Chapter Seven

CHAPTER VII

KIDD’S END

Kidd’s experience of the legal profession and the procedure of our English courts, though short, had been painfully instructive. After his return to Newgate, he seems to have had no more to do with either of them. But he had yet to reckon with his political and religious advisers, who combined to beset him to the last.

Bellamont’s apologist says: “Dr. G----g knows who the person was, who was with Kidd more than once some few days before his execution and dealt so freely with him as to advise him to charge two lords by name with somewhat that was material, which he said was the only way he could save his life. And the more to provoke the poor wretch to follow his advice, swore to him that those lords and their friends, were restless in soliciting to have him hanged, and therefore it was reasonable for him to do their business.” “God,” he adds, “disappointed all these cursed designs. Perhaps the unhappy creature knew himself incapable to make a probable story, or to carry on one though made to his hands, and that deterred him from hearkening to these counsels of devils. I rather hope that as wicked as he had been, he was not arrived at such a pitch, as to attempt to take away other men’s lives and honour by deliberate perjuries.”

It never seems to have occurred to this gentleman, or indeed to any one else, during Kidd’s last days, that he was innocent of the crimes laid to his charge, and that he was not likely to go back on his word. Not only in his statements with respect to his employers, but also in his simple written narrative to Bellamont and in the oral evidence given at his trial of the various incidents in his voyage he had told a plain unvarnished tale, from which he had never deviated. So far as his dealings with his employers were concerned he had sworn in his examinations before the Admiralty and also in the House of Commons, that he had never seen Somers or Shrewsbury, or heard more of them, than that Bellamont had told him they were two of the owners of the Adventure Galley; that Bellamont had introduced him to Orford and that Colonel Hewson had carried him to Romney in his coach which was all that he knew of them. He had been recalled and pressed to make some further disclosure with regard to these great personages, and asked categorically if he knew anything in relation to Bellamont, Romney, Shrewsbury, Somers, or Orford, or any of the other owners, in relation to his expedition, or any other matter, touching any private directions, articles or instructions, given to him by word of mouth or otherwise. And after taking time “to recollect himself well,” he had affirmed that “he had nothing more to say in relation to the owners than that he had before declared.” It may safely be assumed that his answer to Dr. G----g’s mysterious friend, whoever he may have been, was to the same effect.

It remained now for him to undergo that last trial of his patience, to which all condemned prisoners had in those days to submit, the well-meant attempts on the part of the Chaplain of the gaol to extort from them confessions of their guilt. If Kidd had yielded to this cruel pressure, he would have left this world with a lie upon his lips, as it is to be feared many poor creatures did before and after him. Witness the confessions of some of those convicted of witchcraft. It is no small confirmation of his innocence that he was able to emerge even from this trying ordeal without discredit to his veracity.

The Ordinary of Newgate at that time was the Rev. Paul Lorrain, well known in his day as the author of innumerable “Last Dying Speeches and Confessions” of noted criminals, who seems to have combined with the more serious duties of his calling as confessor to the doomed the somewhat incongruous functions discharged in these latter days by enterprising press interviewers of celebrities in whose personal peculiarities and proclivities the reading public may be supposed to take an interest. He can rarely, if ever, have had more promising subjects for his professional treatment, or men of whose last days his account was likely to have a wider circulation, than Kidd and his fellow sufferers.

There are two extant records of the “Behaviour, Confessions and Last Dying Words of Kidd and the other Pirates that were Executed with Him.” Both were published by the same printer, E. Mallet at the Hat and Hawk in Bride Lane. One of these accounts is signed by Lorrain on the day of the execution, and concludes with these words: “This is all the account, which (in this hurry) can be given of these persons by Paul Lorrain. Friday, May the 23rd 1701.” It is clear from internal evidence that the earlier part of this account had been carefully composed before the day of execution, and that it was only the concluding portion of it which was hurriedly written on that day. No inconsiderable part of the earlier paragraphs is devoted to the texts and heads of the discourses delivered by the Ordinary to the prisoners, on the two preceding Sundays when they had had the privilege of listening to him. These, admirable as they may be, it is unnecessary to reproduce in the present narrative. From the remainder of this account it appears that Lorrain on the day after their trial visited the prisoners, and “did pray with them and admonish them to self examination and repentance,” that during his whole attendance on them, which was “every day, both forenoon and afternoon” until the day of execution, he “pressed upon them the acts of faith and repentance, exhorting them to confess their crimes.” “I at last,” he says, “prevailed on them to uncover and own those crimes which they had before so industriously endeavoured to hide or excuse, particularly Captain Kidd, who vainly flattering himself with hopes of a reprieve, deferred his confession so long that there was hardly any time left for taking it in any exactness or order.” (It is clear from the latter part of his account that Kidd never confessed to any of the crimes of which he had been convicted.) “Darby Mullins, one of the condemned pirates was of all the rest the most ready and free to open himself to me: and therefore I shall begin with his confession.” Let us see what the free and open confession of this poor man amounted to and what were the heinous crimes, which he had so industriously endeavoured to hide or excuse.

“I. Darby Mullins, about 40 years old, born in Ireland hard by Mullingfelt, about 16 miles from Londonderry. He said he lived in his own country and with his parents and followed the plough, while he was young, but being kidnapped he was carried away into the West Indies, where he served a planter for the space of four years. Afterwards he turned a waterman, and followed several other employments in and about Jamaica. And when the earthquake happened there he was miraculously preserved, yet took no great notice of his deliverance, so as to be thankful (as he ought) to God for it, which is now matter of trouble and grief to him. After this earthquake he went to Kingston, a town in these parts, and there he built himself a house and sold liquors, etc. Then he came to New York, with his family in the Charity, Captain Sims commander, and continued there two years. At the end of which he took his passage on board Captain Slade to the Madeiras, where he stayed but three weeks and then returned to New York; and some time after having bury’d his wife there, he was not able any longer to keep house; but apply’d himself to carrying and fetching wood from place to place in a boat of his own, about 20 tons. Then he left off this employment and engaged himself with Captain Kidd and afterwards with Captain Culliford, not knowing but that it was very lawful (as he said he was told) to plunder the enemies of Christianity. But now he being shew’d that those were the greatest enemies to Christ and his religion, who did such unaccountable things, as he and his companions did, contrary to the laws of Christianity, which they profess, he said he heartily begged pardon of God and the world for it, and wished he had not been such an offender. He confessed he had been a great sinner in that he had not served God as he should have done, but far from that had of late very much given himself up to swearing, cursing and profaning the Sabbath Day, which had deservedly brought this calamity upon him. He seemed to be very penitent of the facts, for which he was justly condemned, and prayed to God to forgive both these and the other errors and miscarriages of his past life. He was a poor unlearned person, not very much acquainted with the principles of religion. Yet he was very willing to be directed and express’d great hopes that through the merits of Christ he should find mercy and salvation.”

“II. Captain William Kidd, condemned for murder and piracy. He was about 56 years of age. I found him very unwilling to confess the crime he was convicted of, or to declare anything, other than that he had been a great offender, and lived without any due consideration either of God’s mercys or judgments, or of his wonderful works which had so often been set before him. That he” (like Mullins) “never remembered to have returned Him thanks for the many great deliverances he had received from him, or call’d himself to account for what he had done. But now he owns that God is a just God, and he is a vile and wretched sinner. He says he repents of all his sins and hopes to be saved through the merits of Christ. He further declares that he dies in charity with all the world.” So far, it is clear, he had made no confession either of murder or piracy.

“On the day being the day of execution, I went betimes to these condemned persons, and had them up to the Chappel both morning and afternoon, where having given them further admonitions to Faith and Repentance, they seemed to me very desirous and earnestly striving to die in God’s favour. Only I was afraid the hardness of Captain Kidd’s heart was still unmelted. I therefore apply’d myself with particular exhortations to him” (‘the innocentest person of them all,’ to quote his own words) “and laid the judgment of God against impenitent and hardened sinners, as well as his tender mercies to those that were true and sincere penitents, very plainly before him. To all which he readily assented and said that he truly repented of all his sins, and forgave all the world: and I was in good hopes that he did so. But having left him to go a little before him to the place of execution, I found to my unspeakable grief, when he was brought thither, that he was inflamed with drink,” (Some kind fellow countryman had possibly given the poor old man a wee drappie of which he must have stood sorely in need, after all these exhausting religious exercises and his confinement for over a year in Newgate), “which had so discompos’d his mind that it was now in a very ill frame, and very unfit for the great work now or never to be perform’d by him. I prayed for him, and so did other worthy divines that were present, to whom as well as to myself the Captain appeared to be much out of order, and not so concerned or affected as he ought to have been. ’Tis true he spoke some words expressing his confidence in God’s mercys through Christ, and likewise declared that he died in Charity with all the world. But still I suspected his sincerity” (Why?) “because he was more reflective upon others than upon himself” (as he might well be) “and would still endeavour to lay his faults upon his crew and others, going about to excuse and justify himself much about the same manner, as he did upon his trial. When I left him at Newgate he told me he would make a full confession at the tree,” (so he did, of everything he had to confess) “but instead of that he was unwilling (contrary to my expectation) to own the justice of his condemnation or so much as the providence of God, who for his sins had deservedly brought him to this untimely end. I continued to pray for him and the rest, who (to outward appearance) were very humble and penitent, particularly Darby Mullins, who persisted in asserting what he had told me before and said it was the truth and he had nothing to add to or diminish from it. This being done and the Captain having warned all mariners of ships and others to have a care of themselves, and take warning from him” (the words of his warning were very significant as will be seen below) “I then sang with them a Penitential Psalm, and after another short prayer, recommending them to God, I parted with them and left them to the Divine Mercy. And then they were turned off.”

“But here I must take notice of a remarkable (and I hope a most lucky) accident which then did happen,” (it may be doubted whether the reverend gentleman would have considered it so lucky if it had befallen himself) “which was this, that the rope by which Captain Kidd was ty’d broke, and so falling to the ground he was taken up alive, and by this means had opportunity to consider more of that Eternity he was launching into. When he was brought up and ty’d again to the tree, I desired leave to go to him again, which was granted. Then I showed him the great mercy of God in giving him unexpectedly this further respite, that so he might improve the few moments left now so mercifully allowed him in perfecting his Faith and Repentance. Now I found him in much better temper than before. But as I was unwilling, and the station also very incommodious and improper for me to offer anything to him by way of question, that might have perhaps discomposed his spirit, so I contented myself to press him to embrace (before it was too late) the Mercy of God now again offered him upon the easy conditions of Stedfast Faith, True Repentance and Perfect Charity, which now he did so fully and freely express, that I hope he was hearty and sincere in it, declaring openly that he repented with all his heart, and dy’d in Christian Love and Charity with all the world” (as he had repeatedly said before). “This he said, as he was on the top of the ladder (the scaffold being now broken down) and myself halfway on it, as close to him as I could, who having for the last time prayed with him, left him with a greater satisfaction than I had before, that he was penitent.”

