Читать книгу The Life of Sir Henry Morgan. With an account of the English settlement of the island of Jamaica онлайн

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As Cary was undoubtedly in the governor's confidence his advice had probably considerable weight.

Sir James Modyford arrived in Jamaica on the 15th July, 1667, and finding no dependent island to govern, was at once appointed by his brother Lieutenant-General of Jamaica, governor of Port Royal, and first Judge of the Court of Admiralty. During that summer Beeston noted in his journal that "the private men-of-war went in and out and brought in prizes frequently", but it appears that they cruised independently and undertook no combined major operation.

Lord Arlington must have reprimanded the governor for having granted letters-of-marque against the Spaniards, as he considered further excuses expedient.

"Had my abilities suited so well with my wishes," he wrote in reply, "as the latter did with your Lordship's, the privateers attempts had only been practised on the Dutch and French, and the Spaniards free of them, but I had no money to pay them, nor frigates to force them; the former they could not get from our declared enemies, nothing could they expect but blows from them, and (as they have often repeated to me) 'will that pay for sails and rigging?' Had I the often desired frigates, I would have compelled them to struggle with their wants and necessities until they had fully accomplished his Majesty's intentions; and if this last frigate had come so seasonably as she might, it had prevented that misfortune which fell upon us."[125]