America and West Indies: January 1687

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: January 1687', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 12 1685-1688 and Addenda 1653-1687, (London, 1899) pp. 308-313. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol12/pp308-313 [accessed 11 April 2024]

January 1687

Jan. 1. 1,089. Account of stores sent from the Office of Ordnance to St. Christopher's, from 1 January, 1677–8 to 1 January 1686–7. 1 p. Endorsed. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 46.]
[Jan.] 1,090. Account of stores required for the use of the fort on Cleverley Hill, St. Christopher's. 1686. 1 p. Endorsed. Sir Nathaniel Johnson's memorial. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 47.]
Jan. 2.
Virginia.
1,091. Governor Lord Howard of Effingham to the King. Humble wishes for a happy New Year to his Majesty. Signed, Effingham. Holograph. ½ p. Endorsed. Recd. May 87. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 48, and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LXXXIII., p. 124.]
Jan. 3. 1,092. Minutes of Council of New York. Petition of J. Rusio. Petitioner referred to his legal remedv. Francis Stepney prohibited from teaching dancing, and ordered to find security for good behaviour, he having been expelled from Boston for loose behaviour. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 49.]
Jan. 3. 1,093. Minutes of Council of New England. Orders for a Bill to be prepared for raising a revenue, and for the duties on imported liquors in Rhode Island, New Plymouth, Providence, and King's province to be the same as in New England. A Committee appointed to revise and collect the laws for the new Government.
Jan. 4. Orders for the usual times and places to be continued in Rhode Island and New Plymouth, for Courts and for marriages, until further order. Order for a county rate of one penny in the pound. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LXIV., pp. 110, 111.]
Jan. 6. 1,094. Minutes of Council of Nevis. Sir James Russell informed the Council that Captain St. Loe, of H.M.S. Dartmouth, had several times refused to obey his orders, and had positively declined to release some sailors that he had pressed, unless Captain Bartholomew Sharpe's men were delivered to him in their place. The King's letter to the Governor brought by Captain St. Loe, was read, also Captain St. Loe's orders from the Governor to pursue Captain Sharpe. The Governor verbally ordered Captain St. Loe to give up the men, but he refused, unless as many men were delivered to him in their stead. The Governor proposed a measure for validating wills which were improperly attested, owing to ignorance of testators; consideration thereof was deferred. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XLVIII., pp. 131, 132.]
Jan. 6. 1,095. Minutes of Council of New York. Petition of Francis Stepney granted, he having complied with the former Order in Council. Patents to three towns passed. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 49.]
Jan. 10. 1,096. Minutes of Council of New York. Order for a Commission for Captain Billop to be Surveyor of Staten Island. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 49.]
Jan. 12.
Custom
House.
1,097. Commissioners of Customs to Governor Sir Edmund Andros. We find that under colour of a trade to Newfoundland for fish, great quantities of European goods are imported into the American Colonies, and particularly into New England. The Island is become a kind of magazine of contraband goods. You will give all people to understand that Newfoundland is not a plantation like other of the King's Plantations, and that all such goods will be seized; and you will take effectual care that no goods are introduced from them into New England, by strict enforcement of the Navigation Acts. Signed, D. North, Cha. Cheyne, Jo. Werden, N. Butler, William Dickinson, J. Buckworth. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LXI., pp. 410–411.]
Jan. 12. 1,098. Minutes of Council of New England. Letter from the Governor of Connecticut of 6th inst, read. Order that the Secretary send the Order in Council of 4th inst, for collection of the King's rate, to the Treasurer to be enforced. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LXIV., p. 111.]
Jan. 12
22.
1,099. Copy of deposition of Don Juan Santiago de Castillo concerning a seizure by John Nicolas, captain of the Custom-house boat, together with the captain's reply to the same. Arranged paragraph by paragraph. 6 pp. Affidavits of Governor Hender Molesworth of 15/25 January and 18/28 January, of Reginald Wilson, Henry Egleton, Peer Beckford, and Antonio [name illegible], in reference to the case. The whole, 13½ pp. Spanish, Endorsed. Recd. 2 June 87, from Colonel Molesworth. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 50.]
Jan. 13. 1,100. Minutes of Council of New York. Order for Lucas Santen to deliver all the papers of his office from 25 March last to Stephanus Van Cortlandt for audit, and all the money that he has of the King's, before one o'clock this afternoon. Adjourned to three p.m. Mr. Cortlandt said that Mr. Santen refused to obey. Order for the papers to be seized. Order for suspension of Mr. Santen, and for appointment of Peter Delancey in his place. 2½ pp.
