Captured ship: Amity of Limerick (master John Mitchell). History: an Irish merchant...

Captured ship: Amity of Limerick (master John Mitchell).

History: an Irish merchant ship (barque, 35 tons, 2 passengers), bound from Limerick, Ireland to Nantes or Bordeaux, laden with salt, hides, tallow, salmon; taken in October 1690 by HMS Nonsuch (Robert Sincock commanding), and brought into Milford Haven.

Documents:-

Court Papers:

• [CP 1]: four examinations, commissioners' affidavit;
• [CP 2]: claim on behalf of the cargo's owners in Limerick and London, namely Samuel Taverner, Thomas Peirce [sic], Zachary Holland, James Craven, John Mitchell, John Reerdon and Patrick Reerdon [Riordan];
• [CP 3]: docket for 3 papers brought into court on 20 November 1690.

Exhibits now numbered E1-E3, all letters from Limerick to London; exhibited in court on 16 January 1691 to support the claim:

• E1: Thomas Pearce to his cousin Joseph Scriven, linen draper in Watling Street, London, dated 6 and 7 October 1690, and postmarked 23 October;
• E2: Zachary Holland to Thomas Joseph Carpenter at the Blackamore's Head in Aldermanbury, dated 7 December 1690, postmarked 12 January; on 29 October, I asked you to insure my cargo on the Amity ... yesterday I had bad news of her being taken into Milford"
• E3: [Thomas Pearce] to his cousin Joseph Scriven, 'in London', dated 18 December 1690, no postmark;"I understand the Amity is carried into England as a prize ..."
• E4: certified copy of the ship's pass for a voyage from Limerick to Nantes or Bordeaux, issued 8 September 1690 on behalf of the Earl of Tyrconnell, the Jacobite Governor-General, and sent 'for their Majesties special service' to the Commissioner of Prizes in London, on 26 October, enclosing E5, and postmarked 31 October; numbered by the court as 1, and endorsed 'Papers relating to the Amity of Wexford at Milford Haven sent by this letter dated 26 Oct 1690'.
• E5: certifed copy of the orders to John Mitchell by the owners, Samuel Tavernier [sic], Thomas Pearce, Zachary Holland; [numbered by the court as 2].

Mail in Transit: 77 further business and personal letters from Limerick to Nantes and other places in France, and enclosed bills of lading, numbered 3-79. [For full transcripts and a detailed discussion, see Truxes & Shovlin, The Amity Papers 1690].

[Decision: condemned, 26 January 1691]