, was driven with
money; and therefore they sent over their pistoles and pieces-of-eight,
in which they sustained so great a loss that their merchants had rather
have this bullion coined into English money at 20 in the hundred than
take the other way.

"After several debates, in which (though there seemed no convincing
argument to expect great profit from it) there was not the least
suggestion of inconvenience, he pretending that he had all officers
ready at St. Malloe, and such as belonged to the King's mint, and
likewise his commission under the great seal (for he produced only the
warrant under the sign-manual), the Prince writ a letter to the
Governor, Bailiff, and Jurats to give him countenance, and to assign him
some convenient place to reside in. Shortly after the Prince went away,
the Colonel proceeds, brings his wife hither (who in truth is a sober
woman) and takes a little house remote from neighbours, but pretended
that the Prince's remove and other accidents had hindered the advance of
the service, but that he hoped hereafter to proceed in it. Here he
lived soberly and reservedly; and after two or three months here was
found much adulterated money--half-crown pieces which had been put off
by people belonging to him. One only officer he hath, an old Catholic,
one Vaughan, who is a good graver.

"The Governor (who is strangely civil to all men, but immoderately so to
such gentlemen as have seemed to serve the King in this quarrel) was
much perplexed, the civil magistrates here taking notice of it (the base
money), and sent to him to speak with him; told him that he believed his
education had not been to such artifices, and that he might be easily
deceived by the man he trusted, who was not of credit enough to brave
the burthen of such a trust; that if this island fell into suspicion of
such craft, their trade would be undone; and therefore (having showed
him some pieces of money) desired him by no means to proceed in that
design, till satisfaction might be given by the view of such officers
who were responsible for it. The Colonel denied some of the pieces to be
of his coining, but confessed others, and said it was by mistake too
light; but I had forgot to tell you that he had assured me, two or three
days before, that he had yet coined none.

"To conclude (though much troubled), he promised the Governor not to
proceed further in it. Then he came to me, and told me a long and
untoward discourse of a great t