Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period Part 25

At a Court of a.s.size and General Goal Delivery holden at Boston for the County of Suffolk, within his Maj'ties Province of the Ma.s.sachusetts Bay in New England, upon the 25th Day of Octo'r 1698.

John Devin, Chyrurgion, bound over by Recogniscance unto this Court, to answer what should be objected ag'st him on his Maj'ties behalf as being one of the Company belonging to the s.h.i.+p _Charles_ al's _Fancey_, Henry Every al's Bridgeman Command'r, at the time when several acts of Piracy were committed by the sd Every al's Bridgeman and Company in the aforesd s.h.i.+p, upon the high Seas of India and Persia, and for aiding and a.s.sisting in the sd Piracys and shareing in the Plunder so piratically taken.

The sd Jno. Devin, being called, appeared and produced a Certificate und'r the hand of Ellis Lightwood Esq., chief Judge of the Island of Providence, and the Public Seal of the Government there, Importing that the sd Devin had lately been indicted, arraigned and tryed for the same matters and Facts (whereof he is now inquired) In the Kings Court within the sd Island of Providence and found not guilty by the Jury, and clear'd by Proclamation, which afore cited Certificate being read and other the proceedings in the case in the sd Court at Providence, Proclamation was made, and nothing of further charge or Evidence appearing against the sd Jno. Devin, he was openly acquitted.

Which at Request of sd Devin and by ord'r of his Maj'ties Justices of a.s.size etc. is hereby Certified under the Seal of the sd Court. Dated at Boston the Second day of November, Anno predict.[3]

[Footnote 3: _I.e._, _anno predicto_, "in the year aforesaid".]

_68. Deposition of Adam Baldridge. May 5, 1699._[1]

[Footnote 1: Public Record Office, C.O. 5:1042, no. 30 II. An endors.e.m.e.nt shows that it was sent to the Lords of Trade with Bellomont's letter of May 15, 1699, which is printed in _N.Y. Col.

Doc._, IV. 518-526. Capt. Adam Baldridge, as will be seen from some of the preceding narratives, had kept a rendezvous for pirates at St.

Mary's Island, but he had now settled down as a respectable citizen of New York. Bellomont thought well of him at first (he "appears to be a sober man and reported wealthy"), but was warned by the Board of Trade of his connection with piracy, and later (note 19, _post_) had fuller information from Kidd. _Ibid._, IV. 333, 552.]

1. July the 17th 1690. I, Adam Baldridge, arrived at the Island of St.

Maries in the s.h.i.+p _fortune_, Richard Conyers Commander, and on the 7th of January 1690/1 I left the s.h.i.+p, being minded to settle among the Negros at St. Maries with two men more, but the s.h.i.+p went to Port Dolphin[2] and was Cast away, April the 15th 1691, and halfe the men drownded and halfe saved their lives and got a sh.o.r.e, but I continued with the Negros at St. Maries and went to War with them. before my goeing to War one of the men dyed that went a sh.o.r.e with me, and the other being discouraged went on board againe and none continued with me but my Prentice John King. March the 9th they sailed for Bonnovolo on Madagascar, 16 Leagues from St. Maries, where they stopt to take in Rice. after I went to war six men more left the s.h.i.+p, whereof two of them dyed about three weeks after they went ash.o.r.e and the rest dyed since. In May 91 I returned from War and brought 70 head of Cattel and some slaves. then I had a house built and settled upon St. Maries, where great store of Negros resorted to me from the Island Madagascar and settled the Island St. Maries, where I lived quietly with them, helping them to redeem their Wives and Children that were taken before my coming to St. Maries by other Negros to the northward of us about 60 Leagues.

[Footnote 2: Fort Dauphin, at the southeast point of Madagascar, built by the French.]

2. October 13, 1691. Arrived the _Batchelors delight_, Captain Georg Raynor[3] Commander, Burden 180 Tons or there abouts, 14 Guns, 70 or 80 men, that had made a voyage into the Red Seas and taken a s.h.i.+p belonging to the Moors, as the men did report, where they took as much money as made the whole share run about 1100 l. a man. they Careened at St. Maries, and while they Careened I supplyed them with Cattel for their present spending and they gave me for my Cattel a quant.i.ty of Beads, five great Guns for a fortification, some powder and shott, and six Barrells of flower, about 70 barrs of Iron. the s.h.i.+p belonged to Jamaica and set saile from St. Maries November the 4th 1691, bound for Port Dolphin on Madagascar to take in their provision, and December 91 they set saile from Port Dolphin bound for America, where I have heard since they arrived at Carolina and Complyed with the owners, giveing them for Ruin of the s.h.i.+p three thousand pounds, as I have heard since.

