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 Island[2] 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 willing[3] 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's[2] 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 instant[3] 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 bills[4] 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. falls[2]
• 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 lockram[4]
• 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 dowlas[5]
• 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 Damnified[7]
• 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 gounds[8]
• 2 Jasto Corps[9]
• 4 stuffe coates for men

a box.

• 2 stuffe vest for boyes
• 2 boyes little coates
• 2 childrens coates
• 2 scarlett parragon[10] 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 Stomegers[11]
• 17 yards ½ of Stuffe
• 1 lb. black thread

---

• 1 small barrell of nayles

a great chest.

• 7 peeces kersie
• 2 p'ces red playnes[12]
• 1 p'ce white cotton
• 12 grose coat button
• 2 doz. pins
• 4 peeces galloune[13]
• 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 quoiles[14] 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 Ensigne[15]
• 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 garnets[16]
• 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 forestaffs[17] and vaines

No. 2.

• 1 lookeing glass
• 1 doz. pa. white worsted hose for men
• 1 brass old trumpett
• 5 shirts }
• 3 pa. drawers } foule
• 1 pa. fine gloves
• 2 stuffe coates
• 1 pa. briches, wast coat, and Jacket
• 1 wast coat and Jacket more
• 1 pa. new and 3 pa. old shooes
• 1 pa. yarne stockings
• 3 neckcloaths
• 2 pa. hose
• 1 pa. linnon sleeves
• 2 napkins, and severall other small things.

No. 3.

• 1 peece fine broad cloath
• 6 yards ½ branch and Streaked stuffe
• 6 coates for men
• 1 stuffe pa. briches and dublet
• 3 pa. cloath briches
• 1 old dublet
• 1 girles petticoat
• 2 pa. Irish stockings
• 3 pa. childrens hose
• 1 woe. boddy of a gowne
• 1 pewter candlestick and socket
• 5 boyes hatts
• 17 yards blue linnon
• one perriwig
• 2 white tiffeny[18] hoods
• 2 pa. gloves
• 12 yards stuffe in 2 p'ces
• 3 bands[19] 1 laced
• 5 yards searge
• 2 pa. sleeves
• 2 small p'ces diaper filleting
• 4 yards ¼ searge
• 1 gr. and 11 doz. buttons
• 4 yards striped stuffe
• 3 doz. thread laces
• 6 yards shalloune[20]
• a parcell of thread about ½ ld.
• 1 childes silke cap and a little parcell of silke and severall
• other small things.

---

• 1 kettle }
• 1 pott } left on board
• 1 stuepann }
• 26 Iron potts
• 25 Iron long bolts
• 6 chaine plates with dead eyes[21]
• 10 Iron bound dead eyes
• 7 wood axes
• 6 pump speires
• 12 small boltes
• 17 Iron clamps
• 1 bagg of 2d. nayles
• 2 baggs of 4d. nayles.
• 2 pruneing hookes for gardens
• 8 musquets (1 noe lock)
• 5 Iron hinges for ports
• 80 great speeks[22]
• 2 pintles
• 2 good Irons
• 1 top chaine
• 3 great rings
• 1 basket of sheathing nayles } halfe full each.
• 1 basket of 40d. nayles }
• 1 fiz gigg[23]
• 4 hookes
• 1 shovel
• 12 small rings
• 1 poope lanthhorne
• 1 Iron mill with 2 winches
• 1 cross cutt saw
• 2 chaine bolts more
• 2 pumpe Irons
• 2 table hookes
• 1 shirk hooke[24]
• 2 dogg Irons
• 2 doz. of 8 Inch blocks
• 1 doz. of 6 Inch blocks
• 1 doz. of 4 Inch blocks
• 11 blocks of 6 and 4 Inch
• 1 doz. of 5 Inch blocks
• 7 of 14 Inch blocks
• 1 topsaile sheete block
• 3 double table blocks
• 17 dead eyes
• 9 pump uper boxes
• 10 dito lower
• 5 blacking barrels
• 8 small glasses
• 1 wach glass
• 4 cumpasses
• 12 sk. twine
• about halfe a barrel of powder
• 8 yards of canvas
• 2 pa. Stilliards without peises
• 3 small baggs of 2d. nayles (in a bagg)
• 1 dipsey lead[25] 18 lb.
• 2 pistalls
• 1 carbine
• 1 p'ce Leather
• 1 small fouleing peece
• 3 straw hatts
• 3 cables and 2 hallsers
• 4 anckors (sheet, best bower, small bower and kedge)
• 5 Iron gunns
• The Ship Providence and standing rigging with long
• boat and Skiffe.

