Royal Feet most humbly beseeching that as it had its beginning so it may continue to have its Being and Support from the happy Influences of your peculiar Bounty and Grace So with our earnest Prayers to Almighty God for the long and happy preservation of your Royal Person and continuance of your Glorious Reign and most humble tender of our Lives and Fortunes to your Majesty's Service and Disposition We beg leave to subscribe our selves Most Gracious Soveraign Your Majesty's most Loyal most Dutiful and most Obedient Subjects and Servants Sic subscribitur Daniel Mackay Robert Pennecook William Paterson Colin Campboll Samuel Vetch Charles Forbes Thomas Drummond This Address was delivered to the Secretaries of State about the middle of September together with a Memorial concerning the French Ship commanded by Capt. Duvivier Thomas which was Shipwrack'd near Caledonia Harbour on the 24th of December 1698. By the Honourable Sir William Beston Kt. His Majesty's Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief in and over this his Island of Jamaica and other the Territories depending thereon in America and Vice-Admiral of the same A PROCLAMATION WHereas I have received Commands from his Majesty by the Right Honourable James Vernon Esq one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State signifying to me that his Majesty is uuacquainted with the Intentions and Designs of the Scots fettling at Darien And that it is contrary to the Peace entred into with his Majesty's Allies and therefore has commanded me that no Assistance be given them These are therefore in his Majesty's Name and by Command strictly to command his Majesty's Subjects whatsoever that they do not presume on any prtence whatsoever to hold any Correspondence with the said Scots nor nor to give them any assistance of Arms Ammunition Provisions or any other Necessaries whatsoever either by themselves or any other for them or by any of their Vessels or of the English Nation as they will answer the Contenpt of his Majesty's Command to the contrary at their utmost peril Given under my Hand and Seal of Arms this 8th day of April 1699. and in the 11th Year of our Soveraign Lord William the Third of England Scotland France and Ireland King and of Jamaica Lord Defender of the Faith c. WILLIAM BEESTON Barbadoes By his ECCELLENCY A PROCLAMATION WHereas his Majesty has been pleased to signify his Pleasure to me by Mr. Secretary Vernon that he hath been advertised that several Ships of Force fitted out of Scotland were arrived at the Island of St. Thomas with an Intention as they declared to settle themselves in some part of America Their Design being unknown to his Majesty and least the same should derogate from the Treaties his Majesty hath entred into with the Crown of Spain or be otherwise prejudicial to any of his Majesty's Colonies in the West-Indies These are therefore in his Majesty's Name by and with the Advice and Consent of the Council strictly to command all his Majesty's Subjects inhabiting within this Island that they forbear holding any Correspondence with or giving any Assistance to any of said Persons And that no Provisions Arms or other Necessaries whatsoever be carried to them as they shall answer the same at their peril Given under my Hand this 13th of April 1699 and in the Eleventh Year of his Majesty's Reign R. GRAY By his Excellency Richard Earl of Bellomont Captain General and Governour in chief of his Majesty's Province of New-York and Territories depending thereon in America and Vice-Admiral of the same A PROCLAMATION WHEREAS his most excellent Majesty hath received Advice That several Ships of Force fitted out of Scotland were designed to settle themselves in some parts of America and lest the same should derogate from the Treaties his Majesty hath entered into with the Crown of Spain or be otherwise prejudicial to any of his Majesty's Colonics in America his Majesty has been pleased to signisy his Royal Pleasure to me That I should strictly forbid all his Majesty's Subjects or others inhabiting within the Districts of my Government that they forbear holding any Correspondence with or giving any Assistance to any of the said Persons while they are engaged in the aforesaid Enterprize and that no Provisions Arms Ammunition or other necessaries whatsoever be carried from hence to them nor be permitted to be carried either in their own Vessels or any other Ship or Vessel for their Use. In pursuance of his Majesty 's said Royal Will and Pleasure I have thought fit by and with the Advice of his Majesty's Council of this Province to publish and declare his Majesty's Pleasure and by these Presents do strictly charge and command all and every of his Majesty's Subjects and others within this Province and Territories depending thereon in America That they for bear holding any Correspondence with or giving any assistance to such Person or Persons who have been sitted out of Scotland in manner aforesaid and are said to have settled in a certain place which they have called Caledonia That no Provision Arms Ammunition or other necessaries whatsoever be carried either in their own Vessels or in any