|
| Mar. 21. |
Letter to the Treasury Lords from Col. Edwyn Stede,
dated Barbados ("received 1688, May 28"). I
have received your commands of Nov. 24 last
with the account of the casual revenue received
by me here. For my zeal and services I desire
the King's favour and allowance of 10 per cent [on
said receipts]. I also desire your authorisation to
make some allowance to such as have given me
information of escheated and concealed estates,
by which I have made recovery thereof. This will
be an encouragement to them, which for want of
it are grown cold; "I having promised them
some reward, though the qt. [quantity] was humbly
submitted to your Lordships good pleasure." I
also pray an allowance of fees of 5 per cent to the
executors of Mr. William Chester, his Majesty's
late Attorney General here, for his services as
King's counsel in all the recoveries I made; he
having made me debtor for the same, and his
executors owing me money, which they refuse to
pay. This allowance is according to the establishment of fees made by Sir Rich. Dutton and his
then Council "when the Court of Exchequer was
by him erected and established here," which
establishment was confirmed by Charles II: but
afterwards, conceiving that 5 per cent was too
little for the Attorney General's fees, Sir Richard
allowed Attorney General Seawell 10 per cent;
which Mr. Chester also expected from me. The
present Attorney General hopes for this allowance
to be continued to him. |
Out Letters (Plantations Auditor) I, pp. 296–9. |
|
I will be frugal in other charges and expenses,
but necessary accommodation and entertainment
for the Barons, jurors etc. cannot be avoided; they
coming far and having no other allowance than
diet. To save such charge the Court is from time
to time adjourned by one of the Barons till there
be some quantity of business. |
|
|
I am trying to get good bills to remit to Henry
Guy the balance of my account, as you order;
but they are very scarce and dear. I am in treaty
for a good bill for 1,000l., but cannot get it under
12½ per cent; for so small is our crop and so few
good bills by reason thereof that none whose bills will
be punctually paid ask less: but I will try others
for a little time, otherwise will accept this. At
present I send Mr. Guy a bill for 300l. drawn on
the Navy Commissioners by the purser of the
Mary Rose, whom, by order, I furnished with
that sum at several times for said ship's use, by
which supply 10 per cent at least was saved to
the King in return of his [Majesty's] money. I
have also returned Mr. Blathwayt a year's salary
and will make a full return of the balance of my
account with all diligence. |
|
|
As to the ships arrived here from the wreck near
Hispaniola with their treasure, they are four in
number; one from Bermudas. I enclose a particular account of the treasure imported in this
latter ship. The King's moiety thereof shall be
disposed of as you shall direct, but the owners and
importers hope to have it restored to them, pretending they were not concerned in taking it from the
wreck, but bought it in Bermudas from those that
imported it there from the wreck and was paid
them for debts owing to them there and for goods
sold; all which they intend to lay before the King.
They have brought a certificate in general terms
from Mr. Trott, Receiver of the King's dues and
duties in Bermudas, that this silver was there paid
for, "though up n examination I found at most
it had [at Bermudas] paid but tenths [to the King],
if that, for which reason I stopped the moiety."
I also enclose an account of the like treasure
imported in the Raven, for part of which Mr. Constable (his Majesty's Commissioner for that purpose)
received the King's moiety. For the rest of the
silver which I found in the ship I took the King's
moiety; and for the coined money or pieces of
eight, which the owners pretend to be the produce
of meat and drink sold to the people at the wreck,
I have taken security for the King's moiety if not
discharged by the King's order. |
|
|
The next vessel is a sloop that imported 500-600l.
sterling from the wreck, which was divided at sea
among the sailors and owners, each one being
sharers and not on wages. This sloop went hence
in consort with a pink called the Elizabeth, Thomas
Baker commander, who was set out from London
to the wreck and touched here to get divers. When
I demanded the King's moiety of what they imported
they produced the King's orders requiring that none
of the concerns of said Capt. Baker should be
meddled with or sued for here, his owners having
given the King good security in London for the
King's share. By the account I enclose it appears
that said John [sic] Baker and this sloop took up
800lb. weight of silver, and thereof the sloop had
for their share what money they imported to this
island. |
|
|
The fourth and last vessel is a sloop which was
put off from the wreck by Sir John Narborough
and had only got about 500-600l. sterling, which
before they arrived here was divided into small
shares among the owners, sailors and divers, who
reserved a tenth only for the King. On my demanding the moiety "he" [? the captain or each
sharer] refuses to pay for more than his own share
and therefore I must sue him. I will do my best
to recover it. |
|
|
I have not, myself, been concerned in any vessel
sent to the wreck till about Sir John Narborough's
arrival, "when I was prevailed with to be concerned
about 100l. in a cargo of goods to be sold amongst
the people [fishing in the vicinity] of the wreck;
but Sir John putting them all from thence and
not suffering them to work there, I have never
had the least account what is become of my little
concern, but fear she is fallen into the hands of
the Biscayers, who are by the King of Spain employed in those American parts to suppress pirates
and unlawful traders in their ports, who spoil and
destroy the Englishmen more than any other or
former pirates, for wherever they can take the
English either on the high sea or elsewhere they
confiscate the goods and kill all the men. I am
informed these Biscayers have taken many sloops
belonging to the Leeward Islands in sight of them
and we fear some of [the] vessels that have been
long wanting are fallen into their hands." |
|
|
I have no account of what Sir John Narbrough
doth at the wreck, nor what is become of my Lord
Mordaunt and his Dutch frigates since he went
from St. Kitts, where he touched. "Here is much
discourse of a new silver wreck of great value found
on the coast of Florida by some people of Jamaica."
But we have no certainty of it. |
|
| Mar. 27. |
Treasury order for amending the transcript of the
lease of the manor of Hempholme to Sir Hugh
Bethell, ut supra, p. 1368. |
Warrants not Relating to Money XII, p. 80. |
