It happened there were several Canoes along Side of this last, when Davis came in, who saved themselves and got ashore; these gave Notice at the Fort, that these Ships were Pyrates, upon which the Fort fired upon them, but without any Execution, for their Mettle was not of Weight enough to reach them; Davis therefore, by Way of Defiance, hoisted his black Flag and returned their Compliment.
The same Day he sail'd with his three Ships, making his Way down the Coast towards Princes, a Portuguese Colony: But, before we proceed any farther in Davis's Story, we shall give our Reader an Account of the Portuguese Settlements on this Coast, with other curious Remarks, as they were communicated to me by an ingenious Gentleman, lately arved from those Parts.
Chapter X.
Of Captain Bartho. Roberts, And his Crew
HIS Beginning. Elected Captain in the Room of Davis. The Speech of Lord Dennis at the Election. Lord Sympson objects against a Papist. The Death of Davis reveng'd. Roberts sails Southward, in Quest of Adventures. The Names of the Prizes taken by them. Brasil describ'd. Roberts falls into a Fleet of Portuguese. Boards and takes the richest Ship amongst them. Make the Devil's Islands. An unfortunate Adventure of Roberts. Kennedy's Treachery. Irishmen excluded by Roberts and his Crew. Articles sworn to by them. A Copy of them. Some Account of the Laws and Customs of the Pyrates. An Instance of Roberts his Cunning. He proceeds again upon Business, and takes Prizes. Narrowly escapes being taken. Sails for the Island Dominico. Another Escape. Sails for Newfoundland. Plunders, sinks and burns 22 Sail in the Harbour of Trepassi. Plunders ten Sail of French Men. The mad Behaviour of the Crew. A Correspondence hinted at. The Pyrates caress'd at the Island of St. Bartholomew. In extream Distress. Sail for Martinico. A Stratagem of Roberts. The insolent Device in his Colours. And odd Compliment paid to Roberts. Three Men desert the Pyrates, and are taken by them. Their Tryal. Two executed, and one saved. The Brigantine deserts them. Great Divisions in the Company. A Description of Serraleone River. The Names of English settled there, and Way of Life. The Onflow, belonging to the African Company taken. The Pyrates Contempt of Soldiers. They are for entertaining a Chaplain. Their Skirmish with the Calabar Negroes. The King Solomon, belonging to the African Company, taken. The Frolicks of the Pyrates. Take eleven Sail in Whydah Road. A comical Receipt given by the Pyrates. A cruel Action of Roberts. Sails for Anna Bona. The Progress of the Swallow Man of War, in Pursuit of Roberts. Roberts his Consort taken. The Bravery of Skyrme, a Welch Pyrate. The surly Humour of some of the Prisoners. The Swallow comes up with Roberts. Roberts his Dress described. Is kill'd. His Character. His Ship taken. The Behaviour of the Pyrates, when Prisoners. A Conspyracy of theirs discovered. Reflections on the Manner of trying them. The Form of the Commission for trying the Pyrates. The Oath taken by the Commissioners. The Names of those arraign'd taken in the Ship Ranger. The Form of the Indictment. The Sum of the Evidence against them. Their Defence. The Names of the Prisoners of the Royal Fortune. Proceedings against them. Harry Glasby acquitted. The particular Tryal of Captain James Skyrme. Of John Walden. Of Peter Soudamore. Of Robert Johnson. Of George Wilson. Of Benjamin Jeffries. Of John Mansfield. Of William Davis. The Names of those executed at Cape Corso. The Petition of some condemn'd. The Courts Resolution. The Form of an Indenture of a pardon'd Pyrate. The Names of those pardon'd upon Indenture to serve seven Tears. The Pyrates how disposed of. The dying Behaviour of those executed.
BArtholomew Roberts sailed in an honest Employ, from London aboard of the Princess, Captain Plumb Commander, of which Ship he was second Mate: He left England, November 1719, and arrived at Guiney about February following, and being at Anamaboe, taking in Slaves for the West-Indies, was taken in the said Ship by Captain Howel Davis, as mentioned in the preceeding Chapter. In the beginning he was very averse to this sort of Life, and would certainly have escaped from them, had a fair Opportunity presented it self; yet afterwards he changed his Principles, as many besides him have done upon another Element, and perhaps for the same Reason too, viz. Preferment, —— and what he did not like as a private Man he could reconcile to his Conscience as a Commander.
Davis being cut off in the manner beforementioned, the Company found themselves under a Necessity of filling up his Post, for which there appear'd two or three Candidates among the select Part of them, that were distinguish'd by the Title of Lords, such were Sympson, Ashplant, Anstis, &c. and on canvassing this Matter, how shatter'd and weak a Condition their Government must be without a Head, since Davis had been remov'd, in the manner beforemention'd, my Lord Dennis propos'd, its said, over a Bowl to this Purpose.
That it was not of any great Signification who was dignify'd with Title; for really and in Truth, all good Governments had (like theirs) the supream Power lodged with the Community, who might doubtless depute and revoke as suited Interest or Humour. We are the Original of this Claim (says he) and should a Captain be so sawcy as to exceed Prescription at any time, why down with Him! it will be a Caution after he is dead to his Successors, of what fatal Consequence any sort of assuming may be. However, it is my Advice, that, while we are sober, we pitch upon a Man of Courage, and skill'd in Navigation, one, who by his Council and Bravery seems best able to defend this Commonwealth, and ward us from the Dangers and Tempests of an instable Element, and the fatal Consequences of Anarchy; and such a one I take Roberts to be. A Fellow! I think, in all Respects, worthy your Esteem and Favour.
This Speech was loudly applauded by all but Lord Sympson, who had secret Expectations himself, but on this Disappointment, grew sullen, and left them, swearing, he did not care who they chose Captain, so it was not a Papist, for against them he had conceiv'd an irreconcileable Hatred, for that his Father had been a Sufferer in Monmouth's Rebellion.
Roberts was accordingly elected, tho’ he had not been above six Weeks among them, the Choice was confirm'd both by the Lords and Commoners, and he accepted of the Honour, saying, That since he had dipp'd his Hands in muddy Water, and must be a Pyrate, it was better being a Commander than a common Man.
As soon as the Government was settled, by promotion other Officers in the room of those that were kill'd by the Portugueze, the Company resolv'd to revenge Captain Davis's Death, he being more than ordinarily respected by the Crew for his Affability and good Nature, as well as his Conduct and Bravery upon all Occasions; and pursuant to this Resolution, about 30 Men were landed in order to make an Attack upon the Fort, which must be ascended to by a steep Hill against the Mouth of the Caunon. These Men were headed by one Kennedy, a bold daring Fellow, but very wicked and profligate; they march'd directly up under the Fire of their Ship Guns, and as soon as they were discover'd, the Portugueze quitted their Post and fled to the Town, and the Pyrates march'd in without Opposition, set Fire to the Fort, and threw all the Guns off the Hill into the Sea, which after they had done, they retreated quietly to their Ship.
But this was not look'd upon as a sufficient Satisfaction for the Injury they received, therefore most of the Company were for burning the Town, which Roberts said he would yield to, if any Means could be proposed of doing it without their own Destruction, for the Town had a securer Scituation than the Fort, a thick Wood coming almost close to it, affording Cover to the Defendants, who under such an Advantage, he told them, it was to be fear'd, would fire and stand better to their Arms;