To all who shall examine these letters, we, the burgomasters and schepens of the city of Rotterdam in the county of Holland, signify and declare, of certain truth, that Peter Lagerboom, citizen of Amsterdam, master of this ship called the Dageroed, of about 150 lasts burden,[2] has loaded his wares, with which the ship is freighted, upon her in this town, in order to transport them, with a favorable wind, to the West Indies, as the said master and the officers of the said ship have declared to us, asking from us a let-pass and clearance, by which foreigners may be assured that this city is not infested by a plague or any other contagious disease. Since certainly it is a part of our official duty to meet the needs of our citizens and to offer testimony to the truth, especially for those who ask it of us, we assure all those to whose care this matter belongs, that through the goodness of God Almighty this city is not infected with the plague or any other deadly disease; and accordingly we desire that those who are requested should accord to this master, together with his ship, his shipmates and goods, free transit and the opportunity to carry on traffic freely by land and sea, and should prohibit that any hindrance should be offered to him in this matter, nay rather that they should aid him, when his needs require it; whereby they will lay us under strict obligations to render to them the same good offices. In testimony whereof we have caused these letters to be provided with our seal which we use publicly for business,[3] and signed by the hand of our secretary, on the ninth day of November in the Year of Salvation 1757, new style.
J. Bjelle.
[1] From the files of the New York vice-admiralty court, in custody of the United States district court, in the federal building.
[2] The last was about two tons.
[3] In Continental practice, a municipal corporation usually had, besides its great seal used for the more solemn public documents, a lesser seal, called the sigillum ad causas, used for minor public documents or for private papers authenticated by public authority. This paper bears a seal having the legend "Sigillum ad causas oppidi Rotterodami", encircling an impression of a castle with portcullis, standing on a shore, with a swan swimming in front of the gate.
198. News of Privateers. May 19, 1757.[1]
By a Master of a Vessel lately arrived from Hispaniola, we are inform'd, that on the 13th of April there lay at Port of Prince[2] a Brig of about 120 Tons, mounting 14 Carriage Guns, and 200 Men, also a Sloop about 70 Tons, 8 Carriage Guns and 100 Men, both intended in Consort (as it was there said) for the Coast of New-York and thereabouts. The Brig is Rhode-Island built, black sides, with a white Bottom, the Sloop is painted very gay, as with red, yellow, black and green. He heard likewise that at another Port in the said Island, there was fitting out a Snow (which had been lately a Packet taken from the English) to mount 16 Carriage Guns, and to be commanded by one Palanqui (a very noted Commander) to come on the same Coast.
We hear from Bristol, in Rhode-Island Government, that Capt. Mark-Anthony De Wolfe[3] in a Privateer Sloop of 50 Tuns, with 40 Hands and 6 Guns, belonging to Warren, sail'd from thence the 24th of April, and put into Newport, from whence she sail'd three Days after; and on the 4th of this Instant May, to the Northward of Bermudas, took a French Snow of 150 Tons, with 18 Men, who made but little Resistance, having but 2 Guns, and no one killed or wounded on either side: The Privateer return'd with her Prize to Bristol the 15th, having finished this Cruize in 3 Weeks to an Hour. The Cargo of the Snow consists of 200 Hogsheads of Sugar, a Quantity of Coffee, Indigo, Elephants-Teeth, Logwood, etc. and was bound from St. Domingo for Old-France.
Yesterday the Privateer Ship Hertford, commanded by Capt. Thomas Lewis, lately fitted out from this Place, brought into our Harbour a valuable French Prize, a Ship of about 240 Tuns, which he took about three Weeks ago, to the Southward of Bermudas in Lat. 29: She was bound from Porto Prince in Hispaniola to old France; her Cargo is said to consist of 400 Hogsheads of Sugar, and a considerable Quantity of Indigo, Cotton-Wool, Hides, etc. valued at about 9000£ Sterling. She sail'd out with 4 other Vessels bound also to France, and had parted from her a Day or Two before she was taken: One of which is the Prize carried into Bristol as beforementioned; and another of them is said to be the trading Sloop that was seized at Rhode-Island last Week. Two other Vessels, they say, sail'd the Day before them for Cape-Breton.