The trial of Richard Parker, complete; president of the delegates, for mutiny, &c. on board the Sandwich, and others of His Majesty's ships, at the Nore, in May, 1797. Before a court martial, held on board the Neptune, of 98 guns, laying off Greenhithe, near Gravesend, on Thursday, June 22, 1797, and following days. / Taken in short hand, on board the Neptune, by Job Sibly.

THE TRIAL OF RICHARD PARKER, PRESIDENT of the DELEGATES at the NORE, For Mutiny, &c. By the Command of the Lord High Admiral.

Whereas by a letter from Vice Admiral BUCKNER, in the River Medway, containing information that a most dan|gerous and mutinous assembly was made on board the SANDWICH, and others of his Majesty's ships at the Nore, on the 12th of May last; and whereas it is rep|resented that RICHARD PARKER, belonging to his Majesty's fleet, was at the making of the same; and whereas we think that the said RICHARD PARKER has been active in making such mutinous assemblies, and for such offences as hereafter mentioned, do hereby di|rect a court martial to be made as soon as may be, to inquire into the conduct of the said RICHARD PARKER, for making such mutinous assemblies as aforesaid, on board his Majesty's Fleet at the Nore, and for disobey|ing the lawful orders of the commanders and officers of the said fleet, and treating his superior officers 〈◊〉〈◊〉 disrespect.

The following are the names of the OFFICERS who compose the COURT-MARTIAL.

• Admiral Sir THOMAS PASLEY, Bt. President.
• Sir ERASMUS COWER, NEPTUNE,
• Captain STANHOPE, DITTO,
• Captain WILLIAMSON, AGINCOURT,
• Captain MARKHAM, CENTAUR,
• Captain WELLS, LANCASTER
• Captain Sir J. WILLIAMS, ENDYMION,
• ...

• ... Captain E. RIOU, PRINCESS AUGUSTA,
• Captain Sir F. LAFOREY, Bt. HYDRA,
• Captain KING, SYRIAS,
• Captain LANE, ACASTO,
• Captain PIEREPOINT, NAIAD,
• Captain RAMAGE, PRINCE FREDERICK.

Court, to Prisoner.

Q. WHICH of the witnesses do you wish to be examined first?—A. Admiral Buckner.

Court.

All the witnesses must retire out of court, ex|cept Admiral Buckner.

Admiral BUCKNER, sworn.

Q. Do you know Richard Parker, the Prisoner?—A. I do.

Q. Did the prisoner belong to the Sandwich?—A. He did.

Q. What station was he in?—A. I do not know what capacity he was in.

Q. Repeat what you know of the prisoner's being con|cerned in a mutiny on board the Sandwich, and of any suspected conduct either on board or on shore, on or a|bout the 12th of May, or of any instances of disrespectful language or conduct to his officers during the time this mutiny existed? A. The first time I observed any thing particular in the Prisoner's conduct, (further than pa|rading about with a vast number of people on shore, with a red flag) was, on or about the 20th of May, when I went on board the Sandwich, for the purpose of making known to that ship and other's his Majes|ty's proclamation of pardon, on their returning to their duty, on the terms granted to their brethren at Spit-head, which the Delegates, (among whom was Parker) had previously assured me they would be satisfied with. On my going on board with my flag in a boat, there was no respect shewn me whatever. The officers were then without their side arms, and had no com|mand in the ship. Unwilling to return on shore till an opportunity offered for my speaking to the people, I waited for a considerable time, when Parker, with others, came on the quarter-deck and said, that none

others but themselves, (meaning, I presume, the ship's company) should be present. The prisoner then ten|dered me a paper, containing what he and others called a list of grievances, saying, at the same time, until those were redressed, they would not give up the pow|er that was then in their hands. They insisted also on having it ratified by the Admiralty. Finding my ef|forts to restore order were of no avail, I went on shore. On the 22d, certain troops arrived at Sheerness. On the 23d, my flag was struck on board the Sandwich. On the evening of that day, I was at the Commission|er's house, and while I was inquiring into complaints alledged against two marines, that were brought in by a party of the Military, the Prisoner, and a man whom they called Davis, with three or four others, I believe, came abruptly into the house, and demanded why those men were in custody, telling me at the same time, that my flag was struck—that I had no authority, and that the power was in their hands. They then took the men away, as they said, to trial. An expression made use of by Parker was, that he was not to be intimi|dated. About the 4th of June, I received a letter from Parker, stating him as President of the Commit|tee of Delegates.

