take, and carry away the ſaid Merchant Sloop, called the Frances, and alſo twenty ſix Hogſheads, &c. &c. &c. being found in the aforeſaid Sloop, in the Cuſtody and Poſſeſſion of the ſaid Peter Manwaring, and others, his Mariners of the ſaid Sloop, and from their Cuſtody and Poſſeſſion, then and there, upon the High-Sea aforeſaid, called Cape James, alias Cape Inlopen, as aforeſaid, and within the Juriſdiction aforeſaid, againſt the Peace of our now Sovereign Lord the King, his Crown and Dignity.
This was the Form of the Indictments they were arraigned upon, and tho’ they might have proved ſeveral more Facts upon the major Part of the Crew, the Court thought fit to proſecute but two; the other was for ſeizing in a pyratical and felonious Manner, the Sloop Fortune, Thomas Read Commander; which Indictment running in the ſame Form with the above-mentioned, it will be unneceſſary to ſay more of it.
All the Priſoners arraigned, pleaded Not Guilty, and put themſelves upon their Tryals, except James Wilſon, and John Levit, who pleaded Guilty to both Indictments, and Daniel Perry, to one only. The Major would have gone through both the Indictments at once, which the Court not admitting, he pleaded Not Guilty to both Indictments, but being convicted of one, he retracted his former Plea to the ſecond Indictment, and pleaded Guilty to it.
The Priſoners made little or no Defence, every one pretending only that they were taken off a Maroon Shore, and were ſhipped with Major Bonnet to go to St. Thomas’s; but being out at Sea, and wanting Proviſions, they were obliged to do what they did by others; and ſo did Major Bonnet himſelf, pretend that ’twas Force, not Inclination, that occaſioned what had happened. How-
