|
| [May 2.] |
12. Brief declaration of the number of beaver skins brought by Capt. David Kirke and his company from Canada in 1629, and of the surrender of the fort of Quebec. A recapitulation of the several depositions calendared under date of 9th and 17th Nov. 1629; it is endeavoured to reconcile the difference between the English and French depositions as to the number of the skins. [Sec. Dorchester state on an endorsement that this paper was brought to him by one of the Canada Company. See p. 130, No. 15.] |
| [May 2.] |
13. Copy of the preceding with two trifling additions. |
| [May 16.] |
Mem. that William Clobery, John de la Barre, and David Moorehead, set to sea Capt. Wil. Claybourne, on a discovery to the Isle of Kent, purchased by them of the inhabitants, but Lord Baltimore having comprehended the island within his patent, they desire the King to determine it. [Minute. Colonial Corresp., 1609, p. 4. See Vol. VIII., No. 32, Inclosure I.] |
May 19.
Warwick House. |
Minutes of a General Court for Providence Island. Auditors appointed. Debate, whether the number of adventurers should be increased from 20 to 24, resolved in the negative. Orders concerning the future admission of adventurers, payments, and general business of the Company agreed to. Geo. Needham's tobacco from the island of Henrietta, to be bought by the Company. Relief granted to the wives of John Tanner, employed in the Company's service, and of Wil. Hurd, gone to the plantation. A committee appointed to treat with the agents for a colony of about 150 persons settled on Tortuga. The Earl of Holland elected Governor, John Dike, Deputy; John Pym, Treasurer; and Wil. Jessop, Sec. [Colonial Entry Bk., Vol. III., pp. 12–19.] |
May 24.
Greenwich. |
14. Earl of Dorset to Attorney General Heath. To prepare a bill appointing Edward Earl of Dorset, Henry Earl of Danby, Dudley Viscount Dorchester, Sec. Sir John Coke, Sir John Danvers, Sir Robt. Killigrew, Sir Thos. Roe, Sir Robt. Heath, Mr. Recorder [Heneage Finch], Sir Dudley Diggs, Sir John Wolstenholme, Sir Fras. Wyatt, Sir John Brooke, Sir Kenelm Digby, Sir John Zouch, John Banks, Thos. Gibb, Nath. Rott [Wrote?], Mr. Sands, John Wolstenholme, Nicholas Ferrar, Mr. Barber and John Ferrar, or any four of them, Commissioners for advising upon some course for establishing the advancement of the plantation of Viginia. With power to consider how the plantation formerly stood, what commodities have been advanced, which are the most profitable, and the present state of the colony. Their report to be submitted to the King, with propositions to encourage adventurers and planters to the colony. |
May 24.
Brooke House. |
Minutes of a Committee for Providence Island. Upon the proper course of treating with those seated "on the Tortugas." Reasons why a committee was propounded to do so on the most easy conditions, and instructions, which are given at length, agreed on for their guidance. [Colonial Entry Bk., Vol. III., pp. 19, 20.] |
May 24.
Brooke House. |
Minute of an Ordinary Court for Providence Island. The offer made by the planters settled upon Tortuga by their agents, John Hart and Robt. Wormeley, is considered and referred to a Committee of the Company, with power to treat and make agreements with the agents, but not to engage the adventurers in more than 30l. apiece. [Colonial Entry Bk., Vol. III., p. 21.] |
| May 27? |
15. Examination of Capt. David Kirke before Sir Hen. Marten. Was employed chief commander in two voyages to Canada; in 1628 at the charge of his late father Gervase Kirke and other merchants of London, and in 1629 at that of Sir Wil. Alexander the younger, Gervase Kirke and their partners. Took possession of all Canada, except Quebec, in the first voyage; in the last of Quebec, but knew not, at the time, of the peace between England and France. Had commission to expel the French from that country. Was assaulted by a French pinnace, Emery De Caen, commander, who killed two of Kirke's company and wounded 12 or 16 others. In trading with the natives and the French for victuals, he obtained the beaver skins now under sequestration by the Admiralty. The French sold between 700 and 800 in England. When the fort surrendered, there was only one tub of bitter roots. Fed at least 100 French for three or four months, and further freighted and victualled a ship in which he sent them from England to France. [This paper is referred to in the "Brief Declaration" [ante, 2 May, No. 12], it would therefore appear that there was some mistake in the date, which is, however, clearly written.] |
| [May.] |
16. Petition of Henry Earl of Holland and his associates to the King. His Majesty, by letters patent, granted to the Governor and Company of Adventurers of Westminster for the plantation of Providence, Henrietta, and the adjacent islands, the plantation of them and all other islands lying between 290 and 310 degrees of longitude and 10 and 20 of northerly latitude. Pray for an enlargement of their grant "only of 3 or 4 degrees of northerly latitude," to avoid all doubts as to whether one of the islands [Tortuga] taken above a year past, and now inhabited by more than a hundred persons, is contained in their former grant. On the outer side Sec. Dorchester has written that the King, out of his favour to the petitioner, and a willingness to augment foreign plantations, is pleased to enlarge the patent as desired, and Mr. Attorney General is requested to prepare a bill for His Majesty's signature, provided there is no former grant. Greenwich, 30 May 1631. |
