Minutes of HM Council: 3 January 1697/8
Att a council table held at the Sessions house in St Georges on Monday the third day of January in the yeare of our Lord 1697. Present:
| His Excellency John Goddard Esq Governor | Capt John Tucker | Capt Richard Peniston | Samuel Spofferth Esq |
| Capt Wm Outerbridge | Capt Gilbert Nelson | Major Wm Tucker | Samuel Sherlock Esq |
His Excellency the Governor acquainted the board that Mr Isaac Richier who was lately in his Majesty's Prison in St Georges on an execution and outlawry has made his escape from the same and that since severall letters had come to his hands wrote and signed by the said Mr Richier vizt.
One dated in December 97 directeed to his Excellency the Governor which came to his hands the 29th December last (being left in the prison). One other letter dated as before directed to Capt. John Tucker and Capt. Johnson Justices of the Peace And to all officers and soldiers under the command of Capt. Tucker setting fforth that hee the said Mr Richier had received by Capt. Stow the coppy of the order of Council dated 17 May 1697. By which Capt. John Goddard was removed from this Government upon his brothers prosecution in his Name & concludeing that that letter was for their caution (which letter Capt. Tucker gave to the Governor the 28th December last).
One other letter dated as before directed to Capt Richard Peniston and Mr Gilbert Justice of the Peace and to all officers and soldiers under the comand of Capt Peniston setting fforth as above (which letter was brought to the Governor by John Rawlins Sunday December 26 1697). One other letter dated as above directed ffor Mr Richard Pitt and Capt Cornelius Hinson Justices of the Peace and to the officers and soldiers under Capt Hinson's comand Pembrook Tribe setting fforth as above (this letter sent to the Governor by Capt Hinson December 27 1697). One other like letter to Capt Seymour and to the officers and soldiers under his comand, Somersett (delivered by Capt Gilbert Nelson on 13th January 1697/8).
Now on reading the severall letters above and this board weighing and considering the same they are unanimously of the opinion that the contents of the same letters do tend to ffaction mutiny rebellion and dissention amongst his Majesties subjecs in these Islands.
Att the same Council Table.
On reading severall letters and papers and writeings which lately came to his Excellency the Governor from England wherein (amongst other things) itt is incerted that severall declarations had been made by Thomas Walmsley, William Hughes, Mary Vaughan, John Dudgeon, and Adaman Eve against his Excellency the Governor, intimateing that he was arbitrary and violent insomuch that he terrified several officers and others from makeing and takeing affidavits on behalf of Mr Isaac Richier.
Whereupon was made the following Queere to the several members of the Council.
Whether his Excellency the Governor ever forbid any justice or justices or other magistrate from taking any affidavit or deposition for or on behalf of the said Mr Richier or that he the Governor terrified any person from so doing by any violent words or arbitrary cariage.
To which was answered
That no member of this Board knew of the Governor's forbidding or terrifying any person whatsoever in the case above or of ever committing any arbitrary or illegal act dureing the time of his Government as the said Mr Richier hath scandalously and falsely alleged in his papers and writeings to the Lords in Committee for Trade and fforeigne plantations.
And also itt is the opinion of this board, that the declaration of Walmsley and Hughes in the said papers mentioned are very erronious ffor that this Board were never sensible not know of any officers refusing to take affidavits as before intimated.
And as to the loyalty of Mr Richier whereof Walmsley makes mention itt is referred to the records of these Islands.
And as to the matter of Ffox and Vaughan and Adaman Eve itt is referred in like manner.
And John Dudgeon's likewise but as to the said Mr Richier carveing an appeal from the Court of Chancery here in these Islands to the King and Council in England as in the said Dudgeon's declaration mentioned. Itt is by this board declared that they know not any appeale made or carved by him. Nor that he the said Mr Richier ever was to bee found dureing the time of the proclaiming the outlawry mentioned in the siad Dudgeon's declaration. That as to the restoration of Mr Richier's ggods, itt is further by this board unanimously declared that they know and have often heard his Excellency the present Governor say and expresse that he alwayes was ready and very willing to restore Mr Richier his goods and to have them valued. And further in relation to the deniall of the said appeale being intimated to their Excellencies the Lords Justices as tending to the ffrustation of the benefit of appealing to England itt is by this board averred that they always esteemed itt a great grace and favour in his Sacred Majesty to allow his subjects in these Islands the benefitt of appealing to England and would not by any means commit any act whereby any frustration thereof might be ocasioned. Itt being of that extraordinary reliefe in all matters of dispute an difficulty here.