THE PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEAS – Know Your Infamous Buccaneers, Their Exploits & Their Real Histories (9 Books in One Edition). Даниэль Дефо
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Long-Boat coming ashore, and he asking the Men what brought them ashore? They answered, they were sent for Water, they having spilt and staved all their Water; and that they had been busking all Night. That this Evidence going aboard five or six Days after, saw the Ship lumber'd with Goods, and that he was inform'd that the Ship that was riding at the Worcester's Stern, was sold to Cogo Comodo, Merchant at Quilon. That Antonio Ferdinando was wounded, and some others; and when he ask'd the Patients how they came by their Wounds, they were forbid to answer by Mr. Madder, the chief Mate. That all this fell out between the Months of January and February 1703.
As to Antonio's Deposition, it appear'd to be all Invention, and nothing true in it; and Charles May's a Heap of sly Insinuations, drawn from a known Fact, which was this; the Worcester departing from Callequillon to Carnipole, was drove by Stress of Weather from near the Road of Quillon to Anjango, where coming near the Aureng Zeb, India Man, she saluted her with five Guns, which were the Guns the Surgeon heard; and the Aureng Zeb came in along with the Worcester, and anchor'd at her Stern, which was the Ship taken Notice of by him. By busking all Night is meant only beating to Windward, which she did in order to fetch Quillon, the Wind being contrary. The Worcester spar'd her Water to the Aureng Zeb, which occasioned their sending for more, and the wounded Men, which were proved to be no more than three in the Voyage; one was from a Fall in the Hold, another by fighting with Knives, between two Dutch Men, and the other by cutting of Wood.
’Tis observable likewise, that May's Evidence, which is brought to support Antonio's, contradicted it in several Parts; for Antonio swore the Fact to be done between Callicut and Tallecherry, (where, by the Way, the Ship never was, as was own'd by the Surgeon, and prov'd by the Captain's and other Journals) and May heard the Guns at Callequillon, which could not be less then 140 Miles asunder. Antonio makes the supposed Engagement hold three Days; according to May, the Worcester was busking only one Night; all the rest of his Evidence is, As he was inform'd, As he was told, &c. And what's remarkable of this May, is, he was eighteen Months after this in the said Ship, and own'd on the Trial, that he never heard in all that Time one Word spoken of a Fight with any other Ship, or a Prize taken, or any Thing relating to such an Action, which must be very strange, if the Matter had been true.
In short, Captain Green and the rest of the Crew were convicted, and received Sentence for the supposed Crimes, as follows, Green, Madder, Sympson, Keigle and Haines to be hanged on Wednesday, April 4th. Taylor, Glenn, Kitchen and Robertson, on Wednesday, April 11th, and Brown, Bruckley, Wilcocks, Ballantyne and Linsey, on Wednesday, April 18th.
I cannot but here take Notice (though with much Concern) that upon the Condemnation of these unhappy Men, there seemed a universal Joy in and about the City; it was the only Discourse for some Days, and every Man thought himself nearly concerned in it; and some could not forbear in Words openly to express their brutal Joy: Now, said they, we'll Darien ’em: By this they shall see we'll do our selves Justice, &c.
