A General History of the Pirates

them in several parts of their bodies with knives and cutlashes; afterwards took all their provisions away, and set some of them ashore in an uninhabited part of the country.

The Kingston, Captain Estwick, another ship, one Burrington Master, two brigantines from Carolina to London; a sloop from Virginia to Bermuda; a ship from Glasgow to Virginia; a schooner from New York to South Carolina; a pink from Virginia to Dartmouth, and a sloop from Philadelphia to Suriname fell a prey to these villains, upon this cruise, besides those abovementioned.

It happened that at this time one of His Majesty’s ships was upon a cruise, on this station, and got intelligence of some of the mischievous actions of this miscreant, by one of the vessels that had been plundered by him, who steering as directed, came in sight of the pirates by break of day, on the 10th of June, of all days in the year. The rovers looking out for prey, soon saw, and gave chase to the man-of-war, which was called the Greyhound, a ship of 20 guns, and 120 men, rather inferiour in force to the two pirate vessels: the Greyhound finding them so eager, was in no doubt what they should be, and therefore tack’d and stood from them, giving the pirates an opportunity to chase her for two hours, till all things were in readiness for an engagement, and the pirates about gunshot off; then the Greyhound tack’d again, and stood towards the two sloops, one of them called the Fancy, commanded by Low himself, and the other the Ranger, commanded by Harris, both which hoisted their piratical colours, and fired each a gun. When the Greyhound came within musket-shot, she halled up her mainsail, and clapp’d close upon a wind, to keep the pirates from running to leeward, and then engaged: but when the rogues found who they had to deal with, they edg’d away under the man-of-war’s stern, and the Greyhound standing after them, they made a running fight for about two hours; but little wind happening, the sloops gained from her, by the help of their oars; upon which the Greyhound left off firing, and turned all hands to her own oars, and at three in the afternoon came up with them. The pirates haul’d upon a wind to receive the man-of-war, and the fight was immediately renewed, with a brisk fire on both sides, till the Ranger’s main-yard was shot down, and the Greyhound pressing close upon the disabled sloop, Low, in the other, thought fit to bear away and leave his consort a sacrifice to his enemy, who (seing the cowardice and treachery of his commodore and leader, having ten or twelve men killed and wounded, and that there was no possibility of escaping,) called out for quarters, and surrendered themselves to justice, which proved severe enough to them awhile afterwards.

The conduct of Low was surprising in this adventure, because his reputed courage and boldness, had, hitherto, so possess’d the minds of all people, that he became a terror, even to his own men; but his behaviour throughout this whole action, showed him to be a base cowardly villain, for had Low’s sloop fought half so briskly as Harris’ had done, (as they were under a solemn oath to do,) the man-of-war, in my opinion, could never have hurted them.

The Greyhound carried in their prize to Rhode Island, to the great joy of the whole province, though it had been more complete, if the great Low himself had grac’d the triumph. The prisoners were strongly secured in a gaol, till a court of vice admiralty could be held for their trials, which begun on the 10th of July, at Newport, and continued three days. The court was made up of the following gentlemen.

• William Dummer, Esq.; Lieutenant Governor of the Massachusetts, President.

• Nathaniel Paine, Esq.

• Addington Davonport, Esq.

• Thomas Fitch, Esq.

• Spencer Phipps, Esq.

• John Lechmere, Esq. Surveyor General

• John Valentine, Esq.; Advocate General

• Samuel Cranston, Governor of Rhode Island

• John Menzies, Esq.; Judge of the Admiralty

• Richard Ward, Esq.; Register

• Mr. Jahleel Brinton; Provost Marshal.

Robert Auchmuta, Esq.; was assigned, by the court,
counsel for the prisoners here under mention’d.

Prisoners’ Names	Ages	Places of Birth
Charles Harris, Captain	25	London
William Blads	28	Rhode Island
Daniel Hide	23	Virginia
Thomas Powel, Jr.	21	Connecticut N. E.
Stephen Mundon	20	London
Thomas Huggit	30	London
William Read	35	Londonderry, Ireland
Peter Kneeves	32	Exeter in Devon
James Brinkly	28	Suffolk in England
Joseph Sound	28	City of Westminster
William Shutfield	40	Lancaster in England
Edward Eaton	38	Wrexham in Wales
John Brown	29	County of Durham
Edward Lawson	20	Isle of Man
Owen Rice	27	South Wales
John Tomkins	23	Gloucestershire
John Fitzgerald	21	Limerick in Ireland
Abraham Lacy	21	Devonshire
Thomas Linister	21	Lancashire
Francis Leyton	39	New York
John Waters, Quart.-Mr.	35	County of Devon
William Jones	28	London
Charles Church	21	St. Margaret’s, Westm.
Thomas Hazel	50	⁠— — —
John Bright	25	— — — —
These 25 were found Guilty, and executed the 19th of July, 1723, near Newport in Rhode Island.
John Brown	17	Liverpoole
Patrick Cunningham	25	— — —
These two were found Guilty, but respited for one year, and recommended to the King’s favour.
John Wilson	23	New London County
Henry Barnes	22	Barbados
Thomas Jones	17	Flur in Wales
Joseph Switzer	24	Boston in New England
Thomas Mumper, Indian	—	Mather’s Vineyard N. E.
John Hincher, Doctor	22	Near Edinburgh, Scot.
John Fletcher	17	— — —
Thomas Child	15	— — —
These eight were found Not Guilty.

The destroying this pirate was look’d upon by the province, to be of such a signal service to the public, and particular advantage to the colony of New York, that it was thought necessary to make some handsome acknowledgement to Captain Peter Solgard for it; and therefore it was resolved, in an assembly of the Common Council, to compliment him with the freedom of their corporation. The resolution, together with the preamble of the captain’s freedom, being curious in their kind, I subjoin them for the satisfaction of the reader.

Resolution of the Mayor and Common Council Of the city of New York, at a Common Council held at the city hall of the said city, on Thursday the 25th of July, Anno. Dom. 1723.

Present Robert Walter, Esq.; Mayor. City of New York, SS.

City of New York, SS

This Court having taken into their consideration the great service lately