 Chapter 9, Part 5 of the General History of the Pirates, Volume 1. Sated at length with these pleasures, and having taken on board a good supply of fresh provisions, they voted unanimously for the coast of Guinea, and in the latitude of twenty-two degrees north in their voyage-diver, met with a French ship from Martinique, richly laden and, which was unlucky for the master, had a property of being fitter for their purpose than the banker. Exchange was no robbery, they said, and so after a little mock complacence to Monsieur for the favour he had done them, they shifted their men and took leave. This was their first royal fortune. In this ship, Roberts proceeded on his design voyage, but before they reached Guinea, he proposed to touch at Brava, the southernmost of Cape Verdi Islands, and clean, but here again by an intolerable stupidity and want of judgement, they got so far to leeward of their port, that, despairing to regain it or any of the windward parts of Africa, they were obliged to go back again with the trade-wind for the West Indies, which had very near been the destruction of them all. Suriname was the place now designed for, which was at no less than seven hundred leagues distance, and they had but one hog-head of water left to supply a hundred and twenty-four souls for that passage, a sad circumstance that eminently exposes the folly and madness among pirates, and he must be an inconsiderate wretch indeed, who, if he could separate the wickedness and punishment from the fact, would yet hazard his life amidst such dangers as their want of skill and forecast made them liable to. Their sins, we may presume, were never so troublesome to their memories as now, that inevitable destruction seemed to threaten them, without the least glimpse of comfort or alleviation to their misery, for, with what face could wretches who had ravaged and made so many necessities look up for relief? They had to that moment lived in defiance of the power that now alone they must trust for their preservation, and indeed, without the miraculous intervention of Providence, there appeared only this miserable choice, fizz, a present death by their own hands, or a lingering one by famine. They continued their course, and came to an allowance of one single mouthful of water for twenty-four hours. Many of them drank their urine, or sea water, which, instead of a laying, gave them an inextinguishable thirst that killed them. Others pined and wasted a little more time in fluxes and aporexies, so that they dropped away daily. Those that sustained the misery best were such as almost starved themselves, for bearing all sorts of food, unless a mouthful or two of bread the whole day, so that those who survived were as weak as it was possible for men to be and alive. But if the dismal prospect they set out with gave them anxiety, trouble or pain, what must their fears and apprehensions be, when they had not one drop of water left, or any other liquor to moisten or animate? This was their case, when, by the working of divine providence, no doubt, they were brought into soundings, and at night anchored in seven-father-water. This was an inexpressible joy to them, and, as it were, fed the expiring lamp of life with fresh spirits, but this could not hold long. When the morning came they saw land from the masthead, but it was at so great a distance that it afforded but an indifferent prospect to men who had drunk nothing for the two last days. However, they dispatched their boat away, and late the same night it returned to their no small comfort with a load of water, informing them that they had got off the mouth of Mary Wingo River on the coast of Suriname. One would have thought so miraculous an escape should have wrought some reformation, but alas, they had no sooner quenched their thirst, but they had forgot the miracle till scarcity of provisions awakened their senses and bid them guard against starving. Their allowance was very small, and yet they would profanely say that providence which had gave them drink would no doubt bring them meat also if they would use but an honest endeavour. In pursuance of these honest endeavours they were steering for the latitude of Barbados, with what little they had left to look out for more or starve, and in their way met a ship that answered their necessities, and, after that, a brigantine. The former was called the Greyhound, belonging to St Christopher's and bound to Philadelphia, the mate of which signed the pirate's articles and was afterwards captain of the ranger, consul to the royal fortune. Out of the ship and brigantine the pirates got a good supply of provisions and liquor so that they gave over the designed crews and watered at Tobago, and hearing of the two sloops that had been fitted out and sent after them at Corvo Coo, they sailed to the island of Martinique to make the governor some sort of an equivalent for the care and expedition he had shown in that affair. It is the custom at Martinique for the Dutch interlopers that have a mind to trade with the people of the island to hoist their jacks when they come before the town. Roberts knew the signal, and, being an utter enemy to them, he bent his thoughts upon mischief, and, accordingly, came in with his jack flying, which, as he expected, they mistook for a good market, and thought themselves happiest that could soon as dispatch off their sloops and vessels for trade. When Roberts had got them within his power, one after another, he told them he would not have it said that they came off for nothing, and therefore ordered them to leave their money behind, for that they were a parcel of rogues, and hoped they would always meet with such a Dutch trade as this was. He reserved one vessel to set the passengers on shore again, and fired the rest to the number of twenty. Roberts was so enraged at the attempts that had been made for taking of him by the governors of Barbados and Martinique, that he ordered a new jack to be made, which they ever after hoisted, with his own figure portrayed, standing upon two skulls, and under them the letters A, B, H, and A, M, H, signifying a Barbagian's and Martinique's head as may be seen in the plate of Captain Roberts. At Domenico, the next island they touched at, they took a Dutch interloper of twenty-two guns and seventy-five men, in a brigantine belonging to Rhode Island, one Norton master. The former made some defence till some of his men being killed, the rest were discouraged and struck their colours. With these two prizes they went down to Guadalupe, and brought out a sloop and a French flyboat laden with sugar. The sloop they burnt, and went on to Mune, another island, thinking to clean, but, finding the sea run too high there to undertake it with safety, they bent their course for the north part of Hispaniola, where, at Benitz, Kev, in the Gulf of Samina, they cleaned both the ship and the brigantine, for, though Hispaniola be settled by the Spaniard and French, and is the residence of a president from Spain who receives and finally determines appeals from all the other Spanish West India islands, yet is its people by no means proportion to its magnitude, so that there are many harbours in it, to which pirates may securely resort without fear of discovery from the inhabitants. Whilst they were here, two sloops came in, as they pretended to pay Roberts a visit. The masters, whose names were Porter and Tuckerman, addressed the pirate as the Queen of Sheba did Solomon to wit. That having heard of his fame and achievements, they had put in there to learn his art and wisdom in the business of pirating, being vessels on the same honourable design with himself, and hoped with the communication of his knowledge they should also receive his charity, being in want of necessaries for such adventures. Roberts was won upon by the peculiarity and bluntness of these two men, and gave them powder, arms, and whatever else they had occasion for, spent two or three merry nights with them, and, at parting, said he hoped the Lord would prosper their handiworks. They passed some time here, after they had got their vessel ready in their usual deporturies, and had taken a considerable quantity of rum and sugar, so that lecker was as plenty as water, and few there were who denied themselves the immoderate use of it. Sobriety brought a man under a suspicion of being in a plot against the commonwealth, and in their sense he was looked upon to be a villain that would not be drunk. This was evident in the affair of Harry Glasby, chosen master of the royal fortune who, with two others, laid hold of the opportunity at the last island they were at, to move off without bidding farewell to his friends. Glasby was a reserved sober man, and therefore gave occasion to be suspected, so that he was soon missed after he went away, and, at attachment being sent in quest of the deserters, they were all three brought back again the next day. This was a capital offence, and for which they were ordered to be brought to an immediate trial. Here was the form of justice kept up, which is as much as can be said of several other courts that have more lawful commissions for what they do. Here was no feeing of counsel and bribing of witnesses was accustom not known among them, no packing of juries, no torturing and resting the sense of the law, for by ends and purposes, no puzzling or perplexing the cause with unintelligible counting terms and useless distinctions, nor was their sessions birthing with numberless officers, the ministers of rapine and extortion, with ill-boding aspects enough to fright of trial from the court. The place appointed for their trials was the steerage of the ship, in order to which a large bowl of rum-punch was made and placed upon the table, the pipes and tobacco being ready, the judicial proceedings began. The prisoners were brought forth and articles of indictment against them read. They were arraigned upon a statute of their own making, and the letter of the law being strong against them, and the fact plainly proved they were about to pronounce sentence, when one of the judges moved that they should first smoke to the pipe, which was accordingly done. All the prisoners pleaded for arrest of judgement very movingly, but the court had such an abhorrence of their crime that they could not be prevailed upon to show mercy till one of the judges, whose name was Valentine Ashplant, stood up and, taking his pipe out of his mouth, said he had something to offer to the court on behalf of one of the prisoners, and spoke to this effect. By God, Glasby shall not die, damn me if he shall! After this learned speech he sat down in his place and resumed his pipe. This motion was loudly opposed by all the rest of the judges in equivalent terms, but Ashplant, who was resolute in his opinion, made another pathetic speech in the following manner. God, damn me, gentlemen, I am as good a man as the best of you. I am my soul if I ever turn my back to any man in my life or ever will by God. Glasby is an honest fellow, notwithstanding this misfortune, and I love him. Double, damn me if I don't. I hope he'll live and repent of what he has done, but damn me if he must die. I will die along with him, and thereupon he pulled out a pair of pistols and presented them to some of the learned judges upon the bench, who, perceiving his argument so well supported, thought it reasonable that Glasby should be acquitted, and so they all came over to his opinion and allowed it to be law. But all the mitigation that could be obtained for the other prisoners was that they should have the liberty of choosing any fault of the whole company to be their executioners. The poor wretches were tied immediately to the mast, and they're shot dead, pursuant to their villainous sentence. When they put to see again the prizes which had been detained only for fear of spreading any rumour concerning them, which had liked to have been so fatal at Corvo Coo with us disposed of, they burnt their own sloop and manned Norton's brigantine, sending the master away in the Dutch interloper, not dissatisfied. With the royal fortune and the brigantine, which they christened the good fortune, they pushed towards the latitude of Desiada to look out for provisions being very short again, and, just to their wish, Captain Hingston's ill fortune brought him in their way. Hingston was an extremely laid-in-figure maker. Him they carried to Bermuda, and plundered, and stretching back again to the West Indies, they continually met with some consignment or other, chiefly French, which stored them with plenty of provisions, and recruited their starving condition, so that, stocked with this sort of ammunition, they began to think of something worthy of their aim, for these robberies that only supplied what was in constant expenditure by no means answered their intentions, and, accordingly, they proceeded again for the coast of Guinea, where they thought to buy gold dust very cheap. In their passage-liver they took numbers of ships of all nations, some of which they burnt or sunk, as the carriage of characters of the master displeased them. Notwithstanding the successful adventures of this crew, yet it was with great difficulty they could be kept together under any kind of regulation, for, being almost always mad or drunk, their behaviour produced infinite disorders, every man being in his own imagination a captain, a prince, or a king. When Robert saw there was no managing of such a company of wild and governable brutes by gentle means, nor to keep them from drinking to excess, the cause of all their disturbances, he put on a rougher deportment, and a more magisterial carriage towards them, meeting whom he thought fit, and, if any seemed to resent his usage, he told them they might go ashore and take satisfaction of him if they thought fit at sword and pistol, for he neither valued or feared