America and West Indies: November 1708, 11-20

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 24, 1708-1709. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1922.

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'America and West Indies: November 1708, 11-20', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 24, 1708-1709, ed. Cecil Headlam( London, 1922), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol24/pp141-151 [accessed 29 November 2024].

'America and West Indies: November 1708, 11-20', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 24, 1708-1709. Edited by Cecil Headlam( London, 1922), British History Online, accessed November 29, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol24/pp141-151.

"America and West Indies: November 1708, 11-20". Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 24, 1708-1709. Ed. Cecil Headlam(London, 1922), , British History Online. Web. 29 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol24/pp141-151.

November 1708, 11-20

Nov. 11.
Whitehall.
190. Mr. Popple to Richard Savage. Encloses extract from Governor Seymour's letter [June 23], proposing a method for preventing illegal trade in Maryland, to be laid before H.M. Commissioners of Customs. [C.O. 5, 727. pp. 95, 96.]
Nov. 12.
Whitehall.
191. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Earl of Sunderland. Communicate Governor Parke's complaints as to the absenteeism of officers, the difficulty of quartering soldiers, and their pay. Having discoursed with Mr. Logan, a person who is appointed to pay the subsistance money to such officers only as are imployed in raising recruits here for that Regiment, we do find that several of the said officers have continued here, that Major Aldy has stayed under a pretence of having the officers of the Regiment's accompts to adjust; that two others are but lately gone from hence with twelve recruits to Bristoll, in order to their embarkation for the Leeward Islands; that one Holland, another officer has likewise got twelve recruits, which with those aforementioned are to be made up 30, the number wanting to compleat the regiment, and that so soon as they shall be raised, they will also be sent to the said Islands; that Lieut Akins cannot go over being ill of a hurt received from a fall: and that there are also here Mr. Mackenzy and Mr. Jones, who are under age. We have also discoursed with Mr. Thurston, formerly Agent to the said Regiment, touching the pay of the officers and soldiers thereof, and are informed by him they were paid their full subsistence to Michaelmas, 1707, and no further, as he knows of; that one reason of their not being more regularly paid, does proceed from some misunderstandings among the officers, who neglect to send home muster-rolls, and that when they do send any, they are so imperfect that the Paymaster of the forces here does not think proper to pass the same. Upon the whole matter, we are of opinion that the defence and security of H.M. said Islands in this time of war depending in a great measure upon the forces there, it is absolutely requisite for H.M. service that the Officers belonging to the said Regiment, who are absent from it, be directed forthwith to repair to their respective post in the said Islands, and further, that the said Regiment be well armed and duly paid their subsistance from time to time for their encouragement and better support. [C.O. 153, 10. pp. 212–216.]
Nov. 13.
St. Christophers.
192. Governor Parke to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I have at last got from the Depty. Navall Officer of Nevis the imports and exports from my arrivall to my Governmt. to Oct. 25, 1708. I shall take what care possible that hereafter they may be regularly sent; tho during the warr 'tis allmost impossible, for sometimes I am without any man of warr on this station, at other times the man of warr is three months careening, all that time I am a prisoner at some one Island. I have sent your Ldpps. the best acctt. I could procure, and duplicates of what negroes have been imported by the Company and private traders; if they are not exactly as yr. Ldpps. would have them, 'tis not my fault. I have sent them as I could gett them. I beg yr. Ldpps. to consider 'tis not so easy for me to comply wth. my orders as the other Governrs. that have but one Island and all the Officers about them; the Islands of my Govermt. are dispersed; 'tis 20 leagues from Antigua to St. Christophers and some times for 3 or 4 months I can nither send or hear from Nevis or St. Kitts; if I happen to be at St. Kitts when a packet arrives and I receive any orders from yr. Ldpps. yt. relates to Antigua, I must return there before I can answer it; I have sent the Comissarys of each Island's acctt. of all stores, but will order others from the time of my arrivall, and will send them as soon as they can be got ready; there were few or no armes in the publick stores yt. were serviceable when I came, the armes I recd. from England I order'd to be distributed where I thought most wanted, part to Antigua part to Nevis, and part St. Kitts, I designed part for Montserratt; but uppon the arrivall of the Regiment on a muster, I found they wanted above 100 armes, therefore what I had order'd for Montserratt I order'd to be delivered to Coll. Jones for the Regiment, who has given his receipt for them. Some has been lent to privateers on condetion to restore them in good order or new ones in their room, wch. they at all times have done. I have allso order'd to lend the men of warr powder, and sometimes to ye privateers, to restore new in the place, wch. I take to be a service, for powder and armes will decay, and to lend old when it can be spared, to have new restored I think a service. This is all I know of the stores, but yr. Ldpps. shall have a perticuler acctt. signed by each Comissary. According to your Ldpps.' orders, whatever laws are made for the future, tho' temporary, shall be sent home. I will take care to observe the Instructions recd. by this packett abt. Acts of Parliament relating to rice, molassus, the regulating the coin, and for that for incourageing Trade and Navigation, tho' the Act for ascertaining the vallue of the coin will with a great deal of difficulty be put in execution, but as there is an Act of Parliament for it, and I have yr. Ldpps.' orders to take care it be observed, I will see it done, wch. they will call ruining the Islands. Just now is arrived a briganteen from Montserrat, the Master informes me he found and left a Danish sloop there. I haveing sold off all my privateers, they are now in no danger; there is no help for it, except there was a new Governor and a new Collector, and a sloop to cruise constantly to look after them. Signed, Daniel Parke. Endorsed, Recd. 18th, Read 24th Jan., 1708/9. Holograph. 4 pp.
