HCA 13/71 f.97r Annotate

From MarineLives
Jump to: navigation, search
[Expand]

Expand this area to see details of page purpose, how to register, how to add footnotes, and useful links.

Image

HCA 13/71 f.97r: Right click on image for full size image in separate window

Transcription

about three leagues from dover, betwixt dover and Callice, and having
haled and demanded both of the Companies of the said shipp fortune of
and of the said frenchmen of warr to what place the shipp fortune belonged,
and being answered by the french that there was a flandrian belonging to
their enemies, subjects of the king of Spaine, the Office or Commander of
the said frigat bade them pursue their designe, and departed from them
not attempting at all any thing against the said shipp fortune but shortly
after an English friggat comeing from the westward of England (and the
said two frenchmen being in a readinesse to have boarded and taken the
said shipp fortune and Ladeing) trame up and interposed dischargeing 2
peeces of Cannon at the said shipp fortune and boarding and lading
of her when the said frenchmen of warr were within a muskett shott
of her, and ready to board and seize her as aforesaid . The premises hee
well knoweth at being an eye-wittnesse thereof, and Master of the
said shipp the Royall Mary during the pursuite and at the seizure aforesaid
further declaring that the said shipp fortune and her lading were by
meanes of the said seizure taken away from the said frenchmen of warr
and they departed thereof, shee being since brought into the River of
Thames and discharged of the lading by the Office of this Commonwealth
And further hee cannot depose./

To the 5th hee saith that hee verily beleeveth and in all probability the
said shipp fortune steering her Course soe neere to the french Coast
as aforesaid, in case shee had not been pursued by the said two frenchmen
of warr had gone directly for fflanders and had not been interrupted nor
seized by the English, there being at that time no English men of warr
upon the french Coast, nor so neere is that they could have espyed the said
shipp fortune which this deponent well knoweth and observed together with others
of the frenchmen of warrs respective Companies, haveing beene severall
daies passing and repassing neere the said Coast in order to
their said warlike employment./

To the 6th hee saith that in case the said English friggat and Companie
had not boarded the said shipp fortune and taken her at they did, shee
had inevitably fallen into the hands, and been surprized taken and possessed
by the said two frenchmen of warr and their respective Companies, they
being then closerup with her, not above a muskett shott distance from
her, and ready to lay her aboard when the said English friggat seized her
to whom they strikeing saile in obei[?stance] to the English flagg were
thereby retarded from their immediately intended boarding and undoubted
seizure of the said shipp fortune and her lading, they being each of them
strong enough to have carried and conquered the said shipp fortune and
Companie without any assistance from the English, And further saving
his subsequent deposition hee cannot depose./

To the 7th and 8th hee saith that after the said seizure of the said shipp fortune and
lading so made by the said English friggat, the Captaines of the said two
frenchmen of warr went aboard the said friggat to demand their said
prize, and afterwards went aboard the English Commander in chief or
Vice Admirall of the English then rideing of the Downes, from whom
they brought in answer that it must be tryed in the Admiraltie Court
at London and if the said shipp fortune and lading were there adjudged
to the said frenchmen, the might have them or to that effect, but in the meane
time refused to deliver the same. The premisses he saw being aboard the said
shipp Royall Mary and heard the said Captaines report he answer of
the English Commander to the effect aforesaid, And further cannot depose.

(To the 9th