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May 1.
Dartmouth. |
391. Report of Robert Holdsworth, Admiral of St. John's in Newfoundland the last year. Lists of ships, and freights, and Planters. Addressed, to H.M. most honourable Privy Cunsull. Whitehall. Signed, Robt. Holdsworth. Endorsed, Recd. from Mr. Povey, May 13, Read 16th do., 1701. 1 large p. Postmark, ma./5. [C.O. 194, 2. No. 39.] |
| May 1. |
392. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Upon intimation that several private persons have received letters from New York signifying that the Earl of Bellomont died there March 5, their Lordships gave directions for preparing a letter to Capt. Nanfan, Lieut.-Governor, and Mr. Champante attending
upon that occasion, the letter mentioned in yesterday's Minutes was delivered to him, to be sent forward, and he was desired to continue his care in the business of the Province as formerly. |
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An account being brought to the Board from Mr. Joddrel for the copies of several Bills lying before the House of Commons at different times, amounting to 3l. 1s. 2d., ordered that the same be paid. |
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Their Lordships now considered the Maryland Act for Religion, and ordered a copy to be given to Mr. Field and Mr. Eccleston, that they may make such observations thereon as they think fit, and lay the same before the Board on Tuesday next. |
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Mr. Lawton (on behalf of Mr. Penn) desired copies of two Acts of Assembly of Pennsylvania, Feb. 1699/1700, against Pirates and for preventing frauds, which was accordingly granted. |
| May 2. |
Mr. Lawton further desiring that the Instructions given to Mr. Penn upon his going to Pennsylvania for reforming abuses in that Colony, with the answers that have been returned there-unto, may be communicated to him, the letter from the Board to Mr. Penn, Sept. 12, 1699, and Mr. Penn's answers, Feb. 27, 1699, and April 28, 1700, were shown him, and he took extracts of some parts thereof. |
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Draught of a Representation upon Col. Codrington's letters, concerning the Lieut.-Governor of St. Christopher's, and of Mountserat, was agreed upon. |
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Progress made in considering the Acts past in a General Assembly of the Massachusetts Bay, May 29, 1700. |
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Letter from Lord Bellomont, Feb. 24, read, and the papers therein laid before the Board. Directions were thereupon given for making some addition to the letter intended to be writ to Captain Nanfan. [Board of Trade. Journal, 14. pp. 12–16; and 98. Nos. 78, 79.] |
May 2.
St. George's. |
393. Minutes of Council of Bermuda. Members of Council sworn. Charles Minors sworn Deputy Secretary. Capt. Edward Jones took the oaths appointed and the oath of Provost Marshall General and Secretary General. Capt. Richard Stafford was nominated Chief Justice. Ordered that Col. Day give security in the case of the Dolphin in accordance with the Order in Council. |
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Ordered the Governor's House and Boat be completely repaired at the public charge. [C.O. 40, 2. pp. 33, 34.] |
May 2.
Boston. |
394. Minutes of Council of the Massachusetts Bay. Advised that H.M. Castle on Castle Island be enforced with 40 stout-bodied able souldiers, that the constant garrison there may consist of 60 private sentinels; and that 200 soldiers more be forthwith enlisted out of the near Regiments of Militia to be divided into squadrons and assigned to the several fortifications on the said Island, and to repair down thither upon an alarm or when other occasion shall require, and from time to time to be exercised in managing of the great artillery, and to be excused from all military exercises in the places whereto they belong and from being impressed for any other service. |
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Advised that the Lieut.-Governor appoint a new Captain to command the Castle, the present Captain being grown aged and uncapable. |
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Advised that the Province galley be repaired and that John Phillips, Penn Townsend, Nathan Byfield and John Nelson be appointed as Commissioners from this Government to take a voyage in the said galley to Cascobay, there to meet with and discourse the Eastern Indians and to endeavour to hold them steady to H.M. interests; that the value of 100l. be sent by them for presents to the Indians in such things as they shall think most suitable, whereabout they are to consult and lay a memorial before the Board. Also that an express be sent to Capt. Wormall, Commander of H.M. Fort at Cascobay, to advise him of the coming of said Commissioners by the 19th or 20th of this month, and directing him to give notice thereof to the Indians. |
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Committee appointed for purchase of 100 barrels of powder voted by the General Assembly of Feb. 12. [C.O. 5, 788. pp. 47, 48.] |
| May 2. |
395. Minutes of Council of New York. Present as April 1, but Col. Schuyler absent. Payment for necessaries for the fort at Albany ordered. |
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John Perry, carpenter, paid for work done in the Fort. |
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Letter from Capt. John Schuyler, April 24, relating to the Onagongue Indians, read. |
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Ordered that the Clerk prepare four sets of blank bills of exchange for 100l. sterl. each drawn on John Champante, Agent to H.M. forces at New York, with letters of advice for the same. [C.O. 5, 1184. pp. 519, 520.] |
May 3.
