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  2. Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 11, 1681-1685...
  3. America and West Indies: January 1684

America and West Indies: January 1684

Pages 573-581

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 11, 1681-1685. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1898.

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Citation:

January 1684

Jan. 1.
Nevis.		 1497. Deposition of Roger Elrington. Was at St. Thomas about five weeks since, and in company with Governor Esmit; the latter said that the order sent by the King of Denmark with reference to the New England sloop brought in by pirates was only a blank filled up by Prince George, and that the King knew nothing of it, for that he always leaves blanks, and trusts to Prince George and others of his Court. Esmit said further that he was sorry he let all the gold go out of the port, but that he hoped to have another vessel in shortly and so save himself. Sworn before Sir William Stapleton, 1st January 1683/4. Signed, Roger Elrington. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 1.]
Jan. 3. 1498. Affidavit of Elias Andrews, commander of the ship Fountain of London. That Captain Poyntz and his three servants have taken a passage in his ship, having no interest in her, and that he was not aware that Captain Poyntz designed to form a settlement at Tobago. Sworn before George Nicholas. 1 p. Endorsed. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 2.]
Jan. 8. 1499. Memorandum of Lords of Trade and Plantations. The appeal of George Walton was fixed for this day, and the defendants attended accordingly, but the appellants did not appear. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. CVII., p. 255.]
Jan. 9. 1500. Order of the King in Council. The Lords having reported that Mr. Hanson's reply to Sir Richard Dutton's defence against the articles exhibited against him is unsatisfactory, ordered that Mr. Hanson be left to take his course at common law against Sir Richard. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. VII., p. 215.]
Jan. 9.
Barbados.		 1501. Sir John Witham to Lords of Trade and Plantations. Forwarding the book of Acts and copies of the Council and Assembly books. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. VII., p. 233.]
Jan. 11.
Port Royal.		 1502. Deposition of Henry Archbold. Vindicating Sir Henry Morgan against the charge of having cursed the Assembly, and impeaching the evidence of Major Samuel Bache against Sir Henry. Certified by Thomas Ballard. 1 p. Endorsed. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 3.]
Jan. 11.
Port Royal.		 1503. Deposition of Roger Elletson respecting the riots at the Point. Denying that he was one of those who under Sir Henry Morgan's encouragement disturbed the peace, and complaining of the hardships that he had sustained in consequence of being suspected to be such. Certified by Thomas Ballard. 1½ pp. Endorsed. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 4.]
Jan. 13.
Nevis.		 1504. Sir William Stapleton to Lords of Trade and Plantations. Having received frequent complaints of the villainy of the Governor of St. Thomas, I beseech you to read the annexed depositions, and, if you think fit, to move His Majesty to ask satisfaction against the King of Denmark's Governor for fitting out a pirate, George Bond, receiving his captures, and protecting all the robbers, English subjects, whom I have often and lately demanded. A vessel taken from a Dutchman at Surinam and sent by Bond to St. Thomas was brought in here, but her cargo was landed at St. Thomas and the vessel bought by Governor Esmit of the pirates for an ounce of gold to each. She was taken last at Beef Island, near St. Thomas, to which and to all the Virgin Islands this pirate-Governor pretends a right, by a new commission from the King of Denmark, as he says. I beg your attention to his letter to my deputy at Tortola, whom I have ordered to assert the King's right to the Virgin Islands except St. Thomas. Pray observe also Esmit's reflections on the King and Prince George in Mr. Elrington's deposition (see No. 1497). My lords, there is no safe trading to or from these parts until that receptacle of thieves and sea-robbers be reduced or that Governor hanged who so openly protects them. I should have visited that squire before now to assert the King's right to the Virgin Islands had I a vessel to transport me. I await Captain Carlile in the Francis, who, by what casualty I know not, is gone to the Cape de Verdes. Signed, Wm. Stapleton. Holograph. 1 p. Endorsed. Recd. 15 April 1684. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 5, and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XLVII., pp. 116, 117.]
Jan. 15.
Great Island.		 1505. Extract from Minutes of Council of New Hampshire. The Assembly having refused to pass any Bill for the support of the Government, it is ordered by the Governor and Council that a Committee of Council examine the accounts to see what taxes have been raised formerly, that they may be continued according to the King's Commission to the Governor. Signed, R. Chamberlain. 1 p. Endorsed. Recd. May 13. Read 10 June 1684. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 6.]