[Footnote 3: Josiah Rayner was a.s.sociated with Tew, later with Every; Fletcher had, for a bribe, it was said, released his chest of treasure brought to New York.]

3. October 14th 1692. Arrived the _Na.s.saw_, Captain Edward Coats Commander, Burden 170 Ton or there about, 16 Guns, 70 men, whereof about 30 of the men stayed at Madagascar, being most of them concerned in taking the Hack boat at the Isle of May Colonel Shrymton over [owner?], the said Hack boat was lost at St. Augustin. Captain Coats Careened at St. Maries, and whilst careening I supplyed them with Cattel for their present spending, and the Negros with fowls, Rice and Yams, and for the Cattel I had two Chists and one Jarr of powder, six great guns and a Quant.i.ty of great Shott, some spicks[4] and nails, five Bolts of Duck and some Twine, a hogshead of flower. the s.h.i.+p most of her belonged to the Company, as they said. Captain Coats set saile from St. Maries in November 92, bound for Port Dolphin on Madagascar, and victualed there and in December set saile for New-York. Captain Coats made about 500 l. a man in the red Seas.[5]

[Footnote 4: Spikes.]

[Footnote 5: In April, 1693, this Coats, in a s.h.i.+p now called the _Jacob_, anch.o.r.ed near the east end of Long Island, and sent men to bargain with Governor Fletcher for permission to enter and for protection. They promised the governor 700 and secured protection, though in the end the owners gave him the s.h.i.+p instead. _N.Y. Col.

Doc._, IV. 223, 310, 386-388; _Cal. St. P. Col._, 1697-1698, pp.

227-228.]

4. August 7th 1693. Arrived the s.h.i.+p _Charles_, John Churcher master, from New York, Mr. Fred. Phillips, owner,[6] sent to bring me severall sorts of goods. She had two Cargos in her, one Consigned to said Master to dispose of, and one to me, containing as followeth: 44 paire of shooes and pumps, 6 Dozen of worsted and threed stockens, 3 dozen of speckled s.h.i.+rts and Breaches, 12 hatts, some Carpenters Tools, 5 Barrells of Rum, four Quarter Caskes of Madera Wine, ten Cases of Spirits, Two old Stills full of hols, one worme, Two Grindstones, Two Cross Sawes and one Whip saw, three Jarrs of oyle, two small Iron Potts, three Barrells of Cannon powder, some books, Catechisms, primers and horne books, two Bibles, and some garden Seeds, three Dozen of howes,[7] and I returned for the said goods 1100 pieces 8/8 and Dollers, 34 Slaves, 15 head of Cattel, 57 barrs of Iron. October the 5th he set sail from St. Maries, after having sold parte of his Cargo to the White men upon Madagascar, to Mauratan to take in Slaves.

[Footnote 6: Frederick Philipse (1626-1702), the richest trader in New York, but perhaps not the most scrupulous; see Henry C. Murphy, in his edition of the _Journal of a Voyage to New York in 1679-80_ of Jasper Danckaerts, pp. 362-365. The s.h.i.+p in which the two Labadist missionaries, Danckaerts and Sluyter, came to America was also named _Charles_ and owned by Philipse. It was in this year 1693 that Governor Fletcher inst.i.tuted for him the Philipse Manor. Mary Philipse, who won the affections of young Major George Was.h.i.+ngton, was his great-granddaughter. It was said that Baldridge's establishment in Madagascar was sustained by Philipse's capital, to obtain for the latter a share in the profits of piracy. _Cal. St. P. Col._, 1697-1698, p. 108.]

[Footnote 7: Hoes.]

5. October 19, 1693. Arrived the s.h.i.+p _Amity_, Captain Thomas Tew Commander,[8] Burden 70 Tons, 8 Guns, 60 men, haveing taken a s.h.i.+p in the Red Seas that did belong to the Moors, as the men did report, they took as much money in her as made the whole share run 1200 l. a man.

they Careened at St. Maries and had some cattel from me, but for their victualing and Sea Store they bought from the Negros. I sold Captain Tew and his Company some of the goods brought in the _Charles_ from New York. the Sloop belonged most of her to Bermudas. Captain Tew set saile from St. Maries December the 23d 1693, bound for America.

