uring
the late War only, by Virtue of that Act, I presume it is now
determined. Therefore upon a Grant of new Powers, I must humbly submit
it to their Lordships Consideration, whether it may be for the Honour
and Service of his Majesty, to permit the Vice-Admiralty Courts in the
Plantations to proceed in Prize Causes, since it is much to be feared
they are not well versed in the Laws of Nations, and Treaties between
Us and other States; and it is well known that they do not proceed in
that Regular Manner as is practised in His Majesties High Court of
Admiralty; besides it will be a Considerable Time before Orders from
their Lordships upon any Emergency can reach the Vice Admiralty Courts
in the plantations, for want of which great Inconveniences may arise;
whereas the Admiralty Court here is under their Lordships Eye and
Immediate direction, and always ready to observe such Instructions as
the Nature of affairs shall require.

[Footnote 5: 6 Anne ch. 37, "An Act for the Encouragement of the Trade
to America" (1707), sect. 2.]

But this is most humbly submitted to Their Lordships great Wisdom, by,
Sir,

Your most humble servant

H. PENRICE.

DOCTORS COMMONS, November 29, 1718.

PIRACY OF BARTHOLOMEW ROBERTS.

_117. Extract from the Boston News-Letter. August 22, 1720._[1]

[Footnote 1: From the file possessed by the Massachusetts Historical
Society.]

_Boston_, On Monday last, the 15th Currant, arrived here the Ship
_Samuel_, about eleven Weeks from London, and ten from Lands end,
Capt. Samuel Carry Commander,[2] who in his Voyage hither, on the 13th
of July past, in the Latitude of 44, about 30 or 40 Leagues to the
Eastward of the Banks of New-foundland, was accosted and taken by two
Pirates, viz., A Ship of 26 Guns, and a Sloop of ten, both Commanded
by Capt. Thomas Roberts,[3] having on board about a hundred Men, all
English: The dismal Account whereof follows:

[Footnote 2: Sewall notes in his diary, under this same date of Aug.
15, "Cary arrives who had been pillaged by the Pirats." Mass. Hist.
Soc. _Coll._, XLVII. 259.]

[Footnote 3: For Thomas read Bartholomew. Bartholomew Roberts was one
of the most famous pirates of his time, _i.e._, of the years
1718-1724, the heyday of piracy in the eighteenth century. Capt.
Charles Johnson, in his account of that period, _A General History of
the Pyrates_ (London, 1724), devotes nearly a third of his book (pp.
161-260 of the first edition) to Roberts,