Jan. 15. 1506. Minutes of Council of Jamaica. Assembly to be prorogued to 10th May. The Assembly was then summoned, when Captain Henry Archbold complained that on the 11th instant he had been affronted and kept on the guard all night by Lieutenant Snagg, the Captain of the Guard at Port Royal. The Governor ordered Colonel Molesworth to hold a court-martial. New writs were issued for Vere and St. Elizabeths. Being asked whether they desired anything further the Assembly mentioned their petition for the supply of negroes, on which, having received assurance, they were prorogued to 10th May. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXXVI., pp. 32–34.]
Jan. 15.
Custom House.		 1507. Commissioners of Customs to Lords of the Treasury. As to the ship Fountain (see No. 1498), she is stopped by a warrant from the Admiralty of 15th December, and her master has sworn that he knows nothing of the intended settlement at Tobago. Captain Poyntz has also written a paper saying that he has received a grant of 120,000 acres of land in Tobago from the Duke of Courland, that the King raised no objection to his making a settlement, and that he was therefore embarking for the Island. But what papers were addressed by Poyntz and what the King's decision was we know not, so can give no opinion on the matter Signed, Ch. Cheyne, W. Butler, And. Newport, G. Downing. 3½ pp. Endorsed. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 7.]
Jan. 16.
New Hampshire.		 1508. Governor Cranfield to Lords of Trade and Plantations. Since my last I have, by the advice of the Council, called an Assembly, which met on the 14th instant, the Council being of opinion that they had had time enough to see the errors and omissions of the last Assembly. But, far from answering these expectations, they have refused to vote any money for the support of the Government, without giving any reason, or to agree to any laws but what were repugnant to the laws of England. I therefore dissolved them without the passing of one Bill. Nor was it reasonable to expect that they would agree to any, being under guardianship of Moody, the minister, and Waldern (whose son was Speaker to both Assemblies), and all declared enemies to Church and State. The place of meeting was remote from their habitations, they all went to advise with them, and then absolutely refused to pass the enclosed and other good Bills. My experience in this small Government plainly discovers no obedience, nor can good be expected upon the regulation of Massachusetts if the Assembly and other men in public trust consist of Congregated Church members, the ministers giving it as doctrine that the oaths of allegiance and supremacy are unlawful in themselves, and disapproved by ministers and elders of the Church. In my opinion it will be absolutely necessary to admit no person into any place of trust but such as take the sacrament, and are conformable to the rites of the Church of England, for others will be so influenced by their ministers as to obstruct the good settlement of the place. As I wrote to you before, I utterly despair of any duty and obedience to the King till their colleges be suppressed and their ministers silenced, for they are enemies not only of the King, but of Christ himself. Of the 4,000 inhabitants of this Colony not above 300 are christened, because their parents are not members of the Congregated Church. I have for sixteen months been persuading the ministers to admit all to sacrament and baptism that were not vicious in their lives, but could not prevail with them. I have, therefore, by the Council's advice, made the enclosed Order. Notwithstanding that they were left in entire possession of their churches, and only required to administer both sacraments according to the liturgy of the Church of England to such as desired them, yet they refuse to do it, and not only understand the liberty of conscience granted in the King's Commission to exempt them from giving the sacrament according to these rites, but make all the inhabitants contribute to their maintenance, while refusing to give them the sacrament or christen their children. If it be not absolutely enjoined here and in the other Colonies that the sacrament is to be administered, there will be perpetual dissensions and a decay of the Christian religion.
