Tauerner whether he thought he could out face the cause or y◠he feared death more then the rest for my part I will not iudge but he grewe vehement and called for a booke to sweare in his innocence although I was credibly certified both his Captaine and himselfe did after in the prison with these words confesse that we are hartily sorry we shall be hanged now for a petty action that haue merited talke in matters of worth So hauing their sentence they were conueyed backe to the Marshalsies where I must credibly speake of them they behaued their liues so carefully for the future comfort of their soules as if they had neuer bene the men the whole course of whose actions had bene addicted to such an vngodly purposes making their way to the gate of saluation by confessing their sinnes and knocking thereat for entrance with sorrowfull sighes and repenting hearts which no doubt flewe open vnto them they were three men who were neuer seene to laugh from the sentence of death to the power of execution thereof they desired not the company of their friends but made prayers their acquaintance they lamented now that in hope to gaine a little breath which they must be sure to loose they had slandered and belyed their consciences in denying their crimes they freely cōmended their transgressions to the lawe that was ordaind to punish them they willingly resignd their bodies to the earth the mother of mankind and made for their graue and most religiously gaue vp their soules vnto Heauen from whence it was giuen them and so from creatures of wickednesse hauing created themselues Angels of goodnesse from practisers of folly proued counsellers to faith and so from the sea of mischiefe through which their whol◅ pilgrimage had trauailed making their bodies the fit sepulchre of repentance from the Marshalseys as the rest they were conueid in a barge to Wapping the siluer ore borne before them as an embleme before their eyes that riches they looked for and vniustly sought to finde it at Sea where the Captaine first and the other two after as they confest they had deserued according to Iudgement they suffred death The discourse of Minas THis William Minas was a Marriner married and had his abiding in Cornewall who not contented with that sufficient meanes that God and nature had prouided for him being as so was most of them all a man of comely personage and of an able body by vniust courses thought to strengthen his fortune so that vsing meanes to get to sea in a pretty ship called the Concord of Plimouth vpon the coast of Fraunce he met with a Frenchman and as the custome of Pyrates is being the stronger party without asking her leaue he ransacked her goods but as it is certaine he that once endeuours to begin to steale doth straight endeuour and learne to lye since lying and stealing are as inseperable companions as a theefe and receiuer so that Minas had a colourable tale at the time of his araignment bearing some likelihood of truth to excuse his theft Namely that making home from Spaine to his abiding in Cornewall his ship the Concord beaten with weather began to saile and put himselfe and men in distresse neere the ◅ast of Fraunce where he met with this Frenchman so that he hauing farre to saile and the Frenchman neere his arriuall he compounded and gaue him satisfaction to exchange ships with him so dismissed his lading from his to the Frenchmans and the Frenchmans to his promising withall with this condition that the Frenchman shold receiue his ship here in Englād but named no place they thus agreed the Frenchman departs for Fraunce Minas he priuatly in the night puts into his abiding in Cornewal presently absents himselfe for three quarters of a yeare giues order to his wife vnder that cu◅ur to labor his protection with the viceadmirall and leaues the ship without guide or owner as a derelict due to the Lord Admirall at A◅izor in the bay The Frenchman now hauing bene robd of his ship goods and knew by an Englishman comes and expresses his iniury to the high court of admiralty and there directly deposes that he was robd neuer inquiring for his ship nor feeding himselfe with hope that ere he should heare of her till at last welcome tidings is brought where his ship anchors and as a derelict she was ceazed to the Lord Admirals vse vnto whose honour by petition complayning of his wrong and proouing the godds to be his his Lordship giues order she is straight restord him and warrants are directedout for the apprehension of Minas which he hauing intelligence of lurking close or not daring yet to be seene abroad he vseth an inward meane by agreement to stop the Frenchmans complaint the Frenchman on the other side knowing he had lost his goods and considering belike that his life might make him some satisfaction but no restitution consents to the composition take ◅his mony Nay is content in regard he was bound to it to goe to the Uiceadmirall or Court of admiralty and there to vnsay what before he had iustified that is to say that his shippe was lent and not stolne which being done Minas appeares not like an owle that 's seene but in the night but like a bisd that flutters by day reuels it gallantly and securely and thinkes now in his heart that all is safe But he that hath commission vnder the Lord Admirall for the discouering and routingout