The range of repositories from which the documents have been procured is also considerable. Many were found in the state archives of Massachusetts, many in the files of the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County, many in the collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, others in the archives of Rhode Island and New York, in the office of the surrogate of New York City, and in the New York Public Library. A very important source of material, indispensable indeed for certain classes of document, was the records and papers of the vice-admiralty courts of the colonial period. Extensive portions still remain in the case of four of these courts, at Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston (see the first foot-notes to docs. no. 126, no. 184, no. 165, and no. 106, respectively). A large number of the documents, larger indeed than from any other repository but one, were drawn from the inexhaustible stores of the Public Record Office in London, namely, from the Admiralty and Colonial Office Papers. Others came from the Privy Council Office; a few, but among them two of the longest and most interesting, from among the Sloane and Harleian manuscripts in the British Museum; one whole group from the Rawlinson manuscripts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. Three of the Kidd documents were obtained from among the manuscripts of the Duke of Portland at Welbeck Abbey. Several of the pieces, and a number of lesser extracts used in annotations, were taken from colonial newspapers, and two from printed books not often seen.

Archivists and librarians have assisted the editor with their customary and never-failing kindness. It is a pleasure to express his gratitude to Mr. J.J. Tracy and Mr. John H. Edmonds, former and present archivists of Massachusetts, Mr. Herbert O. Brigham of the Rhode Island archives, Mr. A.J.F. van Laer and Mr. Peter Nelson of those of New York; to Mr. Worthington C. Ford and Mr. Julius H. Tuttle of the Massachusetts Historical Society; to Hon. Charles M. Hough, judge of the United States Circuit Court in New York; to Miss C.C. Helm of his office; to the late Miss Josephine Murphy, custodian of the Suffolk Files; to Miss Mabel L. Webber, secretary and librarian of the South Carolina Historical Society; to Mr. Victor H. Paltsits of the New York Public Library; to Rev. Richard W. Goulding, librarian to the Duke of Portland; and to the authorities of the Public Record Office, the Privy Council Office, the British Museum, and the Bodleian Library. Special thanks are due to the officials of three libraries in which the work of annotation was mostly done--the Library of Congress, that of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and that of Bowdoin College. On a few nautical points the editor had the advice of his old friend the late Captain Charles Cate of North Edgecomb, Maine. And especially he has to thank the chairman of the Committee on Publication, Mrs. Charles E. Rieman, for her interest in the work and for the exemplary patience with which she has borne the delays in its completion.

It is perhaps needless to say that the spelling of the originals has been carefully preserved; it is hoped that it would not be thought to be that of the editor. The punctuation of the originals has not been deemed equally sacred. In general, it has been reproduced, but where small alterations would make the sense clear to the modern reader but could not change it, or where that same effect would be produced by introducing punctuation-marks, which writers nearly illiterate often omitted entirely, it has seemed the part of good sense to make reading-matter readable. Also, names of vessels have been uniformly italicized even when not underscored in the original manuscripts. Dates previous to 1752 are old-style dates unless, as in the case of Dutch or French documents, new style is indicated.

J. FRANKLIN JAMESON.

Washington, October 19, 1923.

CONTENTS

PAGE PROVIDENCE ISLAND

1. Commission from the Providence Island Company to Governor Nathaniel Butler as Vice-Admiral. Apr. 23, 1638 1

2. Governor Nathaniel Butler, "Diary of My Present Employment". Feb.-Mar., 1639 3

LA GARCE

3. Articles of Copartnership in New Netherland Privateering. Dec. 4 (N.S.), 1646 9

4. Articles of Copartnership between Augustin Herrman and Wyllem Blawfelt. Dec. 4 (N.S.), 1646 11

5. Affidavit: the Capture of the Tabasco. July 25 (N.S.), 1649 13

6. Affidavit of Antonio Leon and Fyck Herry. Sept. 27 (N.S.), 1649 14

THE HOLY GHOST

7. Declaration of the Massachusetts Council. July 20, 1653 17

8. Declaration of Governor Endicott. Aug. (?), 1653 18

9. Deposition of Matthew Hill. Oct. (?), 1653 20

10. Deposition of Francis Blackman and John Dukley. Oct. (?), 1653 20

11. Letter of Governor Searle of Barbados. Nov. 4, 1653 21

12. Order of the Massachusetts Council. Jan. 25, 1654 24

13. Vote of the Massachusetts House of Deputies. June 10, 1654 25

THE BLUE DOVE

14. Portuguese Commission (Letter of Marque) to Charles de Bils. Feb. 10 (N.S.), 1658, Sept. 10, 1662 27

15. Commission from de Bils to John Douglas. Sept. 20 (N.S.), 1662 29

16. Deposition of William Browne. June 24, 1664 30

17. Deposition of Marcus Claesz. June 24, 1664 30

18. Deposition of Bartholomew Martin. June 24, 1664 31

19. Commission to James Oliver and Others. July 16, 1664 32

20. Deposition of Daniel Sprague. July (?), 1664 33

21. Deposition of William Browne. July 25, 1664 35

22. Deposition of Robert Lord. July 26, 1664 36

23. Deposition of John Hunter. July 26, 1664 37

24. Deposition of Charles Hadsall. July 27, 1664 39

25. Petition of John Douglas. Aug., 1664 41

26. Plea of John Douglas. (Aug. 8?), 1664 42

27. Power of Attorney from Sir William Davidson. Sept. 13, 1664 44

THE PROVIDENCE

28. Certificate of Cornelius de Lincourt. Apr. 12/22, 1673 46

29. Deposition of John Johnson and Henry Harris. Apr. 26, 1673 48

30. Petition of Edward Bant. About Apr. 28, 1673 48

31. Order of the Suffolk County Court. Apr. 29, 1673 50

32. Petition of Henry King. Apr. 30, 1673 50

33. Inventory of the Providence. May 5, 1673 51

34. Examination of John Johnson. May 5, 1673 61

35. Declaration of Edward Bant and Others. May 8, 1673 62

36. Declaration of Henry King and John Champion. May 8, 1673 64

37. Petition of Thomas Raddon. June 10, 1673 67

THE ST. ANTHONY

38. Examination of John Tooly. June 17, 1673 68

39. Examination of William Forrest. Oct. 20, 1673 71

40. Petition of Allwin Child. Oct. 24, 1673 72

CASE OF RODRIGUEZ AND RHODES

41. Declaration of Thomas Mitchell. May 24, 1675 74

42. Declaration of Edward Youreing. May 24, 1675 76

BRANDENBURG PRIVATEERS

43. Seignelay to Colbert. May 8 (N.S.), 1679 82

BARTHOLOMEW SHARP AND OTHERS

44. The Buccaneers at Portobello. 1680 84

45. The Buccaneers on the Isthmus and in the South Sea. 1680-1682 92

46. Sir Henry Morgan to Sir Leoline Jenkins. Mar. 8, 1682 133

47. Deposition of Simon Calderon. 1682 135

THE SALAMANDER

48. Petition of Paul Sherrett and Claes Pietersen. Aug. 2, 1681 138

49. Deposition of Samuel Button. Aug. 11, 1681 140

THE CAMELION

50. Agreement to Commit Piracy. June 30, 1683 141

51. Court for the Trial of Piracy: Commission. Sept. 15, 20, 1683 143

CASE OF WILLIAM COWARD

52. William Coward's Plea. 1690 145

CASE OF BENJAMIN BLACKLEDGE

53. Declaration of Jeremiah Tay and Others. Mar., 1691 (?) 147

54. Deposition of Epaphras Shrimpton. July, 1694 (?) 149