Princes in all parts of the World having once granted such Letters of Reprisals for Spoils and Wrongs done to their Subjects hold themselves obliged to see right done by one means or other being trusted with the power of Peace and War A Prerogative subservient to the immutable Laws of Nature and right Reason Then Carew Equipped out a small Ship called the George Bona Adventura under the command of Captain Compton Gwyther who took a Fly-Boat laden with Wine and Chesnuts near the Isle of Wight called the Love of Rotterdam to awaken those that ought to make reparations whereupon the Dutch Ambassador moved for Proclamations Supersedeas and scire facias but nothing was offered for satisfaction or repairation upon any account whatsoever for the Debt of 151612 l. although no part of that principal money or of ten thousand pounds more expended and disbursed by the said George Carew in the prosecution of his right was recovered or received as by his Affidavit filed in Chancery hereunto annexed also appears Then Compton Gwyther and his Mariners being Apprehended were tryed for Pyracy and Fellony by a special Commission of Oyer and Terminer grounded upon the Statute of Henry the VIII at the New Hall in the Court of Marshalsea in Southwark on the 18th of Febr. 1680. where the Jury acquitted them as not acting with a Fellonious intent under the colour of that Commission for Reprisals Yet the Ship was restored by the King to the Dutch In the Month following Sir Robert Sawyer the Attorney General brought a scire facias in the Pettibag against Sir Edmund Turner and George Carew to shew cause Why the LETTERS PATENTS should not be revoked repeald or made null and void Whereupon Slings by Bethel and Henry Cornish Esquires the Sheriffs gave personal notice and returned the said VVrit in Easter Term 1681. Then Turnor and Carew Appeared and Pleaded the same Term which lay Dormant until Easter-Term 1682. when the Attorney General put in a Demurrer whereunto the Defendants rejoyned and the Record being Read in Court consisting of five large Skins of Parchment on Saturday the 20 of May the Lord High Chancellor of England appointed Tuesday following to Argue the same whereupon the Defendants Councel moved the Court for longer time in regard they could not have Copies of the Record VVritten out so soon yet it was denied and his Lordship gave Judgment for the King without Arguing the same by the Defendants Councel who will in due time be ready to make appear not only divers Errors in the said Scire facias But that Judgment ought not by the Laws of the Land to be given on the said scire facias his Lordships Judgment being reversable by Writ of Error or Appeal But in the Interval between the scire facias brought and the Demurrer put in Carew being pressed to enter other Ships and Pinnaces according to his Covenants to Reprise some part of the Debt and Dammages many Widdows and Orphants Creditors of Courten and Pindar being concerned therein The Ship named the America with 4 others were offer'd at their instance to be entred in the Admiralty and Cap. W. Hawley to be Commander of the America But Sir R. Lloyd Mr. Bedford refusing to take any other Notice of the Paper than only Reading and returning the same it was Registred in the Chancery and a Deputation given to the said Cap. Hawley upon an Authentick Copy of the said Letters Patents to put the same in Execution who in Prosecution thereof took a Fly-boat laden with Wheat and Rye called the Young Schonemaker of Dort under Sayl about three Leagues from the Texell and then brought the same into Woodbridge Harbour and sent the Bills of Lading with all the Papers on Board unto Mr. Thomas Broadrick Procter in the Admiralty in order to a Sentence of Condemnation Then a Warrant dated 29th of April 1682. issued from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty directed to Mr. William Ioynes the Marshal who restored the Prize to the Dutch and apprehended Captain Hawley and his Men for Pyracy and Fellony and committed them to the Prison of the Marshalsea in order to their Tryal on Saturday the 10th of Iune 1682. Mr Carew's Affidavit Filed in Chancery Dom. Rex vers Carew al' super Brev. scire facias in suprem ' Curia Cancellar GEorge Carew of Richmond in the County of Surrey Esq one of the Defendants in this Cause maketh Oath That he this Deponent being advised by his Councel Learned in the Laws that a special Proviso was made in the fifteenth Article of the Treaty Concluded at London between the King and the States General Dated the 4th of September 