Document: CHARTER of a captured English ship by Admiral de Ruyter to transport goods from Goree to Dutch fortress El Mina

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The lords-directors of the Chartered West India Company at Amsterdam please pay, for agreed upon freight charges, to Benjemyn Symones, skipper of an English frigate named De Africa, mounted with 20 guns and carrying 36 mouths to feed, in size about 140 English tons; having contracted according to his charter-party with the English Royal Africa Company for the sum of 150 lbs. sterling, effective the 10th of June 1664. On the 21st of October, old style,[1] I released the aforesaid skipper, Benjamyn Symons, pursuant to the resolution made with my war council; a copy of which is here attached.[2] Whereas these goods, which were unloaded, consist of all sorts of merchandise which the aforesaid Royal Africa English Company sent off to be traded on their account at Cabo Verde, Gambia and farther along the coast of Guinea and Africa, and elsewhere; therefore, I have confiscated all these goods from the eight ships, because of the great injury done to the Holland Company by order of the African Royal Company of England, in order to send them to the castle at Mina where they are to be traded by General Valckenburgh[3] for the profit of the aforesaid West India Company. Done aboard the States ship De Spieghel, the first of November 1664, new style, near the island of Goere.[4] Was signed: M. Adr. Ruyter.[5]

These above-stated freight charges are not to be paid to anyone but the aforesaid Capt. Symones or his order. Dated as above and was signed:

M. Adr. Ruyter

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