Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period Part 51

[Footnote 16: Superintendent.]

[Footnote 17: Two reals, or a quarter of a dollar.]

Abraham Martin, being Sworn in Court, Declared that his Examination already taken was true. The Court was then adjourn'd to Saterday the 23d Curr't at half an hour past 2 a Clock p.m., at which time it was open'd and several Papers were produc'd and Read in Court, which are as follows, viz.

_129. Sea-letter of the Amsterdam Post. September 22, 1739 (N.S.)._

To all Potent Kings, Queens, Princes, Princesses, Dukes, Lords, etc., who may see this open Letter or may hear it Read, We Magistrates and Rulers of the City of Amsterdam Declare that aeneas Mackay of Amsterdam appeared before us and on Oath Solemnly Declares, That the Vessell named the _Amsterdam Post_, burthen about Twenty Lasts,[1] of which he is Master, belongs to a House in this Province, and that no Foreign Enemy has any part in her Directly or Indirectly, as he hopes to answer it to Almighty G.o.d, and as We are Desirous that the aforementioned Master should follow his Lawfull Calling, it is our Desire of all whom it may concern that the aforementioned Capt'n with his Sloop and Lading may be well received and treated handsomely, and have Liberty to proceed to and from any Port he may chuse, in a Lawful Trade, Which We desire and are willing he should do, and have caused this City Seal to be hereunto affixt. this Done the 22d of Sept'r, Ao.

1739.

P. DE LA COURT.

[Footnote 1: A last was two tons.]

By the Lords of the Admiralty No. 5649.

HARTUNCK.[2]

[Footnote 2: Copyist's or translator's error for Hartsinck. Jan Jacob Hartsinck, afterward president of the Dutch West India Company, was from 1724 to 1762 clerk of the Admiralty of Amsterdam. Elias, _De Vroedschap van Amsterdam_, II. 910. The Dutch Republic had five navy boards, of which the Admiralty of Amsterdam was the most important.]

The required Oath is taken in the Pa.s.sport Sept. 23d 1739.

_130. Let-pa.s.s of the Amsterdam Post. September 23, 1739 (N.S.)._

Lett Pa.s.s the Sloop _Amsterdam Post_, aeneas Mackay Master, with his Pa.s.sengers, Goods and Merchandizes, without Lett, Hindrance, Searching or Molestation, it appearing to us by good Witnesses that the said Sloop belongs to One under the State of the Netherlands. Given under our Hand and Seal at the Admiralty in Amsterdam this Twenty third Day of Septemb'r In the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty nine.

P. FECLELOOT.[?]

To all Persons whom this may Concern.

Per order of the Lords of the Admiralty.

A. BACKER Jan'ry.

_131. Tonnage Certificate of the Amsterdam Post. September 24, 1739 (N.S.)._

We, underwritten, ordered by the Lords of the Admiralty of Amsterdam to Tax and Visit the Vessells that go to Sea from Texell,[1] Declare by this That aeneas Mackay of Amsterdam, Master of the Sloop _Amsterdam Post_, has given us the length of his Sloop, being within Board 50-1/2 feet, Breadth 15-3/4, feet in the Hold 8 feet, and twelve years old, and We Tax her to be Twenty Lasts. Visited her in Amsterdam, Septemb'r the 24th, 1739.

PIETER KANSEBOOM.

[Footnote 1: The island and pa.s.sage where Amsterdam vessels made their final exit from the Zuyder Zee into the North Sea.]

The Last Money[2] paid April 13th 1739.

P. HENKES. WM. CAMPER.

[Footnote 2: Tonnage dues.]

_132. Aeneas Mackay's Oath as a Burgher of Amsterdam. September 16, 1739 (N.S.)._

You do swear that you will be a good and faithfull Porter[1] of this City and will be obedient to such Rulers, as shall from time to time be appointed, in this Place, in watching and discovering all attempts that may be made against the Rulers or People of this Place, and that you will at all Times Exert yourself in the defence of this City, and do all that becomes a good and honest Porter in Discovering any Designs. So Help you G.o.d.

[Footnote 1: Dutch _poorter_, burgher.]

aeneas Mackay of London, Captain, has taken the above Oath and the Lords Thesaurieren[2] have received the Porter money. Dated in Amsterdam, Sept'r 16, 1739.

JOAN THIERRY.[3]

[Footnote 2: Treasurers.]

[Footnote 3: Secretary of Amsterdam from 1717 to 1771. Elias, _Vroedschap_, II. 572.]

_133. Lease to Aeneas Mackay. October 2, 1739 (N.S.)._

On the Second of Octob'r 1739 Thomas Hall Lett a Chamber to Capt.

aeneas Mackay, whom also acknowledged to have hired the same, in his House at the Sign of the Bible in New Bridge Street,[1] For one year certain, and went into the same the third Instant, at Fifty Gilders to be paid every year, and in case no one appears in Octo. 1740 then We agree that it shall be in the Power of the Letter,[2] to lett the same to any other Person, and they may View the same. We have each bound ourselves according to the Custom of this Place. In Testimony of the Truth We have each bound ourselves to Each other in those Bonds.

[Footnote 1: Nieuwebrugsteeg, still so called, in the northwest part of old Amsterdam. The "new bridge", to which it led from the eastward, dated from at least 1421.]

[Footnote 2: Lessor.]

Dated as above 1739.

THOS. HALL.

_134. Certificates of Master and Mate and Register. October 8, 1739 (N.S.)._

We the underwritten, Master and Mate, Designing by G.o.d's help to proceed on a Voyage to the Canaries per the _Amsterdam Post_, attest and here Declare That We have no other Goods in our Sloop, nor any Wares or Merchandize whatsoever, according to the best of our knowledge, than only such as appears by the Manifest which We have Delivered to this office to be Inspected into, and that according to our knowledge there has been no fraud committed, nor any of our Goods were taken in, till first the Lawfull Dutys were paid, and We further Declare that the Goods We have now given an acco't of is a true and Just acco't, and that we will not receive any more on Board, unless the Persons bring their Pa.s.sport from this office[1] that they have paid the Dutys, to which have hereunto Signed our Hands October 8th, 1739.

aeNEAS MACKAY.

GEORGE JANSE.

[Footnote 1: _I.e._, the register's office at the Texel.]

We the underwritten, Commissioners of the Registers office, Attest and declare that We have Visited the Sloop of aeneas Mackay and the Goods Laden on Board her, and find that the Goods all agree with the Manifest they gave in of the same, and We do acquit the above written Capt'n and Mate, by Declaring the acco't they have given in and which they have signed to be true and Just. Done at Texell the Date and Year above.

J. TUNING.

Mr. John Wendell, Jun'r,[2] who Translated the several Dutch Papers in the Case, made oath that he had Translated the same according to his best skill and Judgement.

[Footnote 2: Nephew of Col. Jacob Wendell and, like him, a Boston merchant born of a Dutch family in Albany.]

_135. Extract from Capt. Mackay's Journal.[1] November 14, 1739._

[Footnote 1: The heading which the doc.u.ment bears in the admiralty court records.--It is a sign of Captain Mackay's imperfect Dutchness that he keeps his journal by old-style or English dates, not by the new-style dates which had since 1583 been customary in Holland; for (see the next doc.u.ment) Thursday, Nov. 15, 1739, was Nov. 15, O.S.]