Gafour, a Mahometan that I was acquainted with, drove a Trade equal to
the English East-india Company, for I have known him to fit out in a
Year above twenty Sail of Ships, between 300 and 800 Tuns." Capt.
Alexander Hamilton, _A New Account of the East Indies_, I. 147. The
Indian historian Khafi Khan, who was at Surat at the time, gives an
account of the transactions which follow, translated in Elliot and
Dowson, _History of India as told by its own Historians_, VII.
350-351.]
[Footnote 4: "The royal ship called the _Ganj-i sawai_, than which
there was no larger in the port of Surat, used to sail every year for
the House of God [at Mecca, or to Jiddah, its port]. It was now
bringing back to Surat fifty-two lacs of rupees in silver and gold,
the produce of the sale of Indian goods at Mocha and Jedda." Khafi
Khan, _ubi sup._]
[Footnote 5: Urdu _nakhoda_, captain or master of a vessel.]
[Footnote 6: The Mogul's governor of Surat, Itimad Khan.]
[Footnote 7: Suwali, the port of Surat.]
[Footnote 8: Caravanserai, or place for public business.]
[Footnote 9: Agent or envoy.]
[Footnote 10: Urdu _umar[=a]_, grandee of the great Mogul's court.]
[Footnote 11: Urdu _s[=i]d[=i]_, a title given in western India to
African Mohammedans of high position under the Mogul. The particular
_s[=i]d[=i]_ here mentioned was probably Kazim Khan, admiral to the
Mogul.]
On the 28th past, We received a Letter from the President and Councill
by the Governour's permission, Coppy of which is enclosed with a Coppy
of Our Answer. Wee have also wrote the Governour a Second time and the
Vockanavis, Cozze and Hurcorra,[12] and have sent a Letter to the
King, Asset Cawn, and the Cozyse[13] att Court, endeavouring as much
as possible to allay the heat, by clearing our innocency, and have
promised that if Our Shipping arrives according to Expectation, that
wee will send one or two next Season to Mocho and Judda to convoy
their Fleet.
[Footnote 12: News-writer (_wakanavis_), civil judge (_k[=a]z[=i]_,
cadi), and messenger.]
[Footnote 13: _Kazis._]
Wee are informed, that one English man in Surrat carrying to Prison,
was so wounded by the Rabble, that he dyed three days after, and that
severall others were barbarously used. it is certain the Pyrates,
which these People affirm were all English, did do very barbarously by
the People of the _Gunsway_ and Abdul Gofors Ship, to make them
confess where their Money was, and there happened to be a great
Umbraws Wife (as Wee hear) related to the King, returning from her
Pilgrimage to Mecha, in her old age. She they abused very much, and
forced severall other Women, which Caused one person of Quality, his
Wife and Nurse, to kill themselves to prevent the Husbands seing them
(and their being) ravished. All this will raise a black Cloud att
Court, which We wish may not produce a severe storme.
The Pyrates, being neglected of all hands, begin to grow formidable,
and if some Course be nott taken to destroy them, they will yearly
increase, having found their trade so beneficiall, and how soon the
Companys servants, as well as their Trade, may be sacrificed to
revenge the Quarrell of the Sufferers, they know not.
_61. Letter from Venice. May 25, 1696._[1]
[Footnote 1: London, Privy Council, Unbound Papers, 1:46, accompanying
our no. 58.]
Coja[2] Panous Calendar has received a Letter from his Friend at
Venice, dated the 25th May last, S.V., which advises him That he
received a Letter from Spahaune[3] dated the 16th of December last,
which sayes that Four ships, one of the Mogulls, and Three belonging
to the Merchants, were coming from Mocha and Juddah to Surratt, mett
with a Pyrate who took them and Plundered them of the Gold and Silver
and goods on board them, and then let the ships go, who arriving at
Surratt complained thereof to the Governour, and that the Pyrate was
under English Colours. The Governour thereupon setts Guards upon the
Companies House and sends up the Account to the Mogull.
