Part 18

Captain _Kennedy_ in the _Rover_, sailed to _Barbadoes_, near which Island, they took a very peaceable Ship belonging to _Virginia_; the Commander was a Quaker, whose Name was _Knot_; he had neither Pistol, Sword, nor Cutlash on Board; and Mr. _Knot_ appearing so very passive to all they said to him, some of them thought this a good Opportunity to go off; and accordingly eight of the Pyrates went aboard, and he carried them safe to _Virginia_; They made the Quaker a Present of 10 Chests of Sugar, 10 Rolls of _Brasil_ Tobacco, 30 Moidors, and some Gold-Dust, in all to the value of about 250 _l._ They also made Presents to the Sailors, some more, some less, and lived a jovial Life all the while they were upon their Voyage, Captain _Knot_ giving them their Way; nor indeed could he help himself, unless he had taken an Opportunity to surprize them, when they were either drunk or asleep; for awake they wore Arms aboard the Ship, and put him in a continual Terror; it not being his Principle (or the Sect's) to fight, unless with Art and Collusion; he managed these Weapons well till he arrived at the Capes, and afterwards four of the Pyrates went off in a Boat, which they had taken with them, for the more easily making their Escapes, and made up the Bay towards _Maryland_, but were forced back by a Storm into an obscure Place of the Country, where meeting with good Entertainment among the Planters, they continued several Days without being discovered to be Pyrates. In the mean Time Captain _Knot_ leaving four others on Board his Ship, (who intended to go to _North-Carolina_,) made what hast he could to discover to Mr. _Spotswood_ the Governor, what sort of Passengers he had been forced to bring with him, who by good Fortune got them seized; and Search being made after the others, who were revelling about the Country, they were also taken, and all try'd, convicted and hang'd, two _Portuguese_ Jews who were taken on the Coast of _Brasil_, and whom they brought with them to _Virginia_, being the principal Evidences. The latter had found Means to lodge Part of their Wealth with the Planters, who never brought it to Account: But Captain _Knot_ surrendered up every Thing that belonged to them, that were taken aboard, even what they presented to him, in lieu of such Things as they had plundered him of in their Passage, and obliged his Men to do the like.

Some Days after the taking of the _Virginia_ Man last mentioned, in cruising in the Latitude of _Jamaica, Kennedy_ took a Sloop bound thither from _Boston_, loaded with Bread and Flower; aboard of this Sloop went all the Hands who were for breaking the Gang, and left those behind that had a Mind to pursue further Adventures. Among the former were _Kennedy_, their Captain, of whose Honour they had such a dispicable Notion, that they were about to throw him over-board, when they found him in the Sloop, as fearing he might betray them all, at their return to _England_; he having in his Childhood been bred a Pick-pocket, and before he became a Pyrate, a House-breaker; both Professions that these Gentlemen have a very mean Opinion of. However, Captain _Kennedy_, by taking solemn Oaths of Fidelity to his Companions, was suffered to proceed with them.

In this Company there was but one that pretended to any skill in Navigation, (for _Kennedy_ could neither write nor read, he being preferred to the Command merely for his Courage, which indeed he had often signaliz'd, particularly in taking the _Portuguese_ Ship,) and he proved to be a Pretender only; for shaping their Course to _Ireland_, where they agreed to land, they ran away to the North-West Coast of _Scotland_, and there were tost about by hard Storms of Wind for several Days, without knowing where they were, and in great Danger of perishing: At length they pushed the Vessel into a little Creek, and went all ashore, leaving the Sloop at an Anchor for the next Comers.

The whole Company refresh'd themselves at a little Village about five Miles from the Place where they left the Sloop, and passed there for Ship-wreck'd Sailors, and no doubt might have travelled on without Suspicion; but the mad and riotous Manner of their Living on the Road, occasion'd their Journey to be cut short, as we shall observe presently.