any of them. About four hundred leagues from the coast of Africa, the brigantine who had hitherto lived with them in all amicable correspondence, thought fit to take the opportunity of a dark night, and leave the Commodore, which leads me back to the relation of an accident that happened at one of the islands of the West Indies, where they watered before they undertook this voyage, which had liked to have thrown their government, such as it was, off the hinges, and was partly the occasion of the separation. The story is as follows. Captain Roberts, having been insulted by one of the drunken crew, whose name I have forgot, he, in the heat of his passion, killed the fellow on the spot, which was resented by a great many others, but particularly one Jones, a brisk, active young man, who died lately in the Marshall Sea, and was his messmate. This Jones was at that time ashore or watering the ship, but as soon as he came on board, was told that Captain Roberts had killed his comrade, upon which he cursed Roberts, and said he ought to be served so himself. Roberts, hearing Jones' invective, ran to him with a sword, and ran him into the body, who, notwithstanding his wound, seized the captain, threw him over a gun, and beat him handsomely. This adventure put the whole company in an uproar, and some taking part with the captain and others against him, there had liked to have ensued a general battle with one another, like my Lord Thorman's cocks. However the tumult was at length appeased by the meditation of the quartermaster, and as the majority of the company were of opinion, that the dignity of the captain ought to be supported on board, that it was a post of honour, and therefore the person whom they thought fit to confer it on should not be violated by any single member, wherefore they sentenced Jones to undergo two lashes from every one of the company for his misdemeanor, which was executed upon him as soon as he was well of his wound. This severe punishment did not at all convince Jones that he was in the wrong, but rather animated him to some sort of a revenge, but not being able to do it upon Roberts' person on board the ship. He and several of his comrades correspond with Anstis, captain of the Brigantine, and conspire with him and some of the principal pirates on board that vessel to go off from the company. What made Anstis a malcontent was the inferiority he studied with respect to Roberts, who carried himself with a haughty and magisterial air to him and his crew, he regarding the Brigantine only as a tender, and as such, left them no more than the refuse of their plunder. In short, Jones and his consult go on board of captain Anstis, unpretensive of a visit, and their consulting with their brethren they find a majority for leaving of Roberts, and so came to a resolution to bid a soft farewell, as they call it, that night, and to throw overboard whosoever should stick out, but they proved to be unanimous and affected the design as above mentioned. I shall have no more to say of captain Anstis till the story of Roberts is concluded, therefore I return to him in the pursuit of his voyage to Guinea. The loss of the Brigantine was a sensible shock to the crew. She being an excellent sailor, and had seventy hands aboard, however, Roberts, who was the occasion of it, put on a face of unconcern at this, his ill-conduct and mismanagement, and resolved not to alter his purposes upon that account. Roberts fell into windward Nye the Senegal, a river of great trade for gun, on this part of the coast, monopolised by the French, who constantly keep cruisers to hinder the interloping trade. At this time they had two small ships on that service, one of ten guns and sixty-five men, and the other of sixteen guns and seventy-five men, who, having got a sight of Mr. Roberts, and supposing him to be one of these prohibited traders, chased with all the sail they could make to come up with him, but their hopes which had brought them very nigh too late deceived them, for on the hoisting of Jolly Roger, the name they gave their black flag, their French hearts failed, and they both surrendered without any or at least very little resistance. With these prizes they went into Sierra Leone, and made one of them their consort by the name of the Ranger, and the other a storeship to clean by. Sierra Leone River disgorges with a large mouth, the starboard side of which drafts into little bays, safe and convenient for cleaning, and watering. What still made it preferable to the pirates is that the traders settled here, or naturally their friends. There are about thirty Englishmen in all, men who in some part of their lives have either been privateering, bookeneering or pirating, and still retain and love the riots and humours common to that sort of life. They live very friendly with the natives, and have many of them of both sexes to be their grometters or servants. The men are faithful, and the women so obedient, that they are very ready to prostitute themselves to whosoever their masters shall command them. The Royal African Company has a fort on a small island called Pence Island, but tis of little use, besides keeping their slaves, the distance making it incapable of giving any molestation to their starboard shore. Here lives at this place an old fellow who goes by the name of Crackers, who was formerly a noted bookeneer, and while he followed the calling, roped and plundered many a man. He keeps the best house in the place, has two or three guns before his door, with which he salutes his friends, the pirates when they put in, and lives a jovial life with him all the while they are there. Here follows a list of the rest of those lawless merchants and their servants, who carry on a private trade with the interlopers, to the great prejudice of the Royal African Company, who, with extraordinary industry and expense, have made and maintained settlements without any consideration from those who, without such settlements and forts, would soon be under an incapacity of pursuing any such private trade, wherefore, tis to be hoped, proper means will be taken to root out a pernicious set of people who have all their lives supported themselves by the labours of other men. Two of these fellows entered with Robert's crew, and continued with them till the destruction of the company. A list of the white men, now living on the high land of Sierra Leone, and the craft they occupy. John Ledston, three boats, and Perry Ago, his man Tom, his man John Brown, Alexander Middleton, one longboat, his man Charles Hawkins, John Pierce, partners, one longboat, William Mead, partners, one longboat, their man John Vernon, David Chapmers, one longboat, John Chapmers, one longboat, Richard Richardson, one longboat, Norton, partners, two longboats, and two smallboats, Richard Warren, partners, two longboats, and two smallboats, Roberts Glyn, partners, two longboats, and two smallboats, his man John Franks, William Waits, and one young man John Bonhamon, John England, one longboat, Robert Samples, one longboat, William Pressgrove, one slope, two longboats, a smallboat, and Perry Ago, Harry, one sloop, two longboats, a smallboat, and Perry Ago, Davis, one sloop, two longboats, a smallboat, and Perry Ago, Mitchell, one sloop, two longboats, a smallboat, and Perry Ago, Richard Lam, with Rocky Rodrigues, a Portuguese, George Bishop, Peter Brown, John Jones, one longboat, his Irish young man, at Rio Pungo, Benjamin Gunn, at Kiddum, George Yates, at Gelineas, Richard Lemons. The harbor is so convenient for wooding and watering that it occasions many of our trading ships, especially those of Bristol, to call in there with large cargoes of beer, cider, and strong liquors, which they exchange with these private traders for slaves and teeth, purchased by them at the Rio Nunes, and other places to the Northwood, so that here was what they call good living. End of Chapter 9, Part 5, Chapter 9, Part 6, of the General History of the Pirates, Volume 1. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Kate McKenzie. The General History of the Pirates, Volume 1, by Charles Johnson. Chapter 9, Part 6. Here, there, Roberts came the end of June, 1721, and had intelligence that the Swallow and Weymouth, two men of war of fifty guns each, had left that river about a month before, and designed to return about Christmas, so that the pirates could indulge themselves with all the satisfaction in the world, in that they knew they were not only secure whilst there, but that in going down the coast after the men of war, they should always be able to get such intelligence of their rendezvous as would serve to make their expedition safe. So, after six weeks' stay, the ships being cleaned and fitted, and the men weary of whoring and drinking, they thought themselves a business, and went to see the beginning of August, taking their progress down the whole coast as low as Jacques, plundering every ship they met of what was valuable in her, and sometimes to be more mischievously wicked, they would throw what they did not want overboard, accumulating cruelty to theft. In this range, they exchanged their old friendship for a fine frigate-built ship called the Onslo, belonging to the Royal African Company, Captain G. Commander, which happened to lie at Cestos to get water and necessaries for the company. A great many of Captain G.'s men were ashore when Roberts bore down, and so the ship consequently surprised into his hands, though had they all been on board it was not likely the case would have been otherwise, the sailors most of them voluntarily joining the pirates, and encouraging the same disposition in the soldiers, who were going passengers with them to Cape Corso Castle, whose ears, being constantly tickled with the feats and gallantry of those fellows, made them fancy that to go was only being bound on a voyage of night-errantry to relieve the distressed and gather up fame, and so they likewise offered themselves, but here the pirates were at a stand. They entertained so contemptible a notion of landmen that they put them off with refusals for some time, till at length, being wearied with solicitations and pitying a parcel of stout fellows which they said were going to starve upon a little canky and plantain, they accepted of them, and allowed them one quarter share, as it was then termed, out of charity. There was a clergyman on board the onslau, sent from England to be chaplain of Cape Corso Castle. Some of the pirates were for keeping him alleging merrily that their ship wanted a chaplain. Accordingly they offered him a share to take on with them, promising he should do nothing for his money but make punch and say prayers. Yet, however brutish they might be in other things, they bore so greater respect to his order that they resolved not to force him against his inclinations, and the parson having no relish for this sort of life excused himself from accepting the honour they designed him. They were satisfied, and generous enough to deliver him back everything he owned to be his. The parson laid hold of this favourable disposition of the pirates, and laid claim to several things belonging to others which were also given up to his great satisfaction. In fine they kept nothing which belonged to the church except three prayer books and a bottle screw. The pirates kept the onslau for their own use, and gave Captain G the friendship, and then fell to making such alterations as might fit her for a sea-rover, pulling down her bulkheads and making her flush, so that she became in all respect as complete a ship for their purpose as any they could have found. They continued to her the name of the Royal Fortune, and mounted her with forty guns. She and the Ranger proceeded, as I said before, to Jacques, and from thence to Old Calabare, where they arrived about October in order to clean their ships, a place the most suitable along the whole coast, for there is a bar with not above fifteen foot water upon it, and the channel intricate, so that have the men of war been sure of their being harboured there, they might still have bid defiance to their strength, for the depth of water at the bar, as well as the want of a pilot, was a sufficient security to the rovers, and invincible impediments to them. Here, therefore, they sat easy, and divided the fruits of their dishonest industry, and drank and drove care away. The pilot who brought them into this harbour was Captain L, who for this and other services was extremely well paid, according to the journal of their own accounts, which do not run in the ordinary and common way of debtor contra creditor, but much more concise, lumping it to their friends, and so carrying the debt in their heads against the next honest trader they meet. They took at Calabare Captain Lone, and two or three Bristol ships, their particulars of all, which would be an unnecessary prolixity, therefore I come now to give an account of the usage they received from the natives of this place. The Calabare Negroes did not prove so civil as they expected, for they refused to have any commerce or trade with them, when they understood they were pirates. And indication that these poor creatures, in the narrow circumstances they were in, and without the light of the gospel or the advantage of an education, have not withstanding such a moral innate honesty, as would up Braden's shame the most knowing Christian. But this did but exasperate these lawless fellows, and so a party of forty men would attach to force of correspondence or drive the Negroes to extremities, and they accordingly landed under the fire of their own cannon. The Negroes drew up in a body of two thousand men, as if they intended to dispute the matter with them, and stayed till the pirates advanced with them pistol shot. But finding the loss of two or three made no impression on the rest, the Negroes thought fit to