[Footnote 2: Persian _kh[=o]jah_, scribe.]
[Footnote 3: Ispahan.]
Coja's Letter does not give an Account when the Ships returned to
Surratt, but believes it must be in the beginning of September, that
being the time when Ships return from Mocha to Surratt.
_62. Abstract, Letters from Ireland. June 16-July 7, 1696._[1]
[Footnote 1: London, Privy Council, Unbound Papers, 1:46, accompanying
our no. 58.]
An Abstract of Letters relating to the Sloop _Isaac_ of Providence,
whereof Captain Thomas Hollandsworth Commander.[2]
[Footnote 2: Providence here means New Providence in the Bahamas.
Hollingsworth was one of those who came from Madagascar to New
Providence in the _Fancy_ with Every. _Calendar of State Papers,
Colonial_, 1700, pp. 278, 411.]
Thomas Bell Esqr., Sheriff of the County of Mayo, in his Letter of the
16th of June 1696 says That on the 7th instant came into Westport[3] a
small Vessell of about 30 tuns, whereof he had no account till the
14th, upon which he immediately went thither, and only found the
Master, whom they call Captain Thomas Hollinsworth, and two men more
on board. That they had no other Loading but Gold and Silver, which
they conveyd away, and sold the Ship to one Thomas Yeeden and Lawrence
Deane of Gallway, Merchants. It was a very considerable Sume they had,
of which Mr. Bell desires the Government may be informd, that he may
have further direction therein; And adds that he found two baggs of
about Forty pound worth of Mony not passable in this Kingdom,[4] in
the hands of the said Mr. Yeeden and Mr. Dean, and took their Bond of
a hundred pound to have the same forthcomeing to answer the
Governments pleasure.
[Footnote 3: A seaport in northwestern Ireland, co. Mayo, about 40
miles north of Galway in a direct line, but a much larger distance
around the coast.]
[Footnote 4: Foreign coin; _e.g._, Indian or Arabian.]
The said Mr. Bell in his Letter of the 20th of June further says, That
since the writing of the above Letter he mett two of the Crew
belonging to the said Vessell, by name, James Trumble and Edward
Foreside, in whose hands he found about 200 l., and seizd on their
persons and goods, but found none of the said Guilt or Bullion in
their Custody, and now hath them with their said goods in his hands,
and hopes to find a great deale more of the said Guilt and Bullion in
the Country, or those that carry it away, the common report being that
the said Ship was worth Twenty Thousand pounds in Gold, Silver and
Bullion; And further adds That he receivd a Warrant from Sir Henry
Bingham, Barronet,[5] and John Bingham, Esquire, requiring him
forthwith to produce the said Trumble and Foreside with their Goods
before them, which he obeyd and will give a further account per next
post.
[Footnote 5: The third baronet, grand-uncle of the first earl of
Lucan.]
Mr. Farmer Glover, Generall Supervisor of the Revenue, in his Letter
of the 25th of June from Gallway says, That having had some Account of
a sloop being putt into Westport he hastned thither, but she was gon
thence (the day before he gott there) towards Gallway; On examinacion
he found she came from New Providence in America by Cocquett[6] from
thence, had on board Three Tunn and a half of Brazelett[7] Wood and a
great quantity of Coyne and Bullion; It is likewise reported that
before her Arrivall at Westport she putt into a place calld Ackill[8]
and there landed severall Passengers and Goods; That the Officer at
Westport says he dischargd at one time 32 baggs and one Cask of Mony,
each as much as a man could well lift from the ground; That there are
severall Reports in the Country, some saying she was a Privateer,
others a Buckaneer, or that she had Landed some of the Assassinators,[8a]
which no doubt but their way of comeing into the Country gave great
cause of Suspition, for as soon as they had Landed they offerd any
Rates for Horses--Ten pounds for a Garran[9] not worth Forty shillings
and Thirty shillings in Silver for a Guinea for lightness of
carriage;[10] That on these consideracions he seizd the Sloop untill
Bond was given according to Law; That she is sold to two Merchants of
Gallway and designd to be fraighted out soon.
