THE said Ship was in September, 1694. permitted by the Govern­ment to go to Guinea, in the Service of the Royal African Com­pany, Manned with Sixty Men, and Thirty Guns, and from thence intended to Barbadoes and Virginia.

In June 1695. She Arrived at Barbadoes with her Freight of Negroes, having (by the Providence of God) not buried one Man, nor had one Man Sick during her Voyage to that Place.

But immediately Upon her Arrival there, Captain Dawley Commander of His Majesties Ship the Bristol Prest Fifteen of his Seamen, and in Three Dayes after Captain Masum, Commander of a small Frigat Prest Six more; Upon which Nine more deserted the Ship for fear as is sup­pos'd of the said Usage.

There remained then on Board but Four Common Seamen, besides Seven Boys, and about Twenty Officers. And upon Consultation they thought it not safe to proceed to Virginia (being so disabled) but to deter­mine their Outward-Bound Voyage at Barbadoes.

The Master there disposing of his Negroes, and Lading home from thence to London.

But finding his Number of Men insufficient to Navigate his Ship and make any reasonable Defence in Case of an Attacque, Thought it adviseable to Redeem Four of his Men of the Captains that Prest them, at Five Pound per Man, and withal gave to the Captain of the Bristol Ten Pound to Convoy him Clear of the Leeward Islands.

In his Passage Home to England, in Company with Eleven Sail more, was Met with by Two French Privateers in Soundings, and after a Fight of Three Hours, in which the Captain and Six more were Killed, and Six or Seven Wounded, the said Ship and Four more were taken; to the Loss of the Interested in that single Ship above Twenty Five Thousand Pound.

In all probability had he had his Compliment of Men he might have Escaped; the Two Privateers not exceeding him together in Number of Guns, But were incouraged to Assault him by his Insufficiency to Defend himself.

This is the Third Ship that some of these Gentlemen have lost by Pressing their Men at Sea and in Foreign Parts.