of such infectious members and the law most carefully on the other side not suffering such offenders to ◅ubberouer their iniquities to the encouraging of others and hartning them to these co◅ses brings me this Pyrate to apprehention from apprehention to arraignement where his owne confession and the former circumstances duely examined it was made euident by the Court to the Iury how euident this packe and close far◅le of knauery was ripped vp wherevpon according to the Inditement he was brought in by verdit guilty and accordingly receiued sentence from the Marshalseis he was conueid to Wapping where repenting him of his sinnes he confest the fact onely labourd to acquit the reputation of a worshipfull Gentleman that stood tainted in suspition to haue contriued and dealt with him in concealing this pyracy and so yeelded himselfe to death Of Thomas NOt to lengthen out paper with this poore fellow of more then appeared either by his confession arraignment or execution it is onely thus he was apprehended vpon suspition making saile of some goods and being strictly examined he presently confessed what he had done whome he had robd and in whose company namely in the company of one Lawding Barry that is a pyrate new and was set on shore in Ireland vpon which confession being arraignd condemned he amongst the other suffred death Thus Reader haue I truely brought to thine eyes the discourse of Captaine Ieames Harris vnder his own hand the course of his life which men should be
THE LIVES APPrehensions Arraignments and Executions of the 19. late Pyrates Namely Capt. Harris and their companies Iennings Longcastle Downes Haulsey As they were seuerally indited on St. Margrets Hill in Southwarke on the 22. of December last and executed the Fryday following LONDON ¶ Printed for Iohn Busby the elder he loued and reioyce in the sonne that hath sinned and laments But to my purpose hauing in so many voyages gone forth and returned so successiuely and to approue that the state of fortune is like the spokes of a wheele that is carried aswell downward as vpward that this worldly felicity ioyes and pleasure in which we so trust which we study to know labour to purchase and are so carefull to keep â—…re but like the day that is giuen vs to vse and vanisheth away euen in the growing That while we think we stand sure on the pynackles of Fortune we are on the suddaine ouerthrowne to lye grâ—…ueling in shame pleasure and sorrow being indeed twins as shall appeare by me the one no sooner hatched but the other is at hand to sâ—…plant her and therefore I may fitly compare mans happines heere to a fruitles smile the which is presently turned into sorrowe and teares â—…e a dreame the ioy whereof vanisheth euen as we wake to a painted Sepulchre faire without and putrified within or to a Syren beautifull in shew and deceitâ—…ul to intice glorious aboue to bewitch you with gasing but lâ—…oke downe to the hinder part to the botâ—…ome of that which heâ—…re we ran mad for we shal finde this tempting faire to haue the taile of a Scorpion who in the handling giues such a blow that it benummeth our bodies and the sence of vnderstanding and stingeth our soules with an irrecouâ—…rable death For while I thus wallowed in my inclination mastred by my affections and making my felicity out of others mens miseries while I thought prosperity at sea as sure in my gripe as the power to speak was free to my tonguâ—… my actions were â—…o imboldened and my heart so hardned that I held if a cowardise to dispaire to attempt and effeminacy to pitie whosoeuer did perish So that my fortunes like a byas-bowle being all this while throwne vp a hill and gayned not the top oâ—… safety whereon it might rest it must of force fall downe againe So I feareles to venture and dreadles of daunger in the straights meeting with the Turkes Gallies well appointed in a man of war my surprised prise waiting my becke making for Bâ—…stow the Turkes road vp to me I was soone haâ—…ld but my ordnance made answer and disdayning so much as to giue them friendly words in regard my desperate boldenes thought me free from their rage we enterd fight where what either was their encounter or our resistance I will be partiall to report but the end was I was taken prisoner conueid to Tunes from a Christian transformd to a slaue had my head and face shauen and in their needfull seruice as an inforced wretch could striking blowes brusing and hunger pinching I was compeld to row in their Gallies necesstiy hath no resistance and to this misery I was enforced to obey three yearâ—…s when I continued it out some of the time with winde water and bâ—…owes brusing me at the seas and the other part with Iron hunger torturde a shore In all whiâ—…h time I had occasion inough offered me to haue laid repentance at my heart to haue sorrowed for my iniquities past and to haue vowed to my conscience that if euer God were the blessed worker to redeeme me from this thraldome and captinitie without whose helpe I lay groueling desperate I would account that minut the houre of my birth and so consecrate my after life to the obeying of his will that I would conuert my violence to patience my Tyranny to temperancee all my vices to vertues and reâ—…orme my â—…ife to his blessed word when on the contrary this affliction of my body did not