retreat, which they did with some loss. The pirates set fire to the town, and then returned to their ships. This terrified the natives, and put an entire stop to all the intercourse between them, so that they could get no supplies, which obliged them as soon as they had finished the cleaning and trimming of their ships, to lose no time, but went for cable Lopez, and watered, and at Anobona took aboard a stock of fresh provisions, and then sailed for the coast again. This was their last and fatal expedition, which we shall be more particular in because it cannot be imagined that they could have had assurance to have undertaken it, but upon a presumption that the men of war, whom they knew were upon the coast, were unable to attack them, or else pursuant to the rumour that had indiscretionally obtained at Sierra Leone, gone further again. It is impossible at this time to think they could know of the weak and sickly condition they were in, and therefore founded the success of this second attempt upon the coast on the latter presumption, and this seems to be confirmed by their falling in with the coast as low as Cape Lahou, and even that was higher than they designed, in the beginning of January, and took the ship called the King Solomon, with twenty men in their boat and a trading vessel both belonging to the company. The pirate ship happened to fall about a leaked leeward of the King Solomon at Cape Apollonia, and the current and wind opposing their working up with the ship, they agreed to send the longboat, with a sufficient number of men to take her. The pirates are all volunteers on these occasions, the word being always given, who will go, and presently the stanch and firm men offer themselves, because by such readiness they recommend their courage, and have an allowance also of a shift of clothes, from head to foot, out of the prize. They rode towards the King Solomon with a great deal of alacrity, and, being hailed by the command of her, answered, Defiance. Captain Trahearne, before this, observing a great number of men in the boat, began not to like his visitors, and prepared to receive them, firing a musket as they came under his stern, which they returned with a volley, and made greater speed to get on board. Upon this he applied to his men, and asked them whether they would stand by him to defend the ship, it being a shame they should be taken by half their number, without any repulse. But his boatswain, Phillips, took upon him to be the mouth of the people, and put an end to the dispute. He said, plainly, he would not, lay down his arms in the King's name, as he was pleased to term it, and called out to the boat for quarters, so that the rest by his example were misled to the losing of the ship. When they came on board, they brought her under sail by an expeditious method of cutting the cable. Walden, one of the pirates telling the master, this yo' hope of heaving up the anchor was a needless trouble when they designed to burn the ship. They brought her under Commodore Roberts' stern, and not only rifled her of what sail's cordage, etc. they wanted for themselves, but wantonly throwed the goods of the company overboard, like spendthrifts, that neither expected or designed any account. On the same day also, they took the flushing at Dutch ship, robbed her of masts, yards and stores, and then cut down her foremast. But what sat as heavily as anything with this skipper was, there taking some fine sausages he had on board, of his wife's making, and stringing them in a ludicrous manner round their necks, till they had sufficiently showed their contempt of them, and then threw them into the sea. Others chopped the heads of his fouls off, to be dressed for their supper, and courteously invited the landlord, provided he would find liquor. It was a melancholy request to the man, but it must be complied with, and he was obliged, as they grew drunk, to sit quietly, and hear them sing French and Spanish songs out of his Dutch prayer books, with other profane-ness, that he, though a Dutchman, stood amazed at. In chasing too near in, they alarmed the coast, and expresses were sent to the English and Dutch factories giving an account of it. They were sensible of this error immediately, and because they would make the best of a bad market, resolved to keep out of sight of land, and lose the prizes they might expect between that and wider, to make for more sure of that port, where commonly is the best booty. All nations trading thither, especially Portuguese, who purchased chiefly with gold, the idol their hearts were bent upon. And, notwithstanding this unlikely course, they met and took several ships between Axiom and that place. The circumstantial stories of which, and the panic terrors they struck into his majesty's subjects, being tedious and unnecessary to elate, I shall pass by and come to their arrival in that road. They came to wider with a St George's ensign, a black silk flag flying at their mizzen peak, and a jack and pendant of the same. The flag had a death in it, with an hourglass in one hand, and cross-bones in the other, a dart by it, and underneath a heart dropping three drops of blood. The jack had a man portrayed in it, with a flaming sword in his hand, and, standing on two skulls, subscribed A-B-H and A-M-H, that is, a Barbadian's and a Martinican's head, as has been before taken notice of. Here they found eleven sail in the road, English, French and Portuguese. The French were three stout ships of thirty guns and upwards of a hundred men each, yet, when Roberts came to fire, they, with the other ships, immediately struck their colours and surrendered to his mercy. One reason it must be confessed of his easy victory was the commanders and a good part of the men being ashore, according to the custom of the place, to receive the cargoes and return the slaves, they being obliged to watch the seasons for it, which otherwise in so dangerous a sea as here would be impracticable. These all, except the porcupine, ransomed with him for eight pound of gold dust, a ship, not without the trouble of some letters passing and repassing from the shore before they could settle it, and, notwithstanding the agreement and payment, they took away one of the friendships, though with a promise to return her, if they found she did not sail well, taking with them several of her men for that end. Some of the foreigners, who never had dealing this way before, desired for satisfaction to their owners that they might have receipts for their money, which were accordingly given, a copy of one of them I have here subjoined, biz. This is to certify whom it may or doth concern that we, gentlemen of fortune, have received eight pounds of gold dust for the ransom of the hardy Captain Ditwit commander, so that we discharge the said ship. Witness our hands this 13th of January, 1721-22, Pat Roberts, Harry Glosby. Others were given to the Portuguese captains, which were in the same form, but, being signed by two waggish fellows, Viz Sutton and Simpson, they subscribed by the names of Aaron Wiflingpin, Sin Tugmutu, but there was something so singularly cruel and barbarous done here to the porcupine Captain Fletcher, as must not be passed over without special remark. This ship lay in the road, almost slaved, when the pirates came in, and the commander, being on shore, settling his accounts, was sent to for the ransom, but he excused it, as having no orders from the owners, thought the true reason might be that he thought it dishonorable to treat with robbers, and that the ship, separate from the slaves, towards whom he could mistrust no cruelty, was not worth the sum demanded. Hereupon Roberts sends the boat to transport the negroes in order to set her on fire, but, being in haste and finding that unshackling them cost much time and labour, they actually set her on fire, with eighty of those poor wretches on board, chained two and two together, under the miserable choice of perishing by fire or water. Those who jumped over board from the flames were seized by sharks of eracious fish in plenty in this road, and in their sight tore limb from limb alive, a cruelty unparalleled, and for which had every individual been hunged, few I imagine would think that justice had been rigorous. The pirates, indeed, were obliged to dispatch their business here in haste, because they had intercepted a letter from General Phipps to Mr Baldwin, the Royal African Company's agent at Wider, giving an account that Roberts had been seen to win would have caped three points, that he might the better guard against the damages to the company's ships, if he should arrive at that road before the swallow-man of war, which he assured him, at the time of the letter, was pursuing them to that place. Roberts called up his company, and desired they would hear Phipps's speech, for so he was pleased to call the letter, and, notwithstanding their vapouring, persuaded them of the necessity of moving, for, says he, such brave fellows cannot be supposed to be frightened of this news, yet that it were better to avoid dry blows, which is the best that can be expected, if overtaken. This advice weighed with them, and they got under sail, having stayed only from Thursday to Saturday night, and, at sea, voted for the island of Annabona, but the winds, hanging out of the way, crossed their purpose, and brought them to Cape Lopez, where I shall leave them for their approaching fate, and relate some further particulars of His Majesty's ship, the swallow, viz, where it was she has spent her time, during the mischief that was done, and by what means unable to prevent it. What also was the intelligence she received, and the measures thereon formed that at last brought two such strangers as Mr Roberts and Captain Ogle to meet in so remote a corner of the world. The swallow and weymouth left Sierra Leone, May 28th, where, I have already taken notice, Roberts arrived about a month after, and doubtless learned the intent of their voyage, and cleaning on the coast which made him set down with more security to his diversion, and furnish him with such intimations as made his first range down the coast in August following more prosperous, the swallow and weymouth being then, at the port of princes, a cleaning. From July 28th to September 20th, 1721, where, by a fatality, common to the irregularities of seamen, who cannot in such cases be kept under due restraints, they buried one hundred men in three weeks' time, and reduced the remainder of the ship's companies into so sickly a state that it was with difficulty they brought them to sail. And this misfortune was probably the ruin of Roberts, for it prevented the men of war as going back to Sierra Leone. As it was intended, there being a necessity of leaving his majesty's ship, Weymouth, in much the worst condition of the two, under the guns of Cape Corso, to impress men, being unable at this time either to hand the sails or weigh her anchor, and Roberts, being ignorant of occasion or alteration of the first design, fell into the mouth of danger, when he thought himself the farthest from it. For the men of war not endeavoring to attain further to Windward, when they came from princes, than to secure Cape Corso Road under their lee, they luckily hovered in the track he had took. The Swallow and Weymouth fell in with the continent of Cape Apollonia, October 20th, and there received the ungrateful news from one captain bird, a notice that awakened and put them on their guard, but they were far from expecting any temerity should ever bring him a second time on the coast while they were there. Therefore, the Swallow, having seen the Weymouth into Cape Corso Road November 10th, she plied to Windward as far as Basem, rather as an airing to recover a sickly ship's company, and show herself to the trade, which was found everywhere undisturbed, and were, for that reason, returning to her consort, when accidentally meeting a Portuguese ship, she told her that the day before she saw two ships chase into junk, an English vessel, which she believed must have fallen into their hands. On this story the Swallow clung her wind and endeavored to gain that place, but receiving soon after, October the 14th, a contrary report from Captain Plummer, an intelligent man in the Jason of Bristol, who had come farther to Windward and neither saw or heard anything of this. She turned her head down the second time, anchored at Cape Apollonia the 23rd, at Cape Treypuntas the 27th, and in Corso Road January the 7th, 1721 or two. They learned that their consort, the Weymouth, was, by the assistance of some soldiers from the castle, gone to Windward, to demand restitution of some goods or men belonging to the African company that were illegally detained by the Dutch at day Menace. And while they were regretting so long a separation, an express came to Captain Phipps from Axum the 9th, and followed by another from Dick's Cove, an English factory, with information that three ships had chased and taken a galley nigh Axum Castle and a trading boat belonging to the company. No doubt was made concerning what they were, it being taken for granted they were pirates, and supposed to be the same that had the August before infested the coast. The natural result, therefore, from these two advices was to hasten the Wida, for it was concluded the prizes they had taken had informed them how nigh the Swalla was, and with all how much better in health than she had been for some months past, so that unless they were very mad indeed they would, after being discovered, make the best of their way for Wida, and secure the booty there, without which their time and industry had been entirely lost, most of the gold lying in that corner. The Swalla wade from Cape Corso January the 10th, but was retarded by waiting some hours on the Margaret, a company ship at Acre, again on the Portugal, and a whole