Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period Part 7

[Footnote 1: Ma.s.s. Archives, vol. 60, pp. 231, 232.]

The deposition off Charls Hadsall, aged forty six years or thereabouts:

Testefieth and saith that mr Robt Cooke, Comandor of the shipp _blew dove_, together with my selfe Comandor of the shipp _Lucretia_ sett sayl from port Royall harbor In Jemaicah with free Lett Pases from Collonall morgan deputy Governer of Jemaicah:[2] And Coming down In Company to blew feilds bay where we Came to An Anchor to fetch our wood and watter on board and as soon as we were at anchor there Came of a Conoo from Capt John Dowglas Lying Closs under the sh.o.a.r on board of my shipp with two men for to Inquire among my men whether I woold Ingage to defend the shipp _blew dove_, I then being on board of her the said shipp _blew dove_, with Squire wattson, Marchant of the said shipp, with whome I went a sh.o.a.re: and Coming on board about seven a Clok In the Evning with squire wattson to the shipp _blew dove_ and having taken my Leave of him went on board of my owne shipp: and halfe an hour after there Came a Conoo from the vessell of sd Dowgla.s.s on board of my shipp _Lucretiah_, where I demanded of the said men that Came In the Conoo whether they were bound: and they Replied for the Camanes, which they said they were formerly bound for and had mist: and now pretended they woold goe with mee to Cemanes: And further saith that they said they woold be at new england before mee. I Replied, "In whatt shipp": they said It was no matter In whatt shipp: and while these men were discoursing with mee Dowglas his barke Clapt the shipp _blew dove_ on board, Cutt her Cables and sett sayle, and the men that were on board my shipp with me went away on board the said shipp _blew dove_: and soe went away, and three days after the master, marcha[nt] and sum of the Company being putt Into a small vessell Came Into blew feilds bay where I then Rod att Anchor and I going on board of them, saw the master of the shipp _blew dove_, shott In the arme, who told mee that they the said dowgla.s.s and his Company had took all they had from them only the Close uppon his back: And further this deponent saith that squire wattson told him that the shipp _blew dove_ belonged to Sr Wm Davison and Captain Taillur: and that the master and marchant of the said shipp told mee there were Letters on board of the said shipp _blew dove_ for his majesty and the duke of yorke:[3] being such Letters as were Considerable. And further saith that the master and marchant of the shipp _blew dove_ told mee that there was In Jewells on board of said shipp to the vallue of three hundred pound sterling and about thirty Chests of quik silver and sugger he said was on board but I have forgott whatt quant.i.ty he spake off. And further this deponent saith that the shipp _blew dove_ Rod In Jemaicah severall sabbeth days with her english Cullers out.

[Footnote 2: Col. Edward Morgan, commissioned deputy governor January 18, did not reach Jamaica till May 21 or 22. _Cal. St. P. Col._, 1661-1668, pp. 182, 211.]

[Footnote 3: The king's brother, afterward James II.]

Taken upon oath 27: 5: 64 Before me ELIA. LUSHER.

owned in Court 5th August 1664 by the sd Hadsell E.R.[4]

[Footnote 4: Edward Rawson, secretary of the council.]

_25. Pet.i.tion of John Dougla.s.s. August, 1664._[1]

[Footnote 1: Ma.s.s. Archives, vol. 60, p. 230a. In response apparently to this pet.i.tion, the General Court on August 8 ordered 40 shillings to be given to Captain Douglas, and 20 to each of his men, "to preserve them alive till they can provide some honest imploy for themselves, and that their particcular cloathes, so cleerely prooved [_i.e._, if clearly proved to be theirs] ... be ... delivered to them." _Records of Ma.s.s. Bay_, IV., pt. 2, p. 128. But the capture was declared illegal.]

To the honored Governor, Deputy Governor, Majestrates and Deputies of this honoured Generall Court now sitting in Boston in the Ma.s.sachusetts Colonie of New England.

The peticion of captayne John Duglas late Commandor of the Prise called the _Blew Dove_ of Anserdam in behalfe of himselfe and Company (servants and seamen to the said Ship belonging), whose names are hereunder Subscribed.

Humbly shewing, That whereas the said Ship was seized uppon at Puscataque in his Majesties name about the eighteenth-day of July-last with all the Seamens chests and Clothes save what they have on their backs, And that the said Seamen have bin here about fiveteene dayes without any allowance from the Countrey and not a penny of money to releeve themselves, so that they had perished eare this tyme had they not bin releeved by som freinds, some of which company have bin without victualls three dayes together, They humbly crave this honored Court that they may have a speedy triall whether their prise be a lawfull prise or not, otherwise that they may have their chests, clothes and armes, which request of your Peticioners they humbly crave may be taken into Consideration and they shall, as by duty they ar bound, pray, etc.