[Footnote 6: In old days, a certificate from customs officials that
merchandise on board had paid its duties.]
[Footnote 7: Braziletto, a dyewood.]
[Footnote 8: The Isle of Achill lies off the Irish coast, northwest of
Westport.]
[Footnote 8a: Conspirators for the assassination of King William, in
connection with the plot headed by Robert Charnock and Sir George
Barclay. Several had been executed this spring, but some were at
large.]
[Footnote 9: An inferior Irish horse.]
[Footnote 10: _I.e._, because the gold was so much lighter to carry.
In 1695, 30 shillings for a guinea would not have been an unusual
price in London (Great Britain then had the silver standard), but the
Recoinage Act passed in January, 1696, had enacted that it should be
penal to give or take more than 22 shillings for a guinea.]
Mr. Lee the Collector of Gallway, in his Letter of the 26th of June,
gives an Account That the Sloop that lay at Westport is come into the
Harbour of Gallway; That the Master hath made Report of his Ship and
Invoyced upon Oath at the Custom House, and entred into Bond with
Security not to depart without Lycence as usuall; That the Master says
each person on board took his share of the Silver and Gold and went
away with it, That Mony paying no Duty, and being frightned in thither
by a Privateer, there being no place there to make a Report, he could
not hinder the men to carry off their Fortunes, but on Oath denys the
knowledge of any other Goods whatsoever; That the Officer placed on
board swears that since he came thither he did not see dischargd or
carried out of the Ship any Goods whatsoever but Mony and Melted
Silver, of which they took out 32 baggs and one small Cask; That he
opened severall of the baggs, in which were Dollars,[11] and that this
quantity belongd to two men and the Master, the rest being carried
away and the men gon, they have brought part of their Mony hither by
Land, And that the Sheriff hath caused part of it to be Lodgd in the
Country untill further Order. The said Mr. Lee has also inclosed a
Copie of the Masters Pass and Clearings at the Custom House in
Providence, And that the Captain of the Sloop brought a Pacquett for
His Majestie and deliverd into the Post Office in Gallway.
[Footnote 11: _I.e._, presumably, Spanish money.]
Mr. Vanderlure, Collector at Ballinrobe,[12] in his Letter of the 2d
of July writes, That he has usd all Lawfull ways and means to discover
what Goods were Landed on that Coast where the Sloop from New
Providence arrivd, which was near Westport, but before that she sett
on Shoar at Ackill head about a dozen Passengers, English and Scotch,
who had a considerable quantity of Gold and Silver Coyne with some
Bullion. most part of the latter they parted with at Westport and
elswhere, but as for any thing else he cannot learn they had; That he
has in his keeping in a small bagg about 5 l. worth of broken Silver
belonging to Mr. Currin and Mr. Samuel Bull and likewise about 9 l.
worth of course melted Silver Securd with one Mr. John Swaile in
Foxford,[13] which also belongs to them, which they alleadg they
brought from the aforesaid Passengers; That there is one Crawford, a
dweller in Foxford, who told the said Mr. Vanderlure and others, That
there was one of the Passengers who had some peices of Muslin[14] in a
bagg. the said Crafford absented himself when Mr. Glover and Mr. Cade
were at Foxford to examin that matter, but there is a Summons left at
his house to appear at Gallway on Munday next to give his Testimony
and knowledge therein; That assoon as the said Mr. Vanderlure had
notice of that Sloop being in that part of the Country he desird the
Surveyor to send an Express to Mr. Lee, the Collector of Gallway, to
acquaint him of the Vessell's Arrivall, which accordingly was don and
an Officer sent from Gallway who went in the Vessell thither; That two
of the Ships Crew are st[op]t and in Custody of the High Sheriff of
the County of Mayo by a Warrant from Major Owen Vaughan, a Justice of
Peace, upon an Information of one of the Passengers That that Sloop
was the King's Pacquett Boat. they have 2700 plate Cobbs[15] in the
sheriffs hands, which he secured when he Seizd the said persons. It is
said they have about 100 worth of the Coyne. The names of the said
Seizd persons are Edward Foreside and James Trumble, who desire
themselves and cash might be removd to Dublin, to answer what shall be
laid to their Charge.
