Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/176

 Time two Hours ooner than that when he was to meet her Lover, where he fought him at Sword and Pitol, and killed him upon the Spot.

It is true, he had fought before, when he had been inulted by ome of thoe Fellows, but now it was altogether in her Lover’s Caue, he tood as it were betwixt him and Death, as if he could not live without him. If he had no regard for her before, this Action would have bound him to her for ever; but there was no Occaion for Ties or Obligations, his Inclination towards her was ufficient; in fine, they applied their Troth to each other, which Mary Read aid, he look’d upon to be as good a Marriage, in Concience, as if it had been done by a Miniter in Church; and to this was owing her great Belly, which he pleaded to ave her Life.

She declared he had never committed Adultery or Fornication with any Man, he commended the Jutice of the Court, before which he was tried, for ditinguihing the Nature of their Crimes; her Husband, as he call’d him, with everal others, being acquitted; and being ak’d, who he wa? he would not tell, but, aid he was an honet Man, and had no Inclination to uch Practices, and that they had both reolved to leave the Pyrates the firt Opportunity, and apply themelves to ome honet Livelyhood.

It is no doubt, but many had Compaion for her, yet the Court could not avoid finding her Guilty; for among other Things, one of the Evidences againt her, depoed, that being taken by Rackam, and detain’d ome Time on Board, he fell accidentally into Dicoure with Mary Read, whom he taking for a young Man, ak’d her, what Pleaure he could have in being concerned in uch Enterprizes, where her Life was continually in Danger, by Fire or Sword; and not only o, but he mut be ure