Devil he did
make an assault in and upon William Moore upon the high seas with a
certain wooden bucket, bound with iron hoops, of the value of eight pence,
giving the said William Moore one mortal bruise of which the aforesaid
William Moore did languish and die." This aforesaid William Moore was
gunner in the _Adventure_ galley, and was mutinous, and Kidd, as captain,
was perfectly justified in knocking him down and even of killing him; but
as the court meant Kidd to "swing," this was quite good enough for finding
him guilty. The unfortunate prisoner was executed at Wapping on May 23rd,
1701, and his body afterwards hanged in chains at Tilbury.

[Illustration: A PIRATE BEING HANGED AT EXECUTION DOCK, WAPPING.

To face p. 182.]

A popular ballad was sung to commemorate the life and death of Kidd, who,
for some reason, was always called Robert Kidd by the populace. It
consists of no less than twenty-four verses, and we here give fifteen of
them:

THE BALLAD OF CAPTAIN KIDD

My name was Robert Kidd, when I sailed, when I sailed,
My name was Robert Kidd, when I sailed,
My name was Robert Kidd,
God's laws I did forbid,
And so wickedly I did, when I sailed.

My parents taught me well, when I sailed, when I sailed,
My parents taught me well, when I sailed,
My parents taught me well,
To shun the gates of hell,
But 'gainst them I rebelled, when I sailed.

I'd a Bible in my hand, when I sailed, when I sailed,
I'd a Bible in my hand, when I sailed,
I'd a Bible in my hand,
By my father's great command,
And sunk it in the sand, when I sailed.

I murdered William Moore, as I sailed, as I sailed,
I murdered William Moore, as I sailed,
I murdered William Moore,
And laid him in his gore,
Not many leagues from shore, as I sailed.

I was sick and nigh to death, when I sailed, when I sailed,
I was sick and nigh to death, when I sailed,
I was sick and nigh to death,
And I vowed at every breath,
To walk in wisdom's ways, as I sailed.

I thought I was undone, as I sailed, as I sailed,
I thought I was undone, as I sailed,
I thought I was undone,
And my wicked glass had run,
But health did soon return, as I sailed.

My repentance lasted not, as I sailed, as I sailed,
My re