[Footnote 12: About 20 miles southeast of Westport, between that place
and Galway.]
[Footnote 13: About 20 miles northeast of Westport.]
[Footnote 14: Muslin (meaning organdie; from Mosul in Mesopotamia) was
not then made in Europe, but was brought from India.]
[Footnote 15: Plate means silver. Cob was the name then used in
Ireland to designate Spanish pieces of eight (dollars). Sir William
Petty, _Political Anatomy of Ireland_, p. 71.]
Mr. Bartholomew Cade, Surveyor at Ballinrobe, in his Letter of the 2d
of July says he has been with Mr. Glover according to the
Commissioners directions, and for an account of their proceedings in
each particular referrs to Mr. Glovers Letter.
Mr. Glover in his Letter of the 3d of July from Gallway gives an
account That he is returned from Ballinrobe District, where he has
been making all strict Enquiry about the Sloop putt in at Westport,
and says, That as yett there appears no substantiall proof of any
Goods Landed lyable to Duty, except such as were taken by the Officer,
Mr. Currin, which he says he had seized from them, that the said Mr.
Glover has taken them from the officer and deliverd them into the
Custom House. As for the 14 pound 3/4 worth of Silver bought by the
Officer, it is in Charge with the Collector Mr. Vanderlure. No
question but the Master of the Sloop hath forfeited and been lyable to
the Penalty according to Law, for by Affidavit of one of his Sailers
he proves that at Ackill, where they first landed their Passengers,
there being no Officers present, there was taken off board and Landed
severall large baggs belonging to the Passengers. what was in the
baggs he cannot tell, but that they were stuffed full of something.
That the said Mr. Glover had likewise Informacions from severall
persons that they heard one George Crawford of Foxford say that he had
seen Eight peices of Muslin with some of the Passengers which came out
of the Sloop. That he went to Foxford to examin the said Crawford, but
he went out of the way so that the said Glover could not see him, but
left a Summons at his house for his appearing at Gallway the Munday
following.
Mr. Humphry Currin, in his Letter of the 7th of July from Gallway,
says, That a small Sloop from the West Indies Landed at Ackill about
10 or 12 Passengers and that he saw them at Westport and one of them
was putting something in a bagg which he examined and found 5 yards
and 1/2 of Striped Muslin, 2 yards and 1/2 of Cottened Cloth, 2 yards
of Quilted Linnen, with 10 small Cravatts and 4 Silk Handkerchiefs,
which he then Seizd as lyable to Duty, and said he must carry them to
the Custom House of Gallway; That he supposd the Kings share would be
remitted and ignorantly gave him the next day 4 Cobbs for it and told
him if the Law would allow him more he should have it; That the said
Currin shewd the Linnen to Mr. Cade and told him he must go with them
to Gallway, but delayd it till after the next Office; That he was
advisd to carry the Passengers to a Justice of Peace, which he
accordingly did; That he bought for himself and a friend 5 pound of
broken silver and 9 pound of melted course Silver and deliverd it to
Mr. Glover's Order.
_63. Examination of John Dann. August 3, 1696._[1]
[Footnote 1: London, Public Record Office, C.O. 323:2, no. 25 IV.
Endorsed: "In closed in Mr. Blackborne Secretary to the East India
Company his letter of the 18th December 1696", as to which letter see
_Calendar of State Papers, Colonial_, 1696-1697, pp. 259-264.]
The Examination of John Dann of Rochester, Mariner, taken the 3d of
August 1696.
