to attend him but only on Iames a musition who was my Lord of Clanricards man prouided this he returnd to the castle for hislodging atnight Nay after that by the direction of the Councell here he was to be sent for England and that they had receiued true and perfect instructions what an ill liuer he had bene in that they would not seeme to dishearten him in the iourney he was to take they dischargd him of custody and as it had bene to haue imployd him in some affaires of import gaue him charge of a letter to the Maior of Chester whose purpose was to conuey him to London From Chester he was conducted to the Marshalseyses in Southwark where remayning euen since May last to the eye of men he liued a careles life or dreadles of that he did thinke was to come one being mery a drinking with him once demaunded of him thus faith Captaine Iennings and how did you liue when you were at Sea how quoth he I reioyced more to heare the Cannons voyce that bid me to fight then the Church-bell that cald me to prayer I fought not as chickens fight for their meat to sustaine nature but for store of gold to maintaine ryot Another time being drinking in the parlor where they vse to dine in the prison it being somewhat afore Bartholmewtide in hot weather he sat iust with his face in the sun when one demanded of him Captaine Iennings why doe yor sit with your face in the Sun it will make your head ake fogh pox quoth he what do you tell me of the head-ake that shall hang in the sun shortly when my necke shall ake and I do but practise now how I shal fry then The same day that Captaine Harris was brought into prison being the satterday before the arraignement which was the monday following he was in the Marshalseys yard throwing of snow-bals iust as Captaine Harris was comming in at the gate who hauing a snow-ball at that instant in his hand ready to throw one cald vnto him aloud Captaine Iennings Captaine Iennings Captaine Harris is comming Captaine Harris quoth he I loue him well but and the hangman himselfe were comming I would throw out my throw first these haue I set down to signifie to the world the desperatenes of his course the intemperance of his actions and the slight regard he seemed outwardly to take of his soule in that little walke was giuen him to looke vpon betwixt his life and death The time of his tryall being come he was the first that stood indited and arraigned for those seuerall piraces before recited and with these of his company namely Thomas Renolds shoomaker Iohn Williams Marriner and Botson of his ship and Iohn Lodge who being demanded what they could seuerally say to the inditement Captaine Iennings began to intercept the clark in this maner to plead in their excuse Alas my Lord what would you haue these poore men say they can say nothing to it if any thing they haue done they were compeld vnto it by me and I must answer for it To this excuse by that honourable court he was thus answerd that they doubted not but his owne conscience bore witnesse against him that he had heard inough in his seuerall enditements to answer for himselfe and so they wished him let euery one of them and if it should appeare either by testimony or circumstance as heinfer◅ they were cleere the whole Court should be glad of it and to that purpose they should be heard themselues or any for them at full Wherevpon Thomas Renolds by the name of Thomas Renolds shoomaker was againe called demanded of the Clarke of the Admiralty what he pleaded to the enditement whether guilty or not guilty who answering not guilty and desierd of their Lordships he might with their gratious fauour be heard and which being by the honourable of the counsell vpon his request presently graunted he pleaded thus That at the time of Captaine Iennings anchoring in Baltimor he was a Iourniman shoomaker resident in Corcke whome Captaine Iennings sent for as he might haue done for any other to bring bootes or shooes to furnish both himselfe and his whole company who with a couple of boyes in hope to make a way his maisters ware with profit came aboord his ship and fitted them also farre as his ware wold serue for which according to his owne price he was from Captaine Iennings owne hand orderly paid and he deliuered the mony to one of the boyes to carry and sent them to stay for him some respite a shore while he being inticed by the Captaine and others to rest a while and be merry with them was with the ouercharging of many made so drunke that he fell in a sleepe in which time the winde seruing and they hauing compassed themselues of all thinges fit the fi◅st time he waked he found himselfe at Sea and the Captaine and others in fight with one of those ships for which he stood now indited and for proofe heereof he brought in another shoomaker to iuis◅fie that at the same time he then inferd he was working in Corke and liued honestly by his labour so that if any thing he had done it was done in the company of them by whome he was compeld vnto it and therefore quoth he I humbly