so chastise my minde that I imputed this correction to be laid vpon me by the hand of heauen as a iust whip for my offences past but the continuance thereof did so harden my heart so fire my spleene and inflate my spirit that I vowed my liberty gained should be to others losse my freedome prooue fatall to other mens good haps and that if euer I had againe the swindge of my wit which was to coÌ„maund must haue their wils and they haue wils may reprooue whatsoeuer I say Then since the lawe as from the fountaine of my offences hath had power to drawe my life from me and the world euen after my death may haue a strength to condemne me words vttered with teares but request of them this that since my body shall haue power to blunt the edge of affliction my fall may haue force to abate the keene sharpenesse of their rumoring tongues and if any thirsty or vnsatisfied spleen either reioycing at my fall oâ—… bemoning my ruine shall desire to see vnraueled the whole web of my life here shall he behold the peece of my trauailes wherein I desire him to wash from his memory the staines of my name here shall he read my diurnall transgressions which I request him to pardon and not to reprooue since no curre is so cruell to bite the dead here as in a mirror shall heâ—… looke into my miseries handyworke my sinne my sorrow my life my death and the building of my owne labour begunne from the time I was brought by the Sherefe of Middlesex to Newgate wrought vpon in the Marshalseyes and conclude most vntimely at Wapping For my place of birth then I must call it in Bristoll where my education was such as did credit my louing and carefull father and was obeyed by me as a dutyfull sonne I grew vp like a streight plant and was expected of the worthiest of that Citie and hoped sor of the best of my countrye to haue prooued the timber of a fruitfull trée my company to our gentry was accounted so welcome that they esteemed me for pleasure more then expenses and the contempt I held to assosiate with the base had brought my faire deâ—…aner to be beloued of the best So that my fellowship intirely desired and my condition held honest my father was proud to call me his happy sonne In which flourishing expectation in my youth soiourned in Bristoll where I so farre preuailed in the loue of our Marchants that I was soone encouraged to goe to sea the first imployment I vndertooke was more to see the state and fashions of forraine countries and to inrich my vnderstanding with experience then any greedines of gaine to strengthen riotte So that in her late memorable maiesties reigne when the diuision of league was betweene this kingdome and Spaine I went but Purser sent forth in a man of Warre of Bristoll in which charge of mine how carefull I gouerned let my owne hand neglect to record and the Marchants
themselues when my body is in dust impartially report I neuer returning home but with sayles of successe profitable to the venturers comfort to my father and credit to his sonne whereby from degree to degree deseruing aduancement I was at length set forth as Captaine my selfe in which commaund ab oad howe manly I swayed let my enemies pratie that haue felt me at sea which credit lent me how well I repaid let Bristoll speake that in this my extremitie hath labourâ—… my peace pardon euen with the price of eight hundred pound felt of my purchase and feasted my paines I haue sate with the Aldermen when my fathar hath wept to heare them discourse and the teares he hath shed against the nature of childhood hath encouraged my valour as if I would say father of me thou shalt weepe againe But death must haue no praises and though successe being like a spring tide that rolles so high till it ouerflow the bounds I was as auidous to goe to warre as my stomacke hungry I had an appetite to eate I complaind of nothing for I held my wounds the banners of heraldry borne before me to my graue and all my study was how to make my father in his death but be comforted by his son and the sonne to reioyce as in such a father Your pitie Reader then is but this neither of father nor of sonne pitty the father that hath lost him he loued and reioyce in the sonne that hath sinned and laments But to my purpose hauing in so many voyages gone forth and returned so successiuely and to approue that the state of fortune is like the spokes of a wheele that is carried aswell downward as vpward that this worldly felicity ioyes and pleasure in which we so trust which we study to know labour to purchase and are so carefull to keep are but like the day that is giuen vs to vse and vanisheth away euen in the growing That while we think we stand sure on the pynackles of Fortune we are on the suddaine ouerthrowne to lye groueling in shame pleasure and sorrow being indeed twins as shall appeare by me the one no sooner hatched but the other is at hand to sâ—… plant her and therefore I may fitly compare mans happines heere to a fruitles smile the which is presently turned into sorrowe and teares te a dreame the ioy whereof vanisheth euen as we wake to a painted Sepulchre faire without and putrified within or to a Syren beautifull in shew and deceitful to intice glorious aboue to be witch you with gasing but looke downe to the hinder part to the bottome of that which heere we ran mad for we shal finde this