or to ſee England any more. When the Ship came to Peter Harbour in Newfoundland aforeſaid, he ran away from her, and hired himſelf a Splitter in the Fiſhery, for the Seaſon: But this was only till he could have an Opportunity of proſecuting his intended Rogueries; in order to which, he combined with ſeveral others, in the ſame Employ, to go off with one of the Veſſels that lay in the Harbour, upon the pyratical Account; accordingly the Time was fix’d, viz. the 29th of Auguſt 1723, at Night; but whether Remorſe or Fear prevented their coming together, I know not, but of ſixteen Men that were in the Combination, five only kept the Appointment: Notwithſtanding which, Phillips was for puſhing forward with that ſmall Number, aſſuring his Companions, that they ſhould ſoon encreaſe their Company; and they agreeing, a Veſſel was ſeiz’d on, and out of the Harbour they ſailed.
The firſt Thing they had now to do, was to chuſe Officers, draw up Articles, and ſettle their little Commonwealth, to prevent Diſputes and Ranglings afterwards; ſo John Phillips was made Captain, John Nutt, Maſter, (or Navigator) of the Veſſel; James Sparks, Gunner; Thomas Fern, Carpenter; and Wiliam White was the only private Man in the whole Crew: When this was done, one of them writ out the following Articles (which we have taken verbatim) and all ſwore to ’em upon a Hatchet for want of a Bible.
The Articles on Board the Revenge.
1.
Every Man ſhall obey civil Command; the Captain ſhall have one full Share and a half in all Prizes; the Maſter, Carpenter, Boatſwain and Gunner ſhall have one Share and quarter.
2. If
