond. |
John Smith. |
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Archibal. B. Bohanan. |
Barnet Higgins. |
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William Skines. |
William Bowyer. |
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Edward Colliness. |
William Turner. |
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Edward Roberts. |
Walter King. |
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Peter P. Rouse. |
Edward Spooner. |
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Ellis Strong. |
Robert Smithers. |
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Yoer oovrall. |
Thomas Purdeg. |
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Thomas Hobson. |
John Kemble. |
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John Pears. |
Hugh Washington. |
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Joseph Budden. |
Robert Ruderford. |
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William Rowls. |
Richd. Basnet. |
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Jan Spons. |
Jacob Cornelijs. |
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John Jonson. |
Morgan Harriss. |
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Hendrick Albert. |
Peter Lee. |
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John Browne. |
Michael Calloway. |
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Cornelius Orvyn. |
Ery Geyselar. |
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John Marten. |
John Fletcher. |
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Nicholas Jennings. |
Clexfflders (sic). |
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Andries Jeaniszen. |
Humphry Clay. |
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Wm. Wellman. |
Jacob Horran. |
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Charles Bathurst. |
John Watson. |
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John Davis. |
Henry Bainbridge. |
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Thomas Fletcher. |
Nicholas Tuder. |
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Edward Buckmaster. |
Harman Buger. |
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William Hunt. |
Bernard Looman. |
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Harculis Bredsteed. |
Hendrickus Cregier. |
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Jan de Roodt. |
Peter de Roy. |
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John West. |
James Betles. |
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John Fling. |
Henry Pieterson. |
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Daniel Mokoricke. |
Casper Spreall. |
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Henry Sanders. |
David Carsson. |
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Edward Graham. |
Noah East. |
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Aldris Saerdenbreech. |
James How. |
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George Tarpole. |
David Mullings. |
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John Burton. |
Samuel Taylor. |
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Ebenezar Miller. |
John Collings. |
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James Alger. |
Henry Evertse. |
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William Percy. |
Joseph Hill. |
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Nicholas Tredgidgen. |
Richd. Willdey, senr. |
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Phillip Conninghame. |
Wm. Willdey, junr. |
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James Carr. |
Tho. Wright. |
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Robert Hunt. |
Peter Smith. |
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John Hunt, jun. |
Gabriel Loffe. |
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William Whitley. |
Alex. Mumford. |
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William Arnett. |
William Holden. |
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Neschen. |
Patrick Dinmer. |
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Isaac Ambros. |
Wm. Bowyer, senr. |
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John Hunt, senr. |
Peter Fewlo. |
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William Weakum. |
Robert Clem. |
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Jacob Conklin. |
Mich. Evens. |
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Benjamin Franks. |
Andrew How. |
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Isaac Dernes. |
English Smith. |
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Samuel Aires. |
Aba. Coucher. |
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John de Mart. |
Jonathan Tredway. |
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Simon de Woolf. |
Andrew Calwell. |
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John Parerick, negro. |
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John Roberts. |
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Govert Baners. |
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5½ pp. Same endorsement. |
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354. xviii. Copy of the account of the Adventure galley's company, showing 7,596l. 12s. 4½d. due to the company. 2 pp. Same endorsement. |
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354. xix. Governor the Earl of Bellomont to the Lords of the Admiralty. Boston, April 25, 1700. I have received your order of Jan. 10 allowing me greater latitude in disposing of the frigats appointed to attend
on this province and New York. I will be very careful not to abuse the power. If I had received it a week sooner, it would have saved the King the charge of Rear Admiral Benbow's waiting here a moneth, for I had long since directed the L.G. of New York to order Capt. Morris with the Newport to bring the pirates and their treasure hither, which Capt. Morris scrupled to do, because I had ordered Capt. Crow in the Arundel to cruise along the coast westerly as far as Delaware Bay to look out for pirates, and especially several ships expected from Madagascar. I appeal to your Lordships whether I was not in the right to send the stronger ship of the two on that cruise, for it rarely happens that any pirates come eastward of this place, and Capt. Morris had had a good opportunity in coming hither to visit the coasts of Long Island and Rhode Island, and those are as likely places for pirates as any. But between his scruple and the L.G.'s easiness, he has gone to cruise, and Rear Admiral Bembow will be forced to stay a considerable time before the pirates are like to be brought for him to carry to England. I had provided three months' provisions for half a dousin men-of-war, and now the Rear Admiral has brought but three ships and requires but three weeks' provisions. But Capt. Belcher, who always supplies the King's ships here, I find pretty easy under the disappointment. This harbour is deeper than that of New York, and therefore fitter for a fourth-rate. It was with some difficulty we got in there with the Deptford, a small fourth-rate. With regard to my complaint against Capt. Mitchel, I submit and ask pardon as believing myself in the wrong when your Lordships, that are such able and equal judges, have given it against me. Repeats news of the robbing of the Liverpool ship referred to in No. 32. Copy. 1¾ pp. Same endorsement. [Board of Trade. New England, 10. Nos. 32, 32.i.–xix.; and (without enclosures) 38. pp. 46–70; and (duplicate of No. ii.), Proprieties, 5. No. 66 ; and America and West Indies. New Hampshire, 572. Nos. 2, 2.i.–xv.]. |
| April 23. |
355. Memorial of Robert Heysham and others, addressed to the Council of Trade and Plantations, in favour of Capt. Haskett. 9 signatures. Endorsed, Recd. Read April 23, 1700. ¾ p. [Board of Trade. Proprieties, 5. No. 42.] |
April 23.