other Ship or Vessel for their use from this Province or any part thereof And his Majesty's Collector and Receiver General and all other Officers of Majesty's Custom-House are hereby required to take notice hereof accordingly And I do futher strictly charge command and forbid by and with the Consent of his Majesty's Council as aforesaid all his Majesty's said Subjects and others within this Province That they neither by themselves nor by any other Persons authorized by them contrary to his Majesty's Royal Pleasure as aforesaid hold any Correspondence or give any Assistance or enter into any Traffick or Commerce with such Persons as are said to be settled in Caledonia aforesaid And if any Person of Persons within this Province by themselves their Factors or Agents shall contrary to and against the true intent and meaning of this his Majesty's Royal Will and Pleasure singnisied unto me as aforesaid hold any Correspondence or give any Assistance or enter into any Traffick or Commerce in manner aforesaid then all such Person or Persons so acting as aforesaid shall incur such Pains Penalties and Forfeitures as by Law in such Cases are provided And all his Majesty's Subjects and others within this Province are hereby required to take due notice hereof and to observe his Majesty 's said Royal Will and Pleassure in all and every of the Premises as they will answer the contrary at their peril Given at Fort William Henry in New-York the 15th day of May 1699. and in the eleventh year of his Majesty's Regin Bellomont By Order B. Cose Cl. Concilii God save the King Printed by W. Bradford Printer to the King 's most Excellent Majesty in New-York 1699. By his Excellency Richard Earl of Bellomont Captain General and Governour in chief of his Majesty's Provinces of the Massachusetts-Bay New-York c. in America and of the Territories
Company in particular do make our most humble and earnest Request to Your Majesty That You would be graciously pleased to grant us such a Declaration as in Your Royal Wisdom You shall think fit to render the Senate and Inhabitants of the said City of Hamburg and all others that are or may be concerned secure from the Treatnings and other Suggestions contained in the said Memorial as well as to render us secure under Your Majesty's Protection in the full prosecution of our Trade and free enjoyment of our Lawful Rights Privileges and Immunities contained in Your Majesty's said Acts of Parliament and Letters Patent above-mention'd Sign'd at Edinburgh the 28th Day of June 1697 in Name Presence and by Order of the said Council General by May it please Your Majesty Your Majesty's most Faithful most Dutiful most Humble and most Obedient Subject and Servant Sic subscribitur Yester P. His Majesty's Answer to the said Address By the Right Honourable John Earl of Tullibardin c. and Sir James Ogilvie Knight Secretaries of State My Lords and Gentlemen WE are impowered by the King to signifie unto you That as soon as His Majesty shall return to England he will take into Consideration what you have presented unto him And that in the mean time His Majesty will give Orders to the Envoy at the Courts of Lunenburg and his Resident at Hamburg not to make use of His Majesty's Name or Authority for obstructing your Company in the Prosecution of your Trade with the Inhabitants of that City Sign'd at Edinburgh the Second Day of August 1697. Sic subscribitur Tullibardine Ja. Ogilvie To the Council-General of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies THE Company 's Letter TO THE Right Honourable the Earl of Tullibardin Secretary of State Edinburgh Sept. 28. 1697. May it please your Lordship IT is not unknown to Your Lordship in what Humour the Council General of our Company and most Part of the Nation were in with Relation to the Memorial given in to the Senate of Hamburg against our Company by the English Ministers there upon which ensued the Council-Generals late Address transmitted to His Majesty by your Lordship And your Lordship very well knows that at your Request and Desire only upon Premises of using your best Endeavours to procure a speedy and satisfactory Answer from his Majesty the said Council-General was prevail'd upon to suspend representing that Matter further to the Government till the second Day of August last past On which Day your Lordship did signifie his Majesty's Answer to the said Address Upon Receipt whereof the said Council General did resolve to supersede any further Proceeding therein till His Majesty's arrival in England as not in the least doubting but His Majesty would have in the mean time pursuant to his Answer given Orders to His Resident at Hamburg with Relation to the Subject Matter of the said Memorial But we are extreamly surprized to find by Letters of the 31st ultimo from our Company 's Agent in that City that he had according to our Order been to wait on the English Resident there and with all the Respect due to his Character intimated to him the Contents of the said Address and Answer Upon which the Resident declared That he was ready and willing to obey His Master's Orders but that as yet he had got none in that Matter We cannot