Q. Did you receive it from Parker?—A. It was signed with his name: that letter stated, that Admin|istration had acted improperly in stopping the provisions allowed the men, and that the foolish Proclamation was calculated to enflame the minds of honest men.

Q. What Proclamation?—A. The King's Procla|mation, it could be no other, he did not say that; but he meant it. I have given you the detail, and have nothing more particular to relate—I have had frequent conferences with the Prisoner, and many others of them, and talked to them, in order to bring them to a sense of their misconduct, without any good effect; he in general took the lead as the spokesman, with a degree of insolence.

Q. Was there always a degree of insolence?—A. Not always, sometimes there was. He appealed to the rest, whether he was not authorised to speak the sense of the whole, and if it was their wish it should be so;

And even prevented one man in particular, whose name I do not know, from answering a question I had put to him, he prevented him with threats: he turned round and said to him, at the same time. "Hold your tongue; if you do not, I'll take care of you," or words to that effect. While I was on board the Sandwich, I forgot to mention, that I remonstrated with the Prisoner, a|bout keeping those disgraceful ropes called yard-ropes, hanging; but the Delegates, among whom was the Prisoner, refused to remove them. I tried to prevail on them to return to their duty, their answer was, that the ship's company would not suffer them.

Q. Was it with Parker?—A. It was him as well the rest, they were all standing together, the men who styled themselves Delegates.

Q. In your conversations with him, did he ever ap|pear with a degree of insolence?—A. He frequently did, but not uniformly; sometimes with a great deal of modesty, and of apparent respect, but very often otherwise.

Q. Was Lieutenant Justice the officer who brought the report of the mutiny breaking out on the 12th of May?—A. He was the officer who brought the ac|count of the breaking out of the mutiny in the Sand|wich.

The Court wishes Admiral Buckner's Letter to be read (it was ready and two others, the substance of which was stated in Admiral Buckner's evidence.

The following Letter from Richard Parker to Admiral Buckner, was read also.

"Vice Admiral BUCKNER. Sir, I am command|ed to inform you, that we have this day taken the opinion of the Delegates of the Fleet, they universally agree, that the conduct of Administration has been highly improper in slopping the provisions allowed the seamen, and that the foolish Proclamation which we have received, tends only to exasperate the minds of honest men who are serving their country. I am, Sir, Your humble servant, RICHARD PARKER." Sheerness.

Q. Do you believe the letters now read to be origi|nal?—A. I do, I have no reason to doubt it.

Court, to Prisoner. Q. Have you any questions 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ask Admiral Buckner?—A. Yes, I have.

Prisoner PARKER'S Questions.

Q. The Admiral mentions being on board the Sandwich, on the 20th of May, and having been re|ceived with no respect on coming on board; I wish to ask, who was on board first on that day, you or I?A. I believe I was on board first.

Q. I would beg leave to ask, do you think I was the person who caused you to be received with no respect?—A. I meant to say, that I was not received as I ought to be, I was received without a guard; as to the Prisoner, I was on board before him, and they attended me with a number of flags, not red flags, but union. I cannot answer the question the Prisoner puts, because I was on board before him.

Q. Do you deem me to be the person who caused you to be received with no respect?—A. I cannot say.

Q. Admiral Buckner, please to recollect, whether I did not come on the quarter-deck, seeing you was re|ceived without respect, and informed you, (after ask|ing the ship's company why they could be so disgrace|ful as not to cheer their Admiral on coming on board) that it originated entirely in a mistake, but if you would excuse it, and receive it now, the crew would give you three cheers?—A. You did come to me and say, that no disrespect was intended me; some at|tempts, I believe, were made to man the ship, and you did say, that if I would receive it then, the people would man the yards; some attempts were made for that purpose, but by very few, the yard-ropes were hanging then.

