idd was recommended by the Lord Bellamont, then governor of Barbadoes,
as well as by several other persons, to the government here, as a person
very fit to be entrusted to the command of a government ship, and to be
employed in cruising upon the pirates, as knowing those seas perfectly
well, and being acquainted with all their lurking places; but what
reasons governed the politics of those times, I cannot tell, but this
proposal met with no encouragement here, though it is certain it would
have been of great consequence to the subject, our merchants suffering
incredible damages by those robbers.

Upon this neglect, the lord Bellamont and some others, who knew what
great captures had been made by the pirates, and what a prodigious
wealth must be in their possession, were tempted to fit out a ship at
their own private charge, and to give the command of her to Captain
Kidd; and to give the thing a greater reputation, as well as to keep
their seamen under better command, they procured the king's commission
for the said Capt. Kidd, of which the following is an exact copy:

_William Rex_,

"WILLIAM THE THIRD, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland,
France and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. To our trusty and well
beloved Capt. ROBERT KIDD, commander of the ship the Adventure galley,
or to any other, the commander of the same for the time being,
_Greeting_: Whereas we are informed, that Capt. Thomas Too, John
Ireland, Capt. Thomas Wake, and Capt. William Maze or Mace, and other
subjects, natives or inhabitants of New-York, and elsewhere, in our
plantations in America, have associated themselves with divers others,
wicked and ill-disposed persons, and do, against the law of nations,
commit many and great piracies, robberies and depredations on the seas
upon the parts of America, and in other parts, to the great hindrance
and discouragement of trade and navigation, and to the great danger and
hurt of our loving subjects, our allies, and all others, navigating the
seas upon their lawful occasions. Now KNOW YE, that we being desirous to
prevent the aforesaid mischiefs, and as much as in us lies, to bring the
said pirates, free-booters and sea-rovers to justice, have thought fit,
and do hereby give and grant to the said Robert Kidd, (to whom our
commissioners for exercising the office of Lord High Admiral of England,
have granted a commission as a private man-of-war, bearing date the 11th
day of December, 1695,) and u