imagine what should be the Occasion of this new Disappointment since we cannot suffer our selves to believe but that His Majesty has according to his Letter to your Lordship given Orders as aforesaid which makes us admire the more where the Neglect of that Matter doth now stand Yet we must needs say We are in some Measure afraid to acquaint the said Council-General with it lest they be more uneasie thereupon than we would wish till first we have your Lordship's Answer For which Cause we the several under-subscribing Directors of the said Company who are now in Town have thought fit in as quiet a Manner as possible to give your Lordship an Account thereof to the end you may in your Wisdom and Prudence advise His Majesty with Relation thereunto and doubt not but your Lordship will take such Care herein as may prevent our Calling another Council-General with Relation to the Premises which we are bound un avoidably to do if we have not your Lordship's timely Answer We are May it please Your Lordship Your Lordships most Obedient Humble Servants Sic Subscribitur Ad. Cockburn Fran. Montgomery Archb. Mure Geo. Clark Robert Blackwood James Balfour William Paterson To the Right Honourable the Earl of Tullibardin Principal Secretary of State for the Kingdom of Scotland Memorandum The Duplicate hereof was likewise sent at the same time to the Right Honourrable Sir James Ogilvie Knight c. To the King 's Most Excellent Majesty The Humble Address of the Council-General of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies May it please Your Majesty BY a former Address of the 28th of June last we have humbly represented to Your Majesty how that Your Majesty's Envoy to the Courts of Lunenburg and Resident at Hamburgh did under Pretence of Special Warrant from Your Majesty give in a Memorial to the Senate of the said City of Humburgh contrary to the Law of Nations and expresly invading the Privileges contained in the Acts of Parliament and Letters Patent by which our Company is established Copies of which Address and Memorial we have for Your Majesty's better Information hereto annexed In answer to which Your MAJESTY was then graciously pleased to signifie by Your Royal Letter That upon Your MAJESTY's arrival in England You would take the Contents of our said Address into Consideration And that in the mean time You would give Orders to Your said Ministers not to make use of your Majesty's Name or Authority for obstructing our Company in the Prosecution of our Trade with the InhaDitants of the said City of Humburg In the full Assurance of which we rested secure and took our Measures accordingly till to our further Surprize and great Disappointment we find by repeated Advices from Hamburg That Your Majesty 's said Resident continues still Contumacious and is so far from giving due Obedience to Your Majesty's said Order that upon Application made to him for that Effect with all the Respect due to his Character he pretended that he had never as yet got any such Order on our Behalf which we thought fit in all Duty and Humility to lay before Your Majesty renewing withal our most humble and earnest Request That Your Majesty would be now graciously pleased to take the Contents of This and our said former Address into Consideration and in your Royal Wisdom order some speedy and effectual Redress of our Grievances therein mentioned and a just Reparation of the manifest Damages which our Company has already sustained by reason of the said Memorial And grant us a Declaration under Your Royal Hand
to render the Senate and Inhabitants of the said City of Hamburg and all others with whom we have occasion to enter in Commerce secure from the Threatnings and other false Suggestions mentioned in the said Memorial as well as to render us secure under Your Majesty's Protection in the free Enjoyment of our Lawful Rights and Privileges contained in Your Majesty's Acts of Parliament and Letters Patent above mentioned Sign'd at Edinburgh the 22d Day of Decemb. 1697 in Name Presence and by Order of the said Council General by May it please Your Majesty Your Majesty's most Faithful most Dutiful most Humble and most Obedient Subject and Servant Sic subscribitur Fran. Scott Pr. To the Right Houourable the Lord High Chancellor and remanent Lords of His Majesty's most Honourable Privy-Council The humble Representation of the Council-General of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies May it please your Lordships 'T Is not unknown to your Lordships how that in several successive Sessions of this current Parliament His Majesty's Instructions to His respective High Commissioners and their several Speeches pursuant thereunto have been full of repeated Assurances of His Majesty's good Inclinations for encouraging the Trade and Manufactures of this Nation And whereas accordingly by the 32d Act of the 4th Session and the 8th Act of the 5th Session of the said Parliament together with His Majesty's Letters Patent under the great Seal of this Kingdom our Company is establish'd with such ample Privileges and Immunities as were thought most proper for encouraging both Natives and Foreigners to joyn in the carrying