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Feb. 21.
Whitehall. |
149. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Postscript about pirates on the coast of Guinea agreed upon. |
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Representation upon the revolt of Rye and Bedford from New York to Connecticut directed. |
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Answer directed to Lord Bellomont's letter, Nov. 18, 1699, about the difference between Connecticut and Rhode Island relating to Narraganset County. |
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Sir Edmund Andros attended and declared that during his Government Perth Amboy was always under the direction of the officers at New York. Secretary directed to write for his more particular answer in writing. |
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Secretary ordered to inform Major Yates that their Lordships intend to lay their report on Bermuda before His Majesty to-morrow, and that if he have anything further to offer from Sir Thomas Day, it must be done before to-morrow noon. |
| Feb. 22. |
Letter from Sir E. Andros read. |
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Sir Thomas Day appeared and said that he came to town last night, and could not be ready with his answer: he entreated the suspense of the representation about his son, and promised his reply before this day sennight. Their Lordships gave him a copy of William Brice's affidavit, and promised to stay for his answer till next week. |
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Mr. Blathwayt, having been at the Committee of the House of Commons to whom the petitions of the merchants and of Jeremy Bass and John Lofting about Lord Bellomont were referred, acquainted the Board with some things desired by the Committee. Directions given for searching into and copying several papers relating thereunto. |
| Feb. 23. |
Letter from Mr. Secretary Vernon, Feb. 20, with petition of the Marquis de la Muce read. M. Desailly, who brought it, was told their Lordships would give it all the dispatch they possibly could. |
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Letter from Mr. Thurston, desiring assistance to obtain money for the soldiers at Newfoundland, read and ordered to be enclosed to Mr. Lowndes. |
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Mr. Champante and Mr. Weaver attended. Petition of Mr. Bass and Mr. Lofting about the seizure of the Hester, read. Copies of papers, which may serve for Lord Bellomont's defence, ordered to be given to Mr. Champante. [Board of Trade. Journal, 12. pp. 381–386; and 97. Nos. 35–37.] |
| Feb. 22. |
150. Sir Edmund Andros to the Council of Trade and Plantations. At my first going to New York in 1674, East Jersey, on the first grant from the Duke, was as independent from New York, but
not having the right of Government, was afterwards, as to the Government, re-united to New York, and so continued during my stay there to 1680, and till a further grant and power was obtained by the Proprietors. During my stay no ships traded at Perth Amboy or other places, but were obliged to enter and clear at New York. In 1688 I was again at New York, being then annexed to New England, and, to my best remembrance, did understand that a port had been and was then talked of, but not allowed to be at Perth Amboy or other place there, but New York continued to be the port for all ships to enter and clear at. Signed, E. Andros. Endorsed, Recd. Read Feb. 22, 1699/1700. 1 p. [Board of Trade. New York, 9. No. 12.] |
Feb. 22.
Kensington. |
151. Order of King in Council, referring to the Council of Trade and Plantations for their opinion the petition enclosed. Signed, John Povey. Endorsed, Recd. Feb. 24, Read March 5, 1699/1700. 1 p. Enclosed, |
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151. i. Petition of the merchants of New York in America This province was always governed by powers under the Great Seal of England, independent on the Government of any other place, till the late annexing it to the province of Boston, where the Governor makes his residence, whereby many and great inconveniencies happen to His Majesty's subjects in New York. Petitioners pray that the province may be brought back to its former manner of administration, unconcerned with the Governor of any other place. Signed, Daniel Crommelin, Paul Droilhet, Gabriel le Boyteulx, James Mills, Rip van Dam, Phillip French, Rob. Watts, Matthew Ling, Adolp Philipses, Gab. Minvielle, N. Bayard, Jacob Mayle, Richd. Willett, Louis Carré, Elie Boudinote, J. Belin, N. Jamain, Dav. Jamison, B. Schuyler, J. V. Cortlandt, W. Morris, Jos. Billopp, B. Aske, Eb. Willson, Ou. Swieten, Miles Forster, Tho. Palmer, Will. Anderson, Tho. Wenham, Rob. Lurting, Char. Lodwick, Stephen de Lancey. Endorsed, Recd. Feb. 24, Read March 5, 1699/1700. Copy. 1¾ pp. [Board of Trade. New York, 9. Nos. 13, 13.i.; and 54. pp. 94–98.] |
Feb. 22.
