5i8 Capt. BAttTHO. Roberts. 



The Deponents further fay, that 2itSierr4eon eve^ li 

 ry Man had more efpecially the Means of efcaping ^ |i 

 and that this Prifoner, in particular, neglefted it, |i 

 and came off from that Place after their Ship was |i 

 under Sail, and going out of the River. i 



The Prifoner, in his Defence, protefts, he was at 

 firft forc'd ^ and that the Office of Boatfwain's Mate 

 was impoled on him, and what he would have been 

 glad to have relinquiih'd* That the barbarous 

 Whipping he had received from the Py rates at firft^^ 

 was for telling them, that none who could get 

 their Bread in an honefl Way, would be on fuch an 

 Account. And he had certainly taken the Oppor^ 

 t unity which prefented at Sierraleon^ of ridding him- 

 felf from fo diftaftful a Life, if there had not 

 been three or four of the old Pyrates on Shore 

 at the fame Time, who, he imagined, muft know 

 of him, and would doubtleis have ferved him the 

 fame, if not worle, than they fince had done WtU 

 ' Uam Williams ^ who, for fuch a Defign, being de- 

 livered up by the treacherous Natives, had re- 

 ceived two Laflies thro' the whole ShipV Company. 



The Court obferved, the Excufes of thefe Py- 

 rates, about want of Means to efcape, was often- 

 times as poor and evafiVe as their Pleas of being 

 forced at firft- for here^ at Slerraleoriy every Man 

 had his Liberty on Shore^ and it was evident, 

 might have kept it, if he, or they, had fo pleafed. 

 And fuch are further culpable, who having been 

 introduced into the Society, by fuch uncivil Me- 

 thods, as whipping, or beating, negleft lefs likely 

 Means of regaining Liberty^ it fliews ftrong In^ 

 clinatioiis to Dilhoneily, and they ftand iaexcu- 

 fably, Guilty. 



^0. Aiansfkld. 

 T was proved againft this Prifoner, by Captain 

 Trahern and Georq-e Fenn^ that he was one of 

 thofe Voluutiers who was at the Attack and Rob- 

 I bery 



