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America and West Indies: June 1670

Pages 68-72

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 7, 1669-1674. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1889.

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June 1670

June 10. 192. Grant to John Lightfoot of the office of Auditor-General of Virginia, during pleasure, in the place of Thos. Stegg, lately deceased, to be executed by himself or his sufficient deputy, [Dom. Entry Bk., Chas. II, Vol. 34, p. 32.]
June ? 193. Mem. in the handwriting of Sec. Lord Arlington of a letter to be written from his Majesty to the Governor of Jamaica "[after such preface as his Majesty thinks fit]." His Majesty's pleasure is that he absolutely and forthwith abstain and take strict care that no descent be made by any ships or forces belonging to his Majesty or his subjects, or by any authority derived from his Majesty upon any lands or places possessed by the Spaniards to invade or plunder any of them, and that he discourage by all the persuasions he can any other nation from the like attempts. This is all his Majesty thinks expedient to command for the present, but because he will be willing in time to settle a perfect good correspondence with the Spaniards in the Indies, whereunto not only the interest of his Majesty's plantations abroad, but of his commerce in Europe may oblige him; his Majesty expects the Governor to send his advice by what method the depredations at sea also upon the Spaniard may be most easily and speedily suppressed, and what encouragement may be given to those who have hitherto lived by that trade, so as they may be retained under his Majesty's obedience, and their labour converted to his interest and honour. 1 1/2 pp. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXV., No. 35.]
June 12.
Whitehall.
194. Sec. Lord Arlington to Sir Thos. Modyford, Governor of Jamaica. Has received his letters of 20th Jan., 20th Feb., and 20th March last. His proposition for the entertainment of the English privateers in the Spanish service will scarce be believed a practical one, for "if their jealousy be such a spot to admit merchant trading, with never so much advantage to them and their ports, it is hard to believe they will admit a body of soldiers made so by preying upon them, or afford them any tolerable good usage." Ever since Sir Wm. Godolphin's going last into Spain, they have daily expected he would be able to bring that Court to some articles that might make them live like good neighbours in the West Indies, they affording us a safe retreat in their ports, and wood, water, and refreshments for money, forbearing to ask freedom of trade, which neither we in our Leeward plantations nor they in any parts of America, according to their ancient constitutions, can admit of: this they would hardly agree to, such have been their resentments for what the privateers have done, and such their demands for separation. His Majesty's pleasure is, that in what state soever the privateers are at the receipt of this letter. he keep them so till we have a final answer from Spain, with this condition only, that he obliges them to forbear all hostilities at land. Further, his Majesty expects Modyford's best advice how, in case of agreement with Spain, he might best dispose of this very valuable body of privateers and whether it were not practicable to oblige them to betake themselves to planting, merchandizing, or service in his Majesty's men-of-war. Finally, his Majesty bids him tell Modyford that his purpose is out of hand to erect a Council of Plantations, that may solely attend their improvement, to the end that Modyford may furnish said Council with all lights sufficient for their perfect information in relation to the government which his Majesty looks upon as the most valuable he has, or at least, capable of being made so. The Spanish men-of-war attacking Capt. Barnard and others in the Bay of Campeachy is not at all to be wondered at after such hostilities as your men have acted upon their territories, and, because this way of warring is neither honourable nor profitable to his Majesty, he is endeavouring to put an end to it, and Modyford shall be timely advertised of the progress of the negotiation. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. 27, pp. 42, 43.]
1670 ? 195. A brief memorial by Francis Moryson to Sec. Lord Arlington concerning the dispute about the place of Auditor of Virginia. Is desired from Virginia to state the whole dispute, and leave it to his Lordship's decision. It was lately erected by the Grand Assembly of Virginia and the salary paid by them. Duties of the office. None to be admitted but one of the Council, and he to have been long resident in the country. Captain Stegg, lately deceased, one of the Council, the first admitted to it, confirmed by his Majesty's grant. The nomination of all places left to the Governor, who granted his commission to Edward Digs, every way qualified for it. Diggs' commission bore date long before it was granted to Capt. Lightfoot, who is in all respects most improper for the place, being no councillor nor inhabitant, and greatly in debt. It is desired that Capt. Lightfoot lay down his grant [see ante, No. 192], and that Edw. Diggs be continued in possession. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXV., No. 36.]
June 13.
Virginia.
