The King having been informed at the end of the past month that two individuals had lately fitted out in the ports of Zeeland, and had sailed thence with two vessels, armed for warfare, to go to the islands of America, and make war upon his subjects under commission from my lord the Elector of Brandenburg, his Majesty is sending my lord the Count d'Estrees with a squadron of fourteen vessels to seize or sink them.[3] And as it is provided by the ninth article of the treaty of armistice which you signed on the 3d of this month with the ambassador of that prince, that commerce shall be free by water as well as by land,[4] his Majesty desires that you should propose to the said lord ambassador that he give orders to the captains of the aforesaid two frigates to undertake nothing to the prejudice of the said treaty, against the vessels of his Majesty's subjects. And in that case he will communicate to the said lord Count d'Estrees his intention that he shall leave the said two frigates free to sail wherever they think fit.[5] I shall await whatever information you may be pleased to send me on this subject, in order to report it to his Majesty, etc. ST. GERMAIN-EN-LAYE, May 8, 1679. [Footnote 3: Vice-admiral Count d'Estrees did not actually sail for the West Indies till the next year, and then for another purpose.] [Footnote 4: The articles prolonging the armistice till May 18 had been signed at Xanten on May 3 by Colbert and Marshal d'Estrades for Louis XIV. and by Werner von Blaspiel for the elector. For their text, see _Actes et Memoires des Negotiations de Nimegue_, IV. 468-471.] [Footnote 5: Such orders were given, on both sides. _Ibid._, IV. 484, 487. The treaty of peace was concluded June 19/29. For further history of Brandenburg privateers in the New World, see documents 47 and 48.] BARTHOLOMEW SHARP AND OTHERS. _44. The Buccaneers at Portobello. 1680._[1]