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Peighen was master of the "Ruth".
Edward Leach was George Fulford's factor in the Virginia Colony. He was onboard the "Ruth" as supercargo.
Thomas Dade was one of the owners of the "Ruth".
In October 1675 Edmund Coppinge was boatswain on the Ruth on a voyage from London to Virginia. He states that as they were outward bound on December 7, they encountered a violent storm which badly damaged the ship.
They made several attempts to gain entry to one of the Virginia ports but could not do so because she was so badly damaged and the weather was unfavorable. It was finally decided to take the ship on to Barbados. All on board signed an agreement to this effect, including Leach.
Some of the cargo was put onshore in the West Indies to cover the cost of refitting the ship.
They left Barbados and sailed for Maryland arriving in the Patuxent River in April 1676.
When the colony heard that Fulford (who owned part of the cargo) had been declared bankrupt, the sailors confiscated part of the cargo to guarantee payment of wages. Brought an action against Fulford at St. Marys which they won and the cargo was appraised to pay their wages. If this had not been done, they would have refused to sail the ship back to England.
If a crew leave a ship in Virginia or Maryland, it is abandoned for there are no sailors to be had there. There was a danger of abandoned ships being destroyed by worms in Maryland.
Edward Allen, along with Thomas Dade, went to visit Fulford to get the freight which was payable ten days after the notice that the ship arrived in Virginia. They found that Fulford had left and no one knew where he could be found.
Fulford had not been seen on the Royal Exchange since November 1675. Something about problems over protested bills of exchange which he had accepted.
Excerpts from the Library of Virginia "Virginia Colonial Records Project" Survey Report No. 10267.
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