day at Apong, on a person they used to stile Miss Betty, a conduct that Mr. Phipps blamed, when he heard the pirates were missed at Wida. Although he had given it as his opinion, they could not be passed by and intimated that to stay a few hours would prove no prejudice. This, however, hindered the Swallows catching them at Wida, for the pirates came into that road with a fresh gale of wind the same day the Swalla was at Apong, and sailed the 13th of January from thence, that she arrived the 17th. She gained notice of them by a French shalip from Grand Papa the 14th at night, and from Little Papa next morning by a Dutch ship, so that the man of wars was on all sides as she thought, sure of her purchase, particularly when she made the ships, and discovered three of them to get under sail immediately at sight of her, making signals to one another as though they designed a defense, but they were found to be three French ships, and those at anchor Portuguese and English, all honest traders who had been ransacked and ransomed. This disappointment should grin the ship's company, who were very intent upon their market, which was reported to be an arm chest full of gold, and kept with three keys, though in all likelihood had they met with them in that open road, one or both would have made their escapes, or if they had thought sit to have fought, an emulation in their defense would probably have made it desperate. While they were contemplating on the matter, a letter was received from Mr. Baldwin, Governor here for the company, signifying that the pirates were at Jaquin, seven leagues lower. The swallow weighed at two next morning, January the 16th, and got to Jaquin by daylight, but to no other end than frightening the crews of two Portuguese ships on shore who took her for the pirate that had struck such terror at Wida. She returned therefore that night, and having been strengthened by thirty volunteers, English and French, the discarded crews of the porcupine and the French ship they had carried from hence, she put to sea again January the 19th, conjecturing that either Calabar, Princes, the River Gabon, Cape Lopez, or Anabona must be touched at for water and refreshment, though they should resolve to leave the coast. As to the former of those places I have before observed, it was hazardous to think of or rather impracticable. Princes had been a sour grape to them, but being the first in the way she came before the harbor the 29th, we're learning no news without losing time, steered for the River Gabon and anchored at the mouth of it February the 1st. This river is navigable by two channels, and has an island about five leagues up, called Popa Guay's or Parrots, where the Dutch cruisers for this coast generally clean, and where sometimes pirates come in to look for prey or to refit, it being very convenient by reason of a soft mud about it that admits a ship's line on shore with all her guns and stores in without damage. Hither Captain Agil sent his boat and a lieutenant who spoke with the Dutch ship above the island and from whom he had this account, Viz, that he had been four days from Cape Lopez and had left no ship there, however they beat up for the Cape without regard to this story and on the 5th at Donning was surprised with the noise of a gun, which as the day brightened they found was from Cape Lopez Bay where they discovered three ships in anchor, the largest with the king's colors and pendant flying which was soon concluded to be Mr. Roberts and his consorts, but the swallow being to winward and unexpectedly deep in the bay was obliged to steer off for avoiding a sand called the Frenchman's Bank, which the pirates observed for some time and rashly interpreting it to be fear in her, righted the French Ranger which was then on the heel and ordered her to chase out in all haste, vending several of their sails in the pursuit. The man of war finding they had foolishly mistaken her design humored the deceit and kept off to sea as if she had been really afraid and managed her steerage so under the direction of lieutenant's son and experienced officer as to let the Ranger come up with her when they thought they had got so far as not to have their guns heard by her consort at the Cape. The pirates had such an opinion of their own courage that they could never dream anybody would use a stratagem to speak with them and so was the more easily drawn into the snare. The pirates now drew nigh enough to fire their chase guns. They hoisted the black flag that was worn in wider road and got their spritz sail yard along ships with intent to board, no one having ever asked all this while what country ship they took the chase to be. They would have her to be a Portuguese, sugar being then a commodity among them, and were swearing every minute at the wind or sails to expedite so sweet a chase. But alas, all turned sour in an instant. It was with the utmost consternation they saw her suddenly bring to and haul up her lower ports, now within pistol shot, and struck their black flag upon it directly. After the first surprise was over they kept firing at a distance, hoisted it again, and vapored with their cut lashes on the poop, though wisely endeavoring at the same time to get away. Being now at their wit's end, boarding was proposed by the heads of them, and so to make one desperate push. But the motion not being well seconded, and their main top mass coming down by a shot after two hours firing, it was declined. They grew sick, struck their colors, and called out for quarters, having had ten men killed outright and twenty wounded, without the loss or hurt of one of the king's men. She had thirty-two guns, manned with sixteen Frenchmen, twenty Negroes, and seventy-seven English. The colors were thrown overboard, that they might not rise in judgment, nor be displayed in triumph over them. While the swallow was sending their boat to fetch the prisoners, a blast and smoke was seen to pour out of the great cabin, and they thought they were blowing up. But upon inquiry afterwards found that half a dozen of the most desperate, when they saw all hopes fled, had drawn themselves round what powder they had left in the steerage, and fired a pistol into it. But it was too small a quantity to affect anything more than burning them in a frightful manner. This ship was commanded by one scrim. A Welchman, who, though he had lost his leg in the action, would not suffer himself to be dressed or carried off the deck. But, like Widington, fought upon his stump. The rest appeared gay and brisk. Most of them with white shirts, watches, and a deal of silk vests. But the gold dust belonging to them was most of it left in the Little Ranger in the bay, this company's proper ship, with the royal fortune. I cannot take notice of two among the crowd, of those disfigured with the blast of powder just before mentioned, Viz, William Main, and Roger Ball. An officer of the ship seen a silver call hung at the west of the former, said to him, I presume you are Bosen of this ship. Then you presume wrong, answered he, for I am Bosen of the royal fortune, Captain Robert's commander. Then, Mr. Bosen, you will be hanged, I believe, replies the officer. That is, as your honor pleases, answered he again, and was for turning away. But the officer desired to know of him how the powder, which had made them in that condition, came to take fire. By God, says he, they are all mad and bewitched, for I have lost a good hat by it, the hat and he being both blown out of the cabin gallery into the sea. But what signifies a hat, friend, says the officer. Not much, answered he, the men being busy in stripping him of his shoes and stockings. The officer then inquired of him whether Robert's company were as likely fellows as these. There are one hundred twenty of them, answered he, as clever fellows as ever trod shoe-lever. Would I were with them? No doubt on it, says the officer. By God, it is the naked truth, answered he, looking down and seeing himself by this time quite stripped. The officer then approached Roger Ball, who was seated in a private corner with a look as sullen as winter, and asked him how he came blown up in that frightful manner. Why, says he, John Morris fired a pistol into the powder, and if he had not done it, I would, bearing his pain without the least complaint. The officer gave him to understand he was surgeon, and if he desired it, he would dress him. But he swore it should not be done, and that if anything was applied to him, he would tear it off. Nevertheless, the surgeon had good nature enough to dress him, though with much trouble. At night he was in a kind of delirium, and raved on the bravery of Robert's, saying he should shortly be released, as soon as they should meet him, which procured him a lashing down upon the forecastle, which he resisting with all his force, caused him to be used with the more violence, so that he was tied down with so much severity that his flesh being sore and tender with the blowing up, he died next day of a mortification. They secured the prisoners with pinions and shackles, but the ship was so much disabled in the engagement that they had once thoughts to set her on fire. But this would have given them the trouble of taking the pirates wounded men on board themselves, and that they were certain the Royal Fortune would wait for their consort's return. They lay by her two days, repairing her rigging and other damages, and sent her into princes with the Frenchmen, and four of their own hands. On the ninth in the evening the swallow gained the cape again, and saw the Royal Fortune standing into the bay with the Neptune, Captain Hill, of London. A good presage of the next day's success, for they did not doubt, but the temptation of liquor and plunder they might find in this their new prize would make the pirates very confused, and so it happened. On the tenth in the morning the man of war bore away to round the cape. Roberts's crew, discerning their mass over the land, went down into the cabin to acquaint him of it. He being then at breakfast with his new guest, Captain Hill, on a savory dish of Salamungandé, and some of his own beer. He took no notice of it, and his men almost as little. Some saying she was a Portuguese ship, others a French slave ship, but the major parts were it was the French ranger returning, and were merrily debating for some time on the manner of reception, whether they should salute or not. But as the swallow approached Nyer, things appeared plainer, and though they were stigmatized with the name of cowards who showed any apprehension of danger, yet some of them, now undeceived, declared it to Roberts, especially one Armstrong who had deserted from that ship and knew her well. Those Roberts swore at as cowards who meant to dishearten the men, asking them if it were so, whether they were afraid to fight or no, and hardly refrain from blows. What his own apprehensions were, till she hauled up her ports and hoisted their proper colors, is uncertain. But then being perfectly convinced, he slipped his cable, got under sail, and ordered his men to arms without any show of timidity, dropping a first-rate oath that it was a fight, but at the same time resolved like a gallant row to get clear or die. There was one Armstrong, as I just mentioned, a deserter from the swallow whom they inquired of concerning the trim and sailing of that ship. He told them she sailed best upon a wind, and therefore, if they designed to leave her, they should go before it. The danger was imminent, and time very short to consult of means to extricate himself. His resolution in this trait was as follows, to pass close to the swallow, with all her sails, and receive her broadside before they return to shot, if disabled by this, or that they could not depend on sailing, than to run on shore at the point, which is steep too, and every one to shift for himself among the negroes, or sailing in these to board and blow up together. For he saw that the greatest part of his men were drunk, passively courageous, unfit for service. Roberts himself made a gallant figure at the time of the engagement, being dressed in a rich crimson damask waistcoat and britches, a red feather in his hat, a gold chain round his neck, and a diamond cross hanging to it, a sword in his hand, and two pair of pistols hanging at the end of a silk sling flung over his shoulder, according to the fashion of the pirates, and is said to have given his orders with boldness and spirit. Coming according to what he had proposed, close to the man of war, received her fire, and then hoisted his black flag and returned it. Shooting away from her, with all the sail he could pack, and had he took Armstrong's advice to have gone before the wind, he had probably escaped. But keeping his tax down, either by the winds shifting, or ill-steerage, or both, he was taken aback with his sails, and the swallow came to a second time very nigh to him. He had now perhaps finished the fight very desperately. If death, who took a swift passage in a grape-shot, had not interposed, and struck him directly on the throat, he settled himself on the tackles of a gun, which once, Stevenson, from the helm observing, ran to his assistance, and not perceiving him wounded, swore at him, and bid him stand up and fight like a man. But when he found his mistake, and that his captain was certainly dead, he gushed into tears, and wished the next shot might be his lot. They presently threw him overboard, with his arms and ornaments on, according to the repeated request he made in his lifetime. Roberts was a tall black man, near forty years of age, born at Nui Bai, Nye Haverford West, in Pembrokeshire, of good natural parts and personal bravery, though he applied them to such wicked purposes as made them of no commendation, frequently drinking, damned to him who ever lived to wear a halter. He was