Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period: Illustrative Documents
History
Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period: Illustrative Documents
Pirates; Privateering; United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -- Sources
[Footnote 6: Dr. Edward Everett Hale gives quotations from the council
records, in _Memorial History of Boston_, II. 177-178.]
[Footnote 7: Rock-crystal, of a kind found near Bristol, England.]
Your Lordships will see in the middle of the Inventory a parcel of
Treasure and Jewels delivered up by Mr. Gardiner, of Gardiner's
Island, in the Province of New-York, and at the East End of
Nassau-Island, the Recovering and saving of which Treasure is owing to
my Own Care and quickness. I heard by the greatest accident in the
world, the day that Captain Kidd was committed, That a Man had offered
30 L. for a Sloop to carry him to Gardiner's Island, and Kidd having
owned he had buried some Gold on that Island, (though he never
mentioned to us any Jewels, nor, I believe, would he have owned the
gold there but that he thought he should himselfe be sent for it), I
presently reflected that that man (whom I have since discovered to be
one of Kidd's Men) was to defeat us of that Treasure; I privately
posted away a Messenger by Land with a peremptory order to Mr.
Gardiner in the King's name to come forthwith, and deliver up such
Treasure as Kidd or any of his Crew had lodged with him; acquainting
him That I had committed Kidd to Goal, as I was ordered to do by the
King. My Messenger made great haste, and was with Gardiner before
anybody, and Gardiner, who is a very substantial man, brought away the
Treasure without delay, and by my direction delivered it into the
Hands of the Committee. If the Jewels be right, as it is supposed they
are, but I never saw them, nor the gold and silver brought by
Gardiner, then we guesse that the parcel brought by him may be worth
(Gold, Silver and Jewels) 4500 L. And besides Kidd had left Six bales
of goods with him, one of which was twice as big as any of the rest;
and Kidd gave him a particular Charge of that bale, and told him it
was worth 2000 L. The six bales Gardiner could not bring, but I have
ordered him to send them by a Sloop that is since gone from hence to
New York, and which is to return speedily. We are not able to set an
exact value on the goods and Treasure we have got, because we have not
opened the bales we took on board the Sloop; But we hope when the six
bales are sent in by Gardiner, what will be then in the hands of the
Gentlemen appointed to that Trust, will amount to about 14000 L. I
have sent strict orders to my Lieutenant Governor at New York,[8] to
make dilligent Search for the Goods and Treasure sent by Kidd to New
York in Three Sloops mentioned in Gardiner's affidavit,[9] which I
send with the other affidavits and Informations to your Lordships; and
I believe I have directed him where to find a Purchase in a house at
New York, which by a hint I have had I am apt to believe will be found
out in that house. I have sent to search elsewhere a certain place,
strongly suspected to have received another depositum of gold from
Kidd. I am also upon the hunt after Two or Three Arch Pyrates, which
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account