Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period Part 4

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_11. Letter of Governor Searle of Barbados. November 4, 1653._[1]

[Footnote 1: Ma.s.s. Archives, vol. 60, pp. 176, 177. Daniel Searle was governor of Barbados, under the Commonwealth, from 1652 to 1660.]

_Honnored Sr._

Theare arived some sixe mo. since before this Iland a spannish ship belonging to Tennarife (one of the Canary Ilands) Commanded by Emanuell Rodriges, Capt. thereof, who having mett with much contrary weather in theire voiage homewards wer necessitated to put for this place, and being before the Iland sent in theire request to have libertie to wood and water. accordingly it was graunted unto them, with a.s.surance of receiving like protection, freedome, and libertie in our ports, as any other Nation in league and Amitie with the Commonwealt[h] of England, which gave them Incouridgment to bring theire shipp into harbor within Command of our forts, and having staied and Refreshed themselves some three weeks time and taken in such necessaryes and provicions as they needed, whiles the Comander with the major parte of his men were on sh.o.a.re abo[ut] theire dispatches, the said ship was Unhappily surprized in the harbor by a wicked deboist[2] Crew of persons, who getting aboard and by force suppressed those few seamen which were in the shipp, Cutt the Cables and sett saile.

[Footnote 2: Debauched.]

a.s.soone as the surprise was discovered some shott were made at them, but theire resolution to Carry so desperate an Attempt (knowing w't the end would have binn had they fayled therein) and sensiblenesse [?]

in theire dispatch to gett the ship without Command, as also the night Coming on, and having the Advantage of winde and Currant, no meanes Could be used to recover the shipp Againe, by which action the Comander, with his men, who but a little before were possessed (as well of theire owne as others Interested) with very Considerable estates, were left on sh.o.a.re to be Releived by our charitie.

The Inhabitants of this Iland with myself Cannot but have a very great Resentment of so vile an Act, which hath Reflected so much not only uppon Authoritie but the Iland in Generall, and may heareafter reflect to the prejudice of particcular persons heare who trade at the Canary Ilands.

Wee have lately understood these Robbers by fained pretenses and discourses, to Coulor theire Action have endeavored to shelter themselves under your Authoritie in New England, but its hoped and beleived that such persons will not be harboured, nor such Actions Countenanced by you there. if they should it may proove for the future of evill consequence to this Colonie. it was least of all suspected theire Confidence would have led them thither, otherwise wee should from hence have ere this requested your a.s.sistannce for stoping the shipp and goods, and persons of those Robbers, untill the parties concerned therein might have Intelligence of theire being in New England, there to prosecute for theire rights;

The Capt. of the said ship with some others of the Compa. went hence for England hoping there to meete with them, others of them are gonn to some of the leiward Ilands, and some to the Canaries. a.s.soone as Intelligence cann be given to the proprietors at tennarife, you will I judge have some one from thence, to prosecute for theire shipp and goods.

The persons who Committed this Robberie being thorough theire deboistnes brought into Considerable engagements to severall of the Inhabitants of this Iland, had long before sought waies to make escapes from of this place, to Avoide theire Confinement which the lawe would have forced them unto for sattisfaccion of theire just debts; and had not this ship presented, theire Attempts would have binn to have zeased on some other, as since hath binn prooved, which might as well have binn some Vessell heare of your Collony, as any other; theire example have binn encouradgement to others to Attempt the like, but wee are, and shall be as dilligent to prevent the same as possible wee may. if all or some of the cheife of those Robbers (if they are still with you), were sent hither that exemplary Justice might be Inflicted on them, it maybe a meanes to terrify others from such actions for the future.

What Justice you please to execute in this particcular, will not only be well resented by us heare; but also thankefully acknowledged and greately vindicate the Justice of your Authoritie against such as otheruise may be apt to blemish the same.

Since the Surprisall of said shipp here arived another vessell from the Canarie Ilands, to offer trade with the Inhabitants, who notwithstanding the a.s.surance they receaved from me of freedom and protection therein, yet afterwards being Informed of the Aforesaid action would not trust themselves amongst us but departed; which doe tend much to the prejudice of the Collonie. I shall not further enlarge at present but referr all to your Consideracion; and Commend you to the Almighty in whom I Rest

Yours in what I may to serve you

DANIEL SEARLE.

BERBADOES 4th of November 1653.

a true copy, etc., and the address.

_12. Order of the Ma.s.sachusetts Council. January 25, 1654._[1]

[Footnote 1: Ma.s.s. Archives, vol. 60, p. 178.]

Att A Counsell Called by the Governor on occasion of a letter sent from the Governor of Berbadoes to the Governor heere respecting the prizemen and held at Salem the 24th of January, 1653.[2]

[Footnote 2: 1654, new style.]

After the Counsell had Considered of that letter they Ordered that the Secretary should forthwith transcribe true Coppies of the originall and translacion of the Dutch Certifficat and the other Dutch writting found in the shipp called the _holy ghost_, and presented by Capt.

