He deposeth and Saith, That he with the other Deponents in the Said Deposition named did before James Abercromby in the said Deposition named make oath to the truth of the Contents of the Sd. Deposition and did Sign the Same in the presence of the Said James Abercromby freely and without Compulsion and further Saith, the Said Deposition contains nothing but the Truth to the best of his Knowledge and Belief.
Gaspar Fajardo.
10. Court of Vice Admiralty
Pensilvania.
Francesco Rodrigues a Native of the Island of Teneriffe and one of the Mariners taken on board the Snow Called the Princess of Orange being Solemnly Sworn by the Sign of the Holy Cross according to the manner of administring Oaths in Courts of Justice within the Kin[g]dom of Spain Deposeth and Saith
That he saw the Said Snow sold as a prize at the said Island of Teneriffe to Capt. John Milodony by order of Some Court there, but the particular time of the Sale he cannot Remember, That He was Shipped as a Sailor on board the Said Snow by the Said John Milodony and one Andrew Haymas, a Spainard and Inhabitant of the said Island. That the said John Melodony cairried this Deponant and three other Sailors belonging to the Said Snow to the House of the said Andrew Haymas in the said Island to receive advance wages on the Intended Voyage and that there the said Andrew Haymas did pay this Deponent nine Dollars for such wages and gave him a Note to pay nine Dollars more to the Deponant's wife, and then did pay the advance wages to the other three Sailors, all of which was done in the presance of the said John Melidony and that the Said Andrew Haymas was on board the Said Snow at the time of her Sailing from the Said Island of Teneriffe; and this Deponant further Saith, that after their Departure from the Sd. Island on their voyage to the Island of Curacoa, they missed the said Island of Curacoa and made the Island of Tobago[31] which the Pilot said was to windward of Curacoa. That they went from thence and fell in with the Land at Cora where they came to an Anchor. That the people on Shoare appearing to be in some Confusion, the Capt. Melidony hoisted a white Sheet with some red Rags sewed thereon in form of a Spanish Ensign, which Seemed to appease the People, and then the Captain went ashore in his Boat and got some Provisions. That they afterward left Cora and fell into Leeward of the Island of Aruba where they droped Anchor at some distance from the Shoare and were there taken by the Privateer Called the George. And this Depont. further Saith that in their Voyage the Sailors on board the Said Snow did Sometimes express their Fears of being taken by an English Privateer and that the Said Capt. Milodony bid them not to be afraied for he had got a Dutch Pass and Dutch Colours. That when Capt. Melidony's Sailors who were going ashore with him in the boat to the Said Island of Aruba, saw the Said Privateers Boat going on board the Said Snow they asked him what Signified his Dutch Pass and his Dutch Colours if that should be an English Privateer, to which he answered, be not afraied for my Pass and Colours will bring us off, or Save us, and this Deponent being asked what Cargo was on board the Said Snow and to whom the Same did belong, he Saith, that the Snow was loaded with wines at the Said Island of Teneriffe and that Antonio Pereda a Sailor on board the Said Snow who had received the Said wines on board and Stowed them in the Vessel, frequently after the takeing of the Said Snow informed him, that eighteen or Twenty Pipes of the wine belonged to the aforsd. Andrew Haymas, and that one Stephen Pereda a Spainard born as he belives on the Island of Teneriffe aforsaid owned twenty-eight or Thirty Pipes of the Said wines. That the first Information he received concerning the Said Andrew Haymas and Stephen Pereda's owning those wines, was after takeing the Said Snow and from the sd. Antonio Pereda who upon examination by the Commander of the Privateer Called the George, freely, and without any Force or Compulsion confessed that So much of the wines as are above Mentioned, of his own knowledge, did belong to the Said Andrew Haymas and Stephen Pereda.
And this Deponant further Saith that the Paper now Shewn and read to him marked No. 10,[32] signed by himselfe and Six other Spanish mariners was Signed by them freely and without Compulsion, and contains nothing but Truth to the best of his knowledge. That he heard the paper marked No. 11,[33] now Shewn and read to him, read to the Said Antonio Pereda who in the presance of the Deponant freely and without any Constraint signed the Same and declared the Contents thereof to be true. And the English Deposition marked No. 8[34] being Likewise Shewen to this Deponant and the Contents thereof explained to him by an Interpreter duely Sworn and qualified for that purpose, He Deposeth and Saith, That He with the other Deponants in the Said Deposition named, did before James Abercromby in the same Deposition named, make Oath to the Truth of the Contents of the Said Deposition, and did Sign the Same in the presence of the Said James Abercromby freely and without Compulsion, and further Saith, the Said Deposition contains nothing but the Truth to the best of his knowladge and Belief, and this Deponent further says that the forementioned Snow Princess of Orange was navigated by Seven Spainish Seamen besides the Captain the Pilot and one Seaman being Irish and one native Frenchman who was most of his life in Teneriff, That the Paper now Shewn to him marked A.[35] contains the names of the Said Seamen and the Deponent verily belives is of the handwriting of the for said Andrew Haymas.
his
Francisco X Rodrigues
mark
And it appearing from the whole Tenor of the Evidence, that the Said Snow and her Cargo, were at the time of the Capture, the Property of Persons residing in the King of Spain's Dominions, viz. at Teneriff and Cadiz
It is considered by the Court That the said Snow Princess of Orange, Wines, and all other her Cargo, are, and hereby stand Condemned as lawfull Prize.
Pat. Baird, Regr.[36]