Introduction
Dans la première moitié de 1686, le capitaine Bartholomew Sharpe a servi avec zéle le colonel Cony, le gouverneur nommé par le roi d'Angleterre pour gouverneur la turbulente colonie des Bermudes, pour venir à bout d'une révolte des principaux habitants de ces piles (voir divers documents relatifs au séjour de Sharpe aux Bermudes). Informés du séjour de Sharpe aux Bermudes, le gouvernement général des Leeward Islands, dont le siège est à l'île de Nevis, ordonne à un officier de la Royal Navy d'aller enquêter sur ce capitaine qui porte l'une de leurs commissions et dont ils n'ont pas eu de nouvelles depuis presque deux ans. Ainsi de fidèle sujet du Roi, Sharpe devient un vulgaire pirate et est conduit prisonnier à bord du H.M.S. Dartmouth pour être juger pour piraterie à Nevis. Toutefois, comme le montre les documents reproduits ici, en dépit des efforts du capitaine St. Loe, commandant le Dartmouth, Sharpe est acquitté de toutes les charges portées contre lui, ayant pour lui les principaux habitants de l'île, en tête le gouverneur Russell lui-même. D'ailleurs, St. Loe blâmera Russell, le gouverneur adjoint de Nevis, pour son inertie (voir son rapport sur la situation de cette colonie).
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Copy of a commission issued to Bartholomew Sharpe by Sir William Stapleton Dated 29 January 1683-84 [8 février 1684]. Certified, 11 Sept. 1686 [21 septembre 1686]. Received from Mr. Pepys 29 Nov. 1686 [9 décembre 1686]. source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no. 1022. Deputy-Governor Sir James Russell to Captain St. Loe Nevis, July 14, 1686 [24 juillet 1686]. Ordering him to sail to Bermuda and ask permission to examine Captain Bartholomew Sharpe's commission, to find out how he came into possession of his present ship, where she was brought to trial, and how she was condemned. If the answers are unsatisfactory, Sharpe is to be seized as a pirate and brought to trial. The Dartmouth will then proceed to Boston, where money will be ready for the repair of the ship, and return to Nevis before the 20th October [30 octobre]. Ja. Russell. source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no. 774. Governor Richard Cony to the Earl of Sunderland [extrait] Bermuda, [sans date mais probalement du mois d'août 1686] (...) I received letters from the Governor of Nevis, asking me to deliver up Captain Sharpe, on a charge of piracy. As I have already reported, I was forced to retain him for the King's service to suppress the rebellion here, which he did. What may be proved against him I know not, but he has shewn himself a loyal and good subject, and an extraordinary instrument in preserving the King's peace. I have written to the Governor of Nevis and New England to beg that, if condemned, he, his lieutenant, and his master may, ere they suffer, be sent to you to maintain their evidence on the King's behalf. Many have already sent to you. Captain St. Loe is urgent to sail, so I say no more. Richard Cony. source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no. 840. Captain St. Loe to the Earl of Sunderland [extrait] On board H.M.S Dartmouth, at Boston, September 10, 1686 [20 septembre 1686]. I was ordered in my passage hither from Nevis to call at Bermuda and seize Captain Bartholomew Sharpe for piracy, which I did, and I have him, his crew, and ship, all in custody. But I cannot try them before I return to Nevis. I was forced to stay some time at Bermuda, by the Governor's request, to settle the disturbances there. (...) G. St. Loe. P.S. Sharpe sold upwards of thirty Spanish Indians, subjects of the King of Spain, captured at Campeachy, to the Bermudians. I think that the Governor should not have allowed it. source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no. 852. Report of the proceeedings of a Court of Admiralty held at Charlestown, Nevis, on Bartholomew Sharpe and his company for piracy Nevis, December 30 1686 [9 janvier 1687]. The Grand Jury was impannelled and sworn on 24 December [3 janvier], but on Sharpe's request for time to prepare his defence, the Court was adjourned to the 30th, when the Grand Jury threw ou the bill. Captain St. Loe proposed that the crimes for which the prisoners had been indicted being committed near Jamaica, they might not be cleared by proclamation, but sent to Jamaica. source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no. 1076. Relation of the apprehension and trial of Captain Bartholomew Sharpe for Piracy [sans date] The charges were for piracy committed at Jamaica in October 1684, and at Campeachy and in the high seas in October 1685. Five witnesses were called, but only one was forthcoming, a mulatto, whose evidence, by a law of the country, was not good against a white person. The bill was, therefore, thrown out by the Grand Jury. Captain St. Loe being dissatisfied, proposed to the Deputy Governor that a pardon should be offered to some Sharpe's men, and another indictment was preferred against him on 12 February 1687 [22 février 1687], and the Grand Jury brought in a true bill against him, but the petty jury found him not guilty. source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no. 1139. Governor Sir James Russell to Lords of Trade and Plantation [extrait] Nevis February 15, 1687 [25 février 1687]. (...) I enclosed the trials of Captain Bartholomew Sharpe, one for his life and one for his ship, but he was cleared in both. To encourage the King's evidences, I gave three of Sharpe's men chosen by Captain St. Loe the enclosed pardon for their lives. Two refused it, but the third accepted, and gave me such evidence as he could, but to no purpose. (...) James Russell. annexed:
source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no. 1138. Captain St. Loe's answer to the complaints of Sir James Russell [extrait] April 1687. (...) 3. As to my carrying Captain Sharpe from place to place, I can only say that when I received Sir James Russell's orders I went to Bermuda, examined Sharpe's commission, and, finding it wanting, seized him and his ship and crew, and asked the Governor daily to call a Court to try him. The Governor declined, having the King's orders to call no Court till further orders. I therefore took him and and the ship to New England, and desired the President several times to call a Court, but without result, so that I was forced to detain him, which was in accordance with my orders. (...) source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no. 1232. |
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