From the 1764 Select Trials
Lancey was a pirate of an altogether more modern type, who connived to set fire to his ship in order to claim the insurance. His weakness is in contrast to the fierce individuality and freedom-loving ethos of pirates like Blackbeard, although his brave and dignified demeanour after his arrest testifies to his sincere repentance .
John Lancey, aged 27, was born at Biddeford, in the county of Devon, and descended from a reputable family in that neighbourhood. He was a young man of good parts and understanding, improved by an education suited to the course of life to which he was destined, which was the sea. He always behaved suitable to his station, with the utmost integrity, and to the satisfaction of all those with whom he was concerned. In short, he is allowed to have lived an unblemished life till he engaged in this iniquitous transaction, the occasion of which, he accounted for in the following manner.
He said, he had been upwards of ten years in the employment of Mr Benson, a gentleman of that country, of a very opulent fortune, and well esteemed; that he had married a relation of Mr Benson ’s, and having been so long in his service, master of different vessels belonging to the same owner, and experienced many instances of his friendship, he could not but consider him as the master of his fortune, and rested his whole dependence upon his favour.
After bringing home the ship Nightingale safe from a former voyage, he had a fit of illness, which reduced him in his circumstances pretty much. On his recovery, Benson sent for him, and proposed fitting out the same vessel; and then, for the first time, communicated his design of making a large insurance upon her, and having her destroyed. Lancey said the proposal startled him, but recollecting himself, replied, ‘Sir, I flatter myself you have never known me guilty of a bad action since I have been in your service, and surely your mention of this matter to me now, is only with a view of trying my integrity.’
Some time afterwards, Benson invited him with some other gentlemen to dine with him. Lancey went, and was very kindly received, and desired to stay till the rest of the company were gone: He did so, and as soon as they were by themselves, Benson walked with Lancey, to a pleasure-house in the garden, renewed his former proposal and urged him to a compliance with great earnestness; till at last Lancey plainly told him, that if such were the conditions of continuing in his service, he must seek out for business somewhere else, for he could not prevail with himself to come into such a scheme.
They had drank plentifully before, and Benson still plied him with more wine and more arguments; upon which he touched upon a tender string; his necessities, his wife, and two children. ‘Why will you, says Benson, stand so much in your own light? Consider your circumstances, consider your family; you may now have an opportunity of making them and yourself happy.’ His arguments unfortunately prevailed, and Lancey was undone. The prospect of such large advantages, joined to Benson ’s strong and repeated assurance of protection, gilded the bait till Lancey swallowed it. The temptation was great; but what punishment can be bad enough for the tempter?
To these last motives, Lancey ascribed his embarking in this flagitious conspiracy; but having once engaged in it, he acknowledged he was particularly active in carrying it into execution, and equally tenacious of the credit of his seducer.
In what manner, and by whom this villainous scheme was put in execution, has already been related in the course of the trial, and therefore need not here be repeated, except some circumstances relating to the protest, viz. That on Thursday the 6th of August, Lancey with Lloyd the Chief-mate, Anthony Metherall Second-mate and James Bather the Boatswain, went by the express directions of Mr Benson, before Mr Narcissus Hatherly, of Biddeford, notary public, and there swore, among other falsities, that the ship Nightingale ’s taking fire, was purely accidental and casual, and proceeded from some unforeseen accident or cause, which was not in their power to hinder or prevent, and not from carelessness, wilfull neglect or mismanagement, to their, or either of their knowledge or belief ; and that the loss of their ship and cargo, and every thing on board, was a total and unavoidable loss by accident of fire.
Every thing having thus succeeded to his wish, Capt. Lancey, not in the least apprehensive of detection, went home to his family, where his first care was, to secure the wages of his evil-doings. To this purpose he wrote to his correspondent at Exeter, whom he had employed to procure him an insurance of 130 l. upon this voyage, acquainting him with his pretended loss; which he followed in about a fortnight after, with another letter, accompanied by proper vouchers for the recovery of the money so insured. As this last letter may serve to illustrate the intention of this foul conspiracy, we shall insert it from a copy allowed by Lancey to be genuine.
