Part 6

But still there was no person to charge him, neither could they prove the letter to be his own hand-writing, till the Justice interrogated him, Whether he did write the letter or not; which he readily confessed, as also gave an ample account of the whole voyage, thereupon he was committed to Newgate, though soon after he was admitted out upon bail.

July the 5th, 1723, he was tried at the Old-Baily by a Court of Admiralty, when Captain Russell and others appeared against him: But he would have saved them all that trouble, for he confessed more than they knew, fixing the facts so firm upon himself, that he was found Guilty, received Sentence of Death, and was executed three weeks after at Execution Dock.

But to return to Lowther, whom Massey left cruising off of Hispaniola, who plying to the Windward near Porto Rico, took two sail, one was a small Bristol Ship, the other a Spanish Pirate, who had taken the Bristol Ship; which so provoked Lowther, that he threatened to put all the Spaniards to Death, for daring to intermeddle in his Affairs: But at last he contented himself with burning both their ships; and the Spaniards getting away in their launch, they thought they were well off.

Afterwards he took a small Sloop from St. Christophers, which he manned; and carried with him to an island where they cleaned, and then going aboard, they sailed towards the Bay of Honduras, where they met with a small vessel with 13 Hands, of the same employment, under Captain Lowe, whom Lowther received as friends, inviting them, as they were few in number, to join their strength together; which being accepted of, Lowther continued Captain, and Lowe was made Lieutenant, burning his own ship. Then coming into the Bay, they fell upon a ship of two hundred tons, called the Greyhound; against whom Lowther firing his guns, hoisted the piratical Colours, which Captain Edward bravely returned; but at length finding the Pirate too strong for him he yielded, and the Pirate came on Board, and not only rifling the ship, but beat and cut the men in a cruel manner. In crusing about the Bay, they took several other vessels without any resistance, particularly a Sloop of 100 Tons, which they mounted with 8 carriages and 10 swivel guns. With this fleet, Lowther in the Happy Delivery, Lowe in the Rhode Island Sloop, Harris in Hamilton's Sloop, left the Bay, and came to Port Mayo, where they made preparations to careen, carrying ashore all their sails, to lay their plunder and stores in; but when they were busy at work, a body of the natives came down and attacked the Pirates unprepared, who were glad to fly to their Sloops, and leave them masters of the field, leaving the Happy Delivery behind them, contenting themselves with the Ranger, which had only 20 guns, and 8 swivels, taking all the men on board her, wherein they presently began to quarrel, laying the blame upon one another. Being very much in want of provisions, they got to the West Indies, May 1722, and near the Island of Descada took a Brigantine stored with provisions and necessaries, which put them in better temper. Then they watered and stood to the Northward, intending to visit the North Coast of America, and in Latitude 38, they took the Rebecca of Boston, at which Time the Crews divided, Lowe with 44 Hands went on board the Brigantine, and Lowther with the same number, staid in the Sloop, separating that very night, being the 28th of May 1722.

Lowther cruised a pretty while among the Islands to no purpose, till at length he fell in with a Martinico Man, which proved a seasonable relief, he being reduced to great want of provisions, and after that a Guinea Man. After which they thought it time to clean, in order to prepare for new adventures; for which purpose they sailed to the Island of Blanco, which is a low Island 30 leagues from the main of Spanish America, where he unrigged his Sloop, sending his guns, rigging, and sails ashore, and putting his vessel upon the careen. But the Eagle Sloop of Barbadoes, coming near this Island, and seeing her, supposing her to be a Pirate, took the advantage of attacking her when unprepared, who immediately hoisted the St. George's Flag at her top-mast head to bid them defiance: But when they found the Eagle resolved to board them in good earnest, the Pirates cut their cable, and hawled the stern on shore, which obliged the Eagle to come to an anchor athwart the hawse, where they engaged them till they cried out for Quarters. At which time Lowther and 12 men made their escape, but they took the rest, and brought them to Camena, where the Spanish Governor condemned the Sloop to the captors, and sent 23 Hands to scour the Bushes of Blanco for the Pirates, when they took 40; but could not find Lowther, three men and a little Boy. John Churchill, Edward Mackonald, Nicholas Lewis, Rich. West, Sam Lavercot, Rob. White, John Shaw, And. Hunter, Jonathan Delve, Matthew Freeborn, and Henry Watson, were hanged, Roger Granger, Ralph Candem, and Robert Willis, were acquitted. And Captain Lowther, it is said, afterwards shot himself, being found dead, and a pistol burst by his side.

CAPTAIN ANSTIS, AND HIS CREW

Thomas Anstis shipped himself at Providence, in the Year 1718, aboard the Buck Sloop, and was one of the six that conspired together to get off with the vessel, along with Howel Davis, Dennis Topping, and Walter Kennedy, etc. I shall only observe, that this combination was the beginning of Captain Roberts's company, which afterwards proved so formidable, from whom Anstis separated the 18th of April, 1721, leaving his Commodore to pursue his adventures upon the Coasts of Guinea, whilst he returned to the West Indies, upon the same design.