From the later account above referred to which purports to be “The only True Account of the Dying Speeches of the Condemned Pirates,” and is possibly a revised edition of the earlier account by Paul Lorrain, we learn that “all the prisoners were conveyed from Newgate to the execution dock in Wapping by the officers of the Admiralty and others, carrying the Silver Oar before them according to the usual custom:” that Kidd’s “behaviour in Newgate after condemnation was not so serious and devout as became a person under his circumstances, but whether it proceeded from an heroick temper in not seeming to be in any way terrified or afraid on the approaches of death (tho’ in a violent manner) he being naturally of an undaunted mind and resolution, or from a conceited hope of obtaining a reprieve, there being great endeavours tho’ in vain used for that purpose, is yet unknown.”

The author of this account also informs us that Kidd “could hardly be brought to a charitable reconciliation with those persons, who were evidences against him alleging that they deposed many things that were inconsistent with truth and that much of their evidence was by hearsay: and in the general part of his discourse seemed not only to reflect on them but on several others, who instead of being his friends as they professed, had traitorously been instrumental in his ruin!” “He further declared that as to the death of William Moore, his gunner, the blow that he gave him, it was in a passion, as being provoked by him to do so, but not with an intention of any manifest injury, much less to kill or murder him. Nay, he was so far from bearing any malice against him, that he freely gave £200 for his ransom, and further said that all his sailors knew he always had a great love and respect for him; adding that if any one concerned in his tryal had acted contrary to the dictates of his or their own conscience he heartily forgave them, and desired that God would do the like.” “He expressed abundance of sorrow for leaving his wife and children without having the opportunity of taking leave of them, they being inhabitants in New York. So that the thoughts of his wife’s sorrow at the sad tidings of his shameful death was more occasion of grief to him than that of his own sad misfortunes.” “He desired all seamen in general, more especially Captains in particular to take warning by his dismal unhappiness and shameful death and that they would avoid the means and occasions that brought him thereto, and also that they would act with more caution and prudence, both in their private and public affairs by sea and land, adding that this was a very fickle and faithless generation.” (He had undoubtedly found it so.) “After he had ended his discourse to the people, he spent the rest of his time in Prayer and other pious and Godly exercises with the Ordinary of Newgate and other ministers: and at last seemed very devout and penitent, expressing his hearty sorrow for his manifest transgressions, especially the unhappy and sudden death of William Moore his gunner--but would not call it murder to the very last, esteeming it rather an accidental misfortune than a murder by reason that there was but one blow given and that in passion without any premeditated malice.”

No reference is made in this account to Kidd’s being “inflamed with drink.” It is clear from it that whether or not he had been given a drop of whiskey on his way to execution, he was to the end in the full possession of his faculties.

The only member of his crew who was hung with him was poor Darby Mullins, the remainder being at the last moment reprieved. Why Mullins, who had surrendered himself to the Governor of East Jersey along with two others, relying on the King’s proclamation, was selected as Kidd’s fellow-sufferer, is not clear. It is true that he was an Irishman, and in the opinion of the chaplain in a better frame of mind to meet his death than any of his companions: but neither of these circumstances in itself seems quite a satisfactory justification for hanging him. He had no doubt joined Culliford, unquestionably by far the most guilty of all the seamen implicated, but for whose presence at Madagascar, when the Adventure Galley arrived there, Kidd in all probability would have been able to bring his prizes home before the hue and cry had been raised against him. But Culliford, though indicted for several piracies about the same time as Kidd, apparently escaped scot free, having been clever enough to save his neck by surrendering to the right persons under the King’s proclamation, and to secure the services of a counsel who did not fail to put in an appearance on his behalf, when his case came on for hearing; the result of which was that “his case” (according to a note in the State Trials) “being particular and argued by Counsel he was respited.”

To come now to the last painful incident in this disgraceful tragedy. The day after Kidd’s corpse had been hung aloft in chains on the gallows, Somers dared at last to break the silence he had so long maintained and to put in his reply to the Articles of Impeachment brought against him by the Commons. The allegations he had to meet were that in the grant of the goods of the pirates to the co-adventurers, the name of Samuel Newton, one of the Grantees, had been “used in trust and for the sole benefit of” himself: that “the grant manifestly tended to the obstruction of trade and navigation, the great loss and prejudice of merchants and others, His Majesty’s subjects, and the dishonour of the King and his Kingdom:” and that “by procuring and passing it,” he had been guilty of a notorious breach of his duty. In his reply he was forced to admit that Newton had been named in the grant, “by and in trust for him,” and was apparently unable to give any excuse whatever for this discreditable deception. He pleaded that the grant “did not in any way tend to the obstruction or discouragement of trade or navigation, or to the loss or prejudice of His Majesty’s subjects, nor to the dishonour of His Majesty or His Kingdom.” He denied (and the denial implied what would be considered in these days a very low estimate of official honesty) that the passing of the grant was any breach of duty, inasmuch as it “was formed as a recompense to the grantees, who at their own charge had provided and fitted out the said Ship” (the Adventure Galley) to enable Kidd “to execute the powers in the said grant mentioned, whereby the public might have received great benefit had the said William Kidd faithfully discharged the trust reposed in him by His Majesty and the Grantees, which he failing to do, the owners of the said ship had lost their expenses, and had not received any benefit from the grant.”

As a matter of fact, it may well be doubted whether any of the grantees, excepting Kidd and Livingstone, lost any part of their expenses. As has already been shown, one of the conditions on which their legal advisers had been careful to insist had been that if the prize moneys were insufficient to make good the full amount advanced by the grantees, other than Kidd and Livingstone, the deficiency was to be made good by Kidd and Livingstone, both of them men of substance. We have seen with what eagerness, and with what disastrous results to Kidd, Livingstone had endeavoured to get his bond restored to him by Bellamont. That Kidd’s estate of itself, notwithstanding the fact that he was unable in Newgate to get funds for his defence until the night before his trial, was sufficient to have covered any loss sustained by the great men, who had exploited him, is clear from the fact that of his effects forfeited to the Crown, six thousand four hundred and seventy-one pounds were afterwards given by Queen Anne towards the establishment of Greenwich hospital. But whether or not these great men found it inconvenient to reclaim their one thousand pounds apiece, it is impossible to doubt that when making this cruelly unjust charge of faithlessness against Kidd the day after his death, Somers was fully acquainted with the essential facts of the case. It is incredible that he had not read Kidd’s narrative, the depositions of his men, and Bellamont’s correspondence, and that he was not cognizant of all the proceedings at Kidd’s trial, the keeping back of the French passes by the Admiralty officials: the failure of Kidd’s counsel to put in an appearance on the critical day when he was tried for piracy; the break-down of the most material parts of the King’s evidence; and the manner in which the trials had been conducted throughout by the Lord Chief Baron. It is to be feared that he not only knew all this, but that his was the unseen master hand that had held the strings, which had been so skilfully and ruthlessly manipulated as to bring about Kidd’s death so opportunely by the verdicts of London juries. If this be so, what is to be said of the Whig historians, who have dealt with Kidd’s case? Is it possible to believe in the face of indisputably recorded facts, that Somers really was the immaculate politician of his day depicted for us by Macaulay, “whose integrity,” we have been assured, “was ever certain to come forth bright and pure from the most severe investigation”? In the foregoing pages an attempt has been made, it is believed for the first time, to allow the personages who took part in this melancholy business to speak for themselves, so far as the extant records permit. Hitherto by a conspiracy of silence, their voices have been hushed, and the facts of the case studiously suppressed or perverted by eminent advocates, who have thought it necessary, if the memories of Somers and his colleagues were to be cleansed from the stigma which clung to them in their own day from the part they took in it, that Kidd’s reputation should be blackened, and that he should be depicted as a villain of the deepest dye, whom, on account of his unexceptionable antecedents, these great men were fully justified in employing, but whose character underwent so rapid a deterioration after he had once come into contact with them, that he betrayed them for the purpose of enriching himself with spoils, of which as a matter of fact he stood in little need and which he made no effort to secure for himself. He has been represented by Macaulay not only as a rapacious pirate, but also as a monster of cruelty, who for his own ends depraved his crew and led them into every kind of wickedness. To quote but one passage from Macaulay’s indefensible and inexcusable travesty, “With the rapacity he had the cruelty of his odious calling. He burnt houses: he massacred peasantry. His prisoners were tied up and beaten with naked cutlasses, in order to obtain information about their concealed hoards. One of his crew, whom he had called a dog, was provoked into exclaiming in an agony of remorse, ‘Yes, I am a dog: but it is you that have made me so.’ Kidd in a fury struck the man dead.”

These accusations have obtained ready credence; but their absurdity will be evident to any one who will take the pains to examine the records. There is no reason whatever for believing that Kidd was cruel or rapacious. The only ground for suggesting that “he massacred peasantry” is the one case, when his cooper’s throat having been cut by the natives, he retaliated by ordering one native to be shot. This was the only time when it was ever alleged in his own day that he had burnt houses: and we have it on the authority of Palmer, the King’s evidence against him, that on this occasion Kidd had given express orders to his men to spare the houses that had white flags hoisted on them, because their inmates had helped to water his ship. The episode on the strength of which Macaulay accuses him of causing his prisoners to be beaten with cutlasses, in order to extort from them information as to their concealed hoards, has already been explained. The men in question were not his prisoners. He allowed them to proceed peacefully on their voyage, and their ship was not taken from them. Kidd never went on board of her, much less did he give directions to his crew to ill-use them. Questioned as to whether any gold had been taken from them, Palmer freely admitted that he did not see any. Asked further by Kidd, whether it was not the case that a parcel of rogues had gone on board and done the deed complained of, he virtually admitted that it was so by making no reply. In the matter of cruelty there is a marked difference between the reported doings of Kidd and of the pirates of whom the East India Company were repeatedly complaining. In these complaints mention is often made of the outrages committed: but in the case of Kidd the Company made no complaint of similar misdeeds. From all that can be learned of him, he seems to have been a kind-hearted man. There is no reason to doubt the truth of his dying statement that he had paid two hundred pounds for his gunner Moore’s ransom, probably on the occasion when the natives had cut his cooper’s throat. One of the reasons which led Bellamont to employ him is stated by Bellamont’s apologist to have been Kidd’s well-known affection for his wife and family, which was also relied on by Bellamont as being strong enough to prevent him from attempting to escape by forsaking them on his return. And we have it on the record of a witness who certainly had no bias in his favour that his chief solicitude in Newgate after he had been sentenced to death was for them and not for himself.

