Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period Part 11

The examination of John Johnson steersman of the frigott _commonwealth_, Capt. Cornelius Lincourt Comd'r.

December the 15th their stile[2] they came out of Flushing in the above sd Frigott with 20 gunns and ninety six men and boys, bound from Flushing to the Canarie Island, and in their way they tooke a Londoner bound from Malaga laden with fruit, which they sent to the Groyne,[3]

and the men they putt on sh.o.r.e at the canaries. from the Canaries we sailed to the Cape de Verd Islands and from thence to Barbados, where they tooke a small French sloope, and from thence we sailed to the Capes of Verginia and in our way we mett with the _Providence_ of Falmouth, which ship we tooke on the 15 day of Aprill, our Stile,[4]

in the lat.i.tude of the capes, about 30 Leagues to the Eastward. it being a stormy night they drive away under a maine course to the northward. for 2 days afterward they stood in againe to the capes but could not see their frigott, so then we stood away for the Groine, and meet with a small Londoner bound for Verginia, who came abord on us for water, and we took the men being 5 and putt them in to the hold, then he that was Master of the ship went on board the Londoner and those men with him, whome the Londoner carried away, so then we followed them but could not overtake him, so the night following the English that were upon Decke conspireing with them in the hold, in the morneing they tooke the ship from us, and brought us to Piscataqua.

[Footnote 2: _I.e._, new style, which the Dutch used.]

[Footnote 3: The name then used by the English for Coruna, in northwestern Spain.]

[Footnote 4: April 5, O.S. See doc.u.ments 32 and 36.]

Taken in Boston 5 May 1673 before

JOHN LEVERETT, Dep. Gov.[5]

[Footnote 5: John Leverett was deputy-governor 1671-1673. Two days later, May 7, 1673, he was elected governor, and so continued till 1679.]

_35. Declaration of Edward Bant and Others. May 8, 1673._[1]

[Footnote 1: Suffolk Court Files, no. 1257, paper 12.]

A Declaration of some Occurrents that happened to us in our late voiadge from London in the Ship _Barkely_ of the saide port, Nicholas Prynne Commander, intended for Virginia, Anno 1672/3.

On the twelfth Aprill 1673 being in saide Ship about the Latt.i.tude of the Capes of Virginia about 80 Leagues distant, wee saw a sail towards Evening, and being in want of provitions, seeing her to be a Fly boate,[2] made towards her and came up with her about Eight a clock and hailed them asking them of whence theire Ship. they answered of Falmoth. wee ask't them from whence they came. they answered from Virginia, and called mee by my name and asked mee how I did. wee asked them what places they loaded at. they answered, in Petuxin River.[3]

wee told them wee wanted some provitions. they answered us if we would hoise out our Boate and come on boarde, they would spare us water and other provitions what they could. in order thereunto wee did soe, and I being desired by the Master and Merchant[4] to goe on board with the Boate to Endeavor to gett what provitions I could, our Marchant who was the owner also desired mee to stay, and hee and the Doctor would goe with mee as soon as they had sealed theire letters. Our Master not having ended his writing the marchant desired him to goe on board with us also and to finish his letter there, and accordingly with three more Seamen wee went on board saide Ship, and when wee came there founded severall Dutchmen on board who had the Command of her, they having lately taken her from the English. the Ship was called the _Providence_, belonging to Falmoth, Thomas Radden having been lately master of her. the saide Dutchman Surprized six of us and kept us prisoners and sent one of our Company with three Dutchmen on board our Ship, who lay by us till the next morning. then the Dutch Commander comanded our Ships' Boate to come on board his Ship againe, which accordingly they did, hee promising our merchant to take out our goods and to give us our Ship againe, in order whereunto hee provided one hogshead of bread to have given us as hee saide and tooke our marchant with him and went on board our Ship, and about halfe an hour after our Ship made sail and Steered to the westward: and then the Dutch men put us who formerly belonged to her down into the hole and made sail after the saide Ship for about two houres, and seeing they could not come up with her stood on theire course againe to the Eastward, and by receiving advice from those Englishmen that were at liberty were combined together for them to make way for our coming up and soe to rush out upon the Dutchmen at once and to Subdue them, for the rescueing of ourselves and Ship, which with G.o.d's blessing wee Effected, without loss of life or bloodshed to any, and then agreed among our Selves to come away with saide Ship to New England, which accordingly wee did and after Eleven days pa.s.sage by reason of contrary wind and foggy weather arrived in Piscataquay River on the 23th Aprill 1673.

