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Aug. 6.
Whitehall. |
95. The King to (Sir Thos. Temple, Governor of Nova Scotia). In pursuance of the Treaty of Breda and of his Majesty's former letter of 31st Dec. 1667, his Majesty did by his letters of 8th March 1668/9 signify his final pleasure that he should immediately upon receipt thereof give effectual orders for restoring forthwith, to the most Christian King, the country of L'Accadie, which formerly belonged to said King, as namely the fort and habitations of Pentagouet, St. John, Port Royal, La Have, and Cape Sable; but which the English possessed themselves of in the years 1654 and 1655, and proceed therein really and sincerely according to the 10th and 11th articles of said treaty, his Majesty's letters of 1st August, or anything therein to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding. And whereas some doubt hath arisen to the Sieur Colbert, ambassador from the French King, whether his Majesty's letters of 8th March may not meet with some difficulties or delay in their execution, and his Majesty resolving that the same shall be duly and fully executed, and the French King having on his part according to said treaty issued his orders for restoring to his Majesty the English part of St. Christopher's, it is the King's most express will and pleasure that forthwith and without all manner of doubts, difficulties, scruples, or delays the said country of L'Accadie be restored to the French King or to whomsoever he shall thereto appoint. 2 pp. [Col. Entry Bk., No. 60, pp. 20–21.] |
| Aug. 6. |
96. Draught in Williamson's hand of the latter part of the preceding letter. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXIV., No. 77.] |
Aug. 10.
Aboard the
Carolina.
The Downs.
Shaftesbury
Papers. |
97. Joseph West to Lord Ashley at his house near Exeter House in the Strand. The ships are now riding at anchor in the Downs, which he has taken all the care he can to fit out and make ready, he hopes to his Lordship's satisfaction; expecting a good wind he intends to set sail for the port of Kinsale, from whence his Lordship shall receive a fuller account. Sends particulars of passengers on board. Encloses, |
97. I. List of names of masters, free passengers, and servants aboard the Carolina, viz., Masters, Capt. O'Sullivan and 7 servants, Step. Bull and 6 servants, Ed. Hollis and Jos. Dalton and 9 servants, Thos. and Paul Smith and 7 servants, Hambleton and 10 servants, John Rivers and 4 servants, Nich. Cartwright and 5 servants, Morris Mathews and 4 servants, Wm. Bowman and 2 servants, Dr. Wm. Scrivener and 1 servant, Wm. Owens and 3 servants, Thos. Midleton, Eliz. his wife and 2 servants, Samuel West and 2 servants, Joseph Bailey and 1 servant. Passengers without servants: Thos. Rideall, Will. Haughton, Will. Hennis, Thos. Humfreys, Eliz. Humfreys, Marie Clerke, Sampson and Nathaniel Dorkenwell, Sarah and Eliz. Erpe, Mary Erpe, Martha Powell. and Thomas Motteshed. Total number of passengers 92.
[Shaftesbury Papers, Section IX., No. 11.] |
| Aug. 11. |
98. Petition of John Jefferies and Thomas Colclough, of London, merchants, to the King and Council. Traders to Virginia, petitioners took into their service Giles Cale, merchant, at a yearly salary, who now refuses to give any account of the estate entrusted to him. Prays their Lordships' letter to the Governor of Virginia to cause said Cale to give security or to account with petitioners. Endorsed, Recd 11 Augt. Read and ordered 28th August 1669. 1 p. [Col. Papers. Vol. XXIV., No. 78.] |
Aug. 17.
The Downes.