The suggestion that Moore, when knocked on the head by Kidd, was “in an agony of remorse” for acts of piracy which Kidd had led him to commit, is almost too ludicrous to call for comment. It is absolutely clear from the evidence of every witness of the occurrence that so far from Kidd having led Moore astray, Moore had vainly endeavoured to induce Kidd to become a pirate, and that it was his failure to succeed in this endeavour that led to the altercation which ended in his death.

But the most flagrant fiction fabricated by a Whig historian in relation to poor Kidd, is not to be found in Macaulay’s history, but in the pages of a grave historical work, compiled by an eminent lawyer, who in his day had filled not only the office of Lord Chief Justice, but also that of Lord Chancellor. That great legal luminary, Lord Campbell, in his “Life of Somers” has not hesitated to insert a circumstantial fable to the effect that Kidd was caught red-handed on the high seas in the midst of his criminal career. In the fifth volume of his “Lives of the Chancellors,” pages 126 and 127, he tells the tale thus: “A noble vessel called the Adventure Galley was fitted out, and the command of her given to William Kidd, a naval officer, esteemed for honour as well as for gallantry. On arriving in the Indian Seas, he turned pirate himself, and cruised against the commerce of all nations indiscriminately, till after a sharp engagement with an English frigate in which several fell on both sides, he was captured and brought home in irons.” To such depths can history sink when written by political partisans of the highest rank and respectability.

APPENDIX A

1. COPY OF GRANT OF PIRATES’ GOODS

2. ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN BELLAMONT, LIVINGSTONE, AND KIDD

3. KIDD’S SAILING ORDERS

APPENDIX A

1. COPY OF GRANT OF PIRATES’ GOODS

William the Third, by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc., To our Right-trusty and Well-beloved Counsellor, Sir John Somers, Knight, our Keeper of our Great Seal of England, Greeting.

We will and command you, That, under our said Great Seal of England, in your custody being, you cause these our letters to be made forth Patents, in Form following:

William the Third, by the Grace of God, etc., To all to whom these Presents shall come, or may in any wise concern, Greeting. Whereas upon divers Complaints and Informations to Us made, That Thomas Too, John Ireland, Thomas Wake, William Mace, alias Maze, and divers other our Subjects, Natives or Inhabitants of New England, New York, and elsewhere in our Plantations in America, had associated themselves with divers other wicked and ill-disposed Persons, in order to commit, and did frequently commit, many great Piracies, Robberies and Depredations, upon the Seas in the Parts of America, and in other Parts and places; in Violation of the Laws of Nations; to the Obstruction and Discouragement of Trade and Navigation; and to the Loss and Prejudice of our Subjects, and the Subjects of our Friends and Allies; and also to the Dishonouring of our Royal Authority, in case any of our Subjects, guilty of such great and detestable Enormities, should go unpunished; We did, by our Commission under our Great Seal of England, bearing Date the 26th Day of January, in the Seventh Year of our Reign, in order to bring the said Pirates, Free-booters, and Sea Rovers, and their accomplices, to Justice, give and grant full Power and Authority to Captain William Kidd, Commander of the Ship Adventure Galley, and to the Commander of the said Ship for the Time being, to apprehend, seize and take into Custody, the said Thomas Too, John Ireland, Tho Wake, and William Maze, and all other Pirates, Free-booters, and Sea Rovers, of what Nation soever, whom he should find, or meet with, upon the said Coasts or Seas of America, or in any other Seas or Parts, with their Ships and Vessels, and all such Merchandise, Money, Goods, and Wares, as should be found on board of them; and, in case of Resistance, to fight with, and compel the said Pirates, Free-booters, and Sea Rovers, to yield; and them to bring or cause to be brought, to a legal Tryal, to the end they might forthwith suffer condign Punishment, according to their Demerits: And we did also, by the same Commission, require the said Captain William Kidd to keep an exact Journal of his Proceedings, in relation to the Execution of our Royal Pleasure in the said Premises; and therein to set down the Names of such Pirates, and of their Ships and Vessels, as he should, as aforesaid, seize or take; and also to specify the Quantities and Particulars of the Arms, Ammunition, Provision, and Loading, of such Ships, and the true Values thereof: And whereas the said Ship Adventure Galley was, with our Knowledge, and Royal Encouragement, fitted out to Sea, for the Purposes aforesaid, at the great and sole charges of our right trusty and right well-beloved Cousin Richard Earl of Bellamont in the Kingdom of Ireland, and our trusty and well-beloved Edmund Harrison, Merchant, Samuel Newton, Gentleman, William Rowley Gentleman, George Watson Gentleman, and Thomas Renolls, of St. Martins: Now know ye, that We, out of due Regard to the Premises, and being graciously inclined that so chargeable an Undertaking, tending to such good and laudable Ends, should have meet and proper Encouragement and Reward; of our special Grace, certain Knowledge, and mere Motion have given and granted, and by these Presents do give and grant, unto the said Richard Earl of Bellamont, Edmund Harrison, Samuel Newton, William Rowley, George Watson, and Thomas Renolls, their Heirs, Executors, and Assigns, all and whatsoever Ships, Vessels, Goods, and Merchandizes, and Treasure, and other Things whatsoever, which since the Thirtieth Day of April, Anno Domini, 1690, have been taken or seized upon or with, or did belong to, or which shall be taken or seized upon or with, or which do or shall belong to the said Thomas Too, John Ireland, Thomas Wake, Wm. Maze or their Adherents, or any other Pirates, Free-booters, and Sea Rovers, by the said Captain William Kidd, or other Commander of the said Adventure Galley, or which by, or by means of the said Ship or Galley, shall be taken, or forced ashore, in any of our Plantations in America, or other our Dominions; as far as the said Premises, or any of them, do, shall, or may belong to Us, or can or may be granted or grantable by Us, or is or are in our Power to dispose of, in Right of our Crown of England, or as Perquisites of our Admiralty, or otherwise howsoever, and all our Right, Title, Interest, Claim and Demand whatsoever, of, in or unto the same, and every Part thereof; To have, hold, take, receive, and enjoy the said Ships, Vessels, Goods, Merchandizes, Treasure, and all and singular other the Premises hereinbefore-mentioned, and intended to be hereby granted, and every of them, and every Part and Parcel thereof, or such and so many of them, are, can or may be, in any manner granted or grantable by Us, unto the said Richard Earl of Bellamont Edmund Harrison, Sam Newton, Wm. Rowley, George Watson, and Thomas Renolls, their Executors, Administrators and Assigns, to their sole Use and Benefit, and as their own proper Goods and Chattels, without any Account thereof and therefore to be made or rendered to Us, our Heirs and Successors: And We do hereby for Us, our Heirs and Successors, charge and command the Commissioners of our Treasury now being, and the High Treasurer, or Commissioners of our Treasury for the Time being, and all other our officers of our Revenue, our Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of England, now, and for the Time being, and all other our Admirals, Vice Admirals, Judge and Judges of our Court and Courts of Admiralty, Governors of all and every our Colonies, Islands and Plantations in America, Magistrates, Officials Military and Civil, and all other our loving Subjects whatsoever, That they be aiding and assisting in all and every matters and Things, as to them respectively shall appertain, as well as to the said Captain Wm. Kidd, in the seizing, apprehending, taking and securing, the said Pirates and their Ships and Vessels, and other the Premises hereinbefore mentioned, and intended to be hereby granted, every or any one of them, and in bringing the said offenders to Justice; as also unto the said Captain Wm. Kidd, and all others whom it may concern, in the seizing, securing, and delivering to them, the said Richard Earl of Bellamont, Edmund Harrison, Samuel Newton, Wm. Rowley, Geo. Watson, and Tho. Renolls, their assigns, Agents, and Servants, all and every the said Ships, Vessels, Goods, Merchandizes, Treasure, and other Things hereinbefore mentioned, and intended to be hereby granted, according to the true Intent and meaning hereof; and in such manner, as may most effectually contribute to the putting in Execution our gracious Intentions in and about the Premises, for and on the behalf of the said Richard Earl of Bellamont, Edmund Harrison, William Newton, William Rowley, Geo. Watson, and Thomas Renolls; And lastly, We do hereby declare and grant, That these our Letters Patents, or the Enrollment thereof, shall be, in and by all Things, firm, good, valid, sufficient, and effectual in the Law, notwithstanding the not naming, or not rightly naming, the Premises, or any Part thereof, or the true Value, or the Nature or Kind thereof; and notwithstanding the not mentioning, or not rightly mentioning, the Names of the said Pirates, Free-booters, and Sea Rovers, or any of them, or of the Possessors of the said Sloops, Vessels, Merchandizes, Goods, Treasure, and Premises, or any Part or Parcel thereof; and notwithstanding the ill naming, or not naming, or any Seas, Havens, Countries, or Places, wherein, or in which, the Premises hereby granted, or any Part or Parcel thereof, is or are, shall or may be found; and notwithstanding any mis-recital, non-recital, Incertainty, Defect, or Imperfection, whatsoever. In witness, etc.,

Witness, etc., Given under our Privy Seal, at our Palace of Westminster, the 30th Day of April, in the Ninth Year of our Reign.

THO. WATKINS.

Recepi vicesimo septimo Die. Maii 1697

2. ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN BELLAMONT, LEVINGSTON AND KIDD

Articles of Agreement, made this 10th Day of October 1695, between the Right Honourable Richard, Earl of Bellamont, of the one Part; and Robert Levingston Esquire, and Captain William Kidd, of the other part.