Mr. Weare, one of the former Assembly, left privately for England, having first collected money to carry on his own and his party's concerns against Mr. Mason. I do not wonder that they employ him, for he is not only a violent man against Mr. Mason's interest, but one of many that were privy to Gove's treason, but were too powerful for me to cope with here unless I had had strength to countenance my proceedings. I think that the enclosed affidavits will sufficiently prove Mr. Weare's knowledge of the conspiracy. There are several other affidavits to make out that Moody, Captain Vaughan, and Martyn were in Gove's design, but, as none but Weare were going to England, I thought it useless to trouble you with them. The matter sworn against them is this, that two days before he broke out in arms Gove had been with them, and communicated his design of taking the Government out of my hands and killing myself, Mr. Mason and his two sons, Captain Barefoot, Mr. Chamberlain, and all the other rogues (as he termed them) that were of the Church of England. He had, he said, assurance from all the towns that there were but sixteen or seventeen men that would not stand by him, and that they would not meddle on any side; whereupon Gove said that they rejoiced at the good news like men risen from the dead. If Gove be examined upon this, and his consultation with Weare, he will confirm these words used at Dover. After this, Captain Vaughan took him home to his house, where he lodged the night before the rising. For this reason, and for openly making reflections on the King and Council for bringing the quo warranto against the Bostoners as a measure undeservedly severe, I dismissed him the Council.
When this Government was in the hands of Colonel Waldern, Mr. Weare was recommended by him to supply any vacancy in the Council, he being a violent and zealous man of their party. He was therefore selected as fittest to carry to you some plausible complaints about the prosecution of Mr. Mason's title. Whatever he may pretend, the enclosed papers will show Mr. Mason's patience and forbearance before he brought a suit against any of them, and the cautiousness of the Court's proceedings. It was twelve months before any suit was commenced, and after judgment obtained (as appears by enclosed declaration), finding that no appeal was made, Mr. Mason gave them their choice of a hearing before the King and your Lordships, or a new trial in the Courts at Westminster. They declined, and by the advice of Moody and the faction in Boston (who have got possession of a good part of the province), have taken other measures than directed by the King's Commission. The enclosed papers, I doubt not, will satisfy you that no more exception can be taken against the judicial proceedings in Mr. Mason's case than against his title. I have received the King's letter to pardon the rebels that were respited, and have accordingly pardoned all but young Gove and one of Wadleigh's sons, who have carried themselves very indecently. But, indeed, so has the whole province, showing it by their choice of the same Assembly and their pursuit of the old methods. I keep these two in prison to terrify the rest, for I find clemency abused by this disingenuous people. This is a good opportunity to send ministers for the four towns, with an order that the inhabitants shall pay them what they paid to their other ministers, who have left their benefices because they will not give baptism and the sacrament according to the rites of the English Church. And for their encouragement some spiritual promotion may be kept in commendam, that after two or three years they may be relieved. Signed, Edw. Cranfield. 3½ pp. Endorsed. Recd. May 13. Read 11 June '84. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol.LXVII., pp. 102½107, and Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 8.] Annexed,
1508. I. Order of the Governor and Council. Empowering the Court to fix the sum and security of appellants in case of appeals. Signed, Rich. Chamberlain. Dated 5th December 1683. ½ p. Endorsed. Recd. 13 May '84.
1508. II. Declaration of Robert Mason for new trial of his cause with inhabitants of New Hampshire at Westminster Hall. Dated 5th December 1683. Orders of the Court and of the Governor thereupon. Dated 6th December 1683. 1p. Endorsed. Recd. May 13. Presented 10 June '84.
1508. III. Order of the Governor in Council. For the admission of all persons, not vicious or scandalous, to the sacrament and to baptism of their children. Dated 10th December 1683. Endorsed. Recd. 26 Mar. '84. Read 11 June '84. 1 p.
1508. IV. Duplicate of foregoing. Undated and unendorsed.
1508. V. Proclamation for calling an Assembly. Dated 24th December 1683. Endorsed as No. II. 1 p.
1508. VI. Deposition of Robert Elliott, to the effect that Gove informed Nathaniel Weare of his intended rebellion. Sworn before Richard Chamberlain, 19th January 1683/4. Scrap. Endorsed. Recd. 13 May 1684.
1508. VII. Deposition of Joseph Rayn to same effect. Sworn as foregoing. Same date and endorsement.
1508. VIII. Deposition of Robert Mason to same effect. Sworn as the foregoing. Same date and endorsement.
1508. IX. Deposition of Nathaniel Fryer to same effect. Same date and endorsement.
1508. X. Certificate of Richard Chamberlain, that in the several trials of Richard Waldern and others with Robert Mason for title of lands, every one of the defendants excepted against the whole jury in order that there should be no trial, though the said jury was impartially chosen. Not one of the defendants offered any evidence or showed any title. Dated 19th January 168¾. Scrap. Same endorsement.
