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Served and was aboard the said Shipp the ' … Served and was aboard the said Shipp the ''Goulden Eagle''<br />
during the discovery flight and pursuite predesposed
To the third Article hee saith, That there being noe visible probabilitie<br />
that the said shipp ''fortune'' should escape from the said two frenchmen of<br />
warr, nor recover Dunquirke or any other Port of fflanders, (being so closely pursued) the<br />
Master and Companie of the said shipp ''fortune'' steered their Course towards<br />
the Coast of England, intending, as this deponent in Conscience is most firmely<br />
assured, to gett under the protection of some English shipp or shipps of<br />
warr, the said frenchmen of warr still pursueing, and comeing neare to<br />
the said shipp ''fortune'' in a readinesse to have layd her aboarde and taken<br />
her and her lading, The premisses hee declareth upon the grounds of<br />
knowledge and conviction in Conscience aforesaid. And further<br />
cannot depose./
To the 4th hee saith, That during the said pursuite and upon discharge of<br />
severall gunns as predeposed, an English frigatt rideing at anchor neere<br />
or in Dover roade weighed anchor and made up towards them; and the Officers thereof haveing<br />
spoken both to the Captaines of the said frenchmen of warr, and to the<br />
Master of the said shipp fortune, and being informed that the said shipp<br />
''fortune'' was poursued by them in order to take her and her lading, as belonging<br />
to the enemies of the Crowne of ffrance and bound for fflanders the said<br />
frigat without any opposition departed and returned for the roade of<br />
Dover, and another English frigat in the immediate service of this<br />
Commonwealth comeing from the Westward of England and dischargeing two<br />
gunns, the said frenchmen of warr in obeisance and respect to her<br />
lowered their sailes just as they were within muskett shott or thereabouts<br />
from the said shipp fortune, and readie to have boarded and taken her,<br />
of which lowring their sayles the said English frigat takeing the oportunity<br />
sent men aboard the said shipp fortune, who possessed themselves of her<br />
and her lading, and brought them for England depriving the said<br />
frenchmen of warr thereof. The premisses hee well knoweth<br />
being present at the same in the condition predeposed./
To the 5th hee saith, That the said shipp ''fortune'' according to the Course shee<br />
shaped when first discovered as aforesaid, was undoubtedly bound for<br />
Dunquirke or some other Port of Spanish fflanders shee then being neere<br />
unto the Coast of ffrance which is the usuall Course of shipps bound<br />
from france for fflanders doe take during hostility betweene England and<br />
Spaine, thereby the better to escape the being discovered and seized by<br />
the English, so that in all probability the said shipp ''fortune'', if shee had<br />
not bin pursued as aforesaid, had passed undiscovered by the English, and<br />
had attained her desired port in fflanders The premisses hee declareth<br />
upon the grounds before expressed, and for that being a seafareing person<br />
and accustomed, to the coast aforesaid hee is to the coast aforesaid well versed in the fflandrian practizes in order to their<br />
security in such cases. And further cannot depose./
To the 6th hee saith, That in case the said shipp ''fortune'' and lading<br />
had not bin boarded and taken as they were by the said English<br />
friggatts Companie, the said two frenchmen of warr were in a<br />
readinesse immediately to have boarded and taken them, they the<br />
being at about a muskett shott distance from her, and, without any<br />
ayd or assistance, were then sufficient to have overpowred and taken<br />
(herhave overpowred and taken<br />
(her +
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