Whereas the said Captain Kidd is desirous to obtain a Commission as Captain of a private Man of War, in order to take Prizes from the King’s Enemies, and otherwise to annoy them: And whereas also, certain Persons did some time since depart from New England, Rhode Island, New York, and other Parts in America, and elsewhere, with an Intention to become Pirates, and to commit spoils and Depredations against the Law of Nations, in the Red Sea or elsewhere, and to return, with such Goods and Riches as they shall get, to certain Places by them agreed upon, of which said Persons and Places the said Captain Kidd hath Notice, and is desirous to fight with and subdue the said Pirates, as also all other Pirates, with whom the said Captain Kidd shall meet at Sea, in case he be employed to do; And whereas it is agreed between the said Parties, That for the Purposes aforesaid, a good and sufficient Ship to the Liking of the said Captain Kidd, shall be forthwith bought, whereof the said Captain Kidd, is to have the Command. Now these Present witness, and it is agreed between the said Parties:

1. The said Earl of Bellamont doth covenant and agree at his proper charge, to procure from the King’s Majesty, or from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, as the Case shall require, One or more Commissions, impowering him the said Captain Kidd to Act against the King’s Enemies, and to take Prizes from them, as a private man of War in the usual manner; and also to fight with, conquer, and subdue Pirates; and to take them and their Goods, with such other large and beneficial Powers, and Clauses in such Commissions, as may be most proper and effectual in such cases.

2. The said Earl doth covenant and agree, That within Three months after the said Captain Kidd’s departure from England for the Purpose in these Presents mentioned, he will procure, at his proper charge, a Grant from the King, to be made to some indifferent and Trusty Person, of all such Goods, Merchandizes, Treasure and other Things, as shall be taken from the said Pirates, or any other Pirates whatsoever, by the said Captain Kidd, or by the said Ship, or any other Ship or Ships under his Command.

3. The said Earl doth agree to pay Four Fifth Parts, the Whole in Five Parts to be divided, of all Monies, which shall be laid out for the buying such good and sufficient Ship for the Purposes aforesaid, together with Rigging and other Apparel and Furniture thereof, and providing the same with competent Victualing, the said Ship to be approved of by the said Parties; and the said other Fifth Part of the charges of the said Ship to be paid by the said Robert Levingston and William Kidd.

4. The said Earl doth agree, That in order to the speedy buying of the said Ship, and in Part of the said Four Parts of Five of the said Charges, he will pay down the Sum of 1,600l. by Way of Advance, on or before the 6th Day of November next ensuing.

5. The said Robert Levingston and Captain William Kidd do jointly and severally covenant and agree, That on or before the said 6th Day of November, when the said Earl of Bellamont is to pay the said sum of 1,600l. as aforesaid, they will advance and pay down 400l. in Part of the Share and Proportion which they are to have in the said Ship.

6. The said Earl doth agree to pay such further Sum of Money, as shall complete, and make up, the said Four Parts of Five, of the Charges of the said Ship’s Apparel, Furniture and Victualing, unto the said Robert Levingston and William Kidd, within Seven Weeks after the Date of these Presents, and, in the like manner, the said Robert Levingston and William Kidd, do agree to pay such further Sum as shall amount to a Fifth Part of the whole charge of the said Ship, within Seven Weeks after the Date of these Presents.

7. The said Captain Kidd doth covenant and agree to procure and take with him, on board the said Ship, one hundred Mariners and Seamen, or thereabouts, and to make what reasonable and convenient Speed he can to set out to Sea with the said Ship; and to sail to such Places or Parts where he may meet with the said Pirates; and to use his utmost Endeavour to meet with, conquer and subdue the said Pirates, or any other Pirates; and to take from them their Goods, Merchandizes and Treasure; also to take what Prizes he can from the King’s Enemies, and forthwith to make the best of his Way to Boston in New England; and that without touching at any Port or Harbour whatsoever, or without breaking Bulk, or diminishing any Part of what he shall take or obtain, on any Pretence whatsoever; of which he shall make Oath, in case the same shall be desired by the said Earl of Bellamont; and there to deliver the same into the hands or Possession of the said Earl.

8. The said Captain Kidd doth agree, That the Contract and Bargain which he will make with the said Ship’s Crew, shall be, No Purchase, No Pay; and not otherwise: And that the Share and Proportion which his said Crew shall, by such Contract, have of such Prizes, Goods, Merchandizes, and Treasure, as he shall take as Prize, or from any Pirates, shall not, at the most, exceed a Fourth Part of the same; and shall be less than a Fourth Part, in case the same may reasonably and conveniently be agreed upon.

9. The said Robert Levingston, and Captain Wm. Kidd, do jointly and severally agree with the said Earl of Bellamont, That in case the said Captain Kidd do not meet with the said Pirates, which went from New England, Rhode Island, New York, or elsewhere, as aforesaid; or do not take from any other Pirates, or from any the King’s Enemies, such Goods, Merchandizes, or other Things of Value, as being divided as hereinafter is mentioned, shall fully recompense the said Earl, for the monies by him expended in buying the said Four Fifth Parts of the said Ship and Premises; that then they shall refund and repay to the said Earl of Bellamont, the whole Money by him to be advanced, in Sterling Money, or Money equivalent thereunto, on or before the 25th Day of March which shall in the Year of our Lord 1697; the Danger of the Seas, and of the Enemy, and Mortality of the said Captain Kidd, always excepted: Upon Payment whereof, the said Robert Levingston and Captain Kidd are to have the sole Property in the said Ship and Furniture; and this Indenture to be delivered up to them, with all other Covenants and obligations thereunto belonging.

10. It is agreed between the said Parties, That as well the Goods, Merchandizes, Treasure and other Things which shall be taken from the said Pirates, or any Pirates, by the said William Kidd, as also all such Prizes as shall be by him taken from any of the King’s Enemies, shall be divided in manner following; that is to say, Such Part as shall be for that Purpose agreed upon by the said Captain Kidd, so as the same do not in the Whole exceed a Fourth Part, shall be paid or delivered to the Ship’s Crew, for their Use; and the other Three Parts to be divided into Five equal Parts, whereof the said Earl is to have, to his own Use, Four full Parts, and the other Fifth Part is to be equally divided between the said Robert Levingston and the said Wm. Kidd; and is to be paid and delivered them by the said Earl of Bellamont, without Deduction or Abatement or any Pretence whatsoever. But it is always to be understood, that such Prizes as shall be taken from the King’s Enemies, are to be lawfully adjudged Prizes, in the usual manner before any division, or otherwise intermeddling therewith, than according to the true Interest of the same Commission, to be granted in that behalf.

Lastly, it is covenanted and agreed between the Parties to these Presents, That in case the said Captain Wm. Kidd do bring to Boston aforesaid, and there deliver to the Earl of Bellamont, Goods, Merchandizes, Treasure and Prizes to the Value of 100,000l. or upwards, which he shall have taken from the said Pirates, or from other Pirates, or from the King’s Enemies; that then the Ship which is now speedily to be bought by the said Parties, shall be and remain to the sole Use and Behoof of him the said Captain Kidd, as a Reward and Gratification for his Good Service therein.

BELLAMONT.

Memorandum.

Before the Sealing and Delivery of these Presents, it was covenanted and agreed by the said Earl of Bellamont with the said Robert Levingston Esquire and Captain William Kidd That the Person to whom the Grant above-mentioned in these articles shall be made by his Majesty, shall within Eight Days at the most, after such Grant has passed the Great Seal of England, assign and transfer to each of them, the said Robert Levingston Esquire, and Captain William Kidd, respectively, their Heirs and Assigns, One full Tenth Part (the Ship’s Crew’s Share and Proportion being first deducted) of all such Goods, Treasure or other Things, as shall be taken by the said Captain Kidd, by virtue of such Commission as aforesaid: And the said Grantee shall make such Assignment as aforesaid, in such manner as by the said Robert Levingston Esquire, and Captain William Kidd, or their Counsel learned in the Law, shall be reasonably devised and required: And then these Presents were sealed and delivered, the Sixpenny Stamp being first affixed, in the Presence of us.

MARTHA BREKEN JOHN MADDOCKE JOHN MOULDER.

WHEREAS the necessary Fitting, Equipping and Outset, of the ADVENTURE GALLEY, bought by the above-mentioned WM. KIDD, in pursuance of these Articles, could not be completely finished and perfected within the time thereby limited; and consequently, that all the several Sums of Money, therein covenanted to be paid were not actually paid by all or any the Parties to the above-written Covenants and Agreements, within the Time thereby expressed, limited and directed; but that, nevertheless, all the said Sums have since been paid; and the Ship bought for the Voyage and Design expressed in these Articles, is now completely fitted out and provided with all Things necessary, and lies ready to depart, and that also the several Commissions have been obtained by the Earl of Bellamont. It is hereby further mutually declared, covenanted and agreed, by and between the abovesaid Right honourable Richard Earl of Bellamont, and Robert Levingston, and William Kidd, on behalf of themselves, and all others concerned therein, That, notwithstanding the Delay in the Dispatch of the said Ship or Galley, and of the Payments of the Monies expressed in the above-mentioned Agreement, that, yet, nevertheless, all and singular the several Agreements, articles and Clauses, therein mentioned and intended, as hereby declared to be, and are and shall be and remain in as full Force and Virtue, as if the said Ship, and all the Sums of money, had been actually paid within the time limited and directed by the said Articles, anything therein to contrary notwithstanding.

Dated in London, the 20th Day of February 1695/6.

BELLAMONT.

Witness present at the Signing and Sealing thereof.

SARAH OAKLEY JOHN STANLEY

3. KIDD’S SAILING ORDERS

LONDON, 25th February, 1695/6.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM KIDD,

You being now ready to sail, I do hereby desire and direct you, that you and your Men do serve God in the best Manner you can: That you keep good Order, and good Government, in your Ship: That you make the best of your Way to the Place and Station where you are to put the Powers you have in Execution: And, having effected the same, You are, according to Agreement, to sail directly to Boston in New England, there to deliver unto me the Whole of what Prizes, Treasure, Merchandizes, and other Things, you shall have taken by virtue of the Powers and Authorities granted you: But if, after the Success of your Design, you shall fall in with any English Fleet bound for England, having good convoy, you are, in such case to keep them Company, and bring all Your Prizes to London, notwithstanding any Covenant to the contrary in our Articles of Agreement. Pray fail not to give Advice, by all Opportunities, how the Galley proves; how your Men stand, what Progress you make; and, in general, of all remarkable Passages in your Voyage, to the time of your Writing. Direct your Letters to Mr. Edmund Harrison. I pray God grant you good Success, and send us a good Meeting again.

BELLAMONT.

APPENDIX B

1. NARRATIVE OF HIS VOYAGE BY KIDD

2. THE EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM JINKINS, RICHARD BARLEYCORNE AND ROBERT LUMLEY

3. THE EXAMINATION OF HUGH PARRATT

4. THE EXAMINATION OF GABRIEL LOFF

5. THE DEPOSITIONS OF ABEL OWEN AND SAMUEL ARRIS, ENGLISH SMITH, HUMPHRY CLAY AND HUGH PARRATT

APPENDIX B

1. A Copy of a Narrative of the Voyage of Captain William Kidd, Commander of the “Adventure Galley,” from London to the East Indies.

