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1666,
[Jan. 11.]
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1115. The King to the Duke of York. Finding it necessary that
more than ordinary provision be made for the safety of the
Caribbee Islands, &c., it is his Majesty's pleasure that he forthwith give
order that two convenient frigates, well furnished, be sent to Barbadoes
for their security. Draft in Williamson's handwriting.
[Col. Papers, Vol. XX., No. 1.]
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Jan. 11.
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1116. Copy of preceding. [Dom. Entry Bk., Chas. II., Vol. XVII.,
p. 165.]
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Jan. 11.
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1117. Duke of Albemarle to Sec. Lord Arlington. The ships for
the Barbadoes are pitched upon ; his Royal Highness (the Duke of
York) is to give them instructions what to do. Doubts, if Lord
Willoughby be come away, the young man that is his Deputy will
not go through with the business ; and wonders that at such a
time as this Arlington should give Lord Willoughby leave to come
away. [Dom., Chas. II., Vol. CXLIV., No. 96, Cal., p. 199.]
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Jan. 12.
Excise Office,
London.
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1118. Jo. Champante to Joseph Williamson at Oxford. Sends
letters from Surinam, also letter from the Governor of St. Christopher's,
by which he may perceive now there is like to be war with
France, how necessary it is to supply those islands with arms.
Begs he will be instrumental, with Lord Arlington, in getting an
order for the 3,000 firelocks his Majesty promised, and Mr. Willoughby
and himself have so long pressed for. Is informed that his
Majesty has appointed new Governors for Nevis and St. Christopher's,
but hopes the contrary, his Majesty having already given
that power to Lord Willoughby. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. XX.,
No. 2.]
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Jan. 20.
Oxford.
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1119. Warrant to Edward Earl of Clarendon, Lord Chancellor,
to cause Letters Patents to be passed under the Great Seal to the
effect following :—His Majesty grants to Edmund Scarburgh the
office and place of his Majesty's Surveyor-General of the Plantation
of Virginia, with all the fees, profits, and advantages thereunto belonging,
and therewith heretofore usually received and enjoyed.
"Recepi 19 March, 1666." [Privy Seals, 19 Chas. II., No. 366.]
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Jan.
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1120. Mem. of a grant to Edm. Scarborough of the office of
Surveyor of Virginia for life, as Thomas Loving had it. [Dom.,
Chas. II., Vol. CXLVI., No. 81, Cal., p. 226.]
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Jan. 23 to
March 15.
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1121. Journal of the Assembly of Barbadoes. Names of the
Representatives, viz. : Col. Richard Hawkins and Thos. Pargiter for
St. Michael's ; Constant Sylvester and Edward Pye, St. George's ;
Henry Sweete and Henry Wallrond, St. John's ; Capt. John Turner
and John Jennings, St. Philip's ; Maj. Nath. Kingsland and Lt.-Col.
Rich. Buckworth, Christ Church ; Humphrey Hooke and Thos.
Peade, St. Thomas's ; James Wallwyn and Lt.-Col. Jno. Reade, St.
James's ; Ralph Fretwell and John Bawdon, St. Andrew's ; Humphry
Waterman and John Holder, St. Joseph's ; Symon Lambart and
Maj. Sam. Tidcomb, St. Lucy's ; and Col. Richard Baily and Lt.-Col.
Wm. Yeamans, St. Peter's ; John Jennings, Speaker ; and Capt.
Robert Arundell, Clerk. On the indisposition of Governor Lord
Willoughby, the Assembly adjourned to 1st of Feb. The oath then
administered to the Clerk of the Assembly. Feb. 2. Reasons for the
Governor calling this Assembly, viz., to consider the putting the
island into a posture of defence ; reducing the laws to a certainty ;
and the sending addresses to his Majesty. Request of the Assembly
for freedom of debate without prejudice to their persons or estates,
granted. Col. Edm. Reade and Mr. Wardall, of the Council, appointed
to view, with the Assembly, the condition of the forts. They also
viewed the magazine and ammunition, and desired the Governor to
lay before them what he required from them to effect the requisite
defence of the island. Feb. 8. His Excellency desires that the four
seaports be forthwith fortified, and that the laws concerning the
militia be amended and reinforced. In answer to which, the Assembly
conceive that the charges of fortifications should be defrayed out of
the custom of 4½ per cent. given to his Majesty by the Act of 12th
Sept. 1663, but being sensible of the decay of the forts and of the
mean store of ammunition, conclude that the four ports be speedily
fortified, and consent to lend on the security of the customs, such a
sum of sugar as may answer present necessities. And that traders
and artificers may be induced to come to the seaports, it is moved
that the Courts of the several Precincts be held according to former
constitutions ; and the Assembly will forthwith take the laws military
into consideration. Feb. 9. Answer of the Assembly to the
Governor's discourse upon the consideration of the 4½ per cent.
