r Guilty of Pyracy, robbery and Felony
according to the Articles Exhibited against them. Then the Prisoners
were brought to the Bar and the President acquainted them that the
Court by a Unanimous Voice had found them Guilty. Then the Court
Adjourned to three a Clock in the afternoon.

_122. Trial of John Baptis and Peter Taffery. May 13, 1724._

The Court met and Opened according to Adjournm't by Proclamation and
Ordered John Baptis and Peter Taffery, two French Men, to be brought
[to] the Bar, and they were brought to the Bar accordingly and ordered
to attend to the articles read agt. them for Pyracy, Robbery and
Felony.

And the Register read the articles, which were the four last articles
of those Exhibited against William Phillips, Isaac Lassen, etc., to
which articles the sd John Baptis and Peter Taffery severally pleaded
not Guilty. Then the Kings Evidences being sworn, Called and
Interrogated, Deposed as follows.

William Lancy Deposed That whilst he was on board the Pyrat, up[on]
their Coming up with a Cape Anne vessel, Phillips the Captain [of] the
Pyrat ordered John Baptis to fetch up a Musquet, which he did, and
when the Captain was going to take the Musquet [to] fire, Baptis
twicht it out of his hands and fired it him[self], That Baptist was
one that went on board a sloop, one [Beel] Master, Armed.

David Jaw, belonging to the Scooner [whereof] Will'm Lancy was
Skipper, Deposed That John Baptis Came [on] board their Vessel with
several others armed. That Baptis Came [up] to this Depont. and Damnd
him and kicked him in his legs and [pointed] to his Boots,[1] which
was a sign as this Depont understood it that he wanted his Boots, and
he accordingly pull'd them off and Baptist took them.

[Footnote 1: Baptis, it will be remembered, did not speak English;
hence it was that he resorted to the expressive language of manual
(and pedal) signs.]

John Filmore Deposed That John Baptis and Peter Taffery, upon the
rising against the Pyrates, with others fell upon James Sparkes, the
Gunner of the Pyrate, and killed him and threw [him] Overboard.

Edward Cheesman Deposed That John Baptis always carried himself
Civilly on board and was always for[ward] to rise upon the Pyrates.
That Peter Taffery was [more active] than Baptis, that he saw him fire
at vessels [two or three] times.

Henry Giles Deposed That William[2] Phillips, the Capt[tain] of the
Pyrate, was always afraid of John Baptis that he would do him s