rs since 1659, and after
d'Ogeron succeeded du Rausset as governor for the French in those
regions, it became with Tortuga one of their chief resorts. In the
latter part of 1664 we find Langford in England petitioning the king for
a commission as governor of Tortuga and the coast of Hispaniola, and for
two ships to go and seize the smaller island.[205] Such a design,
however, with the direct sanction and aid of the English government,
might have endangered a rupture with France. Charles preferred to leave
such irregular warfare to his governor in Jamaica, whom he could support
or disown as best suited the exigencies of the moment. Langford,
moreover, seems not to have made a brilliant success of his short stay
at Petit-Goave, and was probably distrusted by the authorities both in
England and in the West Indies. When Modyford came as governor to
Jamaica, the possibility of recovering Tortuga was still discussed, but
no effort to effect it was ever made again.

Footnotes:

[Footnote 189: Dutertre, t. iii. p. 126; Add. MSS., 13,992, f. 499.

On 26th February 1656 there arrived at Jamaica a small vessel the master
of which, touching at Tortuga, had found upon the deserted island two
papers, one in Spanish, the other in "sorrie English" (Thurloe Papers,
IV. p. 601). These papers were copies of a proclamation forbidding
settlement on the island, and the English paper (Rawl. MSS., A. 29, f.
500) is printed in Firth's "Venables" as follows:--

"The Captane and Sarginge Mager Don Baltearsor Calderon and Spenoso,
Nopte to the President that is now in the sity of Santo-domingo, and
Captane of the gones of the sitye, and Governor and Lord Mare of this
Island, and stranch of this Lland of Tortogo, and Chefe Comander of all
for the Khinge of Spaine.

"Yoo moust understand that all pepell what soever that shall com to this
Iland of the Khinge of Spaine Catholok wich is name is Don Pilep the
Ostere the forth of this name, that with his harmes he hath put of
Feleminge and French men and Englesh with lefee heare from the yeare of
1630 tell the yeare of thurty fouer and tell the yeare of fifte fouer in
wich the Kinge of Spane uesenge all curtyse and given good quartell to
all that was upon this Iland, after that came and with oute Recepet upon
this Iland knowinge that the Kinge of Spane had planted upon it and
fortified in the name of the Kinge came the forth time the 15th of
Augost the last yeare French and Fleminges to govern thi