Orders for regulating debates, the penalties being from 12d. to 2s.
sterling. Anyone absent from a sitting above a quarter of an hour
without license to pay 2s. ; the Speaker to keep the chair for three
sittings, and then the House to proceed to a new election. Sixteen
members and the Speaker to make a House for the passing of any
law. Feb. 10. Debate on the Governor's proposal to raise 500,000 lbs.
sugar for public use. The Assembly desire intelligence on the
condition and dangers of this island, and that his Excellency's patent,
the mandamus of June 1660, and his commission to his President and
Council be recorded. Feb. 15. John Jennings again chosen Speaker.
Thos. Kendall to be satisfied for 82l. disbursed for the public. The
Speaker to draw up a letter of thanks to Sir John Colleton for the
guns, &c. by him procured from his Majesty for the public. Feb. 16.
The Assembly desire that his Excellency's commission to the late
President, now in the custody of Lt.-Col. Walrond, be recorded in
the Secretary's office. Feb. 17. A paper sent from his Excellency,
in which he complains of the Assembly insisting upon having all
things pass by papers. Has taken time to consider whether he
should return any answer to their interrogation. The King is not
only their King but their Proprietor, having purchased them by
paying a great sum for this island, on which account his Governor
might have prayed an aid from them in this great war against the
Dutch. Is but a servant and accountable to his Majesty, and dare
not say what the King may think himself obliged to do, but what
the King is obliged to do by the Act of the 4½ per cent. he will as
far as in him lies see performed. Answer of the Assembly : They
declare that they desired the country might know what was needful
for them to do in case his Excellency should not apprehend the
whole public charge was to be defrayed out of the 4½, which they
conceive to exceed "all could be ever meant to be given or asked in
any time by way of aid or otherwise." They conceive they cannot concede
to the demand of 500,000 [lbs. of] sugar, but for ammunition and
repairing the forts, offer to lend on security of the Customs 500,000 lbs.
of sugar, or immediately to raise 300,000 lbs. to be sent off, and the
produce returned in powder and arms to be distributed to the several
parishes. March 15th. The Assembly desire that his Excellency's
Commission, "being the principal of all Records, Acts, Statutes, and
proceeds in this island, and of all matters tending to the security of
their estates transacted since his last arrival," be recorded in the
Secretary's office ; because they do not consider his answer of the
entry of it in the office of Custos Rotulorum to be sufficient ; and
because they do not understand his Excellency's expression "concerning
the reducing the Courts ;" they desire to know "whether they
are returned according to the laws of this island as formerly constituted,"
or otherwise appointed now by his Excellency and Council ;
it being the earnest desire of the Assembly that the Courts may be
settled as formerly they were by law, and that neither that law nor
any other may be destroyed by any Ordinance of his Excellency and
Council. Indorsed, Assembly of Barbadoes, sent to Mr. Farmer.
12 pp. [Col. Papers, Vol. XX., No. 3.]
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1666?
Jan. 24.
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1122. Thomas Kendall to Sec. Lord Arlington. Encloses a letter
from Sir Thos. Modyford : is certain Arlington knows that there are
two men-of-war bound for Barbadoes ; the General tells him they
will depart suddenly ; hopes therefore Arlington will write to Sir
Thos. Modyford by them, for there is often consignment from thence
for Jamaica. By reason of the embargo there are like to go no
ships for that place for a long time. [Dom., Chas. II., Vol. CXLVI.,
No. 21, Cal., p. 218.]
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1666.
[Jan. 29.]
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1123. Petition of Sir William Berkeley on behalf of the colony
of Virginia to the King. Sets forth reasons against a petition
presented to his Majesty for altering the usual way of trade and
commerce with Virginia, which can be no ways advantageous, but
will be most destructive to the future growth of the colony, and
points out the frauds in the customs of tobacco, which at 50s. a
hogshead should amount to 100,000l. sterling. Prays greater burdens
may not be laid upon them than upon other Plantations to whom
ships come at all times of the year. Indorsed, Delivered Jany 29,
1665(-6). 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. XX., No. 4.]
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Jan. 29.
Barbadoes.
