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being destroyed by the Indians or Dead for want of Succour and fitting Necessaries, -
or gone off, to save themselves from Miseryes of that Desolate Place, where they
had long Lived without releife from thier Duke, what they brought out with them being
Spent, and they in a desolate place, without Money or Creditt, which I feare will be in
Short time the unhappy Condition of those unfortunate Gentlemen for I perceive by Mr.
Marreen they are not Stoared with Provisions to Last them for Long, as for them to receive
fresh Supplyes from Courland, nor have they much Money or any Creditt to vallue them-
selves upon, there great Dependance being as I poerceive by Mr. Marreen to be aided
and protected from and by this Island upon pretence of some agreement made to that
Purpose with his late Majesty, King Charles the Second of ever glorious memory,
of which I told him, as truely I am altogether Ignorant, and since hee has brought
no Commands to me from his now most Sacred Majestye, I durst by no meanes Suffer the Arts of
Trade & Navigation to be Infringed; Mr. Marreen pressing mee to permitt his Shipp to bring
Timber from Tobagoe to this Island, That thereby hee might Raise Money to Supply their
Wants, but this I Could not Grant him, knowing how much Sir Richard Dutton was blamed for
Suffering a Small vessell of Nine Tunns Onely to Come from Essecape a Dutch Colloney on the
Maine onely with Timber to buy Some provisions & refreshments for a Sick and Dyeing
Governor, nor Could I Encourage or Permitt any People to goe from hence to help People
or Settle that Island, for that if I had his Majesty's Leave Soe to doe, Yett at present, though wee
are Poore, wee not Soe Well Peopled as to Lett any goe hence wee Can prevaile with
to Stay, but I assured Mr. Marreen all the good Offices I might with that duty I Owe to the
King my Lord and Master, doe for his Highness the Duke of Courland, or his Subjects here, I would
Gladly doe it, in permitting them to buy for their money, what Provisions they wanted, and we Could
Spare, they makeing use of Such vessells as might trade here, but without his Majesty's Espetiall
Commands I Could not Lett his Shipp bring up Timber to this Island, how bennificiall soe ever it
were to them, or how little prejudicall Soever it might bee to his Majesty, his Majesty's Lawes being
thereby broak and my Selfe Accountable & Punnishable for Suffering it Soe to be, and though
I doe not see any Loss it will be to the Trade here, or to his Majesties Customes, If hee were
Permitted for Supply of their Necessityes, to bring a turne or two of Timber from Tobagoe
hither, Yett I shall by noe meanes permitt it without his Majesty's Commands & Warrant for it, which
I presume they will Labour to Obtaine by the first Opportunity, or else they must deserte their
Settlement as many of their predicessors have done; /

I have nothing farther at Present to Acquaint your Lordship with, And therefore with my
Prayers for your Lordships Long Life, with all other Fellicities, both present and future,
I presume humbly to Subscribe, as with all Duty I am

My Lord
Your Lordship most humble and most Obedient
Servant

Edwyn Stede