After My Verye Heartie Comendacion Unto Your F*As Cheas I

The Sherren Papers – S.236 Page 1 of 12 S.236.1 – 1636

Right Honble Our dewty in all humility pRmises although we conceive we are bound in dewtie to make knowne yor honrs any inconvenience wch doth attend their westerne pts by meanes of any enemies or otherwise yet att this tyme we should have forborne in respect of the ample advertisemts wch the deputy Lieuetenants & others the justices of this Countie have from Sessions lately here holden represented unto yo r honrs by theire bres1 touchinge the Turkishe Pyrates wch daily infest theis westerne partes had not a shipp of this port since the writtinge of theis bres bin taken by them wthin three leagues of Dartmouth ** wch may it plase yor Lords to be advertised the merchants of this citty have lost 5000li besides the losse of the shipp and the Seamen wch were in her and divers other shipps wch they have lost wthin theis ffower moneths and they were in great Danger to have lost a farr greater some aboard three other shipps comeinge from Pt Malloes & Moreles but that they beinge not farr from the shoare escaped wth much difficulty, soe that the merchants not only of this citty but of other the port townes are utterly dishartened and dare not expose theire goods to such apparent dangers neyther yf they would psist in theire former course of trandinge cann they gett seamen to goe wth theire goods for they say they had rather starve att home then be brought under the tyrannous and mercilesse subieccon of thise Mahumitans what dangerous consequences are like to ensure we humbly leave to yor honrs most wise consideracons and will leave the larger respect of the mischeife to the westerne pts & to this citty in pticuler wch they have done  unto the relacon of theis bearer Mr John Crewkerne whome the merchants of the Citty and the port towwnes have chosen to waite uppon yor Honrs for that purpose and to prsent

1 Brev – abbreviation of latin Brevis, meaning a writ. So an official letter from a department of the Crown.

D:\Docs\2018-04-11\07d42e6eb6ec03a14a7ae67eb326a110.doc The Sherren Papers – S.236 Page 2 of 12 theire humble peticons uppon confidence that yo r honrs will intercede for them unti his Mats that such speedy course may be taken for the preventinge of this greweinge evill as his Matie in his princely wisdome shall thinke most fitt And thus humbly craveinge pardon for our boldnes wee allwaies remayne Yor **** to be comanded

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S.236.2 – 1636

ffrom Plymouth it was advertised that 15 sayle of Turks were upon this coast, and yt divers misceifs were don by them, whereof their loss(?) were already advertised from by **** from that town*. ffrom Dartmouth That ye Dorothy of that port of 80 tons was taken near silly about a month since. That a collier of Axmouth coming with Caline was chased by the Turks and very hardly escaped. That ye Swan of Topisham was sett upon by two great Turks men of war near Silly and were driven to runn **** on shore to save themselves from them. That divers ffishermen were taken in y e western pts being there fishing, to the number of 40 p sons. That ye Lark of Topisham of ye burden of 80 Tons having 15 men and a boy in her was lately taken by them and y e Master slayne That ye Patirnae(?) of Topisham was taken two days after her setting to sea towards ye Newfoundland.

That ye p son yt is sent to negotiate these businesses wth ye lord have a special care to – represent ye danger ye Newfoundland men are like to be in att their return about Michas unless some speedy course be taken for guarding y e coasts by sevrall ships. That ye annoyances we receive is mostly by y e Pirats of 2Sally wch is a place of little strength, and they might easily be kept in if some few ships were imployed to lye upon that coast.

Since this information a barque of Topisham called y e Rosegarden coming from Morrelles and having aboard her neer one hundred fardells of white ware belonging to ye merchants of Exon and a few other merchants of other places hath been taken, and y e barque goods and seamen carried away by them. It is certainly known that there are five Turks in the Severne where they weekly take either English or Irish, and y t there are a great number of their ships in ye channel upon ye coast of ffrance and Biscay whereby it is com to passe that our Mariners will noe longer goe to sea, nor from port to port, *** yt fishermen dare not putt to sea to take fish for ye country; If timely prvicon be not used ye New=

2 Sally, Sallie or Sallye could refer to Sale a port near Rabat in Morocco.

=foundland trade fleet must of necessity suffer by them in an extraordinary manner. It is therefore desired that his Maty be peticoned that some ships may be imployed to ryde always att ye Barr=foot of Sally to keep those in wch are in ye Harbour, and to take those wth their prises wch shall brought howr by them./ That a convenient number of nimble ships may always be kept upon y e Irish and this coast wch may be victualled here and there, and not returned to Portsmouth or London to be victualled.

