deposition before His Majesty's Council, 27 June 1686 & 14 August 1686
The deposition of Bartholomew Sharp, Comandr of ye Josiah Frigatt aged about 36 years or thereabouts deposeth as followeth that on ye 7th of May last past yt one Capt Paule Abney, Lieut. of ye Josiah Frigatt, near ye house of Wm Storman, then and there did declare to me, Bartholomew Sharp that he ye said Abney had been on board my Frigatt with one Mr Richard Stafford he then was a prisoner, and further ye sd Abney did declare to me that ye sd Stafford did deliver a writing or rather a libell into ye hands of ye sd Abney and further ye sd Abney declard to me yt he read in ye paper that it was Mr Staffords owne fault that he was a prisoner so long and if he ye said Stafford would inlarge himself that part of ye Country was ready to come downe to ye said Staffords assistance and to take him out by force; this was the contents of ye sd writing as Capt paule Abney declares; and further ye sd depont declareth Mr Richard Stafford did declare to him that he had received a letter from ye Country to ye same tenour as already declard, and yt he ye sd Stafford did declare yt he had sent an answer into ye Country for them to desist, for it rather added to his imprisonmt then ye releasmt and further ye sd depont saith not.
Bartholomew Sharp, Bermuda, St Georges, June ye 27th 1686
Sworne befoer ye Rt Honble Yr GoverE, Capt Fra. Tucker & Mr Thomas Outerbridge, Justices of ye Peace, John Jauncye Dept. Secty.
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Capt Bartholomew Sharp aged about 37 years maketh oath that about ye said depont coming downe to ye Rt Honble ye GoverE House about 9 of the clock at night, he forthwith comanded me & some of my men in his Maties name to seize ye body of John Harlo, Aron Bayly & John Ballinger, wch accordingly he did upon ye acc. of rebellion (as ye GoverE tould me) in throwing downe their armes and saying they would serve ye King no longer, all wch said persons he ye said Barth. Sharp brought downe to ye GoverE except ye said Ballinger and further saith not. Thomas Vally affirmes ye same above written.
Barhtolomew Sharp; Thomas Vally
Sworne before ye Councell ye 14th day of Augt 1686.