Q. Does Admiral Buckner recollect that on going on shore he was attended by the boats of the Sandwich, and some other boats of the fleet, seeing no flag flying?A. When I was going on shore I did not know that my flag was struck: several boats attended me.

The Court advised the Prisoner to invalidate, if he could, by any question, that part of the narrative of Admiral Buckner which stated, that he had released two marines, and told the Admiral that all his authority on board was at an end, that he had no authority, and that the power was in their hands.

The Prisoner put no question to this effect.

The Admiral re-examined by the Court.

Q. When the Prisoner treated you with apparent respect and modesty, was it privately, or publicly be|fore the ship's company?—A. I never had any private conversation with him, and never saw him excepting once before the ship's company. When I saw him it was generally in a parade with a number of men from different ships, calling themselves Delegates.

Q. When the Prisoner came to you to apologize for the want of respect on the part of the people on board, did he appear to influence or command the people?—A. I conceive by his coming to me to make the apology, he must have had some command in the ship. I had no opportunity of making that observation, as immediately after, he left the quarter-deck, and I did not see him again till he came with the paper be|fore mentioned.

Lieutenant JUSTICE, of the SANDWICH, sworn.

Q. Did you hear the charge?—A. Yes.

Q. Do you know the Prisoner?—A. I do.

Q. Did he belong to the Sandwich?—A. I believe he did.

Q. Relate what you know of the Prisoner's conduct during the mutiny?—A. I was turned ashore about Friday, the 12th of May.

Q. By whom?—A. By the crew. About eight o'clock, I gave orders to pipe all hands to breakfast, and at hast part nine, to clear hawse. The ship's com|pany got on the booms and gave three cheers, which was immediately answered by the Director.—They then rove the yard-ropes and pointed the forecastle guns aft; I immediately went forward and remonstrated with them on their conduct; they all answered they wanted their grievances redressed; I told them I would go on shore and inform the Admiral of it.

Q. On the 12th, when the people cheered, were there any particular person that you observed to be a leader of this party. A. On this occasion, I believe, the whole ship's company were engaged, one and all of them.

Q. Do you know any thing of the Prisoner but from the general mutiny?—A. I only know him from the general mutiny.

Q. When he came on the 11th, wit his behaviour respectful?—A. I saw him on the 11th, he delivered me a letter; then his behaviour was respectful.

Q. Did you see him on the forecastle when the guns were pointed aft?—A. I did not.

Q. Was you the Commanding Officer of the Sand|wich on the morning of the 11th and 12th? A. Yes.

Q. Did you read an official paper writing, commu|nicated by Admiral Buckner, representing that a vote of the House of Commons had passed, granting: 372,000l to answer the expenses which the requisi|tions of the seamen made a•• Portsmouth, rendered necessary?—A. Yes, I did myself.

Q. How was it received?—A. With three cheers, as soon as I read it.

Q. On returning to the Sandwich on the morning of the 12th of May, after reporting the mutiny that existed, do you remember acquainting me that the people had given charge of the ship to Mr. Bray, the Master?—A. I think I do.

Q. You must recollect it? A. Yes, I do.

Q. Do you remember order being given to the Mas|ter, from the Committee, or a set of men who had usurped that power, that no officers should interfere with any duty of the ship, but the Master? A. I heard of it as soon as I came on board; I did not hear it myself.

Q. Did you order the boatswain to pipe all hands aft? A. Yes.

Q. Was it obeyed? No.

[Here Captain Moss was proceeding to put ques|tions to shew that every thing had been done to restore discipline, but the Court thought it unnecessary.]

Prisoner PARKER'S Question.

Q. You have said you know nothing individually of me? A. Yes.

Prisoner. Then I have no questions to ask.

Captain O'BRYAN, of the NASSAU, sworn.

Q. Do you know the Prisoner? A. No, I was not on board my ship till the mutiny was over.

Captain FANCOURT, of the AGAMEMNON, sworn.

Q. Do you know the Prisoner? A. No.

Q. Was the Prisoner ever on board of your ship? A. Never to my knowledge.

Captain COBB, of the LION, sworn.

