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The 23th of September 1653.
Examined upon … The 23th of September 1653.
Examined upon the sayd allegation.
'''3/'''
'''Robert Tibbet''' of Limehouse in the County of Middlesex<br />
Mariner Master of the sayd shipp the ''harry Bonadventure''<br />
aged six and forty yeares or thereabouts a witnes<br />
sworne and examined deposeth and saith as followeth<br />
videlicet
To the first and second articles of the sayd Allegation This deponent saith<br />
that the arlate shipp the ''harry Bonadventure'' from about the beginning<br />
of January 1652 till the month of June 1653 was imployed in a warlike<br />
voyage under the Command of the sayd Robert Swanley in the service<br />
of this Commonwealth by vertue of a Commission (which this deponent saw and<br />
heard read) to take all dutch and ffrench shipps, and the shipps of all or any the<br />
Enemies of this Commonwealth. And saith that in Pursuance of the sayd<br />
Commission the sayd shipp sett sayle from Messina in Scicilia about the<br />
19th day of may 1653 and in her course for Tunis whither she stood bound<br />
off the Cape Ppertevento mett with two dutch shipps, and chased them<br />
and one of the Dutch shipps videlicet the ''Saint Peter'' aforesayd giveing the first fire before the<br />
''harry Bonadventure'' made any shott, a sharp fight was begun and<br />
continued four or five howres, till att Last the ''Saint Peter'' was subdued<br />
and taken together with all her lading and the master<br />
of her killed in the fight, and all or most part of her Company taken<br />
aboard the sayd ''harry Bonadventure'', whereby the sayd Captaine Swanley<br />
and Company became absolute Masters and Possessors of the ''Saint Peter'' and<br />
her lading, all which this deponent knoweth being master of the sayd<br />
''harry Bonadventure'' and present att and in the sayd fight, and seeing<br />
the sayd seizure made and otherwise he cannot depose.
To the .3. he saith the sayd shipp the ''Saint Peter'' was an able shipp of about<br />
400 Tonnes and 24 Guns with powder and other necessaries, and was<br />
in her masts and rigging much damnified in the sayd fight, And saith<br />
she was very full laden with Currants Anniseeds, Almonds quicksylver<br />
Venice glasses, stones for looking glasses, and Manna and other rich<br />
Commodityes the particulars of all or any whereof this deponent<br />
knoweth not nor the certayne value of all or any of them, but doth<br />
beleive that being a shipp of a large a burthen and Laden with goods<br />
of that quality she might well be worth with her Ladeing the summe of<br />
fifty thousand pounds sterling. And saith he heard the Steeresman of the<br />
''Saint Peter'' say she was a very rich shipp. And further cannot depose
To the 4 and .5th he saith that the ''harry Bonadventure'' during the sayd Chase and<br />
fight wore the English Colours of this Commonwealth, and the says shipp the<br />
''Saint Peter'' being the bigger of the sayd dutch shipps, and the other Dutch<br />
shipp during all the sayd tyme wore the Holland Colours and fought against<br />
the ''Harry Bonadventure'' four or five howres. And further saith That<br />
the Steeresman and others of the Company of the ''Saint Peter'' speaking broken<br />
English did after their seizure confesse and acknowledge that they<br />
and the shipps Company or most of them were Hollanders, and that their sayd shipp<br />
did belong to Holland, and was with her sayd Lading bound for Holland<br />
and there was to discharge the same for the use and Accompt of Hollanders<br />
whichnd Accompt of Hollanders<br />
which +
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