The Colours they fought under, besides a black Flag, were a red English Ensign, a King’s Jack, and a Dutch Pendant, which they struck at, or about, Three in the Afternoon, and called for Quarters; it proving to be a French built Ship of 32 Guns, called the Ranger.
Isaac Sun,
Ralph Baldrick,
Daniel Maclauglin.
When the Evidence had been heard, the Prisoners were called upon to answer, how they came on Board this Pyrate Ship; and their Reason for so audacious a Resistance, as had been made against the King’s Ship.
To this, each, in his Reply, owned himself to be one of those taken out of the Ranger; that he had signed their pyratical Articles, and shared in their Plunder, some few only accepted, who had been there too short a Time. But that neither in this signing, or sharing, nor in the Resistance had been made against his Majesty’s Ship, had they been Voluntiers, but had acted in these several Parts, from a Terror of Death; which a Law amongst them, was to be the Portion of those who refused. The Court then ask’d, who made those Laws? How those Guns came to be fired? Or why they had not deserted their Stations, and mutinied, when so fair a Prospect of Redemption offered? They replied still, with the same Answers, and could extenuate their Crimes, with no other Plea, than being forced Men. Wherefore the Court were of Opinion, that the Indictment, as it charged them with an unlawful Attack and Resistance of the King’s Ship, was sufficiently proved; but then it being undeniably evident, that many of these Prisoners had been forced, and some of them of very short standing, they did, on mature Deliberation, come to this merciful Resolution;
That they would hear further Evidence for, or against, each Person singly, in Relation to those Parts of the Indictment, which declared them Voluntiers, or charged them with aiding and assisting, at the burning, sinking, or robbing of other Ships; for if they acted, or assisted, in any Robberies or Devastations, it would be a Conviction they were Voluntiers; here such Evidence, though it might want the Form, still carried the Reason of the Law with it.
The Charge was exhibited also against the following Pyrates taken out of the Royal Fortune.
* Mich. Mare | in the Rover 5 Years ago |
|
* Chris. Moody | under Davis | 1718. |
* Mar. Johnson | a Dutch Ship | 1718. |
* James Philips | the RevengePyrate Sloop | 1717. |
* David Symson | Pyrates with Davis |
|
* Tho. Sutton | ||
* Hag. Jacobson | a Dutch Ship | 1719 |
* W. Williams 1 | Sadbury Captain Thomas Newfoundland | June 1720 |
* Wm. Fernon | ||
* W. Willams 2 | ||
* Roger Scot | ||
* Tho. Owen | York of Bristol | May 1720. |
* Wm. Taylor | ||
* Joseph Nositer | Expedition of Topsham | |
* John Parker | Willing Mind of Pool | July 1720. |
* Robert Crow | Happy Return Sloop | |
* George Smith | Mary and Martha | |
* Ja. Clements | Success Sloop | |
* John Walden | Blessing of Lymington | |
* Jo. Mansfield | from Martinico |
|
† James Harris | Richard Pink |
|
* John Philips | a fishing Boat |
|
Harry Glasby | Samuel Capt. Cary. | July 1720. |
Hugh Menzies | ||
* Wm. Magnus |
|
|
* Joseph Moor | May Flower Sloop | Feb. 1720. |
Loyd Gally Capt. Hyngston | May 1721. | |
Wm. Champnies | ||
George Danson | ||
† Isaac Russel | ||
Robert Lilbourn | Jeremiah and Ann, Capt. Turner | Ap. 1721. |
* Robert Johnson | ||
Wm. Darling | ||
† Wm. Mead | ||
Thomas Diggles | Christopher Snow | Ap. 1721. |
* Ben. Jeffreys | Norman Galley | |
John Francia | a Sloop at St. Nicholas | |
* D. Harding | a Dutch Ship | |
* John Coleman | Adventure Sloop | |
* Charles Bunce | a Dutch Galley | |
* R. Armstrong | ditto run from the Swallow | |
* Abra. Harper | Onslow Capt. Gee at Sestos, | May 1721. |
* Peter Lesley | ||
* John Jessup 1 | ||
Thomas Watkins | ||
* Philip Bill | ||
* Jo. Stephenson | ||
* James Cromby | ||
Thomas Garrat | ||
† George Ogle | ||
Roger Gorsuch | Martha Snow | Au. 1721. |
John Watson | ||
William Child | Mercy Gally at Callabar | Oct. 1721. |
* John Griffin | ||
* Pet. Scudamore | ||
Christ. Granger | Cornwall Galley at Callabar | ditto. |
Nicho. Brattle | ||
James White | ||
Tho. Davis | ||
Tho. Sever | ||
* Rob. Bevins | ||
* T. Oughterlaney | ||
* David Rice | ||
Joceline Capt. Loane | Oct. 1721. | |
Hugh Riddle | Diligence Boat | Ja. 1721. |
Stephen Thomas | ||
* John Lane | King Solomon | ditto. |
* Sam. Fletcher | ||
* Wm. Philips | ||
Jacob Johnson | ||
* John King | ||
Benjamin Par | Robinson Capt. Kanning | ditto. |
William May | Elizabeth Capt. Sharp | ditto. |
Ed. Thornden | ||
* George Wilson | Tarlton of Leverpool at Cape la Hou | |
Edward Tarlton | ||
* Robert Hays | ||
Thomas Roberts | Charlton Capt. Allwright | Feb. 1721. |
John Richards | ||
John Cane | ||
Richard Wood | Porcupine Capt. Fletcher Whydah Road | Feb. 1721. |
Richard Scot | ||
Wm. Davison | ||
Sam. Morwell | ||
Edward Evans | ||
* John Jessup 2 | surrender'd up at Princes |
|
You, Harry Glasby, William Davison, William Champnies, Samuel Morwell, &c.
YE, and every one of you, are, in the Name, and by the Authority of our most dread Sovereign Lord George, King of Great Britain, indicted as follows.
Forasmuch as in open Contempt and Violation of the Laws of your Country, to which ye ought to have been subject, ye have all of you been wickedly united and articled together, for the Annoyance and Destruction of his Majesty’s trading Subjects by Sea; and in Conformity to so wicked an Agreement and Association, ye have been twice lately down this Coast of Africa, once in August, and a second Time in January last, spoiling and destroying many Goods and Vessels of his Majesty’s Subjects, and other trading Nations.