Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period: Illustrative Documents
History
Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period: Illustrative Documents
Pirates; Privateering; United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -- Sources
Seventhly, For that the said William Phillips, Isaac Lassen, Henry
Gyles and Charles Ivemay, in Conjunction as aforesd., on or about the
month of April last past, upon the high sea within the Jurisdiction
aforesd., did with force and arms Pyratically and Feloniously
surprize, seize, enter into and take a Fishing scooner, William Lency
Master, and then and there out of her with force as aforesd. and in
manner as aforesd. did take and Carry away divers goods and Provisions
to the value of Twenty pounds.
Lastly, For that the sd. William Phillips, Isaac Lassen, Henry Gyles,
Charles Ivemay, John Bootman, John Coombes and Henry Payne, in
Conjunction as aforesd., on or about the 14th of April last past, on
the high sea and within the Jurisdiction aforesd., with force and arms
did Feloniously and Pyratically surprise, seize and take a sloop named
the _Squirrel_, Andrew Harradine Master, and belonging to His Maj'ties
good subjects, and on the fifteenth following, with force and arms
Feloniously and Pyratically did Enter with all their Guns, ammunition
and Provisions on board the sd Sloop. All which sd acts of Pyracy,
Robbery and Felony were by you and Each of you done and Committed in
manner as aforesd., Contrary to the statutes, and the Laws in that
Case made and Provided.
To all which Articles the sd William Phillips with the other Prisoners
at the Bar severally pleaded not Guilty.
_Advocate General._ May it Please your Honours,
The Prisoners now at the Bar stand also Articled against for Pyracy,
Robbery and Felony, and as the Charge so also the proof agt them
appearing more certain clear and possitive than in the Case of those
but lately Acquitted, I doubt not therefore of the Justice of the
Honorable Court in finding them and Each of them Guilty.
Then the Kings Evidences were called and sworn. John Masters, late
Mate of the Sloop _Content_, George Barrow Master, Deposed says that
being bound from Boston to Barbados in sd. Sloop on the 27th of
October last, the sd. Sloop was taken by a Pyrate Scooner Commanded by
John Phillips, That the Pyrates forced this Depont. to go with them,
and whilst this Depont. was with them, on the fourth of February last,
they took a snow, one Laws Master. Samuel Ferne and James Wood, both
since shot by Capt. Phillips,[4] William Taylor, now in Goal, and
William Phillips, one of the Prisoners at the Bar, went on board the
said snow armed with Cutlashes, that they brought Provisions from the
snow on board the scooner, but knows not whether Phillips brought any
or not.
[Footnote 4: For insubordination.]
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