That a 3Comon might be granted to any of his Matyes subjects wch would undertake it to take Turks and other Pirats and to dispose of them and their goods at their pleasure yielding unto his Maty his fifteene.

That in such ships as shall be sent to Sally Seamen might be appointed by his Ma ty to be commanders.

3 Commission – becoming Privateers.

S.236.3 – 23rd July 1636 Good Mr: Maior I doubte not but the Marchants & owners of yor Towne have sustained losses by the Turks aswell as those of the cittie, and others of the westerne pts, and that you are as desirous as the Merchants of this cittie, and of other _ _ places, to have the Channell cleared of those rogues, and the trade to bee secured; The Marchants of those pts therefore have resolved to make their grievances in that behalfe, knowne unto his Ma tie:, and the Lords of his Maty most Honolble privie counsel, and to petitcon for some remedie, and for that purpose have made choice of this bearer M r John Crewkerne, to bee their agent in sollicitinge this business, and have intreated me to write unto yo r selfe, and to intreate you, that you would bee pleased to propose unto the merchants & owners of shipps wthin yor towne, that they would not onlie ioyne wth us in peticioninge, but alsoe in bearinge pte of the charge w ch cannot bee much unto yor towne, and soe much the rather for that those of yo r towne, are alike interessed wth us in the buisnes and for that it is thought to bee verie reasonable thatsoe generall a buisnes should bee borne by those whome it concerneth and that by howe much the more generall the complaynte is, by soe much the more likelie it may bee to prvaile, and thus nothinge doubtinge but that yo r selfe, and others of yor towne, whome it concernethe wil bee most forward furtheringe a buisnes of this nature, I rest

Exon 23˚July: 1636

Yor caringe ffriend Adam Bennett Mayor

S.236.4 – August 1636 To the kings most excellent Matie The humble peticion of the mourchants and owners of shippes in yo r Mats ports of Exeter Plymouth Barenstaple DarthmouthWaymouth: Melcombe Regis Lyme Regis & other of the members of those ports in devon & Dorset

Sheweth unto yor sacred Matey That besides the pirates of Algere and Tunnis whoe for manye yeres in con tinuanc have not onlye spoyled manye of yo r Mats loyall subjects of there shipes & goodes to the impoverishing of manye & the uter ruine of some of them: but also do detayne in miserable slaverrye a grete number of Abel seamen wch theye have formerlye tacken: The pyrates of sallie(?) in Barberye ar of late grouen so numerous and bould in theyre attempts that theye infest the costes of yo r Mats dommaines and doe almost daylye tacke yor Mats subjects & theyre shipes and goods and doe carrie away in grete numbers of them into captivitye: not w thstandinge yor princlie ***** in guarding both this and the Irish costs wth there desperate atempts theye doe esilie achieve(?) bye the nymblenes of their shipps in sayling & bye the helpe of the English and Irish Captives (of wch there are almost too thousand in Sallyee) wch theye bring wth them to be thyre pielets uppon these costs in so much that theye have latlye taken manye shippes and barques belonging unto yo r Mats petitioners in wch theye have lost manye thousand pounds so that yo r Mats petitioners inforced to ~ desist from adventuring and the seemen will not be psuaded to goe to see sayinge theye had rather sufer the worst of miseries at home than to be tacken and made slaves by the Turks by menes whereof yo r Mats customes and importes wilbe lessened and what miseries ar like to in**** wthout som spedie redrese be applied yo r peticiors: humblye leave to yor matchlesse wisdome and royall concideration. The petitiors also present to yor Mats princlye concideration the grete dangers unto wch the Newfoundland flete and diveres other marchants shippes abrode in forrin parts being aboute three hundred sayles ar to com home scattered in the month of September and occtober will be subjeckt unto soe tymelie prevent ion be used./ Wch imminent danger and lamentable estate of yo r peticiors: the losse of the estates lieves and liberties of so manye thousand of yo r Mats subjeckts enforceth yor peticiors: in the behalfe of them selves and others to a****** unto yor sackred Matie to macke knowen their said greavnces most umblye imploringe that such spedie course maye be tacken for the safty of yor Mats subjects & there estats the preservation of tradinge the supresinge of these Mahmitan pyrats & the redemption of yo r Mats subjects

now in captivity as to pmative in your grete wisdom and clemencie shallbe thought most expedient./