196. Gov. Sir W. Berkeley to [Sec. Lord Arlington]. Preparations for his voyage this next August to the West. Arrival of two Indians, supposed to come 200 miles to the west of Virginia, who say they will bring them to some of the English nation, but knows they must be Spaniards "for they take all that are labelled like us to be English." Advantages of finding a rivulet that runs west for commerce. In favour of Edward Digges, who, 15 years since, showed them the way of winding silk, that he may have a patent or commission for the place of Auditor. 2 1/2 pp. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXI., No. 37.]
June 21–22.
June 22.
197. Minutes of the Council of Barbadoes. Ordered, that the Secretary and Provost Marshall publish to-morrow his Majesty's patent to Wm., Lord Willoughby, and his Excellency's commission to Christopher Codrington to be Deputy Governor. Ordered that writs be issued for choosing an Assembly which is to meet at St. Michael's Town on Tuesday, 5th July next. Also that his Majesty's letters to the Deputy Governor, Council, and Assembly, his Majesty's patent to the Governor, and his Excellency's commission to the Deputy Governor be recorded in the Secretary's office. 1 1/2 pp. [Col. Entry Bk., No. 11, pp. 185– 186.]
June [22]. 199. Grant to Edwin Steed of the of office Provost Marshall General in Barbadoes and in all courts of judicature there, upon surrender of said office by James Hamilton. (see ante, No. 187.) Endorsed, 22o Junii 1670. [Dom. Chas. II, Docquet.]
June 22. 200. Petition of John Farvacks of London, merchant, to the King. Setting forth all that has taken place in reference to a debt due from Edmund Scarborough of Virginia to his late father, and his refusal to comply with the orders already given, and praying another letter to the Governor of Virginia to compel him to put in good security for the payment thereof. Endorsed, "Recd 22d. Read 23 June 1670. To be read in full Council." 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXV., No. 38.]
June 25. 201. Gov. Sir W. Berkeley to Sec. Lord Arlington. Recommending Peter Jennings, who faithfully served his Majesty's father, to be Attorney-General of Virginia, and that it may be confirmed to him by his Majesty's particular grant [see No. 263]. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXV., No. 39.]
June 25.
Albemarle
Point, in
Ashley River.
Shaftesbury
Papers.
202. Governor Sayle to Anthony Lord Ashley, Little Exeter House, Strand. Hopes his Lordship has received an account of the Colony here in Carolina from himself, Mr. West, &c. Though they are at present under some straits for want of provision (incident to the best of new plantations), yet doubts not [the coming] of recruits from sundry places to which they have sent. One thing lies very heavy upon them, the want of a godly and and orthodox minister, which Sayle and many others have ever lived under as the greatest of their mercies. In "my late country of Bermudas" there is one Sampson Bond, heretofore of long standing in Exeter College, Oxford, who was ordained by the late Bishop Hall (of Exeter) and sent by a commission from the Company to the Summer Islands in 1662, "under whose powerful and soul-edifying ministry I have lived about eight years last past"; greatly grieved parting with his godly society and faithful ministry. Mr. Bond has little respect from some who are now in authority in Bermudas, and has been invited to Boston and New York by the Governors there, and Sayle has also written to him to "come and sit down with us," which is the most hearty request of the Colony in general, who were exceedingly affected with his ministry all the time they were in Bermudas, as was also Sir John Yeamans, who promised to procure him a commission from the King to make him their minister, but Sayle can hear of nothing done, which emboldens him to beseech his Lordship "to put on bowels of great goodness and compassion towards your Colony here in procuring a commission and competent salary for him." Assures his Lordship that Mr. Bond is so well reported of and beloved in the Caribbee Islands that were he minister here it would gain hundreds of considerable persons to this place. Takes his leave with the fixed purpose to the utmost during life to further his Lordship's blessed design. 1 p., with seal. Endorsed by John Locke. [Shaftesbury Papers, Section IX., No. 24.] See also No. 302.
June 27.
Albemarle
Point., at
Key-awah.
Shaftesbury
Papers.
203. Joseph West to Lord Ashley. Gave him an account of their proceedings in Carolina in his last of 28th May by the way of Virginia, and how they came to quit Port Royal and to begin their settlement at Key-awah. Has since sent to demand of the Governor of St. Augustine the men who were detained there, his Lordship's kinsman Mr. Rivers being one of them; two more of their men who went ashore contrary to orders detained by the friar at St. Katherina, and being informed by the Indians that there were ships at St. Augustine coming to surprise the English shallop, she was forced to return to Key-awah, leaving those two men more behind. Forced to send to Bermudas for a supply of provisions, for fear the ship should miscarry at Virginia, for they have but seven weeks' provision left, and that only peas at a pint a day a man, the country affording them nothing, and they cannot employ their servants as they would, because they have no victuals for them. Corn, potatoes, and other things thrive very well, and if they have timely supplies now they do not question but to provide for themselves next year, and that it will prove a very good settlement and answer his Lordship's expectation. 1 p. Endorsed by John Locke. [Shaftesbury Papers, Section IX., No. 25.]