In Obedience to a Warrant Comeing from the County Court held in Boston the 30th day of Aprill 1673, Unto us whose names are hereunder written, for to take an Inventory of the Estate and goods in the Shipp Providence of Falmouth, lately arived in Piscataqua River, etc., and to Render an acco't thereof unto the present Deputy Governor by the 7th of May, wee haveing accordingly done the same (as time would afford) Doe Signifie Unto the Honourable Deputy Governor, that the before mentioned particulars are the whole, that to our certaine knowleidg is come (in the said shipp) and that, according to the wrighting at the beginning hereof, they are Secured in the said Fryers hands and the shipp well mored in the harbour at the Great Island in Piscataqua River.

May the 5th, 1673.

Nathaniell Fryer. Henry Dering.

34. Examination of John Johnson. May 5, 1673.[1]

The examination of John Johnson steersman of the frigott commonwealth, Capt. Cornelius Lincourt Comd'r.

December the 15th their stile[2] they came out of Flushing in the above sd Frigott with 20 gunns and ninety six men and boys, bound from Flushing to the Canarie Island, and in their way they tooke a Londoner bound from Malaga laden with fruit, which they sent to the Groyne,[3] and the men they putt on shore at the canaries. from the Canaries we sailed to the Cape de Verd Islands and from thence to Barbados, where they tooke a small French sloope, and from thence we sailed to the Capes of Verginia and in our way we mett with the Providence of Falmouth, which ship we tooke on the 15 day of Aprill, our Stile,[4] in the latitude of the capes, about 30 Leagues to the Eastward. it being a stormy night they drive away under a maine course to the northward. for 2 days afterward they stood in againe to the capes but could not see their frigott, so then we stood away for the Groine, and meet with a small Londoner bound for Verginia, who came abord on us for water, and we took the men being 5 and putt them in to the hold, then he that was Master of the ship went on board the Londoner and those men with him, whome the Londoner carried away, so then we followed them but could not overtake him, so the night following the English that were upon Decke conspireing with them in the hold, in the morneing they tooke the ship from us, and brought us to Piscataqua.

Taken in Boston 5 May 1673 before

John Leverett, Dep. Gov.[5]

35. Declaration of Edward Bant and Others. May 8, 1673.[1]

A Declaration of some Occurrents that happened to us in our late voiadge from London in the Ship Barkely of the saide port, Nicholas Prynne Commander, intended for Virginia, Anno 1672/3.

On the twelfth Aprill 1673 being in saide Ship about the Lattitude of the Capes of Virginia about 80 Leagues distant, wee saw a sail towards Evening, and being in want of provitions, seeing her to be a Fly boate,[2] made towards her and came up with her about Eight a clock and hailed them asking them of whence theire Ship. they answered of Falmoth. wee ask't them from whence they came. they answered from Virginia, and called mee by my name and asked mee how I did. wee asked them what places they loaded at. they answered, in Petuxin River.[3] wee told them wee wanted some provitions. they answered us if we would hoise out our Boate and come on boarde, they would spare us water and other provitions what they could. in order thereunto wee did soe, and I being desired by the Master and Merchant[4] to goe on board with the Boate to Endeavor to gett what provitions I could, our Marchant who was the owner also desired mee to stay, and hee and the Doctor would goe with mee as soon as they had sealed theire letters. Our Master not having ended his writing the marchant desired him to goe on board with us also and to finish his letter there, and accordingly with three more Seamen wee went on board saide Ship, and when wee came there founded severall Dutchmen on board who had the Command of her, they having lately taken her from the English. the Ship was called the Providence, belonging to Falmoth, Thomas Radden having been lately master of her. the saide Dutchman Surprized six of us and kept us prisoners and sent one of our Company with three Dutchmen on board our Ship, who lay by us till the next morning. then the Dutch Commander comanded our Ships' Boate to come on board his Ship againe, which accordingly they did, hee promising our merchant to take out our goods and to give us our Ship againe, in order whereunto hee provided one hogshead of bread to have given us as hee saide and tooke our marchant with him and went on board our Ship, and about halfe an hour after our Ship made sail and Steered to the westward: and then the Dutch men put us who formerly belonged to her down into the hole and made sail after the saide Ship for about two houres, and seeing they could not come up with her stood on theire course againe to the Eastward, and by receiving advice from those Englishmen that were at liberty were combined together for them to make way for our coming up and soe to rush out upon the Dutchmen at once and to Subdue them, for the rescueing of ourselves and Ship, which with god's blessing wee Effected, without loss of life or bloodshed to any, and then agreed among our Selves to come away with saide Ship to New England, which accordingly wee did and after Eleven days passage by reason of contrary wind and foggy weather arrived in Piscataquay River on the 23th Aprill 1673.

Edward Bant, Mate.
John Ressell.
Jonas Lewis.

Att a Court of Assistants on Adjournment the 8th May 1673, Edward Bant, John Russell and Jonas Lewis deposed in Court that having subscribed their names to this declaration that it was the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth:

As Attests Edward Rawson Sec'ty

[1] Suffolk Court Files, no. 1257, paper 12.