forced himself at first among this company out of the prince. Captain Plam, at Anameba, about three years before, where he served as second mate, and shed, as he used to tell the French men, as many crocodile tears then as they did now, but time and good company had wore it off. He could not plead want of employment, nor incapacity of getting his bread in an honest way, to favor so vile a change, nor was he so much a coward as to pretend it. But frankly owned, it was to get rid of the disagreeable superiority of some masters he was acquainted with, and the love of novelty and change, maritime peregrinations had accustomed him to. In an honest service, says he, there is thin commons, low wages, and hard labor. In this, plenty and seity, pleasure and ease, liberty and power, and who would not balance creditor on this side, when all the hazard that is run for it at worst is only a sour look or two at choking? No, a merry life and a short one shall be my motto. Thus he preached himself into an approbation of what he at first abhorred, and being daily regaled with music, drinking, and the gaity and diversions of his companions, these depraved propensities were quickly edged and strengthened, to the extinguishing of fear and conscience. Yet among all the vile and ignomonious acts he had perpetrated, he is said to have had an aversion towards forcing men into that service, and had procured some their discharge, notwithstanding so many made it their plea. THE GENERAL HISTORY OF THE PIRATES VOLUME 1 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Kate McKenzie. The General History of the Pirates, Volume 1, by Charles Johnson. Chapter 9, Part 8 When Roberts was gone, as though he had been the life and soul of the gang, their spirits sunk. Many deserted their quarters, and all stupidly neglected any means for defence or escape, and their main mast soon after being shot by the board. They had no way left but to surrender and call for quarters. The swallow kept aloof, while her boat passed and repast for the prisoners, because they understood they were under an oath to blow up, and some of the desperados showed a willingness that way, matches being lighted, and scuffles happening between those who would, and those who opposed it. But I cannot easily account for this humour, which can be termed no more than a false courage, since any of them had power to destroy his own life, either by pistol or drowning, without involving others in the same fate, who are in no temper of mind for it, and at best it had been only dying for fear of death. She had forty guns and a hundred and fifty-seven men, forty-five were of one negroes. Three only were killed in the action without any loss to the swallow. There was found upwards of two thousand pounds in gold dust in her. The flag could not be got easily from under the fallen mast, and was therefore recovered by the swallow. It had the figure of a skeleton in it, and a man portrayed with a flaming sword in his hand, intimating a defiance of death itself. The swallow returned back into Cape Lopez Bay, and found the little ranger, whom the pirates had deserted in haste, for the better defence of the ship. She had been plundered, according to what I could learn, of two thousand pounds in gold dust, the shares of those pirates who belonged to her, and Captain Hill in the Neptune, not unjustly suspected, for he would not wait the man of war's returning into the bay again, but sailed away immediately, making no scruple afterwards to own the seizure of other goods out of her, and surrendered, as a confirmation of all, fifty ounces of Barbados, for which see the article at the end of this book. All persons who, after the 29th of September, sixteen ninety, etc. To sum up the whole, if it be considered, first that the sickly state of the men of war, when they sailed from princes, was the misfortune that hindered their being as far as Sierra Leone, and consequently out of the track the pirates then took. That those pirates, directly contrary to their design, in the second expedition, should get above Cape Corso, and that nigh ax him, a chase should offer that inevitably must discover them, and be soon communicated to the men of war. That, the satiating their evil and malicious tempers at wider, in burning the porcupine, and running off with their friendship, had strengthened the swallow with thirty men. That the swallow should miss them in that road, where probably she had not, or at least so effectively obtained, her end. That they should be so far infatuated at Capilopas as to divide their strength, which, when collected, might have been so formidable. And lastly, that the conquest should be without bloodshed, I say, considering all these circumstances, it shows that the hand of providence was concerned in their destruction. As to their behaviour after they were taken, it was found that they had great inclinations to rebel, if they could have laid hold of any opportunity, for they were very uneasy under restraint, having been lately all commanders themselves, nor could they brook their diet or quarters without cursing and swearing, and upbraiding each other with the folly that had brought them to it. So that to secure themselves against any mad desperate undertaking of theirs, they strongly barricaded the gun room, and made another prison before it, an officer with pistols and cutlasses, doing duty night and day, and the prisoners within, manacled and shackled. They would yet in these circumstances be impidentally merry, saying, when they viewed their nakedness, that they had not left them a harpeny to give old Sharon to ferry them over the sticks. And at their thin commons, they would observe, that they fell away so fast, that they should not have weight left to hang them. Sutton used to be very profane, he happening to be in the same irons with another prisoner, who was more serious than ordinary, and read and prayed often, as became his condition. This man Sutton used to swear at and ask him, what he proposed by so much noise and devotion, heaven, says the other, I hope. Heaven, you fool, says Sutton, did you ever hear of any pirates going thither? Give me hell, it's a merry a place, I'll give Roberts a salute of thirteen guns at entrance. And when he found such ludicrous expressions had no effect on him, he made a formal complaint, and requested that the officer would either remove this man, or take his prayer-book away as a common disturber. A combination and conspiracy was formed, betwixt Moody, Ashplant, Magnus, Mare, and others, to rise and kill the officers, and run away with a ship. This they had carried on by means of a mulatto-boy, who was allowed to attend them, and proved very trusty in his messages between the principles. But the evening of that night they were to have made this struggle. Two of the prisoners that sat next to Ashplant heard the boy whisper them upon the project, and, naming to him the hour they should be ready, presently gave notice of it to the captain, which put the ship in an alarm for a little time, and, on examination, several of them had made shift to break off, or lose their shackles, no doubt for such purpose, but it tended only to procure to themselves worse usage and confinement. In the same passage to Cape Corso, the prize royal fortune was in the same danger. She was left at the island of St. Thomas' in the possession of an officer and a few men to take in some fresh provisions, which was scarce at Cape Corso, with orders to follow the ship. There were only some of the pirate's negroes, three or four wounded prisoners, and scudamore their surgeon, from whom they seemed to be under no apprehension, especially from the last who might have hoped for favour on account of his employ, and had stood so much indebted for his liberty, eating and drinking constantly with the officer, yet this fellow, regardless of the favour, and lost to all sense of reformation, endeavoured to bring over the negroes to his design of murdering the people, and running away with the ship. He easily prevailed with the negroes to come into the design, but, when he came to communicate it to his fellow prisoners, and would have drawn them into the same measures by telling them, he understood navigation that the negroes were stout fellows, and by a smattering he had in the Angolan language he had found willing to undertake such an enterprise, and that it was better venturing to do this, run down the coast and raise a new company, than to proceed to Cape Corso, and be hanged like a dog and sun-dried. One of them abhorring the cruelty, or fearing the success, discovered it to the officer, who made him immediately a prisoner, and brought the ship safe. When they came to be lodged in Cape Corso Castle, their hopes of this kind all cut off, and that they were assured they must there soon receive a final sentence. The note was changed among most of them, and from vain, insolent jesting, they became serious and avowed, begging for good books, and joining in public prayers, and singing of psalms, twice at least every day. As to their trials, if we should give them at length, it may appear tedious to the reader, for which reason I have, for the avoiding tautology and repetition, put as many of them together as were tried for the same fact, reserving the circumstances which are most material, with observations on the dying behaviour of such of them as came to my knowledge. And first it may be observed from the list that a great part of these pirate ship's crews were men entered on the coast of Africa, not many months before they were taken. From whence it may be concluded that the pretended constraint of robberts on them was very often a complotment between parties equally willing, and this robberts several times openly declared, particularly to the onslows people whom he called aft and asked of them, who was willing to go as he would force nobody, as was deposed by some of his best hands after acquittal. Nor is it reasonable to think he should reject Irish volunteers only from a peak against Kennedy, and force others that might hazard, and in time destroy his government. But their behaviour soon put him out of this fear, and convinced him that the plea of force was only the best artifice they had to shelter themselves under, in case they should be taken, and that they were less rogues than other only in point of time. It may likewise be taken notice of that the country wherein they happened to be tried is among other happinesses exempted from alloys and law books, so that the office of register of necessity fell on one, not versed in those affairs which might justify the court in want of form more essentially supplied with integrity and impartiality. But perhaps if there was less law there might be more justice than in some other courts, for if the civil law be a law of universal reason, judging of the rectitude or obliquity of men's actions, every man of common sense is endued with a portion of it, at least sufficient to make him distinguish right from wrong, or what the civilians call marlin in say. Therefore, here, if two persons were equally guilty of the same fact, there was no convicting one and bringing the other off by any quirk or turn of law, for they formed their judgments upon the constraint or willingness, the aim and intention of the parties, and all other circumstances which make a material difference. Besides, in crimes of this nature, men bred up to this sea must be more knowing and much abler than others more learned in the law, for, before a man can have a right idea of a thing, he must know the terms standing for that thing, the sea terms being a language by itself which no lawyer can be supposed to understand, he must have consequence want that discriminating faculty which should direct him to judge right of the fact meant by those terms. The court well knew it was not possible to get the evidence of every sufferer by this crew, and therefore, first of all, considered how that deficiency should be supplied, whether or no, they could pardon one John Dennis, who had early offered himself as King's evidence and was the best read in their lives and conversations. Here indeed, they were at a loss for law, and concluded in the negative, because it looked like compounding with a man to swear falsely, losing by it those great helps he could have afforded. Another great difficulty in their proceedings was how to understand those words in the act of parliament of particularly specifying in the charge the circumstances of time, place, etc., that is, so to understand them as to be able to hold a court, for if they had been indicted on particular robberies, the evidence had happened mostly from the Royal African Company ships on which these gentlemen of Cape Corso Castle were not qualified to sit, their oath running, that they have no interest directly or indirectly in the ship or goods for the robbery of which the party stands accused, and this they thought they had, commissions being paid them on such goods. And on the other side, if they were incapacitated, no court could be formed, the commission absolutely requiring three of them by name. To reconcile all things therefore, the court resolved to bottom the whole of their proceedings on the swallow's depositions, which were clear and plain, and had the circumstance of time when, place, where, manner, how, and the like particularly specified according to the statute in that case made and provided. But this admitted only a general intimation of robbery in the indictment, therefore to approve their clemency, it looking arbitrary on the lives of men to lump them to the gallows in such a someri way as must have been done had they solely adhered to the swallow's charge, they resolved to come to particular trials. Secondly, that the prisoners might not be ignorant whereon to answer, and so have all fair advantages to excuse and defend themselves. The court farther agreed with justice and equanimity to hear any evidence that could be brought to weaken or corroborate the three circumstances that complete a pirate. First, being a volunteer amongst them at the beginning. Secondly, being a volunteer at the taking or robbing of any ship. Or, lastly, voluntarily accepting a share in the booty of those that did fall by a parity of reason where these actions were of their own disposing and yet committed by them it must be believed their hearts and hands joined together in what they acted against his majesty ship, the swallow. Chapter 9 of the General History of the Pirates, Volume 1. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the Pollock domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Kate McKenzie. The General History of the Pirates, Volume 1 by Charles Johnson. Chapter 9, Part 9. The Trials of the Pirates Taken by his majesty's ship, the swallow, begun at Cape Corso Castle on the coast of Africa, March the 28th, 1722. The commission empowered any three named therein to call to their assistance such a number of qualified persons as might make the court always consist of seven. And, accordingly, summons were signed to Lieutenant Joseph Barnsley, Lieutenant Christopher Fanshawe, Captain Samuel Hartseys, and Captain William Mingus. By virtue of a power and authority to us given, by a commission from the king under the seal of Admiralty, you are hereby required to attend and make one of the court for the trying and the judging of the pirates, lately taken on this coast by his majesty's ship, the swallow. Given under our hands is 28th of March, 1722, at Cape Corso Castle. Mungo Herdman, James Phipps, Henry Dodson, Francis Boy, Edward Hyde. The commissioners being met in the hall of the castle, the commission was first read, after which the president and then the other members took the oath, prescribed in the act of parliament, and having directed the form of that for witnesses as follows, the court was opened. I, AB, solemnly promise and swear on the holy evangelists, to bear true and faithful witness between the king and prisoner, or prisoners, in relation to the fact or facts of piracy and robbery, he or they do now stand accused of, so help me God. The court consisted of Captain Mungo Herdman, president, James Phipps, General of the Coast, Mr. H. Dodson, merchant, Mr. Francis Boy, merchant, Mr. Edward Hyde, secretary to the company, Lieutenant John Barnsley, Lieutenant Christopher Fanshawe. The following prisoners, out of the pirate ship Ranger, having been commanded before them, the charge or indictment was exhibited. There now follows a list of prisoners taken in the Ranger. It lists their names, the ships they're from, and the time when they were captured. James Skirm Greyhound Sloop, October 1720. Richard Hardy, Pirate with Davis, 1718. William Main, Brigantine Captain, Pete, June 1720. Henry Dennis, Pirates with Captain Davis, 1718. Valerie Ashplant, Pirates with Captain Davis, 1719. Robert Birdson, Pirates with Captain Davis, 1719. Richard Harris, Phoenix of Bristol, Captain Richards, June 1720. D. Little John, Phoenix of Bristol, Captain Richards, June 1720. Thomas Howe, Ed Newfoundland, June 1720. Herbert Hunkins, Success Sloop. Hugh Harris, Willing Mind, July 1720. William McIntosh, July 1720. Ship Unlisted Thomas Wills, Richard of Bideford, July 1720. John Wilden, Marion Martha, July 1720. James Greenham, Little York, Phillips Master, July 1720. John Jainson, Love of Lancaster, July 1720. Christopher Lang, Thomas, Brigantine, September 1720. John Mitchell, Norman Galley, October 1720. T. Widstamnot, Norman Galley, October 1720. Peter Lafever, Jeremiah and Anne, April 1720. William Shurin, Jeremiah and Anne, April 1720. William Watts, Sierra Leone, of Master Glyn, July 1721. William Davis, Sierra Leone of Señor Jose, July 1721. James Barrow, Martha Snow, Captain Lady, no date. Joshua Lee, Martha Snow, Captain Lady, no date. Robert Hartley, the first. Robinson of Liverpool, Captain Canning, August 1721. James Crane, Robinson of Liverpool, Captain Canning, August 1721. George Smithson, Stanich Galley, Captain Tarleton, August 1721. Roger Pie, Stanich Galley, Captain Tarleton, August 1721. Robert Fletcher, Stanich Galley, Captain Tarleton, August 1721. Robert Hartley, the second. Stanich Galley, Captain Tarleton, August 1721. Andrew Brantz, a Dutch ship, August 1721. Cuthbert Goss, Mercy, Galley of Bristol at Calibur, October 1721. Thomas Giles, Mercy, Galley of Bristol at Calibur, October 1721. Israel Hind, Mercy, Galley of Bristol at Calibur, October 1721. The following list of men were captured in January 1721-2. William Church, Getoist of Holland, Philip Hark, Flushingham of Holland, William Smith, Elizabeth, Captain Sharp, Adam Comrie, Elizabeth, Captain Sharp, William Graves, King Solomon, Captain Trahearne of Cape Apollonia, Peter Devine, King Solomon, Captain Trahearne of Cape Apollonia, John Johnson, King Solomon, Captain Trahearne of Cape Apollonia, John Stodgill, King Solomon, Captain Trahearne of Cape Apollonia, Henry Dawson, Wider's Loop at Jacques, William Glass, Wider's Loop at Jacques, Josiah Robinson, Tarleton, Captain Thomas Tarleton, John Arnott, Tarleton, Captain Thomas Tarleton, John Davis, Tarleton, Captain Thomas Tarleton, Henry Graves, Talton, Captain Thomas Talton. Thomas Howard, Talton, Captain Thomas Talton. John Reimer, Talton, Captain Thomas Talton. Thomas Clippen, Talton, Captain Thomas Talton. William Guineas, Porcupine, Captain Fletcher. James Kozins, No Ship Listed. Thomas Stretton, Onslow, Captain G at Cestos. William Petty, Onslow, Captain G at Cestos. Michael Lemon, Onslow, Captain G at Cestos. William Wood, Onslow, Captain G at Cestos. Edward Watts, Onslow, Captain G at Cestos. John Horne, Onslow, Captain G at Cestos. The following were captured from the French ship in Wider Road, February 1721 to 22. Pierre Ravent, Peter Grossi. John Duggan, from the Rents Fragure. James Argyne, of the Louis Arnault. Etriangelio, from the Rents Tobi. Renault Marro, from the Fragure. John Gittin, from the Guma. Joseph Richard, from the Jean Paquet. John Lavogue, from the Al-Aprigun. John Duplacy, from the Piaz Chilot. You, James Sker, Michael Lemon, Robert Hartley, etc. Ye and every one of you are in the name and by the authority of our dread sovereign Lord, George King of Great Britain, indicted as follows. For as much as in open contempt of the laws of your country, ye have all of you been wickedly united in article together for the annoyance and disturbance of His Majesty's trading subjects by sea, and have in conformity to the most evil and mischievous intentions been twice down the coast of Africa with two ships, once in the beginning of August and a second time in January last, sinking, burning or robbing such ships and vessels as then happened in your way. Particularly, ye stand charged of the instance and information of Captain Chelonet Orgel as traitors and pirates, for the unlawful opposition ye made to His Majesty's ship the swallow under his command. For that on the 5th of February last past, upon sight of the aforesaid King's ship, ye did immediately weigh anchor from under Cape Lopez on the southern coast of Africa in a French built ship of 32 guns, called the Ranger, and did pursue and chase the aforesaid King's ship with such dispatch and precipitancy as declared ye common Robertson pirates. That about ten o'clock the same morning, drawing within gunshot of His Majesty's aforesaid ship the swallow, ye hoisted a piratical black flag and fired several chase guns to deter, as much as ye were able, His Majesty's servants from their duty. That an hour after this, being very nigh to the aforesaid King's ship, ye did audaciously continue in a hostile defence and assault for about two hours more in open violation of the laws and in defiance to the King's colours and commission. And, lastly, but in the acting and compassing of all this, ye were all and every one of you in a wicked combination, voluntarily to exert and actually did in your several stations, used your utmost endeavours to distress the said King's ship and murder His Majesty's good subjects, to which they severally pleaded, not guilty. Then the court called for the officers of the swallow, Mr Isaac's son Lieutenant Ralph Baldrick Boatswain, Daniel McLaughlin, mate, desiring them to view the prisoners, whether they knew them, and to give an account in what manner they had attacked and fought the King's ship, and they agreed as follows. That they had viewed all the prisoners as they stood now, before the court, and were assured that they were the same taken out of one or other of the pirate ships, Row Fortune or Ranger, but verily believed them to be taken out of the Ranger. That they did in the King's ship at break of day on Monday, the 5th of February, 1721 to 2, discover three ships at Anker, under Cape Lopez, on the southern coast of Africa, the Cape bearing then west-south-west about three leagues, and perceiving one of them to have a pendant flying, and having heard their morning gun before, they immediately suspected them to be Roberts the Pirate, his consort, and a French ship they knew had been lately carried out of wider road. The King's ship was obliged to haul off north-west and west-north-west to avoid a sand, called the Frenchman's Bank, the wind then at south-south-east, and found, at half an hour's time, one of the three had got under sail from the Corrine, and was bending her sails in a chase towards them. To encourage this rashness and precipitancy, they kept away before the wind, as though afraid, but with their tacks on board, their main-yard braced and making, at the same time, very bad steerage. About half an hour after ten in the morning, the pirate ship came within gun-shot, and fired four chase-guns, hoisted a black flag at the mizzen-peak, and got their spirit-sail yard under their bow-sprit for boarding. In half an hour more, approaching Stillnaya, they star-boarded their helm, and gave her a broadside, the pirate bringing to and returning the same. After this, the opponents say, their fire grew slack for some time, because the fire-rit was shot so far ahead on the weather-bow, that few of their guns could point to her. Yet in this interval their black flag was either shot away, or hauled down a little space, and hoisted again. At length, by their ill steerage and favour of the wind, they came near a second time, and, about two in the afternoon, shot away their main top-mast. The colours they fought under, besides a black flag, were a red English ensign, a king's jack, and a Dutch pendant, which they struck at, or about three in the afternoon, and called for quarters. It proved to be a French-built ship of thirty-two guns, called the Ranger, as ex-un Ralph Baldrick Daniel McLaughlin. When the evidence had been heard, the prisoners were called upon to answer, how they came on board this pirate ship, and their reason for so audacious a resistance that had been made against the kingship. To this, each in his reply, owned himself to be one of those taken out of the Ranger, that he had signed their piratical articles and shared in their plunder, some few only accepted who had been there too short a time. But that neither in this signing or sharing, nor in the resistance had been made against his majesty's ship had they been volunteers, but had acted in these several parts from a terror of death, which a law amongst them was to be the portion of those who refused. The court then asked, who made those laws, how those guns came to be fired, or why they had not deserted their stations and mutinied when so fair a prospect of redemption offered. They replied, still, with the same answers, and could extenuate their crimes with no other plea than being forced men. Wherefore, the court were of opinion that the indictment, as it charged them with an unlawful attack on resistance of the kingship, was sufficiently proved. But then it being undeniably evident that many of these prisoners had been forced, and some of them are very short standing, they did, on mature deliberation come to this merciful resolution. That they would hear further evidence for or against each person's singly in relation to those parts of the indictment which declared them volunteers, or charged them with aiding and assisting at the burning, sinking, and robbing of other ships. For, if they acted or assisted in any robberies or devastations, it would be a conviction they were volunteers. Here such evidence, though it might want the form, still carried the reason of the law with it. The charge was exhibited also against the following pirates taken out of the royal fortune. Michael Mayer, in the rover five years ago, Christopher Moody, under Davis, 1718, Mark Johnson, a Dutch ship, 1718, James Phillips, the Revenge, Pirates Loop, 1717, David Simpson, Pirates with Davis, no date, Thomas Sutton, Pirates with Davis, no date, Hag Jacobson, a Dutch ship, 1719, William Williams I, Sadbury, Captain Thomas Newfoundland, 1719, William Fernan, Sadbury, Captain Thomas Newfoundland, June 1720, William Williams II, Sadbury, Captain Thomas Newfoundland, June 1720, Roger Scott, Sadbury, Captain Thomas Newfoundland, no date, Thomas Owen, York of Bristol, May 1720, William Taylor, York of Bristol, May 1720, Joseph Nosita, Expedition of Topsin, May 1720, John Parker, Willing Mind of Pool, July 1720, Robert Crowe, Happy Return, Slope, July 1720, George Smith, Mary and Martha, July 1720, James Clements, Success, Slope, July 1720, John Walden, Blessing of Limington, July 1720, Jonathan Mansfield, from Mott and Eek, no date, James Harris, Richard Pink, no date, John Phillips, a Fishing Boat, no date, Harry Glasby, Samuel, Captain Carey, July 1720, Hugh Mingus, Samuel, Captain Carey, July 1720, William Magnus, no details, Joseph Moore, Mayflower, Slope, February 