Board of
Ordnance. |
396. Board of Ordnance to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Mr. Popple's Letter to Mr. Pulteney, of the 24th past, having been laid before my Lord Romney and the Board, we have for this time given directions for delivering 19 flock-beds furnished and 38 pair of sheets for the 37 additional soldiers ordered for Newfoundland (kettles, platters and canns being never provided by this Office) but the same being contrary to our methods and Instructions, we desire your Lordships will please for the future, as anything of that nature happens, to lay it before H.M. in Council for directions to be given therein, because we cannot strictly justify ye following any orders from your Lordships. Signed, C. Musgrave, J. Pulteney, Wm. Boulter, Jon. Charlton. Endorsed, Recd. 4th. Read 15th May, 1701. Addressed. 1 p. [C.O. 194, 2. No. 41; and 195, 2. p. 443.] |
May 3.
die Sabath. |
397. Order of the House of Lords that any papers that lie before the Commissioners of Trade, the Customs and the Admiralty, relating to any complaint against the Governors of any of the Plantations or Colonies in America, shall be laid before this House, so soon as conveniently they can. Signed, Math. Johnson, Cler. Parlim. Endorsed, Recd. Read May 5, 1701. ½ p. [C.O. 5, 1261. No. 3; and 5, 1289. p. 64.] |
| May 3. |
398. Minutes of Council in Assembly of Barbados. H.M. Commission for trying Pirates read. Ordered that it be recorded and that H.M. Attorney and Solicitor General attend this Board on the 6th in order to the speedy trial of those pirates as surrendered themselves to Capt. Warren, Commander of the Vine pinck, and were by him brought hither. [C.O. 31, 6. p. 410.] |
| May 5. |
399. Minutes of Council of New York. Present as May 2. Ordered that the Blank Bills of Exchange drawn May 2, being signed this day by the Gentlemen of the Council, be left in the hands of Col. Abraham Depeyster, and when he receives the money viz., 133l. for each bill of 100l. sterl., he fill up the said blanks and keep an account of the money paid to the soldiers for their subsistance. |
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Ordered that the Collector do farm the Excise of this Province in the best manner he can for H.M. service for the year ensuing from May 18. |
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44l. 16s. paid to Mathew Clarkson out of the Revenue for engrossing of 68 skins of parchment, being four setts of the Acts of Assembly passed since the arrival of his late Excellency to the Government, as also for providing of parchment. |
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35l. paid to Barne Cosens for himself and others, for making copies of proclamations, Acts of Assembly and other publick papers to dispatch in the several counties of this Government, there being no printer now employed to do the same. |
| May 6. |
Present, Abr. Depeyster, presiding, S. Staats, Robt. Walters, Tho. Weaver. Letter from Col. Andrew Hamilton, Governor of the Jerseys, in answer to the letter about deserters, and about several other matters relating to the government of the Jerseys, read. But the matters conteined being of great importance, and there not being a full Board, and the Lieut.-Governor being dayly expected, this Board think fitt to do nothing in relation thereto until his arrival, or a full Board. |
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Payment ordered to Anthony Rogers, Chyrurgion, for rent for the hospital for sick soldiers. |
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Storekeeper ordered to supply various warlike stores. |
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The Court of Sessions of the Peace for New York sitting this day, and there being no Attorney in this Government employed to prosecute the persons there presented and indicted as criminals, ordered that the Clerk of the Council perform the said services, for which he shall be allowed the usual fees. [C.O. 5, 1184. pp. 520–524.] |
May 5.