BOSTON, 17th July, 1699. Mr. John Gardner of Gardner’s Island presented this note to His Excellency in Council, which he made oath was delivered to him by Captain Kidd, as was wrote with the said Kidd’s own hand on board his sloop, and all the particulars therein mentioned were committed to his custody.

Examined by Isa Addington Secretary.

That the Journal of the said Captain Kidd, being violently taken from him in the Port of St. Marie’s in Madagascar, and his Life being many times threatened to be taken away from him by Ninety-Seven of his Men that deserted him there, he cannot give that exact Account he otherwise could have done: but as far as his Memory will serve, is as followeth, viz.,

That the said Adventure Galley was launched in Castle’s Yard at Deptford, about the Fourth of December 1695; and about the latter end of February the said Galley came to the Buoy in the Nore: and about the 1st Day of March following, his Men were pressed for him for the Fleet; which caused him to stay there for Nineteen Days; and then sailed for the Donnes, and arrived there about the Eighth or the Tenth Day of April 1696; and sailed thence for Plymouth; and on the Twenty-third Day of the said month of April he sailed on his intended Voyage: and, some time in the month of May, met with a small French Vessel, with Salt and Fishing Tackle on board, bound for Newfoundland, which he took and made Prize of, and carried the same into New York, about the Fourth Day of July, when she was condemned as lawful Prize: The Produce whereof purchased provisions for the said Galley, and for her further intended Voyage.

That about the Sixth Day of September 1696, the said Captain Kidd sailed for the Maderas, in company with one Joyner, Master of a Brigantine belonging to Bermudas, and arrived there about the 8th Day of October following: and thence to Bonavista, where they arrived about the nineteenth of the said month, and took in some Salt, and stayed Three or Four Days; and sailed thence to St. Jago, and arrived there the Twenty-fourth of the said Month, where he took in some Water, and stayed about Eight or Nine Days; and thence sailed for the Cape of Good Hope; and in the Latitude of Thirty-two, on the Twelfth Day of December 1696, met with Four English Men of War: Captain Warren was Commodore; and sailed a week in their Company; and then parted, and sailed to Telere, a Port in the Island of Madagascar, and being there about the Twenty-ninth Day of January, came in a Sloop belonging to Barbadoes, loaded with Rum, Sugar, Powder and Shot, one French Master, and Mr. Hatton and Mr. John Batt, Merchants; and the said Hatton came on board the said Galley, and was suddenly taken ill and died in the Cabin: And, about the latter end of February, sailed for the Island of Johanna, the said Sloop keeping Company, and arrived there about the Eighteenth Day of March; where he found Four East India Merchantsmen outward bound; and watered there all together, and staid about Four Days: And from thence, about the Twenty-second of March, sailed for Mehila, an Island Ten Leagues distant from Johanna, where he arrived the next Morning, and there careened the said Galley; and about Fifty men died there in a Week’s Time.

That on the 25th Day of April 1697, set sail for the Coast of India, and came upon the Coast of Mallabar, the Beginning of the Ninth of September; and went into Carwarr upon that Coast about the middle of the same Month, and watered there: And the Gentlemen of the English factory gave the Narrator an account, That the Portuguese were fitting out Two Men of War to take him; and advised him to put out to Sea, and to take Care of himself from them, and immediately to set sail thereupon; … about the 12th of the said month of September; and the next morning, about Break of Day saw the said Two Men of War standing for the said Galley; and spoke with him and asked him, Whence he was? Who replied from London; and they returned answer, From Goa; and so parted, wishing each other a good Voyage; And making still along the Coast, the Commodore of the said Man of War kept dogging the said Galley all the Night, waiting an Opportunity to board her; and in the Morning, without speaking a Word, Fired Six great Guns at the Galley, some whereof went through her, and wounded Four of his Men; and thereupon he fired upon him again; and the Fight continued all Day; and the narrator had Eleven Men wounded: the other Portuguese man of War lay some Distance off, and could not come up with the Galley, being calm; else would have likewise assaulted the same; the said Fight was sharp, and the said Portuguese left the said Galley with such Satisfaction, that the Narrator believes no Portuguese will ever attack the King’s Colours again, in that Part of the World especially. And afterwards continued upon the same Coast, cruising upon the coast of Cameroone, for Pirates that frequent that Coast, till the Beginning of the month of November 1697, When he met with Captain How in the Loyal Captaine, an English Ship belonging to Maderas, bound to Surratt, whom he examined; and finding his Pass good, designed to freely to let her pass about her Affairs; but, having Two Dutchmen on board, they told the Narrator’s Men, That they had divers Greeks and Armenians on board, who had divers precious Stones and divers other rich Goods on board, which caused his Men to be very mutinous, and got up their Arms, and swore they would take the Ship: and two-thirds of his Men voted for the same: The narrator told them, the small Arms belonged to the Galley, and that he was not come to take any Englishmen, or lawful Traders; and that if they attempted any such thing, they should never come on board the Galley again, nor have the Boat, or small Arms; for he had no Commission to take any but the King’s Enemies, and Pirates, and that he would attack them with the Galley, and drive them into Bombay; the other being a Merchantman, and having no Guns, might easily have done it with a few Hands; and, with all the Arguments and Menaces he could use, could scarce restrain them from their unlawful Design; but at last I prevailed, and with much ado I got him clear, and let him go about his Business. All which the said Captain How will attest, if living.

And that, about the 18th or 19th Day of the said month of November, met with a Moors Ship of about 200 Tons coming from Surratt, bound to the Coast of Mallabar, loaded with Two Horses, Sugar and Cotton, to trade there having about Forty Moors on board, with a Dutch Pilot, Boatswain, and Gunner; which said Ship the Narrator haled, and commanded on board; and with him came Eight or Nine Moors, and the said Three Dutchmen, who declared it was a Moors Ship; and demanding their pass from Surrat, which they shewed; and the same was a French Pass, which he believes was shewn by a Mistake; for the Pilot swore Sacrament she was a Prize, and staid on board the Galley; and would not return on board the Moor Ship; but went in the Galley to the Port of St. Marie.

And that, about the First Day of February following, upon the same Coast, under French Colours with a Design to decoy, met with a Bengall Merchantman belonging to Surratt, of the Burden of 4 or 500 Tons, 10 Guns; and he commanded the Master on board; and a Frenchman, Inhabitant of Surratt, and belonging to the French Factory there, and Gunner of the said Ship, came on board as Master; and when he came on board, the Narrator caused the English Colours to be hoisted; and the said Master was surprised, and said, You are all English; and asking, which was the Captain? Whom when he saw, said, Here is a good Prize, and delivered him the French Pass.

And that, with the said Two Prizes, sailed for the Port of St. Marie’s in Madagascar; and, sailing thither, the said Galley was so leaky, that they feared she would have sunk every Hour, and it required Eight men every Two Glasses to keep her free; and was forced to woold her round with Cables to keep her together; and with much ado carried her into the said Port of St. Marie’s, where she arrived about the First of April, 1698: And about the 6th day of May, the lesser Prize was haled into the careening Island or Key, the other not being arrived; and ransacked and sunk by the mutinous men; who threatened the Narrator, and the men that would not join with them to burn and sink the other, that they might not go home and tell the news.

And that, when he arrived in the said Port, there was a Pirate Ship, called the Moca Frigate, at an Anchor, Robert Culliford, Commander thereof; who with his Men, left the same at his coming in, and ran into the Woods: and the Narrator proposed to his Men to take the same, having sufficient Power and Authority so to do; but the Mutinous Crew told him, If he offered the same, they would rather fire Two Guns into him, than one into the other; and thereupon Ninety-seven deserted, and went into the Moca Frigate, and sent into the Woods for the said Pirates, and brought the said Culliford, and his Men, on board again; and all the time she staid in the said Port, which was the Space of Four or Five Days, the said Deserters, sometimes in great Numbers, came on board the said Galley and Adventure Prize, and carried away great Guns, Powder, Shot, small Arms, Sails, Anchors, Cables, Surgeons, Chests, and what else they pleased; and threatened several times to murder the Narrator, as he was informed, and advised to take care of himself; which they designed in the Night to effect; but was prevented by him locking himself in his Cabin at Night, and securing himself with barricading the same with Bales of Goods; and, having about Forty small Arms, besides Pistols, ready charged, kept them out; Their Wickedness was so great, after they had plundered and ransacked sufficiently, went Four Miles off to one Edward Welche’s House, where his the Narrator’s Chest was lodged, and broke it open; and took out Ten Ounces of Gold, 40 Pound of Plate, 370 Pieces of Eight, the Narrator’s Journal, and a great many Papers that belonged to him, and the People of New York that fitted them out.

That about the 15th June, the Moca Frigate went away, being manned with about 130 Men, and Forty Guns, bound out to take all Nations: Then it was that the Narrator was left with only Thirteen men; so that the Moors he had to pump and keep the Adventure Galley above Water, being carried away, she sunk in the Harbour; and the Narrator, with the said Thirteen men, went on board the Adventure Prize; where he was forced to stay Five Months for a Fair Wind; In the meantime, some Passengers presented, that were bound for these Parts; which he took on board, to help to bring the said Adventure Prize home.

That, about the beginning of April, 1699, the Narrator arrived at Anguilla in the West Indies, and sent his Boat on Shore; where his Men had the News That he and his People were proclaimed Pirates, which put them into such Consternation, That they sought all Opportunity to run the Ship on Shore upon some Reef or Shoal, fearing the Narrator should carry them into some English Port.

From Anguilla they came to St. Thomas’; where his Brother-in-law Samuel Bradley was put on shore, being sick; and Five more went away, and deserted him: Where he heard the same News, That the Narrator, and his Company, were proclaimed Pirates, which incensed the People more and more.

From St. Thomas set sail for Moona, an Island between Hispaniola and Porto Rico; where they met with a Sloop called the St. Anthony, bound for Antega from Curaso, Mr. Wm. Boulton Merchant, and Samuel Wood, Master: The men on board then swore, they would bring the Ship no further. The Narrator then sent the said Sloop St. Anthony for Curaso, for Canvas to make Sails for the Prize, she not being able to proceed; and she returned in Ten Days; and after the Canvas came, he could not persuade the Men to carry her for New England; but Six of them went and carried their Chests and Things on board of Two Dutch Sloops; bound for Curaso; and would not so much as heel the Vessel, or do anything, the Remainder of the men not being able to bring the Adventure Prize to Boston, the Narrator secured her in a good Harbour in some Part of Hispaniola and left in the Possession of Mr. Henry Boulton of Antegua, Merchant, the Maker, Three of the old Men, and Fifteen or Sixteen of the men that belonged to the said Sloop St. Anthony, and a Brigantine belonging to one Mr. Burt of Curaso.

