Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period Part 70

The Bearer hereoff by G.o.ds a.s.sistance will be Capt. John Melidoni, Commander of the Snow _Princess of Orange_, which I take the Libertay to address you with her Cargo and here Inclosed you'l find Invoice and Bill of Lading for the Same made in your favour, or in your absence to Messrs. Rodier and Le Cire, and I beg of you, Sir or Gentlemen, that you will be Pleased to make the most you possibly can of them. this is for a Tryal and if it Turns to Acct. shall Continue more Largely hereafter.

The 50 pipes marked A.R. are Numbred on there heads from No. 1 to 50, and are made wines to Imitate those of Madera's, and are in Cask of the Same Largeness and Fabrick and I a.s.shure you of a good Quality.

The 30 pipes marked V.P. are on the Lies;[12] they are the wines we Call heare Vidono,[13] there pipes larger then those of the Maderas. I beg you'l procure me the best Sales you Possibly can for the whole 80 pipes; be it eather for Mony or in barter of some other goods that may be Pres[en]ted and without Limiting you to any Thing, for I am Confidant you will have my Interest at heart as if your own. Pray Open a Seperate Acct. for the 30 pipes marked V.P., for Possibly I may Resign the Amount of them over to an other person, but in that case you'l be Pleased to Detain 450 Dollars in your hands for there freights at the rate of 15 Dollars each Pipe and 5 p. Ct. more for the Average[14] on the freight of them, that you'l please to pay the Capn., that is to Say only the Meer 5 p. Ct., for the 450 Dollars must be Clear of all Charges, and that altho they Came to hand full or Empty. if they Sell for Money must deliver the Money, if in Barter deliver the Comoditys you barter them for, not omiting to detain there freights and joyining it to the Acct. of the 50 pipes.

[Footnote 12: Lees.]

[Footnote 13: Vidonia, a dry canary.]

[Footnote 14: A payment which owners of goods made to the master, in proportion to their consignments, for his care of the goods.]

The remainder of the Cargo belongs to the Capn. here Inclosed you'l find a writing or Bill of Sale made before a Publick Notary of the Vesels being Sold to me, which I Judge proper to Send that no Difficulty's may arise in the Sale of the Vessel, and for that end I also Enclose you my power of Attorney, that you might act as you Shall Judge Proper and in Vertue of them I beg you'l Please to use your outmost indeavours to Dispose of her. She Cost me, put to Sea, 2000 Dollars, however you may Let her go if can do no better for 1300 Dollars or less, if the Capn. is willing; altho it appears as if She belonged entirely to me, he's half concerned in her so that you'l Please to act in conformity with him in Sale of her. if you Sell her pay him his half of the neat Produce of what she sells for, and the other half must be joyned to the Neat proceeds of the 50 pipes before mentioned, and to make one Acct of them. Pray also pay Said Capn. 195 Dollars and no more for the difference of freight due to him according to our Contract.

Supose you cannot Possibly Sell the Vessel (which I again Earnestly begg you'l indeavour to do) must then Procure her a freight and Partly load her out of the Neat Proceeds of the wines and procure the residue of her Cargo from your friends. in this Case you and the Capn. will be Pleased to contribute Each one half of the Charges the Vessel will be at to Set her out to Sea, not omiting a Pa.s.sport from your Governor[15] Such as he now has from the Dutch Consul here. you are to give the Capn. necessary instructions for his Voyage. if it Should be for Amsterdam, you must address both Vessal and Cargo to Mr. Petter Doscher, and if for any other Port may Consigne her to whom you Please, ordering the Produce of both freight and Effects to be remited to Said Mr. Doscher of the Capital you intend to Pa.s.se into his hands that he might if Should be thought proper cause it to be Insured. if the Capn. Should die in the Pa.s.sage (which G.o.d forbid) you must then after the arrivall of the Vessell put in one to your Satisfaction and also procure the Sale of his 45 pipes of Malvasia[16] and Vidono wines, and Remit there Neat proceeds with a Seperate Acct. to said Mr.

Doscher, and in Case I should not resign over the Amt. of the Said 30 pipes V.P. you must also remit there Net proceeds and a Seperate Acct.

to said Mr. Doscher, and joyn the 450 Dollars to the Acct. of the 50 pipes. You are to pay one half of the mens wages and the Capn. the other half, deducting what they have recevd. as p. Said Cap's.

Catalogue. In short, altho I notte you all these Circ.u.mstances yett I beg your Princ.i.p.all imply[17] may be in the Sale of the Vessel for as much as she will fetch, and Persuad the Captn. that it is his Interest if he rightly Considers the Charge of Victualing and seting her out for a Voyage to Holland, to which I begg your Particular attention.

[Footnote 15: The Dutch governor of Curacao.]

[Footnote 16: Malvasia (Gr. Monemvasia) was a town on the southeast coast of Greece. The term malvasia wine, or malmsey, was originally used of a wine coming from that locality, but afterward, as here, of certain madeiras.]

[Footnote 17: Employ.]

