THE PROVIDENCE.

28. Certificate of Cornelius de Lincourt. April 12/22, 1673.[1]

Lett it bee knowne to all kings, princes and potentates in Christendom and to all those that it may Concerne, how that upon the 21th day of aprill 1673 before the River of Virginia have taken and overmastered Under the Comition of his highness my lord prince William the third of Oringe, taken a Cetch called Dergens [?] Coming from Boston out of new england, goeing to the River of Virginia, whearof was skiper John Cox, which ketch I was intended for to burne or to sinck, but after severall Considerations I doe give the same ketch and all that belongs unto her freely and liberaly unto the honorable Capt. Thomas Raddon and Mr. Joseph Fox, whoe both likewise weare taken by mee, to have and to hold as their owne Ketch and to dispose thereof to their owne Content.

Signed by mee in the Ship Called Slanswelvarn at sea the 22th day of Aprill 1673.


Stierman,
Stierman,
bootsman,[2]
Constapel,[3]
Schyman,[4]
 Cornelis de lincourt.
Jan Cornelisse.
Pieter Gerritsz.
Thomas Severs.
Antoni Fero.
Jacob Walle.

I the underwritten do acknowledge that this above mentioned act is done and signed in the presence of my officers and signed by them before skiper Cox, Master of the above mentioned ketch, dated as above.


Copia vera. 		Cornelious Delincourt.
G. Sweringen.

[1] Suffolk Court Files, Boston, no. 1257, paper 11. There was war between England and the United Provinces, 1672-1674. The Dutch privateer 's Landswelvaren (Commonweal) captures the Providence on April 4/14, 1673, and puts on board her a prize crew. The two vessels become separated. On April 11/21 the 's Landswelvaren makes prize of the ketch mentioned in this document, in which Captain de Lincourt presents the ketch, by way of consolation, to the master of the Providence. On April 12/22 the prize crew of the Providence, by a ruse, possesses itself of the Little Barkley, but presently both English crews separately recover possession of their vessels, and they separately make their way to Boston. Raddon, master of the Providence, arrives there later.

[2] Boatswain.