A General History of the Pyrates Part 6

_Neal Paterson_, late of _Aberdeen_, Mariner.

_William Scot_, late of _Aberdeen_, Mariner.

_William Eddy_, alias _Neddy_, late of _Aberdeen_, Mariner.

_Alexander Annand_, late of _Jamaica_, Mariner.

_George Rose_, late of _Glascow_, Mariner.

_George Dunkin_, late of _Glascow_, Mariner.

*_Thomas Nicholas_, late of _London_, Mariner.

_John Ridge_, late of _London_, Mariner.

_Matthew King_, late of _Jamaica_, Mariner.

_Daniel Perry_, late of _Guernsey_, Mariner.

_Henry Virgin_, late of _Bristol_, Mariner.

_James Robbins_, alias _Rattle_, late of _London_, Mariner.

_James Mullet_, alias _Millet_, late of _London_, Mariner.

_Thomas Price_, late of _Bristol_, Mariner.

_James Wilson_, late of _Dublin_, Mariner.

_John Lopez_, late of _Oporto_, Mariner.

_Zachariah Long_, late of the Province of _Holland_, Mariner.

_Job Bayly_, late of _London_, Mariner.

_John-William Smith_, late of _Charles-Town, Carolina_, Mariner.

_Thomas Carman_, late of _Maidstone_ in _Kent_, Mariner.

_John Thomas_, late of _Jamaica_, Mariner.

_William Morrison_, late of _Jamaica_, Mariner.

_Samuel Booth_, late of _Charles-Town_, Mariner.

_William Hewet_, late of _Jamaica_, Mariner.

_John Levit_, late of _North-Carolina_, Mariner.

_William Livers_, alias _Evis_.

_John Brierly_, alias _Timberhead_, late of _Bath-Town_ in _North Carolina_, Mariner.

_Robert Boyd_, late of _Bath-Town_ aforesaid, Mariner.

*_Rowland Sharp_, of _Bath-Town_, Mariner.

*_Jonathan Clarke_, late of _Charles-Town, South Carolina_, Mariner.

*_Thomas Gerrard_, late of _Antegoa_, Mariner.

And all, except the three last, and _Thomas Nicholas_, were found Guilty, and received Sentence of Death.

They were most of them try'd upon two Indictments, as follows.

T_HE Jurors for our Sovereign Lord the King, do upon their Oath present, that_ Stede Bonnet, _late of_ Barbadoes, _Mariner_, Robert Tucker, &c. &c. _The_ 2_d Day of_ August, _in the fifth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord_ George, &c. _By Force of Arms upon the High-Sea, in a certain Place called Cape_ James, &c. _did pyratically, and felloniously set upon, break,_ _board, and enter, a certain Merchant Sloop, called the_ Frances, Peter Manwaring _Commander, by Force_, &c. _upon the High-Sea, in a certain Place, called Cape_ James, alias _Cape_ Inlopen, _about two Miles distant from the Sh.o.r.e, in the Latt.i.tude of_ 39, _or thereabouts; and within the Jurisdiction of the Court of Vice-Admiralty, of_ South-Carolina, _being a Sloop of certain Persons_, (_to the Jurors, unknown_) _and then, and there, pyratically, and felloniously did make an a.s.sault, in, and upon the said_ Peter Manwaring, _and others his Mariners_, (_whose Names to the Jurors aforesaid, are unknown,) in the same Sloop, against the Peace of G.o.d, and of our said now Sovereign Lord the King, then, and there being, pyratically and felloniously, did put the aforesaid_ Peter Manwaring, _and others, his Mariners, of the same Sloop, in the Sloop aforesaid, then being, in corporal Fear of their Lives, then and there, in the Sloop aforesaid, upon the_ High-Sea, _in the Place aforesaid, called Cape_ James, alias _Cape_ Inlopen, _about two Miles from the Sh.o.r.e, in the Latt.i.tude of_ 39, _or thereabouts, as aforesaid, and within the Jurisdiction aforesaid; pyratically, and felloniously, did steal, take, and carry away the said Merchant Sloop, called the_ Frances, _and also twenty six Hogsheads_, &c.

&c. &c. _being found in the aforesaid Sloop, in the Custody and Possession of the said_ Peter Manwaring, _and others, his Mariners of the said Sloop, and from their Custody and Possession, then and there, upon the High-Sea aforesaid, called Cape_ James, alias _Cape_ Inlopen, _as aforesaid, and within the Jurisdiction aforesaid, against the Peace of our now Sovereign Lord the King, his Crown and Dignity_.

This was the Form of the Indictments they were arraigned upon, and tho'

they might have proved several more Facts upon the major Part of the Crew, the Court thought fit to prosecute but two; the other was for seizing in a pyratical and felonious Manner, the Sloop _Fortune, Thomas Read_ Commander; which Indictment running in the same Form with the above-mentioned, it will be unnecessary to say more of it.

