IV. Popham vs. Havercombe. Complaint and Sentence
Complaint, June 8, 1608
Sentence, June 23, 1608
Admiralty, Instance and Prize, Libels 73, Nos. 274, 279
Document in Public Record Office, London
List of Records No. 7
[1. Complaint]
Dnus ffranciscus Popham miles
filius naturalis et ɫtimus ac D̴na
Anna Popham vid̴ relict̃ et ex-
ecutrici nõiat in Testto sive vltima
voluntate honorand̴ viri d̴ni Joh̴is
Popham militℯ Capitalis Justiciarii
d̴ni ñri Regℯ ad plta coram eo
tenta coñ et adu9sus Joh̴em Hav-
ercome nup̱ mg̃r navis vocat̃ the
Guift of God Browne Williamson |
Quo die Williamson nõie procurio
et vt procurator ɫtimus dc̃i Johis
Havercome ad omnem iuris
effc̃um exinde quovismodo sequi
valeñ omnibus melioribus et effi-
catioribus via modo ac Juris
forma quibus melius aut efficatius
de Jure poterit aut potest
debuitve aut debet allegavit
articulatim provt sequitur |
1
Inprimis vizt q̃d Anno D̴ni 1606 mensibusq̢ in eod̴ anno Concurreñ ac
etiam mensibs Martii, Aprilis, Maii, Junii, Julii, Augusti, Septembris,
Octobris, Novembris, Decembris, Januarii et ffebruarii anno D̴ni 1607
Joh̴es Havercome fuit et erat p̱ honorand̴ virū d̴nm Joh̴em Popham
militem def̴ pro quodam viagio marittimo a p̱tibus Angliæ ad p̱tibus vltra-
marinas vocat̃ et Cognit̃ p̱ nomen Virginiæ faciend̴ ac ab illis p̱tibus
secundum directionem et mandatum Georgii Popham presidis et aliorū
Consiliarior d̴ni ñri Regℯ in p̱tib9 borealibus regionis pred̃ existeñ ad hoc
Regnũ Angliæ redeund̴ mgr navarchus sive gubernator navis pred̴ vocat̃
the guiffe of God rite et ɫtime Constitut̃ Et ponit Conm diuim et de quoɫet.
2
It̃m quod annis et mensibus pred̴ dc̃us Joh̴es Havercome officium sive
munus m̃gri navis vocat̃ the guifte of god pro viagio pred̴ in se suscepit
et vt mag̃r sive navarchus dc̃e navis the guift of God durante viagio pred̴
inserviebat ac pro m̃gro pro toto viagio pred̴ fuit et erat Cõiter dc̃us,
teñtus h̴itus nõiatus ac reputatus palam pubce et norie Et ponit vt supra.
3
It̃m q̃d dc̃us Joh̴es Havercome anno et mensibs pred̴ seu eorū aliquo
cum navi sua pred̴ Cui p̢fuit a p̱tibus Angliæ pred̴ decessit ac versus p̱tes
vltra-marinas vocat̃ et cognit̃ p̱ nomen Virginiæ pred̴ navigabat ibimq̢
salvo appulit Et ponit vt supra.
4
It̃m q̃d temp̱e appulsus dc̃æ navis in p̱tibus verginiæ pred̴ añ dc̃us
Georgius Popham fuit et erat in illis p̱tibus Preses sive gubernator Con-
siliariorū d̴ni ñri Regℯ in p̱tibus borealibus regionis pred̴ rite et ɫtime
Constitut̃ et allocat̃ Et ponit vt supra
5
It̃m that p̃ntly vppon the arrivall of the said shipp the guift of God in
the North p̱tℯ of Virginia aforesaid the said John Havercombe mr of the
said shipp the guift of god did Com̄itte himselfe his shipp and Companie
and her lading vnto the Comaund and governmente of the s̃d President
and others of the Counsaile aforesaid and did serve him and others of
the Consaile boath wth ther boat and men and did all such service and
labor as the said President and Counsaile did direct and appoint them:
hocq̢ fuit et est verū pubm noriū manifestū p̱iter ac famosū Et ponit vt
supra.
