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
and bid us make the best of our way after them to the Eastward, and
About three leagues off the Cape they, taking out of our Sloope what
they pleased, Commanded us to goe on board the said Snow. then they,
Cutting our Mast off by the board, the hatches of our Sloope being
open, left her afloat in the Sea, then makeing the best of their way
to Menhagen[2] at the Eastward, where we arrived the twenty ninth of
said April, where they stayed and waited for the aforesaid Ship
_Wedaw_ Some time, but she came not, whereupon, thinking the Ship was
lost, they fitted their Long boat and sent her down to Mentinacus,[3]
where they tooke a Sloope belonging to Colonel Minot,[4] one Shallop
belonging to Capt. Lane,[5] and three Scooners. They brought the Sloop
and Shallop and (as we are Informed) the Sailes and Compasses of the
three Scooners to Menhagen, whereupon they manned the last mentioned
Sloope with ten hands and soe went after Capt. Cars Sloope, lying at
Peniquid,[6] which they alsoe took a little distance from said
Peniquid, but finding the Mast and Bowspreat not Serviceable they left
her there, and brought the Master thereof on board the Snow then at
Menhagen aforesaid. In these ten mens absence Came into Menhagen two
Shallops from Marblehead, which the Snow tooke and Caused 'em to come
to an Anchor there, and sent the men therein togeather With us the
Depon'ts to prison upon Menhagen Island, where we lay till they had
fitted the Sloop of Collonel Minots aforesaid with what they thought
fit from the Snow, and soe departed and left the Snow and all the rest
behind,[7] and leaving us to our Libertyes ordered the Skipper of the
Shallope to carry us to Marblehead which they accordingly did, where
we arrived yesterday, being the tenth day of May Instant.
RALPH MERRY
SAM'LL ROBERTS
Attest: JOS. MARION, D. Secr'y.
BOSTON, May 16, 1717
Sworne before the Hon'bl Lieutenant
Governour and Council.
[Footnote 2: Monhegan, a small island on the coast of Maine, off
Pemaquid Point.]
[Footnote 3: Matinicus, a small island farther east, southward from
Rockland.]
[Footnote 4: Stephen Minot of Boston.]
[Footnote 5: Capt. John Lane of Malden, son of a noted
Indian-fighter.]
[Footnote 6: Pemaquid.]
[Footnote 7: A letter from Capt. John Lane, dated at Winter Harbor May
19, shows the continuance of operations: "This moment Came A young man
from Spurwinke which wass Taken by A pirat sloop of Aboute ninty men
with Eight guns which is now att an anker In Cape Elesebth Roade ...
they have Taken one sloop and one shallop which they keep with them".
Maine Hist. Soc., _Coll._, second ser., IX. 357.]
_112. Trial of Simon van Vorst and Others. [October], 1717._[1]
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