June 27.
Shafesbury
Papers.
204. Entry of the above (examined by John Locke) in the "Carolina letter book belonging to the Earl of Shaftesbury." 1 p. [Shaftesbury Papers, Section IX., No. 55, p. 2.]
June 27.
Virginia.
205. Thos. Ludwell, Sec. to [Secretary Lord Arlington]. On 22nd May the Governor sent out a party of men to discover the mountains, who returned after 18 days; their discovery not considerable, yet he gives an account of what they saw and conjectured to lie beyond; is very confident that the bowels of those barren hills are not without silver or gold. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXV., No. 40.]
June 27. 206. Deposition of Cornelius Carstens, purser of the Mary and Jane, Barnard Claesen Spierdyck, commander, before Leoline Jenkins, Judge of the High Court of Admiralty of England. That said ship, victualled for 18 months and laden with goods, was in 1669 committed to the care of said Spierdyck for a voyage to Jamaica and the West Indies, for account of Jacob Lucie, Samuel Swynoke, John Bovey & Co.; the true value of which ship and cargo when taken amounted to 7,566l. Which ship and goods were taken after four hours' stout resistance, wherein the captain and two men were killed, and the ship on fire in head and astern, by Manuel Rivero, a Biscayan, commander of a Spanish private man-of-war, in the Bay of Masinilla about the 27th February last. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXV., No. 41.]
June 28.
Port Royal.
207. Extract of a letter from Port Royal. The Spaniards have landed to leeward, burnt many houses, taken prisoners, and marched off. They last appeared off Wealthy Wood, but finding armed men on the shore, stood off to sea. All the privateers are called in and promised they shall not be liable to any arrest. Col. Morgan is ordered by the Governor and Council to get together all the privateers, and, with the title of Admiral, burn, sink, and destroy all ships that have done or intend anything to the prejudice of this place, and land and disperse any forces that have any design this way. The ships to leeward have taken one Watson, a Quaker, a ketch belonging to this place, and a small barque. We talk of nothing here but burning St. Jago de Cuba, being the first places that granted out commissions against us. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXV., No. 42.]
June 28.
Fort James,
New York.
208. Declaration of Francis Lovelace, Governor of New York, touching provision for a Minister. At the request of the Mayor and Aldermen of this city, on petition of the elders and deacons of the church for the encouragement of an able and orthodox Minister, of which they are at present wholly destitute, to come out of Holland. The Governor declares that such Minister shall have 1,000 guilders Hollands money each year, a convenient dwelling-house rent free, and firewood gratis; said Mayor and Aldermen having engaged to cause said salary to be levied yearly on the inhabitants of the city and liberties. "This is a duplicate of the original taken out of the records. Examined by me, Matthias Nicolls, Secretary." 2 pp. Printed in New York Documents, III., 189. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXV., No. 43.]
June 29.
St. Jago de
la Vega.
209. Minutes of the Council of Jamaica. Whereas by copy of a commission sent by Wm. Beck, Governor of Curaçao, to Gov. Sir Thos. Modyford, from the Queen Regent of Spain, dated 20 April 1669, her Governors in the Indies are commanded to make open war against his Majesty's subjects, and that the Spanish Governors have granted commissions and are levying forces against the English, and in accordance with the last article of his Majesty's instructions to Gov. Modyford "in this great and urgent necessity," it is ordered that a commission be granted to Admiral Henry Morgan to be commander-in-chief of all ships of war belonging to this harbour, and to attack, seize, and destroy the enemy's vessels with powers herein set forth. Also that upon an extraordinary alarm owners bring with them their men slaves furnished with bills, axes, and other necessary tools for building huts, clearing ways, and other works. Said orders to be published in the next full court in every quarter sessions within this island. 4 3/4 pp. Two copies. [Col. Entry Bks., No. 34, pp. 196–200, and No. 27, pp. 47–49.]
June 29. 210. Another copy of the preceding Minutes of the Council of Jamaica. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXV., No. 44.]