tempting faire to haue the taile of a Scorpion who in the handling giues such a blow that it benummeth our bodies and the sence of vnderstanding and stingeth our soules with an irrecouerable death For while I thus wallowed in my inclination mastred by my affections and making my felicity out of others mens miseries while I thought prosperity at sea as sure in my gripe as the power to speak was free to my tongue my actions were fo imboldened and my heart so hardned that I held if a cowardise to dispaire to attempt and effeminacy to pitie whosoeuer did perish So that my fortunes like a byas-bowle being all this while throwne vp a hill and gayned not the top of safety whereon it might rest it must of force fall downe againe So I feareles to venture and dreadles of daunger in the straights meeting with the Turkes Gallies well appointed in a man of war my surprised prise waiting my becke making for Bostow the Turkes road vp to me I was soone haâ—… but my ordnance made answer and disdayning so much as to giue them friendly words in regard my desperate boldenes thought me free from their rage we enterd fight where what either was their encounter or our resistance I will be partiall to report but the end was I was taken prisoner conueid to Tunes from a Christian transformd to a flâ—…ue had my head and face shauen and in their needfull seruice as an inforced wretch could striking blowes brusing and hunger pinching I was compeld to row in their Gallies necesstiy hath no resistance and to this misery I was enforced to obey three yeares when I continued it out some of the time with winde water and blowes brusing me at the seas and the other part with Iron hunger torturde a shore In all which time I had occasion inough offered me to haue laid repentance at my heart to haue sorrowed for my iniquities past and to haue vowed to my conscience that if euer God were the blessed worker to redeeme me from this thraldome and captinitie without whose helpe I lay groueling desperate I would account that minut the houre of my birth and so consecrate my after life to the obeying of his will that I would conuert my violence to patience my Tyranny to temperancee all my vices to vertues and reforme my â—…ife to his blessed word when on the contrary this affliction of my body did not so chastâ—…e my minde that I imputed this correction to be laid vpon me by the hand of heauen as a iust whip for my offences past but the continuance thereof did so harden my heart so fire my spleene and inflate my spirit that I vowed my liberty gained should be to others losse my freedome prooue fatall to other mens good haps and that if euer I had againe the swindge of my wit which was to coÌ„maund at sea my fortunes should aspire to their â—…ormer eminence and my pleasure grow to their anâ—…ient scope or my body should fall for it But see â—…he iust will of the heauens and be forewarnd by my fall you succeeding ages that I should be the Prophesierto my self of my owne mishap and the fatal rauen to câ—…oke out mine owne ruine For while I lay plunged in this sea of affliction cloide with misery and without hope of releefe It fortuned one Captaine Bishop with a wealthy prise he had then tane to put in for Tunes and in a small time hauing made sale of his goods he hauing by what rumour I neuer vâ—…derstood haâ—… intelligence of my thraldom there of my extreame vsage and inâ—…ortunat mishap of his own frée nature he enquired me out and demanded of me if I were that Captaine Harris so talked of in Bristow who had bene so fortunate to inrich others and was now deiected in this misfortune my selfe when hauing little pleasure to heare my prayses spoken or vnmindful to renew their memory by talke but rather desirous of some comfort to supply my present want although I euer held it a contemptible basenes to begge he demaunded twice ere I made him an answere till at length the report of the place my mother country nurse and raiser and the present memorie of my ancient father being by his question put in my minde I resolued him thus
was found to be faulty andrruth being waighed in the scailes of Iustice we were found too light so that hauing remained twenty daies in Bristoll I was from thence from Shiriffe to Shiriffe directed to Newgate my brother comming along and bearing me company who labouring like the carefull Bee in my businesse neuer idle solliciting here and labouring there and who had hopefull expectation and promises I should find mercy that had for my offences deserued none I built not yet my trust on so shaking a foundation but although to supply the company of mymultitude of friends whose loue came daily to visit me I bare an outside of mirth I h ad a hart peece of sorrow considering in my thoughts how I had wronged the stranger and those whose losses I could neuer right how I had vndone many had but a lifeto satisfie all I desired not now to build for that where I might not continue but labour for that where I should liue for euer I thought it not requisite now to forget Heauen for earth the soule for the bodie nor heauenly pleasures for temporall goods I acknowledge now that in a worldly building the stones must be broken hewen and squared ere they be fit to make vp the worke the corne must be thrashed winnowed and purified before it be ready for nourishing