D:\Docs\2018-04-11\07d42e6eb6ec03a14a7ae67eb326a110.doc The Sherren Papers – S.236 Page 8 of 12 And yor humble petitioners & manye otheres accordinge to there bounden deuties shall dailye praye ffor yo r Mats long and hapie raigne At the court at Tutbury 15th of August 1636 His Matie upon reading this petition is plesed to declare that he hath alreadye written to the Erle of Northumberland for prevention of such damages done to his Subjeckts Faw(?) Powell

To the kinges most excellent Ma tie The humble petition of marchaunts and owners of shipps in yor Mats ports of Exeter: Plymouth etc./

r sacred tey Sheweth unto yo ^ Ma That your humble petitioners having latlye made knowen unto yo r Matie bye the petition the grete mischefes wch theye daylie sufer by the Turkish pyrates Whoe doe infest the costes of yo r Mats dominions and havinge receved yo r Mats most gratious answer expressing yo r Royall providenc in guarding yor costes of wch the petitioners doe herebye macke there most humble and thankful acknowledgement: doe not w th:standinge humblye desire yor Matie to restore theyre said petition * unto the concideration of the Right hoble the Lords and otheres of yo r privie counsel for that yor peticiors: doe hope under ***** to afer unto theyre *********** wayes wherebye either to ruin or at lest so to weaken there fforcces as that those pyrats shall be no more able to annoye yor Mats loyall subjects in such mannr as theye have done/ And yor humble petitioners as theye in deutye ar bound shall daylie praye for yor Mats long and hapie raigne etc. Att the court at Wodstock the 29 th of August 1636 His Mats pleasure is uppon redinge this petition that the right ho ble: Lords of his privie councell tacke concideration herof and of there former requests to the intent that theire Lopps havinge herd ther grevenc and proper ******** doe settle such course for there relefe as to there wisdome shall seme most convenient/ Faw: Powell To the Right honnorable and Reverrend Father in God William *** The humble petition of the merchants & owners of shippes etc. Sheweth unto yor grace That besides the pirates of Tunnis and Algere the pyrats of Salye in Barbarye being powerfull in shippes and assisted bye there English captives (whome beinge – allmost to thousand in number theye compel to serve them) doe daylie infest this westerne cost doe spoyle yo r peticiors: of there shipes and goods and doe carrie awaye into miserabell captivitye a grete number of his Ma ts loyall subjects by menes whereof what dangerous consequencies ar licke to enseur

D:\Docs\2018-04-11\07d42e6eb6ec03a14a7ae67eb326a110.doc The Sherren Papers – S.236 Page 9 of 12 Unless tymely prevention be used the petitioners humblye leav to yo r graces Wisdome in tender consideration whereof yo r petitionrs: doe umblye besech yor grace that yor manye pious and charritabell acctiones by wch we small Bennifit will accrew: both to church and common wele until tyme shall be no more/ yor grace wold be plesed to macke this further adition to mediate unto his sackred Matie for the petitiors: that som spedie course maye be tacken to suprese the incoleres and groing forces of those Malumnton pyrats and to serve yo r petitiors: and there trade./

And not onlye yor graces petitiors: but manye Thousand others shall daylie praye etc.