Enclosed,
192. i. Account of negroes imported to Mountseratt, June 24, 1698—Dec. 25, 1707. (1) By the Royal African Company:—599. (2) By private adventurers:—1604. Same endorsement. 1 p. [C.O. 152, 8. Nos. 6, 6.i.; and (without enclosure) 153, 10. pp. 274–277.]
Nov. 14.
St. Christophers.
193. Governor Parke to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I give your Lordshipps ten thousand thanks for sending me those complaints to answer that came from Antigua; As to what relates to the Regiment, I call'd all the Officers that were here (wch. are the better halfe, and who were all at Antigua) before the Councill and read your Lordshipps' letter to them; and here is their answer upon oath. Lt. Col. Floyer is just gone for England, your Lordshipps may take his oath there and Lt. Sherrard's, which I take will be very well worth your Lordshipps' examineation, for Lt. Sherrard was the Officer that commanded the soldiers that were put on board the tradeing sloop. As they insinuate, the sloop was mine. I bought her when there was no man of warr on the station, not for trade, for she never did anything but saile from Island to Island to bring me intelligence and carry orders, and for this service I kept her and for saylors at my owne charge for 10 months, and to my'knowledge never carryed any sort of goods for trade; there never was any soldiers in her but once, and that was to prevent an Irish Papist from carrying in a Danes' sloop about 40 negroes to the French, bought of Mr. Chester, the Company's Agent. Yett notwithstanding all my care, they were landed at Montserrat and afterward carryed to Guardaloupe, for my privateer took some of those very negroes from the French off Guardaloupa some time after; this trade it seems for negroes and beef has been all along carryed on. I found it out by accident; I hapened to see a sloop in a by place, I sent to know what she was, they brought me word she was a Dane, I went to towne and sent for the Collector, and bid him send on board, wch. he did and found severall chests and hhds., but all empty; she came next day into St. Johns Harbour, and one Mr. Blake, and one French, both Irish Catholicks, in her; the Company had a sloop just arrived wth. negroes; I presently imagined they designed to carry them to the French, whereupon I order'd Lt. Sherrard to put 20 soldiers on board my little sloop, and attend the Daneish sloop, and as she went out to search her; this was not done so privately but Blake came to know it, and came to me and offered me a bribe to lett the Daneish sloop carry off the negroes. I used him as he deserved, and away he went and hired a sloop to carry them to Montserratt, and from thence the Daneish sloop carryed them to Guardaloupe. Lt. Sherrard went after them, but they gott away; this is my sending the soldiers in tradeing sloops. If the Queen would keep a sloop on purpose, 'twould be of greater consequence to prevent that trade, then the man of warr. Lt. Sherrard can also informe your Lordshipps what large offers Blake desired him to make me, if I would suffer the Daneish sloops to come and go quietly. I did prevent them whilst I had privateers, but since I sold them, I hear they are as frequently at Montserrat as before.
