pyratical Manner, and let the Veſſel go; but leaſt ſhe ſhould meet with any of the Station Ships, and ſo give Information of the Robbery, in Terrorem, to prevent a Purſuit, Lowther contrived a ſort of a Certificate, which he directed the Maſter to ſhew to their Conſort, if they ſhould meet with her; and upon Sight of it the Brigantine would paſs unmoleſted: This Conſort, he pretended, was a 40 Gun Ship, and cruiſing therabouts.
After this the Delivery proceeded to Hiſpaniola; near the Weſt End of the Iſland ſhe met with a French Sloop loaden with Wine and Brandy; aboard of this Veſſel went Captain Maſſey, as a Merchant, and ask’d the Price of one Thing, and then another, bidding Money for the greateſt Part of the Cargo; but after he had trifled a while, he whiſper’d a Secret in the French Man’s Ear, viz. That they must have it all without Money.
Monſieur preſently underſtood his Meaning, and unwillingly agreed to the Bargain. They took out of her thirty Casks of Brandy, five Hogſheads of Wine, ſeveral Pieces of Chintzes, and other valuable Goods, and about 70 l. Engliſh, in Money; of which Lowther generouſly return’d five Pounds back to the French Maſter for his Civilities.
But as all Conſtitutions grow old, and thereby ſhake and totter, ſo did our Commonwealth in about a Month of its Age, feel Commotions and inteſtine Diſturbances, by the Diviſions of its Members, which had near hand terminated in its Deſtruction; theſe civil Diſcords were owing to the following Occaſion. Captain Maſſey had been a Soldier almoſt from his Infancy, but was but very indifferently acquainted with Maritime Affairs, and having an enterprizing Soul, nothing would ſatiſfy him, but he muſt be doing Buſineſs in his own Way, therefore he required Lowther to let him have thirty Hands to land with, and he would attack
