“I thank’d him, and told him, I was sorry I could not accept of his kind Offer; and hoped he would excuse me, and not impute it to an obstinate Temper; because, I said, I did not perceive it would be of any Advantage to me, but rather the Reverse; for I could not see how I should be able to dispose of the Ship, or any Part of her Cargo; because no Body would buy, except I had a lawful Power to sell; and they all certainly knew, they had no farther Right to any Ship or Goods that they took, than so long as such Ship or Goods was within the Verge of their Power; which, they were sensible, could not extend so far, as to reach any Place where such Sale could be made: Besides, I said, if the Owners of any such Ship or Goods should ever come to hear of it, then should I be liable to make them Restitution, to the full Value of such Ship and Cargo, or be oblig’d to lie in a Prison the remaining Part of my Days; or, perhaps, by a more rigid Prosecution of the Law against my Person, run a Hazard of my Life.
“Russel said, These were but needless and groundless Scruples, and might easily be evaded: As for my having a Right to make Sale of the Ship and Cargo, which they would give me, they could easily make me a Bill of Sale of the Ship, and such other necessary Powers in Writing, as were sufficient to justify my Title to it beyond all Possibility of Suspicion; so that I should not have any Reason to fear my being detected in the Sale: And as for my Apprehension of being discover’d to the Owners, that might as easily be prevented; for they should always know, by Examination of the Master, &c. and also by the Writings taken on board such Ship (which they always took Care to seize upon) who were the Owners and Merchants concern’d in both Ship and Cargo, as also their Places of Abode; by which I might be able to shun a Possibility of their discovering me: Adding, That I might have the Powers and Writings made in another Name, which I might go by ’till I had finish’d the Business, and then could assume my own; which Method would certainly secure me from all Possibility of Discovery.
“I told him, I must confess, there was not only a Probability, but a seeming Certainty, in what he said, and that it argued abundance of Wit in the Contrivance; but, I assur’d him, that were I positively certain, which I could not be, that ’till the Hour of my Death it would not be discover’d, yet there was still a strong Motive to deter me from accepting it; which, tho’ it might seem, perhaps, to them to be of no Weight, and but a meer Chimera, yet it had greater Force with me than all the Reasons I had hitherto mention’d; and that was my Conscience; which would be a continual Witness against me, and a constant Sting, even when, perhaps, no Body would accuse me: And as there could be no hearty and unfeigned Repentance, without making a full Restitution, as far as I was able, to the injur’d Person; I ask’d them, What Benefit would it be to me, if I got Thousands of Pounds, and could not be at Peace with my Conscience, ’till I had restor’d every Thing to the proper Owners, and after all, remain as I was before? A great deal more, I told them, I could say upon this Head; but doubted that Discourses of this Nature were not very taking with some of them, and might seem of very little Account; Yet I hope, said I, and God forbid that there should not be some of you, who have a Thought of a great and powerful God, and a Consciousness of his impartial Justice to punish, as well as of his unfathomable Mercy to pardon Offenders upon their unfeigned Repentance, which would not so far extend as to encourage us to run on in sinning, thereby presuming to impose on his Mercy.
“Some of them said, I should do well to preach a Sermon, and would make them a good Chaplain. Others said, No, they wanted no Godliness to be preach’d there: That Pirates had no God but their Money, nor Saviour but their Arms. Others said, That I had said nothing but what was very good, true, and rational, and they wish’d that Godliness, or, at least, some Humanity, were in more Practice among them; which they believ’d, would be more to their Reputation, and cause a greater Esteem to be had for them, both from God and Man.
“After this, a Silence follow’d; which Capt. Russel broke, saying to me again, Master, as to your Fear that you wrong your Neighbour in taking a Ship from us, which we first took from him; in my Judgment, it is groundless and without Cause; nor is it a Breach of the Laws of God or Man, as far as I am able to apprehend; for you do not take their Goods from them, nor usurp their Property: That we have done without your Advice, Concurrence, or Assistance; and therefore whatever Sin or Guilt follows that Action, it is intirely Ours, and, in my Opinion, cannot extend to make any unconcern’d Person guilty with us. It is plain, beyond disputing, continu’d he, that you can be no Way Partaker with us in any Capture, while you are only a constrain’d Prisoner, neither giving your Advice or Consent, or any Ways assisting; and therefore it may be most certainly concluded, that it is We only that have invaded the Right, and usurp’d the Property of another; and that you must be innocent, and cannot be Partaker of the Crime, unless concern’d in that Action that made it a Crime. But you seem to allow, that we have a Property, while we are in Possession; but, added he, I suppose you think, that all the Claim we have to the Ships and Goods that we take, is by an Act of Violence, and therefore unjust, and of no longer Force than while we are capable to maintain them by the same superior Strength by which we obtain’d them.
“I told him, I could not express my Conceptions of it better or fuller, I thought, than he had done; but hoped, neither he, nor Capt. Loe, nor any of the Gentlemen present, would be offended at my taking so much Liberty; which was rather to acquaint them with my Reasons for not being able to accept of their kind Offer, than to give any Gentleman Offence; adding, That I had so much Confidence in their Favours, that, if I could have accepted them, I verily believ’d, they would all have concurred with Capt. Russel in what he so kindly and friendly design’d me.
“At which Words they all cry’d, Ay, Ay, by G—, and that I was deserving of that and more.
“I told them, I heartily thank’d them all in general, and did not wish any of them so unfortunate, as to stand in Need of my Service; yet, if ever they did, they should find, that the uttermost of my Ability should not be wanting in Retaliation of all the Civilities they had shewn me, ever since it was my Lot to fall into their Hands; but, in a more especial Manner, for this their now offer’d Kindness, tho’ I could not accept it with a safe and clear Conscience, which I valued above any Thing to be enjoy’d in this World. I said, I could add farther Reasons to those I had already urg’d; but I would not trouble them longer, fearing I had already been too tedious or offensive to some of them; which, if I had, I heartily begg’d their Pardon; assuring them once more, that if it was so, it was neither my Design nor Intent, but the Reverse.
“Hereupon they all said, They liked to hear us talk, and thought we were very well match’d: Adding, That Capt. Russel could seldom meet with a Man that could stand him: But, as for their Parts, they were pleas’d with our Discourse, and were very sure Loe and Russel were so too.
“Capt. Loe than said, He liked it very well; but told me, I had not return’d Capt. Russel an Answer to what he last said, which he thought deserv’d one.