To the right honebll: the lordes and otheres of his mats most honorabell prievie counsell The humble petition of the merchaunts and owners of shipes in the ports of Exeter etc/

Sheweth That besides the pirats of Tunnis and Algere there ar a grete number of Turkish pirates from Sallie in Barbary w ch infest this west= erne ports and Irish costes that theye have w th:in this twelve months spoyled yor petitiors: of there shippes and goodes Excedinglye that theye have tacken from them to the valew of 35 thousand pounds: that theye remayne in miserable Captivity almost two thousand almost two thousand of his Matis subjeckts: that theye have tacken from them yor petitiors: and others of theis Westerne pts: almost fytye shipes r rs and goodes and Barques that yo petitio : dare not to send there shipes ^ at see that the Newfoundland flete being about three hundred sailes to com home scattered in September and occtober will manye of them faule into the hands of those pyrats unlese prevention be used and that unlese som spedie course be used tacken for supresinge these pyrats theye will in short tyme are soe numerous and Strong that theye will not be – subdued wthout much dificultye./ The petitiors: therefore doe umbly crave pardon to offer unto yo r honnors grave concideration these insuing propositions ./ 1. That fower shippes of three hundred tunes and toe pinaces maye be sent to ride before Sallye to hinder the cominge forth of those pyrats c aboard c and to tacke those w h shall be abrayed ^ when theye returne ** home w h beinge done constantlye will wthin one yere ruine theyre ffortes and bringe them to a **** /peare/

2. That Lettrs of marke maybe granted to these that will **** ffor them to tacke all Turkes and other pyrats and all such as furnish them with munition for war for that by the supplies of munition and provisiones for war wch Cristianes tradinge with them doe bringe unto them theye ar enabled to send there shippes to see and that those w ch have those ltrs of marcke maye paie unto his Mat ie onlye five pcentum of all such goodes w ch theye tacke and ***** wch theye sele:./ 3. That som nimbler and smaller shippes then his Mat ie maye be desayned to kepe the English and Irish Channelles whilst the otheres ride before Sallye for that the Turkes descringe his his Mat is shipes bye there gretnes doe esilie avoyed them and that these shippes maye be allwaies vitled and remayne in the westerne and Irish harbours./ 4. That seemen onlye maye be appointed by his Mat ie to be commaunders of the shippes to be imployed in that service for that it is ****** conceved that theye havinge susftayned losses by those infidels will doe his Matie good service in revenge of those wronges sustained by them/

All wch yor petitiors: doe nevertheless leve to yo r honnors: grave wisdome and doe humblye intrete yo r honnors: that spedye course maye be tacken for securinge the cost for the supresinge of those pyrats and the redeminge of the pore captives as to yo r honnors grete Wisdomes shall seme most convenient/ And yor petitiors: shall ever praye etc./

The proposicons agreed upon to be added to the former

5. That a comission dormant(?) be granted to the Citty of Exeter and to all other the westerne ports so as is(?) authorize them to sett foorth a ship or shippes upon all occasions to take anie Turks or pyrats w ch shall be in the Channell and to press men for that service if they cannot get voluntaries/

6. That the Mariner togeather wth his Mat ies searcher in everie port may have power to search all shipps both strangers and others wch shall come into their ports and are bound for Argier or Barbarie to see when provisions for war they carrie wth them and to seiz upon them for his Maties use if they shall find more then are ------suffiecent for *************** the defence of the ship./

Touching the Spanish Charter

It is agreed that the deputies to ********* shall procure a coppie of the S******ers Charter for the Spanish companie and shall immediatelie acquaint each port wth the contents ther** then they may receive further direccons from them what to doe in ther busines

D:\Docs\2018-04-11\07d42e6eb6ec03a14a7ae67eb326a110.doc The Sherren Papers – S.236 Page 12 of 12 S.236.5 8TH September 1636

Right woll: I presume that yor much wonder at the occasion of mie long absence in soliciting yor busines and doe desire to hear what I have herd of both wch I should soone have rendred you an account but that I come not unto this cittie until Saturday last you may therefore be pleased to understand that I first come to the coort the King being at Rufford Abbie, where I found but four of the privie Counsell attending his Mat ie neither was there anie settled counsell elswhere, I therefore delivered mie 4Lres unto Mr S********* Creek and the peticon of the Countrie unto his Matie of wch I could get **** any were in almost fortnight his Matie having at length given audience and his answere I prefered a seacond petition and attended the answere of **** untill his Mat ies comeing unto Woodstock where manie of the Lords mett the King upon ffridaie and Saterdaye was ************** and upon the Sunday before the sermon the lords sitting I prefered yor petition unto the lords; and upon munday the King gave audience and a seacond answere unto the seacond petition of all wch petitions and of a petition prefered

4 Letters

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