Scotch Prisoners Sent to Massachusetts in 1652,
By Order of the English Government
Extracted from
New England Historical & Genealogical Register
Vol 1, p 377 - 380
October 1847
[Transcribed by Jane Devlin]
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London, this 11 : of November 1651: Mr. Tho: KEMBLE Wee whose names are under written, freighters of the sh(ipp) John & Sarah whereof is Commander John GREENE Doe Consigne the said shipp & servants to be disposed of by yow for our best Advantage & account & the whole proceed of the Servants & vojage Retourne in a jojnct stocke without any Division in such goods as you conceive will turne the best to accont in the Barbadeoes & consigu(3) to Mr. Charles RICH for the aforesajd accott & wt other pay youw meete with fit in this place send hither & take the Advise & Asistance of Capt. Jn'o GREENE in disposal of the Servants Dispatch of the shipp or wt else may in any wajes concerne the jojage thus wishing the shipp a safe vojage & God's blessing on the same not doubting of your best care & dilligence, Remaijne: Your loving frieinds Jo : BEEX Robt RICH Willjam GREEN Signatum & Recognitum in p ncja -- Jo : NOTTOCK notarius publ: Entred & Recorded at the Instant Request of the said Mr. Tho : KEMBLE. Edw: RAWSON Recorder, 13 May 1652 London this 11th : of November 1651: Capt. Jn'o GREENE Wee whose names are vnder written freighters of your shipe the John & Sarah doe Order yow forthwith as winde & weather shall permitt to sett sajle for Boston in New England & there deliver our Orders & Servants to Tho : KEMBLE of charles Toune to be disposed of by him according to the orders wee have sent him in that behafe & wee desire yow to Advise with the sajd KEMBLE about all that may concerne that whole Intended vojage using your Indeavors with the sajd KEMBLE for the speediest lading your shipp from N.E. fit for the West Indies where yow are to deliver them to Mr. Charles RICH to be disposed of by him for the Joinet accout of the freighters & so to be retourned home in a stocke undevided thus desiring your Care & industrje in Dispatch & speed of the vojage wishing you a happy & safe Retourne wee remajne your loving freinds Jo : BEEX Robt RICH Willjam GREEN Signatum & Recognitum in pnica -- Jo : NOTTOCK notar Publ: Entred & Recorded at the Instant Request of the said Mr. Tho : KEMBLE. Edw: RAWSON Recorder, 13 May 1652 A list of the passengers abord the John & Sarah of London John GREENE mr bound for New England:--
The persons afore named passed from hence in the ship afore mentioned and are according to order Registed heare. Dat. Search office, Gravesend, 8th November, 1651 Giles BARROW Edw : PELLING John MORRIS - Searchers In the Jno & Sara of London John GREENE mr for New England : | Rob't RICH mrt Ironworke household stuffe & other provisions for Planters & scotch prisoners free by ordnance of Parliament dat 20th of October 1651 S G R No 1 two trusses of goods for planters shipt the viiith of November 1651 mrkt & nombred as in the magent. John BRADLEY Sr., wth ye Armes of ye Comonweath Entred & Recorded at the Request of mr Thomas KEMBLE 14 May 1652 Edward RAWSON Recorder The following is from Governor Hutchinson's Collection of Original Papers and may furnish some light in respect to the above mentioned prisoners sent to this country and sold for slaves, no doubt, by order of the English Government, as a sort of banishment for their rebellion. It is probable that some of them were sent to Barbadoes, as all their names do not seem to appear in any other way in this country, except on this list. Extract from a Letter written by Rev. John COTTON to Lord General CROMWELL, dated at "Boston in N. E. 28 of 5th 1651," respecting som prisoners of the same class of persons included in the above list sent over before these arrived. The all probably were taken at the battle of Dunbar, 3 Sep 1650, when Cromwell was victorious and four thousand were slain and ten thousand made prisoners. "The Scots, whom God delivered into your hands at Dunbarre, and whereof sundry were sent hither, we have been desirous (as we could) to make their yoke easy. Such as were sick of the scurvy or other diseases have not wanted physick and chyrugery. They have not been sold for slaves to perpetual servitude, but for 6 or 7 or 8 yeares, as we do our owne; and he that bought the most of them (I heare) buildeth houses for them, for every four a house, layeth some acres of ground thereto, which he giveth them as their owne, requiring three dayes in the weeke to worke for him (by turnes) and 4 dayes for them themselves, and promiseth, as soone as they can repay him the money he layed out for them, he will set them at liberty." |