said shipps for about halfe an hour looseing one man namely Thomas . . they Creaned their ship on the Coast at the Island of from thence they went for the Cape of Good hope but stopped not there but at the Island Madagascar arriving at the Port of in said Island where they tooke in provisions and water, ffrom thence, we went for the Islands of Johanna and Comaro where they went on shore and traded with the Indians who Informed them that there was theire [three?] ships on the other side of said Island two of which appeared in sight and both came within the space of two Gunns shott which made us to sigh and Run from thence we Directed our Course for the Bight Stopping a very little space at a Portaguese Island, not Goeing ashore nor within a Gunns shott yett the ffort fired one or two Gunns towards us, from thence to the aforesaid Islands of Johanna and Comero to heare what newes the aforesaid ships had Brought and where we had left one of ships Comp! (sicke of the Dry Belly Ake) from thence we sayled for the Cape that makes the Gulph of Arabia on the Redd Sea where we Gott in fresh provisions as Goates &c the Inhabitants being very Civill to us that about two dayes afterwards sayleing along shore, we came to an Arabian Mosque, to which our Company blew [drew?] up, from thence to the Entrance of the Redd Sea, where we came to an Anchor waiting for ships and Juncks Comeing from Mova, that we lay there about a fortnight or 3 weeks without takeing any purchasse. That in the time of our soe lying and Continueing amongst said Islands, we sent our Pinnace up to Mova, and at her Returne they brought us word that the fleet was Ready to saile as I heard, for the next night after the ffleet sayled and passed us undiscovered. The Day following we saw a small vessel or Junck without of the Port of Mova which Caused us to weigh Anchor and Chased her about an hour then tooke her with our

Pinnace, That at this time there was added to our Company 4 or 5 sayle more we tooke the Master of said small Vessel and some of his men and examined them, whether the fleet was sayled or not. Theire Answer was that they sayled the night before, we tooke nothing out of her but some Locus and provisions and such Greene Trade keeping the Master of the Vessell on Board for a Pilott, and his Vessell following us. We made the best of our way after the aforesaid ffleet as Did the Rest of our Consorts, but there was but one of them that Could Keep us Company. When we came into the Bay of Bengall, and finding that we had out Run the ffleet, We hawled up all our sayles and lay by. A Little before Day a ship Came by us within about a Pistoll shott after which we made sayle and after Day fired at her, whome we tooke being a ship of about six hundred Tunns a slight ship haveing only their Money on board the Quantity Reputed to be about (or more then) Twenty thousand pounds Wee kept her in Company about 24 hours takeing out what we thought proper for our own use, and then lett her Goe.

We proceeded further

in to the Bay. Capt: . . . .. Wake Master of a small Barke of about 80 Tunns with 8 or 10 Gunns supposed one that came from New Yorke within said Bay, we Discovered theire sayle supposeing them to be Dutchmen of Warr we stood away from them fireing a Gun to Leeward letting them know that we were freinds. Standing out of the Bay aforesaid wee mett with another Ship which we fought about an hour and a halfe, she being about sixteen hundred Tunns fforty or ffifty Gunns mounted and others in hold. That we had then in Company the aforesaid Capt: Wake, and Capt Tew's Sloop Burthen about 70 Tunns 6 or 8 Gunns who Both Assisted us in the Engagement, on our part we had one or two men wounded we Entred her and kept her about twenty-four hours That we

Esteemed her worth about two hundred thousand pounds the said John Elston was not aboard of the ship, but as he heard there was some women on board of her: The next place we went to was further on the Coast of India where we bought fresh provision Rack &c and from thence touched at a ffrench Island neare Madagascar where we took in more fresh provisions from thence we Directed our Course to the West Indies touching at some other Islands but tooke no other purchase, at last Arrived at providence one of the Bahama Islands where the Governo' gave us leave to Come in for which we gave him a Considerable sume of money, but what Quantity Cannot say. That the ship was Delivered to the Governo' to take Care of her to the use of the owners, but before they came away she Drove ashore and was lost. Capt: Every with about 16 of his men bought a Sloop, and as he believed went for England the Rest of the men Dispersed themselves as they thought fitt. The persons that Came with the aforesaid John Elston as he Remembers namely John Baker, Edward Lacy, William Merrick, the Boatswaine Doctor and some others who went a shore at ffishers Island. That the persons above menc'oned were Assisting and Acting at the takeing of both the shipps in the Bay aforesaid of Bengall That the aforesaid William at the Groyne belonged to the Ship Dove and Came on Board the ship Charles alias ffrancis with Severall others from other ships there and Came with us to the Island of Providence and from thence by way of ffishers Island to East Jersey.

Jurat Coram nobis

JERE: BASSE

JNO BISHOP

a True Copy
BELLOMONT.

JOHN ELSTON

Proclamation of Governor Basse, establishing Perth Amboy as a Port.

[From P. R. O. B. T., New York Vol. IV., C 51.]

Gov! Bass, his Proclamation ab! ye Ports of ye
Jerseys.

BY THE GOVERNOUR OF EAST NEW JERSEY &C.
A PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS by an Act of Parliment made In the 25th yeare of King Charles 2a The Power of Establishing Ports In All his Majesties Collonies and Plantations are Invested In the Comissioners of the Customes of England, under the directione and Authoritie of the Lord Treasurer or the Comissioners of the Treasurie for the time being, And whereas the sayd Comissioners under the directione and Authoritie Afores pursuant to those Powers, Have constituted & Appoynted PERTH AMBOY In East New Jersey to bee A Port & Have Accordingly Comissionated officers & delivered them Instructiones and necessarie orders for the secureing and receiveing his Majesties Dueties & customes upon All Merchandies Imported and Exported to & from the s Port, and to Act & do whatsoever besides doeth Appertaine to theire respective officers & trusts, And the Governour being charged, both by Oath & for the tender whereof A Dedimus Potestatem was sent under the great Seale of England. And a particular precept signed by his Majestie under the Privie Seale, And by Large orders & Instructiones from the Lord's Justices to the Governour of the s Province for the time being, which is subscribed by the Lords Comissiones of the Treasurie to take effectual care, that All matters & things Relateing to the Acts of Trade &

Navigation bee duely observed & Effectually executed & to cause Due prosecution of such persones as shall any wayes hinder or Resist any of the s officers of the Customes. In the performance of theire Duetie. And the s Port of Perth Amboy being further named & declared by the s Comissioners of the Customes to bee an Appoynted & Priviledged Port In A particular Letter of Instructiones from the Comissioners Afores directed to Edward Randolph Esq Surveyor Generall of his Majesties Customes In America Requiring him to oblidge All Merchants Masters of Ships & others to Loade & unloade at the Appoynted & priviledged Port of Perth Amboy In the s Province & that there may bee no pretence of goeing Elsewhere, that the officers do Attend theire Respective Ports for the dispatch of All business &c:

I DO THEREFORE with the Advice & consent of the Council of s Province (answerable to the trust reposed In mee) declare to make knowen that by the Authorities afores Perth Amboy In East New Jersey is A Port duely Established & Appoynted whereto All persones lawfully tradeing cannot fayle of protection by the Authorities of the Act of Parliment & other Powers before Recited, The sayd Act Certifieing by whome & by what methods Ports are to be constituted Given under my hand and the Seale of the s Province At Perth Amboy this thirtieth day of May Anno Dom: 1698. In the tenth yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord William the third over England &c:

KING.