As to the other part of the Antigua complaint that I dissolv'd the Assembly after sitting 3 dayes because they addressed me about takeing possession with soldiers of a poor woman's house, is every part of it false. Refers to Minutes of Council. I never took possession of any house or land, nor did I ever pretend to any house or foot of land (but what I hyre) in my whole Government; Your Lordshipps order[s] me to suffer everybody to come and make out their complaints before the Councill. I should take it well of them if they would do so, for then I could send my answers with the complaint; this I offer'd the malecontents and Nevin, but they knew that would not answer their end, for I am very sure they can have no complaint that will bear an examineation; they onely designe by them to make a clamour, and by that means give some great person a pretence to get me removed, and they have raised £5000 to engage some one or more to do it; Lillingstone expected the same; he expected so many villanous things laid to my charge would have turn'd me out presently, and truely had any one part of Bowdon's petition been true, I had deserved not onely to be turn'd out but hanged. Whilst the Lords Committee for Trade are such men as your Lordshipps, I shall not doubt of having justice done me, and I have a better opinion of all concern'd in the Ministry to beleive any of them capable of doeing me an injustice for any summ of mony whatsoever, tho' they give it out if the £5000 they have raised will not be enough, they will raise £10,000 more; and 'twould be worth their while, if they could be sure the next that comes in my post would wink at their clandestine trade; for except Mr. Norwood and Mr. Helden, that I put in, all the other Custome house officers are inhabitants; should they do their duty as they ought, the 4½ p.c. would raise the Queen £1000 per annum more than it does, and to convince you what I say is true, I will farme that Revenue and give £1000 per annum more than it has made for this 3 yeare past, wch. is very considerable in so small a revenue, let me have the putting in all the officers. There is but one man does his duty, that is Mr. Buckeridge, and him they mortally hate for no other reason, the Commissr. of the Customes here, one Edward Perrie, suspended him twice on very frevilous pretences; and in all cases relateing to the Queen's Revenue he appears for the unfair merchant rather than for the Queen; the officers for the Revenue of 4½ p.c. should be all strangers and removed every three or four yeares, for when they come to be inhabitants, they durst not do their duty; The same packet that brings my letters and orders, brings the same to some of the inhabitants; how they come by their intelligence I know not; there may be occasion to send me such Instructions as ought not to be knowne, at least untill they are to be put into execution; my order about my house rent and other Instructions since were told me by the People before I had it from your Lordshipps. I dare say your Lordshipps designed that I should receive what was then due to me when that order came; I wish the Queen would add the £400 sterl. to my sallary and not suffer me to take anything here; whoever comes, they may pay him the first yeare as they did me (tho' so as it did me little good), but if they pay it him the next yeare, he must be both perjured and betray his trust; if 'tis my fortune to stay here seven yeares, I expect not one farthing allowed me for house rent; this is worth your Lordshipps' consideration. Signed, Daniel Parke. Endorsed, Recd 18th, Read 21st Jan., 1708/9. 4 pp. Enclosed,
193. i. Testimonial of the Officers of the Regiment in the Leeward Islands in favour of Governor Parke. St. Kitts, Nov. 13, 1708. He has used them civilly, established an hospital in Antigua for sick soldiers, wch. never was done before, etc.; he has offered to be security for the subsistence of the soldiers, and offered the officers money since Antigua hath taken away the quarters. No soldiers have been employed by him except as stated in preceding. Signed, B. Jorrens, John Kent, Peter Buor. Endorsed as preceding. 1 p.
193. ii. Minutes of Council of St. Kitts, Nov. 12, 1708. The above statements were sworn to by the Officers, etc. Same endorsement. 2 pp. [C.O. 152, 8. Nos. 7, 7. i.,ii.; and (without enclosures) 153, 10. pp. 278–284.]
Nov. 14.
St. Christophers.
194. Governor Parke to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Refers to enclosure. Mrs. Bowdon seemed a stranger to her owne petition, which makes me beleive it was fraimed by others, not herselfe. I can't but think I have ill fortune to meet with such useage. I beg that justice from your Lordshipps that it may be laid before the Queen and Councill, that I may be justified where I was so basely scandilized. Your Lordshipps will find Mr. Nevin's complaint the same when it comes to be examined into. I understand they designe to bestow the £5000 they have raised, to gett into my post (in case they find it hard to gett Col. Codrington restored) one Lt. Col. Jones, an Irish Gentleman, he was here in Col. Whetham's regiment. I don't doubt your Lordshipps justice, and then I need not fear being removed whilst I do my duty. Signed, Daniel Parke. Endorsed, Recd. 18th Jan., Read 9th Feb., 1708/9. 2 pp. Enclosed,
194. i. Petition of Mary Bowden to the Queen. Duplicate. Same endorsement. 2½ pp.