[Footnote 2: A small swift ship of Dutch pattern (originally _Vlie boot_).]

[Footnote 3: Patuxent River, in Maryland.]

[Footnote 4: _I.e._, supercargo.]

EDWARD BANT, Mate.

JOHN RESSELL.

JONAS LEWIS.

Att a Court of a.s.sistants on Adjournment the 8th May 1673, Edward Bant, John Russell and Jonas Lewis deposed in Court that having subscribed their names to this declaration that it was the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth:

As Attests EDWARD RAWSON Sec'ty

_36. Declaration of Henry King and John Champion. May 8, 1673._[1]

[Footnote 1: Suffolk Court Files, no. 1257, paper 10.]

A Declaracion of some Occurrents that happened us in our late voiadge from Falmouth intended for Virginia in the Ship _Providence_ of Falmoth, Anno 1672/3, Thomas Radden Commander.

About the 12th November 1672 wee sailed from Falmoth in the aforesaid Ship to Plimouth for convoy and there lay till the 15th January following, when wee sailed under convoy with a fleete of about 90 sail. our convoy went with us about 80 Leagues to the Westward of Silly,[2] then with about ten sail more were parted from the fleet and were making the best Emprovement of winde and weather to gaine our port till the 4th Aprill following, when wee between the houres of four and six in the morning saw a Sail upon our weather quarter. wee made what sail wee could, hee giving us chase, in about two houres hee came up with us, showed us Dutch colours, comanded us by the lee and to strike our Topsaile and ancient:[3] wee seeing of him to bee a man of War of Force could make no resistance against him, did accordingly: then the Capt. himself came aboard of us with twelve Dutch men more, showed us his Commission Signed by the Prince of Orange, for the taking of English Ships: the Capt. was named Cornelius Linquoint and commanded the Ship in English called the _Commonwealth_, of 20 peice of Ordnance. then hee tooke our master, merchant and ten seamen more out of our Ship and left seven of us aboard and soe went aboard his man of war againe and ordered the Dutch Steersman, whome hee left with Eleven Dutchmen more on board of our Ship, to Steere after the man of War, and in case wee should bee parted by weather to Saile with our Ship to the Groyne in Galecia, as the said Steeresman informed mee: the same night following wee lost the man of War--the said Capt having told mee that if wee kept Company while the next morning hee would take the Goods out of our Ship on board the man of war and give us our own Ship againe, but having lost Company of him in the night, wee bore up the helme to the Eastward, intending for the Groyne, as the Steersman informed mee. having plied too and againe 6 days hoping to meete with the man of war againe, two days after wee bore up wee saw a sail which made towards us, being about 3 Leagues from us.

betweene six and eight aclock in the evening they came up with us, and hailed us asking whence wee were. The Dutch Steersman, standing with a laden pistol presented to my breast, commanded mee to answer them in those words he should dictate to mee, bid mee answer them, of Falmoth, and to tell them wee came from Petuxine River in Virginia, and if they wanted anything if they would hoise out theire Boat and Come aboard wee would supply them, upon which they hoised out theire Boat and the Master, Merchant, Mate, Doctor and two seamen came on board in the Boate, and after they had entred our Ship the Dutchmen Surprized them and sent three Dutchmen on board theire Ship and the Ship staied by us all the night. next morning the Dutchmen intending to goe on board commanded the said Shipps boats on board, who came accordingly, and the Dutch Skipper went on board the aforesaid Ship intending to take out her goods and put on board of our Ship, as hee saide, in order whereunto hee tooke the merchant along with him. about halfe an hour after, the said Ship made sail and steered to the westward. wee in our Ship making Sail followed them between two and three houres, and finding wee could not come up with her left our chase and stood to the Eastward againe, there being five Englishmen belonging to the saide Ship prisoners in our Ships hold. about six houres after, the same day, wee Englishmen that were at liberty, by writing to them in the hold, conspired together with them to lett them come up and soe to rush all out together upon the Dutch men and if wee could Subdue them to rescue ourselves and Ship, which accordingly with G.o.ds' blessing wee effected without any loss of life or shedding of blood and soe intended to New England, being afraide to goe for Virginia leaste wee should meete the man of War againe and being unable to carry the Ship home for England, and after eleven days lying at Sea by reason of foggy weather and contrary windes wee arrived at Piscataquay in New England aforesaid being 23th Aprill 1673.

