to theire desire, to goe in her to the aforesaid Port at Jameka: as witnes my hand this 24. day of June 1664.
Taken uppon Oath this 12. of July 1664 in Pascatayvay River, in Newe-England, in America, before mee:
Brian Pendleton,
Comisioner.
[1] Mass. Archives, vol. 60. p. 218.
18. Deposition of Bartholomew Martin. June 24, 1664. [1]
The deposicion of Bartholomewe Martin, Spaniard, passenger and now aboarde of Capt. John Dowglass:
That when hee was demaunded of the said Capt. John Dowglass whither hee knewe if the Shipp did belong unto the Jewes, hee answered that hee heard Isaac Cardozo a Jewe tell him privately that the Shipp did belong unto his father in Amsterdam, and that shee was Assigned unto him by his father from Amsterdam, and that the said Bartholomewe Martin did see the Jewes bring Quicksilver, and that hee knowes it is the same which was taken in the Blew Dove: as witness my hand this 24. day 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,
Comisioner.
[1] Mass. Archives, vol. 60, p. 217a.
19. Commission to James Oliver and Others. July 16, 1664. [1]
Being Credibly Informed of the Arrivall of a ship at Piscatage manned with persons who have Given just cause of suspition and are suspected to have seazed the said ship in a way of piracy or in a undue and Illegall manner, Now that his Maj'ty may have his rights and dues preserved, his Good Subjects the Right owners and proprietors of ship and Goods releived wht [without] any such violent seizures
These are therefore in his Maj'tys name to Authorize and Require yow, Capt. James Olliver, Capt. Edward Hutchinson, upon Receipt hereof forth with to repaire to the sd River of piscatage and there to Apply yourselves to Capt. Brian pendleton and mr. Richard Cutts, who are hereby Alike Authorized and Joyned in Comission with yow, who together or any three of yow are hereby Impowred and Required to make seazure of the Comander, officers and Company of the said ship, whither in piscatage River or in any other Harbor, port or place within this Jurisdiction, in Case they shall Refuse to submitt themselves to your comand Relating to a due triall, to secure the said ship and Goods, and having so secured them yow are to Convey the said persons, shipp and Goods to Boston, that so a due proceeding may be had and made therein according to law and Justice, And that yow may be fully enabled to dischardg the trust here Comitted to yow, All officers and Comanders both by land and sea, in those parts, are hereby required in his Maj'tys name on your warrant and order to be ayding and Assisting to you therein, for wch this shall be your and their Warrant.
Given Under our hands, with the seale of the Colony hereto Affixed, at Boston in N E. this 16th day of July 1664.
R B D. F W.
[1] Mass. Archives, vol. 60, p. 220. Of the persons commissioned, Oliver was a prominent merchant in Boston; Hutchinson was a son of Anne Hutchinson, and was killed in King Philip's War; Pendleton and Cutts were selectmen of Portsmouth. The signatures are those of "Richard Bellingham, Deputy" (Governor), and Francis Willoughby of the Court of Assistants; see document 27. Four days later, July 20, 1664, Samuel Maverick, coming out from England as one of the four commissioners to regulate New England, writes to Capt. Thomas Breedon from Portsmouth, "It hapned, that as wee were ready to come in, There went out from hence a Pinck [small ship with narrow stern], taken as a prize by a ship of Jamaica, but by authority from the Governor of the Massachusetts, the prize was as I understand seized upon and those that first took her, secured as prisoners by Capt. Oliver, and carryed for Boston," and he remonstrates against this as a usurpation of the commissioners' authority. N.Y. Col. Doc., III. 65.
20. Deposition of Daniel Sprague. July (?), 1664. [1]
I, Danell Sprage,
when I wasse Cleer and my wages paid me I Could get noe imployment nor passage, not in three weeks time that I lay there, to goe to the windward Ilands. then I thought good to goe as to Cammanus,[2] to se if I Could get passage their, and I saild with one Captaine Hermon towards the Cammanus, and as wee Came to An iland Called Camman-bricke,[3] their lay Captaine John Duglasse at Anker. he sent his boate abord of us to heer what newse from Jemecoe, and we Asked of them wether they weare bound. the quarter Maistor Answered and said, wee be bound to the windword Ilands. I Asked of them weither I Could have passage with them or noe, and hee saide, "I,[4] and wellcome". then I went Abord with my Chest and Clothes and I staid aboard all the night and Could not speake with the Captaine, but the nixt Mornin as soon as it wasse day I spoke with the Captaine. I desired of the Captaine wether he wasse bound and he told me he wasse looking out for A shipe that Came from Amsterdam in holland to Jemecoe, Called the blew dove, and said, "if I Could meet with her she is A good prise for me. I have beene ten or tewlve dayes aseeking after her and Cannot light of her, but if I Can light of her she is Aprise for me. I have the king of Portugalls Commishon". I, danell Sprage, [said] unto Captaine John duglasse, "without your Commishon be very firme and that you be sure you Can Make a prise of her I desire you not to Come neer her, for I know what the ship is and Came out of holland in her". he Answered and said if I would goe a longe with him he would beare me out in all damages that shuld follow or insue upon me Conserning takeing of the prise. then the shipe which I Came from Jemecoe in wasse gon from the Iland over to the Cammanus and their wasse noe other shipe left but only Captaine John Duglasse. I said unto Captaine John Duglasse, "shuld I goe with you, and you shuld Come up with this shipe and take her, and the Company seeing of me they will say that I have been at the Cammanus and have fetched A shipe one purpose to Make a prise of them". Captaine Duglass Answered and said that "I and my Company Can testifie to the Contrarie and as far as my Commishon and my life doth goe I will beare you out Against all them that shall qushton you as Conserning the takeing of this shipe: I am Captaine and I have taken her with my Commishon and I will Answer it".
thes be the men that Can testifie that they weare ten or twelve dayes out in the pursuite after thes ship be fore I Came to them: and have heer unto set their hands.
the Marke of william gibens. W John Hill. * the Marke of Cline the Dutchman. Thomas Huckens is Marke.  |
These be the two witnesses wich Can Justifie that I did desire the Capt. that, without his Comemishon where[5] sure, not to medle with the ship. The Marke of danell harress.  |