Q. Do you know the Prisoner? A. No.

Q. Was he ever on board your ship? A. Not to my knowledge.

Captain PARR, of the STANDARD, sworn.

Q. Do yon know the Prisoner? A. I never saw him before in my life.

Q. Was he ever on board the Standard? A. Not to my knowledge.

Captain WATSON, of the ISIS, sworn.

Q. Do you know the Prisoner? A. No, I do not.

Q. Was he ever on board the Isis? A. I have heard so, but do not know it.

Captain HARCOURT, of the LEOPARD, sworn.

Q. Do you know the Prisoner? A. No, I do not.

Q. Do you know of his being, on board the Leop|ard? A. No, I do not.

Mr. SNIPE, Surgeon of the SANDWICH, sworn.

Q. Do you know the Prisoner? A. Yes.

Q. Did he belong to the Sandwich when you was Surgeon? A. Yes.

Q. What was the Prisoner on board the Sandwich? A. He was a supernumerary on board.

Q. How long do you recollect him on board? A. Not before the 14th of May.

Q. Repeat what you know of the Prisoner making any mutinous assembly on board the Sandwich, or of any mutinous conduct to you, or any inferior Officer? A. On the afternoon of the 14th of May, I was order|ed

to attend the punishment of one of the seamen on board the Sandwich, whose name was Cammell.

Q. By whom was you ordered to attend? A. By Mr. Bray, the Master, who said it was the Commit|tee's order, that I should attend the punishment: I went on deck, the Prisoner was standing on the gang|way; as soon as the said Cammell was tied up, the Prisoner made a speech to the ship's company, ac|quainting them with the offence, which was drunk|eness, and informed them, that if they violated the laws laid down by the Committee, they would share the same fate.

Q. What do you mean by the Committee? A. By the Committee, I understand the members from the different ships, calling themselves Delegates.

Q. Was the Prisoner one of them? A. Yes, Two or three days after the above circumstance, one of the ship's corporals of the Sandwich, whose name I believe is Wilson, came to me with orders from the Committee, that I should go between decks, as there was a man in irons who was very ill with a fever. I went, and saw the person that was then in irons, and I immediately desired the said ship's corporal to go to the Committee, and say that it was absolutely necessa|ry for the prisoner to be taken out of irons, and re|moved into the sick birth. He returned with an an|swer, that it was the Committee's order that I should make the report in person. I accordingly went to the starboard bay, on the lower deck, and there found a vast crowd of people assembled. I asked whom I was to address? The Prisoner, Parker, desired me to ad|dress him. I told him it was necessary to remove the sick man, who was in irons: he said,

It is not our intention to interfere with you at all; you may do with the sick whatever you think proper.

When I was leaving what they called the Committee-room, one of the people, whom I supposed to be a Delegate, said "Take off your hat, Sir." Then I turned round to see if I could recognize any of the Sandwich's peo|ple; and some one said, "Be gone." It was not the prisoner, however.

Q. Who was he under confinement by? A. I know he was not under confinement by the Officers of the ship.

Q. Had you ever received an answer from Parker with respect to the sick? A. I generally received a similar answer from Parker, "Do as you please with the sick." I sent to the Committee for permission to go on shore.

Q. By whom? A. By Davis, who was then a com|manding Officer in the ship, (as I understood) upon the quarter-deck. I was ordered by Davis to attend the Com|mittee, and I then asked their permission to go on shore, as I had found some sick on board, that wanted to go into the Hospital. The Prisoner, Parker, recom|mended to the Committee to allow me to go, on con|dition I should return the next morning; and I told them, I would use my influence with Admiral Buck|ner, with respect to the sick. I went ashore, and never returned, till the ship was under the command of the regular officers. One day, some time in May, during the mutiny, when Capt. Moss was speaking to the Prisoner on deck, and remonstrating with him on the many improprieties which the men, then in a state of mutiny, were committing, the prisoner said, that "till their grievances were redressed, they would not one of them shrink," or words to that effect, if they did, he was certain they would be run up there, point|ing to the yard arm, where the ropes were reeved.

