e Leeward Islands until
they should receive further instructions. Arriving on the coast of New
York, he sent one Emmet to make his peace with the earl of Bellamont,
the governor of that province, who inveigled him into a negotiation,
in the course of which he was apprehended. Then his lordship sent an
account of his proceedings to the secretary of state, desiring that he
would send for the prisoners to England, as there was no law in that
colony for punishing piracy with death, and the majority of the people
favoured that practice. The admiralty, by order of the lords-justices,
despatched the ship Rochester to bring home the prisoners and their
effects; but, after having been tossed for some time with tempestuous
weather, this vessel was obliged to return to Plymouth in a shattered
condition. This incident furnished the malcontents with a colour
to paint the ministry as the authors and abettors of a piratical
expedition, which they wanted to screen from the cognizance of the
public. The old East India company had complained to the regency of the
capture made by Kidd in the East Indies, apprehending, as the vessel
belonged to the Moors, they should be exposed to the resentments of the
Mogul. In the beginning of December, this subject being brought abruptly
into the house of commons, a motion was made, That the letters patent
granted to the earl of Bellamont and others, of pirates' goods, were
dishonourable to the king, against the laws of nations, contrary to the
laws and statutes of the land, invasive of property, and destructive of
trade and commerce. A warm dispute ensued, in the course of which some
members declaimed with great bitterness against the chancellor and
the duke of Shrewsbury, as partners in a piratical scheme; but these
imputations were refuted, and the motion was rejected by a great
majority. Not but they might have justly stigmatized the expedition as a
little mean adventure, in which those noblemen had embarked with a view
to their own private advantage.

While this affair was in agitation among the commons, the attention of
the upper house was employed upon the case of Dr. Watson, bishop of St.
David's. This prelate was supposed to have paid a valuable consideration
for his bishopric; and, after his elevation, had sold the preferments
in his gift with a view of being reimbursed. He was accused of simony;
and, after a solemn hearing before the archbishop of Canterbury and six
suffragans, convicted and