194. ii. Answer of the Lt. Governor and Council of St. Kitts to the complaints of Mrs. Bowden. Oct. 31, 1708. Mrs. Bowden and her witnesses—Mrs. Margaret Tyson, Daniel Burton, Daniel Stoner and Christopher Dean—were examined after due notice given. Evidence quoted on both sides. The Council were of opinion that the General had been rather her friend than her oppressor, and that the whole of her petition was false and scandalous. Signed, Mich. Lambert, Hen. Burrell, John Garnett, Steph. Payne, J. Panton. Same endorsement. 2 large pp.
194. iii. List of Mary Bowden's negroes, with her receipt for the same. Affidavits by Mich. Lambert, Steph. Payne, and Hen. Burrell. Same endorsement. 3 pp.
194. iv.–viii. Affidavits of Stephen Payne, Rachel Symonds, John Helden, Jedidiah Hutchinson, and Thomas Young, relating to above case. Same endorsement. 5 pp. [C.O. 152, 8. Nos. 10, 10.i.–viii.; and (without enclosures) 153, 10. pp. 301, 302.]
Nov. 15.
St. John's
195. Major Lloyd to the Council of Trade and Plantations. In my last by ye Warwick and Valleur men of warr, I forgott to inform yr. Lordshipps of ye death of Mr. Tho. Adams, surgeon to this Independent Company. I have commissionate Mr. Wm. Chalmers, a surgeon, till H.M. pleasure be further known, etc. Upon examination since ye departure of ye ffleet, I find about 700 men to inhabit here under ye covert of ye fforts in St. Johns, and all things in so good posture yt. I doe not apprehend any danger for this winter. The French has returned us 26 prisoners being ye crews of two English merchts. shipps taken by a French man of warr belonging to Port Royall; off wch. ye enclosed acct. from Capt. Jno. Woodward, one of ye sd. prisoners, will better informe yr. Ldpps., as alsoe of ye condition of ye enemy att Placentia, etc. This comes by a vessell bound for Oporto; butt another being to sayle hence in 8 days dyrect for England, I shall enlarge more on all matters by that, etc.
P.S. I humbly crave yr. Ldpps.' excuse for ye enclosed, wch. I have presumed to send under ye protection of ye covert. Signed, Tho. Lloyd. Endorsed, Recd. Read 19th Jan. 1708/9. 1½ pp. Enclosed,
195. i. M. de Costebelle to Commodore Mitchell. Acknowledges receipt of French prisoners and returns some English. I am sure you have no share in what your corsairs do contrary to the laws of humanity, when their brutality falls upon women and children, etc. Plaisance. Oct. 18, 1708. Signed, De Costebelle. Endorsed as preceding. French. 2 pp.
195. ii. An Account of the state of the French at Placentia. 29 guns and 2 mortars in the Fort. At present fortified with pallasadoes and wet moat, but [they] have advanced a new wall of stone from the foot of the Castle Hill to about 30 yards in length, etc., which if perfected will render the place very strong. At present it seems weak. About 150 soldiers and 200 inhabitants, etc. Signed, John Woodwad. Same endorsement. 2 pp. [C.O. 194, 4. Nos. 82, 82.i.,ii.; and (without enclosures) 195, 5. pp. 76, 77.]
[Nov. 17.] 196. An explanatory supplement to Capt. Vetch's proposal for an attack upon Quebec and Montreal, (See July 27, 1708), together with a scheme for raising the two new battalions required, etc. Proposals for their equipment. A packet-boat to be despatched with orders to New England, New Hampshire and Rhode Island to have 1000 of their best disciplined men and officers, with 3 months' provision, transports and pilots, with 10 flat-bottomed boats that will carry 60 men each to go along with the transports, those all to be ready about the end of April to embark, upon two days advertisement; and when the expedition from hence is just ready to sail, let one of the frigats be dispatched to make the best of her way to Boston, with orders for the said troops to embark with all possible expedition, and go under convoy of the said frigat, and those that attend that Government, directly to Piscataqua, there to meet the fleet from England, whose orders must be to go directly thither. Whereas the New England men's arms are generaly of different bore and sise, so that it will be impossible they can safely be ventured with upon service, it will be absolutely necessary the Crown send them 1200 good uniform arms from the Tower, with flints and ammunition conforme. The Governments of New York, Connecticut, Jerseys and Pensilvania must be ordred att the same time to have their severall proportions of men ready by the end of Aprill, to be att Albany, ready to march from thence, upon two days warning. The proportions of these Governments to make up 1200 men, besides the regular troops (of which 2 and 300 may be spared from New York) will be New York, 550; Connecticut, 350; the Jerseys, 200; and Pensilvania, 100, each Government furnishing their men with 6 weeks' provisions att first, which they can doe easily from Albany, where it is cheapest to be had in all the Continent, while the Governor of New York shall be ordred to give directions to the Commissioners for the Indian Affairs att Albany to contract with our Five Nations, to make as many canoes as will be requisite, and to engage them heartily to join in the sd. undertaking, which lys much in Col. Schyler's power to doe; and because the foresayd number of country troops will labour under the same difficulty as to arms, it will be necessary that the Governor of New York be directed to lend them out of the magazine as many as can be spared to such as have not arms of the same calibre with the regular troops. The person fittest to command thiss land expedition is Mr. Ingoldsby, and next to him, Col. Schyler, upon whom the Country and Five Nations have a great dependance. The above expedition, being ordred to sett out from Albany att the same time the