Chapter IX

This was the opinion of less austere persons than Her Majesty. A certain William Clap, of Provincetown, in a letter to Governor Dudley in 1705, expressed the same conviction. He wrote in part as follows:

CAPE COD, _July 13th, 1705_
SQUIRE DUDLEY.

SIR:--After all due sarvis and Respects to your honnor wishing you
all hapynes boath hear and hear after I mack bould to inform your
honnor that i have liveed at the Cap this 4 year and I have often
every year sien that her maiesty has been very much wronged of har
dues by these coutry peple and other whall men as coms hear a whallen
every year which tacks up drift whales which was never killed by any
man which fish i understand belongest to har majesty and had i had
power i could have seased several every year....

Your hombled and unworthy sarvant
WM. CLAP

The Governor gave Clap a commission as water bailiff and a warrant to prize drift whales. Thus do tale-bearers prosper when they carry their tidings to the high places.