Time two Hours ſooner than that when he was to meet her Lover, where ſhe fought him at Sword and Piſtol, and killed him upon the Spot.
It is true, ſhe had fought before, when ſhe had been inſulted by ſome of thoſe Fellows, but now it was altogether in her Lover’s Cauſe, ſhe ſtood as it were betwixt him and Death, as if ſhe could not live without him. If he had no regard for her before, this Action would have bound him to her for ever; but there was no Occaſion for Ties or Obligations, his Inclination towards her was ſufficient; in fine, they applied their Troth to each other, which Mary Read ſaid, ſhe look’d upon to be as good a Marriage, in Conſcience, as if it had been done by a Miniſter in Church; and to this was owing her great Belly, which ſhe pleaded to ſave her Life.
She declared ſhe had never committed Adultery or Fornication with any Man, ſhe commended the Juſtice of the Court, before which ſhe was tried, for diſtinguiſhing the Nature of their Crimes; her Husband, as ſhe call’d him, with ſeveral others, being acquitted; and being aſk’d, who he waſ? ſhe would not tell, but, ſaid he was an honeſt Man, and had no Inclination to ſuch Practices, and that they had both reſolved to leave the Pyrates the firſt Opportunity, and apply themſelves to ſome honeſt Livelyhood.
It is no doubt, but many had Compaſſion for her, yet the Court could not avoid finding her Guilty; for among other Things, one of the Evidences againſt her, depoſed, that being taken by Rackam, and detain’d ſome Time on Board, he fell accidentally into Diſcourſe with Mary Read, whom he taking for a young Man, aſk’d her, what Pleaſure ſhe could have in being concerned in ſuch Enterprizes, where her Life was continually in Danger, by Fire or Sword; and not only ſo, but ſhe muſt be
