Minutes of HM Council 7 Feb 1698:
"Att a Council Table holden att the Sessions house in St Georges on
Monday the seaventh day of Ffebruary in the Yeare 1697/8.
Present: His Excellency John Goddard Esq Governor and all the
members of the Council.
Ordered to bee entered that his Excellency John Goddard Esq the present Governor haveing on Ffriday the
14th day of January now past received a letter by way of Barbados from the right honourable the Lords in Committee
for Trade and fforeigne plantations with the proclamation of peace inclosed and orders to publish the same, hee
his Excellency immediately in obedience to their Lordshipps Letter took care for the performing the same and on
Sunday the sixteenth day of the said month of January last caused the same to bee published in the Church of
St Georges, and also sent coppies throughout these Islands, and on the Thursday ffollowing his Excellency
ordered all the Castle and fforts in and about these Islands to solemnize the same by ffireing their Great Guns,
and att the same time was ordered the Company of the Militia in the Towne and Parish of St Georges under the command of Capt
John Tucker to bee in arms, Att the head whereof the said proclamation was againe read, his Excellency being there present
and the same was solemnized by many vollyes and great acclamation of Joy all the day long All the officers Soldiers and being people
being most generously entertained att the peculiar expense
of the Governor. Which company consisted of seaventy eight men in number. That on Monday the 24th day of the
said month of January his Excellency the Governor had ordered all the rest of the Militia being eight companies
to bee in Armes, And went himself attended by severall persons from his Company of Hamilton Tribe under the command of Capt.
William Outerbridge consisting of forty eight men in number. The Company of Smith's Tribe under the command of Capt.
Richard Peniston consisting of thirty two men in
number. The Company of Devon Tribe under the comand of Capt. John Morris consisting of forty eight men in number
and the Company of Pembroke Tribe under the comand of Capt. Cornelius Hinson consisting of forty eight men in number. And the said proclamation
was solemnly read at the head of each Company with Vollyes and great Acclamations of Joy, That on the next day being Tuesday, the five and twentieth day of the said month of January,
Appeared before his Excellency the Governor the Company of Sandy's or Somerset Tribe under the comand of Capt. William
Seymour consisting of thirty six men in number. The Company of Southampton Tribe under the command of Capt. George Darrell
consisting of forty eight men in number, the Company of Warwick Troibe under the command of Capt. Benjamin Wainwright consisting
of forty eight men in number nad the company of Pagitts Tribe under the command of Capt. Ffrancis Jones consisting of thirty
two men in number and in like manner as before the said proclamation was then read att the head of each of the said Companys
with Great Joy and Generall Satisfaction of the whole island.
Ordered that Charles Minors Dty Secry do pay unto himself out of the Powder money in his hands the sume of Two Pounds Two Shillings and eight pence for his trouble
care and paines in writeing coppyes of the publication of proclamation of peace and reading the same throughout these Islands."
(reference: Minutes of His Majesty's Council Bermuda 7 Feb 1697/8)