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arlate John Bennard was and is Captaine an … arlate John Bennard was and is Captaine and Commander and hath served<br />
in and aboard her in severall voiages which shee hath made upon a man of<br />
warrs imployment from the Port of Callice in ffrance within these 2 yeares<br />
and a half last past or thereabouts, for all which came the Count of Charrott<br />
Governor of Callice and others of that place have bin and are generally<br />
knowne and reputed the Owners and Armorers or setters forth of the said Vessell<br />
upon such her warlike expeditions, Hee also saith, That hee well knoweth<br />
the shipp or man of warr the ''Mary Royall'' of Callice of which the arlate<br />
John Coverure was and is Captaine and hath knowne her belonging to that<br />
Port for about 20 yeares last past and that the said Count de Charrott<br />
and others of that place have for sewall yeares been well knowne and generally<br />
reputed the Owners and equippers thereof upon her warlike imployments<br />
against the enemies of the Crowne of france, and saith that the said two men of<br />
warr, did proceed to Sea upon such their warlike imployments sewall times in<br />
Company (this deponent still serving aboard the [?''Eagle XXX'']) particularly the 26th of January last french style being therewith<br />
commissionated by the Duke of Vandome Grand Admirall of ffrance. this<br />
deponent having seen such their Commissions aboard in their said late expedition
To the second Article hee saith, That that upon the 30th day of January last past new<br />
style, the said two men of warr Commissionated as aforesaid being at Sea in<br />
Companie espied the shipp the ''fortune'' arlate, whereof one daniel<br />
Eyerton was Master sayleing along the french coast about a league<br />
and a half off of the cape or point of Grinay in ffrance, steering her<br />
Course, the usuall and direct way that Vessells comeing from the Ports of<br />
ffrance and bound for the king of Spaines Porte in fflanders doe<br />
{u}sually and generally take, and that having espyed her, they presently gave<br />
chase to her, they still wearing Colours and so continued chasing of her for about<br />
6. howers, and in her flight discharging at her 7. peece ordnance with {g}reat<br />
shott, The premisses hee knoweth, for that hee was an Eye wittnesse there of<br />
serving aboard the said ''Goulden Eagle''.
To the third hee saith, That the Master and Companie of the said shipp ''fortune''<br />
perceiving themselves closely pursued by the said ffrenchmen of warr,<br />
and no possibilities of their escape to dunquirke or other Port in flanders<br />
steered their Course towards the Coast of England thereby to recover the<br />
protection of the English shipps, the said two men of warr still continuing<br />
their pursuite, and being readie to have boarded and taken the said shipp and<br />
her lading. Which hee well knoweth being Boateswaine of and aboard the<br />
said shipp the ''Goulden Eagle'' during all the pursuite aforesaid.
To the 4th hee saith, That during the said pursuite and discharging of Cannon<br />
against the said shipp ''fortune'', a ffriggat in the immediate service of this<br />
Commonwealth being at Anchor neere the Downes weighing anchor<br />
made up towards them, and the officers thereof having spoken with the Master of the ''fortune''<br />
and also with the Captaine of the said men of warr, badd the said Captaine<br />
pursue their Prize, for they had nothing to say against them or to that<br />
or the like effect, and saith that shortly after another English friggat<br />
likewise in the service of this Commonwealth came up with them and tooke<br />
the said shipp ''fortune'' and lading from the said two frenchmen of warr and<br />
sent them away for England depriving the french of the same<br />
The premisses hee knoweth and declareth upon the grounds aforesaid
To the 5th, That in all probabilitie, in case the said two french shipps<br />
had not, as they did, pursued the said shipp ''fortune'', shee saileing<br />
so neere to the french Coast, had never been espyed nor taken by<br />
(the been espyed nor taken by<br />
(the +
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