The deponent further corroborates this part of the evidence; in that he being obliged to call at Cape Mount, in his passage down hither, met there with two deserters from Roberts’ ship, who assured him of the same; and that the pirates did design to turn Davis away the next opportunity, as an idle good-for-nothing fellow.
From Glasby and Lilbourn, it was evident, that every pirate, while they stay’d at Sierra Leone, went onshore at discretion. That Roberts had often assured Mr. Glyn and other traders, at that place, that he would force nobody; and in short, there was no occasion for it; in particular, the prisoner’s rowmate went away, and thinks, he might have done the same, if he had pleased.
The prisoner alleged his having been detained against his will, and says, that returning with elephants’ teeth for Sierra Leone, the pirate’s boat pursued and brought him on board, where he was kept on account of his understanding the pilotage and navigation of that river.
It was obvious to the Court, not only how frivolous excuses of constraint and force were among these people, at their first commencing pirates, but also it was plain to them, from these two deserters, met at Cape Mount, and the discretional manner they lived in, at Sierra Leone; thro’ how little difficulty several of them did, and others might, have escaped afterwards, if they could but have obtained their own consents for it. Guilty.
This is the substance of the trials of Roberts’ crew, which may suffice for others, that occur in this book. The foregoing lists, shows, by a * before the names, who were condemn’d; those names with a † were referred for trial to the Marshalsea, and all the rest were acquitted.
| Men’s Names | Years of Age |
Habitations. |
|---|---|---|
| William Magnes | 35 | Minehead. |
| Richard Hardy | 25 | Wales. |
| David Sympson | 36 | North Berwick. |
| Christopher Moody | 28 | — |
| Thomas Sutton | 23 | Berwick. |
| Valentine Ashplant | 32 | Minories. |
| Peter de Vine | 42 | Stepney. |
| William Philips | 29 | Lower Shadwell. |
| Philip Bill | 27 | St. Thomas |
| William Main | 28 | — |
| William Mackintosh | 21 | Canterbury. |
| William Williams | 40 | nigh Plymouth. |
| Robert Haws | 31 | Yarmouth. |
| William Petty | 30 | Deptford. |
| John Jaynson | 22 | nigh Lancaster. |
| Marcus Johnson | 21 | Smyrna. |
| Robert Crow | 44 | Isle of Man. |
| Michael Maer | 41 | Ghent. |
| Daniel Harding | 26 | Croomsbury in Somersetshire. |
| William Fernon | 22 | Somersetshire. |
| Jo. More | 19 | Meer in Wiltshire. |
| Abraham Harper | 23 | Bristol. |
| Jo. Parker | 22 | Winfred in Dorsetshire. |
| Jo. Philips | 28 | Alloway in Scotland. |
| James Clements | 20 | Jersey. |
| Peter Scudamore | 35 | Bristol. |
| James Skyrm | 44 | Wales. |
| John Walden | 24 | Somersetshire |
| Jo. Stephenson | 40 | Whitby. |
| Jo. Mansfield | 30 | Orkneys. |
| Israel Hynde | 30 | Bristol. |
| Peter Lesley | 21 | Aberdeen. |
| Charles Bunce | 26 | Exeter. |
| Robert Birtson | 30 | Other St. Maries Devonshire. |
| Richard Harris | 45 | Cornwall. |
| Joseph Nositer | 26 | Sadbury in Devonshire. |
| William Williams | 30 | Speechless at Execution. |
| Agge Jacobson | 30 | Holland. |
| Benjamin Jefferys | 21 | Bristol. |
| Cuthbert Goss | 21 | Topsham. |
| John Jessup | 20 | Plymouth. |
| Edward Watts | 22 | Dunmore. |
| Thomas Giles | 26 | Minehead |
| William Wood | 27 | York. |
| Thomas Armstrong | 34 | London, executed on board the Weymouth. |
| Robert Johnson | 32 | at Whydah. |
| George Smith | 25 | Wales. |
| William Watts | 23 | Ireland |
| James Philips | 35 | Antigua. |
| John Coleman | 24 | Wales. |
| Robert Hays | 20 | Liverpool. |
| William Davis | 23 | Wales. |
The remainder of the pirates, whose names are under mentioned, upon their humble petition to the Court, had their sentence changed from death, to seven years servitude, conformable to our sentence of transportation; the petition is as follows.
To the honourable the president and judges of the court of admiralty, for trying of pirates, sitting at Cape Corso Castle; the
The humble petition of Thomas How, Samuel Fletcher, etc.
Humbly showeth,
That your petitioners being unhappily, and unwarily drawn into that wretched and detestable crime of piracy, for which they now stand justly condemned, they most humbly pray the clemency of the court, in the mitigation of their sentence, that they may be permitted to serve the Royal African Company of England, in this country for seven years, in such a manner as the court shall think proper; that by their just punishment, being made sensible of the error of their former ways, they will for the future become faithful subjects, good servants, and useful in their stations, if it please the Almighty to prolong their lives.
The resolution of the court was,
That the petitioners have leave by this court of admiralty, to interchange indentures with the captain general of the Gold Coast, for the Royal African Company, for seven years servitude, at any of the Royal African Company’s settlements in Africa, in such manner as he the said captain general shall think proper.
On Thursday the , the indentures being all drawn out, according to the grant made to the petitioners, by the court held on Friday the of this instant; each prisoner was sent for up, signed, sealed and exchanged them in the presence of
A Copy of the Indenture
The indenture of a person condemned to serve abroad for piracy, which, upon the humble petition of the pirates therein mentioned, was most mercifully granted by his Imperial Majesty’s commissioners and judges appointed to hold a court of admiralty, for the trial of pirates at Cape Corso Castle, in Africa, upon condition of serving seven years, and other conditions, are as follows, viz.
This indenture made the , Anno Regni Regis Georgii Magnae Britanniae, etc. Septimo, Domini, , between Roger Scot, late of the city of Bristol mariner, of the one part, and the Royal African Company of England, their captain general and commander in chief, for the time being, on the other part, witnesseth, that the said Roger Scot, doth hereby covenant, and agree to, and with, the said Royal African Company, their captain general, and commander in chief for the time being, to serve him, or his lawful successors, in any of the Royal African Company’s settlements on the coast of Africa, from the day of the date of these presents, to the full term of seven years, from hence next ensuing, fully to be complete and ended; there to serve in such employment, as the said captain general, or his successors shall employ him; according to the custom of the country in like kind.
In consideration whereof, the said captain general, and commander in chief doth covenant and agree, to, and with, the said Roger Scot, to find and allow him meat, drink, apparel and lodging, according to the custom of the country.
In witness whereof, the parties aforesaid, to these