[Footnote 2: The Scilly Isles, off the southwesternmost cape of England.]

[Footnote 3: Ensign.]

HENRY KING, Mate.

JOHN CHAMPION, Bosson.[4]

[Footnote 4: Boatswain.]

At a Court of a.s.sistants held at Boston on Adjou't, 8th May '73, Henry King, John Champyn and John Sennet deposed in open Court that this Declaration is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

As Attests

EDWARD RAWSON, Secty.

Portlidge bill of Wages due to the Company belonging to said Ship _Providence_ is as followeth:

s.d.

Henry King, Mate, at 55s. per mo.,--4 mos., 5 days-- 11. 9.2 John Champyn, Boatswaine, at 36s. per mo.,--4-1/2 mo., 5d. 8. 6.2 John Jorey, Carpenter, at 3 [pounds] per mo., 4-1/2 mo. 13.10.0 John Sennett at 28s. per mo., 3 mo., 5d. 4. 8.6 John Burley at 28s. per mo., 4 mo., 5d. 5.16.6 George Taylor at 28s. per mo., 3-1/2 mo. 4.18.0 Richard Gross[5] at 20s. per mo., 4 mo., 5d. 4. 3.4 ------- 52.11.8

[Footnote 5: The margin adds, "sick aboard."]

8 May 1673.

It is ordered that the seamen above shall be allowed and payd their severall wages (according to their Portlidge bills here Given in) by Mr. Fryer, he taking their receipts of the several seamen. As Attests, EDWARD RAWSON, Sec'y.

_37. Pet.i.tion of Thomas Raddon. June 10, 1673._[1]

[Footnote 1: Suffolk Court Files, no. 1257, paper 7.]

To the Hon'rble the Governour and Magistrates a.s.sembled in Boston,

The humble request of Thomas Raddon is that whereas the authority of this Jurisdiction hath taken care to secure the ship _Providence_ of Fallmouth in old England, wich was brought into Piscataway by reprisall and the Cargo in her, whereof I the said Thomas Raddon was shipped Master by the owners to performe a voiage to Virginia and from thence home againe, for which care I doe in the behalf of myself and owners returne humble and hearty thanks to your worships.

And whereas the Providence of G.o.d soe ordering that I am now come myselfe, my humble request is that your worships would bee pleased to give orders that the said ship and Goods may be speedily delivered unto your pet.i.tioner, that soe I may (with G.o.ds blessing) proceed in my intended voige for the benefit of my imployers according to my obligation, and your pet.i.tioner shall ever pray for your worships prosperity.

THOS. RADDON.

In Boston this 10th of June, 1673.

This was presented to the Hono'ble Jno. Leveret, Esq'r, Gov., the 11th of June 1673. As Attest EDWARD RAWSON.

The Governor and Magistrates having perused the Certificate and finding that Tho. Raddon above, being now arrived, and the rest of the company that was took out of her, was the Master of the said Ship _Providence_, ordered the Secretary to signify to Mr. Nathaniell Fryer that they advise him to deliver the said ship and what was in her to the said Tho. Raddon, Master, for the use and benefit of the owners, he discharging the charges formerly advised to. As Attest. EDW.

RAWSON, Secret'y.