Letters of State, Letters 2 · Letter 23 – Letter 31
Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c. To the High and Mighty States of the United Provinces.
Moſt High and Mighty Lords, our deareſt Friends,
CERTAIN Merchants, our Countrey-men, Thomas Baſſel, Richard Beare, and others their Co-Partners, have made their complaints before us, That a certain Ship of theirs, the Edmund and John, in her Voyage from the Coaſt of Braſile to Lisbon, was ſet upon by a Privateer of Fluſhing, call'd the Red-Lyon, Commanded by Lambert Bartelſon, but upon this condition, which the Writing Sign'd by Lambert himſelf teſtifies, That the Ship and whatſoever Goods belong'd to the Engliſh ſhould be reſtor'd at Fluſhing: where when the Veſſel arriv'd, the Ship indeed with what peculiarly belong'd to the Seamen was reſtor'd, but the Engliſh Merchants Goods were detain'd and put forthwith to Sale: For the Merchants who had receiv'd the Damage, when they had ſu'd for their Goods in the Court of Fluſhing, after great Expences for Five years together, loſt their Suit, by the pronouncing of a moſt unjuſt Sentence againſt 'em by thoſe Judges, of which ſome being intereſted in the Privateer, were both Judges and Adverſaries, and no leſs Criminal altogether. So that now they have no other hopes but onelyonly in your Equity and uncorrupted Faith, to which at laſt they fly for Succour; and which they believ'd they ſhould find the more inclinable to do 'em Juſtice, if aſſiſted by our Recommendation. And men are ſurely to be pardon'd, if afraid of all things in ſo great a ſtruggle for their Eſtates, they rather call to mind what they have reaſon to fear from your Authority and high Power, then what they have to hope well of their Cauſe, eſpecially before ſincere and upright Judges: Though for our parts we make no queſtion, but that induc'd by your Religion, your Juſtice, your Integrity, rather then by our Intreaties, you will give that Judgment which is Juſt and Equal and truly becoming your ſelves. God preſerve both you and your Republick to his own Glory and the defence and Succour of his Church.
Weſtminſter, April 1. 1656. Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c.
Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, &c. To the moſt Serene Prince, Charles Guſtavus, King of the Swedes, Goths and Vandals, Great Prince of Finland, Duke of Eſthonia, Carelia, Breme, Verden, Stettin, Pomerania, Caſſubia and Vandalia, Prince of Rugia, Lord of Ingria and Wiſmaria, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, Juliers, Cleves and Monts.
Moſt Serene Prince,
PEter Julius Coict having accompliſh'd the Affairs of his Embaſſy with us, and ſo acquitted himſelf, that he is not by us to be diſmiſs'd without the Ornament of his deſerved Praiſes, is now returning to your Majeſty. For he was moſt acceptable to us, as well and chiefly for your own ſake, which ought with us to be of high conſideration, as for his own deſerts in the diligent acquittal of his Truſt. The Recommendation therefore which we receiv'd from you in his behalf, we freely teſtifie to have bin made good by him, and deſervedly given by your ſelf; as he on the other ſide is able with the ſame Fidelity and Integrity to relate and moſt truly to declare our ſingular Affection and Obſervance toward your Majeſty. It remains for us to beſeech the moſt Merciful and All-powerful God to Bleſs your Majeſty with all Felicity, and a perpetual courſe of Victory over all the Enemies of his Church.
Weſtminſter, Apirl 17. 1656. Your Majeſty's moſt Affectionate, Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c.
Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c. To the moſt Serene and Potent Prince, Lewis King of France.
