Page 22 - Kennemerland VOC ship, 1664 - Published Reports

NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, 2.2
a small rocky pinnacle at the entrance to the Out Skerries’ natural harbour (Fig. 1). The foremast fell on the stack enabling three of the men in the rigging, including the pilot, to escape. The Kennemerland broke in half, the forepart foundering in deep water alongside the Stack and the stern portion being swept into the harbour by the tide and cast up on Bruray Island. With the succeeding tide much of the wreckage was carried out to sea.
The date of the wreck was given as 10 or 11 December (0s)at the subsequent enquiry in Edinburgh (Warrants of the Exchequer Register, 1667-8). If one allows for the difference in calendars[6’these dates are in approximate agreement with the date given in the Dutch records (VOC, Uitloopboek) which is 20 December (NS).
Early salvage attempts
‘William Douglas, the tenth Earl of Morton, sent his Chamberlain, Robert Hunter, to salvage the Kennemerland. This angered the government of Charles I1 who took action to recover the cargo of the Kennemerlandat a hearingintheScottishCourtoftheExchequer at Edinburgh which lasted from 1667-8 (Warrants of the Exchequer Register, 1667-8). The records of this enquiry have survived and we arranged to have a transcription made of a photo copy obtained from the Scottish Record Office. The records are some 40 pages long and, although often repetitive, they do contain eye-witness accounts of the salvaging of the wreck and detailed lists of its cargo.
The summons against the Earl of Morton clearly states the basis for the Crown’s claim to the wreck of the Kennemerland.
‘all schips belonging to the Kinges enemies ...and cast away upon any of the sea coasts of this kingdome, and wher of the saylers ...or any other persons ...do survive the loss thereofe . . . the schip and all the goods and loading . . , doth belong to his Majestie . , .’
The summons went on to list the ship’s cargo :
6 chests of gold and silver containing 42,000 ducats in gold and 24,000 guilders in money
300 pieces of broad cloth 300 pieces of serge
40 tuns of brandy
10 tuns of sack
10 tuns of French wine 2 chests of quicksilver 40 boxes of confections 20 hogsheads of tobacco
Housay
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Norfh Eosf Mufh
ua rhe loo 200
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Figure 1. Map of Out Skerriesharbour.
The body of the ship’s drummer was cast ashore and buried on a knoll near the old pier which is now known as ‘Drummond’s Grave’. The followingrhyme is still current in the Skerries.
The Carmelan frae Amsterdam,
Cam on a Maunsmas Day,
On Stoura Stack she broke her back, And in the Voe she ca’
(or ‘and the Skerry folk got a prey’)
The islanders were reputed to have been drunk for three weeks on the kegs of wine and spirit washed ashore from the wreck.
Maunsmas Day was the feast day of St. Magnus which is celebrated on 13 December.
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Mans Stock