About the middle of June, he met with one Captain Maiston, between Hispaniola and Jamaica, bound to New-York, from which he took all the wearing apparel, liquors and provisions, and six men. Afterwards he met with the Irwin, Captain Ross from Cork, on the Coast of Martinico, which ship had Colonel Doyly of Montserrat on board, and his Family, and 600 barrels of beef.

Afterwards they went into one of the Islands to clean, and thence proceeding towards Bermudas, they met with a stout ship called the Morning Star, bound from Guinea to Carolina, which they kept for their own use. Just after, they took a ship from Barbadoes bound to New England, from whence taking her guns, they mounted the Morning Star with 32 pieces of cannon, and 100 men, appointing John Fenn Captain: For Anstis was so in love with his own vessel, she being a good sailor, he made it his choice to stay in her, and let Fenn have the other ship. Though they were not sufficiently strong, yet being most new men, they could not agree, but resolving to break up company, sent a Petition to His Majesty by a Merchant Ship, expecting her Return at Cuba.

Here they staid about nine months; but not having provisions for above two, they were obliged to take what the Island afforded; which is many sorts of fish, particularly turtle; though they eat not a bit of bread, nor flesh meat, during their being on the Island.

They passed their time here in dancing, and other diversions, agreeable to these sort of folks. Among the rest, they appointed a mock Court of Judicature, to try one another for Piracy, and he that was a Criminal one day, was made a Judge another. I shall never forget one of their Trials, which for the curiosity of it, I shall relate. The Judge got up into a tree, having a dirty tarpaulin over his shoulders for a robe, and a Thrum Cap upon his head, with a large pair of spectacles upon his nose, and a monkey bearing up his train, with abundance of Officers attending him, with crows and hand-spikes instead of wands and tip-staves in their hands. Before whom the Criminals were brought out, making 1000 wry Faces; when the Attorney-General moved the Court, and said, An't please your Lordship, and you Gentlemen of the Jury, this fellow before you is a sad dog, a sad, a sad dog, and I hope your Lordship will order him to be hanged out of the way; he has committed Piracy upon the High Seas; nay, my Lord, that's not all; this fellow, this sad dog before you, has out-rid a hundred storms, and you know, my Lord, He that's born to be hanged, will never be drowned. Nor is this all, he has been guilty of worse villany than this, and that is of drinking of small beer; and your Lordship knows, there was never a sober fellow but what was a rogue--My Lord, I should have said more, but your Lordship knows our rum is out, and how should a Man speak that has drunk a dram to-day.

Judge. Harkee me, Sirrah--you ill-looked dog. What have you to say why you may not be tucked up, and set a-sun-drying like a scare-crow?--Are you Guilty, or not?

Prisoner. Not Guilty, an't please your Worship.

Judge. Not Guilty! say so again, and I will have you hanged without any Trial.

Prisoner. An't please your Worship's Honour, my Lord, I am as honest a fellow as ever went between stem and stern of a ship, and can hand, reef, steer, and clap two ends of a rope together, as well as e'er a He that ever crossed Salt-water; but I was taken by one George Bradley (the name of the Judge) a notorious Pirate, and a sad rogue as ever was hanged, and he forced me, an't please your Honour.

Judge. Answer me, Sirrah--how will you be tried?

Prisoner. By God and my country.

Judge. The Devil you will.... Then, Gentlemen of the Jury, we have nothing to do but to proceed to Judgment.

Attorney-Gen. Right, my Lord; for if the fellow should be suffered to speak, he might clear himself; and that, you know, is an affront to the Court.

Prisoner. Pray, my Lord, I hope your Lordship will consider.

Judge. Consider!--How dare you talk of considering!--Sirrah, Sirrah, I have never considered in all my life.--I'll make it Treason to consider.

Pris. But I hope your Lordship will hear reason.

Judge. What have we to do with Reason?--I would have you to know, Sirrah, we do not sit here to hear Reason--we go according to Law.--Is our dinner ready?

Attorney-General. Yes, my Lord.

Judge. Then harkee you rascal at the Bar, hear me, Sirrah, hear me.--You must be hanged for three reasons: First, because it is not fit that I should sit as Judge, and no-body to be hang'd: Secondly, You must be hang'd because you have a damn'd hanging Look: Thirdly, You must be hanged, because I am hungry. There's Law for you, ye dog; take him away, Gaoler.

By this we may see how these fellows can jest upon things, the thoughts of which should make them tremble.

August 1722, they made ready the Brigantine, and came out to sea, where meeting their correspondent returning, and finding nothing done, they all agreed to ply their old trade. So they sailed with the ship and Brigantine to the Southward, where they ran the Morning Star upon the Grand Carmanes, and wrecked her; the next Day Anstis went ashore to fetch the men off, who were all safe. Anstis had just time to get Captain Fenn, and a few others on board, before the Hector and Adventure came down upon him; but he got to sea, and one of the Men-of-War after him, keeping within gun-shot several hours, when the wind dying away, the Pirates got to their oars, and rowed for their lives.

The Hector landed her men, and took 40 of the Morning Star's Crew, without any resistance, they pretending they were glad of this opportunity; the rest hid themselves in the woods.