fleet does from Piscataqua, will be able to be full as soon att Montreal, as they can be att Quibeck, and as they cannott be reduced to any straits having one of the most plentifull countrys in the world behind them, from whence they can almost weekly be supplyed with provisions and other necessarys by water, excepting a carying place of 10 miles from Suratoga, to the wood creek, where they can rise houses; as they can hardly fail of taking Montreal (which hath nothing to defend it but palisadoes, which can easily he burnt by pitched faggots, which that country will afford in plenty) or att least makeing such a diversion as the sea expedition cannott fail of carying Quibeck, which being done they will soon by sending up the river 6 or 700 men and some small guns, to attacque Montreal in concert with the land forces cary the same. But that there may be no misunderstanding about command, it will be requisite that he who commands the troops from hence, shall have the cheif command of all; and nixt to him every officer conform to the Commission he bears; and the date of the same; thiss is to be understood of the regular troops; the other to be so intermixt upon command with them, that there shall be always one officer of the same quality of the regular troops with those of the Country; by whom they will never grudge to be commanded. The fleet att Piscataqua with the first fair wind must make the best of their way to Quibeck; but there being two different commands, of the sea and land, the want of adjusting which hath often occasioned the miscariage of the undertaking; therefore, it will be requisite to have the matter so clearly setled before their going from hence. The Generall of this expedition should have the sole power, as soon as they come into the River of Canada, to detach or send before such sloops or vessels as he shall see fitt, to cutt of the communication of the Isle of Orleans, to send ashoar partys where and when he shall judge it convenient, and as soon as they come to ane anchor, to command ashoar such men and stores as he shall find necisary, etc. Which things being well concerted, there is no doubt of good success, for the town lying upon a point, by landing some forces above it, and some below it, who can easily make a communication togither, quite across the Isthmus, so as to cutt of all their correspondence by land, while the ships can easily doe the same by sea, it will not be verry difficult, by attacqueing it att three different places att the same time to carry it without much loss. The which, when it pleases god they shall be masters of, it will be necisary to send all or att least by much the greatest number of the inhabitants in their own small barks to Martinico, which will mightily incomode that place, where provisions are so verry scarse: the souldiers may be sent home to England, but theirs and the greatest part of the inhabitants being removed from thence is absolutely necisary, as well for the security of our own people, in case of ane attempt from France to recover it, as to make the natives come over intirely to the intrest and obedience of the Crown. And as it is not to be doubted but the French King will make strong efforts to recover his footing upon the Continent of America again, so it will be absolutely necisary that there be a sufficient force left to garison those places, who ly att so great a distance from receiving any reinforcement from hence or elsewhere, so that it will be requisite there be 700 regular troops left to garison Quibeck, 200 at Trois Rivier, who upon any emergency can in two or three days time joyn them of Quibeck; 300 att Montreal, to keep the natives thereabouts in obedience to the Crown, having no other enimy to fear, having Albany to behind them; 200 at Placentia, when reduced, 200 att Port Royal, which being contiguous to New England, can be assisted from thence upon occasion either by sea or land. And to make it clearly appear that the men proposed to be furnished by the several Governments there, will not only be soon gott in a readiness, but is farr from being a hardship upon them, it being what they have pressed and wished for these many years, besides that most of them, excepting Jerseys and Pensylvania, (who may the better furnish now, that they have so long bein exempted) keep as many troops in pay at thiss present time; for New York sends up generaly evry fall near 300 men to reinforce the garison att Albany, who continue there untill the latter end of March, besides a company of bushlopers, who are about 40, with a Capt., two Lieuts., evry sentinel of which hath 3s. per diem, because of the severity of their duty, they being oblidged to ly all winter as scouts upon the Lake side to observe the motions of the enimy; so that these two are yearly more then thiss will be, which if successfull, will ease them for ever; nixt Conecticout have constantly 300 men upon their frontiers att least, and New England above the number they are to furnish in constant pay, and are now without doubt double what they use to be, for by our last advices from Boston, Aug. 25, they had accounts from Albany that the French and Indians from Montreal to the number of 800, were preparing to cross the Lake, in order to attacque some of their frontier towns, so that all their frontiers were in arms, and must continue so all winter, so that if the Governmt. sends them orders as proposed, they will find them with the most part, if not all the troops in readyness etc. Proposes that 30 good serjeants be sent over to discipline the companies. Scheme for raising the two regiments proposed for the expedition. Endorsed, Recd. Read Nov. 17, 1708. 3¾ pp. [C.O. 323, 6. No. 71; and 324, 9. pp. 255–266.]
