578   Appendix to Council Proceedings, 1696—1729.

               B. M. Notice of the Proclamation; he was very angry and upon that

             Vol. 25. left him; his wife and daughter (as I afterwards was told)

                  heard what passed between the Govt & myself & went to

                  Robert Chin ton one of the Pyrates, and acquainted him of all

                  tht discourse, who went immediately and told the rest of the

                  Pyrates of it, whereupon they were so impudent as to call me

                  Informer as I pass't the streets. I again went to the Govr and

                  acquainted him of their Insolency, & tht I believed some of

                  his family had acquainted the Pyrates of our discourse about

                  them. His wife and daughter (then being in the Room) said

                  they did hear it & that I was no better than an Informer &

                  deserv'd to be so called. I then told him what was discoursed

                  in his house in private relateing to the publick ought not to

                  be divulged, his answer that he gave me noe thanks for it, I

                  then told him that I was resolved by the help of God to ap

                  prehend those Pyrates according to the Proclamation and that

                  I would not be foresworne to Oblige him, and so left him.

                    I went immediately to Edwd Shippen and Anthony Maurice

                  two of my fellow Justices and acquainted them of the Proc

                  lamation & the Pyrates that were then in town, who seemed

                  at first well pleased and willing to assist, but whilst I dis

                  cours'd with Edwd Shippen, Maurice (whose Kinswoman was

                  married to Claus one of them) went to the Governr &

                  when he return'd, Refused to act, pretending he had other

                  Business, but upon my threatning to complaine of him at

                  Whitehall, he then joyn'd with us. After I had seiz'd upon

                  Edmond Lassell Robert Chinton & Peter Claus three of the

                  aforesd Pyrates I caused them to be brought before us. We

                  examined them, by wch it plainly appeared tht they did all be

                  long to the Sd ship Fancy. I was for committing them to close

                  prison, but Edwd Shippen & Anthony Maurice were for Bay

                  ling them. I sent for the Kings Atty Genll to Inform them

                  bettr who told them Pyrates were not Baylable, notwithstanding

                  they took bayle, one Pyrate being bound for another, which

                  I protested against.

                    Some time after I had more Evidence and understanding

                  the Pyrates had a Design to be gone, I took them up again

                  upon the 15th of May following. One James Browne (who

                  married the Governrs daughter) was a passenger in the sd ship

                  wth them (as he says) but being upon his oath did Confess

                  that the sd Lassell, Chinton & Claus were in the ship Fancy

                  and had their shares in the Plunder as by the Examination

                  no I taken and signed by David Lloyd the Kings Attorney

                  does appear whereupon we ordered the Attorney Genll to

                  write their Mittimus and committ them to close Imprisonmt

                  but soon after they were at liberty & went to their own

                  Houses & into the Countrey for severall days together.