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Petition of Merchants of Bristol to the King—19 Jul 1717

Petition – Bristol Merchants to King—19 Jul 1717

CO 23/15/131 [C.O. 5, 1265. No. 76 vii.]

19 July 1717    St. James

 

To the King's most Excell:t Majesty

 

Sheweth,

That Your Petioners and many other Traders have continual Advices of Ships being Taken and Plundered by the Pirates in America to the very great Loss and Detriment of Your Majesty's Subjects Trading to those parts and to the Enriching and Strengthening the Pirates who harbouring themselves among the Bahama Islands which for many Years have been so Neglected as to be liable to repeated Ravages, and indeed at length to the utter Ruin of the poor Inhabitants, notwithstanding their advantageous Scituation for Preserving and Enlarging our Trade and Curbing that of other Nations; But the Lords Proprietors to which they belong having not yet done anything for their Security, we humbly presume to Represent to Your Majesty the fatal Consequence if either the French, Spaniards, or Pirates should make a Settlement there, the great Difficulty there would be in Disloding them, and at present the small Charge with which they might be settled and Secured, and we delivered from these Dangers we are dayly mere apprehensive of from the growing Strength of the Pirates.

Therefore as Capt. Woodes Rogers has offered very agreeable Proposals to this purpose, we humbly presume to express our Satisfaction therein, and to recommend him to your Majesty as a person of Judgment and Integrity every way Equal to the Undertaking and well affected to your Majesty's Person and Government.

Your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever Pray &c -

 

                                                                        Jno. Day            N ttickes Mayor

                                 John King                                                  Robert Yate      

Geo: Adams             ET Longman             Jos. Jackson             Henr: Whitehead

Jno Good                   Wm Lansdon             John Becker              Robert Earle

Thomas Elbridge               Jos. Way           Ja Donning               B Day

Richd Symes             Richd Noblett            James Haynes           Jno: Hawkins

Robt Tunbridge         Matt. Thomas            Ja. Hollidge               Abra Elson

L Cassamayor           Christ Devensheir     ? Grant                     Jos Jefferis

Andr Parsons            Thos. Curtis              Jno Dukinfeild           George Stephens

Will Jeffers               Ro Addison               Skp Peloquin             Samuel Wallis

Geo: Weare              Rob. Summers          Tho: Burge               Chr Shiver

John Price                  Wm Hellier               Jno Hawkins Jr.         Wm. Daines

W Reeve                   Richard Warren        Jas Hillierse              Antho. Shymmer

Rich Henvill              Rich. Cheshire           John Scandrett

William Barnes          David Challess          Joseph Houlton

Isaac Crumpe           Steph: Richardson    J Paul              

Wm Wreskall             John Weston             And. Tyndall

Edw Curtis                Warren Casy             Wm Browne

Holland Goddard      Alex. French             Edwd Lowe

Richd Lougher           John Augier (Angier?)       Tho: Penrose

Heubyre                    Jacob Elton               James Pease

Edmund Saunders    Ste Clutterbuck        Tho: Hart (Flort?)

                                Robt: Hiscox             Jerem:h Deverell

                                Stephen Hunt           

                                John Wrascall