America and West Indies: July 1688

Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 12 1685-1688 and Addenda 1653-1687. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1899.

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'America and West Indies: July 1688', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 12 1685-1688 and Addenda 1653-1687, (London, 1899) pp. 565-576. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol12/pp565-576 [accessed 25 April 2024]

July 1688

July 2.
Whitehall.
1,814. Earl of Sunderland to Henry Hordesnell. Conveying to him the King's leave to return home. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XVIII., p. 176.]
July 4.
Whitehall.
1,815. Lord Proprietors of Carolina to Governor Joseph West. We have received no answer to our letter of 10 October, though we have before complained of your slackness. This will be delivered to you by our secretary, and you will explain to him whether it be by accident or through your neglect that we have not heard from you. Signed, Craven, Bath, P. Colleton, T. Amy. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXII., p. 145.]
July 4. 1,816. The same to Paul Grimball, secretary. You will deliver the above letter to our Governor, and not fail to obtain his answer thereto. We gave the Governor and others powers to grant land. You will not fail to inform us whether these powers have been published. Signed, Craven, Bath (for Lord Carteret), P. Colleton, T. Amy. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXII., p. 145.]
July 4. 1,817. Lords Proprietors of Carolina to [Governor Joseph West?]. We send you a letter we have received from the Lorda of Trade as to the birth of the Prince of Wales. You will duly celebrate the occasion. On 30 September 1683, we signified to you that henceforward the Secretary should be appointed by the Palatine. You will admit the secretary so commissioned to his office. You have altered the form of writs in Carolina, wherein you have done ill. They should run in the name of the Palatine and Proprietors, as those of Durham run in the name of the bishop. You are not to hinder captains of the King's ships if they carry pirates or illicit traders to some other place for trial. Signed, Craven, Bath (for Lord Carteret), P. Colleton, T. Amy. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXII., p. 146.]
July 6. 1,818. Journal of Lords of Trade and Plantations. The Attorney General's report on East New Jersey read (see No. 1,822), and referred to the Lords of the Treasury. Report of the Treasury as to mines in New England to be communicated to the gentlemen concerned. Sir E. Andros's letter of 4 April read (see No. 1,684). Agreed to recommend that the money received from the wreck be applied to the repair of the fortifications.
The Duke of Albemarle's letter of 16 April read (see No. 1,705). The Lords observe that the power which the Duke desires, to put in members of Council, is what the King will not grant to Governors.
Mr. Blathwayt's report on Crab Island read (see No. 1,740). Agreed to move the King accordingly.
Memorandum of documents sent and received. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. CIX., pp. 172–176.]
July 6. 1,819. Memorandum of Lords of Trade and Plantations. The Lords desire Lord Sunderland to move the King that Sir Nathaniel Johnson may have orders to let the people of Tortola and Anguilla settle on Crab Island, provided it be no charge to his Majesty. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XLVII., p. 325.]
July 6.
Council
Chamber.
1,820. Minute of Lords of Trade and Plantations. Ordering the attendance of the persons interested in mines in New England at next committee. Draft, with corrections. ½ p. Endorsed [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 16.]
July 6. 1,821. Lords of Trade and Plantations to the Earl of Sunderland. Asking him to move the King that the £200 received in New England for his tenths of silver brought from the wreck may be applied towards the fortifications in New England [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LXII., p. 19.]
July 6. 1,822. Sir Thomas Powys to Lords of Trade and Plantations. As regards the requests of the Proprietors of East New Jersey (see No. 1,690). (1.) This is inconsistent with Sir E. Andros's commission in the matter of free ports, but as they ask only for Perth and Amboy it is no great matter. (2, 3, 4.) These are not inconsistent with the commission. (5.) This is inconsistent with the constitution of New England. The rest is not. Signed, T. Powys. 1½ pp. Endorsed. Recd. 6 July 88. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 17.]
July 6. 1,823. Rough draft of a minute referring the preceding report of the Attorney General to the Lords of the Treasury. ½ p. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 18.]
July 7. 1,824. Minutes of Council and Assembly of Nevis. John Stanley chosen speaker. In reply to the Governor the Assembly made the following requests; that he would ascertain whether the petition to the King as to the additional duty had been despatched. The Governor proposed that the repairs to the forts should be hastened. The Assembly replied that this was provided for. The Governor pointed out the loss to the island, owing to the daily emigration. The Assembly pointed to the insolence of the negroes as a cause. A petition to the King was proposed to ask for power to get white servants, but the Assembly pointed out that this was already provided for by Act. The Assembly asked that a severe Act might be drawn against the insolence of negroes, but declined to sanction a fine on all persons declining to serve in the Assembly. The Council and Assembly concurred in an address of thanks to the King for not approving the formation of a West India Company. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XLVIII., pp. 171–175.]
