America and West Indies: April 1674

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 7, 1669-1674. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1889.

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'America and West Indies: April 1674', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 7, 1669-1674, (London, 1889) pp. 573-576. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol7/pp573-576 [accessed 26 April 2024]

April 1674

Apr. 3. 1259. Commission to John Lord Vaughan to be Governor of Jamaica. Two copies, one copy with two marginal columns, containing a short abstract and also an abridgment of each of the 31 Articles. 8 1/2 pp. 1674, Dec. 3. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXXI., No. 30 and No. 82; see also Col. Entry Bks., No. XXIX., 1–11, and No. XCV., 1–11.]
Apr. 3.
Westminster.
1260. Letters Patent to Thos. Martyn and Leonard Compeare, or their deputies, for their lives and the life of the longer liver. Granting the office of Receiver of duties, impositions, quitrents, fines, forfeitures, and escheats payable to his Majesty in Jamaica, with the same fees, profits, and advantages as Reginald Wilson, Samuel Warren, Col. Robert Freeman, and Capt. John Boarden, or any of them had; the Governor and all officers to assist them therein. Provided that if said Thos. Martyn and Leonard Compeare intermeddle with said office before giving security, these presents to become void. See ante, No. 1264. 3 pp. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXXI., No. 31.]
Apr. 7–9. 1261. Minutes of the Council of Barbadoes. The Assembly attending, the President of the Council told the Speaker of the wants wherewith to proceed on the fortifications, the "calculate" appearing greater than was expected about the quarry of stone; also the want of necessaries for repairing the Garland. The Speaker presented a paper, desiring that an Act made about settling the Clerks and Marshals of the Courts and their fees be recorded in the Secretary's office, it being pretended that it was negligently or willingly omitted, as well in the Assembly as in the Secretary's books.
Apr. 8.—The Assembly attending desired the Board to take some care about the land at the stepping stones, and brought a paper about satisfying for mending damaged powder, and an address about making void the orders about the Clerks' places of the Common Pleas lately issued to the Judges. The President also desired they would provide wherewith to perfect the fortifications to which Col. Codrington, their Speaker, replied that they would do nothing till they received answer to said papers; whereupon the Board thought fit to draw up the following answer, vizt.:—The President and Council are not sensible that there was ever any suspension of the Secretary's patents by any former Governor, or that there is any such law as the Assembly mention, nor do they know of any dangerous consequences to the island by having the King grant the Secretary's, Provost-Marshal's, and Clerks' and Marshals' places of the Courts, since on any misdemeanour such officers are to be suspended, nor do they know of any former address on the matter. And they desire the Assembly to believe that they are not less tender of his Majesty's laws and the good of the place than themselves, and to consider that their powers of making laws are derived from the King's patent only, which laws cease to be so on signification of his Majesty's disapproval; that his Majesty has granted power to Mr. Dawes to appoint clerks of the Court, and to the Provost to appoint marshals, that his Majesty by mandamus commanded this patent to be admitted by President Walrond and Council. That Wm. Lord Willoughby before his first coming endeavoured to have these patents repealed, but the King in open Council declared he would have his patents obeyed. That, before his last coming, he declared the same with some anger; and that in the Commission for the present Government the King has expressly restrained the Governor from granting any of the patent offices. From all which they believe the King will dissent to any law made against the patents, the Assembly is desired to consider that it will be extremely ill-taken by his Majesty if they should go about to restrain his Majesty from the power of gratifying such of his subjects with offices as he shall think have merited them of him, and may induce his Majesty to debar themselves of privileges they have enjoyed by his favour.
Apr. 9.—Order brought by the Assembly for supplying Capt. Wyborne with provisions for H.M.S. Garland, and answer to above paper about the Provost-Marshal's patent. They said they were adjourned till Tuesday seven weeks. Ordered that what remains due upon the Bills drawn on the President and Council by Capt. Wyborne for victualling and fitting H.M.S. Garland, in New England, be forthwith paid by the Treasurer out of the 53,000 lbs. sugar granted for that purpose 10th July last, the sale of his Majesty's provisions not having yielded sufficient to satisfy said Bills. 3 1/2 pp. [Col. Entry Bk., No. XI., 265–268.]
Apr. 10.
Exeter House.
Shaftesbury
Papers.