Jan. 14. Report of James Swinton, that he had seized the papers of Lucas Santen and John Smith, as ordered. 3½ pp. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 49.]
Jan. 18. 1,101. Minutes of Council of New York. Order empowering the Auditors to examine witnesses on oath for the discovery of frauds on the King's revenue since November, 1683. Order for a proclamation dissolving the Assembly. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 49.]
Jan. 19. 1,102. Journal of Lords of Trade and Plantations. Paper from the Duke of Albemarle read (see No. 1,069). Five Acts of Jamaica read and referred to the Lord Chancellor. Colonel Molesworth's letter of 28 September read (see No. 883).
Colonel Stede's letter of 20 October read (see No. 923).
Extract from a letter of Captain St. Loe read, touching commissions granted by Governors of Colonies against the Spaniards in America. Agreed to lay it before the King. Memo. The King ordered an instruction hereupon, forbidding issue of such commissions.
Letter from Randall Holden on behalf of Rhode Island read. The Lords remark that provision is made for the matter in Sir Edmund Andros's instructions. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. CIX., pp. 44–49.]
[Jan. 19.] 1,103. Proposals of the Duke of Albemarle. The first seven of those abstracted in No. 1,069. 1 p. Endorsed. Read at the Committee, Jan. 19, 1686–7. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 51, and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXXI., pp. 249–252.]
[Jan. 19.] 1,04. Petition of Robert Mason to Lords of Trade and Plantations. The late Court of Massachusetts, though their agents disclaimed all right and title to New Hampshire, refused to record my title thereto. The appeal of William Vaughan against my title has been dismissed. I beg therefore that Sir Edmund Andros may be instructed to inspect my grants and to cause the bounds of my property to be settled, and that the title thereto be recorded, that I may receive no further disturbance. 1 p. Inscribed. Recd. Jan. 19, 86–7. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 52.]
[Jan. 19.] 1,105. Petition of John Greene to the King. Before I left Rhode Island, one Mr. Richard Wharton and his associates, Captain Elisha Hutchinson, John Saffin, Richard Smith, and John Browne, had given interruption to several towns within the Colony and the King's Province. Since my arrival here I have received letters from Warwick of October 1686, declaring that John Browne still persists in interrupting them in their lands as well as the lands belonging to the town of Providence. I am amazed at their boldness in trenching on your Majesty's interest in the King's province. We thank you for sending out Sir Edmund Andros, and hope that he may do us justice, and we beg for instructions to him to give us relief. Signed, John Greene. Holograph. Large sheet. Endorsed. Read 19 Jan. 86–7. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 53.]
[Jan. 19.] 1,106. Petition of Nathaniel Weare, agent for the inhabitants of New Hampshire, to Lords of Trade and Plantations. Begging for an early hearing of the subject matter of his address, reterred to them by Order in Council of 3 July last. 1 p. Inscribed. Recd. 19 Jan. Read 10 Feb. 86–7. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 54.]
Jan. 20.
Barbados.
1,107. The Lieutenant-Governor and Council of Barbados to Lords of Trade and Plantations. Forwarding quarterly returns of the Council's transactions and of imports. Signed, Edwyn Stede, Tho. Walrond, Henry Quintyne, Fran. Bond, John Reid, John Hallett, John Gibbes. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. VII., p. 426.]
Jan. 21. 1,108. Order of the King in Council. Referring the petition of Richard Scott to Lords of Trade and Plantations for report. Signed, William Bridgeman. ½ p. Annexed,
1,108. I. Petition of Richard Scott to the King. Against several irregular and arbitrary proceedings in the High Court of Chancery of Barbados, in a cause where petitioner's father was plaintiff against Samuel Dyer, and begging for an appeal. 1½ pp. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., Nos. 55, 55I., and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. VII., pp. 406, 407.]
Jan. 22. 1,109. Minutes of Council of New York. The Auditors appointed to examine the accounts brought in their report, which was read to Mr. Santen. He was then told that on finding security for the payment of the amount of his debt to the revenue he might be discharged, but, failing to do so, was remanded. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 49.]
Jan. 22. 1,110. Minutes of Council of New England. The King's letters of 9 and 21 October last read, and the Lords of Trade's letter of 24 October. On Mr. Randolph's representation, Boston, Salem, Piscataqua, New Bristol, and Newport were declared the sole ports of entry. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LXIV., p. 112.]
Jan. 22.
Nevis.