July 7.
Boston.
1,825. Governor Sir Edmund Andros to Lords of Trade and Plantations. Finding it necessary to go eastward, I took the first opportunity, and viewed Pemaquid and the principal settlements as far as Penobscot, sending on also as far as St. Croix. On the news of my arrival at Pemaquid the Indian Sachems applied to me as formerly. They are very orderly, and all that one could desire. I returned here the end of May. On the 5th inst. I received the patent and instructions for this Government, communicated them to those of the Council who were present, and summoned those absent to meet next week. Signed, E. Andros. 1 p. Endorsed. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 19, and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LXII., p. 27.]
July 9.
Boston.
1,826. Governor Sir Edmund Andros to the King. I have endeavoured to ascertain the boundaries of this Government as ordered. I find that to the east and north-east along the sea coast the boundary has always been the river St. Croix and a right line drawn from thence to the river Canada [St. Lawrence]. The western bounds of Nova Scotia, to which the French only have pretence, are on that river and line as it tends by the nearest course to the river Canada; as laid down by the grant of King James I. in 1621. The country to westward of St. Croix as far as the river Pemaquid and so to Kennebec and thence to the river Canada was granted to Sir William Alexander, together with Long Island, which was conveyed by his successors to the King, together with New York. The northern parts not being fully explored, the boundaries are not otherwise defined than as in King James I.'s letters patent to New Plymouth. The boundaries eastward are only on the sea-side and heads of rivers, of which the most noted are at the head of Kennebec river and at Penobscot, where Indian Sachems are still subjects, as formerly, when that county was included with New York. The southern boundaries are the sea and New York. Unsigned. 2 pp. Endorsed. Recd. 22 August 1688. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 20.]
July 9. 1,827. Minutes of Council of Maryland. Letter from Colonel Coursey at great length on difficulties arising out of the case of an orphan child. The Council wrote him a letter of thanks. Letter from Francis Jenkins reporting the delivery of the Indian murderers. Letter of thanks to him from the Council. Proclamation for all sub-rangers to bring in their commissions. Commission to George Layfield to be comptroller and surveyor of Maryland. Commission of Andrew Abington to be deputy collector at Patuxent. Proclamation proroguing the Assembly till 9 May next. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LIV., pp. 174–181.]
July 9.
Custom
House.
1,828. Commissioners of Customs to Lords of the Treasury. On Mr. Hordesnell's recommendation for free trade to be granted to Bermuda (see Nos. 1,611, 1,666), we see no reason why the merchants, planters and others should not have liberty to trade to and from the island in what vessels they please, provided they be duly qualified, and observe the regulations laid down by the Navigation Acts. Signed, Will. Culliford, N. Butler, H. Browne, D. North, Jo. Werden. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 21, and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XVIII., pp. 177–179.]
July 11. 1,829. The Council and Assembly of Barbados to the King. Thanking him for rejecting the project for the erection of a company to take into its possession and disposal all the produce of the Colonies, and to furnish and supply the Colonies as their needs should require. Thirty-three signatures. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. VII., pp. 479–481.]
July 12.
Barbados.
1,830. Lieutenant Governor Stede to the Earl of Sunderland. The people have received with the greatest joy the news of the King's favour to them, and of his protection of them from the guardianship of ambitious projectors who considered neither the profit of the King's revenue nor the welfare of his people. By refusing to allow the erection of a South American Company the King has given new life to these suffering and despondent Colonies. Many who had resolved to sell their estates and settle elsewhere now decide to stay, and make further trial of their fortunes, whatever the difficulties and discouragements. The Council and Assembly, in their gratitude to the King, have prepared a letter of dutiful and humble acknowledgment of his goodness, which I enclose herewith. They desire also their thanks to you. All is quiet and harmonious here. The King's indulgence to his tender conscienced and dissenting subjects did not alter their dutiful and contented manner of living, until the late arrival of a Jesuit, sent from Martinique by M. Martin Ponisett, the General Superior of the Jesuit Mission in America. He called here about a month since, and, exercising his functions among those of his religion, has caused some discontent among some of the people, though in themselves of moderate temper, not on account of his profession, office, or religion, but from the manner and time of his coming and the place from which he came. For he is a foreigner, a Frenchman, and he came from Martinique without order or approbation of his Majesty, and without recommendation or knowledge of any of that religion that are about his royal person. Had he come with such recommendation all the people here would have acquiesced, and those of his religion could receive some spiritual help and comfort from him. But they cannot understand his language. The man only speaks Latin and French, and for French the English here, as elsewhere, have no great regard, especially since the disputes over St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Dominica. The people think that he is a spy sent by the Governor rather than a priest sent by the Jesuit General for the care of souls. They are, therefore, uneasy at his presence here, and think it a presumption both in the Governor and the General to send such a person here, as if the King could not attend to such matters and knew not his own time for attending to them. Some motions have, therefore, been made to me to order him to return, but as I believe that if he be a spy he can learn nothing that will do harm, I have not thought fit to order him away or to forbid him from giving spiritual help to those that desire it, though I have enjoined it on him to act with sobriety and discretion, so as to rouse no discontent in the people. I hope that my action herein may be approved.
