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The second of November 1657.
The Lord Pro … The second of November 1657.
The Lord Protector against}<br />
Lemmon and Tuffnell.}
Exámined upon the Libell annexed to the<br />
Commission/
'''Stephen Cranbrooke''' of Deale in the County of kent<br />
Mariner aged 36 yeares or thereabouts, sworne and<br />
exámined.
To the first árticle hee saith and deposeth that within the time<br />
arlate, namely in the monethes of March Aprill and May last<br />
past or thereabouts (as hee remembreth the time) his highness the<br />
Lord Protector was in possession of the shipp arlate called the<br />
''Virgin Mary'' and of tobaccoes and other goods that were aboard<br />
her, as being lately before seized by some shipp or shipps in the<br />
immediate service of this Commonwealth, and brought in as<br />
prize and to the Downes, which hee knoweth being put aboard her<br />
there as a waiter for the Customes.
To the second árticle hee saith and deposeth that within the time aforesaid<br />
after such bringing in of the said shipp and lading into the downes, shee<br />
was sent for to be with her said lading brought up for this port; and<br />
that in her passage betweene the North foreland and the River mouth<br />
this deponent about twelve or one of the clock at night comming<br />
upon the deck of the said shipp which was then at anchor espied the shipps boate lying by her side and three or<br />
foure baggs like bejket baggs which were full or neere full in the said<br />
boate, and some rolls of tobaccoe lying on a heape in the said boate<br />
amounting in his estimation to a dozen or fourteene rolls or thereabouts,<br />
and hee conceiveth that the said baggs contained some of the said shipps prize<br />
wooll, and this deponent asking what was the matter there was<br />
answered by the seamen that were in the boate, that there was only a<br />
little wooll and tobaccoe going aboard the ''Eagle ketch'', and therewithat<br />
put off the boate and went towards the said ketch which lay there<br />
not farr off, and at the same time hee saith the arlate<br />
mr Lemmon and another man named Tuffnell or Tufnet or some<br />
such name were both (as officers of to or belonging to the prize office)<br />
aboard the said shipp the ''Virgin Mary'', and such carrying away the said<br />
tobaccoes and baggs of goods from the said shipp the ''Virgin Mary'' was<br />
within the ebb ebbing and flowing of and upon the high sea<br />
within the Jurisdiction of this Court, and was donne as hee thinketh<br />
and imagineth with the knowledge of the said Lemmon and the said other prize officer<br />
for without their knowledge hee saith the same could not have bin carried<br />
and conveyed away from the said shipp, as hee beleeveth And otherwise hee cannot depose.
To the third hee cannot depose, not knowing the quantitie of the<br />
said goods otherwise than as aforesaid, nor knowing the weight or worth<br />
thereof, or of any part thereof.
To the fourth hee saith there was alsoe in the said prize amongst<br />
the goods seized in her a Spanish sea-bedd made of cannes and stuff<br />
with halfe a hundred weight (in his estimation) of wooll, which hee<br />
knoweth for that hee this deponent had laine thereupon two or three<br />
nights before the said Lemmon and the said other officer (that came with<br />
him) came aboard the said shipp in the Downes, and that the next day<br />
after their said comming aboard, this deponent missing the said bedd<br />
asked what was become of it; and was informed by some of the<br />
seamen (who pretended thereto as plunder belonging to them) that they<br />
[XXX]nging to them) that they<br />
[XXX] +
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