desire both your honours and the Iury to mingle mercy with iustice conscience with equity so commisserate my case Which tale of his hauing so good a relish of credit he being the first that expressed the forme though many after both of Captaine Iennings Captaine Harris and Captain Longcastle◅ cōpanies endeuoured to follow the course their honours leauing his defence to the good consideration of the Iury to determine how true it was he onely by their verdit was returnd not guilty and the rest with their Captaine conuicted as fellones and pyrates vpon the high seas and in maner and forme as they stood invited And after their conuiction and iudgement they were conueied backe to the Marshalseys from thence on Fryday morning to Wapping the place appointed for their execution where Captaine Iennings being the first that was cald to goe vp to his death and seeing that he had bene al this while deluded with a fruitles hope for vpon my knowledge both Captaine Harris◅nd ◅nd he the day before their execution did report they were repreiued he did now in soule repent him of his sinne complayned of his lusts and ryots as the causers of his ruine confest that before this he had receiued pardon for his heynous transgressions and had not the goodnesse to desist from ill he desired God of his mercy to receiue his soule the world at his death to pardon his body so desiring the multitude of spectators to pray for him and sing a psalme with him he was the first was turnd of the ladder and after him both Lodge and Williams as his consorts and confederates found guilty in his actions
Tauerner whether he thought he could out face the cause or y◠he feared death more then the rest for my part I will not iudge but he grewe vehement and called for a booke to sweare in his innocence although I was credibly certified both his Captaine and himselfe did after in the prison with these words confesse that we are hartily sorry we shall be hanged now for a petty action that haue merited talke in matters of worth So hauing their sentence they were conueyed backe to the Marshalsies where I must credibly speake of them they behaued their liues so carefully for the future comfort of their soules as if they had neuer bene the men the whole course of whose actions had bene addicted to such an vngodly purposes making their way to the gate of saluation by confessing their sinnes and knocking thereat for entrance with sorrowfull sighes and repenting hearts which no doubt flewe open vnto them they were three men who were neuer seene to laugh from the sentence of death to the power of execution thereof they desired not the company of their friends but made prayers their acquaintance they lamented now that in hope to gaine a little breath which they must be sure to loose they had slandered and belyed their consciences in denying their crimes they freely cōmended their transgressions to the lawe that was ordaind to punish them they willingly resignd their bodies to the earth the mother of mankind and made for their graue and most religiously gaue vp their soules vnto Heauen from whence it was giuen them and so from creatures of wickednesse hauing created themselues Angels of goodnesse from practisers of folly proued counsellers to faith and so from the sea of mischiefe through which their whol◅ pilgrimage had trauailed making their bodies the fit sepulchre of repentance from the Marshalseys as the rest they were conueid in a barge to Wapping the siluer ore borne before them as an embleme before their eyes that riches they looked for and vniustly sought to finde it at Sea where the Captaine first and the other two after as they confest they had deserued according to Iudgement they suffred death The discourse of Minas THis William Minas was a Marriner married and had his abiding in Cornewall who not contented with that sufficient meanes that God and nature had prouided for him being as so was most of them all a man of comely personage and of an able body by vniust courses thought to strengthen his fortune so that vsing meanes to get to sea in a pretty ship called the Concord of Plimouth vpon the coast of Fraunce he met with a Frenchman and as the custome of Pyrates is being the stronger party without asking her leaue he ransacked her goods but as it is certaine he that once endeuours to begin to steale doth straight endeuour and learne to lye since lying and stealing are as inseperable companions as a theefe and receiuer so that Minas had a colourable tale at the time of his araignment bearing some likelihood of truth to excuse his theft Namely that making home from Spaine to his abiding in Cornewall his ship the Concord beaten with weather began to saile and put himselfe and men in distresse neere the ◅ast of Fraunce where he met with this Frenchman so that he hauing farre to saile and the Frenchman neere his arriuall he compounded and gaue him satisfaction to exchange ships with him so dismissed his lading from his to the Frenchmans and the Frenchmans to his