Whitehall. |
356. William Popple to William Thornburgh. With reference to the petition of Capt. Haskett (April 11), the Council of Trade and Plantations desire you to remind the Lords Proprietors of the Bahama Islands of what I writ you (Cal. 1697. No. 1000) about the security to be given by the Proprietors for Deputy Governors, as a thing very necessary to be done in this present occasion. [Board of Trade. Proprieties, 26. p. 193.] |
April 24.
Whitehall. |
357. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Earl of Jersey, enclosing Representation about Indians to be laid before His Majesty at the first conveniency. Signed, Lexington, Ph. Meadows, Wm. Blathwayt, Jno. Pollexfen, Abr. Hill Geo. Stepney. Annexed, |
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357. i. Council of Trade and Plantations to the King. We have received from the Earl of Bellomont a letter dated Feb. 28, giving us an account of an alarm they had of late of a general insurrection and rebellion of the Indians, intended to be this month, or sooner, which had mightily frighted the English, especially those that live in the frontier places, who are forced to be on their guard and in arms, which had been occasioned by a rumour spread among the Indians by the Governor of Canada and the French missionaries that your Majesty had ordered the Five Nations and all the Indians in those parts to be disarmed in order to a total extirpation of them, the said Governor and missionaries having published over all their Provinces a copy of your Majesty's letter to the Earl of Bellomont sent to that Governor, and perverted the sense of that part thereof relating to the disarming of the Indians to the disadvantage of the English, without discovering to them that their own King had sent the same Orders to his Governor, all which will more fully and particularly appear to your Majesty by a copy of his Lordship's letter. For remedy, therefore, of such great mischiefs as may happen to your Majesty's Plantations on the Continent by the defection of your Five Nations, or hordes of Indians and the combination of others with them against your Majesty's subjects, and to prevent the ill effects of the artifices of the French and their missionaries in those parts in drawing them to their interest, his Lordship proposes the building of a sod fort in the country of the Onondages, one of those Five Nations nearest to Cadaracqui, a fort newly rebuilt by the French, the charge of which by the computation of Col. Romer, may require 1,000l. or 1,200l., towards which his Lordship desires 500l. to be advanced by your Majesty to begin the work, and hopes to carry it on with what may be raised in the Province of New York. His Lordship further proposes that, whereas there are at present no more than 180 private men of the four Companies of foot now remaining there, which are in a very necessitous condition, they may be made up 400, for the security of this fort and of Albany and Schenectady, which are much out of repair, and that Col. Romer be continued there with his former allowance for the taking care of the building and repairing of the said forts, notwithstanding the order he has received from the Office of Ordnance to return home, and that provision be
made for the pay, subsistence and clothing of the said Companies. His Lordship likewise thinks it absolutely necessary that your Majesty would be pleased to order 800l. to be laid out in buying the usual presents for the Five Nations whom he may meet at Albany, to make them sensible of the ill practices of the French and their designs in alienating their affections and stirring them up against your Majesty and your subjects. We cannot but agree with his Lordship in the several particulars proposed by him on this extraordinary occasion, humbly offering that the said 500l. be advanced by your Majesty out of your Office of the Ordnance or otherwise towards the immediate building of a fort in the Onondage country, the rather for that the French are very busy in carrying on their fortifications in those parts and particularly of Cadaracqui and Mountreal. We believe 400 able men, to be employed as well towards the building and repairing of the forts as the further security of that country, to be very necessary, but in case your Majesty shall not think fit to order that number of men from hence, we humbly offer that the four Companies now there, consisting by the establishment of 50 in each Company, may be made up 200 men effective, besides officers; and, for replacing the men unfit for service, that 100 men be sent hence under the command of two Lieutenants and non-commission officers proportionable, and that the pay and subsistence due to the Companies from the time they are to be satisfied their arrears by debentures upon Ireland may be duly paid and answered to their use, they being under a debt contracted with the victuallers and others concerned in their support for no less than 10,000l., as we are informed by his Lordship ; and it being altogether necessary that a full clothing be immediately ordered and sent to them; as also that your Majesty be pleased to write letters to the several Colonies of New England to supply the further number of men demanded by his Lordship for this occasion. As to the presents demanded by his Lordship for the Five Nations, who are the only barrier between the French of Canada and your Majesty's Plantations, as far as Virginia and Maryland, which by such a combination would be in very great danger, we think the same absolutely necessary at this time to hinder the French from seducing them; and that the sum of 800l. be furnished by your Majesty and laid out in the usual species of fire-arms, ammunition and clothing for the chief of those Indians. And that, for the rendring these proposals the more effectual, your Majesty may be pleased to order his Lordship to go immediately in person to Albany, there to convene
