Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period. Various
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gemaeckt hadde: Welcken Blaeuvelt resolveerde om by de Wint te steecken om naer syn volck te geraecken: alle t'welcke wy attestanten voornoemt verclaren alsoo waer ende waerachtich te weesen, presenteerende t'selve, des versocht synde, met Eede te verstercken. Ady desen 27 September 1649, opt Eylant d'Manhatans In Nieu Neederlant. Was onderteckent by dusdanich merck
Naer Collatie is deese met syne principale gedateert ende geteckent als boven accordeerende bevonden by myn Jacob Kip Clercq ten overstaen van Francooys Noyret: ende—— getuygen, hier toe versocht desen—— Sept 1649 Int fort Amst. In N. Neederlandt.
Franssoys Noiret, getuyge.
Translation.
Copy
Appeared before me Jacob Hendricksz Kip,[2] authorized clerk to the Honorable Director General and Honorable Council of New Netherland, Antony Leon, native of Majorca, 26 years old, Spaniard, and Fyck Herry, native of Castlehaven in Ireland, about 21 years old, passengers, who came from Captain Flip Drest's bark into the bark of Willem Albertsz Blaeuvelt, who testify, witness, and declare, in lieu and on offer of oaths, at the request of the joint owners of the frigate La Garce, of which the above-named Willem Blaeuvelt was captain, that it is true and certain that they, the deponents, being in the said Captain Blaeuvelt's bark, saw, and they recollect very well, that upon July 18, 1649, in the bay of Campechie,[3] there came in the evening a ship which they thought to be the bark or prize of Blaeuvelt, whereupon Blaeuvelt immediately made sail, and turned to the leeward in order that they might the better make her out. The said Blaeuvelt ran up the Prince's flag above and at the stern, not waiting for her, but doing his best to get away from her. About eleven o'clock at night she came up to him, when Blaeuvelt's quartermaster, named Gerrit Hendricksz, called: "Flip, Flip, mate Flip", but received no answer and then cried out, "Strike for the Prince of Orange!"[4] [The Spaniard] answered, "Strike for the King of Spain!" and immediately fired with cannon four shots. The fifth piece failed to go off. The sixth shot struck Blaeuvelt's ship, without his having made any preparations [to fire]; said Blaeuvelt resolved to sail close to the wind in order to get to his people. All which we deponents aforesaid declare to be true and certain, offering on demand to confirm the same by oath. This 27th of September, 1649, on the Island of Manhattan in New Netherland. Signed with a mark of the following shape,
After comparison with its original, dated and signed as above, this is found to agree, by me, Jacob Kip, clerk, in the presence of Francooys Noyret and [blank] requested as witnesses hereto, this [blank] September, 1649, in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland.
Franssoys Noiret, witness.[6]
[1] New York State Archives, Dutch Manuscripts, vol. III., p. 65.
[2] From whom Kip's Bay (East River, about Thirty-sixth Street) is named.
[3] Between Mexico and Yucatan.
[4] I.e., strike ensign and topsail.
[5] Albert Cornelisz was a magistrate of Brooklyn; Nicholas Stilwell, of Gravesend.
[6] It was judicially decided later that the Tabasco was not a good prize. A ray of light is cast on Blauvelt's latter end by an item in an enumeration of English buccaneers in 1663 found among the Rawlinson manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, "Captain Blewfield, belonging to Cape Gratia de Dios [Gracia á Diós, Nicaragua], living among the Indians, a barque, 50 men, 3 guns." Haring, Buccaneers, p. 273.
THE HOLY GHOST.
7. Declaration of the Massachusetts Council, July 20, 1653. [1]
Att A Counsell held at Boston 20th July 1653.
Captaine Robert Harding[2] presenting unto us a certificate in the Dutch language with the seale of Amsterdam affixed to it that the ship called in the certificate the holy ghost togather with the skipper thereof did belong unto the united provinces (Although at the first arrivall of the s'd ship diverse rumors were spread which did render them suspitious to have unjustly surprised the s'd ship) whereupon the Counsell thought it there duty to enquire into the matter, yet having now examined the s'd Captaine and Considerd the Certificate afores'd together with a charter partie found in the s'd ship, Wee doe declare that wee have nothing wherewith to charge the sd Capt. or the company but have discharged the said Captaine and the rest of the company heere, together with their clothes, And therfore doe signify unto them that they have free liberty to enter our harbours where they shall have protection from all injuries and liberties of free trade with any of our inhabitants as any other ships whatsoever have had amongst us.
| 20 July 1653. was signed by Jno. Endecot, Gov. Ric. Bellingham, Dept. Gov. Increase Nowell. Symon Bradstreet. Samuell Symonds. Robt. Bridges. Jno. Glover. Daniell Gookin. Daniel Denison, Maj'r Gen'll. | A True Coppie of the paper written to the Capt. and Company of the dutch prise—20th of the 5th mo. 1653.[3] Edward Rawson, Secret'y. |
[1] Massachusetts Archives, vol. 60, p. 175. The document is a declaration of the Court of Assistants acting in its executive capacity, as a council.
[2] Capt. Robert Harding, now of Ratcliff, London, was well known in Boston, being, apparently, the same who came out with Winthrop, went to Rhode Island, was an assistant there, and then returned to England.
[3] The fifth month, in the reckoning usual among the English at this time, was July, March being the first. The civil year began on March 25.