_Kennedy_ and another left them here, and travelling to one of the Sea-Ports, ship'd themselves for _Ireland_, and arrived there in Safety. Six or seven wisely withdrew from the rest, travelled at their leasure, and got to their much desired Port of _London_, without being disturbed or suspected; but the main Gang alarm'd the Country where-ever they came, drinking and roaring at such a Rate, that the People shut themselves up in their Houses, in some Places, not daring to venture out among so many mad Fellows: In other Villages, they treated the whole Town, squandering their Money away, as if, like _Æsop_, they wanted to lighten their Burthens: This expensive manner of Living procured two of their drunken Straglers to be knocked on the Head, they being found murdered in the Road, and their Money taken from them: All the rest, to the Number of seventeen as they drew nigh to _Edinburgh_, were arrested and thrown into Goal, upon Suspicion, of they knew not what; However, the Magistrates were not long at a Loss for proper Accusations, for two of the Gang offering themselves for Evidences were accepted of; and the others were brought to a speedy Tryal, whereof nine were convicted and executed.

_Kennedy_ having spent all his Money, came over from _Ireland_, and kept a common B--y-House on _Deptford_ Road, and now and then, 'twas thought, made an Excursion abroad in the Way of his former Profession, till one of his Houshold W--s gave Information against him for a Robbery, for which he was committed to _Bridewell_; but because she would not do the Business by halves, she found out a Mate of a Ship that _Kennedy_ had committed Pyracy upon, as he foolishly confess'd to her. This Mate, whose Name was _Grant_, paid _Kennedy_ a Visit in _Bridewell_, and knowing him to be the Man, procured a Warrant, and had him committed to the _Marshalsea_ Prison.

The Game that _Kennedy_ had now to play was to turn Evidence himself; accordingly he gave a List of eight or ten of his Comrades; but not being acquainted with their Habitations, one only was taken, who, tho' condemn'd, appeared to be a Man of a fair Character, was forc'd into their Service, and took the first Opportunity to get from them, and therefore receiv'd a Pardon; but _Walter Kennedy_ being a notorious Offender, was executed the 19th of _July_, 1721, at _Execution Dock_.

The rest of the Pyrates who were left in the Ship _Rover_, staid not long behind, for they went ashore to one of the _West-India_ Islands; what became of them afterwards, I can't tell, but the Ship was found at Sea by a Sloop belonging to St. _Christophers_, and carried into that Island with only nine Negroes aboard.

Thus we see what a disastrous Fate ever attends the Wicked, and how rarely they escape the Punishment due to their Crimes, who, abandon'd to such a profligate Life, rob, spoil, and prey upon Mankind, contrary to the Light and Law of Nature, as well as the Law of God. It might have been hoped, that the Examples of these Deaths, would have been as Marks to the Remainder of this Gang, how to shun the Rocks their Companions had split on; that they would have surrendered to Mercy, or divided themselves, for ever from such Pursuits, as in the End they might be sure would subject them to the same Law and Punishment, which they must be conscious they now equally deserved; _impending Law_, which never let them sleep well, unless when drunk. But all the Use that was made of it here, was to commend the Justice of the Court, that condemn'd _Kennedy, for he was a sad Dog_ (they said) _and deserved the Fate he met with_.

But to go back to _Roberts_, whom we left on the Coast of _Caiana_, in a grievous Passion at what _Kennedy_ and the Crew had done; and who was now projecting new Adventures with his small Company in the Sloop; but finding hitherto they had been but as a Rope of Sand, they formed a Set of Articles, to be signed and sworn to, for the better Conservation of their Society, and doing Justice to one another; excluding all _Irish_ Men from the Benefit of it, to whom they had an implacable Aversion upon the Account of _Kennedy_. How indeed _Roberts_ could think that an Oath would be obligatory, where Defiance had been given to the Laws of God and Man, I can't tell, but he thought their greatest Security lay in this, _That it was every one's Interest to observe them if they were minded to keep up so abominable a Combination_.

The following, is the Substance of the Articles, as taken from the Pyrates own Informations.

I.

E_Very Man has a Vote in Affairs of Moment; has equal Title to the fresh Provisions, or strong Liquors, at any Time seized, and use them at pleasure, unless a Scarcity_ (no uncommon Thing among them) _make it necessary, for the good of all, to vote a Retrenchment_.

II.

_Every Man to be called fairly in turn, by List, on Board of Prizes, because, (over and above their proper Share_,) _they were on these Occasions allowed a Shift of Cloaths: But if they defrauded the Company to the Value of a Dollar, in Plate, Jewels, or Money_, MAROONING _was their Punishment_. This was a Barbarous Custom of putting the Offender on Shore, on some desolate or uninhabited Cape or Island, with a Gun, a few Shot, a Bottle of Water, and a Bottle of Powder, to subsist with, or starve. _If the Robbery was only between one another, they contented themselves with slitting the Ears and Nose of him that was Guilty, and set him on Shore, not in an uninhabited Place, but somewhere, where he was sure to encounter Hardships_.

