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July 22.
Boston. |
654. Minutes of Council of Massachusetts Bay. The L.G. acquainted the Board that he had received a letter from Capt. Samuel Mason of Stonington by order of the Governor and Council of Connecticot, importing that they, having advice several ways that the Indians of Pennicook designed to fall upon the Mohegins,
had thereupon thought it necessary to signify to the Pennicooks that if the Mohegins or any other of the friend Indians have any ways wronged them, the Government, upon application to them made, would see them righted, but if without such means used, they should make an inroad upon their friend Indians, they must and should defend them, and requesting that their Resolution might be made known to the Pennicooks. Advised, that the L.G. send his order to George Tohanto and Wattanuman, the two principal Indians of Pennicook, requiring them forthwith to come to Boston and attend his Honour and Council and to bring with them Nenequabin and some of the principal Indians, late of Woodstock ; and that the said order be enclosed in a letter to Major Tyng, by him to be forwarded unto the Pennecooks. |
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Major Jonathan Tyng's account for disbursements in fetching the Pennecook Indians to Boston in Feb. last to attend Lord Bellomont paid. |
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Capt. Josiah Chapin and Lt. Samuel Read of Mendon for soldiers' transport to Woodstock paid. [Board of Trade. Massachusetts Bay, 2. pp. 1, 2.] |
| July 23. |
655. Copy of the establishment of the Four Companies of Foot at New York, from April 25, 1700. Total, 19l. 8s. 8d. per diem. Endorsed, Recd. from Mr. Champante, 23rd July, 1700. ½ p. [Board of Trade. New York, 10. No. 19 ; and 54. p. 280.] |
| July 23. |
656. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Mr. Russell, partner to Sir Barth. Gracedieu, attending, acquainted their Lordships that, he having been many years versed in the pitch and tar trade, had found that there comes of late as good tar from New England as from Russia or Stockholm ; but that the tar made in Virginia is hot, like that of Courland, though he believes, if they had the right method of making it there, it might be as good as the other ; that the art of making rosin has of late years been much improved in New England, so that what is now brought from thence is as good as what (is) made in France, though he observed also that the New England turpentine, out of which rosin is made, has not the body of French turpentine ; that the price of Stockholm tar is now about 12l. per last, and Stockholm pitch about 15l. 10s. Last year there were about 2,000 last of pitch and tar imported from the several ports in the East Country, but little from Russia. This year 'tis expected there will 1,000 last be imported from Russia. |
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Captain Long acquainted the Board that he had seen an insinuating letter from a certain Spanish Friar, the original whereof he said is in Mr. Secretary Vernon's hands, to the Mosquito Indians at Cape Gracia Dios, who have been many years very friendly to the English, and is thereby inclined to believe the Spaniards are designing to settle amongst them, and will then block up the entrance of that river, which he thinks the Governor of Jamaica should be directed to take some care to prevent. Their Lordships again took into consideration the Instructions to be prepared for Capt. Bennet. |
| July 24. |
Capt. Bennet's Instructions ordered to be inscribed fair. |
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Letter from Mr. Sansom, July 17, with a draught of Instructions enclosed, which the Commissioners of the Customs offer as proper for Capt. Bennet, read. Being found to be much the same as those formerly approved by His Majesty, ordered that they be transcribed fair, in order to be laid before the Lords Justices, together with Captain Bennet's Commission and other Instructions. |
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Order of Council, April 4, confirming Robert Watters as a member of Council of New York, read. |
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Order of Council, June 13th, with Mr. Attorney General's report, June 19th, upon the security required from Capt. Haskit, read. |
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Order of Council, June 27th, declaring His Majesty's approval of Capt. Hasket's appointment as Governor of the Bahama Islands, read. |
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Order of Council, June 20th, upon a representation of the Board about seizing the Beckford Galley, read. |
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Order of Council, July 18th, directing this Board to require the respective Governors of His Majesty's Plantations to transmit an account in the most particular manner of the method of proceedings upon trials of all sorts of causes in the several Courts in those parts, read. Letters ordered to be prepared accordingly. Letter from Mr. Yard, July 10th, desiring the Board to lay before the Lords Justices an account of what the Earl of Bellomont has writ about preserving the King's timber in the Plantations, with such further observations as their Lordships think fit for effecting the same, read. Ordered that a report upon that subject be joined to the report already under consideration relating to the security of the Plantations and the producing Naval Stores there. |
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Two letters from Sir Wm. Beeston, April 20th and May 3rd, read. Copies of the papers relating to the Jews in Jamaica, enclosed in the latter, ordered to be sent to Mr. Secretary Vernon with a letter. [Board of Trade. Journal, 13. pp. 118–123; and 97. Nos. 127, 128.] |
July 25.