After Sentence, the Prisoners desired not to be disturb'd in their dying Moments, that they might improve ’em to the best Advantage; but now they were not only insulted with the most opprobrious Language, by such as could get to ’em, but continually worried by the religious Kirk Teachers. The most dismal Threatnings were denounc'd against ’em, and nothing but God's Wrath and eternal Torments in all its Horrors, were to be their Portion, if they died obdurate (as they call'd it) that is, without owning themselves guilty; and all this delivered with that Passion peculiar to that bitter Sett of Men. Nay, so restless were they, that even now, after Condemnation, they singled out some they found more terrified by their Cant, and assur'd ’em of Life if they would ingenuously acknowledge the Crimes they were condemned for; and, at last, worked so far upon Haines and Linsey, that they brought them to own almost what they pleased. The former of these, upon their Pardons being granted, gave a frightful Account of the whole Pyracy and Murther upon Drummond's Ship, and took Care, as near as he could, to keep close with Ferdinando's Evidence, only here and there he was out in very material Points, as Men always are that don't relate Matters of Fact. There was a great many bloody Circumstances added to colour the whole, as their Manner of Swearing when they commenced pyrates (much like the ridiculous Ceremonies at making of Witches) which, he said, was thus; Every one of ’em was let Blood, which they mixed together, and after every Man had drank part, they all swore to Secrecy, &c. with abundance of such Stuff. Linsey, a Man of better Sense, contented himself with saying as little as possible, which was excusable, he being on shoar in the pretended Engagement, so that most of what he said, consisted in Hearsays of the Indians, &c. Thus these poor Wretches screen'd themselves from this fatal Blow, at the Expence of Faith and a good Conscience, and to enjoy a troublesome Life, perhaps a few Years.
As soon as their Confessions were made public, the Gentry, as well as the Mob, was transported with Rage, and the poor Wretches were blackened and reviled in a shameful Manner; and so violent was the Torrent of their Fury, that it reached even their Council for their Tryals, and they were obliged, for their own Safety, to withdraw into the Country.
In the midst of this Confusion two Men, who were known to be of Drummond's Crew, came home in the Raper Galley, and made Affidavits of the Loss of the said Ship to the pyrates, as has been mentioned; upon which her Majesty and Council first reprieved them for eight Days, and afterwards desired Execution might be farther respited till they heard from above.
The common People, who for some Time past, with raised Expectations, had waited for the Execution, began to grow very impatient, bitterly inveighing against the Reprieve; and the Council met on the 11th of April in the Morning, to consider what was to be done; which the Mob perceiving, imagined ’twas in order to a further Reprieve or Pardon; immediately all Shops were shut up, and the Streets filled with incredible Numbers of Men, Women and Children, calling for Justice upon those English Murtherers. The Lord Chancellour Seafield's Coach happening to pass by, they stopp'd it, broke the Sashes, haul'd him out, and oblig'd him to promise Execution should speedily be done before he could get from ’em.
According to the Chancellor's Promise, soon after, on the same Day, being Wednesday, Captain Green, Madder, and Sympson were brought out, and convey'd to Execution, which was at Leith Road upon the Sands, and all the Way were huzza'd in Triumph as it were, and insulted with the sharpest and most bitter Invectives.
Thus fell these unhappy Men a well-pleasing Sacrifice to the Malice of wicked Men.
As for Captain Green's Speech; after he had taken Notice of the Crimes he was to dye for, and appealed to all present to charge him, or the Crew, with any Injustice, since he had lived there; he goes on in giving an Account of his Faith, his living and dying in the Church of England, of their Manner of Life abroad, their Observance of religious Duties, and the Sense he had of the Impossibility of Salvation, if he dy'd with a Falshood in his Mouth. Then follows, — ‘Pursuant to which, I in the Presence of Almighty God, declare to you his People, that I am innocent in Design or Deed, and free from the Crimes for which I am condemned. That to my Knowledge, I never all my Life-time wrong'd Man in his Person or Goods, or had Accession thereto. What the Custom of pyrates is, I thank God I know not: But I understand my Accusers and Persecuters will have you to believe, that I think it unnecessary to confess before Men. Take what I say as good Christians ought to do; if you have no Charity, you wrong your selves, and cannot hurt me.
‘I am told some of my Crew have confess'd the Crimes, and load us with Guilt; this is done since Sentence, and in hopes of saving themselves, which I wish they may do by lawful Means, and not have Accession to the shedding innocent Blood. I am a dying, these are still in hopes to live, chuse you which of us to believe, &c.
To return to Captain Bowen, who piratically possessed himself of Captain Drummond's Ship and Brigantine, as aforesaid, he, being inform'd by the Crew, that when they left Don Mascarenhas, a Ship called the Rook Galley, Captain Honeycomb Commander, was lying in that Bay, resolved, with the other pyrates, to sail thither, but