The pirates own book : $b authentic narratives of the most celebrated sea robbersEllms, Charles
History
The pirates own book : $b authentic narratives of the most celebrated sea robbers
Ellms, Charles
Pirates
I have made a full and frank confession to Mr. Hopson, which probably
most of my hearers present have already read; and should any of the
friends of those whom I have been accessary to, or engaged in the murder
of, be now present, before my Maker I beg their forgiveness--it is the
only boon I ask--and as I hope for pardon through the blood of Christ,
surely this request will not be withheld by man, to a worm like myself,
standing as I do, on the very verge of eternity! Another moment, and I
cease to exist--and could I find in my bosom room to imagine that the
spectators now assembled had forgiven me, the scaffold would have no
terrors, nor could the precept which my much respected friend, the
marshal of the district, is about to execute. Let me then, in this
public manner, return my sincere thanks to him, for his kind and
gentlemanly deportment during my confinement. He was to me like a
father, and his humanity to a dying man I hope will be duly appreciated
by an enlightened community.
My first crime was _piracy_, for which my _life_ would pay for forfeit
on conviction; no punishment could be inflicted on me further than that,
and therefore I had nothing to fear but detection, for had my offences
been millions of times more aggravated than they are now, _death_ must
have satisfied all.
Gibbs having concluded, Wansley began. He said he might be called a
pirate, a robber, and a murderer, and he was all of these, but he hoped
and trusted God would, through Christ, wash away his aggravated crimes
and offences, and not cast him entirely out. His feelings, he said, were
so overpowered that he hardly knew how to address those about him, but
he frankly admitted the justness of the sentence, and concluded by
declaring that he had no hope of pardon except through the atoning blood
of his Redeemer, and wished that his sad fate might teach others to shun
the broad road to ruin, and travel in that of virtue, which would lead
to honor and happiness in this world, and an immortal crown of glory in
that to come.
He then shook hands with Gibbs, the officers, and clergymen--their caps
were drawn over their faces, a handkerchief dropped by Gibbs as a signal
to the executioner caused the cord to be severed, and in an instant they
were suspended in air. Wansley folded his hands before him, soon died
with very trifling struggles. Gibbs died hard; before he was run up, and
did not again remove them, but after being near two minutes suspended,
he raised his right hand and partially removed his cap, and in the
course of another minute, raised the same hand to his mouth. His dress
was a blue round-about jacket and trousers, with a foul anchor in white
on his right arm. Wansley wore a white frock coat, trimmed with black,
with trousers of the same color.
After the bodies had remained on the gallows the usual time, they were
taken down and given to the surgeons for dissection.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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