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either for themselves or for anie others to theire owne benefitt
tending anie way to the hurt of the Joyntstocke aforesaid but
by theire much paines, dilligence and industrie did greatlie
further the same and further deposeth not.
Ad 10 dicit et deponit that manie of the servants sent over
in the articulate shipp the Affrica died at their first comeing
over as this deponent well remembreth being an eie witnes
thereof and beleveth that the names of them soe dyeing were
as is mentioned in the articulate Account, and that the rest of
the servants liveing most of them were weeke men and no
waies able to defend the Fort against the Indians and in re-
guard of the death of theis servants as aforesaid and of the
weaknes and disabilitie of those that lived, the said Claiborne
was forced to hyer many servants for defence against the
Indians and for to saile in these boates and for other occasions,
which this deponent beleveth were necessarie for the Traid and
plantation, the said Claiborne commonly takeing advice with
the rest of his Companie in the supplyes which he procured for
the said traid and plantation, and this deponent beleveth and
for the most parte knoweth there were such waiges received
and paid as are sett downe in the accompts which this depo-
nent hath sene and perused and that the said waiges were
verie reasonable and that the servants well deserved such
waiges by theire labours and industrie, and that they could
have gained more in Virginia with lesse paynes takeing, and
this deponent and other traiders and planters that then hyred
men paid as much or greater waiges, and that yt had (as this
deponent beleveth) bene ympossible for the said Claiborne
with lesse then 30 or 40. men at the least to have performed the
said traid and plantation without the Freemen's assistance as
aforesaid, And that it was most nedefull in the Monthes of
March Aprill May and June for the traideing aforesaid to kepe
at the least 3 boates traideing and to be well manned at the
least with 5: 6: or 7: men in everie of them with gonnes, armes,
ammunition and other necessaries accordingly which the said
Claiborne for the most parte did everie yeare as by the Ac-
compts aforesaid appeareth, and further deposeth not.
Ad 11. Dicit et deponit That the Accompts articulate this
deponent hath read, over with deliberation considered seriously
upon yt in everie particular and beleveth that the same in the
common estimation of men experienced in such affaires are
true and just accompts and were soe paid and laied out and
expended particularly and for the use and benefitt of the said
Joyntstocke, and knoweth not anie thing therein written or
conteyned but that which to this deponent's best Judgement
were necessarie to be paid layed out and expended and for the
severall uses in the said accompts respectively expressed and
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P. R. O.
Colonial
Papers.
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