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
and Comeing to a Place caulled Knoskeegg,[2] there wee mett with Capt.
Roades and the Privateers tooke him aboard of our vessell, and after
some stay there the wind being Contrary, notwithstanding they went to
turne it out and as they ware turning out, I Edward Youring spoke to
Thomas Mitchell whoe was then at helme, desireing him to beare up the
helme and to goe no further with them, and I tould the sayd Mitchell
my reason was because I heard them say thay would take George
Manning[3] and the Vessell if they could meet with him, and one of the
Privateers, by name Randler Judgson, came to me as I was speaking to
Mitchell to beare up the helme, sweareing thus or this effect: "God
damne me, Youring or Mitchell, speake another word of bearing up the
Helme and Ile knock out your Braines with a hand speake", etc.;
furthermore I the sayd Youring haveing no way to Escape from them was
forced to Stay Longer with them, but at Length Comeing to a Harbour
further East, wee spieing a vessell at an Anchor, Capt. Rodregrose
commanded Thomas Mitchell to Steer right with her, and Comeing up with
her Rodregross bid them Amaine[4] for the Prince of Orainge; whareupon
they lowred out their Annchor and it proved to be George Manning; then
I the said Youring, haveing heard Rodregross and the Privateers say
whatt they Intended to doe if they meett with Manning, I intreated
them not to take him but to lett him goe peaceably with whatt hee had,
and onely give him warning for the future; but Rodregross instead of
Complying with my request blamed me much for speak[ing] against
takeing of him, and forthwith went on board and tooke a way his
peltery; and the same Afternoone made prize, both of vessell and
goods, after wh. I Edward Youring Speakeing in the behalf of Manning,
Capt. Rodregross tooke doune his pistol, wch generally he kept loaden
by him, and presented it to me, and had not Capt. Roades whch satt by
Layd his hand upon it, turnning of it away from me, I had then been
shott. and the next Night following Petter Grant one of the Privateers
made a writeing, and being very earnest with me to sett my hand to it,
toulde me it would be no damage to me to sett my hand as a Witness; I
the said Youring, being Ignorant of such things and not knowing what
was in it, I did Sett my hand to it, but no otherwayes butt as A
wittness (the which I did by reason of my being in feare of my life,
if I should have denyed to have done it), and soon after the
Pryvat[eer] [_torn_] had been at Mayhchyous[5] and Laded the goods
they tooke from George Manning, they went to St. Johns, wheare they
had not been above three or fower howers, as I judge, before thatt
there caime into the Harbor a vessell from the Sea and came to an
Anchor about a mile distant from us. then the said Rodregross
Commanded twoe boates to be manned to cary him and his Company, and
coming nere to the vessell, he bid them A Mayne for the Prince of
orainge, and Some in the vessell knowing him desired him to come
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