The Lord Chief Juſtices’s Speech, upon his pronouncing Sentence on Major Stede Bonnet.
Major Stede Bonnet, you ſtand here convicted upon two Indictments of Pyracy; one by the Verdict of the Jury, and the other by your own Confeſſion.
Altho’ you were indicted but for two Facts, yet you know that at your Tryal it was fully proved even by an unwilling Witneſs, that you pyratically took and rifled no leſs than thirteen Veſſels, ſince you ſail’d from North-Carolina.
So that you might have been indicted, and convicted of eleven more Acts of Pyracy, ſince you took the Benefit of the King’s Act of Grace, and pretended to leave that wicked Courſe of Life.
Not to mention the many Acts of Pyracy you committed before; for which if your Pardon from Man was never ſo authentick, yet you muſt expect to anſwer for them before God.
You know that the Crimes you have committed are evil in themſelves, and contrary to the Light and Law of Nature, as well as the Law of God, by which you are commanded that you ſhall not ſteal
, Exod. 20. 15. And the Apoſtle St. Paul expreſly affirms, That Thieves ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God
, 1 Cor. 6. 10.
But to Theft you have added a greater Sin, which is Murder. How many you may have killed of thoſe that reſiſted you in the committing your former Pyracies, I know not: But this we all know, That beſides the Wounded, you kill’d no leſs than eighteen Perſons out of thoſe that were ſent by lawful Au-
