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 flour; 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 despicable notion, that they were about to throw him overboard, 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 pickpocket, and before he became a pirate, a housebreaker; 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 northwest coast of Scotland, and there were tossed 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 shipwreck’d sailors, and no doubt might have traveled 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 seaports, ship’d themselves for Ireland, and arrived there in safety. Six or seven wisely withdrew from the rest, traveled 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 wherever 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 Aesop, they wanted to lighten their burdens: this expensive manner of living procured two of their drunken stragglers 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 gaol, 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 trial, 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 household 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 piracy 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, though condemn’d, appeared to be a man of a fair character,