[Footnote 8: See doc. no. 63, note 16, _ante_.]

6. August, 1695. Arrived the _Charming Mary_ from Barbados, Captain Richard Glover Commander,[9] Mr. John Beckford marchant and part owner. the most of the s.h.i.+p belonged to Barbados, the Owners Colonel Russel, Judge Coats, and the Nisames [?]. She was burden about 200 Tons, 16 Guns, 80 men. she had severall sort of goods on board. I bought the most of them. She careened at St. Maries and in October she set saile from St. Maries for Madagascar to take in Rice and Slaves.

[Footnote 9: See doc. no. 65.]

7. August 1695. Arrived the s.h.i.+p _Katherine_ from New York, Captain Tho. Mostyn Commander and Super Cargo,[10] Mr. Fred. Phillips Owner, the s.h.i.+p Burden about 160 Tons, noe Guns, near 20 men. She had severall sorts of goods in her. she sold the most to the White men upon Madagascar, where he had Careened. he set saile from St. Maries for Mauratan on Madagascar to take in his Rice and Slaves.

[Footnote 10: Another of those commissioned by Fletcher. Having no guns, the vessel must have been intended for illegal trade rather than for warfare.]

8. December 7th 1695. Arrived the s.h.i.+p _Susanna_, Captain Thomas Weak[11] Commander, burden about 100 Tons, 10 Guns, 70 men. they fitted out from Boston and Rhoad Island and had been in the Red seas but made noe voyage by reason they mist the moors fleet. they Careened at St. Maries and I sold them part of the goods bought of Mr. John Beckford out of the _Charming Mary_ and spaired them some Cattel, but for the most part they were supplyed by the Negros. they stayed at St.

Maries till the middle of April, where the Captain and Master and most of his men dyed. the rest of the men that were left alive after the Sickness Carried the s.h.i.+p to St. Augustin, where they left her and went In Captain h.o.r.e for the Red Sea.

[Footnote 11: Or Wake.]

9. December 11th 1695. Arrived the Sloop _Amity_, haveing no Captain, her former Captain Thomas Tew being killed by a great Shott from a Moors s.h.i.+p,[12] John Yarland master, Burden seventy Ton, 8 Guns, as before described, and about 60 men. They stayed but five dayes at St.

Maries and set saile to seek the _Charming Mary_ and they met her at Mauratan on Madagascar and took her, giveing Captain Glover the Sloop to carry him and his men home and all that he had, keeping nothing but the s.h.i.+p. they made a new Commander after they had taken the s.h.i.+p, one Captain Bobbington. after they had taken the s.h.i.+p they went into St.

Augustine Bay and there fitted the s.h.i.+p and went into the Indies to make a voyage and I have heard since that they were trapaned and taken by the Moors.

[Footnote 12: See doc. no. 63, note 16, _ante_.]

10. December 29 1695. Arrived a Moors s.h.i.+p, taken by the _Resolution_ and given to Captain Robert Glover and 24 of his men that was not willing to goe a privateering upon the Coasts of Indies, to carrie them away. the Company turned Captain Glover and these 24 men out of the s.h.i.+p, Captain Glover being parte Owner and Commander of the same and Confined prisoner by his Company upon the Coast of Guinea by reason he would not consent to goe about the Cape of good hope into the Red Sea. the s.h.i.+p was old and would hardly swim with them to St.

Maries. when they arrived there they applyed themselves to me. I maintained them in my house with provision till June, that s.h.i.+ping arrived for to carry them home.

11. January 17th 1696/7. Arrived the Brigantine _Amity_, that was Captain Tew's Sloop from Barbadoes and fitted into a Brigantine by the Owners of the _Charming Mary_ at Barbados, Captain Richard Glover Commander and Super Cargo. the Brigantine discribed when a Sloop. She was laden with severall sorts of goods, part whereof I bought and part sold to the White men upon Madagascar, and parte to Captain h.o.r.e and his Company. the Brigantine taken afterwards by the _Resolution_ at St. Maries.