Moſt Serene Prince,
JOhn Dethic Mayor of the City of London for this Year, and William Wakefield Merchant, have made their Addreſſes to us by way of Petition complaining, That about the middle of October 1649. they freighted a certain Ship, call'd the Jonas of London, Jonas Lightfoot Maſter, with Goods that were to be ſent to Oſtend; which Veſſel was taken in the mouth of the River Thames, by one White of Barking, a Pyrate Robbing upon the Seas by Vertue of a Commiſſion from the Son of King Charles deceas'd, and carri'd to Dnnkirk, then under the Juriſdiction of the French. Now in regard that by your Majeſty's Edict in the year 1647. renew'd in 1649. and by ſome other Decrees in favour of the Parlament of England, as they find it recorded, it was Enacted, That no Veſſel or Goods taken from the Engliſh, in the time of that War, ſhould be carri'd into any of your Majeſty's Ports to be there put to Sale, they preſently ſent their Factor Hugh Morel to Dunkirk, to demand Reſtitution of the ſaid Ship and Goods from M. Leſtrade then Governor of the Town; more eſpecially finding them in the Place for the moſt part untouch'd, and neither Exchang'd or Sold. To which the Governor made Anſwer, That the King had beſtow'd that Government upon him of his free Gift for Service done the King in his Wars, and therefore he would take care to make the beſt of the Reward of his Labour. So that having little to hope from an Anſwer ſo unkind and unjuſt, after a great Expence of Time and Money, the Factor return'd home. So that all the remaining hopes which the Petitioners have, ſeem wholly to depend upon your Majeſty's Juſtice and Clemency, to which they thought they might have the more eaſie acceſs by means of our Letters. and therefore that neither your Clemency nor your Juſtice may be wanting to People deſpoil'd againſt all Law and Reaſon, and contrary to your repeated Prohibitions, we make it our requeſt. Wherein, if your Majeſty vouchſafe to gratifie us, ſince there is nothing requir'd but what is moſt juſt and equitable, we ſhall deem it as obtain'd rather from your innate Integrity, then any intreaty of ours.
Weſtminſter, May—1656. Your Majeſty's moſt Affectionate, Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c.
Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c. To the High and Mighty Lords, the States of the United Provinces.
Moſt High and Mighty Lords, our deareſt Friends,
JOhn Brown, Nicholas Williams, and others, Citizens of London, have ſet forth in their Petition to us, that when they had every one brought in their Proportions and Freighted a certain Ship call'd the Good-Hope of London, bound for the Eaſt-Indies, they gave Orders to their Factor to take up at Amſterdam Two thouſand four hunder'd Dutch Pounds, to inſure the ſaid Ship; that afterwards this Ship in her Voyage to the Coaſt of India was taken by a Ship belonging to the Eaſt-India Company; upon which they who had engag'd to Inſure the ſaid Veſſel refus'd to Pay the Money, and have for this Six years by various delays eluded our Merchants, who with extraordinary Diligence and at vaſt Expences endeavour'd the recovery of their juſt Right. Which in regard it is an unjuſt Grievance that lies ſo heavy upon the Petitioners, for that ſome of thoſe who oblig'd themſelves are Dead or become Inſolvent, therefore that no farther Loſſes may accrue to their former Damages, we make it our earneſt requeſt to your Lordſhips, that you will vouchſafe your Integrity to be the harbour and refuge for People toſs'd ſo many years, and almoſt ſhipwrack'd in your Courts of Juſtice, and that ſpeedy judgment may be given according to the rules of Equity and Honeſty in their Cauſe which they believe to be moſt juſt. In the mean time we wiſh you all Proſperity to the Glory of God and the Welfare of his Church.
Weſtminſte, May—1656. Your High and Mighty Lordſhips moſt Affectionate, Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c.
Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c. To the High and Mighty Lords, the States of the United Provinces,
Moſt High and Mighty Lords, our deareſt Friends,
THE ſame Perſons in whoſe behalf we wrote to your Lordſhips in September the laſt year, Thomas and William Lower, the lawful Heirs of Nicholas Lower, deceas'd, make grievous complaints before us, that they are oppreſs'd either by the Favour or Wealth of their Adverſaries, notwithſtanding the Juſtice of their Cauſe; and when that would not ſuffice, although our Letters often pleaded in their behalf, they have not bin able hitherto to obtain Poſſeſſion of the Inheritance left 'em by their Father's Will. From the Court of Holland, where the Suit was firſt Commenc'd, they were ſent to your Court, and from thence hurri'd away into Zealand (to which three Places they carry'd our Letters) and now they are remanded, not unwillingly, back again to your Supream Judicature; for where the Supream Power is, there they expect Supream Juſtice. If that hope fail 'em, eluded and fruſtrated, after being ſo long toſs'd from poſt to pillar for the recovery of their Right, where at length to find a reſting place they know not. For as for our Letters, if they find no benefit of theſe the Fourth time Written, they can never promiſe themſelves any advantage for the future from ſlighted Papers. However, it would be moſt acceptable to us, if yet at length, after ſo many contempts, the injur'd Heirs might meet with ſome Relief by a ſpeedy and juſt Judgment, if not out of reſpect to any Reputation we have among ye, yet out of a regard to your own Equity and Juſtice. Of the laſt of which we make no queſtion, and confidently preſume you will allow the other to our Friendſhip.