on supporting and advancement of our Trade We have in pursuance and upon publick Faith thereof not only contributed at home a far more considerable Joint-Stock than ever was raised before in this Nation for any publick Undertaking or Project of Trade whatsoever but have also had all the promising Hopes and Prospect of Foreign Aid that our Hearts could wish till to our great surprize the English Ministers at Hamburgh have under pretence of Special Warrant from His Majesty put a stop thereto by giving in a Memorial to the Senate of that City threatning both Senate and Inhabitants with the King 's utmost Displeasure if they should countenance or joyn with us in any Treaty of Trade and Commerce As by the annexed Copy thereof may appear Upon due Consideration whereof we have in all Duty and Humility address'd His Majesty in June last for redress thereof In answer to which Address His Majesty was then graciously pleased to signifie by His Royal Letter That upon His return into England He would take into Consideration the Contents of our said Address And that in the mean time He would give Orders to His said Ministers at Hamburgh not to make use of His Royal Name or Authority for obstructing the Trade of our Company with the Inhabitants of that City In the full assurance of which we rested secure and took our Measures accordingly till to our further Surprize and unspeakable Prejudice we found by repeated Advices from Hamburgh that the said Resident continues still Contumacious and is so far from due Obedience to His Majesty's said Order that upon Application made to him by our Agent in that City with all the Respect due to his Character he declared That as yet he had got no such Order on our behalf Which by a further Address we are now to lay before His Majesty But whereas we humbly concelve your Lordships to be more immediately under His Majejesty the Guardians of the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom we think it our Duty to represent to Your Lordships the Consequences of the said Memorial both with relation to our Company in particular and the Privileges Interest Honour Dignity and Reputation of the Nation in general Your Lordships very well know of what Concern the Success of this Company is to the whole Kingdom and that scarce any particular Society or Corporation within the same can justly boast of so unanimous a Suffrage or Sanction as the Acts of Parliament by which this Company is established So that if effectual means be not taken for putting an early stop to such an open and violent Infringement of and Encroachment upon the Privileges of so solemn a Constitution 't is hard to guess how far it may in after Ages be made use of as a Precedent for invading and overturning even the very Fundamental Rights Natural Liberties and indisputable Independency of this Kingdom which by the now open and frequent Practises of our unkind Neighbours seem to be too shreudly pointed at And should this Company wherein the most considerable of the Nobility Gentry Merchants and whole Body of the Royal Boroughs are concern'd be so unhappy which God forbid as to have its Designs rendred unsuccessful through the unaccountable evil Treatments of our said Neighbours most certain it is that no Consideration whatever can thereafter induce this Nation to join in any such other Publick tho' never so advantageous Undertaking as not doubting but to meet with the like or greater Discouragements from those who give such frequent and manifest Indications of their Designs to wrest our Right and Freedom of Trade out of our Hands For which cause we humbly offer tbe Premises to your Lordship's Consideration not doubting but you will in your profound Wisdom and Prudence take such effectual Measures for redress thereof at present and to prevent the like Encroachments for the future as may be capable to remove those Apprehensions and Jealousies which the bare-faced and avowed Methods of the English do now suggest not only to our Company in particular but even to the whole Body of this Nation in general Sign'd at Edinburgh the 22d Day of December 1697 in Name Presence and by Order of the said Council-General by May it please Your Lordships Your Lordship 's most Obedient and most humble Servant Sic Subscribitur Fran. Scott Pr. The Answer by the two Secretaries of State to the President of the Company Kensington Jan. 17. 1697 8. SIR WE presented this Day to the King the Address of the African Company We could not have Opportunity to do it sooner His Majesty being so much taken up at this time The King said That he had already given Orders to his Resident at Hamburg in that Matter conform to his Letter he wrote from Flanders in July last which was Communicated to the Company We are SIR Your Humble Servants Sic subscribitur Tullibardin Ja. Ogilvie To Sir FRANCIS SCOTT of Thirlestane To his Grace His Majesty's High Commissioner and the Right Honourable the States of Parliament The Humble Petition of the Council-General of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies Sheweth THat whereas the Wisdom of the King and this present Parliament has thought fit by two several solemn Acts and Letters Patent under the Great Seal of this Kingdom to establish our Company with such Powers Privileges and Immunities as were thought needful