1662. For Satisfaction and Repairation of the Spoyles and Depredations of the Two Ships called The Bona Esperanza and Henry Bona Adventura and the Letters Patents for Reprisals in pursuance thereof Recited in the PLEA to the said scire facias he this Deponent valued himself as vested with such a right and property in the Debt and Damages Ascertained by the Grant in the said Letters Patents That he this Deponent disbursed and expended the sum of Ten Thousand Pounds and Upwards in the Prosecution of his Right Three Thousand and Five Hundred Pounds of the said Money being furnished by Thomas Foley Esq upon the purchase of Aunton Farm in Worcester-shire from this Deponent Two Thousand Pounds more thereof lent to this Deponent by Tho. Colman Esq upon the Mortgage of Eight Houses in the City of London and Two Thousand Five Hundred Pounds by Sir Iames Butler upon a Conditional Surrender of a Coppy-hold Estate in Richmond Whereupon there is a Decree in this Court to foreclose this Deponant from the Equity of Redemption if the Principal Money Interest and Charges be not paid by Christmas next most part of the said 8000 l. being paid to Sir William Powell Sir Iohn Ayton and others claiming their Debts under this Deponants Administration by Judgments and other Securities from Sir Paul Pindar and Sir William Courten And this Deponant farther faith That He this Deponent hath not Directly nor Indirectly received any Satisfaction for the principal Debt of 151612 l. mentioned in the said Letters Patents for the said Spoyles and Depredations save only the Sum of 50 l. Sterling paid by Alderman Backwell by the Earl of Danby's Order out of the 800000 Pattacoons and 150 l. more by the States of Holland towards this Deponents extraordinary Charges in Prison The King having paid the ordinary Costs and Expences of this Deponents Imprisonment with two Servants for the space of 22 Months at the Hague during the last War notwithstanding there is One Hundred Fifty Thousand Pounds Sterling and upwards due to the Creditors of Sir William Courten and Sir Paul Pindar upon Bonds and Judgments wherein many poor Orphants and Widdows are concerned And this Deponent saith That the Record consisting of five Skins of Parchment appointed to be Argued on Fryday 26 of this Instant May.
This Deponants Councel that Subscribed the Plea cannot be ready in so short a time to Argue the several Points in Issue the Record being but Read in Court on Saturday last the Defendants having Rejoyned in the Demurrer to the PLEA but two days before Iurat 25 die Maij Anno R. Rs. Carol. sec. c. xxxiiij Coram me George Carew Io. Coell An Exact Account of the Proceedings at the Marshalsea June 10 1682. against Cap Hawley and his men upon Pretence of Piracy acting under Letters Patents for Reprisals against the Hollanders ON the 10th of Iune instant the Commissioners appointed to try Capt. Hawley and his men upon the Stat. of Hen. 8. for Paracy Fellony Being met at the New Hall in the Marshals Court in Southwark The Commission was read by Mr. Tho. Bedford the Register of the Admiralty Sir Tho. Exton as President of the Court gave the Charge Then the Sheriff of Surry brought in the Precepts whereupon the Jurors were return'd and Sworn The Indictment then was delivered to the Grand Jury who found the Bill Unto which the Prisoners pleaded NOT GUILTY Took their Tryal and put themselves upon God and the Country Then Sir Richard Lloyd Council for the King alleadged to the Petty Jury that the Letters Patents for Reprisals aforesaid were made null and void by Treaty of STATE Supercedeas Proclamation and Iudgment of the L d Chancellor upon a Scire facias Yet was so tender of the KING's Honour That he would not suffer the Letters Patents to be read openly in Court but only by the Jurors thmselves privately Whereupon the Council for the Prisoners insisted That there were not Arguments suffered to be made on the Defendants side upon the Atturney Generals Demurrer to the Defendants Plea which consisted of 5 Skins of Parchment the Record being read on Saturday the 20th of May Judgment was given in the Week following before Copies could be made of the Record However Mr. Carew himself persisted at this last Tryal That nothing could affect the Patent but Satisfaction For That by the Laws Statutes of England Letters Patents in this Case which vested an Interest in the Patentees by especial Grant as set forth in his Plea to the scire facias could not be revok'd or taken away without satisfaction first made to the parties that suffered the wrong