1508. XI. Declaration of the Governor, in consequence of the complaint of Robert Mason that few people had come to take their titles from him, that unless they come to an agreement with him within a month their refusal will be reported to the King, in order that Mason may be discharged of all obligations. Dated 19th February 1682. Certified by Richard Chamberlain. ½ p. Endorsed. Recd. May 13 '84. Presented 10 June '84.
1508. XII. A Bill for raising revenue for fortifications and expenses of government. Evidently that which the Assembly rejected. Subscribed, Passed the Council. Signed, R. Chamberlain, 1½ pp. Endorsed as the preceding. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., Nos. 8I.½XII.]
Jan. 19. 1509. A Relation of the capture of Providence by the Spaniards. On Saturday, 19th January, about 3 o'clock, Juan de Larco with two hundred and fifty Spaniards came down the harbour and landed at Captain Clarke's, half a mile to east of Charlestown. Captain Clarke being out of doors near the waterside, some men in ambush shot him through the thigh and cut his arms with a cutlass, and then they marched away with all haste to the town, firing into some houses as they went. Meantime the Spaniards boarded a pink in the harbour, and hearing the sound of their shot and seeing the flash I ordered a great gun at my door to be fired, to give the alarm. But before it could be loaded the Spaniards were firing into the house, and I slipped out of the back door into the garden. A volley whistled past my head and we fled to the woods behind the town, where several women and some men (but only one of them armed) were already come. Not knowing what had happened, we waited till evening, when going towards the town we learned that the Spaniards were gone, and gradually assembled twenty men armed and unarmed, who told us that some of them had ambuscaded the Spaniards, killed one, and wounded more. I kept watch that night with all the people, and next day we brought in the people from the woods, but the town was miserably plundered. Some of the Spaniards' prisoners, who escaped, told us that they had a commission from the Governor of Havana, and that it was a return for Vera Cruz, adding that I had granted commissions of that kind. But a letter of mine to one of the prisoners captured by the Spaniards was shown to them, which forbade all English to join in an attack which I had heard was designed on St. Augustine, and proved my innocence. Signed, R. Lilburne. Copy. 3 pp. Endorsed. Recd. 21 May '84. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 9.]
[Jan. 22.] 1510. Petition of Robert Forth, foreman, and seven others of the jury at the coroner's inquest held on the body of Edward Flood, to Sir Thomas Lynch. Complaining of irregularity in the choice of the jury, of the browbeating of witnesses by Captain Musgrave, of the withholding of all but garbled depositions from them, and of the refusal to let them examine witnesses. 1p. Endorsed, with the names of the jurors. Recd. from Sir Tho. Lynch. 22 Jan. 1683/4. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 10.]
[Jan. 22.]
Barbaods.		 1511. The Council of Barbados to Lords of Trade and Plantations. Transmitting quarterly return of proceeding of Council and of imports. Signed, Jno. Witham, Fran. Bond, Richard Howell, Edwyn Stede, Tim. Thornhill, Tho. Walrond. 1 p. Endorsed. Recd. 15 May 1684. Much damaged, one signature undecipherable. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 11, and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. VII., p. 242.]
[Jan. 22.] 1512. Journal of Lords of Trade and Plantations. Draft of an Act concerning negroes to be imported into Jamaica, prepared by the Royal African Company, was presented. Agreed that the time during which the planter is to prove himself possessed of his negroes be limited to three months. Ordered that copy of the draft be sent to the Agents of Jamaica, with notice that if they do not approve thereof so as to recommend it to the Assembly of Jamaica, the King will enforce Order in Council of 12th November 1680, repeal the Act lately made in Jamaica, and discharge the Company of its obligations.
Order in Council concerning the appeal of George Walton read. Agreed to recommend that the appeal be dismissed.
Sir Richard Dutton attended. Agreed to recommend, ou his suggestion, that Sir John Witham have the first place in the Council of Barbados. The question whether the Custos Rotulorum shall be appointed by the Governor or whether the place be filled by the first Councillor, to be left to His Majesty's determination.
