Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period. Various

Iland of Jemekea did Exammine the Commision of Capt. John Dagles, and having found itt Good the Sayed Jenerall gave him Permision to baye[7] a frigat for the Sayed ware according to his Commision, and touck men, Arrems and Amunision for the ware with the Ennemis of the king of Portagall, and the Sayed Capt. John Daglas Sayeled from the Iland Jemeake with permision of the sayed Jenearell.

And about 3 Mounth After Sayling out of thees harbor Jemeke, this Sayed Capt. Dagles had Nouse by Severell Engles Vessells that thar was a vessell Redey to Sayell Out of the harbor of Jemeake loden by the Jues under the king of Spaine, and the Sayed Captaine vas very Diligant to mite with the Sayed Shipe, the which Shipe was called the blau Duff, mr. Robart Coxe Commander, and this Sayed Capt. John Daglas had knowledge of this sayed Shipe in the baye of blue fild, whare no one Inhabeted, distant 32 Leages from the harbor of Jemekea, the which Capt. went with his Sayed frigett and found a Commission from the Engea Compenia of Ansterdam,[8] With letters and loden from thes Jues for Ansterdam, and after that toucke the Depousision of 5 prisnores, the which did all Declare that the Sayed Shipe did Beloung to Ansterdam and bound for Ansterdam with his loden, and the Sayed Prisnores Gave the Sayed depusison befor Capt. Pemmellton,[9] Chefe Justes in Pescatabay.

And After the Sayed Capt. John Dagles toucke the prise, Sayled outt of the Channell Called bahem[10] and Steared his Cource to Sayle into portag'll with this his Sayed Prise, to give knowledg to the king of portugall, in which Sayed vaydge wanting vettiells and watter he Arived in Now England for to tack watter and fitt his Ship for this his Sayed vaydge to portugall.

And [after] he did Arive att the port of Pescatabay, the Sayed Capt. Daglas Did Send ashore one of his Offecers to the Sayed Capt. Pemmellton, Justice of Putatabay, desiering Permision to watter and to give him libertey to sell som goods for to baye vittells and to be goine in his vaydge to Portugall.

And upon his Desier the sayed Justase Capt. Pemmellton Sent word to the sayed Capt. Dagles that hee was verey wellcom and that he had his libertey to doue in seviletey[11] what his mind was and upon this his word the sayed Capt. Dagles was Obleged to him.

      And After 8 Dayes the touck the Sayed Capt. Dagles prisnor and his men and seased upon his vessell and goods and pout all his men out and pout outher men abord, the which did Plonder me and my men Just to Ouer Sherts.

Sertenly itt tis a very Sad Cace that a Jntallman[12] of his qualetea Should youse a stranger soe unsivell, because of the Aleance between the Crounes,[13] and not to give him libertey to goe a bout his bousnes—and he had seased my Commision and all my paperes as if I ware an Enneme to the Croune of England.

      [1] Mass. Archives, vol. 60, pp. 271, 272.

      [2] Lisbon.

      [3] Indies.

      [4] Martinique.

      [5] Col. Roger Osborn.

[6] Perished.

[7] Buy.

[8] The Dutch West India Company, Amsterdam Chamber.

[9] Pendleton.

[10] The Bahama Channel.

[11] To do in civility.

[12] Gentleman.

[13] Of England and Portugal, 1661.

27. Power of Attorney from Sir William Davidson. September 13, 1664. [1]

      Bee it knowne Unto all men by these presents that on the Thirteenth day of the month of September, Anno domini one thousand six hundred sixty and Foure, And in the sixteenth yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Lord Charles the second, by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, Frannce and Ireland, defendor of the faith, etca. Before me William Allen, notary and tabellion publicke dwelling in this Citty of London, by the Authority of the said Kings Majesty admitted and sworne, and in the presence of the witnesses here after named personnally appeared Sir William Davidson, Knight and Barronett, his Majestyes Royall Commissionner at Amsterdam in Holland, etca., at present in this Citty of London, one of the Gentlemen of his Majestyes privy Chamber in ordinary;

Who hath declared that Whereas The ship or Vessell lately Called the Blew Dove of London, where of Robert Cooke of Ratcliffe was lately master and James Watson servant to the said Sir William Davidson Supra Cargoe on the said shipp, or by whatsoever other name the said ship may be Called or knowne, Together with all her Loading of Sugar, quicksilver, Cacau, Tobaccoe, Brazillet wood, and other goods, merchandises, silver mony, and other things whatsoever, lately loaden at Jamaica by the servants of the said sir William Davidson, was (as hee the said William Davidson is Certainely informed) villanously and Roguishly taken by Pyratts, Rovers, and Theeves, Comeing from Jamaica aforesaid; and Brought upp to Boston in New England, or thereabouts; Now hee the said Sir William Davidson hath, in the best manner way and forme unto him possible, made, ordained and Constituted and by these presents in his stead and place doth make, ordaine and Constitute Mr. Francis Willoughby of Charles Towne in New England, merchant,[2] his true and lawfull Atturny, Giving and by these presents graunting unto his said Atturny full power, Commission, and lawfull authority, for and in the name and to the Use of the said Sir William Davidson, to demaund, sue for, leavy, recover, receave and take possession of the said shipp lately Called the Blew dove of London (or by whatsoever other name shee may bee Called or knowne), And all furniture and appurtenances to her belonging, Together with all her Loading of sugar, quick silver, Cacau, Tobaccoe, Brazillet wood, and other goods, merchandises, silver mony, and other things whatsoever, And to make and give such acquittances and discharges as shall be requisite, And in all thinges to follow the orders and directions of the said Sir William Davidson; And further to take, seize upon, and apprehend the said Pyratts, Rovers, and Theeves, and prossecute them according to law, And if neede bee by reason of the premisses to appeare before whatsoever Lords Judges and Justices in any Court or Courts, there to answere, defend and reply in all matters and Causes touching or Concerneing the premisses, to doe, say, pursue, Implead, arrest, seize, sequester, attache, Imprison, and to Condemne, and out of prison againe to deliver; And further generally in and Concerneing the premisses to doe all thinges which hee the said Sir William Davidson might or Could doe if that hee should be then and there personnally present, with power to substitute one or more Atturnyes under him with like or lymmitted power and the same againe to revoake; And the said Sir William Davidson doth promise to rattify, Confirme, allow and approove of all and whatsoever his