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and effectually, and for an able and exper … and effectually, and for an able and experienced Master and Seaman<br />
hee the sayde Woodfin during the sayd 12 yeares hath bin and is Commonly reputed the<br />
premisses hee deposeth for that hee this deponent went cheife Mate to the sayd<br />
Woodfin the voyage in question, and is therebt the better experienced in the knowledge<br />
of the sayd Woodfins abilities as a Master and Seaman And further to this<br />
article hee cannot depose./.
To the second and third articles of the sayd allegation hee saith and deposeth<br />
that hee well knoweth that the vessell the ''Exeter Merchant'' did about the<br />
first of May 1655 returne safely from Zant and Cadiz with a ladeing<br />
of Currance and Varina Tobaccoe and other Merchandize and arrive neere<br />
Lymehouse where the sayd Woodfin indeavoured to bring her to the lower<br />
chayne there, but at his Comming thither found the arlate Vessell the<br />
''ffrancis and Mary'' fastned thereto with a Cable, and the tyde then running<br />
stronge the sayd Woodfin was not able to male fast to the sayd chayne<br />
untill a lowe water, whereupon for the more convenient staying of his sayd<br />
Shipp the ''Exeter Merchant'' till lowe water that hee might then fastnen to the sayd chayne hee caused a hawser to be fastened<br />
to the Cabke of the ''ffrancis and Mary'' (which lay fastned to the sayd Chayne)<br />
and desyred Thomas Smith the Master of the ''ffrancis and Mary'' that<br />
hee might put an other fast upon the ''ffrancis and Maryes'' boltspirtt<br />
the better to fasten his shipp the ''Exeter Merchant'' for that tyde untill hee<br />
could come to fasten to the sayd Chayne, but the sayd Smith notwithstanding<br />
that it is the usuall custome for shipps to fasten one upon an other in<br />
the River of Thames for one tyde, (and hath soe bin for these fowerteene<br />
yeares last past of this deponents knowledge) did cause the hawser of the<br />
sayd shipp the ''Exeter Merchant'' which was fastned to the Cable of the<br />
''ffrancis and Mary'' within lesse then an howers space after the same was soe fastned to be cutt or loosened by some of his the sayd Smiths<br />
Company, and by that meanes turned the sayd vessell the ''Exter Marchant''<br />
with all her ladeing a drifte to the hazard of the sayd shipp and goods<br />
The premisses hee deposeth of his certaine lnowledge for that hee was<br />
cheife mate of the sayd shipp the ''Exeter Marchant'' during her<br />
sayd voyage to and from Zant and Cadiz, and was on board when<br />
shee was fastned to the ''ffrancis and Mary'' as aforesayd, and being newly<br />
gone ashoare a little before her being turned a drift, stood on the shoare and<br />
sawe her alsoe soe turned a drift And further to these articles hee<br />
cannot depose./
To the 4th article of the sayd allegation hee saith and deposeth that<br />
hee this deponent being gone on shoare as aforesayd and seeing the<br />
sayd vessell the ''Exeter Marchant'' soe turned adrift, take a boate and<br />
went againe on board her, but before this deponent could gett aboard the<br />
sayd Woodfin and Company to prevent as much as they might any damage<br />
which might happen to the sayd Shippp and ladeing by her being turned afrift<br />
did let fall an Anchor, and vere their cable that the Anchorchor, and vere their cable that the Anchor +
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