Q. In all your visits to those people, did you under|stand that he was the leading man? A. I understood him to be the President of them.

Q. You found the Prisoner haranguing; did he seem to direct the proceedings? A. Parker ordered the Boatswain's Mate to do his duty, and give twelve lashes.

Q. Did Parker order the punishment and the num|ber of lashes? A. Yes, he did.

Q. In what capacity does the witness mean to say that Davis acted? A. I understood that Davis offi|ciated as Captain of the ship.

Q. When did these facts take place? A. The pun|ishment was on the 14th of May.

Q. When you understood Davis acted is Captain, how did you understand the prisoner to act? A. As President of the Committee, and it was generally so understood.

Q. Do you recollect where the Prisoner was sitting, when you went into the Committee-room, and what station he seemed to hold? A. He was sitting at the head of the table, and acted as President.

Q. Did he not act as leading man and President on all occasions? A. Yes, he did, when I saw him.

Q. Do you remember the day when the Admiral's flag was hauled down? A. I do not immediately re|collect the day of the month, but I recollect being on deck, and that it was not up; I did not see it hauled down, but I saw the red flag in its place. When I saw the red flag flying, it struck me as the most daring outrage I had ever seen in the course of my life.

Q. Did the Prisoner, at the time, give orders to as|semble the people on deck? A. I understood it was by his orders they attended the punishment alluded to; but I never heard him give such orders.

Q. Do you know who took the author by out of Mr. Bray, the master's hands? A. I was not on board then.

Q. By whose orders was Cammell, the sick person, confined, and for what offence? A. By the Mutineers assembled, calling themselves the Committee.

Q. For what offence? A. For drunkeness.

Q. Did the Prisoner at the bar, at the time Captain Moss remonstrated with him, stand with his hat off? A. His hat was on.

Prisoner PARKER'S Questions.

Q. Do you recollect Mr. Bray, the Master, being on the gang-way at Cammell's punishment? A. I do not know whether he was on the gang-way; but he was on dock, somewhere.

Q. Do you recollect Mr. Bray, being consulted on the punishment of Cammell, who got beastly drunk with small-beer? A. I do not.

Q. When you mentioned my pointing to the yard-ropes, and saying I was sure no one would shrink; that if they did, they would go to the yard-arm; did you suppose I meant any thing else, than that, if the people called Delegates, were to propose such a thing to the ship's company, that they themselves (the Dele|gates) would be the sacrifice alluded to? [A Member of the Court observed, that the prisoner should be cautious what questions he put, as they might crimi|nate himself.] The question was withdrawn.

Captain SURIDGE, of the IRIS, sworn.

Q. Do you know the Prisoner? A. I have seen him before, several time.

Q. Have you ever had any conversation with him? A. No, I never had any conversation with him myself.

Q. Was he ever on board the Iris, to your knowl|edge? A. No, not to my knowledge: I have been present at conversations between him and Admiral Buckner, and Commissioner Hartwell, at Sheerness.

There was a band of music playing, and they parad|ed through the town of Sheerness, with a red flag, he and another man that I know, were generally foremost: I have seen him parading with the red flag, both in a boat and on shore. At one of the conversations at Commissioner Hartwell's house, as near as I can re|collect, the Prisoner said, he envied no officer his com|mand, as he experienced many difficulties and troubles in the situation in which he was placed. He was at that time, apparently modest and respectful. The last time he was ashore, I saw him land with two other Delegates, one from the Nassau, the other from the Standard, a paper was given to Commissioner Hart|well, in the name of the Delegates of the North Sea Fleet, as containing their demands; on reading it, the Commissioner told the Prisoner, he was sorry it con|tained so much matter, as he could not think of going to London with it, but had they confined themselves to the articles they had shewn him before, he would have gone to the Admiralty with them, and that if they were determined to insist on those last Articles, it would be unnecessary for him to take any farther trouble in the

business. I do not remember the reply of the Prison|er. I believe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Prisoner went away, with a resolu|tion not to come back again.

