Sermon Preached to Pirates Before Their Execution, Appendix
APPENDIX.
THE miſerable Perſons to whom, and at whoſe deſire the forgoing Sermon was preached, were Samuel Cole and Henry Greenvill. There was alſo preſent with them George Condick.
THE Captain of the Pirates, William Fly, refuſed to come into publick. I mov'd the others for his ſake, to let me preach to them in private: But they ſaid, It was the laſt Sabbath they had to live, and they earneſtly deſired to be in an Aſſembly of Worſhippers, that they might have the Prayers of many together over them, and that others might take the more warning by them.
THE Story of theſe wretched men is ſhort and tragical. They ſail'd from Jamaica on board a Snoe, John Green Commander, bound to Guinea. They had not been long at Sea before they conſpired to ſeize the Captain and Mate, and then go a pirating. On the 27th of May 1726. they put in execution their wicked deſign, in a moſt cruel and barbarous manner. About one a clock in the morning, William Fly then Boatſwain of the Snoe Elizabeth, after he had been ſome time forward with ſeveral of the Sailors, came aft with Alexander Mitchel and others, and ſaid to Morrice Cunden (Gunner of the Ship) then at helm, D—n you, you dog, if you ſtir hand or foot, or ſpeak a word, I'll blow your brains out. And immediately thereupon he went into the Cabbin where Captain Green was in bed, and Alexander Mitchel follow'd him; and while they were there Morrice Cunden heard the Captain cry out, What's the matter? But they ſoon hawl'd him upon deck, and were about to throw him into the Sea; when the poor man begg'd of them to ſpare his life, ſaying, For God's ſake Boatſwain don't throw me over board, for if you do I ſhall go to hell. But though in the anguiſh and amazement of his ſoul he thus pleaded with them, that they would not ſend him down quick into hell, for that he was not fit to die; yet his plea made no impreſſion at all upon their hardned hearts. Fly bid him ſay after him theſe words, Lord have mercy upon my ſoul; and away they hurried the poor ſurpris'd and aſtoniſh'd man overboard. It is affirmed that he caught hold of a rope and held for his life, which when one of the wretches ſaw he cut off his hand with an ax; and ſo he dropt into Eternity.
AT the ſame time ſome others of this bloody crew ſurpris'd the Mate of the Ship, Thomas Jenkins. And Thomas Streaton (the Carpenter of the Ship) depoſed that he heard Samuel Cole ſay to Jenkins, Come out of your Cabbin, you dog! and preſently he was hawl'd out, and told that he ſhould go overboard after his Captain. When he was in the Sea he was heard calling earneſtly to the Doctor to hand him a rope. But the Doctor was by this time himſelf putting into Irons.
THUS bloodily theſe inhumane Creatures began their Piracy, but Vengeance follow'd them and ſuffer'd them not to live.
William Fly, the chief and worſt (we may ſuppoſe) of theſe barbarous rogues, took on him the Command, and named the Snoe the Fames Revenge. They were well ſtored with Powder, and Rum and Proviſions, but wanted a better Veſſel; and in queſt of this it is likely they bent their courſe firſt to Carolina and from thence to New England. On the third of June they took a Sloop at Anchor off North-Carolina, on board of which was Mr. William Atkinſon a Paſſenger; who was afterwards the happy Inſtrument in the hand of God for their deſtruction. They very much needed one ſo well skill'd as Atkinſon was both as a Mariner and Pilot, and Fly treated him well on that account, but kept a ſtrict eye upon him, forbidding him to have any converſation with the forc'd men; and leſt he ſhould he had a hammock given him in the Cabbin.
THEY commanded him to carry them to Martha's Vineyard in order to wood and water there, and in hopes to meet with ſome Sloop ſitting for their purpoſe ‖This is Mr. Atkinſon's own Account of things.: But he reſolved to run the venture of carrying them paſt the Vineyard, and run them up into or near the Bay before they were aware of it. When they perceiv'd it they began to look upon him with an evil eye, & ſpake of throwing him overboard. But as Fly was uttering his rage at him the next morning on this account, and telling him what death he ſhould die if any thing ill befell them thro' his conduct, a Schooner came in ſight which put an end to Fly's rage, for the joy of a good Prize. They found it a Schooner of Marblehead, George Girdler Maſter.