That the Narrator bought the said Sloop St. Anthony of Mr. Boulton, for the Owner’s Account; and after, he had given Directions to the said Boulton to be careful of the said Ship and Lading, and persuaded him to stay Three Months till he returned; and then made the best of his Way to New York; where he heard the Earl of Bellamont was, who was principally concerned in the Adventure Galley; and hearing his Lordship was at Boston, came thither; and has now been 45 Days from the said Ship.

WM. KIDD.

BOSTON. 7th July, 1699.

* * * * *

Further the Narrator saith, That the said Ship was left at St. Katharina, on the South East Part of Hispaniola, about Three Leagues to Leeward of the Westerly End of Savona: Whilst he lay at Hispaniola, he traded with Mr. Henry Boulton of Antegua, and Mr. Wm. Burt of Curaso, Merchants, to the Value of 11,200 Pieces of Eight; whereof he received the Sloop Antonio at 3000 Pieces of Eight, and 4200 Pieces of Eight by Bills of Exchange, drawn by Boulton and Burt upon Messieurs Gabriel and Lemont, Merchants in Curaso, made payable to Mr. Burt, who went himself to Curaso; and the Value of 4,000 Pieces of Eight more in Dust and Bar Gold; which Gold, with some more traded for at Madagascar, being Fifty Pounds Weight, or upwards, in Quantity, the Narrator left in Custody of Mr. Gardner of Gardner’s Island, near the Eastern End of Long Island, fearing to bring it about by Sea: It is made up in a Bag put into a little Box, locked, nailed, corded about, and sealed: Saith he took no Receipt for it of Mr. Gardner.

The Gold that was seized at Mr. Campbell’s, the Narrator, traded for at Madagascar, with what came out of Galley.

Saith, That he carried in the Adventure Galley, from New York, 154 Men: Seventy whereof came out of England with him. Some of his Sloop’s Company put Two Bales of Goods on shore at Gardner’s Island, being their own proper Goods. The Narrator delivered a Chest of Goods, viz., Muslins, Latches, Romalls, and flowered Silk, unto Mr. Gardner of Gardner’s Island aforesaid, to be kept there for the narrator: Put no Goods on shore anywhere else: Several of his Company landed their Chests, and other Goods, at several Places.

Further saith, He delivered a small Bale of coarse Calicoes unto a Sloop Man of Rhode Island, that he had employed there. The Gold seized at Mr. Campbell’s the Narrator intended for Presents to some, that he expected to do him Kindnesses. Some of his Company put their Chests and Bales on board a New York Sloop lying at Gardner’s Island.

WM. KIDD.

Presented and taken, die praedict before his Excellency and Council.

Copy Examined by

ISA ADDINGTON, Secretary.

2. THE EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM JINKINS, RICHARD BARLYCORNE AND ROBERT LUMLEY

The Examination of William Jinkins, of Bow, near London, aged about 18 years. Apprentice to Geo. Bullen, deceased, late chief Mate to the Adventure Galley, Captain Wm. Kidd, Commander:

Who saith, That, some time after Christmas in the Year 1695, he sailed with the said Adventure Galley from Plymouth, in England; and the said Galley made her Course for New York; took a French Prize in her way, which was carried in with the same.

That the said Galley, some time after her arrival at New York sailed from thence to Madera; from Madera to Bonavista and St. Jago, where they took in Provisions, and steered for the Cape de Bon Esperance, but put not in there; but proceeded for an Island named Joanna; staid there about a Week, took on board some Water, and then went from thence to Mohilla; where the said Galley was laid on shore and cleaned; and then returned again to the said Island of Joanna; from whence the said Galley sailed to Motta in the Red Sea, and there watered; and then proceeded to a Place called Bobs Key, to wait for Shipping: And, during the time of their being there, the Moca Fleet passed by; but the said Galley did not endeavour to come up or speak with any of them, apprehending they were too strong; afterwards we spoke with a small Bark coming from the Red Sea, commanded by one Parker, out of which the Company belonging to the said Galley took about a Bushel of Pepper: Then the said Galley went into a Port called Callacut, where was an English Factory; remained there Four or Five Days, and then went a cruising upon that Coast; and sometime afterwards gave Chace to a Ship about 150 Tons Burden, and, after about Nine Hours Chace, came up with the same; then Captain Kidd ordered Two Shot to be fired at the same, to bring her to; whereupon she accordingly brought to; and the Master, being a Dutchman called Skipper John came on board: There was belonging to the said Ship Three Dutchmen, a Boy, and the rest Moors, between Twenty and Thirty in Number; the Dutchmen, and Two or Three Moors, were kept on board the said Galley, and the rest of the said Moors had the Long-boat given to them to go on shore, being then about Two Leagues distant from the same: the said Ship was loaded with Cotton, and had two Horses likewise on board the same; which Cotton and Horses Captain Kidd and his Company sold to the Natives of the Country for Money and Gold; kept the said Ship with them, the Galley being leaky, and carried her to Madagascar; When the said Galley came up with the said Ship, the said Galley had aboard French Colours, and the Master of the said Ship brought on board a French Pass, having other Passes besides: The Time when the said Ship was taken, as above mentioned, was about 13 or 14 Months since, about a Month or Five Weeks after which, the said Galley gave Chace to another Ship; and, having chaced her about Four Hours, came up with the same, the said Galley having aboard French Colours, and the other Ship Armenian; which Ship was of the Burden of about 400 Tons, called the Quedah Merchant, and was commanded by one Wright, an Englishman, had on board the same, Two Dutchmen, who were Mates of the said Ship; and a Frenchman, who was a Gunner, Six or Eight Armenians; and the rest of the Company Moors, being about ninety in Number; all of which Captain Kidd sent on shore in the Boats that came off from thence: the said Ship came from Bengall, bound for Surratt; was mounted with 16 or 18 guns; the French Gunner of which brought on board a French Pass, and said, She was a good Prize to the English: the said Captain was loaded with Bale Goods, Sugar, Iron and Saltpetre: Captain Wright who commanded the said Ship, declared she was in the employment of the English; that the Lading belonged to them: And, about Four or Five Days after the said Ship was taken by the said Galley, Captain Kidd called the Company together, and proposed to them to return the said Ship to those from whom they had taken her, or sell her to them; and said, He would agree to anything they should do therein, were it for the Value of a Piece of Eight: Said also to his Company, The Taking of the said Ship would make a great Noise in England, and they should not know what to do with the Goods taken in the same: But the Company of the Galley agreed not to the said Captain Kidd’s Proposal; but carried the said Ship into St. Marie’s, off Madagascar, and there unloaded her, and shared; Whereupon each of the said Galley’s Company, being then about 115 in Number, shared, one with another Three Bales and some loose Goods, besides about Two Thirds of a Bale: and Captain Kidd had Forty Shares: The Bales contained Calicoes, Romalls, Muslins, some Silks, some striped, some flowered, and some Plain. After sharing of the said Goods, Ninety and upwards, of the Company belonging to the said Galley, deserted the same, and went to the Mocha Frigate, then lying at St. Marie’s aforesaid: And the said Captain Kidd, with the Men that remained with him, carried their Shares on board the Prize Ship, called the Quidah Merchant, and ran the said Galley on shore, being very leaky; and having stript her of her Furniture, set her on Fire to get her Iron-work; and put all that they could save, of, or belonging to the said Galley, on board the said Prize Ship; with which the said Captain Kidd, and the men that remained with him, and some others that he had procured there, came from St. Marie’s aforesaid, and arrived in some time afterwards at the Island of Anguilla, in the West Indies: Where being informed that the said Kidd, and his Company, were proclaimed Pirates, the said Captain Kidd, and the men on board with him, went with the said Ship to the Island of St. Thomas; but the Governor of the said Island would not allow the said Ship to come in there: Whereupon we sailed to Mona; and there met with one Mr. Bolton, of Antegoa, Merchant; of whom Captain Kidd bought the Sloop Antonio, in which he lately came to Boston; gave, as this Examinant was informed 3000 Pieces of Eight for the same, and took from out of the Prize Ship, into the said Sloop, Forty Bales of the Goods on board the said Ship, and about Thirty Bales of Sugar; and left the said Ship at Hispaniola, about Six or Seven Weeks since in the Custody of the said Mr. Boulton, and 12 Men more: And the said Captain Kidd promised to return again to the said Ship, in the Space of Three Months; and the said Boulton promised to stay with the same for so long time; Which Ship the said Captain Kidd left lying in the River, in Hispaniola aforesaid, to be reckoned about Eighteen Leagues from Mona.

The Examinant further saith, That, after the said Galley had taken the Two Ships before-mentioned, She also, in her Passage to St. Marie’s aforesaid, took a Bark or Ship, of the Burden of 180 Tons, with about Seventy Persons on board, navigated with Portuguez: She came from Bengall; and was bound to Goa; and had on board Bengalls, Muslins, Calicoes, and other things, which the Galley’s Company began to plunder, and bring on board the Galley; but seeing several Ships coming down towards them, the said Galley, with the other two Prizes she had taken, came to sail, and left the said last Prize at a Place between Brin John and Angingo, so called being an English and Dutch Factory, and left on board the same all the Company belonging thereto, except the Master, Merchant, and Seven Men more, that came on board the Galley when she first took the said Ship: And the Vessel that was first taken by the said Galley, as before-mentioned, was, by the said Galley’s Company, sunk at St. Marie’s aforesaid, after they had brought her thither.

And the said William Jinkins the Examinant further saith, That whilst Captain Kidd and his Company, lay with the said Ship Quidah Merchant at Mona aforesaid, one Burt, Merchant of Curaso, came to them in a Brigantine, and purchased several Goods of the said Captain Kidd; for which he paid Part in money, and Part in Flour.

