New York Vice-Admiralty Court. Captured ship: Bear of New York (master Jacob Mauritz)...

New York Vice-Admiralty Court.

Captured ship: Bear of New York (master Jacob Mauritz) formerly the St Pierre of Bayonne (master Pierre Clabier).

History: a French merchant ship, the St Pierre of Bayonne, was seized during the summer of 1690 by two English privateers under the command of William Mason and Francis Coderus and brought into New York City. The ship was there condemned by the New York Vice Admiralty Court under the authority of Jacob Leisler, who had recently seized control of the colony's government, and was sold to Leisler's allies Jacob Milbourne and Jacob Mouritz.

After the fall of Leisler's government, the ship, now the English merchant ship Bear, and under English colours, was seized during 1691 by an English privateer commanded by William Kidd [perhaps because Leisler had at the point been executed and the previous condemnation deemed invalid] and was again brought into New York City. It was then condemned for the second time by the New York Vice Admiralty Court under the authority of Henry Sloughter and sold to his ally, Frederick Philipse.

The different merchants who had purchased the ship after the 1690 condemnation and the 1691 condemnation each considered themselves to be the rightful owners.

Documents:-

Court Papers in five bundles:

• [CP 6-CP 21]: proceedings conducted at New York City on commission from the High Court of Admiralty, including minutes, depositions, copies of official documents from Leisler's government (exhibits), brought into court 16 October 1694. The papers provide significant details about the early stages of Leisler's Rebellion;
• [CP 22-CP 37]: copy of the same proceedings conducted at New York City, brought into court 16 October 1694;
• [CP 38-CP 41]: interrogatories, copy allegation by Frederick Philipse, commission of examination, docket, brought into court 18 January 1694/5;
• [CP 42-CP 45]: docket, allegation by Frederick Philipse, original commission from the High Court of Admiralty, affidavit, brought into court 5 August 1695;
• [CP 46]: fragmentary docket, probably from another case;
• [CP 47-CP 50]: substitution, deposition of Frederick Philipse, allegation of Jacob Mauritz, copy of a warrant appointing Francis Nicholson as Governor of New York, brought into court 16 October 1694.

[Decision: not yet known]