promising withall with this condition that the Frenchman shold receiue his ship here in Englād but named no place they thus agreed the Frenchman departs for Fraunce Minas he priuatly in the night puts into his abiding in Cornewal presently absents himselfe for three quarters of a yeare giues order to his wife vnder that cu◅ur to labor his protection with the viceadmirall and leaues the ship without guide or owner as a derelict due to the Lord Admirall at A◅izor in the bay The Frenchman now hauing bene robd of his ship goods and knew by an Englishman comes and expresses his iniury to the high court of admiralty and there directly deposes that he was robd neuer inquiring for his ship nor feeding himselfe with hope that ere he should heare of her till at last welcome tidings is brought where his ship anchors and as a derelict she was ceazed to the Lord Admirals vse vnto whose honour by petition complayning of his wrong and proouing the godds to be his his Lordship giues order she is straight restord him and warrants are directedout for the apprehension of Minas which he hauing intelligence of lurking close or not daring yet to be seene abroad he vseth an inward meane by agreement to stop the Frenchmans complaint the Frenchman on the other side knowing he had lost his goods and considering belike that his life might make him some satisfaction but no restitution consents to the composition take ◅his mony Nay is content in regard he was bound to it to goe to the Uiceadmirall or Court of admiralty and there to vnsay what before he had iustified that is to say that his shippe was lent and not stolne which being done Minas appeares not like an owle that 's seene but in the night but like a bisd that flutters by day reuels it gallantly and securely and thinkes now in his heart that all is safe But he that hath commission vnder the Lord Admirall for the discouering and routingout of such infectious members and the law most carefully on the other side not suffering such offenders to ◅ubberouer their iniquities to the encouraging of others and hartning them to these co◅ses brings me this Pyrate to apprehention from apprehention to arraignement where his owne confession and the former circumstances duely examined it was made euident by the Court to the Iury how euident this packe and close far◅le of knauery was ripped vp wherevpon according to the Inditement he was brought in by verdit guilty and accordingly receiued sentence from the Marshalseis he was conueid to Wapping where repenting him of his sinnes he confest the fact onely labourd to acquit the reputation of a worshipfull Gentleman that stood tainted in suspition to haue contriued and dealt with him in concealing this pyracy and so yeelded himselfe to death Of Thomas NOt to lengthen out paper with this poore fellow of more then appeared either by his confession arraignment or execution it is onely thus he was apprehended vpon suspition making saile of some goods and being strictly examined he presently confessed what he had done whome he had robd and in whose company namely in the company of one Lawding Barry that is a pyrate new and was set on shore in Ireland vpon which confession being arraignd condemned he amongst the other suffred death Thus Reader haue I truely brought to thine eyes the discourse of Captaine Ieames Harris vnder his own hand the course of his life which men should be
against him when after search it appeared vppon record the former piracy against the Susan of Bristoll and the maister thereof Anthony Wye and his deposition against Longcastle and Moore to the same purpose whereuppon they were all three committed to Exceter Gaole in the County of Deuonshire and against their time of tryall as the other remooued to the Marchalseys and at their day of arraignement according to Iustice stood indited for the same offence vnto which invitement they pleaded not guilty wherevpon Anthony Wye by name of Anthony Wye of Bristoll mariner and maister of the Susan was in person called to giue in euidence against them who being seene the day before in Court and not now making his personall appearance to iustifie according to his eath it was then demaunded of Longcastle the Court hauing notice of asmuch if that during the time of his late imprisonment in the Marchalsies he at no time had conference with the said maister he denyed not but he had as also if that neither himselfe nor any other for him had priuatly dealt to giue any secret composition with the said Wye to neglect his appearance and so to hinder the iust and lawfull proceedings against his life which he thus answeared for mine owne part quoth he I neuer offered him peny for the saue-guard of my selfe or any of my company neither had he any reason for it since they were not the men that were then at the fact yet he had heard that some friend of his in his behalfe had offered him in full satisfaction restitution to the valour of all his goods lost as also in gratuity to himselfe fifty pound in consideration he