She declared she had never committed adultery or fornication with any man, she commended the justice of the court, before which she was tried, for distinguishing the nature of their crimes; her husband, as she call’d him, with several others, being acquitted; and being ask’d, who he was? she would not tell, but, said he was an honest man, and had no inclination to such practices, and that they had both resolved to leave the pirates the first opportunity, and apply themselves to some honest livelihood.
It is no doubt, but many had compassion for her, yet the court could not avoid finding her Guilty; for among other things, one of the evidences against her, deposed, that being taken by Rackam, and detain’d some time on board, he fell accidentally into discourse with Mary Read, whom he taking for a young man, ask’d her, what pleasure she could have in being concerned in such enterprises, where her life was continually in danger, by fire or sword; and not only so, but she must be sure of dying an ignominious death, if she should be taken alive?—She answer’d, that as to hanging, she thought it no great hardship, for, were it not for that, every cowardly fellow would turn pirate, and so infest the seas, that men of courage must starve:—that if it was put to the choice of the pirates, they would not have the punishment less than death, the fear of which, kept some dastardly rogues honest; that many of those who are now cheating the widows and orphans, and oppressing their poor neighbours, who have no money to obtain justice, would then rob at sea, and the ocean would be crowded with rogues, like the land, and no merchant would venture out; so that the trade, in a little time, would not be worth following.
Being found quick with child, as has been observed, her execution was respited, and it is possible she would have found favour, but she was seiz’d with a violent fever, soon after her trial, of which she died in prison.
The Life of Anne Bonny
As we have been more particular in the lives of these two women, than those of other pirates, it is incumbent on us, as a faithful historian, to begin with their birth. Anne Bonny was born at a town near Cork, in the kingdom of Ireland, her father an attorney at law, but Anne was not one of his legitimate issue, which seems to cross an old proverb, which says, that bastards have the best luck. Her father was a married man, and his wife having been brought to bed, contracted an illness in her lying in, and in order to recover her health, she was advised to remove for change of air; the place she chose, was a few miles distance from her dwelling, where her husband’s mother liv’d. Here she sojourn’d some time, her husband staying at home, to follow his affairs. The servant-maid, whom she left to look after the house, and attend the family, being a handsome young woman, was courted by a young man of the same town, who was a tanner; this tanner used to take his opportunities, when the family was out of the way, of coming to pursue his courtship; and being with the maid one day as she was employ’d in the household business, not having the fear of God before his eyes, he takes his opportunity, when her back was turned, of whipping three silver spoons into his pocket. The maid soon miss’d the spoons, and knowing that nobody had been in the room, but herself and the young man, since she saw them last, she charged him with taking them; he very stiffly denied it, upon which she grew outrageous, and threatened to go to a constable, in order to carry him before a justice of peace: these menaces frighten’d him out of his wits, well knowing he could not stand search; wherefore he endeavoured to pacify her, by desiring her to examine the drawers and other places, and perhaps she might find them; in this time he slips into another room, where the maid usually lay, and puts the spoons betwixt the sheets, and then makes his escape by a back door, concluding she must find them, when she went to bed, and so next day he might pretend he did it only to frighten her, and the thing might be laugh’d off for a jest.
As soon as she miss’d him, she gave over her search, concluding he had carried them off, and went directly to the constable, in order to have him apprehended: the young man was informed, that a constable had been in search of him, but he regarded it but little, not doubting but all would be well next day. Three or four days passed, and still he was told, the constable was upon the hunt for him, this made him lie concealed, he could not comprehend the meaning of it, he imagined no less, than that the maid had a mind to convert the spoons to her own use, and put the robbery upon him.
It happened, at this time, that the mistress being perfectly recovered of her late indisposition, was return’d home, in company with her mother-in-law; the first news she heard, was of the loss of the spoons, with the manner how; the maid telling her, at the same
