long time as shall be nessesarie, for Confirmation of w'ch I commanded this letter Pattent to bee past, signed and sealed with the great seale of my Armes. Given in the Cittie of Lisbone the tenth day of february. Written by Antonio Marques In the Yeare of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ one thousand six hundred fifty Eightt. Diogo Ferres Bravo Caused itt to bee written. Queene.[2] And because said Charles de Bills Presen[t]inge himselfe before mee, Declareinge hee had lost said patent, desireinge mee to favour him to Command to passe him Another With safety [?] I commanded itt to bee past him outt of the Register Booke, W'ch Is the same declared above. given in lisbone the tenth of September six hundred sixty two.
frances Pereira da cunha caused itt to bee written.
(Sealed with
the Armes
of portugall.)
The King.[2]
The Patent by w'ch your Mag'tie was pleased to nominate Charles de Bils for captaine of a warr shipp of One Hundred tonnes, w'ch hee offerred to furnish att his owne Cost with such Boates as hee shall thinke nessesarie and to provide them with Gunnes, People, Ammunitions, and victuals that hee thinks needfull. Reformed. By Your Mag'tie.
[1] Mass. Archives, vol. 60, p. 215. A copy of the Portuguese original is in the archives, as well as this rough translation. The dates are new style. The grantor was King Alfonso VI., brother of Catharine of Braganza, queen of England from 1662 to 1685. War with Spain had continued since the Portuguese revolt of 1640. This series of papers shows well to what abuses the whole system of letters of marque was open. For an English commission, of later date (1741), see doc. no. 144.
[2] When the original commission was issued the king was a minor, and it was signed by his mother the queen regent, Donha Luiza; but in June, 1662, by a palace revolution, King Alfonso assumed authority.
15. Commission from de Bils to John Douglas. September 20 (N.S.), 1662. [1]
By his mag'ties decree of the tenth of october 657, And Dispach of the counsell of the 8th of september 662. Itt Is Registred In the 22 Booke of the s[ecre]taria of Warr, fol. 72.
Wee, Charles de Bils, Captaine by the King our Lord, by virtue of my fore written Patent, Sealed with The great Seale and Signed by his mag'tie, Constitute and doe Constitute D. John Duglas for Commander of my shipp Called st. John In my name and as if I were Personally Presentt to make Warr With the Enimies of this Crowne of Portugall, Accordingly And in the same manner as it Is declared In my Patent, for Effectinge of W'ch I grant to the said my Constituted all the Powers to mee granted, for Confirmacion of w'ch I deliver him this my Patent signed with my hand and Sealed with the seale of my Armes. made In lisbone the twentieth of september one thousand Six hundred sixty two.
Charles de Bils.
Wee the under written doe testyfie that the Aboves'd and what is Conteyned on the other Side[2] is a true translation of a Comission Graunted by the Queene of Portugall and afterwards Confirmed by the King of that Country unto Charles de Bills and afterwards Assigned over by Sayd Charles de Bills unto Capt. John Duglas as witnes our hands
Aug't the 15th 1664.[3]
Edmund Downer.
William Tailer.
John Ford.
[1] Mass. Archives, vol. 60, p. 216.
[3] Old style, presumably.
16. Deposition of William Browne. June 24, 1664. [1]
The deposicion of William Browne, passenger with Mr. Robert Cooke, in the Blow Dove, and now prisoner aboard Capt. Jno. Dowglass:
That when hee was demaunded of the said Capt. John Dowglass where the said Shipp did belong unto, that the said William Browne did saye that hee heard the Mr. say severall times, that the said Shipp did belong unto Amsterdam, and that the said Shipp was bound for Amsterdam, and that most of the company[2] were Scotts:
2ly. That the said William Browne did see when a Jewe did shipp aboarde some goods,[3] and that a Jewe did marke it, and that a Jewe did dispose of the goods which the Shipp brought from Holland and that Jewes name was Isaac Cardozo, and that after the Shipp was taken it was the Mr.'s desire for to bee put ashoare, and his company likewise, for the Mr. of the said Shipp was wounded and the Capt., meeting with a vessell bound for Port Royall in Jameka, did graunt leave to the said Mr. and most of his company for to goe in her for the said Port: as witness my hand this 24. of June 1664:
Taken uppon Oath this 12. of July 1664 in Portsmouth, in Pascatayvay River, in Newe-England, in America; before mee
Brian Pendleton,[4] Comisioner.
[1] Mass. Archives, vol. 60, p. 218a.
[2] Crew.
[3] At Port Royal, Jamaica. The Blue Dove was taken between Jamaica and Hispaniola, while sailing for Amsterdam.
[4] Brian Pendleton was a selectman of Portsmouth, and one of its leading men.
17. Deposition of Marcus Claesz. June 24, 1664. [1]
The deposicion of Markus Claise of Rotterdam borne, passenger in the Blow Dove, when shee was taken, and now prisoner aboarde Capt. John Dowglass.
That when hee was demaunded of the said Capt. John Dowglass where the Shipp did belong unto, that hee the said Markus Claise did say that the said Shipp did belong unto Amsterdam, and that the Shipp was bound for Amsterdam when shee was taken, and that the Jewes were aboarde before wee set saile, and that most of the Company were Scotts, and after that the said Shipp was taken that the Mr., Robert Cooke, and most of his company did desire of the Capt. to goe ashoare uppon Jameka, and the Capt. meeting with a Barke bound for Port Royall in Jameka did graunt them leave, according