I hope in a few days to send you such an account and justification of the King's right to St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Dominica as will render the French pretensions to the contrary ridiculous. The hatred of the former Governors of this island towards offices granted by patent, and especially towards the secretary's office, made them so far endeavour to discourage the possessors of those offices and their deputies that they suffered as little business as possible, public or private, to pass through their hands or to be entered in their offices, the public and only registry of the island. They preferred to transact all business by their particular secretaries, hoping, I conceive, to render the holders of patent offices contemptible; and thus many commissions, grants and other papers relating to these islands and to the settlement of them by the English were never recorded, and are not to be found. These irregularities of my predecessors have been amended by me, as I hope that they may be also in future. I have no further account to give you of wrecks nor of pirates. My own venture is lost by pirates, but whither they have carried my unfortunate ship I know not.
I formerly acquainted you of the discouragement given to the people concerned in the lottery here by Sir Thomas Montgomery's clamour against it. This, and the poverty of the people, by reason of which gaming is much left off, has quite broken the lottery, and the people are gone to Jamaica. This is the reason why Mr. Cranfield and others have not addressed you on the subject. Sir Thomas Montgomery is very uneasy to himself and to everybody else, as I apprehend, much to his own detriment. He has borne himself towards me with unusual unkindness in all capacities, but I have been patient with him, remembering my duty to the honourable person who commended him to me. I have for some time desired his opinion in point of law on an escheat reckoned to be worth fifteen hundred or two thousand pounds, but he has not given it to me, so I cannot prosecute the affair. As the thing is of value and you may obtain the King's grant of it if it should prove to be the King's, I take this opportunity of stating the case to you for your consideration and directions. Does a purchase made by an alien with an alien's money, though in his own name and his son's, who was born in the island, bar the King from escheat of the whole or any part of the estate?
Yesterday Sir Thomas Montgomery brought in a complaint against Mr. Benjamin Skutt, one of the Council, for uttering unbecoming words of the King's affairs, and particularly about the execution of the traitor Cornish, which words, though they might not amount to high treason, were, in Sir Thomas's judgment, highly criminal. To prove this Sir Thomas, about eight o'clock at night, brought a servant and kinsman of Mr. Skutt's, one that had a little before attempted to murder Mr. Skutt in the night by lying in wait for him at his own house. The attempt was frustrated by a gentleman who lived in the house with Mr. Skutt. This gentleman coming in before him received the assault and was too strong for the assailant, whereupon the man declared that it was Mr. Skutt he meant to have killed. This would-be murderer of Mr. Skutt Sir Thomas now brought to me as a witness against Mr. Skutt, with a deposition ready drawn to the effect that fifteen or sixteen months ago, while at sea in the voyage from England to Barbados, Skutt reproached this witness, Pendleton by name, with being son of a perjured person, his father having been one of the jurors who found Cornish guilty, and added that if he had been on the jury he would not have found him guilty. Skutt, it was alleged, repeated these same words later in his own house and in the hearing of witnesses whom Sir Thomas Montgomery desired me to examine. I therefore took Pendleton's oath to the deposition which he brought to me, and next morning summoned the other witnesses named by him and examined them in the presence of Sir Thomas and of three members of Council. The witnesses all confessed that they were in the room at the time when Pendleton was with Mr. Skutt but never heard Skutt say a word about Cornish then or at any other time. So there the matter rests at present, but I thought it my duty to report it to you. As Mr. Skutt has always shewn himself loyal and dutiful here, and I believe also in England, I was not advised by the members of Council to suspend Mr. Skutt or to bind him to answer to the matter. Sir Thomas says that he has more witnesses, though he has not named them to me. If such there be I will send copies of their depositions. Signed, Edwyn Stede. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. VII., pp. 471–479.]