Whitehall. |
657. Council of Trade and Plantations to Mr. Secretary Vernon. Enclosing copies of the Memorial of the Jews of Jamaica and the Governor and Council's reply to it. Signed, Abr. Hill, Geo. Stepney, Mt. Prior. [Board of Trade. Jamaica, 57. pp. 90, 91.] |
July 25.
Whitehall. |
658. Order of Lords Justices in Council, referring to the Council of Trade and Plantations the enclosed petition for their report, what they conceive may be fitly done thereupon. Signed, John Povey. Endorsed, Recd. Read July 30th, 1700. ½ p. Enclosed, |
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658. i. Petition of John Cole, in behalf of himself and divers inhabitants of St. Christopher's to their Excellencies, the Lords Justices of England, against James Norton, Lieutenant Governor. On Oct. 31, 1699, Governor Norton issued his warrant to David Lloyd, Deputy Provost Marshal to take John Cole into custody and imprison him in His Majesty's Fort, ordering him not to take bail. Lloyd admitted him to bail, the crime charged upon him being by law bailable. The
Lieutenant Governor thereupon committed Lloyd to prison without bail, refusing him his Habeas Corpus. He also committed to prison Jeddediah Hutchinson, Speaker of the Assembly, and denied him bail, though the crime alleged was bailable. He has openly declared that he would govern the people by his sword and cane, which he frequently puts into practice. He reproached and called the gentlemen of the Assembly rascals, villains, rebels and traitors [for no other] reason, as they can judge, but for that they [would not] countenance his arbitrary proceedings, and, [?because] they demanded of him in Council who were the persons he so reproached, he dissolved the Assembly the same day, July 31st, 1699, to the great obstruction of the public business. He forced David Lloyd to enter the house of one Devill and take from him 30 pieces of eight, to satisfy the unreasonable demand of a French surgeon, although no judgment had been given against him in any Court of Law. In his own person he arrested a subject of His Majesty residing in the French part of the island, under pretence of piracy, and took from him all his money and gold, even to the buckles of his shirt, and afterwards left him at liberty, so that he made his escape, without any prosecution. He gave letters of administration to Thomas Bisse on the goods of Tho. Bisse, deceased, as dying intestate, though it was made known to him that a will duly executed by the testator was in being. He hath levied money upon the subjects of England without any law to warrant the same, and particularly for licences to marry and for the clearance of vessels to sail, when they have only touched at the island to water. Contrary to the Acts of Navigation, he did permit the Master of a Dutch or Danish ship to land on the English part of the island divers negroes and other merchandizes, which were afterwards condemned in His Majesty's Court of Admiralty for the said island. He hath also imported divers merchandizes from the French into the English part of the island in breach of the said laws. It not being possible for your petitioners to make full proof of these matters in England without a Commission directed to fit persons in the island empowering them to make particular enquiry into the premisses, they humbly pray that a Commission may be granted to certain inhabitants to enquire upon oath into the truth of the said complaints and such others of the same nature as shall by your petitioners be exhibited against the Lieutenant Governor, and to report the same unto His Majesty. Copy. 3 pp. [Board of Trade. Leeward Islands, 6. Nos. 76, 76.i. ; and 46. pp. 57–62.] |
July 25.
Whitehall. |
659. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Lords Justices. Col. Codrington being now upon his departure for the Leeward
Islands, we humbly represent that William Burt, Esq., President of the Council of Nevis, not having been named in the list of Councillors appointed for that island by Col. Codrington's Instructions, because of an irregularity which we were informed of in the manner of his admission into that Council, and that, when Col. Codrington shall arrive there, Burt will for that reason be no longer a Councillor, yet considering that by Order of their Excellencies the late Lords Justices, Sept. 29, 1698, upon the late Col. Codrington's death, Burt has been confirmed in the place of President of the Council of Nevis and continues to act accordingly and there being now a vacancy by the death of Samuel Gardner, Esq., we are humbly of opinion that it may be for His Majesty's service that the said Burt be now constituted a Member of Council in the same rank in which he now is, notwithstanding that his name was not inserted in Col. Codrington's Instructions. Signed, Phil. Meadows, Abr. Hill, Geo. Stepney, M. Prior. [Board of Trade. Leeward Islands, 46. pp. 55, 56.] |
| July 25. |
660. John Smith to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Mr. Good and his friends set forth on their discovery of silver mines in Carolina. But owing to the death of Mr. Good at Savana Town, and the opposition of the Governors, Proprietors and those in their interest, as Capt. Moor, this undertaking cannot succeed unless we have sufficient warrant and authority to secure us from the violence of the Government. Of this violence Edward Loughton, a man who has more than 100l. per annum in Charles Town, and Richard Tranter, one of the greatest travellers amongst the Indians, will give evidence. His Majesty granted 600l. to three persons, of which 400l. only has been received. I pray your Lordships to give the remaining 200l. to Loughton and Tranter to buy Indian trading goods, with which I believe the Indians would be well contented, and of what consequence the possession of such treasure as is set in their memorial would be to any other power, there being two French men amongst them, is humbly submitted to your Lordships' great wisdom. Endorsed, Recd. 25th. Read 26th July, 1700. 2 pp. Enclosed, |
