Page:American History Told by Contemporaries, v2.djvu/273

No.85] that had been before a most notorious Pirate (complained of by the East India Company) on his returne from the Indies with great riches made a visit to New York, where (although a man of most mean and infamous character) he was received and caressed by Coll : Fletcher, dined and supped often with him, and appeared publickly in his coach with him, and they exchanged presents, as gold watches ettc. with one another, all this is known to most of the City, and on this Coll : Fletcher gave him his Commission. Mason s ship returned under the command of one Coats, about the year 1693, and the crew having shared the booty came into this Governt, and received incouragement, and had protections given them by Coll : Fletcher as will appear by the deposition No 1. of one Burgesse one of the Pyrats, and by No 2. the deposition of Edward Taylor another of the Pyrates, Your Lordships will plainly see the bargain that was made by him (in behalf of the ship's crew) with Coll : Fletcher and Mr Wm Nicoll one of His Maty's Councill and the rewards they were to have, and did receive from the said Taylor and company. I have indeed promised on my honour to intercede with His Maty by your Lordps for the said Burgesse and Taylors pardons ; otherwise, I should not have been able to have had their evidence and made this discovery, and therefore I must pray your Lordps favor therein, that they may have the benefit of my promise to them, which hath occasioned their criminating themselves, and I believe it much less criminal in men of their loose principles to act such things, then in a Governt to give them such encouragement & impunity. And Coll : Fletcher received for his favour to that ship's crew, their ship which he sold to Coll : Heathcote for eight hundred pounds, besides what private presents report saith were made to his Lady and daughter ; and besides his reward for particular protections which, I find were commonly rated at one hundred dollars pr man, and besides gratifications to his breaker Mr Nicoll of His Majties Councill and other small rewards to his Clerk Daniell Honan, as doth appear by the said depositions. I have likewise discovered that protections were publickly exposed to sale at the said rates, to Pyrats that were of other companies and I have already gain'd some originals of which I have sent the copies; inclosed No 3. by which your Lordps may see Coll : Fletchers art to get money, and how far he was from suspecting or prosecuting these Pyrats, when their guilt made them seek and buy the protection, that the lawes give all honest men, and which such had a right and claime to without purchasing Coll : Fletchers hand and seal for a further assurance, but