1262. Earl of Shaftesbury to Capt. John Wentworth, Governor of New Providence and the rest of the Bahama Islands. Has both in the settlement of the island and the constituting the Company of Adventurers taken so particular a care of him that the Earl presumes to have some authority with him and that he will follow his Lordship's directions for the right ordering of their affairs and the plantation there which it is designed to make a considerable and flourishing one. Shows him how to encourage the Adventurers to continue their supplies by not allowing any braziletto to be cut, nor amber, nor other of their royalties to be sent out of Providence, but in the Company's ships or by direction of their agent, and that it is not intended to restrain the liberty of the planters' trade in the selling of their own commodities. Hopes he will allay those jealousies which Capt. Darrell raised to serve his own ends, and not serve his purpose to the prejudice of the Company in which Shaftesbury has got Capt. Wentworth so good a share. If they can get an inlet to the Spanish trade, he himself can readily judge how considerable a tenth part of that may be to him. [Shaftesbury Papers Section IX., Bundle 48, No. 55, pp. 137, 138.]
Apr. 10.
Exeter House.
Shaftesbury
Papers.
1263. Earl of Shaftesbury to his assured loving friend Mr. Fisher. By his letter to the Company of Adventurers which his Lordship liked well, thinks him an honest careful man, and one that will deserve their encouragement. Has therefore made choice of him to give an account of the rarities and other observable things in the Bahama Islands. Desires him to send the description and names of the strange plants, birds, or beasts there, and if any pretty ones amongst them that will endure the sea, to send them to his Lordship. [Shaftesbury Papers, Section IX., Bundle 48, No. 55, p. 139.]
Apr. 13. 1264. Report of the Council for Trade and Plantations to the King. Present the following additions to be made part of Sir Jonathan Atkins's instructions for the prevention of some miscarriages of which they have received information, vizt.:—(1.) Not to re-enact any law which shall not have his Majesty's confirmation except on very urgent occasions, and on no occasion to again enact any such re-enacted law. (2.) To prevent arbitrary removals of judges and justices, not to express any limitation of time in the commissions granted to them. (3.) Not to put in execution martial law in any of the islands without consent of the respective Councils and Assemblies, nor for a longer time than the Assemblies shall appoint. (4.) With advice of Council to take care that sufficient deputies be put in for executing all places in Barbadoes granted under the great seal, and if any deputy be found unfit, and on his intimation it be not amended, by the first opportunity to represent it to his Majesty. (5.) And whereas their Lordships are informed that Samuel Barwicke is removed to Bermudas, John Knight dead, and William Sharpe a judge in Barbadoes, and very fit to be continued so, offer that John Peirce, Symon Lambert, and John Stanfast, Esq., be inserted instead as Councillors of Barbadoes. 2 pp. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXXI., No. 32. See also copy with mem. That this was given to Mr. Bridgman about 17th April 1674. Col. Entry Bk., Vol. V., 172, 173.]
Apr. 25. 1265. Commission from the Lords Proprietors of Carolina to Joseph West, Governor of that part that lies between Cape Carteret on the north side and five miles beyond Ashley River on the south side and so westward to the South Sea, and to the Council. Granting power to let, set, convey, and assure lands with consent of his Council and under conditions set forth in his instructions. To execute all powers and authorities in relation to government with power in case of sickness or absence to appoint a deputy. Identical with the Commission cal., ante, No. 606, but with this addition: All former commissions granted to Sir John Yeamans to be Governor are hereby revoked and made void. Signed by Craven, Shaftesbury, Cornbury, Berkeley, and G. Carteret. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XX., pp. 91, 92.]
Apr. 25. 1266. Another copy of the preceding with mem. "The aforesaid is a true copy of the original Commission examined this 29th April 1675. Jos. Dalton, Secry." 1 1/2 pp. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXI.]
Apr. 28. 1267. Minutes of the Council of Barbadoes. The President produced a letter from Sir Jonathan Atkins, acquainting the Council that his Majesty had constituted him Governor of this island, together with his intentions of hastening hither; resolved that a fitting house be provided for his reception, and ordered that the Treasurer and Deputy Secretary treat for Mr. Egginton's house and furniture for six months, and report at the next meeting. Resolved that six pipes of Madeira wine be laid into the Governor's house for his expenses at his first arrival. Ordered, that on the Governor's arrival his Majesty's regiment of foot be drawn together, and the troop of guards, and that Major Hallet's troop receive him; that the Deputy Secretary summon the Assembly to meet on 13th May next; and that Lieut.-Colonel Wm. Bate be empowered to appoint persons to press boats to fetch store from Austins for the forts about Carlisle Bay, giving just satisfaction to the owners. 1 1/2 pp [Col. Entry Bk., No. XI., 269–270.]
1268. Catologue of the Graduates of Harvard University from 1642 to 1674. 201 in number; of these nine are members of British, Irish, or continental universities, viz.:—two from Oxford, four from Cambridge, one from Aberdeen, one from Dublin, and one from Lyons. There is one Indian, Caleb Cheesechaumuck. Appended are some Latin verses addressed to the King of England, the English universities, and the members of Harvard. Latin. Printed. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. XXXI., No. 33.]