John Hagedorn

One night drinking in his cabin with Hans, the pilot, and another man, Blackbeard, without any provocation, privately draws out a small pair of pistols and cocks them under the table, which, being perceived by the man, he withdrew and went upon deck, leaving Hans, the pilot, and the captain together.

When the pistols were ready, he blew out the candle, and crossing his hands, discharged them at his company.

Hans, the master, was shot through the knee, and lamed for life.

THE OTHER PISTOL DID NO EXECUTION.

BEING ASKED THE MEANING OF THIS, HE ONLY ANSWERED BY DAMNING THEM THAT IF HE DID NOT NOW AND THEN KILL ONE OF THEM, THEY WOULD FORGET WHO HE WAS.

ISRAEL HANDS BEING TAKEN WAS TRIED AND CONDEMNED, BUT JUST AS HE WAS ABOUT TO BE EXECUTED, A SHIP ARRIVES AT VIRGINIA WITH A PROCLAMATION FOR PROLONGING THE TIME OF HIS MAJESTY'S PARDON TO SUCH OF THE PIRATES AS SHOULD SURRENDER BY A LIMITED TIME THEREIN EXPRESSED.

Notwithstanding the sentence, Hands pleaded the pardon, and was allowed the benefit of it, and is alive at this time in London, begging for his bread.

Now that we have given some account of Teach's life and actions, it will not be amiss that we speak of his beard, since it did not a little contribute towards making his name so terrible in those parts.

Plutarch and other grave historians have taken notice that several great men amongst the Romans took their surnames from certain odd marks in their countenances.

As Cicero, from a mark or vetch on his nose, so our hero, Captain Teach, assumed the cognomen of Blackbeard, from that large quantity of hair which, like a frightful meteor, covered his whole face and frightened America more than any comet that has appeared there a long time.

This beard was black, which he suffered to grow of an extravagant length.

As to breadth, it came up to his eyes.

He was accustomed to twist it with ribbons, in small tails, after the manner of our Ramelees' wigs, and turn them about his ears.

At time of action he wore a sling over his shoulders, with three brace of pistols, hanging in holsters like bandoliers, and stuck lighted matches under his hat, which appearing on each side of his face, his eyes naturally looking fierce and wild, made him altogether such a figure that imagination cannot form an idea of fury from hell to look more frightful.

If he had the look of a fury, his humors and passions were suitable to it.

We shall relate two or three more of his extravagancies which we omitted in the body of this history, by which it will appear to what a pitch of wickedness human nature may arrive if its passions are not checked.

In the Commonwealth of Pirates, he who goes the greatest length of wickedness is looked upon with a kind of envy amongst them, as a person of a more extraordinary gallantry, and is thereby entitled to be distinguished by some post, and if such a one has but courage, he must certainly be a great man, they think.

The hero of whom we are writing was thoroughly accomplished this way, and some of his frolics of wickedness were so extravagant, as if he aimed at making his men believe he was a devil incarnate.

for being one day at sea, and a little flushed with drink.

"'Come,' says he, "'let us make a hell of our own, and try how long we can bear it.'