All the Prisoners arraigned, pleaded Not Guilty, and put themselves upon their Tryals, except _James Wilson_, and _John Levit_, who pleaded Guilty to both Indictments, and _Daniel Perry_, to one only. The Major would have gone through both the Indictments at once, which the Court not admitting, he pleaded Not Guilty to both Indictments, but being convicted of one, he retracted his former Plea to the second Indictment, and pleaded Guilty to it.

The Prisoners made little or no Defence, every one pretending only that they were taken off a Maroon Sh.o.r.e, and were s.h.i.+pped with Major _Bonnet_ to go to St. _Thomas_'s; but being out at Sea, and wanting Provisions, they were obliged to do what they did by others; and so did Major _Bonnet_ himself, pretend that 'twas Force, not Inclination, that occasioned what had happened. However, the Facts being plainly proved, and that they had all shared ten or eleven Pounds a Man, excepting the three last, and _Thomas Nichols_, they were all but they, found Guilty. The Judge made a very grave Speech to them, setting forth _the Enormity of their Crimes, the Condition they were now in, and the Nature and Necessity of an unfeigned Repentance_; and then recommended them to the Ministers of the Province, for more ample Directions, to fit them for Eternity, _for_ (concluded he) _the Priest's Lips shall keep Knowledge, and you shall seek the Law at their Mouths; for they are the Messengers of the Lord_. Mat. II. 57. _And the Amba.s.sadors of Christ, and unto them is committed the Word_ [or Doctrine] _of Reconciliation_, 2 Cor. V. 19. 20. And then p.r.o.nounced Sentence of Death upon them.

On _Sat.u.r.day November_ the 8th, 1711. _Robert Tucker, Edward Robinson, Neal Paterson, William Scot, Job Bayley, John-William Smith, John Thomas, William Morrison, Samuel Booth, William Hewit, William Eddy_, alias _Neddy, Alexander Annand, George Ross, George Dunkin, Matthew King, Daniel Perry, Henry Virgin, James Robbins, James Mullet_, alias _Millet, Thomas Price, John Lopez_, and _Zachariah Long_, were executed at the _White-Point_ near _Charles-Town_, pursuant to their Sentence.

As for the Captain, his Escape protracted his Fate, and spun out his Life a few Days longer, for he was try'd the 10th, and being found Guilty, received Sentence in like Manner as the former; before which Judge _Trot_, made a most excellent Speech to him, rather somewhat too long to be taken into our History, yet I could not tell how to pa.s.s by so good and useful a Piece of Instruction, not knowing whose Hands this Book may happen to fall into.

_The Lord Chief Justices's_ SPEECH, _upon his p.r.o.nouncing Sentence on Major_ STEDE BONNET.

MAjor _Stede Bonnet_, you stand here convicted upon two Indictments of Pyracy; one by the Verdict of the Jury, and the other by your own Confession.

Altho' you were indicted but for _two_ Facts, yet you know that at your Tryal it was fully proved even by an unwilling Witness, that you _pyratically_ took and rifled no less than _thirteen_ Vessels, since you sail'd from _North-Carolina_.

So that you might have been indicted, and convicted of _eleven_ more Acts of _Pyracy_, since you took the Benefit of the King's _Act of Grace_, and pretended to leave that wicked Course of Life.

Not to mention the many _Acts_ of _Pyracy_ you committed before; for which if your Pardon from _Man_ was never so authentick, yet you must expect to answer for them before G.o.d.

You know that the Crimes you have committed are _evil_ in themselves, and contrary to the _Light_ and _Law_ of _Nature_, as well as the _Law_ of G.o.d, by which you are commanded that _you shall not steal_, Exod. 20. 15. And the Apostle St. _Paul_ expresly affirms, That _Thieves shall not inherit the Kingdom of G.o.d_, 1 Cor. 6. 10.

But to _Theft_ you have added a greater Sin, which is _Murder_. How many you may have _killed_ of those that resisted you in the committing your former _Pyracies_, I know not: But this we all know, That besides the Wounded, you kill'd no less than _eighteen_ Persons out of those that were sent by lawful Authority to suppress you, and put a Stop to those Rapines that you daily acted.

And however you may fancy that that was killing Men fairly in open _Fight_, yet this know, that the Power of the _Sword_ not being committed into your Hands by any lawful Authority, you were not impowered to use any _Force_, or _fight_ any one; and therefore those Persons that fell in that Action, in doing their Duty to their King and Country, were _murdered_, and their _Blood_ now cries out for _Vengeance_ and _Justice_ against you: For it is the _Voice of Nature_, confirmed by the _Law_ of G.o.d, That _whosoever sheddeth Man's Blood, by Man shall his Blood be shed_. Gen. 9. 6.