And that the L d Chancellors Judgment is as avoidable upon a Writ of Error for Mistakes in his Opinion as the Grants in the Letters Patents are avoidable upon Satisfaction made for that no Act of State unless an Act of Parliament can bind the particular Interests of the Subject without Satisfaction and the scire facias being defective the Judgment given upon it is null in it self there being no such Letters Patents as are mentioned in the Scire facias returned by the Sheriffs as aforesaid for Restitution to Carolo tunc Comiti Salop c. Then the matters of Fact being made out by the Dutch men the Master others in the Ship call'd the Schonemaker of Dort against Cap. Hawley and his men That they took the ship by force and possest themselves of the Ship and Lading To which the Prisoners made little Defence save only That they did nothing felloniously or pyratically but acted by Virtue of a Commission and Deputation indorsed upon the back-side of an Authentick Copy of the Letters Patents hereunto annexed which was put into the Jurors hands to peruse who brought them in Not Guilty Werereupon Mr. Ioynes the Marshal immediately arested Mr. Carew Capt. Hawley and his men in a joynt Action for 1000l Dammages by Writ out of the Admiralty upon the Dutch Ambassadors desire at the Suit of Willem de Widt Iohanes van Eich voor Alewyn van Vollenhoven Lodewyck Terwe Iacob van Harrlem Antony Walbeeck Antony van d Santheuvel all Inhabitants of Dort that were the Owners of the said ship and lading but upon Mr. Carew's complaint to the Court then sitting and the Dutch Ambassador also present he was discharged pro tempore But within two days after gave sufficient Bail by two eminent Citizens to answer the said Action both for himself the Capt. and his Company Then some of the most considerable Creditors claiming under Carew's Administration being unsatisfied with these Proceedings caused Mr. Ioynes to be arested by Writ out of the King's Bench for 2000l Dammages to answer the Value of the said Ship and Lading having dispossest the said Cap. Hawly and his men thereof in an extrajudicial way upon pretence of a VVarrant from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty dated about the 29 of April 1682. who brought the said Cap. and his men Prisoners and put them into the custody of Mr. Lowman the Keeper of the County Gaol in Southwark where they were detained 44 dayes or thereabouts close Prisoners at their own costs and charges and after they were legally discharged wereforced to pay Mr. Ioynes and the Register of the Admiralty several exorbitant Fees amounting to 6l 10 s. a man or thereabouts to procure which Money they were forc'd to fell their Beds from under them For all which the Captain and his men are advised to take their due Course at Law against them for their respective Dammages That is to say Cap. Wil. Hawley Richard Washington Ri. Terret Ierom Hawley Th. Tomkins Iohn Tayler and Glanvil Lamboy ☞ ☞ It s Remarkable That the Dutch Ambassadors are very clamorous at Court upon any Complaint of the Hollanders whose ships and goods are suddenly restored right or wrong although they refuse to appear for the Heirs and Executors of Ia. Pergens of Amsterdam Pet Boudaen of Middleburgh who have got into their hands and Possessions the Effects of Sir W. Courtens Sir Paul Pindars Estates to the value of 138000l owing upon Accounts of Bills of Exchange Moneys lent upon Obligations and Goods exported out of England in Trade of Partners-ship wherein divers great summs of Mony were taken up at Interest and imployed in that Trade and are still standing out and due to divers Orphants and VViddows whose Crys have reached the Heavens and fallen down with Inundations upon their Country for Justice in those Civil matters wherein the States of Holland and Zealand protects the Persons and Estates of the Heirs and Executors of the said Pergens and Boudaen from common Justice under the Pretence of Treaties of Peace and common Alliance between the King and the States General although they never came under the Consideration of any publick Treaty as the spoils and depredations of the Ships Bona Esperanza an Bona Adventura did And that which cannot be mentioned without Grief and Astonishment is that the Complaints of the oppress'd Creditors concerning the civil Causes of Actions depending in Holland and Zealand against Pergens and Boudaen leys before the Secretaries and principal ministers of State at Whitehall for relief without any effectual Answer although earnestly solicited for many years together Dormiat aliquando jus sed
