Majestys Colonys & Plantations in America for their guidance in this behalf and for their more particular information herein — It is further ordered that Copys of the Warrants issued by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty here requiring him to Grant the Commissions afore mentioned Be likewise transmitted to the said respective Governors, Copys of all which are hereunto annexed W Sharpe [Form for Letter of Marque.] By the Comissioners for Executing the office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain & Ireland &ca Whereas by His Majestys Commission under the Great Seal of Great Britain bearing date the thirtieth day of November 1730, We are required and authorized to Issue forth and Grant Comissions to any of His Majestys Subjects, or others whom we shall deem fitly qualified in that behalf for the apprehending seizing & taking the Ships Vessels and Goods belonging to Spain or the Vassals and Subjects of the King of Spain or others inhabiting within any of his Countries Territories & Dominions and Such other Ships Vessels and Goods as are or shall be liable to Confiscation pursuant to the respective Treaties between His Majesty & other Princes States & Potentates and to bring the Same to Judgment in His Majestys High Court of Admiralty of England or Such other Court of Admiralty as Shall be lawfully authorized in that behalf, for proceedings and adjudication and Condemnation to be thereupon had according to the course of Admiralty & laws of Nations with other Powers in the said Commission expressed, a Copy whereof together with His Majestys Instructions under His Royal Signet and Sign Manual remains with you; these are therefore to will and require you forthwith to Cause a Commission or Letter of Marque to be issued out of the High Court of Admiralty Commander of the Ship called the Tons mounted with unto burthen about Guns men to set forth in warlike manner whereof the said is com and navigated with the said Ship called the mander and to apprehend seize & take the Ships Vessels and Goods belonging to Spain or the Vassals & Subjects of the King of Spain or others inhabiting within any of His Countries, Territories & Dominions & Such other Ships, Vessels and Goods as are or shall be liable to Confiscation pursuant to the respective Treaties between His Majesty and other Princes States and Potentates according to His Majestys Commission & Instructions aforesaid -And you are to insert therein a Clause enjoyning the sd — to keep an Exact Journal of his proceedings & therein particularly to take notice of all Prizes which shall be taken by him the nature of such Prizes the time and Place of their being taken and the value of them as near as he can judge; as also of the Station, Motion & Strength of the Enemy as well as he can discover by the best intelligence he can get ; of which he is from time to time as he shall have opportunity to transmit an Account to Our Secretary & to keep Correspondence with him by all opportunities that shall present. Provided always that before you Issue Such Commission, Security be Given thereupon according as is directed by His Majestys Instructions aforementioned and hath been used in such Cases. The sd Comission to continue in force until further order: For which this shall be your Warrant Given under our hands and the Seal of the Office of Admiralty 17 this day of To Sir Henry Penvice Knight Judge of the High Court of Admiralty By Command of their Lordships. George the second by the Grace of God King of Great Britain France & Ireland Defender of the faith To all People to whom these presents shall come Greeting- Whereas We by Our declaration of the nineteenth day of October in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred & thirty-nine for the reason therein contained have declared War against Spain and Whereas We by Our Comission under Our Great Seal of Great Britain bearing date the thirtieth day of November following have willed required & Authorized Our High Admiral of Great Britain & Ireland &ca for the time being and our Comissioners for Executing the Office of Our High Admiral of Great Britain & Ireland &ca and the Comiss's for Excuting the sd office for the time being or any three or more of them to Issue forth and Grant Comissions to any of Our loving Subjects or others whom our High Admiral aforesaid or our sd Comissioners for Executing the sd office and the Comissioners for Executing the same for the time being shall deem fitly qualified in that behalf for the apprehending Seizing and taking the Ships Vessels & Goods belonging to Spain or the Vassals & Subjects of the King of Spain or others inhabiting within any of his Countrys Territories & Dominions & Such other Ships Vessels & Goods as are or shall be liable to Confiscation pursuant to the respective Treatys between us and other Princes States and Potentates and to bring the same to Judgment in our High court of Admiralty of England or such other Court of Admiralty as shall be lawfully Authorized in that behalf for proceedings and adjudication & condemnation to be thereupon had according to the Course of Admiralty and Laws of Nations and with such Clauses to be therein inserted & in such manner as by our sd Commission more at large appeareth and whereas our sd Comissioners for Executing the Office of Our High Admiral aforesd have thought fitly qualified who of is hath equipped furnished and victualled a Ship called the the burthen of about Tons whereof he the said Commander and whereas he the said hath given sufficient Bail with surties to Us in our sd High Court of Admiralty according to the Effect & form set down in Our Instructions made the sd thirtieth day of Nov' one thousand seven hundred and thirty nine in the Thirteenth Year of Our Reign a Copy whereof is Given to the said Capt Know ye therefore that We do by these presents Grant Commission to and do license and Authorize the said to set forth in Warlike manner the sd Ship called the under his own