Deposition of Charles Porter master of 140-ton Ship Charles Galley

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Deposition of Charles Porter, master of 140-ton Ship Charles Galley—11 Sep 1717

Deposition of Charles Porter, master of 140-ton Ship Charles Galley

SP 35/9/168 - Deposition of Charles Porter, master of 140-ton Ship Charles Galley

Charles Porter Late Master of the ship Charles Gally of Bristol, burthern about 140 Tons carrying Six guns & Nineteen men maketh oath that on or about the ninth Day of November last past, he set sail in the said Ship from Bristol to the Port of Kinsale in Ireland where he took in a Cargo of Beef, Pork & other Provisions, and from thence sailed with the said Ship and Cargo to the Islands of Barbados and Jamaica, & there landed his said Cargo of Provisions That besides the said Provisions there was laded on board the said Ship Sundry dry Goods & Merchandizes at Bristol which remained on board the said Ship at her departure from those Islands. And That on or about the 19th. day of Jan.ry then following (finding no freight to be had at the said Islands) he, this Depon.t resolved to proceed from thence to Carolina there to take in a Cargo of Pitch, tarr and Rice, and in order thereto did purchase & take on board 700 Gallons of Rum, & about 750 [lbs] Weight of fine Sugar with which & the said dry Goods so taken on board at Bristol he sailed from Jamaica on the 23.d day of Jan:ry following, and this Depon.t further maketh Oath that as he was prosecuting the said Voyage from Jamaica for Carolina he met with near the Island of Pines a Pyrate Sloop commanded by One Benj.a Hornigold as this Deponent was informed which Sloop gave chase to this Deponents Ship to Leward for the Space of Eight & forty hours or thereabouts, & that by means thereof he was got so far to the Westward in the Bay [Gulf] of Mexico that it would take up a long time to turn to Windward & therefore fearing that he might want Water he designed to touch at the Island of Trest [Triste on Terminos Lagoon in Campeche Bay] there to fill water, that in making towards the said Island on the 2.d of February following he Espied several Ships all under British Colours towards which Ships he made sail, that upon coming up with them they proved to be a Spanish Man of War, called the St. John Baptist Capt:n Don John Albertus Commander & Several British Ships with him, that so soon as this Depon.t was come up within the reach of the Guns of the s:d Spanish Man of War, they fir'd a Shot at this Depon.t & soon after a Broad Side, & Commanded this Depon.t to come on board him which this Depon.t accordingly did. Whereupon this Depon.t was there kept a Prisoner till they arrived at La Vera Cruz, & afterwards was detained in the Admirals house for about Two & Twenty days after w.ch this Depon.t was set at Liberty to go where he pleased. That the said Commandeer Capt Don John Albertus took possession of this Deponent's Ship w.ch then had the several Goods, Merchandizes & other things on board, w.ch are mentioned in the Schedule hereunto annexed and carried the same with him to La Vera Cruz where they were taken out and discharged, and as this Depon.t believes, confiscated & Converted to the use of the Spaniards together with the said Ship that during the time that this Depon.t was detained at La Vera Cruz. he drew and sent three several Petitions to the Vice King, setting forth his Case & praying to be releived, but that he could obtain no Answer thereunto nor Could this Depon.t hear of any Pretence for the Spaniard to Seizing and Confiscating this Depon.t's Ship & Cargo during all the time this Depont was so detained a Prisoner, Save that they pretended that this Depon.t with his sd Ship was bound to the Bay of Campeachi there to cut Wood, w.ch pretence this Depon.t saith is, & was utterly false & that he was bound, & design'd on the Voyage aforesaid, and this Depon.t further saith that the said Ship the said several Goods Merchandizes & things therein mentioned are truly & justly Valued, & were at the time of the seizing & taking thereof of the several Values agt. Each particular Item expressed; & that he and his crew are truly & justly Sufferers by reason of such Seizure to the Value of the said several Items amounting to the sum of Two Thousand, four hundred twenty & Seven Pounds Eleven Shillings and Nine Pence.

An Account of what the Owners of the Charles Gally have suffered by being taken by the St. John Baptista, Capt.n Don John Albertus Comand[.r]

£ - S - d

Viz.t Imp.rs. The Cost of the Ship with fitting her out on the Voyage 1252 - 0 -?

For more Provisions taken in at Ireland 67 - 10 - ?

Several dry Goods taen in at Bristol as a Cargo }

w.ch were on board the Ship when taken } 89 - 6 - 9

700 Gall.s Rum & 578 of white Sug.r cost in Barbados 75 - 15 - 0

Loss of the Ship freight from Carolina to Bristol or

London being 140 tons at 7 [lbs] p[er] tone is 980 [lbs] out

of which deduct for mens Wages & charge 157 [lbs] rests } 823 - 0 - 0

Several Goods belonging to the Master together with

his Books, Instruments & apparel } 120 - 0 - 0