a in their
Custody, and produced the Negroes before me in Court, There was an
Order past by the Governor and Council or Assistants at Rhode Island
directed to the Sheriffe, who of before had been one of these who put
an Estimate upon the Negroes by appointment of the Judge of Admiralty,
and to whom the Judge had Committed the Custody of the Negroes in
Court, Discharging him to deliver them up to the Judges Orders. I went
to Rhode Island, (though I had a Deputy there) and waited on the
Governor, and shewed to him my _Commission under the Great Seal of
Admiralty_, which also was Recorded in their Books, and insisted with
him on this, That I am uncontrovertedly by my Commission the Competent
Judge in these Parts upon the Contravention of the Acts of Trade, And
moreover, That by my Commission I am obliged to enquire after and
secure the Goods of all Pirates, etc., The words of my Commission
being _ad inquirendum et investigandum de omnibus et singulis bonis
Piratarum_, etc.[11] And as I was authorize[d] for that Effect, so I
conceived that the Governor and his Assistants, their business was
only to be aiding and assisting to me in the Execution which I
expected. And therefore Demanded of him, That according to my Order in
Court, the Negroes might be produced as formerly by the Sheriffe in
Court in Order to Sale. And that the Publick Court House, and House
where Vendues are usually made, may be made Patent to me as
heretofore, And that the Governor's Order for Shutting up thereof and
denying Access to me may be recalled. At the same time I also informed
him that I was accountable to the Lords of Admiralty or Vice Admiralty
for the Values and Produce of the Sales made by my Decrees. During
this Conference a Quorum of his Assistants in Council came in, before
whom I again resumed my desire, To which I received this Answer, That
the Governor _considers himself as Vice Admiral_ and that as such he
hath right _to intromett_ with All Goods belonging to Pirates, and
that _by the Charter all such is given to them_, and that he would not
allow me the Priviledge of the Court House, unless I would comply with
and acquiesse in their Acts of Council. To which I replyed, _Their
Charter contains no such Grant of Admiralty jurisdiction nor right to
any Piratical_ Goods (as will be evident on perusal thereof), Yea _in
the Year 1703/4 the Queen Discharged them from exercising any part of
Admiralty jurisdiction, which was complyed with ever sin