wever, that they have heard that these pirates
are now proceeding to buy a ship to return and make the same voyage or
continue this piracy.

THE _SALAMANDER_.

_48. Petition of Paul Sharrett and Claes Pietersen. August 2,
1681._[1]

[Footnote 1: Suffolk Court Files, no. 2031, paper 1. The story of the
_Salamander_ is curiously interwoven with the early history of the
Prussian navy, on which something has been said in note 1 to document
43. The facts may be made out by a comparison of documents 48 and 49
with data found in R. Schueck, _Brandenburg-Preussens Kolonial-Politik_
(Leipzig, 1889), I. 113-118, and in a monograph on "Brandenburg-Preussen
auf der Westkueste von Afrika, 1681 bis 1721", in Heft 6 of the
_Kriegsgeschichtliche Einzelschriften_ of the German General Staff
(Berlin, 1885), pp. 102-105. In the First Brandenburg-Prussian fleet
that ever sailed out of the Baltic (August, 1680), one of the six
frigates was the _Churprintz_ (Kurprinz, Electoral Prince), 32 guns,
Capt. Cornelius Reers, and there was a fire-ship, the _Salamander_, 2
guns, Capt. Marsilius (or Marcellus) Cock; the captains were probably
all Dutch. The chief exploit of the squadron was to capture, in time
of peace, a ship of the Spanish royal navy, which thus became the
first of the elector's ships actually owned by him. Then Reers and a
squadron of four frigates and the _Salamander_ sailed to the West
Indies, and spent the winter of 1680-1681 in cruising against Spanish
shipping, though with little success. If Samuel Button's story is true
(document 48), it would seem that the original _Salamander_ must have
been lost, and the _William and Anne_ substituted in its place and
renamed. The squadron got back to Prussia in May, 1681.]

To the Honnorable Simon Bradstreet Esq. Governor, Thomas Danforth Esqr
Dept. Governor, and the Rest of the Honnorable Assistants to sitt in
Boston on the 4th of this Instant August 1681 as A Court of Admiraltie
or Assistants

The humble petition Libell and Complaint of Paul Sherrot Lift.[2] and
Cloyse petterson, Mate or Pilot of the Ship or prize called the
_Salamander_, now belonging to the great prince the Duke of
Brandenburge, Burden one hundred Tonns or thereaboute, Loaden with
Brandy and wynes--

[Footnote 2: Lieutenant.]

Humbly Sheweth

That your Petitioner entering into the Duke of Brandenburgs service
and pay this 14 of April 1680 or thereaboute, on A ship of warr called
_Coure Prince_ belo