Born at Lower Shadwell.
Boatswain in the King Solomon, a Guinea merchant ship. This ship, while lying at anchor in January, 1721, was attacked by a boatful of pirates from Bartholomew Roberts's ship, the Royal Fortune. The captain of the King Solomon fired a musket at the approaching boat, and called upon his crew to do the same, but Phillips called for quarter and persuaded the rest of the crew to lay down their arms and surrender the ship. Phillips eagerly joined the pirates and signed the articles, and was "very forward and brisk" in helping to rob his own ship of provisions and stores.
At his trial at Cape Coast Castle, he pleaded, as nearly all the prisoners did, that he was compelled to sign the pirates' articles, which were offered to him on a dish, on which lay a loaded pistol beside the copy of the articles.
Found guilty and hanged in April, 1722, within the flood marks at Cape Coast Castle, in his 29th year.
PHIPS, Richard.
An English soldier who deserted from Fort Loyal, Falmouth, Maine, in 1689. Wounded by a bullet in the head at Tarpaulin Cove. Taken to Boston Prison, where he died.
PICKERING, Captain Charles.
Commanded the Cinque Ports galley, sixteen guns, crew of sixty-three men, and accompanied Dampier on his voyage in 1703. Died off the coast of Brazil in the same year.
PIERSE, George.
Tried for piracy along with the rest of the crew of the brigantine Charles, at Boston, in 1704.