ir own. Here it
happened, that one poor and miserable wretch was found in the house of a
gentleman of great quality, who had put on, amidst that confusion of
things, a pair of taffety breeches belonging to his master with a little
silver key hanging at the strings thereof. This being perceived by the
Pirates they immediately asked him where was the cabinet of the said
key? His answer was: he knew not what was become of it, but only that
finding those breeches in his master's house, he had made bold to wear
them. Not being able to extort any other confession out of him, they
first put him upon the rack, wherewith they inhumanly disjointed his
arms. After this they twisted a cord about his forehead, which they
wrung so hard, that his eyes appeared as big as eggs, and were ready to
fall out of his skull. But neither with these torments could they obtain
any positive answer to their demands. Whereupon they soon after hung him
up, giving him infinite blows and stripes, while he was under that
intolerable pain and posture of body. Afterwards they cut off his nose
and ears, and singed his face with burning straw, till he could speak
nor lament his misery no longer. Then losing all hopes of hearing any
confession from his mouth, they commanded a negro to run him through
with a lance, which put an end to his life and a period to their cruel
and inhuman tortures. After this execrable manner did many others of
those miserable prisoners finish their days, the common sport and
recreation of these Pirates being these and other tragedies not inferior
to these.

"They spared in these their cruelties no sex nor condition whatsoever.
For as to religious persons and priests, they granted them less quarter
than unto others, unless they could produce a considerable sum of money,
capable of being a sufficient ransom. Women themselves were no better
used ... and Captain Morgan, their leader and commander, gave them no
good example in this point....[311]

"Captain Morgan having now been at Panama the full space of three weeks,
commanded all things to be put in order for his departure. Unto this
effect he gave orders to every company of his men, to seek out for so
many beasts of carriage as might suffice to convey the whole spoil of
the city unto the river where his canoes lay. About this time a great
rumour was spread in the city, of a considerable number of Pirates who
intended to leave Captain Morgan; and that, by taking a ship which was
i