Command and therewith by force of Arms to apprehend Seize & take the Ships Vessels and Goods belonging to Spain or the Vassals & Subjects of the King of Spain or others inhabiting within any of his Countrys Territorys & Dominions & such other Ships Vessels and Goods as are or shall be liable to Confiscation pursuant to the respective Treatys between Us & other Princes States & Potentates & to bring the same to such Port as shall be most Convenient in order to have them legally adjudged in Our said High Court of Admiralty of England or before the Judges of such other Admiralty Court as shall be lawfully authorized within Our Dominions wch being Condemned it shall & may be lawful for the sd to sell & dispose of such Ships Vessels and Goods so adjudged & Condemned in such sort & manner as by the Course of Admiralty hath been accustomed Except in such cases where it is otherwise directed by Our sd Instructions Provided always that the sd keep an exact Journal of his proceedings and therein particularly take notice of all Prizes wch shall be taken by him the nature of such Prizes the times & places of their being taken and the values of them as near as he can judge as also of the Station motion & strength of the Enemy as well as he or his Mariners can discover by the best Intelligence he can get & also of whatsoever else shall occur unto him or any of his officrs or Mariners or be discovered or declared unto him or them or found out by examination or Conference with any Mariners or Passengers of or in any the Ships or Vessels taken or by any other Person or persons or by any other ways & means whatsoever touching or concerning the designs of the Enemy or any of their fleets Vessels Partys & of their Stations Ports and Places & of their intents therin & of what Merchant Ships or Vessels of the Enemy bound out or home or to any other place as he or his officers or Mariners shall hear of & of what else material in these Cases may arrive to his or their knowledge of all which he shall from time to time as he shall or may have opportunity transmit an Account to our High Admiral of Great Britain for the time being or Our sd Commissioners for executing the Office of Our High Admiral afores or the Commissioners for Executing that office for the time being or their Secretary & to keep a correspondence wth him or them, by all opportunitys that shall present and further provided that nothing be done by the sd or any of his officers marriners & company contrary to the true meaning of Our foresd Instructions but that the said Instructions shall be by them & each & every of them as far as they or any of them are therein concerned in all particulars well and duly performed & observed and We pray & desire all Kings Princes Potentates Estates and Republicks being Our friends and allies and all others to whom it shall appertain to give the sd all aid assistance and succour in their Ports with his said Ship Company and Prizes without doing or suffering to be done to him any wrong trouble or hindrance We offering to do the like when We shall be by them thereunto desired and We will & require all Our officers whatsoever to give him Succour & assistance as occasion shall require — In Witness whereof we have caused the great Seal of Our High Court of Admiralty of England to be hereunto affixed Given at London the in the year of Our Lord one and in the day of thousand seven hundred and Reign year of Our Instructions Given with Letters of Marque. GEORGE R. L. S. Instructions for the Commanders of such Merchant Ships and Vessels as may have Letters of Marque or Commissions for Private Men of War against the King of Spain his Vassals and subjects or others inhabiting within any of his Countrys Territories or Dominions by virtue of Our Commission Granted under the Great Seal of Great Britain Bearing Date the thirtieth day of Nov 1739- Given at Our Court at St James's the Thirtieth day of Nov 1739 in the thirteenth year of Our Reign — [Then follow the articles of instruction, which do not differ materially from those printed in the document next preceding, and are consequently omitted here. The document is signed "By His Majestys Command Harrington," and directed to Governor Belcher. ED.] [3-76] [Committee to Invoice Stores at the Fort, 1740.] To The Honourable Joseph Sherburne and John Rindge EsqTM You are hereby authorized and directed, to repair to His Majestys Fort William and Mary on the Great Island, as soon as may be with conveniency, and to take a view of the said Fort, and of all the stores of war thereon, and report to me the state and condition of the said Fort, & render to me an account of the said stores under your hand. And the Honble Shada Walton Esq' Capt of the said Fort, is hereby ordered to receive you into the same, & to shew you the said Fort & Stores, in order to your effectual executing this wart Given under my hand at Portsmouth the thirteenth day of feby 1739/40, & in the thirteenth year of His Majesty's Reign [Committee's Report.] J. Belcher In obedience & pursuant to the within order wee the Subscribers Did repair to his Majts Ffort William & Mary on the great Island which with the stores therein was shewn to us by the Hon1 Shadrick Walton Esq The state & accot of which is as underneath vizt: The walls on the S° part of the Ffort verry much Broken & decayed the platform Rotten nine Gunns on that Line mounted and five of the Carriages very much decayed 4 gunns mounted next ye flagg staff pointing to the S° and one of the Carriages Rotten 4 Gunns mounted at the Et end of ye fort in good order - On the No side of the ffort 13 gunns mounted pointing up the river — the platform on which they stand & the Carriges good At the W end of the ffort on each side ye gate a gunn mounted but one of the Carriges Rotten — Without the ffort 9 ffield pieces mounted in good order - The powder house in good order to receive Powder, with one half bb' powder only therein with a bundle match & about a Ream Catrige paper |