The Providence1
28. Certificate of Cornelius de Lincourt. April 12/22, 1673.
Lett it bee knowne to all kings, princes and potentates in Christendom and to all those that it may Concerne, how that upon the 21th day of aprill 1673 before the River of Virginia have taken and overmastered Under the Comition of his highness my lord prince William the third of Oringe, taken a Cetch called Dergens [?] Coming from Boston out of new england, goeing to the River of Virginia, whearof was skiper John Cox, which ketch I was intended for to burne or to sinck, but after severall Considerations I doe give the same ketch and all that belongs unto her freely and liberaly unto the honorable Capt. Thomas Raddon and Mr. Joseph Fox, whoe both likewise weare taken by mee, to have and to hold as their owne Ketch and to dispose thereof to their owne Content.
Signed by mee in the Ship Called Slanswelvarn at sea the 22th day of Aprill 1673.
Stierman,
Stierman,
bootsman,2
Constapel,3
Schyman,4
Cornelis de lincourt.
Jan Cornelisse.
Pieter Gerritsz.
Thomas Severs.
Antoni Fero.
Jacob Walle.
I the underwritten do acknowledge that this above mentioned act is done and signed in the presence of my officers and signed by them before skiper Cox, Master of the above mentioned ketch, dated as above.
Copia vera. Cornelious Delincourt.
G. Sweringen.
29. Deposition of John Johnson and Henry Harris. April 26, 1673.1
The depositions of John Johnson, aged 18 yeers, steersman, and Henry Harris, aged about 24 yeers:
These depon’ts testifie and say that they these deponts together with severall other seamen belonging unto Flushing, under the comand of Capt. Cornelious Lincort, Comand’r of the shipp Slandt Welvaeren, in English the Comonwelth, by vertu of a Comisson from his highness the prince of orange, we came up with the Providence of Falmouth (who was bound to Virginia) in the Latitude of 36: and 40: and tooke her, which when taken these depon’ts and ten more were put on bord her to Keepe and secure her, and after wee had been on bord some hours, in the night wee lost our own shipp and saw them no more, and about seven dayes after wee came up with a Londoner and thinking to take him, four of our company went on bord in the night but never returned, and the next day after the English that belonged to the sd Ship Providence, and some of the other ship before mencioned that wee had on bord with us prisoners, rose and retook her and suppressed us and have brought sd shipp and us into Piscattay River.
Grt Island2 the 26th April 1673. taken upon oath by the persons above named before me
Elias Stileman, Comisr.3
30. Petition of Edward Bant. About April 28, 1673.1
To the Honorable County Court now sitting in Boston The humble petition of Edward Bant on the Behalf of himself and the rest of the Company belonging unto the Ship called the Little Barklay, being five men in number, Humbly sheweth
That they your Hon’rs petitioners, with the sd ship, were taken about Eighty Leagues East and by North from the Capes of Virginia by a Prize formerly taken by Capt. Cornelius Lincoint, commander of a ship belonging to Flushing called in English the Commonwealth. And the next day following the Commander of the said prize went on board the said Barkley, intending to have taken out her goods to put them on board his own vessell, whilst wee your petit’rs were on board his vessell as prisoners held in the Hold. And then the English Company remaining on board the sd. Barkley surprized them, the sd. Commander and his Company, and sailed away with them. And about six hours after, your petitioners, together with the other English men belonging to the aforesd prize (when in possession of the English), made an Insurrection and took the ship by violence from the Dutch men and have brought her into the harbour at Puscataqua with eight Dutch men prisoners in her, and her goods and Loading secured in the wearhouse of Mr. Nathaniell Fryer.2
Whereupon your Hon’rs serious wise Consideration of the premises your petitioners humbly pray your Hon’rs be pleased to order what salvage they shall have out of the said ship and cargo now in Puscataqua, and that with all expedition that may be, because they are all Strangers and willing3 to returne to their hoames, And lying here upon great Charges, having nothing but what they borrow and cloathes on their back. And as in duty bound they shall pray for your prosperity, etc.
8 May 1673. At a Court of Assistants on adjourmt.
In ans’r to the petition of Edward Bant in behalfe of himself and fower seamen, the Court judgeth it meet to order that Mr. Nathaniel Fryer allow and pay the sum of fiveteene pounds for their salvage, taking their receipts for the same.
past. Edw. Rawson, Secre’ty.
31. Order of the Suffolk County Court. April 29, 1673.1
At a County Court held at Boston Aprill 29th 1673.
In answer to the petition presented to this Court by Henry King and Edward Bant who lately brought into the River of Piscataquay the Ship Providence of Falmoth, whereof said King was Mate in a voiadge from England to Virginia, in which voiadge they were surprized by a Dutch man of War,2 and by the Petitioners and Company rescued out of theire hands: who have since Surrendred the said Ship and her loading into the hands of Mr. Nathaniel Fryer for the Securing and looking after both in behalf of the Owners.
