Lieutenant-Governor Molesworth to William Blathwayt [extrait]

Jamaica, January 16, 1686 [26 janvier 1686].

(...)

Captain John Coxon, a notorious privateer, who took advantage of a clause in the Act for restraining and persuading pirates, to return to honest life, became very weary of it and reverted to piracy, has wearied again of that and returned here. His bond for good behaviour, when required, could not be found, but I have evidence against him, and have ordered him to be apprehended. The place of trial will be St. Jago de la Vega, where there will be fewer sympathisers among the jury.

A large ship of the Assiento has lain here for fourteen months waiting for a cargo of negroes. She is now ordered to load for Puerto Velo with six hundred only, rather than lose the favorable time, and if she cannot obtain that number here to sail for Curaçao. ...the ship was just starting for Curaçao, to the great discredit of this Island, when two of the African Company's ships arrived with five hundred negroes, which, with a few in the country, sufficed to make up the required number. Considering the importance of the occasion I agreed to provide a convoy, and Captain Mitchell will receive orders at the same time for the arrest of Bannister, whom he is as likely to encounter on this voyage as on any other. (...)