July 12.
Whitehall.
1,831. Commission of the Lords Proprietors of the Bahamas Islands to Thomas Bridges to be governor of the Bahamas. Signed, Craven, Bath (for Lord Carteret), P. Colleton. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXII., pp. 141, 142.]
July 12. 1,832. Instructions to Thomas Bridges, Governor of the Bahamas. (1) The deputies of the proprietors are all to be of the Council. (2, 3) The Governor may appoint a substitute for any of them in case of death or absence until a new deputy be appointed from home. (4) Twenty freeholders are to be elected an Assembly who (7) shall elect six members to sit in Council with the deputies. (9) Parliament to be summoned in November of every alternate year or oftener if necessary. (10, 11) Parliament may be prorogued or dissolved, and condemned criminals pardoned by advice of three of the Council. (14) Piracy is to be strictly put down. Signed, Craven, Bath (for Lord Carteret), P. Colleton. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXII., pp. 142–144.]
July 13. 1,833. Minutes of Council of Jamaica. Colonel Ivy and others ordered to answer for scandalous words against the Government next Wednesday, and in the mean time to stand committed. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXXVI., p. 234.]
July 13. 1,834. Copies of the petition of the proprietors of East New Jersey, of the Attorney General's report, and of the reference of the same to the Lords of the Treasury. Below, Minute of the Treasury referring the same to the Commissioners of Customs, July 13, 1688. Signed Hen. Guy. The whole, 4 pp. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 22.]
July 16. 1,835. Lords Proprietors of the Bahamas to the [Duke of Albemarle?] We have a letter from your Grace telling us that if we grant you the Island of Providence for ninety years you would resettle it and make it profitable. You do not tell us how you will it profitable nor how profitable you will make it, which are things that should be first known. Moreover Lord Carteret will soon be of age, and Lord Ashley, whose concurrence is necessary, is out of England, so you will understand why we cannot comply. We have commissioned Thomas Bridges to be Governor. Signed, Craven, Bath (for Lord Carteret), P. Colleton. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXII., p. 147.]
July 16.
Bermuda.
1,836. Henry Hordesnell to Lords of Trade and Plantations. I write to acquaint you of an ill act done by John Robinson before he went away to England. One Thomas Cooke came here with a considerable cargo, in the employ of Mr. Thomas Linton of Barbados. While here he embezzled his master's goods and wrote letters to Barbados calling the people here rebels and traitors. These letters having been returned from Barbados, Cooke was apprehended and bound to take trial at the next Assizes, two of the Governor's people being his bail. At the Assizes neither Cooke nor his bail appeared, but his bail have since delivered him up to free themselves, and Cooke remained in gaol for want of a security, though by the Governor's order he had liberty to go everywhere. Now by the contrivance of the Governor and John Robinson and their accomplices, under pretence that he was to shew the Governor some papers, he has been allowed to take his bag out of gaol and carry it to the Governor, with whom he left it. The same night he was carried on board John Robinson's ship and made his escape, thereby not only defrauding his creditors but avoiding pleading to a bill of indictment found by the Grand Jury. I beg that John Robinson be ordered to produce Cooke, that he may be secured and sent back here to be tried. I have many other complaints to make but forbear, considering that this inconsiderable place has produced for you more disputes than any. Unsigned. 2 pp. Endorsed. Recd. 24 Dec. 1688. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 23, and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XVIII., pp. 188–191.]
July 17
Custom
House.
1,837. Commissioners of Customs to Lords of the Treasury. On the petition of the Proprietors of East New Jersey (see No. 1,690), we see no objection to making Perth-Amboy a lawful port, provided it be subject to the same regulation as New York. Signed, N. Butler, H. Browne, D. North, Jo. Werden. 1 p. Endorsed. Recd. 29 Aug. 1688. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 24.]
July 18. 1,838. Minutes of Council of Jamaica. Judge White suspended from the Council, his Grace saying that he would report the reason to the King. Colonel Ivy and others bound over to answer for their offence at the Grand Court. Sir Henry Morgan restored to the Council according to the King's order. The naval officers' account of disbursements for H.M.S. Drake referred to a committee. George Harris's patent as secretary and commissary general of stores referred to the Attorney General for report.
