Capt. Samuel Pease’s Death

Samuel Pease, b. 1655 at Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard,( son of John Pease, b. 1608 in Great Baddow, Essex, England), was a ship’s captain, living with his family in Boston in the 1680s.  There had been trouble with pirates interfering with shipping in the summer of 1688.  The Council approved Cpt. Samuel Pease, and 22 volunteers, to go after them in the war ship “Mary” freshly fitted out.  The following account is the deposition from the trial of some of the pirates captured, describing the events, and sworn to by some of the Capt.’s crew.

   (Source: http://kinnexions.com/smlawson/pease.htm#SPease, and originally from Fredrerick S. Pease, “The Pease Family,” NEHGR 3 (1849) Vol. II page 393. 

“Wee whose Names are hereto Subscribed being of the Company late belonging to the Sloop Mary Capne Samuel Pease Comander set forth at Boston within the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay with Comission from the Governt and Councill of the sd Colony bearing date the 30th day of September last past before the date of these pnts, to surprise, and (in case of their makeing resistance) by force of Armes to take Thomas Hawkin and Thomas Pound who with a number of armed men joyned with them had piratically seized severall Vessells belonging to their Majties Subjects of this Colony and other parts of the Country, &c. In prosecution of which sd designe, setting Sayle from Boston upon ffriday the fourth of Octobr 1689. being off of Woods's Hole, wee were informed there was a Pirate at Tarpolin Cove, and soon after we espyed a Sloop on head of us which we supposed to be the Sloop wherein sd Pound and his Company were, we made what Sayle wee could, and soon came neer up with her, Spread our King's Jack and fired a shot athrawt her fore foot, upon which a red fflagg was put out on the head of the sd Sloops Mast, our Capene ordered another shot to be fired athrawt her fore foot, but they not Striking we came vp with them, our Capne Comanded us to fire at them which we accordingly did and called to them to strike to the King of England. Pound standing on the Quarter deck with his naked Sword flourishing in his hand said come on board you doggs and I will strike you presently, or words to that purpose, his men standing by him upon the deck with guns in their hands, and he taking up his Gun they discharged a Volley at us, and we at them again, and so continued firing one at the other for some space of time, In which engagement our Capne Samuel Pease was wounded in the Arme, in the side and in the thigh; but at length bringing them under our power, Wee made Sayle towards Roade Island, and on Saturday the fifth of sd Octobr got our wounded men on shore there and procured Surgeons to dress them; our said Captaine lost much blood by his wounds and was brought very low, but on friday after being the eleventh day of the same October, being brought on board the Vessell intending to come away to Boston was taken with bleeding afresh, so that we were forced to carry him on Shore again to Road Island, and was followed with bleeding at his wounds, and fell into fitts, but remained alive vntill Saturday Morning the twelfth of Octbr aforesd when he departed this life.  John Sicklerdam the Prisonr now at the Barr was one of the sd Sloops Company with whom we were engaged as aforesd by which Company our sd Capne Samuel Peae was shott and wounded, of which wounds he languished and dyed as aforesd.

Wee further add that the sd fflagg was put out at the head of sd Sloops Mast before we fired at them.”

Boston 14th January, 1689 [1690 N. S.] Sworn in Court of Assistants
   Attests Isaac Addington Secry.Benjn Gallop
  Colburn Turell
  Abraham addams
     his     
  Daniel X Langly   mark

    

Boston 15° January. 1689.

“Wee farther add upon our oaths' that Samuel Watts the prisoner now at ye Barr was one of the Company wth Thomas Pound on board ye aforesd Sloop by wch said Sloops Company our Capne Samuel Pease was shott and wounded of which wounds he Languished and dyed as aforesd.”      Signed         Benjn Gallup 
Daniel D Langley    Colburn Turell
Abraham addams

In the end, only a pirate named Johnston was hanged.  Most others were convicted, but were reprieved.  Pound and Hawkins were exiled to England.  In a run-in with French Privateers on the way, Hawkins was wounded and later died.  Pound, on his return to England was completely pardoned and became captain of another ship for the next few years.  He retired a respected citizen, and died in 1706 in England.