being told, “It was with the Quarter-master’s leave,” he came and helped me to bundle the things up, and I sent them on board the _Tender_. These were the first Necessaries which I could call my own, since my Misfortune. The Quarter-master that evening falling into a Delirium, died before morning in terrible Agonies; cursing his Maker in so shocking a manner, that it made a great Impression on several new entered Men: and they afterwards came privately to me, begging, “that I would advise them how to get off from so vile a Course of Life, which led them into Destruction both of Body and Soul. Some of them proposed to fly into the Woods, and remain there till their Ships were gone, if I would promise to protect them afterwards; but this being too nice a matter for me to meddle with at that Juncture, I declined it; Exhorting them in general, Not to be guilty of Murder, or any other Cruelty to those they should take. For if ever they should, by a general consent, resolve to embrace the King’s Pardon, it would be a great Advantage to them, to have the unfortunate People they had taken give them a good Character in that respect.” Having mentioned the King’s Pardon, I shall here relate what I before omitted, with relation to his late Majesty’s Proclamation, for a _Pardon to Pirates, that should surrender themselves at any of the_ British Plantations, _by the first of_ July 1719. This Proclamation I had on board, with a Declaration of War against _Spain_. The Quarter-master finding them amongst my Papers, and not being able to read, he brought them to me, the next day after I was taken, and “bid me read them aloud to all then present;” which I did: But there being Rewards offered in the Proclamation, to those that should take or destroy Pirates; so much for a Captain; and in proportion for the other Officers and common Pirates; this put them into such a Rage, that I began to apprehend my self in some Danger. But Captain _Cocklyn_ ordering silence to be made, bid me read the other Paper, which was _The Declaration of War against_ Spain. When I had read it, some of them said, “They wished they had known it before they left the _West Indies_” From thence I took occasion to observe to them, “That if they thought fit to embrace his Majesty’s most gracious Pardon, there was not only time enough for them to return to the _West Indies_, (there being still three Months to come of the time limited in the Proclamation) but now that War was declared against _Spain_, they would have an opportunity of inriching themselves in a legal way, by going a privateering, which many of them had privately done.” This seemed to be relished by many: but several old _Buccaneers_, who had been guilty of Murder and other barbarous Crimes, being no ways inclined to it, they used the King’s Proclamation with great contempt, and tore it in pieces. I thought my self well off, that no Resentment or ill-usage was shown me on this occasion.