they have met with in the Prosecution of their Trade particularly by a Memorial presented to the Senate of Hamburgh by your Majesty's Residents in that City tending to lessen the Credit of the Rights and Privileges granted to the said Company by an Act of this present Parliament We therefore in all humble Duty lay before your Majesty the whole Nation 's Concern in this Matter and we do most earnestly entreat and most assuredly expect That your Majesty will in your Royal Wisdom take such Measures as may effectually vindicate the undoubted Rights and Privileges of the said Company and suppor the Credit and Interest thereof And as we are in Duty bound to return your Majesty most hearty Thanks for the gracious Assurances your Majesty has been pleased to give us of all due Encouragement for promoting the Trade of this Kingdom So we are thereby encourag'd at present humbly to recommend to more special Marks of your Royal Favour the Concerns of the said Company as that Branch of our Trade in which we and the Nation we represent have a more peculiar Interest Subscribed at Edinburgh the 5th of August 1698. in Name Presence and by Warrant of the Estates of Parliament Sic-Subscribitur Seafield I.P.D.P. To the King 's most Excellent Majesty The humble Petition of the Court of Directors of the Company of Scotland trading to Africa and the Indies Sheweth THAT whereas the Estates of Parliament have by their Address of the 5th of August instant been pleased to recommend the Concerns of the said Company to some Marks of your Royal Favour for supporting the Credit and Interest thereof which has already suffered in a great measure by reason of the several Obstructions which they have met with in the prosecution of their Trade particularly by a Memorial given in to the Senate of Hamburgh by your Majesty's Ministers there We are thereby encourag'd in all humility to lay before your Majesty That as the said Memorial was given in to the Senate of Humburgh in a most solemn and publick manner So your Petioners humbly conceive that the Effects thereof cannot be taken away but by some Intimation made to the said Senate that they may enter into Commerce with your Petitioners as freely and securely in all respects as they might have done before the giving in of the said Memorial That in consideration of the Damages sustain'd by the Company as aforesaid Your Majesty would be pleased for their Incouragement at present as a gracious Mark of your Royal Favour to bestow upon them the two smallest of the Frigots now lying useless in Brunti-land Harbour That in regard of the time already lost by reason of the Obstructions aforesaid Your Majesty would be graciously pleas'd to continue the Privileges granted by Act of Parliament to the said Company of being Custom-free for such longer time as your Majesty shall in your Royal Wisdom think sit In respect of all which may it please your Majesty to take the whole Premises into your Royal Consideration and give such Orders and Directions with relation thereunto as to your Majesty in your Royal Wisdom shall seem meet and expedient Signed at Edinburgh the 16th day of August 1698. in Name Presence and by Warrant of the said Court of Directors by May it please your Majesty Your Majesty's most loyal most dutiful most humble and most obedient Subject and Servant Sic-Subscribiur Geo. Clark I. P. C. D. Letters from Mr. Stevenson the Companys Agent at Hamburgh to the Company Hamburgh the 4th of October Much honoured Lords and Gentlemen I Wrote to you on the 26th past advising you of my going post to Hamburgh in pursuance of your Orders where I arriv'd the 2d Instant And the Day following I waited upon the English Resident and in the Company 's Name desired to know if he had yet received his Master's Pleasure ordering him no more to oppose the Transactions of the Indian and African Company of Scotland in this City which I pressing hard answered by his Character and Honour he never received any Orders from his Master that mentions the said Company since his giving in the Memorial against them So I have no further to add but that I am My Lords and Gentlemen Your most most faithful Servant to power Sic-Subscribitur Alexander Stevenson This was under Cover which containeth what followeth Much honoured Lords and Gentlemen BY this within-closed you have a full Answer as to what may be expected here for ever Since my parture from this I am informed that the English here did constantly assert that the Company would never be redressed and the Delay of the same after all your means has made an Impression upon the Minds of People that it will never be at least such as they might trust to Hamburgh the 18th of October Much honoured Lords and Gentlemen I Wrote to you of the 4 th current wherein I advised you of Sir Paul Rycaut English Resident at Hamburgh's Answer given me anent your Affairs to which refers Mr. Cresset Envoy at the Courts of Lunenburgh being returned from waiting upon his Majesty there I thought it my Duty to wait upon him