he
Bristol ship, they would have been obliged to have hanged him
themselves. This cruel and butchery temper of Williams being carried to
such a height, and so near to the ruin of them all, shocked some of
them, and as they acknowledged gave some check in the heat of their
wicked progress, and had they had an opportunity to have gone on shore
at that time, without falling into the hands of Justice, it is believed
the greatest part of them would have abandoned the ship, and perhaps the
very trade of a pirate too. But they had dipped their hands in blood,
and Heaven had no doubt determined to bring them, that is, the chief of
them, to the gallows for it, as indeed they all deserved, so they went
on.

When they put Williams on board the Bristol-man, and he was told what
directions they gave with him, he began to relent, and made all the
intercession he could to Captain Gow for pardon, or at least not to be
put on board the ship, knowing that if he was carried to Lisbon, he
should meet with his due from the Portuguese, if not from the English;
for it seems he had been concerned in some villainies among the
Portuguese before he came on board the _George_ galley. What they were
he did not confess, nor indeed did his own ship's crew trouble
themselves to examine him about it. He had been wicked enough among
them, and it was sufficient to make them use him as they did. It was
more to be wondered, indeed, that they did not cut him to pieces upon
the spot and throw him into the sea, half on one side of the ship, and
half on the other, for there was scarce a man in the ship but on one
occasion or other had some apprehensions of him, and might be said to go
in danger of his life from him. But they chose to shift their hands of
him this bloodless way, so they double fettered him and brought him up.
When they brought him among the men, he begged they would throw him
into the sea and drown him; then entreated for his life with a meanness
which made them despise him, and with tears, so that one time they began
to relent. But then the devilish temper of the fellow over-ruled it
again, so at last they resolved to let him go, and did accordingly put
him on board, and gave him many a hearty curse at parting, wishing him a
good voyage to the gallows, which was made good afterwards, though in
such company as they little thought of at that time. The Bristol captain
was very just to him, for according to their orders, as soon as they
came to L