1,111. Governor Sir James Russell to Lords of Trade and Plantations. I am sorry to be obliged to complain of the disobedience of Captain St. Loe, of H.M.S. Dartmouth. On the 19th of April 1686, when sent to cruise for pirates, he sailed to Porto Rico, contrary to orders, and lost two men killed and nearly had his ship sunk, because he could shew no authority from the Governor for going there. At another time he seized an Irish ship with provisions, which was condemned; but notwithstanding the fact that the people here were almost starving, he sent a sloop away without leave, and sold the provisions at St. Eustatia to the Dutch. I then ordered him to Bermuda, to take and seize Bartholomew Sharpe, and thence to sail to Boston to make his ship safe in hurricane-time and to refit. But contrary to orders, he takes Captain Sharpe (who had been most serviceable to the Governor of Bermuda) and his ship, never tries men or ship, but sails for New England, keeping him and eighteen of his men on the Dartmouth, to the great expense of the King's provision, goes to Barbados and cruises thereabout for three weeks for recreation. He then returns to Nevis, nearly two months after the time appointed for him, brings the prisoners but not the ship, which he had laden and manned from the frigate, though not yet tried; and Sharpe and his men are tried before a Court of Admiralty and acquitted for want of evidence. His insolence to me, and his abuses to all Deputy-Governors and Councils of these Islands want a better pen than mine to describe. He has had thirty barrels of powder from me, besides what he brought with him, but still craves for more, though I could not understand how he could have expended above ten barrels. I enclose the trial of a Spanish pirate taken by Captain John Bear, to whom Sir William Stapleton gave a commission. The commission was continued on the departure of the frigate from the station. Signed, Ja. Russell. Copy. Endorsed. Annexed,
1,111. I. Copy of proceedings of a Court of Admiralty held at Nevis, 18 October 1686, for trial of the Spanish ship La Soldad, libelled by Captain John Bear for piracy. Verdict guilty. 7½ pp.
1,111. II. Deposition of Sampson Gideon. As to piratical acts of the ship Soldad. Taken 17 Jan. 1686–7. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., Nos. 56, 56I, II., and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XLVII., p. 251.]
Jan. 25. 1,112. Minutes of Council of Barbados. Sir Thomas Montgomery produced a patent for the office of Attorney-General, and was sworn. The Lieutenant Governor, on the attendance of the Assembly, recommended to them the revision of the laws, and the clearing of the port of St. Michael's. The Assembly submitted the names of the Committees which they had appointed for these purposes, and brought up a bill for settling of the charity given by Mr. Philip Trowell, which was returned to them for amendment. On address of the Assembly, the payment of Mr. Cartwright for transcribing the journals and laws was authorised. Committees of Council appointed to join with those of the Assembly for revising the laws and improving the port of St. Michael's. On petition of the parish of St. Michael's, the Lieutenant Governor sent down a bill for preserving vestries.
Jan. 26. On the petition of the vestry of St. Michael's, 74l. 7s. 6d., arrears of rates due to it from Fontabelle plantation, was ordered to be paid.
Jan. 27. Sundry payments for repair of fortifications were ordered, as well as 700l. for cost of work on the magazine. Orders for rebate of duties to various persons for wine turned "eager" and sour, and for payment of 40l. in compensation for two negroes executed. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XII., pp. 1–12.]
Jan. 25. 1,113. Journal of Assembly of Barbados. Committees appointed for the revision of the laws and for cleansing St. Michael's harbour. Act concerning Philip Trowell's charity read and passed. Order for payment of 48l. to Richard Cartwright. Additional Act concerning vestries passed. Adjourned to 22 February. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XIV., pp. 164, 165.]
[Jan. 26.] 1,114. Additional proposals of the Duke of Albemarle. Those numbered 8 and 9 in No. 1,069. 1 p. Endorsed. Read at the Committee, Jan. 26, 1686–7. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 57, and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XXXI., p. 252.]
Jan. 27. 1,115. Minutes of Council of New York. Petition of Joseph Woodham granted; petition of John Campbell referred to the Court of Exchequer; petition of the Mayor and Aldermen of New York granted. Petition of Mr. Santen read. Ordered that his papers, excepting his letters to the King and his charges against the Governor, be delivered to him; and that if he will give security for making good his defalcations and 5,000l. bond to go directly to England and surrender to the king's officers, he may be set at liberty. Order for a commission for John de Bruyn to be captain in Pinhorne's stead. [Col. Papers, Vol. LIX., No. 49.]
Jan. 28. 1,116. Minutes of Council of New England. Order that, pursuant to the Royal order, no papers or books shall be printed in New England without a licence. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LXIV., p. 113.]