Captured ship: Bell of London, otherwise Cloche or Bel (master William Parker of...

Captured ship: Bell of London, otherwise Cloche or Bel (master William Parker of Colchester, otherwise Willem or Guilliam Parcker).

History: an English merchant ship (fluit, 120-140 tons, 7 men, formerly Cloche of Calais, bought at Calais, 6 April 1674, owners Haijs and Boeterman, residents of London, and Willem Nepueu, resident of Dover), bound from La Rochelle and St Martin de Ré to London, but on reaching the Downs was diverted by the owners to Calais, laden with salt, plus some wine and brandy; taken whilst under convoy of HMS Anne yacht (Gonman [Christopher Gunman] commanding), without opposition from the escort, on 21/31 August 1674 about 3-4 miles off Calais, by an unnamed Flemish (Spanish Netherlands) privateer (Joos Ferron commanding), and brought into Ostend on 23 August/2 September 1674.

Documents:- papers on 3 thongs: CP 2-7; CP 8-20; CP 23-23B

Court Papers and exhibits numbered CP 1-23B:-

• [CP 1]: (Dutch, copy) three examinations at [Ostend], 26 August/5 September 1674;
• [CP 2]: (Dutch) appeal to Admiralty of Brussels, 10 September 1674, annotated 14 February 1675;
• [CP 3]: (French, numbered iii) bill of exchange, 15 December 1674;
• [CP 4]: (French, numbered ii) bill of exchange, Calais, 16 April 1674;
• [CP 5]: (Dutch, copy) affidavit of Willem Parcker, 8 November 1674;
• [CP 6]: (French, copy) Guilliam Nepueu, power of attorney for purchase of ship, (13 March 1674), certified 30 August 1674;
• [CP 7]: (Dutch) [Admiralty of Brussels], undated;
• [CP 8]: (Dutch, copy, numbered 16 and 5) claim of Steven Lincx and Claude Haijs, annotated 5 November 1674;
• [CP 9]: (French, copy, numbered 15) translation of (British) Admiralty pass, 29 April 1674, originally signed by [Samuel] Pepys;
• [CP 10]: (French, copy, numbered 14) customs receipt, St Martin de Ré, 7 August 1674;
• [CP 11]: (French, numbered 13) bill of exchange, Paris, 15 September 1674 (annotated in English as received 7 November 1674);
• [CP 12-13]: (French, numbered 11-12): bills of exchange, Calais, 16 April 1674 (annotated in English as received 8 and 9 August 1674);
• [CP 14]: (Dutch, numbered 10) bill of lading, La Rochelle, 5 August 1674;
• [CP 15-16]: (French, numbered 8-9) letter of Nicholaes Claessen at La Rochelle to Haijs, 1 August 1674, and enclosed accounts;
• [CP 17]: (French, translated from English, numbered 7): affidavit re purchase of ship (6 April 1674), 20 August 1674;
• [CP 18]: (French, numbered 6): copy of bill of sale, Calais, 16 August 1674;
• [CP 19]: (Dutch, numbered 4): claim of Steven Lincx and Claude Haijs;
• [CP 19A-19B]: enclosed in above (Dutch, numbered 2-3): powers of attorney, 4 and 8 September 1674;
• [CP 20]: (Dutch, numbered 1) power of attorney, 18 September 1674;
• [CP 21]: (Dutch, translation) letter from Charles II to the Count of Monterey, Governor-General of the Spanish Netherlands, 10 September 1674;
• [CP 22]: (French) customs certificate, for St Martin de Ré (7 August 1674), 20 October 1674;
• [CP 23]: (Dutch) Admiralty of Ostend, cover note re owners of Captain Ferron contra Steven Linck (etc);
• [CP 23A]: enclosed in above (Dutch) 5 and 19 November 1674; [CP 23B] (Dutch) 11 October 1674.

Extra information: See also SP 29/361, no 211 (Claude Hays, 27 August 1674); Calendar of State Papers Domestic, 1673-1675, p.343. For Ferron (otherwise Feron), see The Belgian Shiplover, no. 92 (March-April 1963), p.149; Willy Versluys, De Oostendse Kaperye [https://www.west-vlaanderen.be/sites/default/files/2017-12/STDK_Oostendse_kapers.pdf]. Ferron was registered on 23 May 1674 and 24 July 1674. In 1676, Ferron was commander of the Ostend privateer snow Heylighe Drijvuldicheit [Heilige Drievuldigheid; Holy Trinity].