the Five Nations of Indians, and to assure them of your Majesty's grace and favour, and to undeceive them of the design of disarming them or anything else intended to their prejudice, and to do everything else that his Lordship shall in his prudence and discretion find requisite to secure their affections and subjection to your Majesty. And to the end this service may be performed with all possible speed, we humbly offer that the several particulars herein proposed may be forthwith provided and taken care of so as that your Majesty's ship the Advice, now bound thither, may take everything on board, together with your Majesty's orders to the Earl of Bellomont in this whole matter. Signed, Lexington, Ph. Meadows, Wm. Blathwayt, Jno. Pollexfen, Abr. Hill, George Stepney. Annexed, |
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357. ii. Abstract of Lord Bellomont's information, referred to in his letter of Feb. 28, 1700, relating to a conspiracy of the Indians. [Board of Trade. New York, 54. pp. 198–213; and (rough draft), 44.A. Nos. 41, 42.] |
| April 24. |
358. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Letter to Lord Bellomont concerning New Hampshire, signed. |
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Representation about the conspiracy of the Indians signed and sent to Lord Jersey. |
| April 25. |
Ordered that the Muster-rolls of the Companies at New York (Feb. 28th) be delivered to Mr. Champante, that he may put them into the proper offices. |
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Letter from Lord Bellomont, March 8, read. |
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Letter from Mr. Addington, March 1, together with the Minutes of Council of the Massachusets Colony, Sept. 7—Dec. 14, 1699, read. |
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Papers relating to the misdemeanours of the Government of Rhoad Island ordered to be sent to Mr. Attorney and Mr. Solicitor General. |
| April 26. |
Ordered that, as there may be occasion to write to the Governors of His Majesty's Plantations, they be directed to send all private Acts under several seals, separate and distinct from those that are public. [Board of Trade. Journal, 13. pp. 14–16; and 97. Nos. 76–78.] |
| April 24. |
359. Minutes of Council of Virginia. Capt. Passenger, reporting that Mr. Broadbent's sloop was unfit for service, was ordered to make enquiry for another, and in the meantime to cruize in the Bay of Chisapeake and about the capes thereof for the defence of the Colony against pirates, this being the most dangerous time for them coming upon this coast. |
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The Trustees and Governors of the College of William and Mary having made an offer to His Excellency and the Council of whatsoever rooms within the said college shall be wanted for the use of the country to hold their General Meetings and
Assemblies till the Capitol be built and fitted for that purpose, it is thereupon ordered, that the present General Court, at the end thereof, shall be adjourned to sit at the said college in October next. |
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Warrant ordered to be prepared for the execution of John Ide, convicted of murther. |
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Warrant ordered for the release of George Young, clerk, from imprisonment for a clandestine marriage. |
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Commission ordered for Robert Pit to be Sheriff of Accomack County in place of George Nicholas Hack, lately become non compos mentis. |
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Upon the petition and submission of William Byrd, a fine of 500lb. of tobacco, laid on him by the County Court of James City, was remitted. |
| April 25. |
Richard Lee, Naval Officer of the lower parts of Potomack River, reporting that the Thorowgood of Lynn is lately come into that district without any register, but only a letter from the Commissioners of Customs, Oct. 16, 1699, certifying that she was registered in London, Dec. 24, 1697, ordered that he take good security before permitting her to trade, and keep the original letter referred to, giving the Master an attested copy. |
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Ordered that it shall hereafter be sufficient for the Collectors and Naval Officers of Potowmeck River and the Eastern Shoar to attend the Auditor and Governors of the College of William and Mary once a year at October General Court for the making up of their accounts, provided they take care to transmit their accounts and moneys from time to time as directed to the Auditor and said Governors. |
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Mr. Secretary Wormely excused himself by letter for his absence this General Court. |
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Mr. Auditor Byrd ordered to prepare a scheme of the best method of collecting the public revenues and lay it before the Committee appointed to revise the laws. |
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The Collectors and Naval Officers presented to His Excellency a paper representing that they take the Lords Justices' Instructions to be sufficient for the detection of illegal traders, and that they have at all times had due encouragement from the Government. The Judge and other officers of the Court of Admiralty made a similar representation. |
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Warrants signed on the 2s. per hhd. for salaries of the Governor, Council Officers, etc. |
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Mr. Auditor Byrd ordered to send for England for six ream of ruled paper for the Council office. |
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His Excellency laid before the Council several papers relating to the clergy of the colony, which were ordered to be laid before the Committee for revising the laws, who were also recommended to consider the most proper method for the building of a public prison, and to prepare an Act for ascertaining what shall be a sufficient proof of any writing transmitted hither from foreign parts. [Board of Trade. Virginia, 53. pp. 413–420.] |