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1124. Governor Lord Willoughby to the King. Was endeavouring
to do his Majesty service by making some attempt to take from
the Hollanders the island of Tobago, which lies betwixt this island
and Guiana, where Lawrence Hyde and himself have a joint interest ;
for which he had fitted out six vessels with 350 men, but some
privateers from Jamaica had taken the place some days before.
Found them resolved to pillage, but came to an agreement with
them for a plantation near the fort, where were four or five guns
planted, and has left there 100 men till he shall receive his Majesty's
further pleasure. If his Majesty will grant him a lease for 31 years
of the island and all its profits, with privilege of free trade as in
Jamaica, will undertake the settling of it, and hopes that in revenue
it will not fall much short of Jamaica. If his Majesty resolve to
dispose of the island some other way, desires to be reimbursed his
charges for the shipping and garrison. 2 pp. [Col. Papers, Vol. XX.,
No. 5.]
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Jan. 29.
Barbadoes.
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1125. Governor Lord Willoughby to (Sec. Lord Arlington). Gave
an account in his last of privateers of Jamaica taking Eustatia and
Saba near St. Christopher's, since which some have rambled as far
as Tobago, for they are all masters and reckon what they take to
be their own, and themselves free princes to dispose of as they please.
When Willoughby demanded the islands for the King's use, being
within his commission, their answer was that they took them by
Sir Thos. Modyford's commission, and would own no other ; and
they keep them still. Again intreats his Majesty's order how to
behave in the like case in future. Had set out six sail with 300 or
400 men to take it (it being inhabited by Dutch, and lying in the
way to Guiana near Orinoco, where Sir Walter Raleigh was), but
the Jamaicans had taken it a few days before. He demanded the
island for the King, and at length they condescended to leave the
fort standing with four or five guns and the Governor's house, on
condition that he would give them liberty to sell their plunder at
Barbadoes ; which he did, thinking the place should be preserved
till he should know his Majesty's pleasure. Has desired his brother
to wait on his Lordship ; who likewise has a letter for the King
about it. The island was pretty well settled, and stocked with
negroes, cattle, and horses ; but because his purse could not purchase
them, the privateers untiled the houses and destroyed all they could
not carry away, "which hath been their custom in all places." Desires
to know his Majesty's pleasure with quick dispatch, for he is at
great charge in maintaining the 100 men in the fort. "Our planters
here are in great quandaries and begin to look very blue upon it,
because few or no shipping comes at us, especially from England,
which makes them very doubtful all is not well ;" besides they are
a little frightened with news that the French are joined with the
Dutch. If so, it will be absolutely necessary that some frigates
be sent, for the French are daily strengthening themselves, and "if
they begin first, they will carry all before them." Indorsed, "Received
9 May 1666," also with a summary of contents. 3 pp.
[Col. Papers, Vol. XX., No. 6.]
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Jan.
[Barbadoes.]
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1126. John Reid to (Sec. Lord Arlington). Hopes his Lordship
and relations are all in good health "after the general calamity of
that city." Has given his masters the Royal Company a large
relation of their affairs, but believes his Lordship will be at the
Court of Assistants when it is read. No prizes have appeared in
these parts. Two small frigates with the Governor of Jamaica's
commission and only 80 men, took Tobago from the Dutch : they
found 18 sugar works, but demolished all and brought away the
copper and what else was good. Lord Willoughby set out 300
men to take it, but finding the work done, they took Boromeo
"and Issikebb" (? Paramaribo and Essequibo) : believes both forces
will join to take Barbicius (Berbice) and Curaçao, and then they
will have all the Dutch trade in the West Indies. Some Dutch
men-of-war lie to leeward ; a couple of small frigates would secure
these parts. Has desired Mr. Lye to receive his salary as sub-Commissioner :
the Lords promised him 200l. a year ; beseeches his
favour in its recovery : it is for his wife's maintenance and "to put
her in an equipage to come hither." This island will now supplicate
his Majesty for a custom house : if it be granted, begs for a
place in it, which he could discharge without prejudice to the Company's
business. Indorsed, Barbadoes, Jan. 1665(-6). 2 pp. [Col.
Papers, Vol. XX., No. 7.]
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Jan.?
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1127. Memorial of [John] Reid. For his salary of 200l. per
annum, as Sub-Commissioner for prizes of the Caribbee Islands,
granted from the Supreme Commissioners. 28th January 1665, see
ante, No. 919. ½ p. [Col. Papers, Vol. XX., No. 8.]
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