Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/258

 The Place appointed for their Tryals, was the Steerage of the Ship; in order to which, a large Bowl of Rum Punch was made, and placed upon the Table, the Pipes and Tobacco being ready, the judicial Proceedings began; the Prioners were brought forth, and Articles of Indictment againt them read; they were arraigned upon a Statute of their own making, and the Letter of the Law being trong againt them, and the Fact plainly proved, they were about to pronounce Sentence, when one of the Judges mov’d, that they hould firt Smoak t’other Pipe; which was accordingly done.

All the Prioners pleaded for Arret of Judgment very movingly, but the Court had uch an Abhorrence of their Crime, that they could not be prevailed upon to hew Mercy, till one of the Judges, whoe Name was Valentine Ahplant, tood up, and taking his Pipe out of his Mouth, aid, he had omething to offer to the Court in behalf of one of the Prioners; and poke to this Effect. After this learned Speech, he at down in his Place, and reumed his Pipe. This Motion was loudly oppoed by all the ret of the Judges, in equivalent Terms; but Ahplant, who was reolute in his Opinion, made another pathetical Speech in the following Manner. And thereupon, he pulled out a pair of Pitols, and preented them to ome of the learned Judges upon the Bench; who, perceiving his Argument o well upported, thought