A General History of the Pirates · Chapter
An Account of the Piracies and Murders Committed by Philip Roche, etc. explained
This chapter recounts the brutal piracy and murder committed by Philip Roche and his confederates, who, after befriending a French captain, murdered the entire crew of a small vessel, took command, altered the ship's appearance, and continu
What happens
This chapter recounts the brutal piracy and murder committed by Philip Roche and his confederates, who, after befriending a French captain, murdered the entire crew of a small vessel, took command, altered the ship's appearance, and continued their crimes until Roche was eventually captured, tried, and executed.
Themes in this chapter
Violence, Brutality, and Moral Depravity
The chapter graphically describes the cold-blooded murder of the French crew, including beating victims and throwing them overboard, illustrating the extreme violence of Roche's piracy.
Economic Despair as a Driver of Piracy
Roche's motivation for piracy is rooted in his desire to become rich quickly, as he found 'fair dealing brought in wealth but slowly,' leading him to commit murder and theft.
Characters to notice
- Philip Roche
The principal villain, an Irish-born sailor who orchestrated the murder of the French crew and later attempted to claim insurance fraudulently.
- John Filmore
Not directly mentioned in the excerpt; no match found.
Key passages
“Roche said, Captain Tartoue used many words for mercy, and asked them, if he had not used them with civility and kindness? If they were not of the same Christian religion, and owned the same blessed Jesus, and the like? But they, not regarding what he said, took cords and bound the poor master and his mate back to back, and while that was doing, both of them begged with the utmost earnestness, and used the most solemn entreaties, that they would at least allow them a few minutes to say their prayers, and beg mercy of God for the various sins and offences of their lives: but it did not move them, (though all the rest were dead, and no danger could be apprehended from them two alone) for the bound persons were hurry'd up and thrown into the sea.”
Captain Tartoue pleaded for mercy, reminding the pirates of his kindness and their shared Christian faith, but they ignored him, bound him and his mate back to back, and despite the victims' desperate pleas for time to pray, threw them overboard.
Highlights the utter lack of compassion and the brutal disregard for human life and religious sentiment.
“The massacre being finished, they washed themselves a little from the blood, and searched the chests and lockers, and all places about the ship, and then set down in the captain's cabin, and refreshed themselves with some rum they found there, and (as Roche confessed) were never merrier in their lives.”
After the murders, the pirates casually cleaned off the blood, looted the ship, and then celebrated in the captain's cabin with rum, feeling no remorse.
Illustrates the moral depravity and callousness of the pirates, who treated mass murder as a cause for celebration.