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GOT. DONGAN’s REPORT ON THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.

Sprag to reimburse S r Ben Bathurst what hee has paid for mee, @ and to provide clothes for thesoldiers @ some things for my own use

Now My Lords before I proceed to answer the rest of your queries I will take occasion here to giveAnswer m your Lop 3 satisfaction as to those articles Mr Santer has been pleased to draw up againstcharges' 116 "’* mee, a copie whereof I herewith send for y Lo PFS perusal the scope of which being toagumsi me c j aar g e me w jth mismanagement of his Mat 53 affairs, I thought noe place more proper formy making appear the falsity of his accusation than here, wherein I have been soe long treating ofthe mismanagement of the revenue in which this man himself had soe large a share, whichanswers follow distinctly with relation to such proofs as are herewith sent necessary for my vindication

As to the first Article—concerning a copartnership in a Trade to France fy'cFor my justification @ making appear the falsehood of this article is the testimony of Mr JohnSprag (5) Mr Gabriel Minvielle taken before Mr Swinton clerk of the Council hereunto annexed

To the Second concerning a partnership in trade to Newfoundland This is noe less true than the other as appears by Major Brokhelles testimony &c @ truly had Iany such design I had not communicated with the Kings collector especially to a man of his dispo-sition @ subject to soe many follies @ infirmitys that he was never capable of concealing his ownsecrets from the very rabble of the town, @ always made the debates of the Council (while he was amember of it) the subject matter of his Tavern discourse

To the Third concerning my going sharer with the PrivateersWherein hee does mee the honor to join mee in partnership with privateers I dont believe thatFrederick Flipson ever went sharer with any body in a ship @ am sure Beekman never had a vesselnor a share in a vessel in his life Had I had 2 or 3 men’s shares of what was got upon the wreck Ithink it had been noe breach of Law or my instructions it being customary in such cases for theGov rs of plantations to have it. But Mr Santen too was mistaken in this they did not clear for thewreck @ least they should make incursion upon the Spaniards I took security from them that theyshould not, in short for my justification on this point I refer myself to the testimonies of FredericFlipson @ Beakman @ the obligation aforesaid herewith sent

To the Fourth Copartnership with Mr Antill for JamaicaHee does me wrong I never was concerned with Mr Antill in copartnership One Vaughan halfbrother to Mr Sprag that had been a volunteer 2 or 3 years on board Capt n Temple, @ happening tobee in London when I came away offered his service to come along with mee, whom finding a prettyingenious young man @ out of employment I promised to help him with a little money when heestood in need of it for to put him into some way. Whereupon not long after this Antill purposed ifhe could get money from his brother or any other to purchase the half of a little ship then to beesold hee would purchase the other @ that Vaughton should goe master of her upon which hee cameto mee into the country where I then was @ acquainted mee with y e proposal @ desired my assist-ance to enable him to comply with it. I demanded what security hee could give mee, hee proposedto make over his share in the vessel for it. Upon which in kindness to him I let him have themoney @ took the vessel in security for it @ by him sent as a venture ten Barils of Oyle of a driftmem; Came to m y s ^ are > @ thirteen half Barils of Flower, to purchase Sugar Molasses Sweet-as I © ran ® es an ^ °tber necessaries for use in my family. And this (as Mr. Santen knows as wellmost of the town) was all the concerns I ever had with Antil