extinguish Letters of Marque and that for the Reason aforesaid The King having the Power of Peace and War Mr. Carew cannot be a good Subject to involve the Publique by executing these Letters of Marque in times of Peace who as I am informed had 30 Ships out in time of War And the Clauses contained in the Patent that no Peace shall extend to the prejudice of the said Letters Patents before satisfaction was a Clause unusual and incerted by surprize and ought not to have been and is in no sort obligatory Wherefore I give Iudgment That the Letters Patents shall be brought into Court to be cancelled and the Enrollment thereof razed ☞ The Argument turns upon his Lordship the King being sole Legislator of Peace and War The Clause of continuance in the Patent hath the force of an Act of Parliament His Lordship would be both Judge and Party and sole Arbiter if a Writ of Error did not lie in the Kings-Bench and finally in Parliament to reverse his Erroneous Iudgment A Copy of the Order in Chancery Veneris 26 die Maii Anno Regni Caroli secund ' Regis tricesimo quarto Inter Dom ' Regem Quer ' Edmund ' Turnor Mil ' Georg ' Carew Ar ' Defend ' Lord Chancellor THe Record of the Demurrer joyned in the Pety-Bag upon a Scire facias brought by Mr. Attorney General on the behalf of His Majesty for revoking certain Letters of Reprizal granted to the Defendents the 19th of May 1665. coming this present day to be argued before the Right Honourable the Lord High-Chancellor of England by vertue of an Order of the 20th instant at which time the Record was read The Defendents Councel desired longer time But upon hearing of Mr. Attorney-General on the behalf of the King his Lordship declared that the matter in debate did concern the Publick and could not admit of any further day to be given to the Defendents And his Lordship having been attended with the Record and duly considered the whole matter is of opinion and doth order That the said Demurrer do stand and that Iudgment be entred up for the King for the revoking the said Letters Patents and doth further order That the Enrollment thereof be vacated upon Record and that the Defendants do forthwith bring into this Court the said Letters Patents and all Exemplifications and Duplicates thereof under Seal to be cancelled Ex. Per George Edwards Deput ' Register On the next morning the Lord Chancellor was pleased in open Court to give order that the Attorney-General should be careful in drawing up the Judgment and that the Clerk of the Pety-Bag should enter it upon the Roll aud exemplifie the whole Record under the Great Seal and send it to the Admiralty-Court to remain there It may be observed That the Scire facias being returned in Easter-Term 1681. and the Plea filed of the same Term and the Demurrer coming in not before Easter Term last the Attorney-General had a whole year to consider of the said Plea which is admitted as to the matters of Fact in all particulars by the said Demurrer and since sworn to be true by one of the Defendants So that the Attorney-General making no Reply insisted only upon the Law The Questions therefore that do naturally arise upon it are Whether the Scire facias be a Legal and warrantable Writ in this Case for the Lord Chancellor to ground his Judgment upon for repealing the Letters Patents without satisfaction so solemnly obtained under the Great Seal of England according to the Laws of the Land or Whether the Plea be not sufficient in Law to support and maintain the Letters Patents until the Debt and Damages be recovered BUt before we come to answer the Lord Chancellor's Arguments it 's absolutely necessary to speak a word or two concerning the Scire facias and the Order entred by the Register that the Defendents should bring the Letters Patents and all Exemplifications and Duplicates thereof under Seal into Court to be cancelled It 's recited in the Record made up pro restitut ' faciend ' Carolo tunc Comiti Salop al' in eisdem Literis Patent ' c. whereas there is no such Patent as is mentioned in the Scire facias Notwithstanding it 's affirmed in the said Order of the 26th of May 1682. That his Lordship had been attended with the Record and duly considered the whole matter and yet in the second Line of the said Record it 's written Carolo tunc Comitis Salop whereas in the Letters Patents for Reprizals it 's mentioned for restitution to be made to Francis Earl of Shrewsbury and others So that the Foundation being bad the Structure must fall to the Ground there being no such Patent as the