Weſtminſter, May—6656. Your High and Mighty Lordſhips moſt Affectionate, Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c.
Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c. To the moſt Serene Prince, John King of Portugal.
Moſt Serene King,
WHereas there is a conſiderable Sum of Money owing from certain Portugal Merchants of the Braſile Company to ſeveral Engliſh Merchants, upon the account of Freightage and Demorage, in the years 1649 and 1650. which Money is detain'd by the ſaid Company by your Majeſties Command, the Merchants before-mention'd expected that the ſaid Money ſhould have bin paid long ſince according to the Articles of the laſt League, but now they are afraid of being debarr'd all hopes and means of recovering their Debts; underſtanding your Majeſty has order'd, That what Money is owing to 'em by the Braſile Company, ſhall be carri'd into your Treaſury, and that no more then one half of the Duty of Freightage ſhall be expended toward the Payment of their Debts; by which means the Merchants will receive no more then the bare Intereſt of their Money, while at the ſame time they utterly loſe their Principal. Which we conſidering to be very ſevere and heavy upon 'em, and being overcome by their moſt reaſonable Supplications, have granted 'em theſe our Letters to your Majeſty; chiefly requeſting this at your hands, to take care that the aforeſaid Braſile Company may give ſpeedy Satisfaction to the Merchants of this Republick, and pay 'em not onelyonly the Principal Money which is owing to 'em, but the Five years Intereſt; as being both juſt in it ſelf, and conformable to the League ſo lately concluded between us; which on their behalf in moſt friendly manner we requeſt from your Majeſty.
Your Majeſties moſt Affectionate, Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth, &c. From our Palace at Weſtminſter, July—1656.
Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c. To the Moſt Serene Prince Charles Guſtavus, King of the Swedes, Goths, and Vandals, &c
Moſt Serene King,
AS it is but juſt that we ſhould highly value the Friendſhip of your Majeſty, a Prince ſo Potent, and ſo Renown'd for great Atchievements; ſo is it but equally reaſonable that your Extraordinary Embaſſador, the moſt Illuſtrious Lord Chriſtiern Bond, by whoſe ſedulity and care a ſtrict Alliance is moſt ſacredly and ſolemnly ratifi'd between us, ſhould be moſt acceptable to us, and no leſs deeply fix'd in our eſteem. Him therefore, having now moſt worthily accompliſh'd his Embaſſy, we thought it became us to ſend back to your Majeſty, though not without the high Applauſe which the reſt of his ſingular Vertues merit; to the end, that he who was before conſpicuous in your eſteem and reſpect, may now be ſenſible of his having reap'd ſtill more abundant fruits of his Sedulity and Prudence from our Recommendation. As for thoſe things which yet remain to be tranſacted, we have determin'd in a ſhort time to ſend an Embaſſy to your Majeſty for the ſetling of thoſe Affairs. In the mean time Almighty God preſerve in ſafety ſo great a Pillar of his Church, and of Swedeland's welfare.
From our Palace at Weſtminſter, July—1656. Your Majeſties moſt Affectionate, Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c.
Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, &c. to the moſt Serene Prince, Lewis King of France.
Moſt Serene King, our moſt dear Friend and Confederate.