Nov. 18.
Maryland.
197. Governor Seymour to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I have your commands of Aprill 15th, which came to hand by a chance sloope from Barbados, but not untill Oct. 13, by which your Lordships may perceive how tedious and uncertain that conveyance is; and therefore have not the least apprehensions your Lordships justice will impute any neglect to me; since in obedience thereto I imediately made the best inquiry I could, what numbers of negro's have been supplyd to this H.M. Province by the Royall Affrican Company, or by the seperate traders who pay the 10 p.c. since June 24, 1698, and by the list inclosed, which is as exact as the speedy dispatch of this answer would admitt, your Lordships will find the Royall Affrican Company have not supplyd one negro to this Province during that tyme; nor can I, on enquiry of above 20 years last past, heare of any ship belonging to the Company that has come hither; but wee have been wholy supply'd by the separate traders, as your Lordships may perceive, (tho' by the death and removeall of severall officers of the Customes here, I cannot learne the owners or importers, further than the names of the severall shipps and commanders, yet am satisfied they were exclusive of the Royall Affrican Company. And these negro's have been sold for Bills of Exchange payable in London, generally men at £30 sterl. per head, and women at 5 and 6 and 20 pounds. I have pursuant to your Lordships' directions discourst many of the principall planters here, by whom I am inform'd that before 1698 this province has been supply'd by some small quantitys of negro's from Barbados and other H.M. Islands and Plantations, as Jamaica and New England, 7, 8, 9 or 10 in a sloope, and sometymes larger quantitys, and sometymes, tho' very seldome, whole ship loads of slaves have been brought here directly from Affrica by interlopers, or such as have had lycences or otherwise traded there. At present the trade seems to run high, there having been between 6 and 700 negro's imported hither this yeare, 1708, and ye Planters owne themselves obliged to the seperate traders for these supplys having never had any from the Company, and now the price of negro's begins to abate as wee suppose by reason of the plentifull importation by ye seperate traders, so that 'tis the opinion of most here, should the seperate traders be totally excluded, the Company would take no better care to supply them with slaves than they have formerly done, which would not only be a great detriment to the planters, but also to H.M. Revenue of so valuable Customes on tobaccos. As to shipping belonging to this Country and imploy'd to the coast of Affrica at present, I cannot learne of any, nor above 2 or 3 persons concern'd therein with ye merchts. in London. I humbly begg your Lordships' pardon that the account of negros has not been transmitted, which being interwoven with the encouragemt. and protection I am enjoyned to give the Royall Affrican Company made me mistake to be intended of those to be supply'd by them only. And to convince your Lordships of my future exact complyance with commands I esteeme so sacred, have sent you a list of those imported this year, etc. Signed, Jo. Seymour. Endorsed, Recd. 11th May, Read July 18, 1709. 3 pp. Enclosed,
197. i. List of negroes imported into Maryland, Midsummer 1698—Xtmas, 1707. Total, 2290. Same endorsement. 1 p.
197. ii. List of negroes imported into Maryland Dec. 25, 1707–1708. Total, 648. Same endorsement. 1 p. [C.O. 5, 716. Nos. 66, 66.i.,ii.; and (without enclosures) 5, 727. pp. 121–125.]
Nov. 20.
St. James's.
198. H.M. Warrants for John Richardson and Michael Smith to be of the Council of Nevis. Countersigned, Sunderland. [C.O. 5, 210. p. 123.]
Nov. 20.
St. James's.
199. H.M. Warrant for John Burryan to be of the Council of St. Kitts. Countersigned, Sunderland. [C.O. 5, 210. p. 123.]