James City. |
152. Minutes of Council of Virginia. Wm. Byrd, being very lame of the gout, excused his absence by letter. |
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Edward Ross, gunner at James' City, gave an account of the powder in his possession; ordered to send to the several Counties to fetch away their allowance, and, if they neglect to do so, to sell it. |
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Mr. Attorney General ordered to prepare a proclamation proroguing the Assembly till May 8. |
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Michael Roderique, a Christian negro of St. Domingo and French prisoner of war, petitioned for his freedom being detained in slavery by Col. Parke. Parke ordered to appear. Attorney General ordered to enquire into similar case of Francisco Lecastro. |
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In obedience to an Order of Nov. 2, the Great Men of the Nottoway, Meheren, Nansemund, Pamunkey, Chickahamini, Rappahanock and Nantiatico Indians appeared before His Excellency and the Council, and, being examined concerning a peace they intended to make with some foreign Indians without the knowledge or consent of His Majesty's Government of this Province, they confessed that they had designed a Treaty of Peace with the Tawittawayes and other foreign Indians, and accordingly every nation of them had prepared a Peake belt—the token that usually passes between them when they desire a Treaty of Peace—and put them into the hands of the Nantiaticoes to be sent to them. But since His Excellency and the Council were not pleased to allow of such a treaty, they would not proceed any further therein, and promised that the Peake belts should be brought to James City and delivered to His Excellency, which being this day laid before the Council, ordered that the interpreters to the several nations to whom the belts belong cause them to send two Great Men of every nation to James City the next time they pay their tribute to receive their belts back again. |
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Thomas Holt, Sheriff of Surrey, represented that Jamey, an Indian slave, was in gaol on suspicion of murdering Thomas Bage, his master. Commission ordered to be prepared for trying him. |
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Gawin Corbin, late Collector of Rappahanock River, ordered to deliver all papers, etc. to Richard Chichester, present Collector; Ralph Wormley, late Naval Officer of Rappahanock River, ordered to deliver all papers, etc. relating to ships now in the country, to Robert Carter, present Naval Officer, and all others to His Excellency. |
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His Excellency communicated to the Council a letter he had lately written to the Collectors and Naval Officers, and informed them that he had administered the oaths to Mr. Chichester. He communicated his reply to the Council of Trade concerning Attorneys and a House for Governors, and desired advice what was proper to be done towards sending them a transcript of the whole body of laws. Edmund Jenings acquainted him that Sir Edmund Andros, a little before he left this Government, had transmitted a correct copy of all the laws in force, which was thought a sufficient answer, especially since the revisal of the laws is now in hand. |
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Capt. Samuel Bush ordered to restore to Mr. John Dibbs a barrel of powder belonging to him. |
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Capt. Nathaniel Harrison, Naval Officer, James River, reported that he had seized two servants in the possession of Major Charles Goodrich of Charles City County, who had imported them in the Plymouth of London without paying duty. Prosecution ordered. |
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Capt. John Aldred, of H.M.S. Essex prize, writing for several things for his ship which are in the hands of Mr. Willis Wilson, ordered that they be delivered accordingly. |
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Capt. Aldred ordered to discharge Nathaniel Pope, an apprentice of Richard Gregory, a merchant of this country, and also the man he had pressed from Capt. Burford's ship. He is not
in future to press any men from ships inward bound, but one from every ship outward bound having above 12 men. |
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The Council advised that His Excellency write to the Governor of Maryland to let Capt. Peter Cood, H.M. Advice-boat Messenger, come down to this Government in May, and that she be well manned in Maryland, none being to be gotten here, because the ships will most of them be sailed, and H.M.S. Essex prize will take up all that could be spared from those here. |
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William Chambers, represented that the parish of Lawn's Creek, Surrey County, had been without a legal vestry for some years. Mr. Attorney ordered to prosecute those that imposed the last levy there. |
| Feb. 23. |
Commission for the trial of Jamey signed. |
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William Lowry, Surveyor of Elizabeth City and Warwick Counties, returned from England, ordered a new Commission. [Board of Trade. Virginia, 53. pp. 385–392.] |
Feb. 23.