Further saith, That the first Place that the Sloop Antonio aforesaid touched at, after the said Captain Kidd, and his Company, left the said Ship at Mona aforesaid, was the Horekills in Dellaware Bay, where the said Sloop staid Two Days: and one James Gillam, a Passenger that came with the said Kidd from Madagascar, being one of the Mocha’s Frigate’s Crew, sent his Chest on shore there, being a large chest and heavy; which the Examinant supposeth to be full of India Goods, and was stowed in the said Sloop’s Hold in the Passage from Mona: After the said Sloop had staid at the Horekills aforesaid about Two Days, she sailed to Gardner’s Island, and anchored there; where Captain Kidd sent on shore Two Bales of Goods, Two Negro Boys, and a Negro Girl, and delivered them to Mr. Gardner; and were not brought on board the Sloop again, the Examinant remaining on board almost all the time; neither was anything more carried on shore, there, to this Examinant’s knowledge: And there was, in Company with the said Sloop under Captain Kidd’s command, a Sloop said to belong to New York, whereon one Hardrick, a Dutchman, a young Man, was either Skipper, or one of the Company; into which Sloop there was put Two or more Bales, One of them being Bengall Silks, all belonging to one Humphry Clay, and Four or more Chests belonging to said Humph Clay, English Smith, Gabriel Luffe, and Martin Skinke: This Examinant was informed, the said Sloop was bound on a trading Voyage to Martha’s Vineard, with Rum and Fruckin Cloth; but, having received the said Bales and Chests on board, did not proceed to Martha’s Vineard, but went back again for New York. The said Captain Kidd and his Company, then proceeded with his Sloop to Block Island: and put nothing on shore there, only Two Guns about Two or Three hundred Weight apiece, which Captain Kidd gave to one Sands: Then the Sloop went to Tarpolin Cove, where One or more Bales of the Captain’s were put on shore, and delivered to the Man that dwells there.

And the Examinant saith, That nothing that was put on shore at any of the Places aforesaid, was, to his Knowledge, received on board the said Sloop again: and that nothing was put on shore at any other Place, than what is before-mentioned.

The Examinant further saith, That Captain Kidd traded with Mr. Boulton and Mr. Burt aforesaid, for the Quantity of Twenty Bales of Goods or thereabouts, as he supposes; besides what those of his Company with them: Six of which, viz., Michael Callaway, John Hales, John Beovender, Wm. Boyer, Neece, a Dutchman and Nouter, a Dutchman, went to Caracao in Burt’s Brigantine, and one other, named John Ware, went thither also in a small sloop.

Signed

WILLIAM W. G. JINKINS.

BOSTON, 6 July, 1699. Taken before his Excellency and Council

ISA ADDINGTON. Secretary.

* * * * *

The foregoing examination of Wm. Jinkins being read unto Richard Barlycorne, aged about Eighteen Years, Apprentice to Captain Wm. Kidd,

He saith, That the same is true, as to the Substance thereof.

And further saith, That James Gillam carried Two Chests on shore at the Horekills, which were stowed in the Hold of the Sloop: After they came from the Horekills, they stopt at Gardner’s Island; and went from thence to Oyster Bay; there took in Mr. Emott of New York; and set him on shore at Rhode Island; in some Days afterwards, Mr. Emot returned to the Sloop again, as she lay off Rhode Island; then they went to Gardner’s Island; who went from thence, in a Whale Boat, over to Long Island: And at Gardner’s Island, Captain Kidd sent on shore there, Two Bales of Goods, a Box, and Two Negro Boys, and a Girl, committed to the Charge of Mr. Gardner. The Examinant also sent Two Bales of his own, and his Chest, on shore there; and Dick the Black, another Bale: and one Robert Avery, a Passenger that came with them from Madagascar, went on shore there, and carried some Bundles of Muslin, Silks, and other Goods of his own; and a Box about Three Foot long, and a Foot deep: Knows not what was in it; It was handed over the Sloop’s Side. There was also a Sloop of New York, lying at Gardner’s Island, into which there was put about the Quantity of 15 or 16 Bales of Goods, Whole or in Pieces; and about 9 or 10 Chests; Which Goods and Chests belonged to Humphry Clay, Gabriel Luffe, Samuel Wood, Captain Davis a Passenger, Martin Skinke, John Arris, and English Smith: The Sloop was full. From Gardner’s Island we sailed to Block Island, and there took in Captain Kidd’s Wife, and one Mr. Clark of New York; and then stood towards Gardner’s Island again, and met a New York Sloop, bound home, and put Mr. Clark on board of her: And Captain Kidd put a Chest on board said Sloop: He knows not what was in it: John Arris put another chest on board: and Wm. Jinkins, a Bale of Goods; and some other Bundles, that were made out of the Bales, were also put on board said Sloop; and all, as aforesaid, committed unto the said Mr. Clark: The Captain’s Chest was hoisted out of the Hold. They stopt at Tarpolin Cove; and there put on shore One Bale, Two Barrels, and a Box of Goods, delivered unto the Man that dwells there: And, as they came over to Nantinket Shoals, they met a Sloop from the Bay, commanded by one Captain Way; which said Way came on board our Sloop; and, when he went off again;--in his canoe, by Captain Kidd’s order, Two or Three small arms, a Pendulum Clock bought of Captain Wright, Commander of the Quidah Merchant; a Pair of Stilliards, and a Bag about as big as the Crown of his Hat, sealed up; which the Examinant supposes to be Money.

Further the Examinant saith, That, when they came from Hispaniola, Captain Kidd told Mr. Boulton, whom he left in Charge of the Ship that he would return to him again in a short time, after he had spoken with my Lord Bellamont; and that the New York Sloop, whereinto they put the Goods at Gardner’s Island as aforesaid, was an open Sloop, manned with Two Men, named Coster and Hendrick: There was Three Bales of Goods, and Two Bags of Sugar, delivered out of the Sloop Antonio at Boston, unto Mr. Duncan Campbell. Saith, He knows not what sum Captain Kidd paid for the Purchase of the Sloop.

RICHARD BARLYCORNE.

BOSTON. 8th July 1699: taken before us

ELISHA COOKE } J. Pac. ISA ADDINGTON }

BOSTON, 8th July, 1699.

* * * * *

The Two foregoing Relations of Wm. Jinkins and Richard Barlycorne, being distinctly read over to me Robert Lamley, Apprentice to Abel Owen, Cook of the Adventure Galley, Captain William Kidd, Commander; and I, having been in the said Galley throughout her whole Voyage, and, since the Loss of her, in the Ship Quidah Merchant, and Sloop Antonio, do affirm and testify to the Truth of the said Relations respectively, as to the Substance of the same, as the several Articles thereof.

ROBERT LUMLEY.

Taken before us.

ELISHA COOKE } Just P. ISA ADDINGTON }

Copy examined by

ISA ADDINGTON, Secretary.

3. A COPY OF THE EXAMINATION OF HUGH PARROTT, OF PLYMOUTH IN THE COUNTY OF DEVON, MARINER

BOSTON. 10th July, 1699.

Who saith, That, at the Island of Joanna, he left the Vessel he then belonged to, and entered himself on board the Adventure Galley, Captain William Kid, Commander; and from thence we sailed to the Red Sea, and there cruised for Privateers and Pirates; but finding none, went upon the Coast of India, and in our Cruize there, espied a Ship, which we gave chace to, and came up with, being a Ship of near 200 Ton Burden, whereof a Dutchman, Mich Dicker, the Sound: From Gardner’s Island they was Master, being commanded on board the Galley, brought a French Pass, and as the Examinant was informed, declared, That his Ship and Lading was lawful Prize; and accordingly was made Prize of by the said Kidd and Company: The Dutch Master remained in the Galley with the other Two Dutchmen, and took up Arms to serve under Captain Kidd; the Moors were set on shore, being then not above Two Leagues from the same: The Examinant knows not what the Ship was laden with; only saw Two Horses sent on shore from her. And in about Six Weeks time afterward, they took another Ship of 400 Tons, or upwards, mounted with about 12 or 14 Guns, commanded by one Captain Wright, an Englishman; and there was also on board Two or Three Dutchmen; the rest of the Company were Armenians and Moors to the Number of about Sixty or Seventy: The Ship came from Bengall, bound to Persia, as it was said; and that she belonged wholly to the Moors: She was laden with Bale-Goods, containing Muslins, Silk striped and plain, and raw Silk, refined Sugar in Bags, Saltpetre, Iron in Junks, Guns and Anchors: Captain Wright and other the Christians, with several of the Armenians and Moors, were speedily sent on shore; some of them came to Madagascar in the Galley, and there left her: Said, Captain Kidd carried the said Prize Ship into Madagascar, Geo. Bullen, Chief Mate of the Galley, being put into command the said Prize Ship; and when she arrived at Madagascar, they took out of her all the Bale Goods, and shared them among the Galley’s Company, being about One hundred in Number more or less; some had Three, others Four Bales to a Share; the Examinant has Four for his Share, which he sold at Hispaniola, to Mr. Boulton and Mr. Burt, for 400 Pieces of Eight, which was paid him down in Money; 200 Pieces of which he lost by Gaming, on board the Sloop Antonio, that he came from Hispaniola in; the rest of his money was stolen from him. They arrived in the said Sloop, first, at the Horekills in Delaware Bay, where they put out Two Chests, belonging to James Gillam, a Passenger, who also went on shore there; which Chests, the Examinant believes, were full of India Goods; From the Morekills they went to Oyster Bay on Long Island; and there took in Mr. Emot of New York, and carried him to Rhode Island, and sent him on shore there; Then went, with their said Sloop to Block Island, and put on shore Two Guns, delivered to Two Men that came from the Shore, and cruised between Block Island and Rhode Island until Mr. Emott’s Return; and having taken him on board went to Gardner’s Island, and there let him on shore: And there was landed at the said Island, from out of the Sloop Antonio, some Goods and Chests; and also several Bales and Chests were put into another Sloop that lay at the said Gardner’s Island bound up sailed, with the Sloop Antonio to Block Island; and there took up the Captain’s Wife, and a Gentleman that accompanied her; and then stood to Gardner’s Island; and there put the said Gentleman, which, the Examinant thinks, was named Clark, into a Sloop bound up the Sound: into which Sloop, there was also several Bales and Chests put, out of the Sloop, Antonio, by Order of the said Captain Kidd: And then we came to Tarpolin Cove, where there was a Bale and one or two Barrels of Goods landed: And from thence we came over the Shoals, and there met a Sloop from Campechea, bound to Boston; the Master of which Sloop, in the Canoe belonging to her, came on board our Sloop; and at his going off there was put into the Canoe a Turkey work Carpet, Two or Three Small Arms; which is all that the Examinant took notice of.

