wer necessitated to put for this
place, and being before the Iland sent in theire request to have
libertie to wood and water. accordingly it was graunted unto them,
with Assurance of receiving like protection, freedome, and libertie in
our ports, as any other Nation in league and Amitie with the
Commonwealt[h] of England, which gave them Incouridgment to bring
theire shipp into harbor within Command of our forts, and having
staied and Refreshed themselves some three weeks time and taken in
such necessaryes and provicions as they needed, whiles the Comander
with the major parte of his men were on shoare abo[ut] theire
dispatches, the said ship was Unhappily surprized in the harbor by a
wicked deboist[2] Crew of persons, who getting aboard and by force
suppressed those few seamen which were in the shipp, Cutt the Cables
and sett saile.

[Footnote 2: Debauched.]

Assoone as the surprise was discovered some shott were made at them,
but theire resolution to Carry so desperate an Attempt (knowing w't
the end would have binn had they fayled therein) and sensiblenesse [?]
in theire dispatch to gett the ship without Command, as also the night
Coming on, and having the Advantage of winde and Currant, no meanes
Could be used to recover the shipp Againe, by which action the
Comander, with his men, who but a little before were possessed (as
well of theire owne as others Interested) with very Considerable
estates, were left on shoare to be Releived by our charitie.

The Inhabitants of this Iland with myself Cannot but have a very great
Resentment of so vile an Act, which hath Reflected so much not only
uppon Authoritie but the Iland in Generall, and may heareafter reflect
to the prejudice of particcular persons heare who trade at the Canary
Ilands.

Wee have lately understood these Robbers by fained pretenses and
discourses, to Coulor theire Action have endeavored to shelter
themselves under your Authoritie in New England, but its hoped and
beleived that such persons will not be harboured, nor such Actions
Countenanced by you there. if they should it may proove for the future
of evill consequence to this Colonie. it was least of all suspected
theire Confidence would have led them thither, otherwise wee should
from hence have ere this requested your Assistannce for stoping the
shipp and goods, and persons of those Robbers, untill the parties
concerned therein might have Intelligence of theire being in New
England, there to pros