THE COURT having duly considered of the evidence which hath been
given both for and against you the said John Augur, William
Cunningham, Dennis Mackarthy, William Dowling, William Lewis, Thomas
Morris, George Bendall, William Ling, and George Rounsivel; and
having also debated the several circumstances of the cases, it is
adjudged, that you the said John Augur, William Cunningham, Dennis
Mackarthy, William Dowling, William Lewis, Thomas Morris, George
Bendall, William Ling, and George Rounsivel, are guilty of the
mutiny, felony, and piracy, wherewith you and every of you stand
accused. And the Court doth accordingly pass sentence, that you the
said John Augur, William Cunningham, Dennis Mackarthy, William
Dowling, William Lewis, Thomas Morris, George Bendall, William Ling,
and George Rounsivel, be carried to prison from whence you came, and
from thence to the place of execution, where you are to be hanged by
the neck till you shall be _dead, dead, dead_; and God have mercy on
your souls. Given under our hands this 10th day of December, A. D.
1718. (Signed)
_Woodes Rogers_,
_William Fairfax_,
_Robert Beauchamp_,
_Thomas Walker_,
_Wingate Gale_,
_Nathaniel Taylor_,
_Josias Burgiss_,
_Peter Courant_.
After sentence was passed upon the prisoners, the governor, as president
of the court, appointed their execution to be on Friday next, the 12th
inst. at 10 o’clock in the morning.
Whereupon the prisoners prayed for longer time to repent and prepare for
death; but the governor told them, that from the time of their being
apprehended, they ought to have accounted themselves as condemned by the
laws of all nations, which was only sealed now, and that the securing
them hitherto, and the favour that the Court had allowed them in making
as long a defence as they could, wholly took up that time which the
affairs of the settlement required in working at the fortifications;
besides the fatigue thereby occasioned to the whole garrison in the
necessary guards, set over them by the want of a gaol, and the garrison
having been very much reduced by sickness and death since his arrival;
also, that he was obliged to employ all his people to assist in mounting
the great guns, and in finishing the present works, with all possible
despatch, on account of the expected war with Spain; and there being
many more pirates amongst these islands, and this place left destitute
of all relief from any man of war or station ship, joined to other
reasons, too long to enumerate in court, he thought himself
indispensably obliged, for the welfare of the settlement, to give them
no longer time.
The prisoners were then ordered to the place of their imprisonment in
the fort, where leave was given them to send for any persons to read and
pray with them.
On Friday morning each of the prisoners was called in private, to know
if they had any load upon their spirits, for actions committed as yet
unknown to the world, the declaring of which was absolutely required to
prepare themselves for a fit repentance; but they each refused to
declare any thing, as well as making known to the governor, if they knew
of any conspiracy against the government.
Wherefore, about 10 o’clock, the prisoners were released from their
irons, and committed to the charge and care of Thomas Robinson, Esq.
commissioned Provost Marshal for the day, who, according to custom in
such cases, pinioned them, &c. and ordered the guards appointed to
assist him, to lead them to the top of the rampart, fronting the sea,
which was well guarded by the governor’s soldiers and people, to the
number of about 100. At the prisoners’ request, several select prayers
and psalms were read, in which all present joined. When the service was
ended, orders were given to the Marshal, and he conducted the prisoners
down a ladder, provided on purpose, to the foot of the wall, where a
gallows was erected, and a black flag hoisted thereon, and under it a
stage, supported by three butts, on which they ascended by another
ladder, where the hangman fastened the cords. They had three-quarters of
an hour allowed under the gallows, which was spent by them in singing
psalms, and some exhortations to their old consorts, and the other
spectators, who got as near to the foot of the gallows as the marshal’s
guard would suffer them. When the marshal was ordered to make ready, and
all the prisoners expected the launch, the governor thought fit to order
George Rounsivel to be untied, and when brought off the stage, the butts
having ropes about them, were hauled away; upon which, the stage fell,
and the prisoners were suspended.
