A General History of the Pyrates Part 21

The Prisoner, in his Defence, protests, he was at first forc'd; and that the Office of Boatswain's Mate was imposed on him, and what he would have been glad to have relinquish'd. That the barbarous Whipping he had received from the Pyrates at first, was for telling them, that none who could get their Bread in an honest Way, would be on such an Account. And he had certainly taken the Opportunity which presented at _Sierraleon_, of ridding himself from so distastful a Life, if there had not been three or four of the old Pyrates on Sh.o.r.e at the same Time, who, he imagined, must know of him, and would doubtless have served him the same, if not worse, than they since had done _William Williams_; who, for such a Design, being delivered up by the treacherous Natives, had received two Lashes thro' the whole Ship's Company.

The Court observed, the Excuses of these Pyrates, about want of Means to escape, was oftentimes as poor and evasive as their Pleas of being forced at first; for here, at _Sierraleon_, every Man had his Liberty on Sh.o.r.e, and it was evident, might have kept it, if he, or they, had so pleased. And such are further culpable, who having been introduced into the Society, by such uncivil Methods, as whipping, or beating, neglect less likely Means of regaining Liberty; it shews strong Inclinations to Dishonesty, and they stand inexcusably, _Guilty._

_Jo. Mansfield._

IT was proved against this Prisoner, by Captain _Trahern_ and _George Fenn_, that he was one of those Voluntiers who was at the Attack and Robbery of the Company's Ship, called the _King Solomon_: That he bully'd well among them who dar'd not make any Reply, but was very easy with his Friends, who knew him; for _Moody_, on this Occasion, took a large Gla.s.s from him, and threatned to blow his Brains out, (a favourite Phrase with these Pyrates) if he muttered at it.

From others acquitted, it likewise appeared, that he was at first a Voluntier among them, from an Island call'd _Dominico_, in the _West-Indies_, and had to recommend himself, told them, he was a Deserter from the _Rose_ Man of War, and before that, had been on the High-Way; he was always drunk, they said, and so bad at the Time they met with the _Swallow_, that he knew nothing of the Action, but came up vapouring with his Cutlash, after the _Fortune_ had struck her Colours, to know who would go on Board the Prize; and it was some Time before they could perswade him into the Truth of their Condition.

He could say little in Defence of himself, acknowledg'd this latter Part of Drunkenness; a Vice, he says, that had too great a Share in insnaring him into this Course of Life, and had been a greater Motive with him than Gold.

_Guilty._

_William Davis._

W_Illiam Allen_ deposed, he knew this Prisoner at _Sierraleon_, belonging to the _Ann_ Galley; that he had a Quarrel with, and beat the Mate of that Ship, for which (as he said) being afraid to return to his Duty, he consorted to the idle Customs and Ways of living among the Negroes, from whom he received a Wife, and ungratefully sold her, one Evening, for some Punch to quench his Thirst. After this, having put himself under the Protection of Mr. _Plunket_, Governor there for the Royal _African_ Company: The Relations and Friends of the Woman, apply'd to him for Redress, who immediately surrendered the Prisoner, and told them, he did not care if they took his Head off; but the Negroes wisely judging it would not fetch so good a Price, they sold him in his Turn again to Seignior _Jossee_, a Christian Black, and Native of that Place; who expected and agreed for two Years Service from him, on Consideration of what he had disbursed, for the Redemption of the Woman: But long before the Expiration of this Time, _Roberts_ came into _Sierraleon_ River, where the Prisoner, (as Seignior _Jossee_ a.s.sured the Deponent,) entered a Voluntier with them.

The Deponent further corroborates this Part of the Evidence; in that he being obliged to call at Cape _Mount_, in his Pa.s.sage down hither, met there with two Deserters from _Roberts_'s Ship, who a.s.sured him of the same; and that the Pyrates did design to turn _Davis_ away the next Opportunity, as an idle good-for-nothing Fellow.

From _Glasby_ and _Lilburn_, it was evident, that every Pyrate, while they stay'd at _Sierraleon_, went on Sh.o.r.e at Discretion. That _Roberts_ had often a.s.sured Mr. _Glyn_ and other Traders, at that Place, that he would force no Body; and in short, there was no Occasion for it; in particular, the Prisoner's Row-Mate went away, and thinks, he might have done the same, if he had pleased.