Admiralty
Office. |
153. J. Burchett to Wm. Popple. H.M.S. Tilbury, Experiment and Mary galley being going convoy to Newfoundland and ready to proceed in a week or ten days, my Lords of the Admiralty have directed me to give you notice thereof, that if the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations have any heads of enquiries to be made there, you will please to hasten them hither, that the Commander in Chief of the convoy may be directed to make the enquiries accordingly. Signed, J. Burchett. Endorsed, Recd. Feb. 24, Read Feb. 27, 1699/1700. ¾ p. [Board of Trade. Newfoundland, 4. No. 7; and 25. p. 353.] |
Feb. 23.
Bermuda. |
154. Edward Randolph to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I am now hastening to Providence and North Carolina, where I am sure His Majesty's affairs have long since called for me. I leave this place in as ill a condition in relation to Government as I found it. Mr. Day holds on his old way of arbitrary proceedings: he is a little more cautious, but as absolute as ever. I send duplicates of the depositions I have transmitted, which will I hear be accompanied by several articles exhibited by the poor distressed inhabitants against the present Governor taken privately by the Justices of the Peace, whose eves are now open, and are now convinced of the great calamities the country groans under through the oppression of Mr. Day. Col. White, whose diligence and zeal to serve His Majesty has rendered [him] obnoxious to Mr. Day, will not act as a Justice of the Peace because the Governor and Council have refused to issue a commission according as is directed by their Excellencies' Order, lest, by taking depositions not immediately relating to the matters contained and limited in their commission, he becomes the subject of Mr. Day's hatred and injustice. I have notice of a material affidavit made by Jonathan Ward privately taken before his death. He was Mr. Day's confident and came hither with him and was preferred to be the Sheriff and Provost Marshall by him,
but was soon turned out of his office because he would not execute Mr. Day's arbitrary and illegal commands. Col. White will transmit the depositions. I have left a draft of these Islands and of the Island of Carassaw with Mr. Samuel Spofferth, the established Collector of Customs here, with orders to send them to your Lordships; they are true done, especially that of these islands, which shews the harbours, and great benefit they are, and also the absolute necessity of preserving them from being surprised by an enemy. I have not time to offer a particular discourse upon this subject, of so great import to the Crown. I heartily wish the continuance and prosperity of all His Majesty's foreign Plantations, but am of opinion that neither Barbados nor Jamaica can countervail the loss of this place, being the key to all His Majesty's other Plantations, as well those in the West Indies as on the Continent of America, where, if these islands were in the hand of any enemy, no vessel could go out or in to the Capes of Virginia, not lying above 250 leagues W.N.W. from hence, but would be taken and the great revenue of Customs of tobacco be wholly lost. I do now and have formerly transmitted the record of the proceedings of the County Court, July 13, against me, where Thomas Burton, one of the J.P.'s and Solicitor General, was the chief prosecutor. He comes over to England in the vessel by which this with all my other papers are sent. It would be some satisfaction to me and certainly a great discovery to your Lordships, if he were summoned to appear before your Lordships and required to show for what cause I was fined 50l, and upon what statute they proceeded and committed me to prison till I had paid the fine. He will confess the whole intrigue, if pressed hard to give direct answers. Holograph. Signed, Ed. Randolph. Endorsed, Recd. June 7, Read June 11, 1700. 1¾ pp. Annexed, |
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154. i. Abstract of above. ¼p. [Board of Trade. Bermuda, 4. Nos. 16, 16.i.; and 30. pp. 8–10.] |
Feb. 23.
Boston. |
155. Minutes of Council of Massachusetts Bay. His Excellency produced a letter from William Partridge, Lt. Gov. of New Hampshire, giving information about the behaviour of the Indians about Cochecha. Major Tyng, of Dunstable, was sent for and enquired of concerning the Indians of Pennicooke, who said that the Sachem and several others had been lately at his house, but he could not perceive either by their words or actions that they had any design on foot. They declared their intentions to keep in good terms with the English. Major Tyng was directed to send up to Pennicooke to invite Wattanuman, the Sachem, to come to Boston, that his Lordship might speak with him. |
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Account of Capt. Samuel Gallop, Sheriff of Bristol County, for bringing pirates from Bristol to Boston, ordered to be paid out of the money of Bradish and Company here seized. |
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Petition of Capt. Thomas Gulloch, of the Adventure, dismissed. Committee appointed to state the accompt of charges for the taking and securing of Bradish and his accomplices. [Board of Trade. New England, 49. pp. 271, 272.] |