Shaftesbury
Papers. |
99. Henry Brayne to Lord Ashley. The ships have been stayed by the common inconveniences incident to outward-bound ships, and provision is far spent. Beseeches him to consider their want when they come to Ireland, where they are to take in a great number of passengers. The ships just going to sail with a fair wind. Encloses, |
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99. I. Inventory of all the appurtenances belonging to the Carolina, with a list of the seamen's names belonging to her, Henry Brayne, master, as also to the Port Royal, John Russell, master, and to the Albemarle, Edward Baxter master. [Shaftesbury Papers, Section IX., No. 12.] |
| Aug. 19. |
100. Minutes of the Council of Barbadoes. Ordered that Major Wm. Bate remove the powder from the new church to Fontabell House; and that writs issue for the election of an assembly on the 30th inst., and a return to be made on the 31st. 1 1/2 pp. [Col. Entry Bk., No. 11, pp. 181–182.] |
| August ? |
101. Chr. Codrington, Deputy Governor of Barbadoes, to (Wm. Lord Willoughby). Sends copy of his answer to M. De la Barre's letter. Encloses, |
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101. I. M. De la Barre to (Col. Codrington).Concerning Joseph Oaker, who was well treated at Marie Galante and reported among the negroes that the English expected a fleet to destroy the French islands; that he debauched five negroes, whom he hid in his barque, but were arrested at Martinique, and Oaker for having debauched them was condemned to be hanged and executed, in which he will see by copies of the proceedings that there was neither precipitancy nor violence, and though the barque was rightly confiscated, as Codrington says she belongs to him, it is sent. Morris is still in hold for accusations of depredations by sea before and after the war against him. Shall be glad if he be found innocent, but cannot refuse justice to his King's subjects. A barque of St. Lucia has been since taken, whose commander is Morris' lieutenant, which is taken to Barbadoes; prays he will send her back, or it may defer Morris' liberty. Sends two negroes belonging to Barbadoes, and entreats him not to pardon any French who have committed the least piracy, desiring "with an extreme passion" peace and amity between the two nations. His own interpreter will deliver this packet and inventory of his messenger's goods, who has died from fever. |
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101. II. Col. Codrington to M. De la Barre. Has received his letter. Can hardly judge that Oaker was guilty of inventing a report that could not have the least ground, and is informed that at least four of the negroes were taken in the late war from his Majesty's islands of Antigua, Montserrat, &c. Hopes it will not appear that a revengeful prejudice occasioned this example. Will only add that had he seized a Frenchman charged with the same facts, he would have sent him to De la Barre for punishment, or at least given him notice before either trial or execution; but assures him he will be severe on all offenders, as well of the French as his own nation. Knows that Morris did his Prince good service in the war, and hopes that will not be an aggravation of any crime they will make him guilty of. Has ordered this vessel to receive him if he will enlarge him. Knows nothing of the barque, but if she come will seize and send her down and punish the offenders. Together 4 pp. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXIV., Nos. 79, 80.] |
| Aug. 23. |
102. Warrant to prepare a Bill for making Philip Foussier, an alien born at Rochelle of Protestant parents and himself a Protestant, now residing in Barbadoes, a free denizen of England; but with a clause that he shall have no benefit of the denization till he has taken the oaths of allegiance and supremacy before the Governor, Deputy Governor, or Chief Magistrate of the island. 1/2 p. [Dom. Entry Bk., Chas. II., Vol. 25, p. 119.] |
| Aug. 23. |
103. A Narrative of Sir Thos. Modyford, Governor of Jamaica, setting forth the grounds and reasons for granting commissions against the Spaniards. His letters to Lord Arlington from Barbadoes will testify what an aversion he had for the privateers, as also his affectionate letters to the Spanish Governors after his landing in Jamaica on 4th June 1664, and his severe handling those people, by imprisoning them, executing some, and restoring their prizes, to the great hazard of the peace. But when he found how powerful an enemy he had made of those who were formerly the best friends to this place, and who not only knew all their ports, bays, and creeks, but every path in the island, and had many correspondents on shore, and that some of them were gone to the French at Tortuga and Hispaniola, and the rest preparing to go, and could better attempt this place than we could defend it, Modyford found the fatal error he was running into, and having notice of the Dutch war by Lord Arlington's despatch of 12th November 1664, he changed his behaviour so effectually that he persuaded all in or near this harbour to undertake against the Dutch at Curaçao, giving them suitable commissions and Col. Ed. Morgan, his Deputy Governor, for their general; they went cheerfully without putting the King to one penny charge, and took Statia and Saba, but by the death of Col. Morgan they scattered and left the rest of that service unperformed. He sent Major Beeston to treat with them for a second voyage to Curaçao, which they promised to undertake. Meantime he advised the Duke of Albemarle of the state of this place in relation to the privateers by letters of 6th March 1665; in answer to which he had orders of 30th May 1665 to grant or not commissions against the Spaniards, as to him should seem most advantageous for his Majesty's service, and letters from Lord Arlington, that from the Lord General he should receive his Majesty's directions touching the privateers, and also letters from the Lord Chancellor to the same purpose, and from Sir James Modyford, and also his Grace's own