Enclosed you'l find a notte of what the mens wages amount to monthly and so also a paper in Vertue of which you'l make the Capt. pay you 120 Dollars. I begg you'l Lett me know via Holland or per first Opertounaty the Success of this Enterprise. interim I remain with Humble Submission

Sir

Your Most Humble and obt. Ser't,

P. DOSCHER, Junr.

3d. Invoice of the following pipes of Wine laden for my acct. and risque to the Island of Curacao upon the Dutch Snow called the _Princess of Orange_, Cap. John Melidoni, and to the Consignation of Mr. Mastere, In his absence to Messrs. Rodier and Lecier Dwelling there, Markt as in the Margent--

M.R. No. 1-50 Pipes of Vidonia Wines In Casks as they are at the Island of Madeira, Drawen from the Lees.

V.P. 30 Ditto. upon the Lees in Casks of this Island being Larger then those of Madeira. these Last are to pay 450 ps. of 8/8 Freight, which Freight Mony you are to retain out of the Sales and folow my orders therewith.

C.M. 18 Pipes of Vidonia } Z. 3 Do. Malmsey } Z. 1 Do. Malmsey in 2 half pipes } These pipes of Z. 1 Do. Malmsey in 4 Qr. Casks } Wine are the C. 15 Do. Vidonia } property of D.N. } Capt. John I. 45-1/2 } Melidoni.

C. } D.N. 5 Do. Malmsey. } O. 2-1/2 Do. Malmsey } 125-1/2 pipes Vidonia and Malmsey } wines. }

STA. CRUX, THENERIFFE, 16th Xber[18] 1740.

Errors Excepted P. DOSCHER, Junr.

[Footnote 18: December. All these dates written in Teneriffe are new-style dates.]

4. Translation of one Bill of Lading, viz:

I John Mellidoni, Master under G.o.d of my Ship named the _Princess of Orange_, now Laying ready at the Island of Theneriffe, to sail with the first good and fair Wind G.o.d shall Send, to Sail for the Island of Curacao, where my rightfull discharge is to be.

I acknowledge to have recd. under the Deck from you, Mr. Peter Doscher, junr.

M.R. Fifty pipes of wine

V.P. Thirty pipes of wine, all Dry and well conditioned and marked as in the Margent, all which I promise to deliver if G.o.d Grants me a Safe Voyage with my Ship at Curacao aforesaid, to Mr. Mestre, and In absence to Messrs. Rodier and Lecier, or to his Factor or Deputy, paying me for the freight thereof according to agreemt., with avaridge according to the Custom of the Sea, and to fulfill what is aforsaid, I bind my Selfe, all my goods, and my said Ship, with all her apparell. In testimony whereof I have Sign'd 4 Bills of Lading with my name, or my Clerk in my behalf, all of one tenour, one whereof being fullfil'd the other to Stand void. written in Sta. Crux upon the Island Theneriffe the 16th Xber 1740.

Insides and Contents unknown.

JAN MILIDONY.

The Translation of the Substance of 2 other Bills of Lading viz--

1st.

1. DCN. 18 pipes Vidonio wines of the outward marks.[19]

2. C M. 5 pipes Malvasia wines in whole pipes 2 half pipes 3. C M. and 4 quarter Casks the residue Z. 1 Bag of venice Thread b.u.t.tons 2 quarter cask Vidonio of the first mark 1 Bar'l. of Raisons and figs 8 Distil Stones 60 Stone Mortars 1 Bag of Venice thread b.u.t.tons cont'g 504 gross

All Shipped By Capn. John Milidoni on bourd the Dutch Snow Call'd the _princess of Orange_, whereof he is Mr. and are for his proper Acct.

and Risk, Consigned to himself, in his Absence to Mr. Mastre and in the absence of both to Messrs. Rodier and Le Cire In Curacao.

2d.

DCN. 15 pipes Vidonio wines of the without mark.[19]

DCN. 7-1/2 idem Malvasia wines in 5 whole pipes and 5 half pipes of the without mark.

[Footnote 19: _I.e._, with marks like those here given in the margin.]

All Shipped by Capn. John Milidoni on board the Dutch Snow Called the PRINCESS OF ORANGE whereof he is Mas'r. and for Acct. of the new Company in Venice[21] Consign'd to himselfe, in his absence to Mester, and in the absence of both to Messrs. Rodier and LeCire in Curacao.

[Footnote 21: Not identified.]

5. Translation of Anthony Pereda's Declaration.

Declaration of Anthony Pereda Stower of the first that was loaded on the Ship _Princess of Orange_ for account of Andrew Jayme born in the City of Laguna[21] Eighteen or Twenty Pipes of wine, Secondly Mr.

Stephen Pereda has loaded for his Acct. thirty pipes of wine, born in the City of Laguna I can Swear under my hand 11th of February 1740.

ANTHONY PEREDA.

[Footnote 21: San Cristoval de la Laguna, an old town on Teneriffe, four miles inland from Santa Cruz.]

6. Translation of a Spanish paper Signed by The Spanish Seaman.

This we write to Declare that the Snow called the _Princess of Orange_ and the Cargoe belongs in truth to the Spainish Merchants, and the Dutch Pa.s.s and Colours were only for a pretext in the affair; for which we have Set our names in testimony of the Truth upon Oath declaring to be forced neither by the Capn. nor any of the officers nor by imprisonment, one the contrary have been well used. Eleventh of February 1740.

GASPAR FAJARDO.

JOHN GONSALES YANES.

VINCENT ANTONIO.

FRANCIS RODRIGUES.

FRANCIS TABIEL.