JOHN DOUGLa.s.s.

THOMAS BERKENHEAD. JOAN CLOBARTEXE [?].

THOMAS MARTTIN. LAMESTE [?]

ABRAHAM WILKERSON. WILLIAM GIOTTE.

HALLIGAR JOHNSON. JOHN HORRE.

his [X] marke his [+] Marke MIHILL HENDERSON. PIERRE PERWALLE.

his [MH] marke SOLOMON.

CLINE the Dutchman.

his [X] marke JOAN PAGE.

_26. Plea of John Dougla.s.s. (August 8?), 1664._[1]

[Footnote 1: Ma.s.s. Archives, vol. 60, pp. 271, 272.]

The tenth day of October, one thousand Sixe hundred Sixtey and Tow, One Capt John Daglas Brought one Commision from the king of Portugall, Sayling out of Lisborren[2] for to Make ware according to His Commision in his Ship Called _St John_, force 4 Gones, with men and Amunission Convennent, to Make Ware with the Ennemes of the Sayed king.

[Footnote 2: Lisbon.]

Having lived about the time of 4 or 5 Monthes about the Ilandes of the Canares with out taking any Prise, this same Capt. tucke Resselution to Sayle to wardes the Endges[3] with his Ship and Men, and After Som dayes of his Arivall to this Enges, som thing Neare the Iland Martenekea[4] he Mett with a man of ware. the Sayed Captaine dagles was ingadged to fight having a great many of his Men kild and wounded and hee him Self Deapley Wounded with a Shote from a Mosquit, the whch Shote Bracke his Arrem, and was in danger of his Life.

[Footnote 3: Indies.]

[Footnote 4: Martinique.]

And for his helth he and his men was forcest to Retier to the Iland of Monseratt, inhabeated by the Engles under the Goverment of Correnall Roger Asborn.[5] thare this Sayed Capt. was Courtiously Receved by this Sayed Govenar and brought him a shoure, whare hee was in dyett and dwelt a twel month upon this sayed Iland in which this his Sayed Ship which he brought Out of Lisborne Perresed[6] thare and was uncapabell of the ware.

[Footnote 5: Col. Roger Osborn.]

[Footnote 6: Perished.]

Afterward the Sayed Capt. Dagles he went to Jemekea and the Jenerell of the Iland of Jemekea did Exammine the Commision of Capt. John Dagles, and having found itt Good the Sayed Jenerall gave him Permision to baye[7] a frigat for the Sayed ware according to his Commision, and touck men, Arrems and Amunision for the ware with the Ennemis of the king of Portagall, and the Sayed Capt. John Daglas Sayeled from the Iland Jemeake with permision of the sayed Jenearell.

[Footnote 7: Buy.]

And about 3 Mounth After Sayling out of thees harbor Jemeke, this Sayed Capt. Dagles had Nouse by Severell Engles Vessells that thar was a vessell Redey to Sayell Out of the harbor of Jemeake loden by the Jues under the king of Spaine, and the Sayed Captaine vas very Diligant to mite with the Sayed Shipe, the which Shipe was called the _blau Duff_, mr. Robart c.o.xe Commander, and this Sayed Capt. John Daglas had knowledge of this sayed Shipe in the baye of blue fild, whare no one Inhabeted, distant 32 Leages from the harbor of Jemekea, the which Capt. went with his Sayed frigett and found a Commission from the Engea Compenia of Ansterdam,[8] With letters and loden from thes Jues for Ansterdam, and after that toucke the Depousision of 5 prisnores, the which did all Declare that the Sayed Shipe did Beloung to Ansterdam and bound for Ansterdam with his loden, and the Sayed Prisnores Gave the Sayed depusison befor Capt. Pemmellton,[9] Chefe Justes in Pescatabay.

[Footnote 8: The Dutch West India Company, Amsterdam Chamber.]

[Footnote 9: Pendleton.]

And After the Sayed Capt. John Dagles toucke the prise, Sayled outt of the Channell Called bahem[10] and Steared his Cource to Sayle into portag'll with this his Sayed Prise, to give knowledg to the king of portugall, in which Sayed vaydge wanting vettiells and watter he Arived in Now England for to tack watter and fitt his Ship for this his Sayed vaydge to portugall.

[Footnote 10: The Bahama Channel.]

And [after] he did Arive att the port of Pescatabay, the Sayed Capt.

Daglas Did Send ash.o.r.e one of his Offecers to the Sayed Capt.

Pemmellton, Justice of Putatabay, desiering Permision to watter and to give him libertey to sell som goods for to baye vittells and to be goine in his vaydge to Portugall.