1720, John Dufrock, Lloyd Galli, Captain Hingston, May 1721, William Champtney's, Lloyd Galli, Captain Hingston, May 1721, George Danson, Lloyd Galli, Captain Hingston, May 1721, Isaac Russell, Lloyd Galli, Captain Hingston, deceased, Robert Lilburn, Jeremiah and Anne, Captain Turner, April 1721, Robert Johnson, Jeremiah and Anne, Captain Turner, April 1721, William Darling, Jeremiah and Anne, Captain Turner, April 1721, William Mead, Jeremiah and Anne, Captain Turner, deceased, Thomas Diggles, Christopher Snow, April 1721, Benjamin Jeffries, Norman Galli, April 1721, John Frontier, a Sluperson, Nicholas, April 1721, Dee Harding, a Dutch Ship, April 1721, John Coleman, Adventure Slope, April 1721, Charles Bunce, a Dutch Galli, April 1721, R. Armstrong, a Dutch Run from the Swallow, April 1721, The following were captured in May 1721, taken from the Onslo, Captain G, at Cestos, Abraham Harper, Peter Leslie, John Jessup, the first, Thomas Watkins, Philip Bill, Jonathan Stevenson, James Crumby, Thomas Garrett, and George Ogle, deceased, Roger Gorsuch, Martha Snow, August 1721, John Watson, Martha Snow, August 1721, William Child, Mercy Galli at Calabar, October 1721, John Griffin, Mercy Galli at Calabar, October 1721, Peter Skuddemore, Mercy Galli at Calabar, no date, The following were from the ship Cornwall, Galli at Calabar, Christopher Granger, Nicholas Brattle, James White, October 1721, Thomas Davis, October 1721, Thomas Siva, October 1721, Robert Bevins, T. Otolaini, David Rice, Robert Hawes, Jocelyn, Captain Loan, October 1721, Hugh Riddle, Diligence, Boat, January 1721, Stephen Thomas, Diligence, Boat, January 1721, The following were taken January 1721, and the King Solomon, John Lane, Samuel Fletcher, William Phillips, Jacob Johnson, John King, Benjamin Parr, Robinson, Captain Canning, January 1721, William May, Elizabeth, Captain Sharp, January 1721, Ed Thornden, Elizabeth, Captain Sharp, January 1721, George Wilson, Tarleton of Liverpool, at Cape Lahu, January 1721, Edward Tarleton, Tarleton of Liverpool at Cape Lahu, January 1721, Robert Hayes, Tarleton of Liverpool at Cape Lahu, undated, Thomas Roberts, Charlton, Captain Allwright, February 1721, John Richards, Charlton, Captain Allwright, February 1721, John Cain, Charlton, Captain Allwright, February 1721, The following were taken in the Porcupine, Captain Fletcher, wider road, Richard Wood, Richard Scott, February 1721, William Davison, February 1721, Samuel Morwell, February 1721, Edward Evans, John Jessup II, surrendered up at Princes, you, Harry Glasby, William Davison, William Champneys, Samuel Morwell, et cetera, ye, and every one of you are in the name and by the authority of our most dread sovereign Lord George King of Great Britain, indicted as follows. For as much as an open contempt and violation of the laws of your country, to which ye ought have been subject, ye have all of you been wickedly united and articleed together for the annoyance and destruction of His Majesty's trading subjects by sea, and, in conformity to so wicked an agreement and association, ye have been twice lately down this coast of Africa, once in August and a second time in January last, spoiling and destroying many goods and vessels of His Majesty's subjects and other trading nations. Particularly ye stand indicted at the information and instance of Captain Chalene Ogo as traitors, robbers, pirates, and common enemies to mankind, for that on the 10th of February last, in a ship you were possessed of called the Royal Fortune of Forty-Guns, ye did maintain a hostile defence and resistance for some hours against His Majesty's ship, the Swallow, nigh Cape Lopez Bay on the southern coast of Africa, that this fight and insolent resistance against the kingship was made, not only without any pretentive authority, more than that of your own private depraved wills, but was done also under a black flag, flagrantly by that denoting yourselves common robbers and traitors, posers and violators of the laws. And lastly, that in this resistance ye were all of you volunteers and did as such contribute your utmost efforts for disabling and distressing the aforesaid kingship and deterring His Majesty's servants therein from their duty, to which they severally pleaded, not guilty. Whereupon the officers of His Majesty's ship, the Swallow, were called again, and testified as follows, that they had seen all the prisoners now before the court and knew them to be the same which were taken out of one or other of the pirate ship's Royal Fortune of Ranger, and verily believed them to be those taken out of the Royal Fortune. That the prisoners were possessed of a ship of Forty-Guns, called the Royal Fortune, and were at an anchor under Cape Lopez and the coast of Africa with two others, when His Majesty's ship the Swallow, to which the deponents belonged and were officers, stood in for the place on Saturday the 10th of February, 1721 to two. The largest of them had an enset and pendant flying, being this Royal Fortune, who on site of them had their boats passing and repassing from the other two, which they supposed to be with men. The wind not favouring the aforesaid kingship, she was obliged to make two trips to gain nine of the wind, to search in with the pirates, and being at length little more than random shot from them, they found she slipped her cable and got under sail. At eleven the pirate was in the pistol-shot, abreast of them, and a black flag and pendant hoisted at their main top-mast head. The deponents say they then struck the French ensign that had continued hoisted at their staff all the morning till then, and displayed the king's colours giving her at the same time their broadside, which was immediately returned. The pirate's mizzen top-mast fell, and some of her rigging was torn, yet she still out-sailed the man of war, and slid half gun-shot from them, while they continued to fire without intermission, and the other to return such guns as could be brought to bear, till, by favour of the winds, they were advanced very nigh again, and after exchanging a few more shots about half an hour past one, his main mast came down, having received a shot a little below the peril. At two she struck her colours, and called for quarters proving to be a ship formerly called the Onslow, but by them the Roe fortune, and the prisoners from her assured them that the smallest ship of the two, then remaining in the road, belonged to them by the name of the Little Ranger, which they had deserted on this occasion, signed Isaacson Ralph Baldrick Daniel McLaughlin. The prisoners were asked by the court to the same purpose the others had been in the morning, what exception they had to make against what had been sworn, and what they had to say in their defence, and their reply were much the same with the other prisoners, that they were forced men, had not fired a gun in this resistance against the swallow, and that what little assistance they did give on this occasion was to the sales and rigging, to comply with the arbitrary commands of Roberts, who had threatened, and they were persuaded would have shot them on refusal. The court, to dispense equal justice, mercifully resolved for these, as they had done for the other pirate crew, that further evidence should be heard against each man singly, to the two points of being a volunteer at first, and to their particular acts of piracy and robbery since. That, so men, who had been lately received amongst them, and has yet had not been at the taking or plundering of any ship, might have the opportunity and benefit of clearing their innocence, and not fall promiscuously with the guilty. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. By order of the court, John Atkins Register Val Ashplant, John Walden, Israel Hind, Marcus Johnson, William Petty, William Furnan, Abraham Harper, William Wood, Thomas Howe, John Stephenson, Charles Bunce, and John Griffin. Against these it was disposed by Captain Joseph Trahearn and George Fenn, his mate, that they were all of them, either at the attacking and taking of this ship, King Solomon, or afterwards at the robbing and plundering of her, and in this manner. That on the 6th of January last, their ship, riding an anchor near Cape Apollonia in Africa, discovered a boat rowing towards them, against wind and stream, from a ship that lay about three miles to Leeward. They judged from the number of men in her, as she nearer advanced, to be a pirate, and made some preparation for receiving her. Believing, on a nier view, they would think fit to withdraw from an attack that must be on their side with great disadvantage in an open boat, and against double the number of men. Yet by the rashness and pusillanimity of his own people, who laid down their arms and immediately called for quarter, the ship was taken, and afterwards robbed by them. President, can you charge your memory with any particulars in the seizure and robbery? Evidence. We know that Magnus, quartermaster of the pirate ship, commanded the men in this boat that took us, and assumed the authority of ordering her provisions and stores out, which being of different kinds we soon found, were seized and sent away under more particular directions. For Magnus, as boson of the pirate ship, carried away two cables, and several coils of rope, as what belonged to his province, beating some of our own men for not being brisk enough at working in the robbery. Petty, as sailmaker, saw to the sails and canvas. Harper, as cooper to the cask and tools, griffin to the carpenter's stores, and outer-lawny, as pilot, having shifted himself with a suit of my clothes, a new tie-wig, and called for a bottle of wine, ordering the ship very arrogantly to be steered under Commodore Robert Stern, I supposed to know what orders there were concerning her. So far particularly, in the general, sir, they were very outrageous enumolus in mischief. President, Mr. Castile, acquaint the court of what you know in relation to this robbery of the King Solomon, after what manner the pirate boat was dispatched for this attempt. Thomas Castile, I was a prisoner, sir, with the pirates when their boat was ordered upon that service, and found, upon a resolution of going, word was passed through the company, who would go, and I saw, all that did, did it voluntarily, no compulsion, but rather pressing who should be foremost. The prisoners yielded to what had been sworn about the attack and robbery, but denied the latter evidence, saying, Roberts hectored, and up-braided them of cowardice on this very occasion, and told some they were very ready to step on board of a prize when within command of the ship, but now there seem to be a trial of their valor, backward and fearful. President, so that Roberts forced ye upon this attack? Prisoners, Roberts commanded us into the boat, and the quartermaster to rob the ship, neither of whose commands we dared to have refused. President, and granting it so, those are still your own acts, since done by orders from officers of your own election. Why would men, honestly disposed, give their votes for such a captain and such a quartermaster as were every day commanding them on distasteful services? Here succeeded a silence among the prisoners, but at length Fernan very honestly owned that he did not give his vote to Magnus, but to David Simpson, the old quartermaster, for in truth says he, I took Magnus for too honest a man and unfit for the business. The evidence was plain and home, and the court, without any hesitation, brought them in guilty. William Church, Philip Hake, James White, Nicholas Brattle, Hugh Riddle, William Thomas, Thomas Roberts, Joseph Richards, Joseph Kane, R. Wood, R. Scott, William Davison, Samuel Morwell, Edward Evans, William Guineas, and 18 French men. The first four of these prisoners, it was evident to the court, served as music on board the pirate, were forced lately from the several merchant ships they belonged to, and that they had during this confinement an uneasy life of it, having sometimes their fiddles and often their heads broke, only for excusing themselves or saying they were tired when any fellow took it in his head to demand a tune. The other English had been a very few days on board the pirate, only from Wida to Cape Lopez and no capture or robbery done by them in that time, and the French men were brought with a design to reconduct their own ship, or the little ranger and exchanged, to wider road, and were used like prisoners, neither quartered nor suffered to carry arms, so that the court immediately acquiesced in acquitting them. Thomas Sutton, David Simpson, Christopher Moody, Philip Bill, R. Hardy, Henry Dennis, David Rice, William Williams, R. Harris, George Smith, Edward Watts, Joseph Mitchell, and James Burrell. The evidence against these prisoners were Garrett Dehan, Master of the Flushingham, Taken Nye Aksum, the beginning of January last, Benjamin Crest, Master and James Grote, mate of the Gertruage, Taken Nye Gabon in December last, and Mr. Castell, Wingfield and others that had been prisoners with the pirates. The former disposed that all these prisoners, excepting Hardy, were on board at the robbery and plunder of their ships, behaving in a vile outrageous manner, putting them in bodily fears, sometimes for the ship, and sometimes for themselves. And in particular, Creft charged it on Sutton that he had ordered all their gunners' stores out, on which that prisoner presently interrupted and said he was perjured, that he had not taken half. A reply, I believe, not designed as any saucy way of jesting, but to give their behavior and appearance of more humanity than the Dutch would allow. From Mr. Castell, Wingfield and others, they were proved to be distinguished men, men who were consulted as chiefs in all enterprises, belonged most of them to the House of Lords, as they called it, and could carry an authority