bread the whirlewind must first blow ere Elias be rapt into heauen so euery sinner must be cut hewen and squared with the blowes that beat vppon his guilty conscience be threashed wi nnowed and purified with prayers repentance and amendement of life and sighes must make way both for body and soule if we meane ere to come to our heauenly Ierusalem I remembred now that vncookt meat is vnwholesome for man and vnmortified men be no creatures for God which made me in my chamber in the houres of quiet alone neuer haue the Pensiue-mans practise out of my hand nor the penitent mans-practise outof my heart therefore I must say to him it was vrgently done who informed the Counsell that the Saterday be fore my tryal first imprisonment in the Marshalsies and in my imprisonnement my first meeting with Captaine Iennings who at sea together did call brothers and being with him but orderly mercie he reported to their Lordships we were mad drunke this was informed to be done and whosoeuer did it I must needes tell him it was but a homely message since it is no good nor charitable office to heape vniust iniuries vppon miserable men for I protest I had that testimony in my selfe that my sorrow had washed away my foulenesse and loathing my life I inuited my death knowing there is no death where there is no sinne for by sinne death entred into the world and the wages of sinne is death so that what I was to loose I was sure to loose as soone as I had life but the life that I looked for should neuer haue death which patience and resolution of mine the diligent Preacher that both labourd and found in me I doubt not for truth but he will speake and confirme which Christian end of mine I expect that insteed of me it shall encrease comfort in my friends and be a sufficient satisfaction to my aduersaries of whom on the bended knees of my heart I humbly craue pardon from whome being men I feare not deniall since I am sure it is sealed of our Maker in heauen so from a free and vnburthened heart a patient mind and willing steps I goe out of my chamber in the Marshalstes the Friday morning being the two and twenty day of December to make my death-bed at Wapping Of whom Reader if thou destrest more though he be the first of number placed in the booke he was the last of seauenteene that suffered first he made his deuotion and prayers with an affirmatiue tongue threw away his hat as he went bouldly vp the ladder and being demanded of a straunger stood by him If as yet he had heard no good newes from the King he answered him none sir but from the King of Kings and therefore with Peter I must resolue and say I looke for a new heauen and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse he sung to a sillable the one and twenty Psalms dyed a repentant sinner and a Christian and by the diligence of his naturall brother was brought to the keeper of Newgates house in Newgate-market and from thence as a Christian was buried in Christe-Church The discourse of Captaine Iennings SInce you are thus farre gentle Readers led on with this discourse of Captaine Harris I doubt not but you will expect the like of the rest which cannot in Captaine Iennings be so well performd as in the former for the education of his youth was ◅o meane and low he could neither write nor read yet notwithstanding it is not brought to your eyes vnder his owne hand the report for certaine was taken from his tongue and thus it is From my childehood quoth he I was wholy addicted to martiall courses espetially in the manly resolution of seafaringmen I was not disaniamated at the reports of others dangers past nor afeard my self to encounter with tempests to come whereby in many voyages returning from Sea I grew to beare the name of a skilfull Marriner which so soone pu◅t vp a selfe conceit in my thoughts that I grew ambitious straight to haue a whole commaund and held it basenes to liue vnder checke It likt me well a shipboard to see the Captaine but bid and his will in all things was straight obeyd and such a one in my ambitiō I resolud to be which authority and place finding my present meanes friends vnpossible lawfully to raise me vnto I bluntly resolued as we vse to say to attaine to it then by hooke or by crooks To which purpose comforting my selfe with a retchles crue and such as loued ryot as well as my selfe for I must truely confesse it was one of my sinnes we were not long before we had made vp our company furnished vs of a ship and by the name of Captaine Iennings I was knowne at Sea so that in the Queenes maiesties raigne during the continuance of the dissention betwixt the King of Spaine the Hollanders I found such a safe refuge and retirement into Dunkerk after many haynous spoyles committed on their Dutch Fly-boates Pinkes and passengers in them that my name grew so odious my offences so multiplied that being knowne to the state I was proclaimd a Pyrate and seueral ships both from England and Holland made out to lie in waight for my apprehention which though long first was at last so effected that by the English I was taken brought prisoner to the Marshalseys expecting nothing but for my time of tryall and hoping for nothing but present death When my louing sister so labourd with petitions to the states that lay heere and to diuers Marchants I had formerly wrongd wherein was my