Tons loaded in York
River which they sunk. when they left him they stood NE. and believes
they Intend of the Coast as soone as they meet a vessell which they
have an Accot. of, Dayly Expected here from Guinea.

MICH'LL COLE.

May 5, 1700.

_99. Libel by Captain William Passenger. May 11, 1700._[1]

[Footnote 1: Bodleian Library, MS. Rawlinson A. 272, f. 91. A libel,
in admiralty law, is a plaintiff's or claimant's document containing
his allegations and instituting a suit--in this instance a prize
suit.]

Virga. ss. Att the Court of Admiralty held at Hampton Town on Saturday
the 11th day of May in the 12th year of the Reign of our Sovereign
Lord William the third, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland King,
Defender of the faith, etc., annoq Domini 1700,

Before the Hono'ble Edward Hill, Esqr., Judge of the sd Court,[2] came
Capt. William Passenger, Commander of his Maj'tes ship the _shoreham_,
and Exhibited the following Libel in these Words

[Footnote 2: A court of vice-admiralty was first erected in Virginia
in 1698, and Hill was the first judge appointed. He was commissioned
(Mar. 8, 1698) by Governor Andros, by virtue of the latter's
commission (June 26, 1697) from the High Court of Admiralty in
England; so say the Virginia council, in _Va. Mag. Hist._, XXII. 245,
but the record of this latter commission in London dates it Apr. 29.
Am. Hist. Assoc., _Annual Report_, 1911, I. 518.]

Virg'a. ss. May the 11th in the 12th year of his Maj'tes Reign, Annoq
Domini 1700.

To the Hon'ble Court of Admiralty:

William Passenger, Commander of his Majestyes ship the _shoreham_, as
well for and in behalf of his Majesty as for and in behalfe of
himself, officers and Company on Board the said ship,

Humbly gives this Court to understand and be Informed that on the 29th
Day of Aprill last Past, in his Maj'tyes said ship the _Shoreham_,
within the Cape of Virga: he engaged, fought and tooke a Company of
Pirates or sea Robbers which were in a ship called the _Peace_, of
about two hundred tons Burthen, Mounted with twenty Gunns, which said
Company of Pyrates or sea Robbers in the aforesaid ship for severall
dayes before their being soe taken did in an Open, Warlike, Hostile,
and Piraticall manner Assault, Attack, Fight, take, Robb, Burn, and
spoile severall Merchant ships belonging to the subjects of our
sovereign Lord the King (Vizt.)

A Pinke Called the _Baltimore_, John Loveday Master, A Sloope Called
the _Geo