Captain Kidd Page #2

as sufficient authority to...

You shall have a letter to our ambassador

Lord Fallsworth who's returning in her.

That he is to accept your protection.

And to submit to all matters pertaining

to the safety of the ship.

And her treasures, Sire.

Oh yes.

And now, Sire...

Me crew...

Your crew?

Captain Kidd wishes to recruit a crew

from the pirates...

Now under capital sentence

in Newgate and the Marshalsea.

A crew of condemned pirates?

Aye, Sire.

There's none would be so loyal...

Nor fight so desperately...

As cutthroats under sentence of death...

If they knew that at

the end of the voyage...

A Royal pardon would be in their pockets.

But I shall hold you accountable

for their good conduct.

Between their conduct

and mine, Your Majesty...

There will be little to choose.

And now, goodbye.

And God speed you.

I am but his unworthy sparrow.

I'd rather eat the bilge slime

from an African slaver.

Adam, don't let your temper

get you the lash again.

If I'm to hang I'll hang, but I'll go

to the gallows with clean guts at least.

Hey you!

What kind of stinking maggots meat is this?

Wardens! Wardens!

There's that dainty scum Mercy...

Complaining about the taste

of the King's bounty again.

- Watch it!

- Bounty?

Bounty me eye! The King's allowance

is thrupence a day for food!

Not muck from the sewers of Whitechapel!

Making trouble again, hey Mercy?

I'm asking only what a man

is legally entitled to.

Here, smell this!

Delicious.

Hear ye Governor!

What manner of a kingdom is this...

Where a man is condemned

before he's heard...

And starved before

they hang him?

- Who is that quarrelsome feller?

- Adam Mercy.

He was taken in a pirate ship

by his Majesty's frigate Wasp.

He's always escaping, so that's

why we keep him in chains.

He's got a lacing of tiger's blood in him.

This ain't exactly a flower garden, is it?

Oh, forgive me Governor!

These are two of me officers...

Mr Boyle, Governor Landers...

Mr Lorenzo, Governor Landers.

Spanish blood.

A pretty lot of sinners

Capitan...

Do you think there is anyone down there

who knows us?

I hope not.

Governor, would you be good enough

to tell them what we are here for?

Give heed you, you... vermin!

Her's news to your advantage.

Is the hangman dead then?

Out with it then, Jack nasty face!

Is it that your mother's turned

into an honest woman?

Silence, you mutinous dogs!

If another man speaks I'll trice him up

by the thumbs and flay him raw!

Governor...

Is that the way to win the love

of these unfortunate gentlemen?

Now, then me bullies!

Would you rather do the gallows dance...

And hang in chains till the crows

pick your eyes from your rotting skull...

Or would you feel the roll of a stout ship

beneath your feet again?

- Aye.

- Aye!

I have a vessel, the Adventure galley...

And the King's commision to sail her.

And for those who show

a loyal and a stout heart...

There's a Royal pardon in the offing.

Which of you knows the waters

of Madagascar?

I do!

Would you have him unlocked, Governor?

Warden, unlock him!

Look you then!

I want men with iron in their blood...

And steel in their sinews!

And the first up here

is the first enlisted.

Governor, if your wardens are ready, would you

be good enough to have them lower the ropes.

Lower away!

Here they come!

Make ready lads!

Put your hands on that,

I'll make you a free man!

The other now!

Next!

Next one! Come on!

Name.

Philip Shaftstow.

Philip Shaftstow, regardless of the fact

that I'm your Captain...

You will always address

a gentleman as 'Sir', scum.

Aye, sir.

Make your mark.

On board!

Name.

- Adam Mercy, sir.

- Oh, so it's you.

Mercy. That's a comical handle

for a blade of fortune. Mercy!

It's also something the

world needs more of!

A quite and gentle philosopher.

You speak cultured!

Were you by any chance

a stable boy to a noble house?

Perhaps.

I was also Master Gunner to a buccaneer

you may have heard of...

Captain Avery.

Avery's Master Gunner?

We needed a Master Gunner Mr Boyle,

and from what I've heard...

Avery was a shrewd hand

at picking them.

The berth's yours

for as long as you can handle it.

I can handle it.

Swivel gun or long arm, I'll forfeit

a guinea for every miss.

You'll forfeit your neck if you miss

while you're on my ship.

Make your mark.

And you can write!

We'll give you a nice bath!

Then you'll draw a uniform

befitting a Master Gunner.

- On board!

- Next man!

- Name.

- Bartholomew Blivens, sir.

Bartholomew Blivens.

Make your mark!

There's no mask for a treacherous heart

like an honest face...

You keep an eye on him.

Down below!

- Captain aboard?

- He's over there, sir.

Next man!

- That's all, sir. Our complement's full

- Is it?

Holy...!

- I thought you...

- Yes, you thought I was dead!

I can hardly believe my eyes.

You mean you don't want

to believe them.

Come, come Mr Povey,

is that kind or is that fair?

As fair as what you did the day

you abandoned me on a Bahama reef.

Oh please Mr Povey this is not

the time to talk about that.

Oh, it's the time alright!

Unless you want me to go ashore

and tell what I know.

In which case your present voyage is over

before it's begun.

Now, now, now, now, Povey.

Mr Boyle, would you take over, please?

Mr Lorenzo, take the deck watch.

Come to my cabin.

My heart bleeds when I think

of one of your delicate constitution...

Having to fend for yourself

on a coral reef, Mr Povey.

Come off it, Captain.

I know why you marooned me.

You thought there'd be only three

of you to share, instead of four.

It's true!

A hostile wind did blow us

away from your reef!

Between friends, we might

have sailed back again...

But we did exactly what you

would have done, Mr Povey.

So no more of your

sentimental nonsense, please!

Now that we are four again,

what then?

We are not four.

We are two.

Boyle and Lorenzo, dull clods.

Twenty thousand pounds apiece in their

hands would only be spent in sinful ways.

Are you propose to remove them

from the path of temptation.

How?

A knife in the dark?

I am not a violent man, Mr Povey,

I detest violence...

But people have such an awkward habit

of getting in my way...

I am an ambitious man, Mr Povey.

An ambitious man, if he be bold enough,

can carve himself a kingdom.

I want to be a Lord, my friend.

And that for a commoner like myself

takes a deal of money.

And that's why there could be

two less to share.

Before we raise old England again?

You cold-gutted shark.

A flatterer.

Oh, I'm glad you're back in, Mr Povey.

You have no idea how gratifyng it is

to have a congenial soul to confide in.

Thank you.

There's something I want to tell you.

I've left with a trusted friend in

London a sealed letter...

Containing an exact and complete account

of certain previous events...

Only to be open in case,

just in case of course...

You should happen to return

to England without me.

Of course, my dear fellow!

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