The Examinant further saith, That at their sharing at Madagascar, Captain Kidd struck for, and received several Shares; knows not how many; there might be Forty. They stript the Galley at Madagascar, and burnt her to save her Iron-work; and also sunk their lesser Prize there. About Ninety of the said Galley’s Company deserted at Madagascar. The greater Prize was called the Quedah Merchant; which they left in Hispaniola, under the care of Mr. Boulton, and about Seventeen or Eighteen men to assist: Captain Kidd promising to return to him in a short time: The Examinant supposes there might be about 150 Bales of Goods remaining on board her, about Eighty or Ninety Tons of Sugar, the Saltpetre, Iron, Guns and Anchors. Captain Kidd traded with Messieurs Boulton and Burt, for a considerable Quantity of Goods taken out of the said Quidah Merchant, at and about Hispaniola.

HUGH PARROTT.

Taken before us, die praedict.

ELISHA COOKE } J. Pac. ISA ADDINGTON }

BOSTON, New England. July 25th, 1699.

4. A COPY OF THE EXAMINATION OF GABRIEL LOFF, OF LONG ISLAND, WITHIN THE PROVINCE OF NEW YORK, SEAMAN,

Who saith, That, in September 1696, he entered himself on board the Adventure Galley, Captain Kidd Commander, as a Foremast-man, at New York; and proceeded in the Galley from thence, first to Madera, then to Bonavista, St. Jago, and from thence to Joanna; and from Joanna made their Course to the Red Sea to cruise for Pirates; and, after some time spent there, meeting with no Purchase, sailed for the Coast of India, and cruised there, and there gave chace to a Ship, which shewed us French Colours, and Moorish Colours, and some others; and after some Chace, came up with her: Captain Kidd commanded the Commander of her to come on board; who accordingly did: The Examinant knows not what Nation he was of; but he brought a French Pass, and told Captain Kidd, That his Ship was a Prize and Captain Kidd made Prize of her, and her Lading: She was about 150 Tons in Burden, laden with Cotton Wool, Bees Wax, Tobacco and Two Horses: The company were chiefly Moors;--only Three Christians;--he knows not the Number; the Christians remained in the Galley, and took up Arms there; The Moors were sent on shore. Soon after the Taking of this Ship, the Examinant was taken sick, and lay so most of the Voyage: Knows not what they did with the Lading: The Ship they carried to Madagascar; and there sunk her. Some weeks after the Taking of the said Ship, they took another Ship, at the Coast of India, of Burden of 400 Tons, or upwards, commanded by one Wright, an Englishman; which Ship came from Bengall: The Ship was chiefly manned with Moors and Armenians: There was Three Christians on board.

The Examinant further saith, They carried the said Ship and Lading with them to Madagascar; and there landed all the Bale-goods on board, consisting of Callicoes, Muslins, Silk, and White, striped and plain, Romalls, Bengalls, and Laches: There fell betwixt Three and Four Bales to a Share: The Examinant had Three whole Bales and a Piece of a Bale, to his Share: some of which he disposed of at Madagascar, to buy Provisions; and left some in the Ship; the Remainder he had in his own Chest, and some in Martin Skinke’s Chest; which Chests were put on board a New York Sloop in the Sound, commanded by one Coster, and committed to his Care, to be carried to New York: Captain Kidd had Forty odd Shares for himself, and his Ship; most of his men deserted. At St. Marie’s, a difference arose between the Captain and his Company; Captain Kidd proposing to them to take the Mocha Frigate, which lay there; but the generality of the men refused, saying, They would sooner shoot him than into the said Mocha Frigate: And they went aboard the said Frigate.

Further the Examinant saith, That the aforesaid Ship, commanded by Captain Wright, and taken by Captain Kidd in the Seas of India, was called the Quiddah Merchant: And that the said Kidd, and his Company that remained with him, bought the said Ship from Madagascar into Hispaniola, in the West Indies; and there the said Captain Kidd traded with Two Persons, named Boulton and Burt, for some of the Bale-goods, which were delivered out of the Ship: And Captain Kidd bought a Sloop of the said Mr. Boulton, and laded the said Sloop with Bale-goods taken out of the said Ship for so much as he could conveniently stow, and lodge the men besides: The Number of Bales he knows not: And, leaving the said Boulton, with Seventeen or Eighteen men, on board the Ship, the said Captain Kidd, with several of his Company, proceeded in the said Sloop towards New York; and the Discourse was, That Captain Kid was to return to the Ship again within the Space of Three Months: And, after their Departure from Hispaniola they arrived, with the said Sloop, first at Horekills in Delaware Bay, where they landed a Chest belonging to one James Gillam, a Passenger with them from Madagascar: Knows not what was in it: And from the Horekills they sailed with the said Sloop into the Sound, and put some Goods on shore at Gardner’s Island; the Quantity the Examinant knows not: Also put some Goods and Chests on board the New York Sloop, one Coster, Master, then lying at said Gardner’s Island: And also put a Pack of Goods on shore at Tarpolin Cove. Whilst they lay with the said Sloop off Rhode Island, James Gillam, before-named, went on shore in a Boat, that came on board the same Sloop; Knows not from whence the said Boat came, nor who she belonged to.

GABRIEL LOFF.

Taken, die praedict before us

ELISHA COOKE } J. Pac. ISA ADDINGTON }

Copy examined per

J. ADDINGTON, Secretary.

5. THE DEPOSITIONS OF ABEL OWEN, MARINER OF FULL AGE, LATE COOK OF THE “ADVENTURE GALLEY,” CAPTAIN WM. KIDD, COMMANDER; AND SAMUEL ARRIS, MARINER, LATE STEWARD OF THE SAME SHIP, OF FULL AGE; DEPOSE AND TESTIFY, AS FOLLOWETH, VIZ.,

That the said Ship was launched at Deptford at Castle’s Yard, about the 4th Day of December, 1695: And that the said Ship came to the Buoy and Nore about the latter End of February; and about the First Day of March the men were pressed from on board the said Galley for the Fleet; and she was staid about Nineteen Days, and there sailed for the Dounes; and, about the Eighth or Tenth Day of April arrived there; and thence sailed for Plimouth; and, on the 25th Day of the Month of April 1696, the said Ship sailed from Plymouth; and, sometime in the Month of May, met with a small French Vessel, bound for Newfoundland, which they took, and made Prize of, and carried the same into New York about the 4th Day of July following; and the same was condemned there as lawful Prize: And that, about the 6th Day of September then also following, the said Galley sailed for the Maderas; and thence to Bonavista; thence to St. Jago; thence to Telere, and the Island of Madagascar; thence to Johanna, thence to Mehila, where they buried about Fifty of their Men in the Month of May 1697; and thence sailed upon the Coast of India; and, returning back to St. Marie’s the Ship was all along so leaky, that they feared she would have sunk every Hour; and that it required Eight Men every Two Glasses, to keep her free; and were forced to woold her round with Cables, to keep her together; and, with much ado, kept her above Water, and carried her into the said Port of St. Marie’s.

And that they took Two Vessels, which they carried into the said Port; and the Men, which afterwards deserted the Galley, sunk one of them there; and threatened the Captain, and these Deponents, and others, now arrived here, to sink the other, that they might not go thence to tell News: And that about Ninety of the said Galley’s Crew deserted the same there; and that the said Galley proved so insufficient and leaky, that she possibly could not be repaired; and sunk at an Anchor in the same Port.

And these Deponents further testify, That there was in the said Port a Pirate called the Mocha Frigate: And the said Captain Kidd proposed to his Men to take the same, having sufficient Power so to do; but the said Deserters, then being on board, told the said Captain Kidd, That, if he offered the same, they would fire Two Guns into him, rather than One into the Other; and immediately deserted the said Galley, and went on board the Mocha Frigate.

And these Deponents also further Depose, That with what Guns, Powder, and Sails, the said Captain Kidd could save out of the said Galley from the Violence of the said Deserters, he purchased, at least, between Thirty and Forty Bales of Goods, which he has brought in the Sloop St. Antonio into this Port, for the Use of the Owners of the said Galley.

Abel O Owen His Mark

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English Smith, and Humphry Clay, Mariners, of full age, lately belonging to the said Adventure Galley, testify, That they sailed in the same from New York on the time before specified: and testify to the Truth of the above-written Deposition from that time: And that the Goods, now on board the said Sloop St. Antonio, were purchased, as aforesaid, for the Use of the Owners of the said Galley.

ENGLISH SMITH HUMPHRY CLAY.

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Hugh Parrat Mariner, of a full Age, also deposeth, That he went on board the Galley at Johanna; and testifies to the Truth of the above-written Deposition from that time; and that the Goods now on board the said Sloop St. Antonio were purchased, as aforesaid, for the Use of the Owners of the said Galley.

HUGH PARRATT.

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The Five Deponents within-named, did severally declare, That, whereas, in their within written Affidavits, they speak of the Taking of Two Vessels, they do further explain themselves; and testify, That the said Two Vessels were Moorish Ships, and taken by them upon the coast of India: One of them of Burden betwixt Four and Five Hundred Tons, the other about Two Hundred Tons; They surrendered to them without firing any Gunns at them: The greater Ship came from Bengall; the lesser Ship came from Surratt: The smaller Ship was taken in November 1697; the greater Ship in February following: The Master, Gunner and Boatswain of the smaller Ship were Dutchmen, the rest of the Company were Moors, being about Forty in Number in the Whole: Her Lading consisted of some Persian Silks and other Dry Goods with some Horses. The Three Dutchmen afterwards took up Arms on board the Galley: The greater of the Two Ships is the same that they lately left at Hispaniola: She had about Ninety men on board: She was commanded by an Englishman named Wright: The Mate and Gunner were Dutch; all the rest of the Company were Moors: She was mounted with Ten Guns; and laden with Bengall Goods.

The Deponents further say, They met with the Mocha Frigate at the Port of St. Marie’s; and the Company belonging to her took the Companies belonging to the aforesaid Two Ships, forcibly, from on board the Adventure Galley; and Ninety of the Company of the said Galley there also left her, and entered themselves on board the said Mocha Frigate; having first plundered the Two Ships before-named, and taken out of them a considerable Quantity of Goods and disposed of them at their pleasure.

(Signed)

ABEL O. OWEN SAM ARRIS ENGLISH SMITH HUMPH CLAY HUGH PARRATT.

BOSTON, 4th July, 1699.

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The Five Deponents within-named, and subscribed to this Affidavit, severally made Oath to the Truth of this their Deposition, before his Excellency the Governor and Council.

Copy Examd. per ISA ADDINGTON, Secretary.