This Court doe order and Empower Mr. Elias Stileman and Mr. Henry Deering, together with said Fryer, or any two of them, to take a particular acco’t of the state of said ship, and to Inventory the Goods brought in by and belonging to her, and to make provition for the Securing of both for the right Owners, making a return thereof to the present Dept. Govr. by the 7th of May next, and the said Fryer is further ordered to disburse for the Company arrived in the said Ship what may bee for the Supply of theire present necessities, and also order that hee take care that the 8 Dutch men brought in prisoners in the saide Ship bee forthwith brought to Boston before Authority, to be disposed of as the matter may require, and for the other parts of the petition’s, touching Salvage or wages, The Court refers them to the Counsell at theire next meeting.
Copia vera per
Isaac Addington, Cler.3
32. Petition of Henry King. April 30, 1673.1
To the Hon’able the Deputy Governor and Majest’s2 now assembled in Court.
Hen. King.
Humbly Recommendeth to your worships candid consideration his present case and Condition, hoping to obtaine your worships Juditious approbation therein, to the end and intent that all persons Conserned and Related to the ship providence of Falmouth, which was taken by a Dutch ship of warr on the 4th instant3 about 40 Leagues short of the Capes of Virginia and Retaken again by the means and directions of your suppliants, who requeste that your worships will please to Grant orders that your petitioner and those other seamen belonging to the said ship who were asistant in Retaking her may have their wages according to agreem’t, from the time of their being shipt till the said ship providence with her Loading was brought into pascataqua River and there put into the Custody of Mr. Nathaniel Fryar, who is the Correspondant of one of the Owners of said ship with her Cargoe, where she is to Continue till orders from authority or instructions from the proprietors. Boston 30 Apr. 1673. And Your Petitioner shall Ever Pray.
At a Court of Assistants held in Boston on adjourm’t, 8 May 1673.
In answer to the petition of Henry King in behalf of himself and the six seamen according to their Portlidge bills4 Given into this Court with their declaration, the Court Judgeth it meete to Grant and order that Mr. Nathaniell Fryer pay them their severall wages, he taking their receipts for the same. Past by the Court, as Attest
Edward Rawson, Secrety.
33. Inventory of the Providence. May 5, 1673.1
An Inventory of the goods and things taken into the custody of Mr. Nathaniel Fryer that came in the Shipp Providence of Falmouth, of which shipp Mr. Henry King was Mate in a voyage from England to Virgenia but now Master.
a large hhd.
13 pa. fr. falls2
11 pa. pl.3 shooes
1 wier kage
6 pa. mens wollen hose
12 pa. Irish cloath hose
2 old hatt
2 new shirts
2 p’ces shearge
20 pa. worsted hose
1 p’ce blue linnon 28
1 dito 29
1 dito 44
1 halfe p’ce lockram4
3 halfe pound of wt. thread
1 lb. browne thread
1 paper col. filleting
1 paper col. thread about a ld.
1 p’ce sheeting canvas 123
27½ yards dowlas5
1 coat }
1 dublet } part worn
2 pa. briches }
and oakum to fill up the hhd. that these things were in.
a large hhd.
1 doz. 10 paire mens fr. falls
4 pa. pumps with heeles
2 saddles
7 curb bitts
6 snaffall bitts
1 pa. black head stall and raynes and crupp and breastplate
1 dubble girt
4 halters
1 doz. white raynes and headstalls
6 pa. white stirrup leathers
1 doz. pa. boyes and girles shooes
2 doz. ½ mens pl. shooes
1 p’ce kersie no. 1: 26¾
1 p’ce dito—2:26
1 p’ce. searge
a little hhd.
6 large pewter basons
3 large Iron shovels
1 curb bitt
1 side saddle and furniture
2 doz. pa. mens fr. falls
10 pa. mens pl. shooes
2 pa. woodden heele weo.6 shooes
a little hhd.
40 pa. fr. falls and woodden heele shooes for men and w.
18 pa. mens pl. shooes
2 pa. boyes pl. shooes
a broad hamper.
5 doz: ½ low crowne black hatts
9 reams of paper Damnified7
2 peeces of haire cloath ell wide a small baile of 2 small p’ces of small canvas
1 p’ce ell wide fine canvas in a bundall
1 p’ce Lockram }
halfe a peece fine dowlas } in a bundall
a box.
3 gounds8
2 Jasto Corps9
4 stuffe coates for men
a box.
2 stuffe vest for boyes
2 boyes little coates
2 childrens coates
2 scarlett parragon10 coates
2 childes parragon coate
1 boyes coat
a box.