New Yorke. |
400. Col. Smith, P. Schuÿler and Robert Livingston to the Council of Trade and Plantations. We have on the 30th last humbly layd before your Lordships what had of moment occur'd in this Government, since which wee have with some difficulty obtained a copy of what was transacted by the late Representatives met according to prorogation April 2, haveing never before seen any of the least thing in writing from them. Your Lordships will please to observe that the last thing recommended by the
four Gentlemen of H.M. Council, who signed and sent them what they thought proper for their consideration, was first treated off by the Representatives and was, wee have reason to believe, the weightiest cause for the calling them together at that time. They applyed themselves only to Mr. Weaver for such papers that might be necessary for their information in that matter, who also sent them H.M. Letters Patents with their explanation and resolution thereon, and no other paper of those many that had been given in, and after a very little debate, by a bare majoritye of their House, were pleased to make a vote agreeable to what those 4 Gentlemen had represented to them, and so, after 17 days sitting to no other purpose, having notice from Barbados of the Lieut.-Governor's intentions suddenly to return hither, they were pleased to take the advice wee had often given the Gentlemen of the Council of deferring all things relating to the Assembly until the Lieut.-Governor arrives. You will observe the care they have taken to cast reflections on us, hoping it might render us disagreeable to your Lordships and the people of this Province, and a vote given in favour of a majority of H.M. Council, consonant to what themselves had before determined, has so exalted them that being met in Council on the 2nd inst., after having issued all matters before us, the Clerk of the Council did acquaint the Gentlemen that there were some Minutes of Council unperfected, and perticularly one vote relating to the time and place of holding the Council, which the President alleadged was not entered as he had put it to the vote, that what he had put to the vote was only whether it was necessary for H.M. service that the Council should sitt once a week, as has been usual, to hear and determine all publick matters before them, or whether twice a week as was desired by some Gentlemen of the Council, and by a majority it was concluded they should sitt twice a weeke, to wit, Tuesdays and Fridays, but as to the matter of place where they should sit, had not been put to the vote by him, tho' the major part of the Council then present were of opinion the Fort was the properest place, which he, the President, was very easy in, upon which Mr. Weaver in a great rage and passion did say it was a vote, and should be a vote, whether the President would or not, and that if the rest of the four Members were of his mind, the President with the rest of the Council that would not submit to be concluded by a majority should bee laid fast in irons or chains, for that it was rebellion or next to rebellion, and many other scurrelous, violent and unreasonable menaces and threatening. Wee must indeed do the other gentlemen there present that right to say wee thinke they were ashamed of it. As to what they observed to the Representatives concerning the President's absence, your Lordships will understand he had then been in town three weeks, that diverse days before he did acquaint the Gentlemen in Council of his intentions to pass Easter week with his family, that before he went he had given despatch to all matters necessary for H.M. service in his absence, that Mr. Weaver and some others did indeed say that he ought not to go until the Assembly broke
up, but having been there so long, and not seen anything from them, and besides having offer'd his reasons why he could not concur in doing anything with them, he could not see there was any necessity for his staying, especially when the four Gentlemen of the Council, notwithstanding all hee or wee could object, were resolved to act in the administration of the Government without him, and the majority of the Representatives having made a vote agreeable thereunto. Your Lordships will also observe how willing they have been to reflect on Col. Schuÿler and Mr. Livingston with relation to accounts of Publick moneys by them many years since disbursed and receiv'd for the service of the Crown, which accounts, together with all vouchers thereunto belonging have been duly audited, examined and paid, and so delivered up to the respective Governors in Council and lodged with the Clarke thereof, and so having been, as they suppose, finally concluded and discharged, it will be hardly possible for them to produce copies of all their accounts for 16 or 17 years past. For the further support of H.M. Forces wee have three days ago signed bills of exchange (all the Members of Council being then present) for 400l. sterling, which wee must humbly pray you to direct the Agent may be duly accepted. Signed, Wm. Smith, Pr., P. Schuÿler, Rt. Livingston. Endorsed, Recd. July 8, Read July 9, 1701. 3 pp. Enclosed, |
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400. i. Abstract of preceding. 1 p. |
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400. ii. Memorandum of proceedings of House of Representatives of New York, April 2–April 19, 1701. ½ p. |
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400. iii. Minutes of Council of New York, April 19, 1701. Endorsed, Recd. July 8, 1701. 1½ pp. [C.O. 5, 1046. Nos. 13, 13 i.–iii.; and (without enclosure) 5, 1118. pp. 329–334.] |
May 5.
St.
