The History of the Pyrates. Vol. II.: Containing the lives of Captain Misson, Captain Bowen, Captain Kidd, Captain Tew, Captain Halsey, Captain White, Captain Condent, Captain Bellamy, Captain Fly, Captain Howard, Captain Lewis, Captain Cornelius, Captain Williams, Captain Burgess, Captain North, and their several crewsDefoe, Daniel
History
The History of the Pyrates. Vol. II.: Containing the lives of Captain Misson, Captain Bowen, Captain Kidd, Captain Tew, Captain Halsey, Captain White, Captain Condent, Captain Bellamy, Captain Fly, Captain Howard, Captain Lewis, Captain Cornelius, Captain Williams, Captain Burgess, Captain North, and their several crews
Defoe, Daniel
Pirates -- Early works to 1800
_Kid_ was tryed upon an Indictment of Murder also, _viz._ for killing
_Moor_ the Gunner, and found guilty of the same. _Nicholas Churchill_
and _James How_ pleaded the King's Pardon, as having surrendered
themselves within the Time limited in the Proclamation, and Colonel
_Bass_, Governor of _West Jersey_, to whom they surrendered, being in
Court, and called upon, proved the same; however, this Plea was
over-ruled by the Court, because there being four Commissioners named in
the Proclamation, _viz._ Captain _Thomas Warren_, _Israel Hayes_, _Peter
Delannoye_, and _Christopher Pollard_, Esqrs; who were appointed
Commissioners, and sent over on Purpose to receive the Submissions of
such Pyrates as should surrender, it was adjudged no other Person was
qualified to receive their Surrender, and that they could not be
intitled to the Benefit of the said Proclamation, because they had not
in all Circumstances complied with the Conditions of it.
_Darby Mullins_ urg'd in his Defence, that he serv'd under the King's
Commission, and therefore could not disobey his Commander without
incurring great Punishments; that whenever a Ship or Ships went out upon
any Expedition under the King's Commissioners, the Men were never
allowed to call their Officers to an Account, why they did this, or, why
they did that, because such a Liberty would destroy all Discipline; that
if any Thing was done which was unlawful, the Officers were to answer
it, for the Men did no more than their Duty in obeying Orders. He was
told by the Court, that acting under the Commission justified in what
was lawful, but not in what was unlawful; he answered, he stood in Need
of nothing to justify him in what was lawful, but that the Case of
Seamen must be very hard, if they must be brought into such Danger for
obeying the Commands of their Officers, and punished for not obeying
them; and if they were allowed to dispute the Orders, there could be no
such Thing as Command kept up at Sea.
This seem'd to be the best Defence the Thing could bear; but his taking
a Share of the Plunder, the Seamens mutinying on Board several Times,
and taking upon them to controul the Captain, shewed there was no
Obedience paid to the Commission; and that they acted in all Things
according to the Custom of Pyrates and Free-booters, which weighing with
the Jury, they brought him in guilty with the rest.
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