Q. When you saw the Prisoner passing in the boat with the red flag flying, did you see any other persons sitting or standing with him, besides the band of mu|sic?—A. There were others.

Prisoner PARKER'S Questions.

Q. Do you recollect that I desired Commissioner Hartwell to converse with those Delegates of the North Sea Fleet, and endeavour to convince them, as the 〈…〉〈…〉 Articles that were objected to, the Fleet at the Nor•• had nothing to do with, as they were presented, by the North Sea Fleet?—A. I do not.

Q. Was you there all the time?—A. Not the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 time.

Q. Did you join in the conversation?—A; I desired the Delegates to consider well what they were about.

Q. Do you recollect I said that the conversation would come better from them, who were the North Sea Fleet Delegates, as they presented the articles ob|jected to?—A. I do not recollect.

Captain DICKSON, of L'ESPION, sworn.

Q. Do you know the Prisoner, and have you heard the charge against him?—A. I have heard that the Prisoner belongs to the Sandwich, and I have heard the charge.

Q. Relate what you know of the charge?—A. I remember well, on or about the 20th of May, that Admiral Buckner flag was hoisted in the bow of the boat; he was in full uniform, and I accompanied him to the ships at the Great Nore, in order to intimate his Majesty's most gracious pardon to the crews of the several vessels under his command. In going on board the Sandwich, he was received without any respect due to his rank as a Flag Officer. Instead of accepting the pardon, the Prisoner held in his hand several new propositions to be redressed, under the head of Griev|ances, The Admiral was detained upwards of three hours on board, in consequence of the ship's compa|nies

not coming to a determination respecting the prop|ositions, at the end of which time, they were present|ed by the Prisoner to Admiral Buckner, in his cabin. The Admiral returned on shore, and was suffered to de|part without the respect due to his rank, the man-ropes were on the yards, and the yard-ropes reeved, and the Admiral treated with much disrespect, for which the Officers appeared extremely concerned, not having it in their power to treat their Admiral with the proper and usual respect. I considered, therefore, the crew to be in a high state of mutiny; several days after, I was at Commissioner Hartwell's house, the Admiral was there, it was reported to him, that two marines had been brought to the guard-house for examination, by the military. As I then stood at the fore-door, I saw the Prisoner, who asked me, if the Commissioner could be spoken with; my answer was, I believed he was to be spoken with. The Prisoner came in, accompa|nied by one Davis, and demanded to know the reason why the soldiers had brought the marines there. The Admiral asked him what right he had to make such a demand; the Prisoner said, "I am not to be intimidat|ed—your flag is struck, you have no authority here. I or We, (I do not recollect positively which) command the fleet." Parker immediately took out a paper, and put questions to the marines; to one in particular. He was suffered to interrogate them and carry them away. During this last interview with Admiral Buckner, the Prisoner behaved with the most daring insolence and contempt. I have frequently seen the Prisoner head a body of men, whom they call Delegates of the fleet, and pass and repass Commissioner Hartwell's house, with a red flag displayed in their procession.

Prisoner PARKER'S Question.

Q. Do you recollect when you came on board with Admiral Buckner, whether I did not go between decks to exhort the men to treat the Admiral with pro|per respect, as well as to apologize for their not doing it?

[Here the Court observed that the tendency of this question, was to shew that he had the command of the ship, the question was therefore withdrawn.]

The Witness examined again by the Court.

Q. Do you recollect any other particulars of the conversation between the Admiral and the Prisoner?—A. The Admiral told him he could not take the propo|sals to London, and could do no more in the business.

Q. Do you recollect when you went with Admi|ral Buckner, any conversation between him and the Prisoner, at the time you formerly mentioned?—A. I recollect that Admiral Buckner told them, that as he, the Prisoner, and the Delegates had pledged them|selves to abide by the same regulations their brethren at Spithead had been satisfied with, he was astonished to find that new propositions were advanced, and was certain they could not be granted, at which the Prison|er, and five other Delegates with him find, it was the determination of the ship's company to abide by the latter propositions; the Prisoner said, the ship's com|pany authorized him, that was the meaning, if not the direct words.

END OF THE FIRST DAY'S TRIAL.