search after
this man [was t]he Information of William Cuthbert on oath, which I
sent your Lordships with my packet of the 26th of this last July,[9]
wherein Cuthbert Informs that being lately in the East India Company's
service [it w]as commonly reported there that Gillam had killed
Captain Edgecomb with his own hand, that he had [s]erved the Mogul,
turned Mahometan and was Circumcised. I had him searched by a
[su]rgeon and also by a Jew in this Town, to know if he were
Circumcised, and they have both declared on oath that he is. Mr.
Cutler the surgeon's[10] deposition goes (No. 1) and Mr. Frazon the
Jew's (No. 2).[11] The rest of the Evidences about Gillam and some
other Pyrates go numbered from 3 to 23 inclusive, which I recommend to
your Lordships perusall, as what will inform you of the strange
Countenance given to Pyrats by the Government and people of
[Rhode]-Island. I have numbered the papers in order of time and
according to their dates: most have reference to Gillam, some to Kidd.
In searching the forementioned Captain Knot's house [a smal]l trunk
was found with some remnants of East India goods, and a Letter from
Kidd's wife to Captain Thomas Pain an old Pyrat living on Canonicot
Island in Rhode Island Governm[ent.][12] The affidavit he made when I
was at Rhode-Island goes numbered among the other evide[nce.] He then
made oath that he had received nothing from Kidd's sloop when she lay
at anchor by [_torn_] Island, yet by Knot's deposition your Lordships
will find, he was sent with Mrs. Kidd's letter to Pa[in for] 24 ounces
of gold, which Knot accordingly brought; and Mrs. Kidd's Injunction to
Pain to keep a[ll the] rest that was left with him till further order,
was a plain Indication that there was a good deal of [trea]sure still
behind in Pain's Custody, therefore I posted away a messenger to
Governor Crans[ton][13] and Colonel Sanford to make a strict search of
Pain's house before he could have notice; it see[ms] nothing was then
found, but Pain has since produced 18 ounces and odd weight of gold,
as appears by Cranston's Letter of the 25th Instant and pretends it
was bestowed on him by Kidd, hoping that may p[rove (?)] a salvo for
the oath he made when I was in Rhode-Island, but I think it is plain
he forswore himselfe then, and I am of opinion he has a great deal
more of Kidd's gold still in his hands. [But] he is out of my power,
and being in that Government I cannot compell him to deliver up th....