over others. The former said, particularly of Hardy, quartermaster of the ranger, that when the diligent sloop was Taken, where to he belonged, none was busier in the plunder, and was the very man who scuttled and sunk the vessel. From some of the prisoners acquitted, it was further demanded whether the acceptance or refusal of any office was not in their own option, and it was declared that every officer was chose by a majority of votes and might refuse, if he pleased, since others gladly embraced what brought with it an additional share of prize. Guilty. The court on the 31st of March remanded the following six before them for sentence. Viz, David Simpson, William Magnus, R. Hardy, Thomas Sutton, Christopher Moody, and Valon Ashplant, to whom the president spoke to the following purpose. The crime of piracy, of which all of ye have been justly convicted, is of all other robberies the most aggravating and inhumane. In that being removed from the fears of surprise in remote and distant parts, ye do in wantonness of power often add cruelty to theft. Pirates unmoved at distress or poverty, not only spoil and rob, but do it from men needy, and who are purchasing their livelihoods through hazards and difficulties, which ought rather to move compassion, and what is still worse, do often, by persuasion or force, engage in inconsiderate part of them, to their own and family's ruin, removing them from their wives and children, and by that, from the means that should support them from misery and want. To a trading nation, nothing can be so destructive as piracy, or call for more exemplary punishment besides the national reflection it infers, it cuts off the returns of industry, and those plentiful importations that alone can make an island flourishing, and it is your aggravation that ye have been the chiefs and rulers in these licentious and lawless practices. However, contrary to the measures ye have dealt, ye have been heard with patience, and though little has, or possibly could, have been said an excuse or extenuation of your crimes, yet charity makes us hope that a true and sincere repentance, which we heartily recommend, may entitle ye to mercy and forgiveness, after the sentence of the law has taken place, which now remains upon me to pronounce. You, David Simpson, William Magnus, R. Hardy, Thomas Sutton, Christopher Moody, and Val Ashplant, ye and each of you are abjudged in sentence to be carried back to the place from whence ye came, from thence to the place of execution, without the gates of this castle, and there within the flood marks to be hanged by the neck till ye are dead. After this ye and each of you shall be taken down, and your bodies hanged in chains. Warrant for Execution, pursuant to the sentence given on Saturday by the court of Admiralty at Cate Corsal Castle against David Simpson, William Magnus, R. Hardy, Thomas Sutton, Christopher Moody, and Val and Teen Ashplant. You are hereby directed to carry the aforesaid malfactors to the place of execution, without the gates of this castle, tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, and there within the flood marks cause them to be hanged by the neck till they are dead, for which this shall be your warrant, given under my hand this second day of April, 1722. To Joseph Gordon, Provost Marshall, Mungal Herdman, the bodies removed in change to the gibbets already erected on the adjacent hillocks, M. H. William Phillips. It appeared by the evidence of Captain Joe Trahearn and George Fenn, mate of the King Solomon, that this prisoner was bosan of the same ship when she was attacked and taken off Cape Apollonia the 6th of January last by the pirate's boat. When the boat drew nigh they say it was judged from the number of men in her that they were pirates and being hailed answered defiance, at which the commander snatched a musket from one of his men and fired, asking them at the same time whether they would stand by him to defend the ship. The pirates returning a volley and crying out they would give no quarters if any resistance was made. This prisoner took upon him to call out for quarters without the master's consent and misled the rest to the line down their arms and giving up the ship to half the number of men and in an open boat. It was further evident he became after this a volunteer amongst them, first because he was presently very forward and brisk in robbing the ship King Solomon of her provisions and stores, secondly because he endeavored to have his captain ill-used, and lastly because he had confessed to Fenn that he had been obliged to sign their articles that night, a pistol being laid on the table to signify he must do it or be shot, when the whole appeared to be an untruth from other evidence who also asserted his being armed in the action against the swallow. In answer to this he first observed upon the unhappiness of being friendless in this part of the world which elsewhere by witnessing to the honesty of his former life would he believed in a great measure have invalidated the wrong evidence had been given of his being a volunteer with the pirates. He owns indeed he made no application to his captain to intercede for a discharge, but excuses it with saying he had a dislike to him and therefore was sure that such application would have availed him nothing. The court observed the pretenses of this and other of the pirates of a pistol and their articles being served up in a dish together or of their being misused and forced from an honest service was often a complotment of the parties to render them less suspected of those they came from and was to answer the end of being put in a newspaper or affidavit and the pirates were so generous as not to refuse a compliment to a brother that cost them nothing and at the same time secured them the best hands the best I call them because such a dependence made them act more boldly, guilty. Harry Glasbe, Master There appearing several persons in court who had been taken by Roberts's ship whereof the prisoner was master their evidence was accepted as follows. Joe Trahearn, commander of the King Solomon, deposed the prisoner, indeed to act as master of the pirate ship while he was under restraint there, but was observed like no master every one obeying at discretion of which he had taken notice and complained to him how hard a condition it was to be a chief among Brutes and that he was weary of his life and such other expressions now out of his memory as showed in him a great disinclination to that course of living. Joe Wingfield, a prisoner with them at Calabar says the same as to the quality he acted in but that he was civil beyond any of them and verily believes that when the brigantine he served on board of as a factor of the African company was voted to be burnt this man was the instrument of preventing it expressing himself with a great deal of sorrow for this and the malicious rogueries of the company he was in that to him showed he had acted with reluctancy as one who could not avoid what he did he adds further that when one Hamilton a surgeon was taken by them and the articles about to be imposed on him he opposed and prevented it and that Hunter another surgeon among them was cleared at the prisoner's instance and persuasion from which last this despondent had it assured to him that Glasby had once been under sentence of death on board of them with two more for endeavoring an escape in the West Indies and that the other two were really shot for it. Elizabeth Trengrove who was taken a passenger in the African company ship Anzlo strengthened the evidence of the last witness for having heard a good character of this Glasby she inquired of the quartermaster who was then on board a robbing whether or no she could see him and he told her no they never ventured him from the ship for he had once endeavored his escape and they had ever since continued jealous of him. Edward Crisp, Captain Trengrove and Captain Sharp who had all been taken in their turns acknowledged for themselves and others who had unlawfully fallen into those pirates hands that the good usage they had met with was chiefly through the prisoner's means who often interposed for leaving sufficient stores and instruments on board the ships they had robbed. Allegedly they were superfluous and unnecessary there. James White whose business was music and was on the poop of the pirate ship in time of action with the swallow deposed that during the engagement and defense she made he never saw the prisoner busy about the guns or giving orders either to the loading or firing of them but that he wholly attended to the setting or trimming of the sails as Roberts commanded and that in the conclusion he verily believed him to be the man who prevented the ships being blown up by setting trusty sentinels below and opposing himself against such hotheaded fellows as had procured lighted matches and were going down for that purpose. Isaac's son Lieutenant of the Man of War deposed that when he came to take possession of the prize in the king's boat he found the pirates in a very distracted and divided condition some being for blowing up and others who perhaps supposed themselves less culpable opposing it that in this confusion he inquired for the prisoner of whom he had before heard a good character and thinks he rendered all the service in his power for preventing it in particular he understood by all hands that he had seized and taken from one James Phillips a lighted match at the instant he was going down to the magazine swearing that he should send them all to hell together he had heard also that after Roberts was killed the prisoner ordered the colors to be struck and had since shown how opposite his practice and principles had been by discovering who were the greatest rogues among them the prisoner in his own defense says when he had the misfortune of falling into the pirate's hands he was chief mate of the Samuel of London captain Kerry and when he had hid himself to prevent the design of carrying him away they found him and beat and threw him overboard seven days afterwards upon his objecting against and refusing to sign their articles he was cut and abused again that though after this he ingratiated himself by a more humble carriage it was only to make life easy the shares they had given him having been from time to time returned again to such prisoners as fell in his way till of late indeed he had made a small reservation and had desired captain Lone to take two or three madores from him to Kerry to his wife he was once taken he says at making his escape in the West Indies and with two more sentenced to be shot for it by a drunken jury the latter actually suffered and he was preserved only by one of the chief pirates taking a sudden liking to him and bullying the others a second time he ran away at his banyola carrying a pocket compass for conducting him through the woods but that being a most desolate and wild part of the island he fell upon and he ignorant how to direct his course was obliged after two or three days wandering to return towards the ship again denying with egregious oaths the design he was charged with for fear they would shoot him from this time he hopes it will be some extenuation of his fault that most of the acquitted prisoners can witness they entertain jealousies of him and roberts would not admit him into his secrets and with all that captain Kerry and four other prisoners with him had made affidavit of his having been forced from his employee which though he could not produce yet he humbly hope the court would think highly probable from the circumstances offered on the whole the court was of opinion artists had the best pretension to the plea of force from the necessity pirates are sometimes under of engaging such and that many parts of his own defense had been confirmed by the evidence who had asserted he acted with reluctance and had expressed a concern and trouble for the little hopes remained him of extricating himself that he had used all prisoners as they were called well at the hazard of ill usage to himself that he had not in any military capacity assisted their robberies that he had twice endeavored his escape with the utmost danger acquitted him captain james skirm it appeared from the evidence of several prisoners acquitted that this skirm commanded the ranger in that defense she made against the king's ship that he ordered the men to their quarters and the guns to be loaded and fired having a sword in his hand to enforce those commands and beat such to their duty whom he aspired anyway negligent or backward that although he had lost a leg in the action his temper was so warm as to refuse going off the deck till he found all was lost in his defense he says he was forced from a mate's employee on board a sloop called the grayhound of st christopher's october 1720 the pirate having drugged him and broke his head only for offering to go away when that sloop was dismissed custom and success had since indeed blunted and in some measure worn out the sense of shame but that he had really for several months passed been sick and disqualified for any duty and though roberts had forced him on this expedition much against his will yet the evidence must be sensible the title of captain gave him no preeminence for he could not be obeyed though he had often called to them to leave off their fire when he perceived it to be the king's ship the sickness he alleged but more especially the circumstance of losing his leg were aggravations of his fault showing him more alert on such occasions than he was now willing to be thought as to the name of captain if it were allowed to give him no precedence out of battle yet here it was proved a title of authority such an authority as could direct an engagement against the king's colors and therefore he was in the highest degree guilty end of chapter nine part 10