Danns Examination.
This Informant saith that 3 yeares agoe he was Coxwain in the
_Soldado_ Prize, That he deserted the said shipp to goe in Sir James
Houblons[2] Service, upon an Expedition to the West Indies, under Don
Authuro Bourne. hee went on board the _James_, Captain Gibson
Commander, and the whole Company shifted their Ship in the Hope, and
went on board the _Charles_ in which they went to the Corunna. The
Shipps Company mutinied at Corunna for want of their pay, there being
8 months due to them; some of the men proposed to Captain Every, who
was master[3] of the _Charles_, to carry away the Shipp, which was
agreed on and sworne too; accordingly they sayled from the Corunna the
7th of May 1693.[4] when they were gone out they made up about 85 men.
Then they asked Captain Gibson, the Commander, whether he was willing
to goe with them, which he refusing, they sett him a shoar, with 14 or
15 more.
[Footnote 2: An alderman of London and a director of the Bank of
England. "Sir Arthur Bourne, an Irish commander, who has served on
board the Spanish fleet 5 years; he is to command 5 English and Dutch
men of warr, and sail for the West Indies" (1692). Luttrell, _Brief
Relation_, II. 330.]
[Footnote 3: Navigating officer.]
[Footnote 4: Error for 1694.]
The first place they came to was the Isle of May,[5] where they mett
three English Ships and tooke some provisions out of them, with an
Anchor and Cable and about 9 men. They went next to the Coast of
Guinea, and there they tooke about 5 li. of Gold Dust, under the
pretence of Trade; from Guinea they went to Philandepo,[6] where they
cleaned their ship and tooke her lower; from thence they went to
Princes Island,[7] where they mett with 2 Deanes[8] ships, which they
tooke after some restraine. in those Shipps they tooke some small
Armes, Chestes of Lynnen and perpetuenes,[9] with about 40 l. in Gold
dust and a great quantity of Brandy. they putt them on shoar Except 18
or 20 they tooke with them. they carryed the best of the Danes Shipps
with them and burnt the other. They stood then for Cape Lopez, and in
the way mett with a small portugeese, laden with slaves from Angola.
they tooke some Cloathes and silkes from them and gave them some
provisions which they were in want of. att Cape Lopaz they only bought
Honey, and sunke the little shipp, the men not being satisfied with
the Commander. They went next to Annabo[10] and takeing provisions
there they doubled the Cape and sailed to Madagascar, where they tooke
more provisions and cleared the ship. from thence they sailed to
Johanna,[11] where they mett a small Junke, put her a shore and tooke
40 peices out of her, and had one of their men killed. they only tooke
in provisions at Johanna. Three English Merchant ships came downe
thither at the same time, but they did not speake with them. They went
thence to a place called Paddy,[12] and soe back to Johanna, touching
at Comora by the way, where they tooke in provisions. at Johanna they
tooke a Junke laden with Rice, which they stood in need of; here they
tooke in 13 French men that had been privateering in those Seas under
English Colours and had lost their ship at Molila, where it was cast
away. Then they resolved to goe for the Red Sea. in the way they mett
with two English Privateers, the one called the _Dolphin_, the other
_Portsmouth Adventure_. The _Dolphin_, Captaine Want Comander, was a
Spanish Bottom, had 60 men on board and was fitted out at the
Orkells[13] neare Philadelphia. She came from thence about 2 yeares
agoe last January. The _Portsmouth Adventure_ was fitted out at Rhode
Island about the same time, Captain Joseph Faro Comander. this ship
had about the like number of men and about 6 Gunns each and they
joyned Company. They came to an Island called Liparan,[14] at the
entrance into the Red Sea, about June last was 12 months. they lay
there one night and then 3 sale more of English came to them, One
comanded by Thomas Wake[15] fitted out from Boston in New England,
another the _Pearle_ Brigantine, William Mues Comander, fitted out of
Rhode Island, the third was the _Amity_ Sloop, Thomas Tew
Comander,[16] fitted out at New Yorke. they had about 6 Guns each. two
of them had 50 men on board and the Brigantine betweene 30 and 40.