12. February the 13th 1696/7. Arrived Captain John Hor's Prize from the Gulph of Persia and three or four dayes after arrived Captain h.o.r.e[13] in the _John and Rebeckah_, Burden about 180 Tons, 20 Guns, 100 men in s.h.i.+p and prize. The Prize about 300 Ton Laden with Callicoes. I sold some of the goods bought of Glover to Captain h.o.r.e and his Company as likewise the white men that lived upon Madagascar and Captain Richard Glover.

[Footnote 13: See doc. no. 65, note 17.]

13. June the ---- 1697. Arrived the _Resolution_, Captain s.h.i.+vers Commander, Burden near 200 Tons, 90 men, 20 Guns, formerly the s.h.i.+p belonged to Captain Robert Glover but the Company took her from him and turned him and 24 more of his men out of her by reason they were not willing to goe a privateering into the East Indies.[14] they met with a Mosoune[15] at sea and lost all their masts and put into Madagascar about 10 Leagues to the Northward off St. Maries and there masted and fitted their s.h.i.+p, and while they lay there they took the Brigantine _Amity_ for her watter Casks, Sailes and Rigeing and Masts, and turned the Hull a drift upon a Rife.[16] Captain Glover promised to forgive them what was past if they would Let him have his s.h.i.+p again and goe home to America, but they would not except he would goe into the East Indies with them. September the 25th 97 they set saile to the Indies.

[Footnote 14: See doc. no. 65.]

[Footnote 15: Monsoon.]

[Footnote 16: Reef.]

14. June 1697. Arrived the s.h.i.+p _Fortune_ from New York, Captain Thomas Mostyn Commander, and Robert Allison Super Cargo, the s.h.i.+p Burden 150 Tons or there abouts, 8 Guns, near 20 men, haveing severall sorts of goods aboard, and sold to Captain h.o.r.e and Company and to the White men upon Madagascar.

15. June ---- 1697. Arrived a s.h.i.+p from New York, Captain Cornelius Jacobs Comander and Super Cargo, Mr. Fred. Phillips owner, Burden about 150 Ton, 2 Guns, near 20 men, haveing severall sorts of goods a board, and sold to Captain h.o.r.e and his Company and to the White men on Madagascar, and four Barrells of Tar to me.[17]

[Footnote 17: When this s.h.i.+p came back, richly laden, Philipse sent out a sloop to meet her, which off the New Jersey coast quietly unloaded all of her cargo but the negroes, and sailed with it to Hamburg. _Cal. St. P. Cal._, 1697-1698, p. 414.]

16. July the 1st 1697. Arrived the Brigantine _Swift_ from Boston, Mr.

Andrew Knott Master[18] and John Johnson Marchant and parte owner, Burden about 40 Tons, 2 Guns, 10 men, haveing severall goods aboard.

Some sold to Captain h.o.r.e and Company the rest put a sh.o.r.e at St.

Maries and left there. A small time after her arrivall I bought three Quarters of her and careened and went out to seek a Trade and to settle a forraign Commers and Trade in severall places on Madagascar.

About 8 or 10 dayes after I went from St. Maries the Negros killed about 30 White men upon Madagascar and St. Maries, and took all that they or I had, Captain Mostyn and Captain Jacobs and Captain Hor's s.h.i.+p and Company being all there at the same time and set saile from St. Maries October 1697 for Madagascar to take in their Slaves and Rice. having made a firm Commerse with the Negros on Madagascar, at my return I met with Captain Mostyn at sea, 60 Leagues of St. Maries. he acquainted me with the Negros riseing and killing the White men. he perswaded me to return back with him and not proceed any further, for there was noe safe goeing to St. Maries. all my men being sick, after good consideracion we agreed to return and goe for America.

[Footnote 18: In 1690 he had commanded a s.h.i.+p in Sir William Phips's unsuccessful expedition against Quebec. For his connection with Kidd, see _post_, doc. no. 85, note 7.]

The above mentioned men that were killed by the Natives were most of them privateers that had been in the Red Seas and took severall s.h.i.+ps there, they were cheifly the occasion of the natives Riseing, by their abuseing of the Natives and takeing their Cattel from them, and were most of them to the best of my knowledge men that came in severall s.h.i.+ps, as Captain Rainor, Captain Coats, Captain Tew, Captain h.o.r.e, and the _Resolution_ and Captain Stevens.[19]

ADAM BALDRIDGE.

Sworne before me in New York 5th of May 1699 A.D. PEYSTER[20]