CErtain Merchants of London, Richard Baker and others, have made their complaint in a Petition to us, That a certain hir'd Ship of theirs, call'd the Endeavour, William Jop Maſter, Laden at Tenariff with Three hundre'd Pipes of rich Canary, and bound from thence for London, in her Voyage between Palma and that Iſland, upon the 21ſt. of November in the year 1655. was taken by Four-French Veſſels, ſeeming Ships of Burthen, but fitted and mann'd like Privateers, under the Command of Giles de la Roche their Admiral, and carri'd with all her Freight, and the greateſt part of the Seamen to the Eaſt-Indies, whither he pretended to be bound (Fourteen excepted, who were put aſhore upon the Coaſt of Guiney) which the ſaid Giles affirm'd he did with that Intent, that none of 'em might eſcape from ſo Remote and Barbarous a Countrey to do him any harm by their Teſtimony. For he confeſs'd he had neither any Commiſſion to take the Engliſh Veſſels, neither had he taken any, as he might have done before, well knowing there was a firm Peace at that time between the French and our Republick: But in regard he had deſign'd to revittle in Portugal, from whence he was driven by contrary Winds, he was conſtrain'd to ſupply his neceſſities with what he found in that Veſſel; and believ'd the Owners of his Ships would ſatisfie the Merchants for their Loſs. Now the Loſs of our Merchants amounts to Sixteen Thouſand Engliſh Pounds, as will eaſily be made appear by Witneſſes upon Oath. But if it ſhall be Lawful upon ſuch trivial Excuſes as theſe, for Pyrates to violate the moſt Religious Acts of Princes, and make a ſport of Merchants for their particular benefits, certainly the ſanctity of Leagnes muſt fall to the ground, all Faith and Authority of Princes will grow out of date and be trampl'd under foot. Wherefore we not onelyonly requeſt your Majeſty, but believe it mainly to concern your Honour, that they who have adventur'd upon ſo ſlight a pretence to violate the League and moſt Sacred Oath of their Sovereign, ſhould ſuffer the Puniſhment due to ſo much Perfidiouſneſs and daring Inſolence; and that in the mean time the Owners of thoſe Ships, though to their Loſs, ſhould be bound to ſatisfie our Merchants for the vaſt Detriment which they have ſo wrongfully ſuſtain'd. So may the Almighty long preſerve your Majeſty, and ſupport the Intereſt of France againſt the Common Enemy of us Both. From our Palace at Weſtminſter, Auguſt—1656.
Your Majeſty's moſt Affectionate, Oliver Protector, &c.
Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth of England, To his Eminency Cardinal Mazarine.
Moſt Eminent Lord,
HAving an occaſion to ſend Letters to the King, we thought it likewiſe an offer'd opportunity to Write to your Eminency. For we could not think it proper to conceal the ſubject of our Writing from the ſole and onelyonly perſon, whoſe ſingular Prudence Governs the moſt important Intereſts of the French Nation, and the moſt weighty Affairs of the Kingdom with equal Fidelity, Council and Vigilance. Not without reaſon we complain, in ſhort, to find that League by your ſelf, as it were a crime to doubt, moſt ſacredly concluded, almoſt the very ſame day contemn'd and violated by one Giles a French-man, a petty Admiral of Four Ships, and his Aſſociates equally concern'd, as your Eminency will readily find by our Letters to the King, and the Demands themſelves of our Merchants: Nor is it unknown to your Excellency howmuch it concerns not only Inferiour Magiſtrates, but even Royal Majeſty it ſelf, that thoſe firſt Violators of ſolemn Alliances ſhould be ſeverely puniſh'd. But they, perhaps, by this time being arriv'd in the Eaſt-Indies, whither they pretended to be bound, enjoy in undiſturb'd poſſeſſion the Goods of our People as Lawful Prize won from an Enemy, which they Robb'd and Pilledg'd from the Owners contrary to all Law and the pledg'd Faith of our late ſacrd League. However, this is that which we requeſt from your Eminency, That whatever Goods were taken from our Merchants by the Admiral of thoſe Ships, as neceſſary for his Voyage, may be reſtor'd by the Owners of the ſame Veſſels, which was no more then what the Rovers themſelves thought Juſt and Equal; which, as we underſtand, it lies within your Power to do, conſidering the Authority and Sway you bear in the Kingdom. From our Palace at Weſtminſter, Auguſt—1656.
Your Eminencies moſt Affectionate, Oliver Protector of the Commonwealth, &c.