Devonshire Characters and Strange EventsBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Devonshire Characters and Strange Events
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Devon (England) -- Biography; Devon (England) -- History
“The Boy asked What I would have him do? I told him to knock down that
Man at the Helm, and I will kill and command all the rest. Saith the
Boy, If you be sure to overcome them, how many do you count to kill? I
answered that I intended to kill three of them. Then the Boy replied,
Why three and no more? I answered that I would kill three for three of
our men that died in Prison when I was there. And if it should please
God that I should get home safe I would if I could go in a Man-of-War
or Fireship, and endeavour to revenge on the Enemy for the Death of
those 400 Men that died in the same Prison of Dinan. But the Boy said
Four alive would be too many for us. I then replied that I would kill
but three, but I would break the Legs and the Arms of the rest if they
won’t take quarter and be quiet without it.”
After a long discussion and much inquiry, the boy was finally induced
to give a reluctant consent to help. The attempt was to be made that
day. “At 9 in the morning the two men upon Deck were pumping; then I
turned out from the Sail, where the Boy and I then lay’d, and pull’d
off my Coat that I might be the more nimble in the Action. I went up
the Gunroom Scuttle into the Steeridge, to see what Position they were
in, and being satisfied therein. Then the Boy coming to me, I leapt up
the gunroom Scuttle, and said, Lord be with us! and I told the Boy that
the Drive Bolt was by the Scuttle, in the Steeridg; and then I went
softly aft into the Cabbin, and put my Back against the Bulkehead and
took the Jam Can, and held it with both my Hands in the middle part,
and put my legs abroad to shorten myself, because the Cabbin was very
low. But he that lay nighest to me, hearing me, opened his eyes, and
perceiving my intent, endeavoured to rise, to make resistance; but I
prevented him by a Blow upon his Forehead, which mortally wounded him,
and the other Man which lay with his Back to the dying Man’s side,
hearing the Blow, turned about and faced me, and as he was rising with
his left Elbow, very fiercely endeavouring to come against me, I struck
at him, and he let himself fall from his left Arm, and held his Arm for
a Guard, whereby did keep off a great part of the Blow, but still his
Head received a great part of the Blow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account