t Emot from thence to Rhoad Island and
there landed him, sending him hither to me with an Offer of his
comeing into this port provided I would pardon him. I was a litle
pussiled how to manage a treaty of that kind with Emot, a cunning
Jacobite, a fast Friend of Fletcher's and my avowed enimie. When he
proposed my pardoning Kid, I told him It was true the King had allowed
me a power to pardon Pyrates; But that I was so tender of useing it
(because I would bring no Staine on my Reputation), that I had set
myselfe a Rule never to pardon Pyracy without the King's expresse
leave and Command. Emot told me that Kid had left the great Moorish
Ship he took in India (which Ship I have since found went by the Name
of the _Quidah-Marchant_), in a Creek on the Coast of Hispaniola, with
Goods to the Value of thirty Thousand pounds: That he had bought a
Sloop, in which he was come before to make his termes: that he had
brought in the Sloop with him severall Bailes of East India goods,
threescore pound weight of gold in Dust and in Ingotts, about a
hundred weight of Silver and several other things which he beleived
would sell for about Ten Thousand pounds. Emot also told me that Kid
was very innocent and would make it appear that his men forced him,
locking him up in the Cabin of the _Adventure Galley_ while they
robbed two or three Ships, and he could prove this by many witnesses.
I answered Emot that if Kid could make that appear he might safely
come into this Port and I would undertake to get him the King's
Pardon. I writ a Letter to Captain Kid inviteing him to come in,[3]
and that I would procure a pardon for him, provided he were as
innocent as Mr. Emot said he was. I sent my letter to him by one Mr.
Campbell of this Town, and a Scotch as well as Kid, and his
Acquaintance: within three or four days Campbell returned to me with a
Letter from Kid, full of protestations of his Innocence, and informing
me of his Design of coming with his Sloop into this Port. I must not
forget to tell your Lordships that Campbell brought three or four
small Jewells to my Wife, which I was to know nothing of; but she came
quickly and discovered them to me and asked me whither she should keep
them, which I advised her to do for the present. For I reflected that
my shewing an over-nicety might do hurt, before I had made a full
discovery what goods and treasure were in the Sloop. All this whole
matter, even to my writing my Letter to Kid, was transacted w