And upon his Desier the sayed Justase Capt. Pemmellton Sent word to the sayed Capt. Dagles that hee was verey wellcom and that he had his libertey to doue in seviletey[11] what his mind was and upon this his word the sayed Capt. Dagles was Obleged to him.

[Footnote 11: To do in civility.]

And After 8 Dayes the touck the Sayed Capt. Dagles prisnor and his men and seased upon his vessell and goods and pout all his men out and pout outher men abord, the which did Plonder me and my men Just to Ouer Sherts.

Sertenly itt tis a very Sad Cace that a Jntallman[12] of his qualetea Should youse a stranger soe unsivell, because of the Aleance between the Crounes,[13] and not to give him libertey to goe a bout his bousnes--and he had seased my Commision and all my paperes as if I ware an Enneme to the Croune of England.

[Footnote 12: Gentleman.]

[Footnote 13: Of England and Portugal, 1661.]

_27. Power of Attorney from Sir William Davidson. September 13, 1664._[1]

[Footnote 1: Ma.s.s. Archives, vol. 60, pp. 259-261. In the _Calendar of State Papers, Colonial_, 1661-1668, p. 284, appears a letter from King Charles II. to the governor of Jamaica, March 1, 1665, in which he speaks of Douglas's piratical seizure of Davidson's ship, and declares that he (the king) has written to the governor and council at Boston to apprehend the pirate, but has heard nothing of them.]

Bee it knowne Unto all men by these presents that on the Thirteenth day of the month of September, Anno domini one thousand six hundred sixty and Foure, And in the sixteenth yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Lord Charles the second, by the grace of G.o.d King of England, Scotland, Frannce and Ireland, defendor of the faith, etca.

Before me William Allen, notary and tabellion publicke dwelling in this Citty of London, by the Authority of the said Kings Majesty admitted and sworne, and in the presence of the witnesses here after named personnally appeared Sir William Davidson, Knight and Barronett, his Majestyes Royall Commissionner at Amsterdam in Holland, etca., at present in this Citty of London, one of the Gentlemen of his Majestyes privy Chamber in ordinary;

Who hath declared that Whereas The ship or Vessell lately Called the _Blew Dove_ of London, where of Robert Cooke of Ratcliffe was lately master and James Watson servant to the said Sir William Davidson Supra Cargoe on the said shipp, or by whatsoever other name the said ship may be Called or knowne, Together with all her Loading of Sugar, quicksilver, Cacau, Tobaccoe, Brazillet wood, and other goods, merchandises, silver mony, and other things whatsoever, lately loaden at Jamaica by the servants of the said sir William Davidson, was (as hee the said William Davidson is Certainely informed) villanously and Roguishly taken by Pyratts, Rovers, and Theeves, Comeing from Jamaica aforesaid; and Brought upp to Boston in New England, or thereabouts; Now hee the said Sir William Davidson hath, in the best manner way and forme unto him possible, made, ordained and Const.i.tuted and by these presents in his stead and place doth make, ordaine and Const.i.tute Mr.

Francis Willoughby of Charles Towne in New England, merchant,[2] his true and lawfull Atturny, Giving and by these presents graunting unto his said Atturny full power, Commission, and lawfull authority, for and in the name and to the Use of the said Sir William Davidson, to demaund, sue for, leavy, recover, receave and take possession of the said shipp lately Called the _Blew dove_ of London (or by whatsoever other name shee may bee Called or knowne), And all furniture and appurtenances to her belonging, Together with all her Loading of sugar, quick silver, Cacau, Tobaccoe, Brazillet wood, and other goods, merchandises, silver mony, and other things whatsoever, And to make and give such acquittances and discharges as shall be requisite, And in all thinges to follow the orders and directions of the said Sir William Davidson; And further to take, seize upon, and apprehend the said Pyratts, Rovers, and Theeves, and prossecute them according to law, And if neede bee by reason of the premisses to appeare before whatsoever Lords Judges and Justices in any Court or Courts, there to answere, defend and reply in all matters and Causes touching or Concerneing the premisses, to doe, say, pursue, Implead, arrest, seize, sequester, attache, Imprison, and to Condemne, and out of prison againe to deliver; And further generally in and Concerneing the premisses to doe all thinges which hee the said Sir William Davidson might or Could doe if that hee should be then and there personnally present, with power to subst.i.tute one or more Atturnyes under him with like or lymmitted power and the same againe to revoake; And the said Sir William Davidson doth promise to rattify, Confirme, allow and approove of all and whatsoever his said Atturny, or his subst.i.tute or subst.i.tutes shall lawfully doe, or Cause or procure to bee donne, in and about the premisses, by vertue of these presents; In witnesse whereof the said Sir William Davidson hath signed, sealed and delivered these presents;