The Prisoner alledged his having been detained against his Will, and says, that returning with Elephants Teeth for _Sierraleon_, the Pyrate's Boat pursued and brought him on Board, where he was kept on Account of his understanding the Pilotage and Navigation of that River.

It was obvious to the Court, not only how frivolous Excuses of Constraint and Force were among these People, at their first commencing Pyrates, but also it was plain to them, from these two Deserters, met at Cape _Mount_, and the discretional Manner they lived in, at _Sierraleon_; thro' how little Difficulty several of them did, and others might, have escaped afterwards, if they could but have obtained their own Consents for it.

_Guilty._

This is the Substance of the Tryals of _Roberts_'s Crew, which may suffice for others, that occur in this Book. The foregoing Lists, shews, by a *

before the Names, who were condemn'd; those Names with a + were referred for Tryal to the _Marshalsea_, and all the rest were acquitted.

The following Pyrates were executed, according to their Sentence, without the Gates of Cape _Corso-Castle_, within the Flood-Marks, _viz._

Mens Names Years of Age Habitations.

William Magnes 35 Minehead.

Richard Hardy 25 Wales.

David Sympson 36 North-Berwick.

Christopher Moody 28 Thomas Sutton 23 Berwick.

Valentine Ashplant 32 Minories.

Peter de Vine 42 Stepney.

William Philips 29 Lower-Shadwell.

Philip Bill 27 St. Thomas's.

William Main 28 William Mackintosh 21 Canterbury.

William Williams 40 nigh Plymouth.

Robert Haws 31 Yarmouth.

William Petty 30 Deptford.

John Jaynson 22 nigh Lancaster.

Marcus Johnson 21 Smyrna.

Robert Crow 44 Isle of Man.

Michael Maer 41 Ghent.

Daniel Harding 26 Croomsbury in Somersetshire.

William Fernon 22 Somersetshire.

Jo. More 19 Meer in Wiltshire.

Abraham Harper 23 Bristol.

Jo. Parker 22 Winfred in Dorsetshire.

Jo. Philips 28 Alloway in Scotland.

James Clement 20 Jersey.

Peter Scvdamore 35 Bristol.

James Skyrm 44 Wales.

John Walden 24 Somersetshire.

Jo. Stephenson 40 Whitby.

Jo. Mansfield 30 Orkneys.

Israel Hynde 30 Bristol.

Peter Lesley 21 Aberdeen.

Charles Bunce 26 Excter Robert Birtson 30 Other St. Maries Devonshire.

Richard Harris 45 Cornwall.

Joseph Nosuter 26 Sadbury in Devonshire.

William Williams 30 Speechless at Execution.

Agge Jacobson 30 Holland.

Benjamin Jefferys 21 Bristol.

Cuthbert Goss 21 Topsham.

John Jessup 20 Plymouth.

Edward Watts 22 Dunmore.

Thomas Giles 26 Mine-head.

William Wood 27 York.

Thomas Armstrong 34 London, executed on board the Weymouth.

Robert Johnson 32 at Whydah.

George Smith 25 Wales.

William Watts 23 Ireland.

James Philips 35 Antegoa.

John Coleman 24 Wales.

Robert Hays 20 Liverpool.

William Davis 23 Wales.

The Remainder of the Pyrates, whose Names are under mentioned, upon their humble Pet.i.tion to the Court, had their Sentence changed from Death, to seven Years Servitude, conformable to our Sentence of Transportation; the Pet.i.tion is as follows.

_To the Honourable the President and Judges of the Court of Admiralty, for trying of Pyrates, sitting at_ Cape Corso-Castle; _the_ 20_th Day of_ April, 1722.

The humble Pet.i.tion of _Thomas How, Samuel Fletcher_, &c.

Humbly sheweth,

T_HAT your Pet.i.tioners being unhappily, and unwarily drawn into that wretched and detestable Crime of Pyracy, for which they now stand justly condemned, they most humbly pray the Clemency of the Court, in the Mitigation of their Sentence, that they may be permitted to serve the Royal_ African _Company of_ England, _in this Country for seven Years, in such a Manner as the Court shall think proper; that by their just Punishment, being made sensible of the Error of their former Ways, they will for the future become faithful Subjects, good Servants, and useful in their Stations, if it please the Almighty to prolong their Lives._

And your Pet.i.tioners, as in Duty, _&c._

The Resolution of the Court was,