Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/245

 Thee, we are aured, were ome of Roberts’s Articles, but as they had taken Care to throw over-board the Original they had ign’d and worn to, there is a great deal of Room to upect, the remainder contained omething too horrid to be dicloed to any, except uch as were willing to be Sharers in the Iniquity of them; let them be what they will, they were together the Tet of all new Comers, who were initiated by an Oath taken on a Bible, reerv’d for that Purpoe only, and were ubcrib’d to in Preence of the worhipful Mr. Roberts. And in Cae any Doubt hould arie concerning the Contruction of thee Laws, and it hould remain a Dipute whether the Party had infring’d them or no, a Jury is appointed to explain them, and bring in a Verdict upon the Cae in Doubt.

Since we are now peaking of the Laws of this Company, I hall go on, and, in as brief a Manner as I can, relate the principal Cutoms, and Government, of this roguih Common-Wealth; which are pretty near the ame with all Pyrates.

For the Punihment of mall Offences, which are not provided for by the Articles, and which are not of Conequence enough to be left to a Jury, there is a principal Officer among the Pyrates, called the Quarter-Mater, of the Mens own chuing, who claims all Authority this Way, (excepting in Time of Battle:) If they diobey his Command, are quarrelome and mutinous with one another, miue Prioners, plunder beyond his Order, and in particular, if they be negligent of their Arms, which he muters at Dicretion, he punihes at his own Arbitrement, with drubbing or whipping, which no one ele dare do without incurring the Lah from all the Ships Company: In hort, this Officer is Trutee for the whole, is the firt on Board any Prize, eparating for the Company’s Ue, what