III.

_No Person to Game at Cards or Dice for Money_.

IV.

_The Lights and Candles to be put out at eight o'Clock at Night: If any of the Crew, after that Hour, still remained inclined for Drinking, they were to do it on the open Deck_; which _Roberts_ believed would give a Check to their Debauches, for he was a sober Man himself, but found at length, that all his Endeavours to put an End to this Debauch, proved ineffectual.

V.

_To keep their Piece, Pistols, and Cutlash clean, and fit for Service_: In this they were extravagantly nice, endeavouring to outdo one another, in the Beauty and Richness of their Arms, giving sometimes at an Auction (at the Mast,) 30 or 40 _l._ a Pair, for Pistols. These were slung in Time of Service, with different coloured Ribbands, over their Shoulders, in a Way peculiar to these Fellows, in which they took great Delight.

VI.

_No Boy or Woman to be allowed amongst them. If any Man were sound seducing anny of the latter Sex, and carried her to Sea, disguised, he was to suffer Death_; so that when any fell into their Hands, as it chanced in the _Onslow_, they put a Centinel immediately over her to prevent ill Consequences from so dangerous an Instrument of Division and Quarrel; but then here lies the Roguery; they contend who shall be Centinel, which happens generally to one of the greatest Bullies, who, to secure the Lady's Virtue, will let none lye with her but himself.

VII.

_To Desert the Ship, or their Quarters in Battle, was punished with Death, or Marooning._

VIII.

_No striking one another on Board, but every Man's Quarrels to be ended on Shore, at Sword and Pistol, Thus_; The Quarter-Master of the Ship, when the Parties will not come to any Reconciliation, accompanies them on Shore with what Assistance he thinks proper, and turns the Disputants Back to Back, at so many Paces Distance: At the Word of Command, they turn and fire immediately, (or else the Piece is knocked out of their Hands:) If both miss, they come to their Cutlashes, and then he is declared Victor who draws the first Blood.

IX.

_No Man to talk of breaking up their Way of Living, till each had shared a_ 1000 _l. If in order to this, any Man should lose a Limb, or become a Cripple in their Service, he was to have_ 800 _Dollars, out of the publick Stock, and for lesser Hurts, proportionably._

X.

_The Captain and Quarter-Master to receive two Shares of a Prize; the Master, Boatswain, and Gunner, one Share and a half, and other Officers, one and a Quarter._

XI.

_The Musicians to have Rest on the Sabbath Day, but the other six Days and Nights, none without special Favour._

These, we are assured, were some of _Roberts_'s Articles, but as they had taken Care to throw over-board the Original they had sign'd and sworn to, there is a great deal of Room to suspect, the remainder contained something too horrid to be disclosed to any, except such as were willing to be Sharers in the Iniquity of them; let them be what they will, they were together the Test of all new Comers, who were initiated by an Oath taken on a Bible, reserv'd for that Purpose only, and were subscrib'd to in Presence of the worshipful Mr. _Roberts._ And in Case any Doubt should arise concerning the Construction of these Laws, and it should remain a Dispute whether the Party had infring'd them or no, a Jury is appointed to explain them, and bring in a Verdict upon the Case in Doubt.

Since we are now speaking of the Laws of this Company, I shall go on, and, in as brief a Manner as I can, relate the principal Customs, and Government, of this roguish Common-Wealth; which are pretty near the same with all Pyrates.

For the Punishment of small Offences, which are not provided for by the Articles, and which are not of Consequence enough to be left to a Jury, there is a principal Officer among the Pyrates, called the Quarter-Master, of the Mens own chusing, who claims all Authority this Way, (excepting in Time of Battle:) If they disobey his Command, are quarrelsome and mutinous with one another, misuse Prisoners, plunder beyond his Order, and in particular, if they be negligent of their Arms, which he musters at Discretion, he punishes at his own Arbitrement, with drubbing or whipping, which no one else dare do without incurring the Lash from all the Ships Company: In short, this Officer is Trustee for the whole, is the first on Board any Prize, separating for the Company's Use, what he pleases, and returning what he thinks fit to the Owners, excepting Gold and Silver, which they have voted not returnable.

