Crossbones Episode 1.07 Beggarman

Lowe checks on Blackbeard's status - the fever's subsided, but he still lays asleep, perhaps a sign of a due recovery. This marks good news for Lowe, since his own life hinges on the commodore's as the entire island now wishes for an excuse to lynch the recently outed spy. Even Kate issues him a warning, and her coldness indicates that he has burned every allegiance, save Fletch.

But Blackbeard's deep sleep sends him into a dark memory from eight years prior - confined to a prison cell and face-to-face with Jagger. The imprisoned Blackbeard never speaks, never sleeps and never eats - all he does is listen to Jagger's pointed story about how Blackbeard's wife Antoinette went mad and tossed their children over a cliff. Later, a young Charlie Rider breaks his captain out of the cell and Blackbeard shares one fleeting moment with Antoinette... who speaks in gibberish, almost unaware of her husband's presence.

Back on Santa Campana, Nelly, one of Rose's confidants, seeks out Lowe for help. She explains Rose's weeklong absence - and produces a letter Rose insisted Nelly release if she encountered harm. Lowe reads the letter and discovers it serves as an indictment of Nenna's theft. Problem is, Nenna followed Nelly, and she wants the letter, despite a reasonable offer from Lowe to keep the whole thing quiet. She vows to kill him for the letter, but Lowe manages to hide it from her before she moves to Plan B - framing him for Rose's murder.

With Balfour's help strategizing, Nenna trashes her own lodging and severs her finger, an item Rider finds, and he immediately suspects Lowe as the culprit. He tracks down the physician and chains him to the Santa Campana square. Lowe recognizes it as a set-up (and admires Nenna's commitment to the farce), but Rider refuses to see beyond his own rage. While Lowe toils away, Fletch begs Balfour and Kate to believe in Lowe's innocence, until Balfour reveals a reason to stop - Lowe is the very man who arrested and tortured him. He exposes Lowe's history as a spymaster protected by his codename "Beggarman" and a laundry list of those tortured and imprisoned in his wake. This spurs Fletch to clear his friend's name, and he retrieves the hidden letter to prove Lowe's innocence. Except once Fletch leaves, Balfour burns the letter - and in Santa Campana square, Rider lays Rose's dead body at Lowe's feet and makes the official announcement: Lowe is sentenced to death for her murder.

As the square prepares to watch Lowe's public beheading, Fletch pleads with Balfour to reconsider and accuses the once-noble man of betrayal. Balfour caves to Fletch and stops the execution, admitting to aiding in Nenna's escape and framing Lowe for the murder. Rider releases Lowe, but in accordance with the law, he must serve up 40 lashes to Balfour. Kate's husband appears at peace with the judgment, despite the fact the lashes will likely result in his own death. To the crowd's shock, Lowe steps in and offers to take the whipping in Balfour's stead, a move that would right Lowe's past wrongs. Rider allows the exchange and proceeds to whip Lowe into a weakened, helpless state of agony - an image not lost on the pirates who bear witness. They set Lowe free early and drag him toward his lodging where Fletch will tend to his wounds... and a very awake Blackbeard stands, clearly informed of all that occurred during his slumber.

And he seems unhappy.