Memorandum of accounts signed, and despatches sent and received. [Col. Entry Bks., Vol. CVII., pp. 256–261, and (Barbados only) Vol. VII., p. 245.]
Jan.22.
Council
Chamber.		 1513. Report of Lords of Trade and Plantations to the King. On the appeal of George Walton and Walter Barefoot (see No. 1221), we recommend that the appeal be dismissed, and the judgment given in New England confirmed, the appellants having failed to appear before us. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LXVII., p. 99.]
Jan.22. 1514. Form of a warrant to be prepared for Sir John Hoskins, Baronet, granting him certain uninhabited islands in the Atlantic, called Trinidad, Ascension, di Martin Vaz, and others. 2 pp. Draft. Endorsed. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 12.]
Jan.22. 1515. Notes for the foregoing warrant. A few lines. Endorsed. Recd. 22 Jan. 168¾ [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 13.]
Jan.22. 1516. Another draft of the warrant. ¾ p. Endorsed as the foregoing. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 14.]
Jan.22. 1517. Minutes of Council of Barbados. Order for payment of rebate of duty on sixty-six pipes of Madeira to Major Jehu Johnson.
Jan.23. On petition of Francis Chamberlain, gunner at Hole Fort, ordered that he be paid the year's salary due to him. The case of Robert Stepney, committed on the complaint of Mons. de Saint Laurens for attacking a French sloop at sea, considered. Ordered that he be liberated on entering into recognisances, himself in 500l., and two sureties in 250l. each. Adjourned to 20th February. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XI., pp. 507–509.]
Jan.23. 1518. Order of the King in Council. That no appeals to the Board from the Plantations be admitted for the future until security be given by the appellants to prosecute their appeals effectually and accept the King's award. Signed, Phi. Lloyd. 1 p. Endorsed. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 15, and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XOVII., p. 101.]
Jan.23. 1519. William Blathwayt to Sir John Hoskins. Asking for a draft of a patent for the grant of Ascension and other Islands. Draft. Endorsed. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 16.]
Jan.26.
St. Christophers.		 1520. Address of the Deputy Governor, Council, and Representatives of St. Christophers to the King. We beg you to accept a late but hearty tender of our duty from us. who "casting a speculative optic on the black and hellish designs of that vast number of bloody miscreants and king-killing men against your sacred person," pray ever for your safety. With the widow, we cast in our loyal mite, casting our lives and fortunes at your feet, & c. Signed, Thomas Hill.
Assembly.
Abraham Payn. Zachary Rice.
Samuel Crosse. Nicholas Taylor.
Richard Godwin. William Woddrop.
Richard Gay. Samuel Okes.
Veare Atkinson. Charles Everard.
Richard Phillips. Henry Willett.
Council.
John Pogson. John Estridge.
Charles Mathew. Roger Elrington.
William Willett. Joseph Crisp.
John Vickers. James Phipps.
J. Rodeney. Ralph Willett.
1p. Endorsed. Recd. May 7, '84. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 17, and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XLVII., pp. 136, 137.]
[Jan. 26.] 1521. Petition of Mounteney Bunckley to the King. Praying for the estate of the late Governor Bunckley of Antigua in that Island, to which he is entitled as next-of-kin, but which has been taken by a niece of the late Governor and made over to another party. The Attorney General's opinion in the case, dated26th January, appears on the following page. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XCIX., p. 289.]
Jan. 29.
Nevis.		 1522. Commission from Sir William Stapleton to Bartholomew Sharpe to take and apprehend savage Indians and pirates. Copy. Endorsed. Recd. from Jamaica 16 May '84 [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 18.]
Jan. 29.
Nevis.		 1523. Sir William Stapleton to Captain Freeman. I have seen your letter to Charles Mathews, "wherein I find your intolerable abuses in taxing me with lies and injustice. Were I near you I would dash your teeth and your words down your throat, but forbear at so great a distance, else I do not question to have those there that will correct your insolence and ingratitude. Your caballing to draw articles with others I mind not; do your worst; you and they will be the first that will repent their actings against me, for I never yet gave any just cause of complaint to any. I now defy you or any of the cabal you keep to make anything of injustice or force, or your pretended act to be of my making." Extract, copied. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIII., No. 19.]