Come all ye young and old, see me die, see me die,
Come all ye young and old, see me die;
Come all ye young and old, you’re welcome to my gold,
For by it I’ve lost my soul, and must die.
FOOTNOTES
[61] Capt. William Kidd was born in Greenock, Scotland, about 1655 and probably was the son of Rev. John Kidd who suffered the torture of the boot. In August, 1689, he arrived at the island of Nevis, in the West Indies, in command of a privateer of sixteen guns that had been taken from the French at Basseterre by the English members of her crew. The next year his privateer took part in Hewetson’s expedition to Mariegalante; but in February, 1691, while he was on shore, his company deserted him and ran away with the vessel. Most of the crew were former pirates and liked their old trade better. A month later he reached New York where he obtained command of another privateer and before long brought in a French ship. The last of May, 1691, the Government sent him out in pursuit of a French privateer which he followed so leisurely that she escaped. Arriving at Boston, June 8th, he received proposals to go in search of the privateer which were not satisfactory to him and further negotiations were without result, so that complaint was made to the Governor of New York that Kidd neglected a fair opportunity to take her. In August, 1695, he was in London, in command of the brigantine “Antego,” and while there testified as to the irregularities existing in New York. Two months later, on October 10th, he signed articles with the Earl of Bellomont which sent him to the Indian ocean and later to Execution Dock on the Thames.
[62] Prizes.
[63] Calendars of State Papers, America and West Indies, 1699, pp. 366-367.
[64] Calendars of State Papers, America and West Indies, 1699, p. 371.