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and chased her for about 6. howers. the Co … and chased her for about 6. howers. the Companie of the said shipp in the<br />
meane time using all possible diligence, and making all the sayle they could<br />
to escape from them; in which pursuite the said french Captaine caused<br />
7. peeces of Ordnance to be discharged with bullets att or against the<br />
said shipp ''fortunes''. The premisses this deponent well knoweth being an<br />
Eye witnesse of and acting therein.
To the third hee saith, That the said ffrenchmen of warr closely pursuing<br />
the said shipp ''fortune'', and there being not any probability of her escape<br />
from thence, or recovereing any Port of fflanders, shee steered her Course<br />
towards the Coast of England, the Master and Company of her, (as this deponent<br />
is fully convinced) hoping and intending to gett under the protection of some<br />
shipp or shipps of warr in the service of this Commonwealth, during all which<br />
fflight the said frenchmen of warr incessantly pursued and made after the<br />
sayd shipp ''fortune'', and were readie to have Laid her aboard, and taken her<br />
and her Ladeing. The premisses hee knoweth upon the grounds of knowledge<br />
predeposed. And further cannot depose:-/
To the 4th article hee saith, That during the said fligght, pursuite and<br />
discharge of Ordnance by the said frenchmen of warr against the said<br />
shipp ''fortune'', and English frigatt in the immediate service of this<br />
Commonwealth rideing at an anchor neere dover, weighed anchor<br />
and came up with them: and the Officers of the said English man of warr<br />
having spoken with the french Captaines, and understanding they were in<br />
pursuite of the said shipp ''fortune'' as being a Shipp bound with her<br />
Lading to some of their enemies Ports in fflanders the said English<br />
frigatt left them, the Officers thereof bidding them pursue their Prize<br />
which they did, and shortly after another English friggat came up to<br />
them, when the said frenchmen of warr were ready to have boarded and<br />
taken the said shipp ''fortune'', and were but about a muskett shott<br />
distance from her, but the said English frigatt discharging two<br />
Gunns, the said frenchmen of warr in obediance to her lowred their<br />
sailes, and attended her coming up, and the said friggatt being so come<br />
up immediately sent men aboard the said shipp ''fortune'', and became<br />
possessed of her and her ladeing, thereby depriveing and divesting the<br />
french of the same. The premisses hee well knoweth, being an<br />
Eyewittnesse thereof:-
To the 5th article hee saith, That the aid shipp ''fortune'' passing so close to<br />
the Coast of ffrance when first espyed and pursued by the said french<br />
men of warr, had in all probability passed free and<br />
undiscovered by the English, in case shee had not beene so chased, and<br />
in the chase steered her Course towards the Coast of England aforesaid<br />
the french coast being now the usuall course of shipps bound from france<br />
to fflanders purposely to prevent seizure by the English, And so much hee<br />
saith is well knowne to a Mariner useing and acquainted with that<br />
Navigation.
To the 6th hee saith, That in Case the said English friggat had not, as<br />
predeposed, come up and retarded the ffrench, and putt men aboard the<br />
said shipp ''fortune'', the said frenchmen of warr had immediately<br />
boarded and taken her and her lading it being impossible shee should<br />
have escaped them being at the distance predeposed, and then [?retarded GUTTER]<br />
(bynd then [?retarded GUTTER]<br />
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