Christopher's. |
401. Governor Codrington to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I am putting this Island into as good a condition of defence as I can without men, arms or ammunition. Upon ye first noise of a war our People were sending off their effects and would soon have quitted themselves, if I had not assured them I would come down myself and bring all ye assistance my credit or authority coud possibly procure from ye other Islands. Upon the best intelligence I have received, I cannot find but I have as many men as ye French, but they are much better provided. For at least 50 of my men want arms and three times as many are scarce fit for service. The Islands of this Government are ill provided themselves, and all we could possibly purchase from Barbados came to but 48. There was not one single pound of powder in ye whole Island, the little there had been having been fired by Col. Norton, when he and his Council and Assembly after falling out got drunk together and grew friends again. I procured 20 barrels from Antigua and 10 from Nevis, and I have sent up to Barbados for some. There is one gunsmith at Nevis, who is fixing up our arms as fast as he can, so that in a fortnight more I hope to be in tolerable order. My greatest difficulty is that I have noebody to give me the least assistance but
Col. Hamilton of Nevis, who is a very good officer, has served long abroad, and is extreamly zealous in ye King's service. I might safely trust him with the command here, but he is unqualified, being born in Germany of Scotch parents, for which reason I could not put him into ye Council of Nevis, tho' named by your Lordships. The French are extreamly well armed and well officered. They have arms for three companys of lusty negroes, which they have listed and are disciplining. Besides these advantages, the arbitrary power of the French is of great use to them upon such occasions. M. de Gennes has drawn all ye inhabitants as well as soldiers into one small quarter about Basse Terre, which he has doubly intrencht from the seaside to ye mountains. He does me the honour to have a good opinion of me, and if I have ye first news of ye war, I'le endeavour to deserve [it] of him. The first blow must be struck here, and the Island must belong to one or the other nation. If the French have ye first news 'tis not unlikely but they'l have ye advantage, for ye English are divided into two quarters, and are sixteen and twenty miles distant from each other. So yt. 'tis very easy for ye French in a body to overrun them and burn all their Plantations one after another, as they did in ye two former wars; nor is it in my power to prevent this, for I have no authority to make them quit their Plantations on the Windward side, and gather into one quarter, nor can I persuade them to it, but as soon as the colours are flying and Martial Law begins, I shall make them know both their interest and their duty. I'm sure if your Lordships knew all the folly and knavery I have to struggle with, especially in relation to the Acts of Trade, you would pity me. The disorder in our Trade is so great, that I almost despair of doing any good in it, there is so much ignorance, laziness or corruption in Naval and Customhouse officers, and so general a conspiracy in people of all ranks and qualitys here to elude the Aets of Trade, yt. I have ye mortification of knowing a hundred things are done every day, which I cannot possibly prevent, prejudicial to the trade and interest of England. If a war comes on, this part of my duty will be suspended, for some time at least, in a great measure; ye Commerce with the French Islands will be wholly laid aside, and that with Currisau and St. Thomas's will be managed with a great deal of caution, but at present 'tis little les than an open trade. I would send home the Attorney General, Mr. Brunskell, to give you a full account of several things of this nature, which deserve not only your Lordships' care, but which I believe will require a new Act of Trade, but ye misfortunes which brought him out with me will keep him here, and he is the only man in all these Islands, whom I dare trust with my thoughts on this subject. 'Tis impossible for me to set everything so clearly before your Lordships as I could if I were with you but for two days, and therefore, if you will send me leave to come home, I give my word I will not stay two moneths in England. Your Lordships may think this an improper request made so early; if so, I submit. I have noe business of my own to oblige me to take ye voyage. If there be a war, nothing shall
ingage me to quit my post, though it should last many years longer than I intended to stay here. I shall doe myself ye honour to write more fully to your Lordships within a week by a vessel yt. goes from hence, for this goes by a Nevis ship, wch. lyes of ye harbour and does not come to an anchor, which has made me write perhaps with too much haste and carelessness. Signed, Chr. Codrington. Endorsed, Recd. 20th, Read 25th June, 1701. Holograph. Addressed and sealed. 8 pp. Annexed, |
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401. i. Abstract of preceding. 1¾ pp. [C.O. 152, 4. Nos. 21, 21.i.; and 153, 7. pp. 192–196.] |
| [? May 5.] |
402. Petition of Edmond Jennings, of York River in Virginia, to the King. Petitioner has served the Crown in Virginia many years and in divers stations of trust, and is now second in the Council. Has always acted as Deputy to Col. Wormley. Secretary, who is now dead. Prays to be appointed Secretary. Subscribed, H.M. refers this petition to the consideration of the Council of Trade and Plantations. Signed, Ja. Vernon. Whitehall, May 5, 1701. Endorsed, Recd. Read May 7, 1701. The whole, 1 p. [C.O. 5, 1312. No. 9; and 5, 1360. pp. 78, 79.] |
May 5.
Boston. |
403. Minutes of Council of the Massachusetts Bay. The Lieut.-Governor laid before the Board H.M. Orders in Council, Oct. 22, 1700, confirming and repealing some of the Acts of the Province, together with a Representation of the Board of Trade thereupon. |
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The sum proposed to be spent upon presents for the Indians, May 2, enlarged to 150l. |
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David Bassett, intended on a voyage for the River of St. John's, and two Frenchmen lately come from Penobscott being sent for, attended accordingly, and were ordered not to proceed on their voyages to those parts without licence from the Lieut.-Governor. [C.O. 5, 788. pp. 48, 49.] |
| May 5. |
404. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Farther directions given for additions to the letter to Capt. Nanfan. |
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Letter from the vestrymen of Christ Church in Philadelphia, Jan. 28, read. |
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Letter from Mr. Penn, March 6th, read. |
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Order from the House of Lords, May 3, directing the Board to lay before that House any papers that lye here relating to any complaints against the Governor of any of the Plantations so soon as can be conveniently, was read, and some directions given for preparing what was required. |