would be silent it was then demannded of him who that friend should be he answered he knew not whereuppon by one of the Councell it was vrged how vnlikely it was that any man should offer a composition for him of so much mony and he be a straunger to the motion besides what reason had any friend to make such an offer if his friend were cleare since the lawe is so iust in euery mans case nay when the Kings maiestie himselfe in the care of his subiects sends both his Councell of state and Councell at lawe to sit euen as vmpires betweene Iustice and their liues Whereuppon maister Hall was called to certifie whether his man at his returne had not giuen in to him the perfect names of those three men as they stood there indited and the true description of their statures who answered the names and statures of three such men his man had giuen him but whither they were the men he neither durst nor could not say for he had neuer seene them and his man was now at sea till they were now arraigned in which doubt they cald earnestly vppon the Court Anthony Wye being absent M. Halls factor at sea and none as yet personnally to giue euidence against them that their Lordships would be mercifull vnto them and not to cast away their innocent liues vpon meere presumptions that no other euidence as yet comming in it was thought of the spectators and all but the Court who knew there the men they should then haue bene quitte when straight was called the Negro who before had bene his man and reserued in piruate to se how long their impudence would hould out when first being demaunded if Longcastle had bene his maister he answeared yes then was asked of Longcastle if the Moore had bene his boy who resolued that he had the boy was then questioned if he was not at sea with him in the Vlisses the boy affirmed it and Longcastle being demaunded the same question although he staggerd at the first could not strongly deny it Uppon which affirmation the euidence being strong against Longcastle it was pleaded by the other and especially by Tauerner that they were not the men who were then at the action and whereas there was no more but the direct title of their names against them there was no doubt many more of the same name of Tauerner Moore in this spatious Kingdome besides themselues to the resoluing of which doubt then Moore was called againe and demannded by the Court whether they three namely William Longcastle William Tauerner and Iohn Moore were not the men each in particuler Maister Hals factor tooke in for the better furnishing his ship and performance of his voyage at P◅imoth he answeared they were whether they three were not the three men feasted with Anthony Wye in y◠road of Sophy in Barba rie in the cōpany of the aforesaid factor in y◠said ship of the Vlisses he answeared they were and whether the said Longcastle Tauerner and Moore leauing their promised voyage in the ayde of the Vlisses of London did not according to their former practise offer their ontrage against the Susan of Bristoll in manner and forme as they stood invited when he affirmed directly they were the men Upon which Longcastle desirde of their Lordships to be heard and inferd that he denied him not to be his boy but intreated of the Court that the tongue of a Pagan an Infidel whose testimonies were no euidence to confirme the Iury and whose words were to be held in no regard might not be the are to hew downe the tree of his life but if that his transpressions against the law had deserued death I beseech your Lordships quoth he let the tongue of a christian and not of a Pagan cut off my life Which words appeared vnto all eares that were present to be vttered from the vch◅ncy of his soule and from the Court he was thus resolued That where he desired to haue the oath of a Christian himselfe the Moore had confest he had made him one which was the most vertuo◅ blessedst deede that he did showe in his whole life but then Lordships tould him withall they must giue him to vnderstand that it was not the approouement of his tongue nor that he had b◅ne his boy which made them giue credit that now they stood guilty but the resolued oath of Anthony Wye whose ship they robbed and whose goods they ransackt who had seene them spoke with them swor◅ against them I and themselues had labourd to compound withall and wonne to keepe out of the Court for the iniury they had done him whereby it appeared and so now they must satis◅e the Iury no sunne can shine clearer to shewe vs a moate then this eui◅ent testimony to witnesse thair blemish besides that from the time of their imprisonment in Exeter Gaole till this houre of their arraignment not one of them all that can well bring in a credible certificat how well or ill they haue spent their times vppon which instructions giuen to the Iur◅ and the s◅ale so put into their hands to weigh y◠condition of their liues the Iurywent forth staid not lōg ere they brought thē in guilty at which sentence against them Longcastle Moore spake neuer a word but