Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period Part 9

[Footnote 1: Suffolk Court Files, no. 1257, paper 4.]

To the Hon'able the Deputy Governor and Majest's[2] now a.s.sembled in Court.

[Footnote 2: Magistrates, or members of the Court of a.s.sistants.]

Hen. King.

Humbly Recommendeth to your worships candid consideration his present case and Condition, hoping to obtaine your worships Juditious approbation therein, to the end and intent that all persons Conserned and Related to the ship _providence_ of Falmouth, which was taken by a Dutch ship of warr on the 4th instant[3] about 40 Leagues short of the Capes of Virginia and Retaken again by the means and directions of your suppliants, who requeste that your worships will please to Grant orders that your pet.i.tioner and those other seamen belonging to the said ship who were asistant in Retaking her may have their wages according to agreem't, from the time of their being shipt till the said ship _providence_ with her Loading was brought into pascataqua River and there put into the Custody of Mr. Nathaniel Fryar, who is the Correspondant of one of the Owners of said ship with her Cargoe, where she is to Continue till orders from authority or instructions from the proprietors. Boston 30 Apr. 1673. And Your Pet.i.tioner shall Ever Pray.

[Footnote 3: April 4, old style, the style still used by the English in 1673; April 14, new style, the style used by the Dutch, as in doc.u.ment no. 28, above.]

At a Court of a.s.sistants held in Boston on adjourm't, 8 May 1673.

In answer to the pet.i.tion of Henry King in behalf of himself and the six seamen according to their Portlidge bills[4] Given into this Court with their declaration, the Court Judgeth it meete to Grant and order that Mr. Nathaniell Fryer pay them their severall wages, he taking their receipts for the same. Past by the Court, as Attest

EDWARD RAWSON, Secrety.

[Footnote 4: A mariner's portage or portledge was originally his own venture in the ship, in freight or cargo, but by this time "portledge bill" frequently meant merely a list of sailor's claims for wages or allowances.]

_33. Inventory of the Providence. May 5, 1673._[1]

[Footnote 1: Suffolk Court Files, no. 1257, paper 16. In the margin of the original doc.u.ment, each indication of a parcel (such as "a large hhd.") is accompanied by a representation of the monogram or other symbol which the parcel bore as a distinguishing mark.]

An Inventory of the goods and things taken into the custody of Mr.

Nathaniel Fryer that came in the Shipp _Providence_ of Falmouth, of which shipp Mr. Henry King was Mate in a voyage from England to Virgenia but now Master.

_a large hhd._

13 pa. fr. falls[2]

11 pa. pl.[3] shooes 1 wier kage 6 pa. mens wollen hose 12 pa. Irish cloath hose 2 old hatt 2 new shirts 2 p'ces shearge 20 pa. worsted hose 1 p'ce blue linnon 28 1 dito 29 1 dito 44 1 halfe p'ce lockram[4]

3 halfe pound of wt. thread 1 lb. browne thread 1 paper col. filleting 1 paper col. thread about a ld.

1 p'ce sheeting canvas 123 27-1/2 yards dowlas[5]

1 coat } 1 dublet } part worn 2 pa. briches } and oak.u.m to fill up the hhd. that these things were in.

[Footnote 2: French (?) falls; a fall was a collar falling flat around the neck.]

[Footnote 3: Plain.]

[Footnote 4: A linen fabric.]

[Footnote 5: Coa.r.s.e linen.]

_a large hhd._

1 doz. 10 paire mens fr. falls 4 pa. pumps with heeles 2 saddles 7 curb bitts 6 snaffall bitts 1 pa. black head stall and raynes and crupp and breastplate 1 dubble girt 4 halters 1 doz. white raynes and headstalls 6 pa. white stirrup leathers 1 doz. pa. boyes and girles shooes 2 doz. 1/2 mens pl. shooes 1 p'ce kersie no. 1: 26-3/4 1 p'ce dito--2:26 1 p'ce. searge

_a little hhd._

6 large pewter basons 3 large Iron shovels 1 curb bitt 1 side saddle and furniture 2 doz. pa. mens fr. falls 10 pa. mens pl. shooes 2 pa. woodden heele weo.[6] shooes

[Footnote 6: Women's.]

_a little hhd._

40 pa. fr. falls and woodden heele shooes for men and w.

18 pa. mens pl. shooes 2 pa. boyes pl. shooes

_a broad hamper._

5 doz: 1/2 low crowne black hatts

9 reams of paper d.a.m.nified[7]

2 peeces of haire cloath ell wide a small baile of 2 small p'ces of small canvas 1 p'ce ell wide fine canvas in a bundall 1 p'ce Lockram } halfe a peece fine dowlas } in a bundall

[Footnote 7: Damaged.]

_a box._

3 gounds[8]

2 Jasto Corps[9]

4 stuffe coates for men

[Footnote 8: Gowns.]

[Footnote 9: Justaucorps.]

_a box._

2 stuffe vest for boyes 2 boyes little coates 2 childrens coates 2 scarlett parragon[10] coates 2 childes parragon coate 1 boyes coat

[Footnote 10: Double camlet.]

_a box._

5 coates and briches for men 2 weo. Stuffe gounes 2 mens cloakes

_a box._

1 p'ce blue linnon a small parcell dowlas a small parcell lockram 22 small bundles black thread 1 doz. mens white worsted hose, ratt eaten

_a box, the baile in it._

13 peeces blue linnon

_a box._