letter in Feb. 1667, confirming all the former, and that after the peace with Spain, as by the abstracts annexed may appear. The privateers meantime were driven to leeward, and the admiral fell in with the island of Providence and without any commission took it; to which Modyford sent a Governor, which was not only approved of at home, but another Governor under the broad seal of England authorised and sent. Yet notwithstanding this full power he would not proceed to grant commissions until the council of this island unanimously affirmed it was for the good of the island and gave their reasons hereto annexed ( see previous Vol., 22 Feb. 1666); and thereupon in March 1666, there being also war with France, he granted commissions, which was approved by his Grace, his end being only to keep them from joining with the French, but they had only commissions for taking ships, and none for landing. He always reproved them for so acting, especially in the business of Puerto Bello and Maracay; to which they made their defence by writing, which he sent home, but never received any answer to. Meantime, by reason of their numbers and not knowing the sense at home, he thought it prudential to forbear punishing them; and, receiving an intimation of his Majesty's sense in his son's letters, and also advice of the intentions of the Spaniards to attempt them, the galleons being daily expected in the Indies, and the New Spain fleet already there, in order to detain the privateers on the island, he repealed all their powers. Hears that divers of them intend to set up for themselves, and only two have as yet joined the French. "If the peace with France were immortal, or if that warlike Prince had no design this way, I should be little concerned at the lawless motions of these privateers, but well knowing the uncertainty of the former, and the assuredness of the latter, I must confess it troubles me to be driven
to that saddest error of all Governments to act so imprudently as in this most active age to weaken ourselves and strengthen our enemies." Will say something to the unreasonable rumours of the great wealth these privateers are said to get; the Puerto Bello business cleared them 60l. per head, and the fight with Don Alonso at Maracay 30l.; this the common sort spent immediately in arms, clothes, and drink, and the owners of the ships in refitting, and some of the officers and civiller sort are settling plantations, and the owners of ships spend their shares in refitting, so that they are from hand to mouth and have little or nothing left. His Majesty's fifteenths he keeps to be employed in fortification, which may be about 600l., and his Royal Highness's tenths he always sent home to Sir William Coventry and Mr. Wren for his Royal Highness's account. To himself they gave only 20l. for their commission, which never exceeded 300l. Affirms this to be true touching his transactions with the privateers of this port, and challenges all the bold maligners and rash talkers against his actings in this particular, to disprove the least inconsiderable tittle or circumstance herein, not doubting but all sober and true Englishmen will not only absolve him but approve of his proceedings. Annexed,
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103. I. Abstract of several letters from Sir James Modyford, the Duke of Albemarle, and the Lord Chancellor to Sir Thos. Modyford. Governor of Jamaica, from 6 March 1665 to Feb. 2, 1667, Granting him liberty to give commissions to privateers to take Spaniards rather than lose them from his Majesty's service; notwithstanding the treaty with Spain, in which the Lord General said the West Indies were not at all concerned. Lastly, the Duke of Albemarle, by his letter of 2nd February 1667, hath these expressions, "and for your giving commissions to the privateers ( against the Spaniards,) I think you have done pursuant to your own instructions and orders sent you, until there shall be some other alternative of these orders." Signed by Sir Thos. Modyford. Together 5 pp. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXIV., Nos. 81, 82.] |
Aug. 25.
Whitehall. |
104. Warrant approving an Order of Council of 20 January 1669 concerning the redress of abuses in the plantations and the appointment by the Farmers of his Majesty's customs of Edward Diggs for the plantation of Virginia as a fit person to execute the articles and instructions in such Order of Council and requiring the Governor of Virginia to be aiding and assisting said Diggs. 1 p. [Dom. Entry Bk., Vol. 25, p. 120.] |
Aug. 31.
Kinsale.
Shaftesbury
Papers. |
105. Robert Southwell to Lord Ashley. Has received his letter of 16 July to procure servants in these parts to serve the Lords Proprietors of Carolina at Port Royal, but though he has explained to some and advised with others how to raise servants, hitherto he could not obtain any, for the thing at present seems new and foreign to them, and they have been so terrified with the ill practise of them to the Caribbee islands, where they were sold as slaves, that as yet they will hardly give credencce to any other usage. Withal they are loth to leave the smoke of their own cabins if they can but beg near it. Observes that the chief hindrance is the many buildings, repairs, and contrivances that are in all the towns in this country since the settlement of the 49 interest, which has made work for all that will serve, and again it is harvest time where they may earn or steal a sheaf. The Carolina, Joseph West commander, arrived last night, the Albemarle the day before, but the Port Royal has not yet arrived. Has sent a very intelligent person into the country, where he is confident he will prevail with some, who will be the easier persuaded now the ships are here. Knows most of the people will give credit to him, because he never had anything to do with any of the West India trade, but rescued many who were snatched up and conveyed aboard the shipping bound that way. Will do all in his power to serve the Lords Proprietors. 2 pp. [Shaftesbury Papers, Section IX., No. 14.] |
