[Footnote 1: Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Rawlinson C. 933, fol. 8; also in P.R.O., C.O. 5:1311, no. 16. The piracies of _La Paix_, inside the capes of Virginia, show how bold the pirates had become, between wars, and the story of her capture how real the danger. She was a Dutch ship, which, seized by pirates, had run quite a career of depredation in the West Indies before she and her consorts appeared in Lynnhaven Bay. Her whole story is told in Bruce, _Institutional History of Virginia_, II. 217-226, and there the history of her capture may be followed consecutively, but the documents here presented show vividly how the news of her villanies and of her fate came to the authorities. The trial of the pirates is in C.O. 5:1411, Public Record Office (transcript in the Library of Congress). Col. Francis Nicholson was now governing Virginia for the second time, 1698-1705. Being himself in Elizabeth City County, he addresses these orders to the commanders of the militia in York, the next county. Gloucester, Middlesex, Lancaster, Northumberland, and Westmoreland, named below, were, in succession, the maritime counties lying to the northward.] Virginia SS. KIQUOTAN[2] Aprill 28th 1700 between 3 and 4 a Clock in the afternoon. [Footnote 2: Hampton.] Capt. John Aldred, Commander of his Maj'tes Ship _Essex Prize_,[3] hath just now given me an Account that there are 3 or 4 Ships or vessels in Lynhaven-bay,[4] who are supposed to be pyrates. I doe therefore in his Maj'tes Name command you that upon Sight hereof you give Notice to the Commanders of the Ships and vessels in York River that they take care of their Ships and vessels, and that you do Imediately Order the Militia in your parts to be ready, and you must fortwith dispatch an Express to the Colo. and Chief Officers of the Militia of Gloster, whom I also hereby Command in his Maj'tes Name to have their Militia ready, and they are forthwith to dispatch an Express to the Colo. or chief officers of Middlesex, whom I doe also in his Maj'tes Name Command to have their Militia ready, and they are to give Notice to the Commanders of ships and vessells in Rappahannock, that they may take care of their ships and vessels, and the officers of Middlesex are imediatly to send an Express to the Colo. and Chief officers of Lancaster, whom I do also in his Maj'tes Name command to have their Militia ready, and if any Ship or vessel be in their County, to give them Notice that they may take care of their ships and vessels, and the oficers of Lancaster are forthwith to send an Express to the Collo. or Chief officers of the Militia of Northumberland, whom I do also in his Maj'tes Name Command to have their Militia ready, and they are to give Notice to the Commanders of ships or vessels in their County that they take care of their ships and vessels, and the Colonel or Chief officers of Northumberland are imediatly to send an Express to the Colo. or Chief Officers of the