53.[2]

[Footnote 2: 1654, new style.]

After the Counsell had Considered of that letter they Ordered that the
Secretary should forthwith transcribe true Coppies of the originall
and translacion of the Dutch Certifficat and the other Dutch writting
found in the shipp called the _holy ghost_, and presented by Capt.
Robt. Harding to the Counsell, Attested by the Secretary and sent to
the Gov'nor and Counsell at the berbadoes, And further Ordered that
the Secretary may give true coppies thereof to the Capt. or any other
of the prizemen or any other that shall desier them;

And though by what the Governor of Berbadoes hath hitherto Certefied
to us, it does not legally appeare that the vessell was or is a
spannish vessell, but the Contrary rather seemeth unto us by the dutch
Certifficat and other writting sealed and the Inscription on the
sterne of hir _De heyly[3] Gheest_, with the picture of the dove and
burden of the ship concurring with them, yett for these severall
reasons, viz. 1. Becawse it cann be no Injury to Capt. Robt. Harding,
Left. Thom. Morrice, and that company to Justify theire oune act at
Berbadoes, (if it were a lawfull act). 2. Because there is
probabillitie, some evidence appearing, that severall of the shipps
former company that was aboard are missing, wch were not brought into
this Jurisdiccion, what is become of them cannot so well be cleered,
nor the Case triable any where so well as at the Berbadoes where the
fact was donne. 3. Becawse Capt. Harding, Left. Morrice and the rest,
as is suspected, have not discovered all the treasure that was in the
shipp and thereby have deceaved the Commonwealth of England (In Case
it should proove a pricze) which cannot be cleered so well, any where
as at Berbadoes, who have as wee are Informed inquired of hr [?] the
value of the prize, and the Rather becawse they broke bulke at
Pemequid, out of our Jurisdiccion,[4] and that after they had our
order, which they seemed to decline by theire Accepting proteccion
from Capt. Gilbert Crane, as appeares by proofe, who was in our
harbors under the Imploiment of the Parliament of England for masts
and Tarre.[5]

[Footnote 3: Heylige.]

[Footnote 4: The Pemaquid settlement lay on the Maine coast near the
mouth of the Damariscotta River; it belonged at this date to Richard
Russell and Nicholas Davison, private proprietors.]

[Footnote 5: Capt. Gilbert Crane, in the _King David_, went out for
this purpose in 1653 and ret