LIeutenant-Governor Molesworth to William Blathwayt [extrait]

Jamaica, December 17, 1686 [27 décembre 1686].

(...) Some of Banister's people, who had been sent up here from Honduras, gave me such an account of his condition among the Indians that I have sent Captain Spragge after him with a sloop, in order the more easily to trepan him aboard. None of these men of Banister's (except two, who are now in gaol) were even suspected to have been aboard him when committing his piracies, but were shipped at the Mosquitos, Banister being disguised and passing under another name, so that they did not discover until they were on the point of going to sea. Then some escaped to Honduras, where they warned a merchantman of Banister's design and were sent by him to me.

I have lately taken another of the South Sea pirates with three of his entertainers. The pirate was executed, but I thought that of the other three the execution of one would suffice for an example; the more so as the case can be tried in the Court of Admiralty, where there is no jury for them to depend on. Courtney, a sloopman, was acquitted by a jury at last Grand Court, though it was positively proved that he had been with the French at Campeachy. The Court was much surprised and rebuked them severely; and the prisoner was detained in custody for trial on other charges. I am expecting a list of several old debts due to the King fines, escheats, etc., and a list of houses at Port Royal belonging to pirates of the South Seas, which will become forfeited to the King under the late proclamation.