July 19. The writs for the election of the Assembly returned. List of members of Assembly.
St. Dorothy Matthew Crew.
John Bonner.
St. Anne William Drax.
William Bragg.
Vere Robert Smart.
John Favell.
Clarendon John Peeke.
Rich. Dawkins.
Port Royal Thomas Ryves.
Ralph Knight.
William Matthews.
St. Andrew John Parnaby.
William Archbold.
St. Elizabeth Richard Scott.
John Barrow.
St. John George Reid.
Edward Winter.
St. Katherine Thomas Ballard.
John Ellis.
William Worley.
St. George Henry Archbold.
Henry Ward.
St. Thomas in the Vale Roger Elletson.
Robert Nowell.
St. Mary Peter Heywood.
John Moone.
St. James Charles Boucher.
Edward Broughton.
St. David Thomas Ryves.
James Lobley.
St. Thomas to Windward Edward Stanton.
Simon Musgrave.
Order for proceeding with the building of a storehouse on the King's land at Port Royal.
July 20. The Assembly being come, his Grace made them a speech, hoping better things of them than from the last Assembly. Roger Elletson was approved as Speaker, and made a speech in reply.
July 21. Draft address to the King approved and sent down to the Assembly for concurrence. The Assembly desired a copy of the Duke's speech. Robert Cooke sworn clerk of the Assembly. Information was given as to the escape of some of the French pirates. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXXVI., pp. 234–237A.]
July 19. 1,839. Journal of Lords of Trade and Plantations. Report of the Commissioners of Customs as to free trade in Bermuda read (see No. 1,828). Agreed to lay it before the King.
Agreed to refer the petition as to the mines in New England to the Attorney General.
Petition of the African Company as to Jamaica read and referred to the Treasury (see No. 1,841).
Sir John Witham's appeal from proceedings connected with the late Lord Willoughby of Parham's estate fixed for February next. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. CIX., pp. 177–179.]
July 19. 1,840. Minute of Lords of Trade and Plantations. Referring the proposals as to mines in New England to Sir Thomas Powis, the Attorney General, to compare them with the King's grant of mines in America to the Duke of Albemarle, and to report. Draft, with corrections. 1 p. Endorsed. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 25.]
[July 19.] 1,841. Memorandum from the Royal African Company. The Government of Jamaica have passed an Act raising the value of pieces-of-eight, which is very detrimental to trade, and especially to creditors. The Company entreat the Lords of Trade to advise the King not to confirm this act. The Government also forbid the Spaniards to trade, which is of great prejudice to the Company. ½ p. Rough notes. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 26.]
July 19. 1,842. Minute of Lords of Trade and Plantations. Referring the above petition to the Lords of the Treasury for their opinion. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 27.]
July 19. 1,843. Rough draft of foregoing minute. Scrap. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 28.]
July 20. 1,844. The Duke of Albemarle's speech to the Assembly of Jamaica. I am glad to find the country sensible that it chose ill men for the last Assembly. I promise myself better things from you. You cannot be ignorant of the many wicked and malicious reports spread abroad by ill-disposed persons, to make me odious to the people and to gain their own ends at the elections. The proposals that I have to make to you are given to you written down. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 29.]
[July 20.] 1,845. Speech of the Speaker of the Assembly of Jamaica to the Duke of Albemarle. His late Grace of Albemarle "drew the hasty emblems of a second creation," to establish the royal authority after the twelve years of confused government. We accept your coming with thankfulness believing that you will tread in the steps of your father and revive this at present decaying condition of Jamaica. In Lord Vaughan's time we were prosperous. In Lord Carlisle's time we were maliciously traduced as an obstinate and wilful people, but his reign was pleasant and profitable. Then came Sir Henry Morgan and after him Sir Thomas Lynch, who found the Island in a happy and good condition, but Sir Henry's methods were changed and the prosperity passed away. His government brought the country into such a fever that it is scarce recovered yet. I end by claiming for us the usual liberties of the Assembly. 3½ closely written pages. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 30.]