and demanded in your Names to know if his Majesty had signified his Royal Pleasure anent removing off the stop put to the Company 's Affairs in this City through the Memorial given in to the Senate against them To which Answer he received no such Orders and was of the Judgment If the Memorial were yet to be given in it would be done I shall not enlarge what farther past but assure you he seems to insinuate that his private Orders from the Government of England was to act quite contrary to your Expectations This is all from To the Right Honourable the Court of Directors c. My Lords and Gentlemen Your obedient Servant Sic-Subscribitur Alex. Stevenson This was under Cover which contained what followeth Much honoured Lords and Gentlemen BY the within-closed you have an account what relates to your Affairs with respect to have the Merchants in this City concerned I cannot offer to speak to the Commercij about the same but those Merchants here that are Signers in the Books of Subscriptions are as cordial as ever were the Stop removed they doubt not things here would take the desired effect Letter from the President of the Committee of the Company to the Lord Seafield Secretary of State upon receipt of Mr. Stevenson's Letters Edinburgh Novemb. 29. 1698. My Lord THis is by order of the Council-General of the Indian and African Company of Scotland to cover the inclosed Copies of two Letters lately received from our Company 's Agent at Hamburgh Upon reading whereof yesterday at a meeting of the said Council-General they were not a little surpriz'd at the Contents thereof considering the many repeated Assurances given them formerly by Letters word of Mouth and even in Parliament that the King had already given Orders to his Ministers at Hamburgh with relation to the Memorial given in to the
Senate of that City against our Company But after some reasoning thereupon and considering how far your Lordship 's frank Undertaking when last in Scotland as well as the Station you are in doth engage your best Endeavours to procure the Company Justice and vindicate the Kingdom 's Rights in this matter They have ordered us the Court of Directors to transmit the said Copies to your Lordship and expect your Lordship's Answer to this our late Petition to his Majesty before they remonstrate any further with relation thereunto This is in presence and by Warrant of the said Court of Directors from My Lord Your Lordship 's most humble Servant Sic Subscribitur John Shaw P. To the Right Honourable the Viscount of Seafield Secretary of State for the Kingdom of Scotland The Secretary's Answer Whitehall Decemb. 13. 1698. SIR I Received a Letter from you as President of a Committee of the East-India Company which relates to Accounts they have had from their Correspondent at Hamburgh with the Copys of two Letters they have received I shall take the first convenient Opportunity I can have to represent this Matter to the King But I cannot as yet expect to have it for his Majesty is very much imploy'd in the Affairs of his Parliament here This is all the Answer I can give at present and which you may signify to those concerned I am SIR Your most faithful and humble Servant Sic Subscribitur SEAFIELD To Sir John Shaw of Greenock c. A Letter from the President of the Court of Directors in answer to the Secretary Edinburgh Jan. 13. 1699. My Lord SIR John Shaw of Greenock having some time ago signified to the Court of Directors of our Company the Contents of a Letter which he received from your Lordship bearing date at Whitehall the 13th of December last intimating that your Lordship would take the first convenient opportunity of representing to his Majesty the Company 's Petition with relation to the Parliament's Address as also the Contents of the Company 's Letter to your Lordship bearing date the 24th of November last But in respect we have not all this time heard any further from your Lordship concerning that Matter this is by order of the said Court of Directors to put your Lordship in mind of the Premisses not doubting but you have had before this time a convenient opportunity to represent the same to his Majesty and in expectation of your Lordship's speedy and satisfactory Answer I remain My Lord Your Lordship 's most humble Servant Sic Subscribitur Archibald Mure. To the Right Honourable the Viscount of Seafield Secretary of State The Secretary's Answer Whitehall Febr. 7. 