6
It̃m that shortly after the p̢mises vizt about the ninth[6]
of October the
mary and John (wherewth this xxxdent) §said Havercombe§ and the guift
of god was Consorted did dep̱te from vs towardℯ England in the harbor
the s̃d Havercombe out of the harbor of Sakadahoc in the north p̱tℯ of
Virginia before such tyme as the said Havercombe had discharged the
said guift of god either of her victualls or salte and p̃ntly after the vnlade-
ing of the salt and victualls aforesaid the said governor and others of the
Counsaile aforesaid did determine to send the said Havercombe and his
said shipp p̃ntly for England but by reason of som̄e spech of the people
of that Countrie that gave intelligence to the governor and others of the
Counsaile that the ffrench would come and beseige them the said gov-
ernor and Counsaile Com̄aunded the said Havercombe and Companie to
stay longer in the said Countrie and not to dep̱te Hocq̢ fuit et est verū
pubiū noriū manifestū p̱iter ac famosū Et ponit vt supra.
7
It̃m that by reason of the p̢misses in the next p̢cedent arle menconed
the said Havercombe and Companie wth the guifte of god aforesaid were
by Comaundement of the President aforesaid and others of the Coun-
saile aforesaid Comandedment to stay in the harbor of Sakadahoc aforesaid
and there did by the appointment of the said governor and Counsaile
remaine wth the said shipp and Company and kept watch and ward for
the space of 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 3 or at least two monethes together, hocq̢ fuit et
est verū noriū pubm p̱iter ac famosū Et ponit vt supra.8
It̃m that dureing the aboad of the said Havercombe and Companie
wth the guifte of god aforesaid in the harbor aforesaid there happened
much fowle weather and Ice in the said Countrie the extremitie whereof
did much indanger and hurt the said Shipp the guifte of God wherevppon
the President and others p̱ceaveing it, did give directions vnto the said
Havercombe to ballast the said shipp and delivered vnto the said Haver-
combe such store of victualɫ as they could well spare: Hocq̢ fuit et verū
pubm noriū manifestum p̱iter ac famosū Et ponit vt supra.
9
It̃m that the said President and Counsaile had not sufficient p̳vision
of victualɫs and other thingℯ to furnishe the said shipp to send her for
England when the said shipp the Mary and John were gone for England
but were forced by reason therof as alsoe for that the said shipp would
have bine vtterly spoiled by the Ice and fowlnes of weather aforesaid to
send the said shipp for England Et ponit vt supra.
10
It̃m that the said President and Counsaile did appoint one Capt
Elliott Capt of the said shipp the guifte of god in her returne towardℯ
England and did give Com̄aundment and directions vnto him and to the
said Havercombe and Company to dep̱te wth their said shipp the guift of
god towardℯ England wth such smal provision of victualɫs as they could
spare and appointed him the said Havercombe and Eliot to dispose of and
sell 30 mastℯ, a peece of ordinance and any other thing or goodℯ they had
aboard the said shipp at the Island of the Asseraes and appointed them
to stay and victualɫ themselues and Company there and fitt the said
shipp the guift of God wth such necessaries as she wanted Et ponit vt
supra and at their arrivall at the Assorez had but twoo hogsheadℯ of
beere, twoo hogsheadℯ of bread and two daies p̳vision of meale left vn-
spent and then
11
It̃m that the said Havercombe and Company of the said shipp the
guifte of god after their dep̱ture forom Sakadahoc aforesaid toward
England were in great §for§ need and distresse of victualɫs and were for
want thereof by the appointement of the said Elliot forced to put into
the said Island of Assorees where the said Elliot did by Com̄aundment of
the governor and Counsaile aforesaid sell certeine goodℯ belonging to the
said shipp to furnishe the said ship and Companie wth victualɫs for the
releife of the said Company wch otherwise would have p̱ished for want
thereof Et ponit vt supra
12
It̃m that before such tyme as the said Havercombe did put into the
Assorees wth his said shipp the guifte of God he and his Company were for
want of drinke forced to drinke water and indured endured such penury and
want that divers of the said Company died for lack of food and others for
want thereof (yf they had not bine speedely releived delivered) would
have likewise p̱ished Hocq̢ fuit et est verū noriū pubcū manifestū p̱iter ac
famosū Et ponit vt supra
13
It̃m quod p̢missa vid et singula fuerunt et sunt vera pubiu noriu mani-
festa p̱iter ac famosa, atq̢ de et sup̱ eisdem laborabant et in p̃nti laborant
pubca vox et fama vnde fact̃ fide de iure in hac p̱te requisit̃ petit p̱s ista
p̳ponens ius et iusticiam &c.
W. Byrde
[Indorsed:] D̴nus ffranciscus Popham miles et Anna Popham vidua c̃
Joh̴em Havercom Browne Williamson
Dat̃ p̱ Williamson viii Junii 1608.