Robt. Harding to the Counsell, Attested by the Secretary and sent to the Gov'nor and Counsell at the berbadoes, And further Ordered that the Secretary may give true coppies thereof to the Capt. or any other of the prizemen or any other that shall desier them;

And though by what the Governor of Berbadoes hath hitherto Certefied to us, it does not legally appeare that the vessell was or is a spannish vessell, but the Contrary rather seemeth unto us by the dutch Certifficat and other writting sealed and the Inscription on the sterne of hir _De heyly[3] Gheest_, with the picture of the dove and burden of the ship concurring with them, yett for these severall reasons, viz. 1. Becawse it cann be no Injury to Capt. Robt. Harding, Left. Thom. Morrice, and that company to Justify theire oune act at Berbadoes, (if it were a lawfull act). 2. Because there is probabillitie, some evidence appearing, that severall of the shipps former company that was aboard are missing, wch were not brought into this Jurisdiccion, what is become of them cannot so well be cleered, nor the Case triable any where so well as at the Berbadoes where the fact was donne. 3. Becawse Capt. Harding, Left. Morrice and the rest, as is suspected, have not discovered all the treasure that was in the shipp and thereby have deceaved the Commonwealth of England (In Case it should proove a pricze) which cannot be cleered so well, any where as at Berbadoes, who have as wee are Informed inquired of hr [?] the value of the prize, and the Rather becawse they broke bulke at Pemequid, out of our Jurisdiccion,[4] and that after they had our order, which they seemed to decline by theire Accepting proteccion from Capt. Gilbert Crane, as appeares by proofe, who was in our harbors under the Imploiment of the Parliament of England for masts and Tarre.[5]

[Footnote 3: Heylige.]

[Footnote 4: The Pemaquid settlement lay on the Maine coast near the mouth of the Damariscotta River; it belonged at this date to Richard Russell and Nicholas Davison, private proprietors.]

[Footnote 5: Capt. Gilbert Crane, in the _King David_, went out for this purpose in 1653 and returned to England in 1654.]

Itt is therefore Ordered that the Capt. Robt. Harding, Left. Thomas Morris and the rest of that company now in hold and such as shall be taken heere after shall with all conveniency be sent to the Berbadoes and In the meane time Remaine in prison, unlesse the Counsell shall take further order.

Itt is further Ordered that Capt. Robert Harding, Left. Thomas Morris and Henry Cowes shall, when Capt. Jno. Allen or any other that shall first be Ready to sett saile to the Berbadoes, be delivered safe aboard to him or them, by him or them to be delivered to the Governor and Counsell at Berbadoes, And It is left to any three of the majestrates to send the rest by such conveyances as they shall Judge meete.

And that the Secretary shall from the Counsell give a strict charge to the keeper of the prison to secure them in prison so as they escape no[t] as he will Answer it on his utmost perrill.

25. January 1653. voted alltogither.

EDWARD RAWSON, Secret.

_13. Vote of the Ma.s.sachusetts House of Deputies. June 10, 1654._[1]

[Footnote 1: Ma.s.s. Archives, vol. 60, pp. 184, 183. On May 3 the General Court had voted that the imprisoned privateers (or pirates) should be released on bonds of a thousand pounds apiece for reappearance when summoned; _Records of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay_, III. 344.

We have now a conflict between the two houses, the House of Deputies wishing to drop prosecution, the a.s.sistants adhering to the vote of May; _id._, IV. 196. In October the prisoners were released from their bonds; _id._, III. 361, IV. 207, 218.]

Whereas there was some Information given unto this Court of the Illegall surprisall of the Spanish shipp formerly Called the _Holy Ghost_ and since Called the _happie Entrance_, of which shipp Capt.

Robt. Hardinge was Commaunder, yet forasmuch as neither Capt. John Allen who so informed, nor any other person, would Ingage to procecute agaynst the sd Capt. Hardinge and Company, The Court thought it not meete to take Cognizance thereof, after which Capt. Crane undertooke to receive the tenth for the State of England, and whatsoever was Done by him or by mr. Endecot, then Gov'r, or Capt. Breedon[2] or any other person in any respect whatsoever about the sd shipp or Goods or tenth part thereof, neither was nor wilbe owned by this Court in any kind.

the Deputyes have past this and desire our hon'rd magists. Consent hereto.

[Footnote 2: Capt. Thomas Breedon, afterward proprietary governor of Nova Scotia, had bought the ship. _Records of Ess.e.x Quarterly Courts_, I. 319, 320.]

10th 4th 1654 WILLIAM TORREY, Cleric.[3]

[Footnote 3: Torrey was clerk of the House of Deputies, Rawson secretary of the Court of a.s.sistants. Ensign Jeremiah Howchen, whose dissent from the majority opinion of the deputies is recorded below, was deputy for Hingham.]

The magists. Cannot Consent heereto, It Contradicting the last act of the Court.

EDWARD RAWSON, Secret'y.

[Another copy of the vote, likewise attested by Torrey, has instead of the above subscription the following:]

this vote to be entred in the booke altho not Consented to by the magists.

Contradicent., mr Jer Howchen.

THE _BLUE DOVE_.

_14. Portuguese Commission (Letter of Marque) to Charles de Bils.

February 10 (N.S.), 1658, September 10, 1662._[1]