1699. SIR I Have presented to his Majesty the Petition of the African Company and I am commanded by him to let you know That there being accounts that the Ships belonging to the Company are arriv'd upon the Coast of America And the particular Design not being communicated to his Majesty he therefore does delay to give any Answer until he receive certain Information of their Settlement This you may signify to the Council or Directors of the Company as being by his Majesty's Command I am To Sir Archibald Mure of Thornton c. SIR Your most humble Servant Sic subscribitur Seafield A Letter from the Company to his Majesty giving an Account of their Colony's arrival at Darien May it please Your Majesty WE your Majesty's most loyal and dutiful Subjects the Council General of the Company of Scotland trading to Africa and the Indies having by express receiv'd an Account from the Council of our Company 's Colony in America that they arriv'd safe at their intended Port within a League of Golden Island on the Coast of Darien and after having treated on board of our Ships with the Natives who were always own'd to be the only Proprietors of that part of the Coast our Men did at the request and with the consent of the said Natives land on the 4 th of November last and take possession of an uninhabited Place never before possess'd by any European whatsoever and that in pursuance of the said Treaty the chief Men and Leaders of the said Natives have join'd with and taken Commission from the said Council We thought it our Duty at our very first Meeting to give your Majesty an account thereof and likewise that by Letters from our said Council bearing date at New Edinburgh in Caledonia being the Name given to our present Settlement the 28th day of December last we are positively informed that the French have a Design upon all that Coast or at least to make a Settlement somewhere thereabouts And we humbly conceive that the firm Settlement of our Colony in those Parts may be the means of preventing or at least lessening the evil Consequences that may arise to your Majesty's Kingdoms and Dominions every where by the Settlement of any powerful foreign Neighbour in upon or near any part of that Coast. And we are always bound thankfully to acknowledg your Majesty's Goodness for granting us these Privileges mentioned in the Acts of Parliament and your Majesty's Letters Patent by which our said Company is established So we do now in all humility confidently expect your Majesty's Royal Favour and Protection as having in all the Steps of our Conduct through the whole Course of this Affair strictly observed the Conditions required by the said Acts of Parliament and Letters Patent And referring this together with the Contents of our last Petition to your Majesty's Royal Consideration to give such Directions therein as to your Royal Wisdom shall seem meet and expedient This is in Name Presence and by Warrant of the said Council-General Signed by May it please Your Majesty Your Majesty's most faithful most dutiful most humble and most obedient Subject and Servant Sic-Subscribitur Tweeddale Edinburgh the 31st day of March 1699. The Company 's Letter to the Lord Carmichael Secretary of State My Lord THIS being the first Opportunity that we have had to address your Lordship since your Advancement to that eminent Station and Place of Trust wherein you are We must account it a Happiness that upon Receipt of the late welcome News from our Colony's Company in America we can transmit an Account thereof to his Majesty by the hands of one so much devoted to the Honour and Interest of our Country and Company as your Lordship has upon all Occasions shewn your self and who being often Witness to our Company 's Proceedings from time to time can give a juster Account thereof than any other that has no Interest in our Stock nor has ever been amongst us Inclosed you have our Council-General's seal'd Letter to his Majesty which we doubt not your Lordship will carefully deliver together with an exact Copy thereof for your Lordship 's better Information to which we refer but shall for your further Information enlarge a little upon the several Heads therein mention'd As to our place of Settlement it is so
far from having ever been possess'd by any European whatsoever that by all the Accounts that we could ever yet get not only at this time from the Council of our Colony but even by such Letters as we have seen and heard of from Curacao and other American Islands no European did before our Settlement so much as once set a foot upon that Plot of Ground wherein our Colony is now fix'd And tho the same was altogether uninhabited when our People came there the chief Men and Leaders of the said Natives of that part of the Coast nearest adjoining to Golden Island Eastward and Westward have not only treated with the Council of our Colony before Landing but have also in pursuance of that Treaty in a most kind and friendly manner admitted our said Colony into such Places of their Neighbourhood as are not yet possess'd and taken Commissions from the said Council in a very solemn manner and joined with our People and that in consideration of our Colony's admitting them and their Followers to participate of the Liberties and Privileges granted to our Company by his Majesty of Great Britain OUR SOVERAIGN LORD with Advice and Consent of his Parliament of Scotland entreating to be protected accordingly We repeat these Words as being the express Words of the first Commission which the said Council granted As to the French Designs of setling thereabouts it is a Point not to be doubted of For in order thereunto they have already been tampering with several of the Natives some of whom they endeavour'd to have carried into France and we have very good reason to believe that a further Progress had been made in that matter before now were it not the daily Expectaions which that Court