After a Description of the Quarter-Master, and his Duty, who acts as a sort of a civil Magistrate on Board a Pyrate Ship; I shall consider their military Officer, the Captain; what Privileges he exerts in such anarchy and unrulyness of the Members: Why truly very little, they only permit him to be Captain, on Condition, that they may be Captain over him; they separate to his Use the great Cabin, and sometimes vote him small Parcels of Plate and China, (for it may be noted that _Roberts_ drank his Tea constantly) but then every Man, as the Humour takes him, will use the Plate and China, intrude into his Apartment, swear at him, seize a Part of his Victuals and Drink, if they like it, without his offering to find Fault or contest it: Yet _Roberts_, by a better Management than usual, became the chief Director in every Thing of Moment, and it happened thus:--The Rank of Captain being obtained by the Suffrage of the Majority, it falls on one superior for Knowledge and Boldness, _Pistol Proof_ (as they call it,) and can make those fear, who do not love him; _Roberts_ is said to have exceeded his Fellows in these Respects, and when advanced, enlarged the Respect that followed it, by making a sort of Privy-Council of half a Dozen of the greatest Bullies; such as were his Competitors, and had Interest enough to make his Government easy; yet even those, in the latter Part of his Reign, he had run counter to in every Project that opposed his own Opinion; for which, and because he grew reserved, and would not drink and roar at their Rate, a Cabal was formed to take away his Captainship, which Death did more effectually.

The Captain's Power is uncontroulable in Chace, or in Battle, drubbing, cutting, or even shooting any one who dares deny his Command. The same Privilege he takes over Prisoners, who receive good or ill Usage, mostly as he approves of their Behaviour, for tho' the meanest would take upon them to misuse a Master of a Ship, yet he would controul herein, when he see it, and merrily over a Bottle, give his Prisoners this double Reason for it. First, That it preserved his Precedence; and secondly, That it took the Punishment out of the Hands of a much more rash and mad Sett of Fellows than himself. When he found that Rigour was not expected from his People, (for he often practised it to appease them,) then he would give Strangers to understand, that it was pure Inclination that induced him to a good Treatment of them, and not any Love or Partiality to their Persons; for, says he, _there is none of you but will hang me, I know, whenever you can clinch me within your Power._

* * *

And now seeing the Disadvantages they were under for pursuing the Account, _viz._ a small Vessel ill repaired, and without Provisions, or Stores; they resolved one and all, with the little Supplies they could get, to proceed for the _West-Indies_, not doubting to find a Remedy for all these Evils, and to retreive their Loss.

In the Latitude of _Deseada_, one of the Islands, they took two Sloops, which supply'd them with Provisions and other Necessaries; and a few Days afterwards, took a Brigantine belonging to _Rhode Island_, and then proceeded to _Barbadoes_, off of which Island, they fell in with a _Bristol_ Ship of 10 Guns, in her Voyage out, from whom they took abundance of Cloaths, some Money, twenty five Bales of Goods, five Barrels of Powder, a Cable, Hawser, 10 Casks of Oatmeal, six Casks of Beef, and several other Goods, besides five of their Men; and after they had detained her three Days, let her go; who being bound for the abovesaid Island, she acquainted the Governor with what had happened, as soon as she arrived.

Whereupon a _Bristol_ Galley that lay in the Harbour, was ordered to be fitted out with all imaginable Expedition, of 20 Guns, and 80 Men, there being then no Man of War upon that Station, and also a Sloop with 10 Guns, and 40 Men: The Galley was commanded by one Captain _Rogers_, of _Bristol_, and the Sloop by Captain _Graves_, of that Island, and Captain _Rogers_ by a Commission from the Governor, was appointed Commadore.

The second Day after _Rogers_ sailed out of the Harbour, he was discovered by _Roberts_, who knowing nothing of their Design, gave them Chase: The _Barbadoes_ Ships kept an easy sail till the Pyrates came up with them, and then _Roberts_ gave them a Gun, expecting they would have immediately struck to his pyratical Flag, but instead thereof, he was forced to receive the Fire of a Broadside, with three Huzzas at the same Time; so that an Engagement ensued, but _Roberts_ being hardly put to it, was obliged to crowd all the Sail the Sloop would bear, to get off: The Galley sailing pretty well, kept Company for a long while, keeping a constant Fire, which gail'd the Pyrate; however, at length by throwing over their Guns, and other heavy Goods, and thereby light'ning the Vessel, they, with much ado, got clear; but _Roberts_ could never endure a _Barbadoes_ Man afterwards, and when any Ships belonging to that Island fell in his Way, he was more particularly severe to them than others.

