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The 12th of October 1653.
Thomas Christia … The 12th of October 1653.
Thomas Christian and company against the}<br />
''greate Christofer''}
Examined upon the fores said allegation.
'''3.'''
'''William Mowat''' of London Mariner Lieutenant<br />
of the ''Prosperous Galliot'' Richard Swann Captaine<br />
aged 25 yeares or thereabouts, sworne and examined
To the first 2 and 3 articles of the said allegation hee saith that immediately after such time<br />
as the said Swaine had taken and surprized the shipp the ''greate Christofer''<br />
arlate and her lading, hee put this deponent and three other of his men into<br />
her, and tooke some of the ''Christofers'' company out, leaving still foure<br />
seamen of her company and two merchants in her, and sent this deponent to bring her<br />
away for England, and about two dayes after, their being a greate storme<br />
and they parted from their man of warr, two hollands men of warr<br />
comming neere them, one of the said merchants being a dutchman, much<br />
reioyced at the said approach of the dutch man of warr, and thanked God<br />
therefore, and spealing to this deponent told him saying, well Lieutenant you<br />
English rogue, nowe you sea what is become of you, nowe I will keepe thee<br />
in prison with water and bread as longe as I live and am worth a stiver<br />
or to the very same effect in the dutch language which this deponent very well<br />
understandeth, and threatened that hee would keepe the rest of this deponents<br />
said company alsoe in prison, and further told this deponent in dutch<br />
to this effect, you say you have good friends in England, nowe you shall sea<br />
if I have noe better in Holland, and often endeavoured to raise a<br />
mutinie against this deponent and company, holding often consultacions<br />
with the dutch stiersman and company aboard to that purpose. And about<br />
eight dayes after the said seizure this deponent and company [?came]<br />
with the said shipp the ''greate Christofer'' and goods into Alborough Roade<br />
where the fleete of this Commonwealth was then ridinge, one of the<br />
Generalls shipps sent her longe boate aboard this deponent<br />
wherein hee went aboard [?generall] monck and having made knowne<br />
unto him the mutinous condition of the said merchants and company<br />
of the ''Christofer'', the said generall gave him three men of his<br />
for further strengthening this deponent and companie for securing the<br />
said prize and goods and bringing them up for this port;<br />
And saith that after the premisses this deponent and his said company<br />
comming with the said shipp and goods into harwich roade, the said<br />
merchants and men that were of the ''Christofers'' company mutinied<br />
and rose up against this deponent and company and assaulted<br />
them and endeavoured by force to subdue them, and therein prevailed<br />
soe farr that they after they had hurt and beaten this deponent<br />
and his company, they by force stowed all this deponent company<br />
saving this deponent and a pilot which hee had newly taken aboard at [?XXXtch],<br />
and had undoubtedly mastered and carried them away, but<br />
that this deponent and the said pilot seeing their desparate condition<br />
soe [?beyond] themselves that they fot the upper hand, albeit that<br />
the said dutch made themselves soe sure of carrying them away that<br />
the said Stiersman called out to the said merchant to cutt the cable for<br />
nowe as hee said was the time. After which premisses comming up<br />
as farr as the [?sXXX], and it being night, the said merchant in this<br />
deponentsaid merchant in this<br />
deponents +
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