they all Joyned in partnership, agreeing Captain Every should be the
Comander. After they had laine there some time they were apprehensive
the Moors shipps would not come downe from Mocha,[16a] soe they sent a
pinnace thither, which tooke two Boates. they brought away 2 men,
which told them the shipps must come downe. In the meane time they
stood into the sea about 3 Leagues and came to an Anchor there, and
hearing by the Pinnace the Moors Shipps were ready to come downe they
weighed and stood to Leparon againe. After they had lain there 5 or 6
dayes the Moores shipps (being about 25 in number) past by them in the
night unseen, though the passage was not above 2 miles over. they[17]
was in August last on Saturday night. the next morning they saw a
Ketch comeing downe, which they tooke, and by them they heard the
ships were gone by, whereupon it was resolved they should all follow
them and accordingly they wheighed on Monday, but the _Dolphin_ being
an ill sayler they burnt her and tooke the men most of them aboard
Captain Every and the Brigantine they tooke in two [tow]. the sloop
fell asterne and never came up to them. Captain Wake likewise lagged
behind but came up to them afterwards. the _Portsmouth_ kept them
company. they steered their Course for Suratt, whether the Moores
ships were bound. about 3 dayes before they made Cape St. John[18]
they mett with one of the Moores ships, betweene 2 and 300 tons, with
6 Guns, which they tooke, she haveing fired 3 shott. they tooke about
50 or 60,000 l. in that ship in Silver and gold, and kept her with
them till they made the land, and comeing to an anchor they espied
another ship. they made sale up to her. she had about 40 Guns mounted
and as they said 800 men. Shee stood a fight of 3 houres and then
yeilded, the men runing into the Hold and there they made their
Voyage. They tooke out of that ship soe much Gold and Silver in Coyned
money and Plate as made up each mans share with what they had taken
before about 1000 l. a man, there being 180 that had their Dividents,
the Captain haveing a Double share and the Master a share and a halfe.
The _Portsmouth_ did not come into the Fight and therefore had noe
Divident, but the Brigantine had, which was taken away from them
againe by reason that the _Charles's_ men changing with them Silver
for Gold they found the Brigantine men Clippt the Gold, soe they left
them only 2000 peices of Eight to buy provisions. They gave a share to
the Captain of the _Portsmouth_ and brought him away with them.
Captain Want went into his ship and sailed into the Gulph of Persia
and the Brigantine (he thinkes) went to the Coast of Ethiopia. Captain
Wake went to the Island of St. Maries near Madagascar,[19] intending
for the Red Sea the next time the Moores ships were expected from
thence. Captain Every resolved to goe streight for the Island of
Providence. In the way the men mutinied, some being for carrying her
to Kian[20] belonging to the French, neere Brazill, but Captain Every
withstood it, there being not above 20 men in the Shipp that Joyned
with him. when they came to the Island of Mascareen[21] in the
Latitude of 21 they left as many men there as had a mind to stay in
that Island, and about March or Aprill last they arrived in the Island
of Providence with 113 men on board. they came first to an Anchor off
the Island of Thera,[22] and by a sloop sent a Letter to Nicholas
Trott, Governor of Providence,[23] to propose bringing their ship
thither if they might be assured of Protection and Liberty to goe
away, which he promised them. They made a collection of 20 peices of 8
a man and the Captain 40, to present the Governor with, besides
Elephants Teeth and some other things to the value of about 1000 l.
Then they left their Ship which the Governor had and 46 Guns in her.
they bought a sloop which cost them 600 l. Captain Every and about 20
more came in her for England and Every tooke the name of Bridgman;
about 23 more of the men bought another Sloop and with the Master,
Captain Risby, and the rest of the men went for Carolina.
[Footnote 5: Maio, one of the Cape Verde Islands.]