Scire fas ' recites Whereupon a Distringas is since issued forth to the Sheriff of Mid. to distrain all the Lands and Tenements of George Carew within his Bayliwick until the said Patent Exemplifications and Duplicates thereof under Seal be brought into Court and cancelled which is impossible for him to do being out of his power the said Duplicates and Exemplifications being in the hands of several Persons beyond the Seas with Assignments and Covenants that they shall continue effectual in Law until the Debt of 151612 l. with Damages shall be recovered and received according to the words of the Grant and the King's Declaration Wherefore it would be both Honourable and Just for any Ministers of State in England or Holland to bring the Scire facias in one hand and Money to satisfie the Debt and Damages in the other And without that Quid pro quo under his Lordship's favour the Patent cannot be legally revoked repealed or made void Yet for satisfaction of all Mankind that the Defendents will abide by their Plea they have retained their Councel to give modest Answers to the Lord Chancellor's Arguments as followeth who holds it convenient to begin at the root where his Lordship ended That the Clause of continuance was unusual and incerted by surprize and ought not to have been and is in no sort obligatory 1. The stipulation for extinguishing all other Losses and Damages by the Treaty 1662. from the like Sovereign Remedies 2. The States denyal of making satisfaction for the Spoils and Depredations of those two Ships according to the said stipulation 3. The Services and Sufferings of Courten and Pyndar for the Crown of England so eminently known to all Parts of the World 4. And the great Supplies given to His Majesty in Parliament for the Protection of His Subjects at the very time the said Patent for Reprizals was passing through Sir Heneage Finch's Office when he was Solicitor-General upon the Negotiation of Mr. Gilbort Crouch were four invincible Arguments for the King to pass this Grant of common Right to his Subjects with those two Clauses of a continuando until the Debt 151612 l. wiâ—h Costs and Damages should be recovered and received the King having declared so much
same in haec verba Charles II. by the Grace of God c. which being read they said that the Letters Patents ought not to be brought into Chancery nor the Enrollment thereof obliterated and made null or void because King Charles I. by his Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England in the year 1635 gave Sir William Courten and his Partners a Charter to Trade and settle Factories in the East-Indies China and Iapan for Trading Voyages and renewed the same to William Courten Son and Heir of Sir William and his Partners And that Sir Paul Pyndar had furnish'd Sir William Courten with Thirty five thousand Pounds towards the first enterprize of that Trade And that the said William Courten the Son and his Partners had set forth the two Ships named the Bona Esperanza and Henry Bona Adventura in the Patent for Reprizals mentioned in the year 1641. with Moneys Goods and Merchandizes for supply of the said Factories and Trade whereof seven parts belonged to Courten and the 8th part to his Partners And that William Courten the Son by his Indenture dated 26 April 1642. had transferred and assigned his Interest in the said Ships and Merchandizes to Sir Edward Littleton in the County of Stafford Baronet for Counter-security against several Debts contracted by Sir Wil. Courten and his Son wherein he stood obliged for payment thereof And that Sir Edward Littleton joyntly with Wil Courten the Son had by their Indenture dated Decemb. 19. 1642. transferred and assigned all their Interest in the said Ships Bona Esperanza and Henry Bona Adventura to Sir Paul Pyndar towards his Debt and the surplus to the Creditors of Courten and Littleton And the said Turnor and Carew further say that the Officers of the East-India-Company of the Netherlands in the year 1643. unjustly seized and detained the said two Ships and Lading and converted the same to their own use without any legal Process contrary to the Laws of Nations and the Laws and Statutes of this Realm which was proved by the Testimonies of several Witnesses in due form of Law taken And that the said East-India-Company and the States of the Netherlands had altogether denied to make any satisfaction or reparation to the said Proprietors for the said Spoils and Depredations Afterwards Wil. Courten Esq the Son and Executor of Sir Wil. Courten died Intestate in the