Captain _Roberts_ sailed in the Sloop to the Island of _Dominico_, where he watered, and got Provisions of the Inhabitants, to whom he gave Goods in Exchange. At this Place he met with 13 _Englishmen_, who had been set ashore by a _French Guard de la Coste_, belonging to _Martinico_, taken out of two _New-England_ Ships, that had been seiz'd, as Prize, by the said _French_ Sloop: The Men willingly entered with the Pyrates, and it proved a seasonable Recruit.

They staid not long here, tho' they had immediate Occasion for cleaning their Sloop, but did not think this a proper Place, and herein they judg'd right; for the touching at this Island, had like to have been their Destruction, because they having resolved to go away to the _Granada_ Islands, for the aforesaid Purpose, by some Accident it came to be known to the _French_ Colony, who sending Word to the Governor of _Martinico_, he equipped and manned two Sloops to go in Quest of them. The Pyrates sailed directly for the _Granadilloes_, and hall'd into a Lagoon, at _Corvocoo_, where they cleaned with unusual Dispatch, staying but a little above a Week, by which Expedition they missed of the _Martinico_ Sloops, only a few Hours; _Roberts_ sailing over Night, that the _French_ arrived the next Morning. This was a fortunate Escape, especially considering, that it was not from any Fears of their being discovered, that they made so much hast from the Island; but, as they had the Impudence themselves to own, for the want of Wine and Women.

Thus narrowly escaped, they sailed for _Newfoundland_, and arrived upon the Banks the latter end of _June_, 1720. They entered the Harbour of _Trepassi_, with their black Colours flying, Drums beating, and Trumpets sounding. There were two and twenty Vessels in the Harbour, which the Men all quitted upon the Sight of the Pyrate, and fled ashore. It is impossible particularly to recount the Destruction and Havock they made here, burning and sinking all the shipping, except a _Bristol_ Galley, and destroying the Fisheries, and Stages of the poor Planters, without Remorse or Compunction; for nothing is so deplorable as Power in mean and ignorant Hands, it makes Men wanton and giddy, unconcerned at the Misfortunes they are imposing on their Fellow Creatures, and keeps them smiling at the Mischiefs, that bring themselves no Advantage. _They are like mad Men, that cast Fire-Brands, Arrows, and Death, and say, are not we in Sport?_

_Roberts_ mann'd the _Bristol_ Galley he took in the Harbour, and mounted 16 Guns on Board her, and cruising out upon the Banks, he met with nine or ten Sail of _French_ Ships, all which he destroyed except one of 26 Guns, which they seiz'd, and carried off for their own Use. This Ship they christ'ned _the Fortune_, and leaving the _Bristol_ Galley to the _French_ Men, they sailed away in Company with the Sloop, on another Cruise, and took several Prizes, _viz._ the _Richard_ of _Biddiford, Jonathan Whitfield_ Master; the _Willing Mind_ of _Pool_; the _Expectation_ of _Topsham_; and the _Samuel_, Captain _Cary_, of _London_; out of these Ships they encreased their Company, by entring all the Men they could well spare, in their own Service. The _Samuel_ was a rich Ship, and had several Passengers on Board, who were used very roughly, in order to make them discover their Money, threatning them every Moment with Death, if they did not resign every Thing up to them. They tore up the Hatches and entered the Hold like a parcel of Furies, and with Axes and Cutlashes, cut and broke open all the Bales, Cases, and Boxes, they could lay their Hands on; and when any Goods came upon Deck, that they did not like to carry aboard, instead of tossing them into the Hold again, threw them over-board into the Sea; all this was done with incessant cursing and swearing, more like Fiends than Men. They carried with them, Sails, Guns, Powder, Cordage, and 8 or 9000 l. worth of the choicest Goods; and told Captain _Cary, That they should accept of no Act of Grace; that the K-- and P--t might be damned with their Acts of G-- for them; neither would they go to_ Hope-Point, _to be hang'd up a Sun drying, as_ Kidd_'s, and_ Braddish_'s Company were; but that if they should ever be overpower'd, they would set Fire to the Powder, with a Pistol, and go all merrily to Hell together._