Mr. Atkinſon had ſome time before this meditated the ſeizing on Fly and Company, and found means ſecretly to communicate his mind to ſome on board, whom he thought he might truſt; particularly to Samuel Walker, and Thomas Streaton; and Walker had ſpoken of it to James Benbrook; who all conſented if a fair opportunity ſhould offer.
IT was very neceſſary to his deſign to ingratiate himſelf, as far as he honeſtly and with a good conſcience could, with Fly and his Pirates. Yet in doing this he ran a riſque both of his innocence and his life: Of his Innocence, for with a furious man thou ſhalt not go, leſt thou learn his ways and get a ſnare to thy ſoul; And of his Life, for as ſome of the Pirates, the Captain eſpecially, began to think friendly of him and to hearken to his Advice; (they all depending on him to navigate the Ship) ſo if a Ship of War had taken them it is to be feared that he had in vain pleaded his innocence and good intentions. But the good God who preſerv'd, has alſo pleaded his innocence. And we ought to praiſe his virtue, conduct and courage, and give God the glory of it.
Fly had no ſooner taken the Schooner of Marblehead, but they diſcovered another at a diſtance from them. Whereupon he put three men on board the Schooner, and purpoſed to bear down on the new Sail with both his Veſſels. But Mr. Atkinſon with a ready thought adviſed him to put ſix men into the Schooner and ſend her down on the fiſhing Veſſels, being her ſelf one of their company but a day before, and ſo there would be no likelyhood of their flying from her: but (ſaid he) if the Snoe and the Schooner now bear down together they'll take you for what you are, and make away from you. Fly came into his advice and put three men more into the Schooner, and parted with her, ſtanding a courſe wide from her.
NOW Atkinſon's thoughts were hard at work how to draw Fly away from his Arms on the quarter-deck. For there he kept alone, nor would ſuffer Atkinſon to ſtep up, ſo much as to ſet down the Bowl of punch after he had drank to him. And probably a Meſſage which he receiv'd from a chief Pirate on board the Schooner, by the boat, To have a ſpecial care of his Friend, did increaſe his jealouſie; tho' he ſeem'd only to laugh at it.
WITHIN a little while Atkinſon ſpied a Sail a head to the Leward, and informed Fly of it. And preſently after he pretended to diſcover two or three more ſail, and told him he would have a fleet of prizes. But Fly with his glaſs could ſee but one. Why ſaid Atkinſon, If you were but here, Sir, with your glaſs, a-head, you would eaſily ſee them all. On a ſudden Fly forgat his caution, and comes off the quarter-deck, where his arms lay, and ſets him down a-head to ſpy the Sails ſpoken of. Then Atkinſon gave the ſign to his friends, and Walker follow'd by Benbrook came up, pretending at firſt to direct the Captain to look a point or two on ſuch a ſide, while Atkinſon (a ſpare and ſlender man) paſs'd aft toward the Arms, and in the inſtant that Walker laid hold of Fly he took the firearms, and returned pointing the gun to the Pirate's breaſt, and telling him He was a dead man if he did not immediately ſubmit himſelf his priſoner. The wicked Fly earneſtly begg'd for his life, and now found that mercy which he had ſo barbarouſly denied to his innocent Captain.
IN the midſt of this ſtruggle the Pirate Greenvil put up his head from between decks: for there as Providence order'd it He and Condick were at this inſtant; and as for the pirate Cole he had been in Irons for two days before, by Fly's order, for ſome mutiny he had made. This it was that render'd the ſubduing them ſo eaſy to Atkinſon and his three Companions: for now Streaton had fallen in, and guarded one place, while Atkinſon did the other, keeping the Pirates down. The Action was ſo ſurpriſing to the other Forc'd Men, that for a time they ſtood aſtonied and like Men amazed, not capable of acting for their own deliverance; altho' vehemently call'd upon and threatned by Atkinſon. But in a little time they came to themſelves and joyfully fell in with their Deliverers.