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660. i. Edward Loughton and Richard Tranter to the Council of Trade and Plantations, praying for a warrant to secure them together with Jean Couture, John Smith, David Maybank, and Mr. Solomon Legare and Henry Netherton to prosecute the search and development of mines in Carolina, especially those beyond the Appalletea Mountains already prospected by Jean Couture, and also for a grant for their expenses and necessary presents to the Indians through whose territory the expedition will pass. Signed, Edward Loughton, Richard Tranter. 2 pp. |
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660. ii. Jean Couture to the King or the Council of Trade and Plantations. Charles Town, March 22, 1699/1700. Discoursing with Will Good and David Maybanck at Sowana Town in May last, I understood where they were bound in your Majesty's service, in which Mr. Good was unfortunately drowned. I had assisted
them else, had he lived, where your Majesty should have had good satisfaction, for I have taken up 4 pound weight of gold with my own hands. When I returned to Charles Town the Governor put me in prison, but for what I know not, neither did he, but upon suspicion that I had discovered some great riches in my travels. But finding I would not discover any the least trifle of my business, they released me, after making me pay 100l. charges. If your Majesty grant an order that we be not molested, I have obliged myself to go with Messrs. Loughton, Maybanck, Legare and another to the place where I took up the aforesaid gold. Signed, Jean Couture. 1 p. [Board of Trade. Proprieties, 5. Nos. 68, 68.i., ii.] |
| July 25. |
661. Governor Gray to the Marquis d'Amblimont. I have recently received orders from the King of Great Britain, my master, to take care and to assure his rights and claims in the Island of Ste. Alouzie in my Government, and to compel all those established there without his permission to leave the island. Being informed that some subjects of His Most Christian Majesty have recently built some houses with intent to settle there contrary to the rights of the King, my master, and as I desire nothing more than to keep a good understanding and friendship between the subjects of the two crowns, and particularly between your Excellency and myself, I think myself obliged to inform you of this affair, not doubting but that you will take the necessary steps to withdraw the subjects of the King, your master, who are on the said island, and shall be in the future, in order that I may not be put to the necessity of compelling them by disagreeable means contrary to my inclination. Copy. French. 1 p. Enclosed, |
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661. i. Copy of letter from the King to the Governor of Barbados about Sta. Lucia. Same as Cal. America and West Indies, 1699, No. 939.i. 1½ pp. [America and West Indies. Barbados, 456. Nos. 70, 70.i.] |
| July 25. |
662. Minutes of Council of Massachusetts Bay. Accounts of Capt. Edward Sergeant, Joseph Ingolls, Ann Pollard, Aquila Hains and Jonathan Metcalfe, for billeting soldiers, etc., paid. Account of Elizabeth Monk, Tavernkeeper in Boston, for two public dinners on the several days of election of Councillors, May, 1699, and May, 1700, and for billets, paid. |
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Wages of officers and soldiers of the garrison on Castle Island, Nov. 26, 1699–May 26, 1700, paid. |
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Account of Capt. Thomas Rayment and Lieutenant William Rayment and the officers and soldiers that served under them within the county of York last spring, amounting to 162l. 4s. 7d., paid. [Board of Trade. Massachusetts Bay, 2. pp. 2, 3.] |
| July 25. |
663. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Letter to Mr. Secretary Vernon signed and sent. |
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Memorial from Mr. Montagu, the Solicitor, in behalf of some inhabitants of New York, desiring to be heard in opposition
to several Acts of the General Assembly, read. Ordered that he have notice to lay before the Board in writing whatever he has to offer upon that subject. |
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Representation, that Mr. William Burt may be continued in the Council of Nevis, signed. |
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Letter from Mr. Burchet, July 4th, read. |
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Letter from Mr. John Moore, Philadelphia, March 6th, desiring their Lordships' favour that some salary may be appointed him for his service in the place of Advocate in the Admiralty Courts of Pennsylvania and West Jersey, read. Ordered that Col. Nicholson, by whom Moore has been recommended, be referred to what already writ him, Jan. 4th. |
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Three letters from Mr. Randolph, March 11th, 25th, and Carolina, May 16th, read. |