[July.] 1,846. Observations on the Speaker's speech, "taking notice only of his personal behaviour in the several governments after he arrived in Jamaica." In Lord Vaughan's time, he fled from England for his debts, which he has not yet paid. He is the man who made the Assembly intercede for a condemned pirate. He was chief adviser in Lord Carlisle's government, and again used his influence in favour of pirates. He was Attorney General when Sir Henry Morgan consented to the tacking of the laws to a money-bill. He tried to put the laws against dissenters in execution in Sir Thomas Lynch's time; he stirred up Gill and Meverell to seize the Assiento ships; he opposed the passing of the revenue for twenty-one years; he defended the pirates from Vera Cruz and that so indecently that he was suspended from practice. On Sir Thomas Lynch's death he tried to blacken his memory by saying that he had appropriated piratical goods. In Colonel Molesworth's time he opposed the votes for paying the armed parties who suppressed the negro rebellion. This is the man whose clerk made the will wherein an annuity of £20 was left him to prosecute a lawsuit; who since he has been Chief Justice has brought more fines and commitments before Council than have been in twenty-four preceding years; who asperses the dead Sir Thomas Lynch; who opposed thanks to the King for liberty of conscience; who is so anxious to justify Sir Henry Morgan that he seems to reflect on the late King, who confirmed his dismissal; who advised the Duke to displace the late Provost Marshal to make room for a creature of his own, who is in gaol for debt, whereby his father was allowed to escape from prison, where he lay for debt; who sat on the bench when a case was tried of scandalous words against himself, gave judgment and inflicted a fine of £300; who in his speech spoke ill of two Governors that no good man ever spoke ill of yet, and ought not to be believed. Two closely written pages. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 31.]
July 20.
Whitehall.
1,847. Order of the King in Council. Referring the petition of Charles Mathew to Lords of Trade and Plantations for report. Signed, Phil. Musgrave. ½ p. Annexed,
1,847. I. Petition of Charles Mathew to the King, for confirmation of the estate granted to his father by Sir William Stapleton, in case of any defect of title. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., Nos. 32, 32I.]
July 22.
Whitehall.
1,848. Order of the King in Council. For the establishment of a General Post Office in Jamaica; Lord Rochester to appoint a Deputy-postmaster. Rates: For one sheet sent from England to Jamaica, sixpence; for two sheets, one shilling; and so on in proportion. Internal rates: For one sheet delivered within a radius of forty miles from Port Royal, twopence; for two sheets, fourpence; and so in proportion. Similar post-offices to be established in such other Colonies in America as Lord Rochester shall approve. Signed, Phil. Musgrave. Appended,
Report of the Attorney General. That the order is in accordance with the statute of 12 Car. II. Signed, T. Powis, 26 June 1688. Opinion of Mr. Pollexfen, to the same effect. Signed, Hen. Pollexfen, July 15, 1688. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXXII., pp. 122–126.]
July 23.
Whitehall.
1,849. William Blathwayt to Henry Guy. Apologising for the delay in sending the minute of the Lords of Trade referring the African Company's petition to the Treasury. Draft. ½ p. Endorsed. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 33.]
July 23.
Whitehall.
1,850. [William Blathwayt] to the Attorney General. As regards the reference of the proposals as to mines in New England (see No. 1,840), their Lordships' intention is that you should mark and distinguish what grants, powers and privileges the gentlemen of New England expect by their proposals more than are already granted to the Duke of Albemarle; also that you give your opinion whether the King may legally and with due regard to the local constitution grant them the particular powers that they desire. Draft. 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. LXIII., No. 34.]
July 23. 1,851. Minutes of Council of Jamaica. The Assembly returned the joint address to the King. Copy of the address. The Duke read a letter from Sir Robert Robinson, giving an account of pirates who had surrendered at Bermuda, and copy of the pass that he had given to some of them to go to Jamaica.
July 24. Message from the Assembly asking for a writ for the election of a member for St. David's.
July 25. Message from the Assembly asking for the Negro Bill prepared for the last Assembly. Bills touching negroes, to encourage the conversion of negroes and to prevent inhumanity to servants, and to ascertain the qualifications of jurors, sent to the Assembly. Jurors' qualification bill read a first time, also the bill for conversion of negroes.
July 26. Jurors' qualification bill read a second time. Negroes' conversion bill read a second time, and sent back to the Assembly with amendments.
July 27. Message from the Assembly agreeing to the amendments in the negroes' conversion bill, and sending up a bill to provide for solicitation of the island's affairs in England. The Assembly asked also for copy of a former bill for prevention of perjury. Jurors' qualification bill and negroes' conversion bill read and passed. Bill for solicitation of the island's affairs read a first time.
July 28. Bill for solicitation committed. Council adjourned for want of a quorum. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXXVI., pp. 238–241.]
July 31. 1,852. Minutes of Council of Jamaica. No quorum.