WHEN Fly found himſelf chain'd down and effectually ſecur'd, he fell at times into the moſt deſperate ragings, curſing himſelf and her that bare him, and the Day wherein he was born; curſing the very heavens & in effect the God that judged him; Curſing all rovers that ſhould ever give quarter again to an Engliſhman; and wiſhing all the devils of hell would come and fly away with the Ship: The ſame Blaſphemer now in his furious deſpair, or worſe than he ever was before in his jollity and pride; when he wou'd ſometimes even dare to ridicule the noiſe of Gods Thunder, as it rattled over him, Saying, That they were playing bowls in the Air, &c. and as the Lightnings ſometimes flaſh'd upon them, he would ſay — Who fires now? Stand by, &c. — So he dar'd the dreadful Vengeance, which perſu'd him ſwift as the Lightnings and ſuddenly ſtruck him.
BUT Capt. Atkinſon and his brave Mates are much to be prais'd, that they dealt ſo mercifully with theſe bloody Men; and neither blew their brains out (their own phraſe) nor threw them overboard. Bleſſed be God that kept them that day from ſhedding blood, and from avenging themſelves with their own hands. It was much better to reſerve the Murderers to the Judgment of the Law, in the proper courſe of it. Hereby the guilty Miſerables had a ſpace granted them for repentance, and were bro't under the happy means of it; Means happy we hope to two of them, namely Greenvil and Cole.
Capt Atkinſon and Company now made the beſt of their way for the Port of Boston. The Pirate Schooner made after them till night parted, when they altered their courſe and loſt her. On the 29 of June they arriv'd at Boston, and Surrender'd themſelves, their Priſoners and the Snoe into the hands of the Government. On Monday the fourth of July a Special Court of Admiralty was held at the Court houſe in Boſton, where Mr. Atkinſon and Eleven more paſs'd their Trial and were acquitted: Fly, Cole, Greenvil and Condick were found guilty, and Sentenc'd to die.
Fly at his trial, as well as before and after it, behav'd boldly and impenitently. Cole and Greenvil more modeſtly, humbly, penitently; like Men greatly concern'd for their Souls, and diſtreſſed for their Sins. And this continu'd to the day and hour of their death. As for George Condick he appear'd ignorant, ſtupid and inſenſible; was acquitted by the Court of the Murder, and was afterward repriev'd at the place of Execution.
ON Tueſday, July 12. their Execution came on, and Fly briskly and in a way of bravery jumpt up into the Cart, with a noſe gay in his hand, bowing with much unconcern to the Spectators as he paſs'd along, and at the Gallows he behaved ſtill obſtinately and boldly till his face was covered for death; but Greenvill and Cole behaved piouſly and penitently in a judgment of charity. — Fly was the greateſt Inſtance of obduracy that has yet been ſeen among all the Malefactors who have ſuffer'd in theſe parts.
THE Reverend Miniſters of the Town viſited them often, diſcours'd them ſeriouſly and affectionately, prayed with them frequently and fervently, and preached to 'em both in private and in publick.
Samuel Cole in the morning before his Execution delivered a Paper, wherein he confeſs'd and bewail'd his giving himſelf in his youth to the ſin of drinking; and that while a boy he learn'd and addicted himſelf unto the too common ſin of Swearing and blaſpheming the great and fearful Name of God: Alſo his early defrauding his Maſter by stealing Liquors for wicked men, who entic'd and encourag'd him to do it: Alſo that when he arriv'd to Manhood he conſulted nothing but ſinful pleaſures, drinking, whoring, dancing, &c. He deſired all Sea-faring men to take warning by his ſhameful and ignominious death; which he was now come to by liſtning to the wicked words and actions of horrible men. He confeſs'd himſelf to be juſtly condemned, and gave abundance of thanks for the aſſiſtance of many good Miniſters, their kind Exhortations and good Doctrine to him; He ask'd their continued prayers, and the prayers of all good people, for his poor ſoul to the laſt hour of his life; and expreſs'd his hope, thro' the blood of his dear Redeemer Jeſus Chriſt his Lord, of entring into the Kingdom of heaven.
THIS paper he earneſtly deſired might be publiſhed to the world. The other Priſoners ſaid little, but warn'd all Maſters and Commanders againſt ſeverity and barbarity to their Men, which (they ſaid) they were perſuaded is the reaſon of ſo many turning Pirates.
AFTER the Execution, the three dead Bodies were carried to a ſmall Iſland, about two leagues from the Town; where the body of Fly is hung up in Irons, as a Spectacle for warning to others; and the two other bodies were buried there.
FINIS.
End of the text · Benjamin Colman, Sermon Preached to Pirates Before Their Execution (1726)