731.  Minutes of the Committee of Trade and Plantations. Mr. Cranfield's letter of 22nd Sept. last from Jamaica touching the arrival of his Majesty's subjects from Surinam reported, but not read; also his unfortunate killing of Thomas Yonge, chief mate of the America, and how he had been tried and cleared. Debate concerning the letter of Sir John Berry from Newfoundland of 12th September touching the misinformation of the Western men on which several of the Lords' resolutions were founded, which was read, and the complaint of Sir John Vowell and Messrs. Parrot and Ryder, &c., that the inhabitants of Newfoundland who were intended to be removed had taken such encouragement from what Sir John Berry had intimated to them, that they send to their friends to come over, and talk as if a colony and plantation were to be encouraged, on which the By-boat keepers throng over, getting 100 or 150 men into a ship of 100 tons, where 50 are sufficient and so the Adventurers get no men; and they pressed that the order passed might be enforced, and all masters obliged to give bond for the return of their seamen, so that at least no encouragement be given for increasing the inhabitants; and that an order might be strict for confining a ship of 100 tons to 50 men, which would destroy the By-boat men, who unless they could fit out more boats at their coming to Newfoundland could not live by it; whereas the Adventurer rides his own horse or takes up money at much less per cent. Objection of Mr. Sec. Williamson that this design was to exclude the poor from being sharers in anything, and these gentlemen of the West Country were shown to be very faulty, who having for five years had his Majesty's allowance for additional rules had neglected to pass them; they acknowledged that the fault was their own, but that now they would close all. 2 pp. (Col. Entry Book, No. CIV., 46, 47.)

[1927lab]