An account of ships taken by ye French at Newfoundland

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Yesterday arriued the James of this place, in 18.
dayes from Newfoundland, and the Captain giues the
following account.

That the 4th. of September 9 french priuaters
4 of 40 to 50 guns, and the rest of 20 to 30 guns.
came in to the bay. Bulls, ware the Saphire man
of war was, being chased in by the ^by said Priuaters,
the Captain imediately gott some guns, ashoare, and
raised a small ffort, which not being able to
maintaine, he gaue order to his Leiuetenant, to sett
fire to the ship, which accordingly he did.
and the men gott all ashoare, and the french
presently followed them and took all the shipps
there, as also what fish and Graine, was a
shoare, afterwards. they went for fferry land
and landed their men uppon the back of them,
and soon made themselves, master of said place,
wheare they took seuerall shipps, and plundered
the place, The Soldado prize was at St. Johns.
but the Captain goeing out in his Pynice, thinking
the said Priuaters to be the English ffleet;
was taken by them, they are in great feare of
them, there, as also in other places, unless the
season, preuent them,

The number of the shipps taken, are about
40 Saile, & most loaden, of which 26 saile
belonged to Barnstable, & Biddiford,

The said master also giuen an account of the
arriuall of 4 gallyes, from London, Vizt
The riseing Eagle, the Prince George
the Maxfeild & the Tuscany, which in their
passage, had taken 9 prizes, but only 4 of them
were arriued, & also that Seuerall shipps, were
sailed for the Streights.

The ffrench at the James comeing away. were
att an anchor at ffeniland

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Bristoll. October 19th. 1696

an account of Ships taken
by the french at Newfound=
=land./