A General History of the Pirates

having sent off all the provisions of the island, and eleven pipes of wine, leaving only two half pipes behind in the storehouse, and dismounted all the guns of the fort.

In the afternoon they weigh’d one anchor, but fearing to be too late to get out of the river, they slipp’d the other, and so fell down; in doing of which, they run the ship aground. Massey show’d himself a soldier upon this accident, for as soon as the misfortune happen’d, he left the ship with about sixteen hands, and rows directly to the fort, remounts the guns, and keeps garrison there all the night, while the ship was ashore; and obliged some of the factory to assist in getting her clear. In the meanwhile, Russel came off, but not being suffered to come on board, he call’d to Lowther, and offered him and the company, whatever terms they would be pleased to accept of, upon condition of surrendering up the ship, which had no effect upon any of them. In the morning they got her afloat, and Massey and his men came aboard, after having nailed up and dismounted all the cannon of the fort: they put the Governor’s son, and two or three others ashore, who were not willing to go without the Governor, and sail’d out of the river, having exchanged several shot with the Martha, Otter, etc. that lay there, without doing execution on either side.

When the ship came out to sea, Lowther called up all the company, and told them, it was the greatest folly imaginable, to think of returning to England, for what they had already done, could not be justified upon any pretence whatsoever, but would be look’d upon, in the eye of the law, a capital offence, and that none of them were in a condition to withstand the attacks of such powerful adversaries, as they would meet with at home; for his part he was determined not to run such a hazard, and therefore if his proposal was not agreed to, he desired to be set a shore in some place of safety: that they had a good ship under them, a parcel of brave follows in her, that it was not their business to starve, or be made slaves; and therefore, if they were all of his mind, they should seek their fortunes upon the seas, as other adventurers had done before them. They one and all came into the measures, knocked down the cabins, made the ship flush fore and aft, prepared black colours, new named her, the Delivery, having about 50 hands and 16 guns, and the following short articles were drawn up, signed and sworn to upon the Bible.

The Articles of Captain George Lowther, and His Company

1. The captain is to have two full shares; the master is to have one share and a half; the doctor, Mate, gunner, and boatswain, one share and a quarter.

2. He that shall be found guilty of taking up any unlawful weapon on board the privateer, or any prize, by us taken, so as to strike or abuse one another, in any regard, shall suffer what punishment the captain and majority of the company shall think fit.

3. He that shall be found guilty of cowardice, in the time of engagement, shall suffer what punishment the captain and majority shall think fit.

4. If any gold, jewels, silver, etc. be found on board of any prize or prizes, to the value of a piece of eight, and the finder do not deliver it to the quartermaster, in the space of 24 hours, shall suffer what punishment the captain and majority shall think fit.

5. He that is found guilty of gaming, or defrauding another to the value of a shilling, shall suffer what punishment the captain and majority of the company shall think fit.

6. He that shall have the misfortune to lose a limb, in time of engagement, shall have the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds sterling, and remain with the company as long as he shall think fit.

7. Good quarters to be given when call’d for.

8. He that sees a sail first, shall have the best pistol, or small arm, on board her.

It was the 13th of June, that Lowther left the settlement, and on the 20th, being then within twenty leagues of Barbados, he came up with a brigantine, belonging to Boston, called the Charles, James Douglass Master, which they plundered in a piratical manner, and let the vessel go; but lest she should meet with any of the station ships, and so give information of the robbery, in terrorem, to prevent a pursuit, Lowther contrived a sort of a certificate, which he directed the master to show to their consort, if they should meet with her; and upon sight of it the brigantine would pass unmolested: this consort, he pretended, was a 40 gun ship, and cruising thereabouts.

After this the Delivery proceeded to Hispaniola; near the west end of the island she met with a French sloop laden with wine and brandy; aboard of this vessel went Captain Massey, as a merchant, and ask’d the price of one thing, and then another, bidding money for the greatest part of the cargo; but after he had trifled a while, he whisper’d a secret in the Frenchman’s ear, viz. that they must have it all without money. Monsieur presently understood his meaning, and unwillingly agreed to the bargain. They took out of her thirty casks of brandy, five hogsheads of wine, several pieces of chintzes, and other valuable goods, and about 70 £ English, in money; of which Lowther generously return’d five pounds back to the French master for his civilities.

But as all constitutions grow old, and thereby shake and totter, so did our commonwealth in about a month of its age, feel commotions and intestine disturbances, by the divisions of its members, which had near hand terminated in its destruction; these civil discords were owing to the following