Kidd’s only defence was that he had acted only as a privateersman, under his Majesty’s commission. He declared that he had never captured a ship which he had not evidence was a French ship, belonging to French owners, and sailing under French papers. It scarcely admits of a doubt that this statement was utterly false. Kidd assumed of both of the witnesses against him that they were miserable vagabonds, whose testimony was unworthy of the slightest credence. In reference to the testimony of Bradingham, he exclaimed: “This man contradicts himself in a hundred places. He tells a thousand lies. He knows no more of these things than you do. This fellow used to sleep five or six months together in the hold.” At another time, when the testimony was going strongly against him, he cried out bitterly: “It is hard that the life of one of the king’s subjects should be taken away upon the perjured oaths of such villains as these. Because I would not yield to their wishes, and turn pirate, they now endeavor to prove that I was one.” When the solicitor general asked if Kidd had any further questions to put to the witnesses, he despairingly replied: “No! no. Bradingham is saving his life by taking away mine. I will not trouble the court any more, for it is a folly. So long as these men swear as they do, no oaths of mine will be of any avail.” The verdict of _guilty_ was rendered. The judge pronounced the awful doom: “William Kidd, the sentence that the law hath appointed to pass upon you for your offences, and which this court doth therefore award, is, that you, the said William Kidd, shall go from hence to the place from whence you came, and from thence to the place of execution, where you shall be hanged by the neck until you are dead. And may the God of infinite mercy be merciful to your soul.” Kidd replied, “My lord, it is a very hard sentence. For my part, I am the most innocent person of them all. I have been sworn against by perjured persons.” CHAPTER V. _Kidd, and Stede Bonnet._ The Guilt of Kidd.--Rumors of Buried Treasure.--Mesmeric Revelation.--Adventures of Bradish.--Strange Character of Major Bonnet.--His Piracies.--Encounters.--Indications of Insanity.--No Temptation to Turn Pirate.--Blackbeard.--Bonnet Deposed. Mr. Charles Elliot, in his History of New England, writes: “It seems to have been felt necessary by those who were charged, in England, with complicity with Captain Kidd, that a vigorous prosecution should be urged, and that an example should be made of him, to satisfy a clamorous public opinion. He was brought to trial, and was convicted and sentenced for the murder of William Moore, one of his own sailors, whom he had struck in an altercation.