[2. Sentence]
In dei nomine Amen Auditis visis et intellectis ac plenarie et mature
discussis p̱ Nos Thomam Crompton militem ac Legū Dc̃orem §Curiæ§
d̴ni ñri Regis suæ Admite Angliæ Locumteneñ Judicem sive Presideñ
ɫtime Deputatum, Meritis et Circumstanciis Cuiusdam p̃nsæ Causæ
Civilis sive marittimæ quæ, Coram §nobis§ in Juditio inter D̴num ffran-
ciscum Poppam militem filiū ñralem et ɫtmum ac D̴nam Annam Popham
viduam relictam et Executor̃ nõinat̃ in Testamento sive vltima voluntate
honorandi viri D̴ni Joh̴is Popham militis dum vixit Capitalis Justiciarii
D̴ni ñri Regℯ ad p̃lita Coram eo tent̃ partem ageñ et querelam̃ ex vna et
Joh̴em Havercombe nup̱ Mr̃um p
rfectum sive gubernatorem Navis vocat̃
the Guift of God p̱tem ream et querelatam; p̱tibus ex altera vertitur et
pendet indeciss̃ rite et ɫtime procedeñ: Partibus pred̴ p̱ earum Proc̃ures
Coram nobis in Juditio ɫtime Comp̱eñ: Parteq̢ dc̃i Joh̴is Havercombe
S̴niam ferri et Justiciam fieri pro p̱te sua: Parte vero memoratorū D̴ni
ffrancissi Popham militℯ pred̴ et Annæ Popham vid̴ pred̴ Justitiam etiam
pro p̱te sua instanter respective postulañ et peteñ Rimatoq̢ primitus p̱
Nos atq̢ diligenter recensito toto et integro processu in hũmi Causa habit̃
et fact̃ Servatisq̢ per nos de Jure in hac p̱te Servandis ad ñre Sniæ Diffinæ
sive ñri in hac p̱te finalis Decreti prolationem in hũmoi Causa ferend̴ sic
Duximus procedent fore et procedimus in hunc qui sequitur modum:
Quia per acta inactitata, deducta allegata exhibita prop̃oita et probata
in hac Causa Comp̱imus Luculenter et invenimus partem añdc̃orum
D̴ni ffrancissi Popham militℯ prd̴ et Annæ Popham vid̴ pred̴ intencionem
suam in quodam suo Li
lo pñso ex p̱te sua in hum̃oi Causa vtcunq̢ dat̃ et
oblat̃: Quem quidē Libellum pro hic lect et insert̃ h̴emus et haberi vol-
umus, minus sufficienter fundasse aut probasse sed in probatione eiusdem
penitus defecisse et deficere: Idcirco Nos Thomas Crompton miles Legū
Dc̃or ac Judex añdc̃us xp̃i Nomine primitus invocato ac ipsum solum
Deum oculis ñris p
rponeñ et habeñ deq̢ et Cum Consilio Jurisperitorū
Cum quibus in hac parte Comunicavimus matureq̢ deliberavimus p
rfatum
Joh̴em Havercombe ab instancia et impetitione prefatarū p̱tium ageñ in
hac Causa, quoad deduct̃ et petita p̱ p̱tem suam in Li
lo p̃nso pred̴ aɫs ex
p̱te sua in hac Causa dat̃ et oblat̃, deduct̃ dimittend̃ et absolvend̃ fore
pronuntiamus decernimus et declaramus, ac p̱ p̃ntes dimittimus et absolv-
imus: Silentiumq̢ p̱petuum quoad deducta et petita in Li
lo pñso pred̴
imponimus: Dc̃umq̢ d̴num ffranciscum Popham militem añdict̃ et D̴nam
Annam Popham relictam et executor̃ predictam in expensis ɫtimis ex
p̱te et per p̱tem añdc̃i Johannis Havercombe in hac p̱te factis et faciend̃
eidemq̢ solvend̴ Condemnamus, Condemnatumq̢ ad debitam et effectu-
alem solucionem earundem ɫtime Cogend̴ et Compellend̴ fore decernímus
p̱ hanc ñram S̴niam Diffinitivam sive hoc ñrum finale Decretum Quam
sive quod ferimus et promulgamus in hiis scriptis: Taxationem vero sive
moderationem hum̃oi expensarū Nobis aut alii Judici in hac p̱te Com-
peteñ Cuicunq̢ reservand̴ et reservamus.
Tho: Crompton
W Byrde
[Indorsed:] D̴nus ffranciscus Popham miles et D̴na Anna Pophā c̃ Joh̴em
Havercomb §Browne§ Williamson.
Lecta lata et p̳mulgata fuit hec s̃nia p̳ Dñm Thomā Crompton militem
sup̢me Curie Admite Anglie Judicem xxiij Junii 1608.