5 coates and briches for men
2 weo. Stuffe gounes
2 mens cloakes
a box.
1 p’ce blue linnon a small parcell dowlas a small parcell lockram
22 small bundles black thread
1 doz. mens white worsted hose, ratt eaten
a box, the baile in it.
13 peeces blue linnon
a box.
23 low crowne black hatts
16 p’ces of taffeta ribbon severall colours
20 p’ces of black dito
a box.
12 peeces blue linnon
a barrell of powder
a small box broak open.
7 yards ticking
28 yards blue linnon
2 pa. weo. parragon bodices and Stomegers11
17 yards ½ of Stuffe
1 lb. black thread
1 small barrell of nayles
a great chest.
7 peeces kersie
2 p’ces red playnes12
1 p’ce white cotton
12 grose coat button
2 doz. pins
4 peeces galloune13
3 papers white filleting
12 peeces white tape a paper sewing and stiching silks about a ld.
6 paire woe. parragon bodices and stomegers
6 pa. childrens bodices
2 brass panns
69 Duch blue potts
2 small sloope sayles
3 small quoiles14 cordidge
4 quarter casks of brandy
2 puncheons of mault
3 small casks of wine, 1 pt out sd to be Masters.
40 white Jarrs of oyle
13 doz. stone bottles
11 barrells of Bread
1 old missen
1 old fore saile
1 new fore topsaile
1 maine topsaile
1 maine saile
1 fore saile
1 maine topsaile
1 Ensigne15
1 Jack
1 pennant
1 long boats new maine saile and fore saile
1 sprittsell topsaile
1 new spritsaile
1 maine saile
1 missen top saile
1 missen
1 old fore topsaile
1 fore topsaile
1 old fore saile fore bouelings and braces and clue garnets16
fore Jeere
buntlins and fore topsaile clulings fore top mast stays topsaile bouleings and lifts topsaile sheets topmast backstayes topsaile tie and halliards tacks topmast shrouds sheets sheet blocks
Topsaile sheets blocks
Maine boleings—missen Brailes
Maine topsaile lifts
Maine
topsaile braces
brases
topsaile tie and Halliardes clue garnetes leich linees topmast backstaiees topmast sheets topmast shroudes buntlins topsaile bowlelings tackes topmast clulings and lifts and maine Jeere topmast staye, topmast buntlins sheets, sheete blocks
What in 3 Chests (of the Seamens)
No. 1.
4 horse whips
1 weo. coat
3 doz. thread laces
2 pa. childrens hose
1 grose brest buttons
1 p’ce diaper tape
3 pocket paper bookes
2 whisks
1 band
1 silke neck cloath
1 demity wastcoat
1 old shirt
2 yards striped linnon
6 yards Stuffe
1 p’ce kersie
1 coat
1 pa. briches
3 forestaffs17 and vaines
Notes
1 Suffolk Court Files, Boston, no. 1257, paper 11. There was war between England and the United Provinces, 1672-1674. The Dutch privateer ’s Landswelvaren (Commonweal) captures the Providence on April 4/14, 1673, and puts on board her a prize crew. The two vessels become separated. On April 11/21 the ’s Landswelvaren makes prize of the ketch mentioned in this document, in which Captain de Lincourt presents the ketch, by way of consolation, to the master of the Providence. On April 12/22 the prize crew of the Providence, by a ruse, possesses itself of the Little Barkley, but presently both English crews separately recover possession of their vessels, and they separately make their way to Boston. Raddon, master of the Providence, arrives there later.
2 Boatswain.
3 Gunner.
4 Boatswain’s mate.
1 Suffolk Court Files, Boston, no. 1257, paper 19.
2 Great Island, lying in the mouth of the Piscataqua River; at that time a part of Portsmouth, now New Castle, N.H.
3 From 1658 to 1679, under the Massachusetts government of New Hampshire, Elias Stileman was a magistrate and county commissioner for Portsmouth.
1 Suffolk Court Files, Boston, no. 1257, paper 1.
2 Merchant and county commissioner in Portsmouth.
3 I.e., desirous.
1 Suffolk Court Files, no. 1257, paper 6.
2 The term then included privateers. The ’s Landswelvaren was not a public vessel.
3 Afterward speaker 1685, assistant 1686, councillor and secretary of the province 1692-1715.
1 Suffolk Court Files, no. 1257, paper 4.
2 Magistrates, or members of the Court of Assistants.
3 April 4, old style, the style still used by the English in 1673; April 14, new style, the style used by the Dutch, as in document no. 28, above.
4 A mariner’s portage or portledge was originally his own venture in the ship, in freight or cargo, but by this time “portledge bill” frequently meant merely a list of sailor’s claims for wages or allowances.