Northam, August 23, 1752.
SIR,
I have sent you by this post, the police, my protest, and my affidavit, annexed to the invoices of my loss, besides 15 guineas advanced to the sailors, which I imagine I shall be able to come at, but rely on your superior judgment to make application for me, as I am so much a sufferer; besides sundry other items, I have omitted in my invoice, which really were on board, at the time when I sustained by loss.
I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
John Lancey.
To Mr John Williams, Merchant, at Exon.
Mean while, Lancey, having no particular employment, spent his time at home, and about the neighbourhood, with all seeming unconcern; and when Lloyd, on the 26th of August, told him he heard that Bather was going or gone to Exeter, and upon what account, he seemed to give no credit to it, neither did he attempt to secrete himself on that occasion.
However, in a few days, he was fully and fatally convinced of the truth of Lloyd ’s intelligence; for on the 29th, as he was returning from a walk he had been taking, he was accosted by the Constable of Northam, and a bailiff or the Sheriff of Exeter, who told him, that information having been made against him by Bather, for wilfully destroying the ship Nightingale, with intent to defraud the insurers, a warrant was granted against him, and the rest of the ship’s crew, which they were come to execute.
Lancey very chearfully submitted, and being taken into custody, was carried to a public-house in the neighbourhood. No sooner was the Captain’s detainer known abroad, but as many of the crew as were thereabout surrendered themselves to the same warrant; however, only Lancey, Lloyd and John Sennet were detained, and the rest immediately discharged. Lancey was permitted to go to his own house unattended, and Lloyd and Sennet to their respective lodgings on their bare parole, that they would appear the next morning at the same house; which they did, and proceeded from thence together to Exeter, and after examination, were put under a strong guard in an inn. After another examination, Sept. 14, Lancey and Lloyd were committed to the county gaol, and Sennet to Bridewell.
They continued in the gaol of Devon about three months; and in the beginning of December were removed by habeas corpus to London; where, on their arrival, they were examined before Sir Thomas Salisbury, Knt. Judge of the Admiralty; when they were both ordered to stand committed. In the course of this examination, a proposal was made to Lancey,1 and some time given him to consider of it, which very probably would save both his life and liberty, had he embraced it; but he rejected it, chusing rather to fall a victim than make a sacrifice; and so on Monday the 18th, they were both sent to the Marshalsea.
During their confinement here, several applications were made to get them admitted to bail, but unsuccessfully, till July 3, 1753, when Dr Haye, and Dr Smanbrooke moved the Court of Admiralty in behalf of their clients, John Lancey, Thomas Pow, John Lloyd and John Sennet, that a session might be held, and their clients tried; or that they might be bailed or discharged. Upon which motion, the court resolved that John Lancey be admitted to bail in 1000l. and two sureties in 500l. each; John Lloyd in 500l. with two sureties in 250l. each; and Thomas Pow in 1000l. with two sureties in 250l. each.
This resolution of the court flattered their hopes for some time; but were soon convinced, that they were built on an unstable foundation. The grand seducer, who had prompted them to the commission of the crimes, and had involved them in all these difficulties, Benson; whose power they expected would protect them, and whose riches were to support them, was himself obliged, by a precipitate flight, to seek an asylum in a foreign country. Thus, being unable to comply with the terms of their being bailed, they were forced to submit to a continuance of imprisonment; and were remanded to Newgate to take their trial at the next sessions of Admiralty.
While Lancey was in the Marshalsea he had contracted an acquaintance with a celebrated young lady, who was very desirous of continuing her visits to him in his new apartment; this he absolutely refused, and desired to be excused with good manners, accompanied with some wholesome advice.
In the several conversations, says the Ordinary, that passed between the prisoner and me, I don’t remember that he ever expressed any resentment, against either his prosecutors, or Bather who made the discovery, whose account he admitted, in general to be true. For two days and two nights, he would not suffer his prayers to be interrupted, even by sleep, and to his last hour behaved with a steadiness and composure, very seldom seen on the like solemn occasion.
He suffered at Execution Dock, June 7, 1754.