thought fit, and what they did not want they threw over-board or deſtroy’d; they cut the Cables to pieces, knocked down the Cabins, broke all the Windows, and in ſhort took all the Pains in the World to be Miſchievous. They took by Force, out of her, Mr. Burridge and Mr. Stephens, the two Mates, and ſome other Hands; and after detaining the Ship from the 22d of March, to the 29th, they let her go. On the 27th they took a Rhode Iſland Sloop, Captain Pike, and all his Men were obliged to go aboard the Pyrate; but the Mate being a grave ſober Man, and not inclinable to ſtay, they told him, he ſhould have his Diſcharge, and that it ſhould be immediately writ on his Back; whereupon he was ſentenced to receive ten Laſhes from every Man in the Ship, which was rigorouſly put in Execution.
The next Day Mr. Burridge, Captain Hawkins’s Mate, ſign’d their Articles, which was ſo agreeable to them (he being a good Artiſt and Sailor) that they gave three Huzza’s, fir’d all the Guns in the Ship, and appointed him Maſter: The Day was ſpent in boyſterous Mirth, roaring and drinking of Healths, among which was, by Miſtake, that of King George the II. for you muſt know, now and then the Gentry are provok’d to ſudden Fits of Loyalty, by the Expectation of an Act of Grace: It ſeems Captain Pike had heard at Jamaica that the King was dead, ſo the Pyrates immediately hoiſted their Enſign Half-Maſt (the Death Signal) and proclaim’d his Royal Highneſs, ſaying, They doubted not but there would be a general Pardon in a twelve Month, which they would embrace and come in upon, but damn ’em if they ſhould be excepted out of it, they would murder every Engliſhman that ſhould fall into their Hands.
The ſecond of April, they ſpy’d a Sail, and gave her Chace till 12 o’Clock at Night, the Pyrates be-lieved