had of the King of Spain's Death which we humbly conceive is a Matter worthy of his Majesty's Consideration and of no small Concern to the Interest of his whole Dominions tho this Nation and our Company may seem to be more immediately interested at present Your Lordship sees we have in the inclosed Letter to the King made mention of our last Petition and hope your Lordship will take a convenient Opportunity to back the same For as your Lordship knows we have already suffered considerably by encroaching upon our Privileges so we ought to be very careful as much as in us lies not to admit of any dangerous Precedents And really we must say We were very much surpriz'd the other day when we understood by Letters from the Council of our Colony that Capt. Long Commander of the Rupert Prize who carries his Majesty's Commission for sinding out and fishing of Wrecks should under the colour of that Commission wherever he went traduce our Undertaking and Colony to all sorts of People upon that Coast whether Natives or others declaring that our said Colony was no other than a pack of Rogues Vagabonds Robbers and broken Officers without any Commission and that the King would not own them nay further he himself came into our Harbour wherehe was very courteously and respecfully treated by all our People there in recompence of which he very ingratefully made it his study all the while to seduce our Men and did carry off one of our chief carpenters which is a very considerable Loss in that part of the World and in the Infancy of our Settlement considering how necessary a Man he was and the Difficulty of supplying his place so quickly as they may have occasion for him This kind of Usage is really so provoking that we cannot suppose but that the King may be graciously pleased to interpose his Royal Authority for preventing the like usage in time to come if his Majesty were duly informed thereof So in the confidence of his Majesty's gracious Countenance and Protection and your Lordship 's hearty endeavours to procure the same this is by Order of the Council-General and in Name Presence and by Warrant of the Court of Directors of our Company Signed by My Lord Your Lorship 's most obedient and most humble Servant Sic-Subscribitur J. Haldane P. To the Right Honourable the Lord Carmichael Secretary of State c. Memorandum There was another Letter to the same purpose written to the Viscount of Seafield with an inclosed Copy of the said Letter to the King The Colonies Address To the King 's most Excellent Majesty Most Gracious Sovereign WE your Loyal and obedient Subjects the Council of your Colony of Caledonia being here settled pursuant to the Powers and Immunities proceeding from your Royal Favour and Goodness where upon our arrival the Natives on all hands in complyance with former Agreements received and entertained us with all possible demonstrations of joy and satisfaction there being no possession nor so much as pretended possession for any Prince or State in Europe upon this whole Coast extending it self considerably more than one hundred Leagues together We found the Indians on all sides in open War with the Spaniards their nearest Neighbours against whom they besought our Assistance which we could by no means comply with by reason of the present Peace and good Understanding between your Majesty and the King of Spain Yet notwithstanding this our just and peaceable deportment and inclination and our certifying the same by Letters to the two neighbouring Governours of Panama and Carthagena We have to our no small surprize received certain Information that several great and warlike Designs and Preparations are on foot and carrying on by the Spaniards against this Colony and that contrary to all Justice and Humanity as well as the Treaties of Peace between your Majesty and the Catholick King they now unjustly detain and refuse to deliver up the Persons and Goods that were saved of a Ship belonging to this Colony called the Dolphin which by misfortune of springing a Leak was not long since oblig'd to run ashore and suffer Shipwreck near the City of Carthagena All which have been no small inducement for us to have improved the frequent Opportunities we have had of taking Measures greatly disadvantagious to the Crown of Spain Yet in order to avoid as much as possible any thing that might look like a publick Breach until the same were laid before your Majesty and your Royal Pleasure known therein We have hitherto proceeded no further than of granting of Letters of Reprisals for the People and Effects unjustly detained from us Great Sir The Indies as well as Europe do at this time implore your Protection and as the effectual opening the Door of Commerce to the trading World and of more easy access to and correspondence with the ends of the Earth hath been hitherto hidden and reserved by the Divine Hand for one of the singular Glories of your Majesty's Reign So it 's with no small fatisfaction to be any way concern'd in so hopeful an Accession to the Dominions and Greatness of your Majesty and Wealth of your People That we presume to lay our selves our Case and this valuable Opportunity at your