sir Henry Morgan to the Lords of Trade and Plantations [extrait]

Port Royal, January 27, 1681 [6 février 1681].

Since the beginning of November last, there has rid at anchor in this harbour one Captain John Crocker, commander of a small Spanish ship of then guns and eight patereras and a hundred men licensed by the Company of Seville to trade in America seas for ten years. It now waits for the Royal African Company's ships with negroes, intendinf to sail next week to Carthagena. One ship has arrived and another is looked for every hour, having only touched at Barbadoes for refreshments. There is no question that Jamaica will gain much by this trade with the Spaniards, wherein the Government does not fail to give encouragement.

About 20th December last arrived here four small frigates, between sixteen and thirty guns, under the command of four Fleshingers, Captain Cornelius Beers, Admiral, belonging to the Duke of Brandebourg, having letters of reprisal against the Spaniard. They desired leave to come into the harbour and refit, bringing with them two prizes, laden with Spanish wines from the Canaries, another with tallow, and a small galliot hoy with salt and brandy. They urged the Duke's alliance with England for permission to sell their prizes, that by the produce thereof they might purchase all necessary refreshments for their present expedition. On this I directed the Secretary of the Island and the Naval Officer to examine every ship's proportion of the several kinds of stores that they wanted, upon which they reported to me their several demands, amounting to £ 800. I thereupon gave them leave to sell their prizes, which they did, and have ordered the prize ship to sail for Europe in a few days with some English ships from this port. The four frigates sailed hence on Saturday last in company bound eastward, to cruise and search the coast of Hispaniola first and then the Main. While they were here they were not more pleased with their opportunity of refreshment than the Spaniard was painted by the apprehension that they would intercept him. They would certainly have done so (the temptation being so high) had I not very pressing interposed for his protection, which they has graciously granted, to the great satisfaction of the Spaniard. He will leave this in a few days for Carthagena. The Brandenburgers assured me that the King of Denmark would very speedily send a larger force on the same errand as themselves, to gain that satisfaction from the Spaniards which is denied in Europe.

For want of copies of the several treaties with the respective allies of England, I am at a loss how to guide my conduct. I now act by the advice of the Council, as our prudence and discretion may best direct us, but I beg for instructions on this point by the earliest opportunity, for I know not how soon may need to use them. Upon the whole matter the Spanish interest is strangely shocked all round us, and nothing can preserve it from being lost unless they gain the protection of England, which has its great advantage from natural situation of this Island in the very centre of the American seas, with a commodious harbour and such large and plentiful collections of stores as are found in no other part of the West Indies. I humbly submit this to your Lordships' pleasure to be debated with the Earl of Carlisle, who has full knowledge of the matter, so important to this Government. Meanwhile the Spaniards continue their wonted unkindness to the English in these seas, taking generally all our ships that they can master at sea or circumvent in harbour, refusing any kind to us, who deny none to them whenever they address this Government; which is much countenanced from a graceful digestion of a full auditorie in a new church which we entered into on las New Year's day, to the great satisfaction of the inhabitants as well as strangers. (...)

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source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1681-1685: no. 14.