_A Short Account of the Prisoners Executed._
First, John Augur, being about 40 years of age, had been a noted
shipmaster at Jamaica, and since among the pirates; but on his accepting
of His Majesty’s act of grace, and recommendations to the governor, he
was, notwithstanding, entrusted with a good vessel and cargo, in which,
betraying his trust, and knowing himself guilty of the indictment, he
all along appeared very penitent, and neither washed, shaved, or shifted
his old clothes, when carried to be executed; and when he had a small
glass of wine given him on the rampart, drank it with wishes for the
good success of the Bahama Islands, and the governor.
The second, William Cunningham, aged 45, had been gunner with Thatch,
the pirate, who, being also conscious of his own guilt, was seemingly
penitent, and behaved himself as such.
The third, Dennis Mackarthy, aged 28, had also been formerly a pirate,
but accepted of the king’s act of grace; and the governor had made him
an ensign of the militia, being recommended as a sober, discreet person,
which commission he had at the time of his joining the pirates, which
very much aggravated his other crimes. During his imprisonment, he
behaved himself tolerably well; but when he thought he was to die, and
the morning came, without his expected reprieve, he shifted his clothes,
and wore long blue ribands at his neck, wrists, knees, and cap; and when
on the rampart, looked cheerfully round him, saying, _He knew the time
when there were many brave fellows on the island, who would not have
suffered him to die like a dog_; and at the same time pulled off his
shoes, kicking them over the parapet of the fort, saying, _He had
promised not to die with his shoes on_; so descended the fort wall, and
ascended the stage, with the agility and address of a prize-fighter.
When mounted, he exhorted the people, who were at the foot of the walls,
to have compassion on him; but, however willing, they saw too much power
over their heads to attempt any thing in his favour.
The fourth, William Dowling, about 24 years of age, had been a
considerable time among the pirates, of a wicked life, which His
Majesty’s act of grace did not reform. His behaviour was very loose on
the stage, and after his death, some of his acquaintance declared, he
had confessed to them, that he had murdered his mother before he left
Ireland.
The fifth, William Lewis, aged about 34 years, as he had been a hardy
pirate and prize-fighter, affected an unconcern at death; but heartily
desired liquors to drink with his fellow-sufferers on the stage, and
with the standers by.
The sixth, Thomas Morris, aged about 22, had been a very incorrigible
youth and pirate, and seemed to have very little anxiety of mind by his
frequent smiles when at the bar. Being dressed with red ribands, as
Mackarthy was with blue, he said, going over the ramparts, _We have a
new governor, but a harsh one_; and a little before he was turned off,
said aloud, _he might have been a greater plague to these islands, and
now he wished he had been so_.
The seventh, George Bendall, aged 18, though he said, _he had never been
a pirate before, yet he had all the villanous inclinations the most
profligate youth could be infected with_. His behaviour was sullen.
The eighth, William Ling, aged about 30, not taken notice of before the
last attempt, behaved himself as became a true penitent, and was not
heard to say any thing besides replying to Lewis, when he demanded wine
to drink, _that water was more suitable to them at that time_.
It was observed that there were but few (besides the governor’s
adherents) among the spectators, who had not deserved the same fate, but
pardoned by His Majesty’s act of grace.
A
CORRECT ACCOUNT
OF THE
LATE PIRACIES
COMMITTED IN THE WEST-INDIES;
AND
THE EXPEDITION OF
COMMODORE PORTER.
The public mind has been much agitated by the depredations of these
enemies of all laws, human and divine. It is strange, that in this
enlightened age, when the principles of civil liberty are so well
understood, and when the doctrines of the rights of man are gaining so
many adherents both in this country and in Europe, that there should be
found men so lost to every good principle, as to pursue such a predatory
warfare against defenceless people; and with the slightest pretext,
butcher those unfortunate fellow creatures who may fall in their way.
And it is no less astonishing, as piracy does exist, that all civilized
governments have not combined to suppress this horrid practice, and
teach these refractory and deluded men, that the arm of justice is not
shortened, nor the rulers of the earth asleep.
Our government has taken a forward step to arrest these free-booters in
their blood-thirsty projects, and no doubt the expedition which was
under the command of that gallant officer, Commodore Porter, has done
much towards putting down this nefarious practice in the West-India
seas.
PIRACIES, &c.