I, A. B. solemnly promise and swear on the Holy Evangelists, to bear true and faithful witness between the King and prisoner, or prisoners, in relation to the fact, or facts, of piracy and robbery, he or they do now stand accused of. So help me God.
The court consisted of
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Captain Mungo Heardman, President
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Captain James Phips, Esq.; General of the Coast
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Mr. Edward Hyde, Secretary to the Company
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Mr. H. Dodson, Mer.
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Mr. F. Boye, Mer.
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Lieut. John Barnsley
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Lieut. Ch. Fanshaw
The following prisoners, out of the pirate ship Ranger, having been commanded before them, the charge, or indictment, was exhibited.
| Men’s names | Ships from | Time when | |
|---|---|---|---|
| * James Skyrm | Greyhound sloop | ||
| * Rich. Hardy | Pirate with Davis | ||
| * Wm. Main | Brigantine Capt. Peet | ||
| * Henry Dennis | Pirates with Capt. Davis |
||
| * Val. Ashplant | |||
| * Rob. Birdson | |||
| * Rich. Harris | Phoenix of Bristol, Capt. Richards |
||
| * D. Littlejohn | |||
| * Thomas How | at Newfoundland | ||
| † Her. Hunkins | Success Sloop | ||
| * Hugh Harris | Willing Mind | ||
| * W. Mackintosh | |||
| Thomas Wills | Richard of Biddiford | ||
| † John Wilden | Mary and Martha | ||
| * Ja. Greenham | Little York, Phillips Mr. | ||
| * John Jaynson | Love of Lancaster | ||
| † Chri. Lang | Thomas Brigantine | ||
| * John Mitchel | Norman Galley | ||
| T. Withstandenot | |||
| Peter la Fever | Jeremiah and Ann | ||
| * Wm. Shurin | |||
| * Wm. Wats | Sierra Leone |
of Mr. Glyn | |
| * Wm. Davis | of Seig. Jossee | ||
| † James Barrow | Martha Snow Capt. Lady |
||
| * Joshua Lee | |||
| Rob. Hartley (1) | Robinson of Liverpool Capt. Kanning |
||
| † James Crane | |||
| George Smithson | Stanwich Galley Captain Tarlton |
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| Roger Pye | |||
| † Rob. Fletcher | |||
| * Ro. Hartley (2) | |||
| † Andrew Rance | A Dutch Ship | ||
| * Cuthbert Goss | Mercy Galley of Bristol at Calabar |
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| * Tho. Giles | |||
| * Israel Hynde | |||
| William Church | Gertruycht of Holland | ||
| Philip Haak | Flushingham of Ditto | ||
| William Smith | Elizabeth Capt. Sharp |
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| Adam Comry | |||
| William Graves | King Solomon Capt. Trahern off Cape Apollonia |
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| * Peter de Vine | |||
| John Johnson | |||
| John Stodgill | |||
| Henry Dawson | Whydah sloop at Jaquin |
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| William Glass | |||
| Josiah Robinson | Tarlton Capt. Tho. Tarlton |
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| John Arnaught | |||
| John Davis | |||
| † Henry Graves | |||
| Tho. Howard | |||
| † John Rimer | |||
| Thomas Clephen | |||
| Wm. Guineys | Porcupine Capt. Fletcher | ||
| † James Cosins | |||
| Tho. Stretton | Onslow Capt. Gee at Cestos |
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| * William Petty | |||
| Mic. Lemmon | |||
| * Wm. Wood | |||
| * Ed. Watts | |||
| * John Horn | |||
| Pierre Ravon | From the French ship in Whydah Road |
||
| John Dugan | |||
| James Ardeon | |||
| Ettrien Gilliot | |||
| Ren. Marraud | |||
| John Gittin | |||
| Jo. Richardeau | |||
| John Lavogue | |||
| John Duplaissey | |||
| Peter Grossey | |||
| Rence Frogier | |||
| Lewis Arnaut | |||
| Rence Thoby | |||
| Meth Roulac | |||
| John Gumar | |||
| John Paquete | |||
| Allan Pigan | |||
| Pierce Shillot | |||
You, James Skyrm, Michael Lemmon, Robert Hartley, etc.
Ye, and every one of you, are in the name, and by the authority, of our dread Sovereign Lord, George, King of Great Britain, indicted as follows;
Forasmuch as in open contempt of the laws of your country, ye have all of you been wickedly united, and articled together, for the annoyance and disturbance of His Majesty’s trading subjects by sea. And have in conformity to the most evil and mischievous intentions, been twice down the coast of Africa, with two ships; once in the beginning of August, and a second time, in January last, sinking, burning, or robbing such ships, and vessels, as then happened in your way.
Particularly, ye stand charged at the instance, and information of Captain Chaloner Ogle, as traitors and pirates, for the unlawful opposition ye made to His Majesty’s ship, the Swallow, under his command.
For that on the last past, upon sight of the aforesaid King’s ship, ye did immediately weigh anchor from under Cape Lopez, on the southern coast of Africa, in a French built ship of 32 guns, called the Ranger, and did pursue and chase the aforesaid King’s ship, with such dispatch and precipitancy, as declared ye common robbers and pirates.
That about the same morning, drawing within gunshot of His Majesty’s aforesaid ship the Swallow, ye hoisted a piratical black flag, and fired several chase guns, to deter, as much as ye were able, His Majesty’s servants from their duty.
That an hour after this, being very nigh to the aforesaid King’s ship, ye did audaciously continue in a hostile defence and assault, for about two hours more, in open violation of the laws, and in defiance to the King’s colours and commission.
And lastly, that in the acting, and compassing of all this, ye were all, and every one of you, in a wicked combination, voluntarily to exert, and actually did, in your several stations, use your utmost endeavours to distress the said King’s ship, and murder His Majesty’s good subjects.
To which they severally pleaded, Not Guilty.
Then the court called for the officers of the Swallow, Mr. Isaac Sun, Lieutenant, Ralph Baldrick, Boatswain, Daniel Maclaughlin, Mate, desiring them to view the prisoners, whether they knew them? And to give an account in what manner they had attack’d and fought the King’s ship; and they agreed as follows.
That they had viewed all the prisoners, as they stood now before the court, and were assured they were the same taken out of one, or other, of the pirate ships, Royal Fortune, or Ranger; but verily believe them to be taken out of the Ranger.
That they did in the King’s ship, at break of day, on Monday, the , discover three ships at anchor, under Cape Lopez, on the southern coast of Africa; the cape bearing then W. S. W. about three leagues, and perceiving one of them to have a pendant flying, and having heard their morning-gun before, they immediately suspected them to be Roberts the pirate, his consort, and a French ship, they knew had been lately carried out of Whydah Road.
The King’s ship was obliged to
