Capt. BAnTHO. Roberts. 231 



Thefe, we are aflured, were fome of Roberts'^s 

 Articles, but as they had taken Care to throw 

 Over-board the Original they had fign'd and fworn 

 to, there is a great deal ot Room to fufpeft, the 

 remainder contained fomething too horrid to be diC- 

 clofed to any, except fuch as were willing to be 

 Sharers in the Iniquity of them ^ let them be what 

 they win, they were together the Teft of all new 

 Comers, who were initiated by an Oath taken on a 

 Bible, referv'd for that Purpofe only, and were fub- 

 icribM to in Prefence of the worihipful Mr. Roberts. 

 And in Cafe any Doubt Ihould arife concerning the , 

 Conftrudion of thefe Laws, and it ftiould remain a 

 Difpure whether the Party had infringed them or 

 no, a Jury is appointed to explain them^^ and bring 

 in a Verdi£l upon the Cafe in Doubt. ^ 



Since we are now fpeaking of the Laws of this 

 Company, I lhall go on, and, in as brief a Man- 

 ner as I can, relate the principal Cuftoms, an4 

 Government, of this roguilh Common-Wealth ; 

 vs/hich are pretty near the fame with all Pyrates. 



For the Puniftiment of fmall Offences, which are 

 not provided for by the Articles, and which are 

 not of Confequence enough to be left to a Jury, 

 there is a principal Officer among the Pyrates, 

 called the Quarter-Mafter, of the Mens own chu- 

 ling, who claims all Authority this Way, (^except- 

 ing in Time of Battle:) If they difobey his Com- 

 mand, are quarrellbme and mutinous with one ano- 

 ther, mifufe Prilbners, plunder beyond his Order, 

 and in particular, it they be negligent of their 

 Arms, which he mufters at Difcretion, he punillies 

 at his own Arbitrement, with drubbing or whip- 

 ping, which no one elfe dare do without incurring 

 the Lafli from all the Ships Company : In ftiorr, 

 this Officer is Truftee for the whole, is the firft on 

 ' pQard any Prize, feparating for the Company's Ufe, 



what 



