Minutes of HM Council: 8 April 1697
At a council table holden at the house of Anthony Peniston Sen. att the Flatts on Thursday the eighth day of April 1697. Present:
His Excellency John Goddard Esqr Governor, Capt Generall & Commander in Chief of these Islands Coll. Wm Peniston Capt. Richard Peniston Capt Wm. Outerbridge Samuell Spofferth Esq, member of the Council Capt John Tucker, member of the Council Coll. William Peniston Lieut. Coll. Anthony White Capt Richard Peniston Capt Ffrancis Jones Capt William Tucker, now Major Capt John Morris Capt John Tucker Capt Michael Burrowes Capt Cornelius Hinson Capt John Dickinson Capt William Seymour Ordered that every Captaine and Justice of these Islands do forthwith take care and order in their respective Tribes that good Look Outs and Watches bee kept and that Trenches and other Fortifications bee speedily made and contrived in the necessary and proper parts and places of these Islands according to the capacity of the same And that all the Inhabitants in the respective Tribes with themselves, servants and slaves do give their ready assistance in proportion as by the said Justice or Captaine shall bee directed And in default of obedience to the said directions the offender to receive due punishment for the same according to law and Justice.
And ordered that in case of any Invasion in these Islands every person haveing any cattle or provisions shall upon the order of the Collonell, Major, or Captaine of any Company in writeing deliver out of the same provisions to supply the occasions of the Militia and the owner of such provisions shall bee paid out of the publick moneys of these Islands.