1611. Sentence condemning the captain of H.M.S. Advantage in the value of gold captured by him from a pirate: - Adm. Ct. Libels 75, No. 234’

…Therefore we, Daniel Dun… [in common form[1]] … pronounce, decree, and declare, that the said Oliver Piquet and his company, in the month of May, 1609, were owners, proprietors, and possessors of 8000 golden crowns of Spanish money and bullion, and of a ring of gold set with a precious stone called a diamond; And that in the port of Lisbon they shipped the said 8000 crows and ring of gold in a French ship called the Margarete of Morbian, with intent to have them carried from there to the port of Vannes in France; And that one James Harris, a notorious and well-known pirate, with his accomplices, in a piratical ship, fell in with the French ship on her passage from Lisbon to Vannes, and attacked her, and piratically and with force captured her, and brought her into their own power, and taking out of her the said 8000 crowns and ring of gold, took them into their own piratical ship, and spoiled the said Oliver Piquet and his associates of the same, and afterwards carried them to Baltimore, a place on the coast of Ireland, whither they sailed; And that the aforesaid James Harris and his accomplices, all and singular, who were parties to the spoil, as soon as they entered the port of Baltimore, and before they had come ashore, being on board their pirate ship, were together all the [said] things and sums of money, captured by the aforesaid Sir William St. John, the captain and commander of the King’s ship called the Advantage; And that the said Sir William St. John, in the port of Baltimore, and within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty of England, took into and has in his possession and custody the said pirate ship, and all the things and sums of money brought to Baltimore, and also the said pirates, before they landed, and, by his own confession, disposed of [the ring and money] at his will. Therefore we further pronounce, decree, and declare, that the aforesaid Sir William St. John, Knight, ought to be obliged and compelled to restore, hand, and deliver to the aforesaid Oliver Piquet and his associates the sum of £163 of Spanish money and £105 in gold so captured and spoiled as aforesaid, if it is in existence, and if not, its true value, which we assess at the sum of £268 of lawful English money; And by this our definitive sentence …[in common form] … him, Sir William St. John, Knight, in the said sum of £268 … and in costs.

Henry Marten[2]

Daniel Dun.

Richard Trevor.



[1] The original Latin sentence is omitted

[2] The future judge.