year 1655. And William Tooms Executor of Sir Paul Pyndar in the same year also died Intestate And that Letters of Administration of the Goods and Chattels of Sir Paul Pyndar with his Will annexed unadministred was in due form of Law granted to Sir William Powel Baronet and Letters of Administration of the Goods and Chattels of Sir Will. Courten with his Will annexed unadministred was likewise in due form of Law granted to the said George Carew who bona fide paid and satisfied the said Sir Will. Powel Iohn Whitfield Esq and others the sum of 3000 l. sterling in satisfaction of their Debts upon account of Sir Paul Pyndar out of the said Carew's proper Money whereupon Sir Will. Powel by agreement having relinquished the Administration Letters of Administration with Sir Paul Pyndar's Will annexed was in due form of Law granted to the said George Carew Then the said Francis Earl of Shrewsbury Sir Iohn Ayton and others humbly supplicated His Majesty on the behalf of themselves and others interessed to require the States-General to make satisfaction and reparation for the said Spoils and Depredations as in the said Letters Patents at large appears but no restitution or reparation could be obtained Whereupon the said Letters Patents were granted for the recovery of 151612 l. with Costs and Damages under those conditions and limitations therein expressed And the said Turnor and Carew further say that they are entituled and legally vested with an Interest and inviolable right to recover and receive the said Money according to the Laws of Nations and the Laws and Statutes of England and the very express grants and intentions in the Letters Patents contained accordingly notwithstanding any War or Wars or the supposed Treaty at Breda or any other Treaties whatsoever between His Majesty and the States-General or the pretended Supersedeas in the Scire facias mentioned The said Turnor and Carew in fact saying that they or either of them or any claiming under them or either of them have not to this day received taken or seized from the States-General or their Subjects or the East-India-Company of the Netherlands the said sum of 151612 l. or any part thereof or any part of the 800000 Pattacoons mentioned in the 10th Article of the last Treaty at Westminister mentioned in the said Scire-facias or half the Charges and Expences occasioned thereby Wherefore the Letters Patents ought not to be brought into Chancery or the enrollment thereof cancelled or made null and void for that the King was not deceived in His Grant Signed by Richard Wallap Edmond Saunders Iohn Somers Richard Powell Charles Molloy THe Record being made up and brought into Court on the 26th of May 1682. the Attorney-General and the Solicitor both moved for Judgment without any other Argument for it than pretended Reason of State Whereupon the Councel for the Defendants moved that it was against the practice of all Courts in Westminster-hall to argue the same Term the Record was brought in or without a Consillium and a convenient time appointed to study and argue the points in Issue especially in a matter of this weight and consequence being a noble Case to be debated and argued both in point of Law and State and therefore desired a longer day whereupon the Lord Chancellor stood up and said If they were not ready to argue he was ready to give Judgment and that they might argue by the Spirit if they would So his Lordship informing the Court that he had studied the Case himself And for the satisfaction of all man-kind as he said gave these Arguments following which were taken in writing by several Councellors at Bar. The Lord Chancellor's Arguments THe Statute of 31 H. 6. cap. 4. gives Admiral Iurisdiction to the Court of Chancery for speedy relief in cases where strangers are robbed at Sea by the King's Subjects And that after a Peace concluded Letters of Marque for Reason of State are totally extinguished These Letters Patents especially being granted when this Kingdom and the Hollanders were in a state of Enmity they appearing to bear date the 19th of May 1665. in the heat of the War are therefore disannulled by the subsequent Peace A Safe Conduct granted by the King supersedes Letters of Marque as appears 11 H. 4. N. 66. by Iudgment of the Parliament of Paris and the Parliament of Montpellier 2 H. 5. N. 34. A Truce between Nations that have been at Enmity supersedes Letters of Marque as appears 11 H. 6. N. 34. Parl. Rot. A fortiori A Peace after Proclamation thereof and a Supersedea sunder the Great Seal will abolish and