After a short stay at home, he set out again on the old voyage, fell in first with Methelage, where he victualled and traded, and from thence went round the south end, and sold part of his cargo at a large profit, to his old acquaintance. He made a trading voyage round the island, and at St. Mary’s met another ship belonging to his owner, which had orders to follow his directions. He remained at this port till he had disposed of the cargoes of both ships. He then shaped his course homewards, with about twenty pirate passengers, who had accepted the pardon brought by Commodore Littleton.
In his way he touched at the Cape of Good Hope, for wood, water, and fresh provision. While he was here, the Loyal Cook, an East-Indiaman, came in, who made prize of Burgess, and carried him to the East-Indies. He there would have delivered Burgess’ ship to the governor of Madras, but the governor would have no hand in the affair, and told the captain, he must answer to the East-India company and Burgess’ owner for what he had done.
Most of the pirate passengers thought themselves cleared by the act of grace; but some, not willing to trust to it, got off with what gold they could, in a Dutch boat. They who trusted to the pardon, were clapped in gaol, and died in their irons. I cannot omit the simplicity of one of them, who had, however, the wit to get off. When he designed to go away, he looked for his comrade for the key of his chest, to take his gold with him, which amounted to seventeen hundred pounds; but this comrade being ashore, he would not break open the chest, for it was a pity, he said, to spoil a good new lock; so left his money for the captain of the East-Indiaman.
The news of this capture came to the owner before the ship returned, and he sued the Company; but at their request, waited for the arrival of the Loyal Cook, which brought Burgess prisoner to England soon after. The Captain finding himself in an error, and that what he had done could not be justified, absconded; and the Company made good the ship and cargo to the owner. Burgess was set at liberty, continued some time in London, was impeached, and piracy sworn against him by Culliford, who, notwithstanding he came home on the act of grace, was committed to Newgate, tried, and acquitted, though he was beggared.
Burgess’ owner laboured very hard, and expended great sums of money to save him. However, though he pleaded the necessity of his going on board the pirate, he was tried and condemned; but by the intercession of the bishops of London and Canterbury, was pardoned by the queen.
After this, he made a broken voyage to the South Sea, lieutenant of a privateer, and returning to London, was out of business a whole year. He then shipped himself as mate on board the Hannah, afterwards called the Neptune, and went to Scotland to take in her cargo, the owner being of that country; but before she got thither, he broke, the ship was stopped, and lay eighteen months before she was disposed of. At length, being set to sale, six Scotch gentlemen bought her, the old officers were continued, and she proceeded on her first designed voyage to Madagascar, in which the captain and Burgess quarrelling, caused the loss of the ship; for the latter, who was acquainted with the pirates, when they arrived at Madagascar, instigated them to surprise her. The manner how, being already set down in Halsey’s life, I need not repeat.
I shall only take notice, that Capt. Miller being decoyed ashore, under pretence of being shown some trees, fit for masting, Halsey invited him to a surloin of beef, and a bowl of arrack punch; he accepted the invitation, with about twenty pirates. One Emmy, who had been a waterman on the Thames, did not come to table, but sat by, muffled up in a great coat, pretending he was attacked by the ague, though he had put it on to conceal his pistols only. After dinner, when Halsey went out, as for something to entertain his guests, (Miller and his supercargo,) Emmy clapped a pistol to the captain’s breast, and told him he was his prisoner. At the same instant, two other pirates entered the room, with each a blunderbuss in his hand, and told the captain and his supercargo, that no harm should come to either, if they did not bring it upon themselves by an useless resistance. While this passed within doors, the wood being lined with pirates, all Miller’s men, whom he had brought ashore to fall timber, were secured, but none hurt, and all civilly treated. When they had afterwards got possession of the ship, in the manner mentioned before, they set all their prisoners at liberty.
Miller with eleven of his men, was sent off, as is said in Halsey’s life. The company chose Burgess quarter-master, and shared the booty they had made out of the Scotch ship, and the Greyhound.
Soon after happened Halsey’s death, who left Burgess executor in trust for his widow and children, with a considerable legacy for himself; and the other pirates grumbling at a new comer’s being preferred to all of them, took from Burgess £3000 of Halsey’s money, and £1200 of his own, which was his share of the two prizes. Though he had been treated in this manner, they were idle enough, to give him the command of the Scotch ship, and ordered him to fit her out with all expedition, and to take on board some men and goods left in the brigantine. He set to work on the ship, with full design to run away with her; but some pirates, who were in another part of the island, being informed of these proceedings, thought it not prudent to trust him, so he left the ship, and getting among his old comrades, by their interposition had all his money returned.
After this he lived five months on the island of St. Mary’s, where his house was, by accident, burnt down, out of which he saved nothing but his money. He then went on board David Williams, when he missed the island of Mascarenhas, and returned to Methelage, where he tarried with the king, and was one of the men among whom he divided Williams’ effects.