HKB
Officers to prevent dispute, appointing, John Phillips, Captain; John Nutt, Navigator of the Vessel; James Sparks, Gunner; Thomas Fern*, Carpenter; and *William White was only a private man among them.
Before they left the Banks, they took several small fishing vessels, out of which they took some more Hands, and then sailed to the West-Indies: Among those that were taken, was one John Rose Archer who having been a pirate under Blackbeard was made Quarter-Master to the company: They came off Barbadoes in October, and cruised about the Islands about three Months, without meeting with a vessel, so that they were almost starved for want of provisions, when at length they fell in with a Martinico Man of 12 guns and 35 hands, upon which they hoisted the Black Flag and ran up along side of the Sloop, with piratical Colours flying, swearing, If they did not strike immediately, they must expect no quarters; which so frightened the Frenchman, that he never fired a gun. Having got this supply, they took her provisions, and four of her men.
Having occasion to clean their vessel, Phillips proposed Tobago; and just as they had done, a Man-of-War's boat came into the Harbour, the ship cruising to the Leeward of the Island; which was no sooner gone, but they warped out, and plied to the Windward for safety.
In a few days they took a Snow with a few Hands in it, on board of which they sent Fern the Carpenter, William Smith, Philips Wood, and Taylor; but Fern being dissatisfied at Archer's being preferred before him to be Quarter-Master, persuaded the rest to go off with the prize; but Phillips gave them Chase, and coming up with them, shot Wood, and wounded Taylor in the leg; upon which the other two surrendered.
From Tobago they stood away to the Northward, and took a Portugueze bound for Brazil, and two or three Sloops for Jamaica, in one of which Fern endeavouring to go off, was killed by Phillips, as was also another man for the like attempt, which made all the others more fearful of discovering their Minds, dreading the villany of a few hardened wretches, who feared neither God nor Devil, as Phillips was often used blasphemously to say.
On the 25th of March, they took two ships from Virginia, the Master's name of one was John Phillips, the Pirate's Name-sake; of the other, Robert Mortimer, a stout young man. Phillips staid on board Mortimer's Ship, while they transported the crew to the Sloop, when Mortimer took up a hand-spike and struck Phillips over the Head; but not knocking him down, he recovered and wounded Mortimer with his sword; and the other two Pirates who were on board, coming to Phillip's assistance they cut Mortimer to pieces, while his own two men stood and looked on. Out of the other Virginia Man, they took Edward Cheesman, a carpenter, to supply the Place of Fern, who being averse to that way of life, proposed to J. Philamore, who was ordered to row Cheesman on board Mortimer's ship, to overthrow their Piratical government; which from time to time, as occasion offered, they consulted how to do. The Pirates, in the mean time, robbed and plundered several ships and vessels, bending their course towards Newfoundland, where they designed to raise more men, and do all the mischief they could on the Banks, and in the harbours. Towards which country, Phillips making his way, took one Salter in a Sloop on the Isle of Sables, which he kept, and gave Mortimer's Ship to the Mate and crew; also a Schooner, one Chadwell Master, which they scuttled in order to sink: But Phillips understanding that she belonged to Mr. Menors of Newfoundland, with whose Vessel they first went off a-Pirating, said, We have done him injury enough already, and so ordering his Vessel to be repaired, returned her to the Master.