Pirates

PIRATES

C. LOVAT FRASER

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THE LIVES AND ADVENTURES

OF SUNDRY
NOTORIOUS PIRATES

CAPTAIN AVERY

PI RATES

With, o Foreword a*d JUA dry D ecora t i ens %y

C. Lovat Fraser

NEW YORK:

ROBERT M. McBRIDE AND COMPANY

1922

i '- NEW YORK

*aC LIBRARY

£

ASTOR LENOX AND
TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
O

first American Kdition
Printed in t>'t United States of America

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Printed in Great Britain by billing and Sons, Ltd., Guildford and Esher.

CONTENTS

Foreword vii

The Life of Captain Avery 1

Captain John Rackham, and his Crew 17

Captain Spriggs, and his Crew 29

Captain Edward Lowe, and his Crew 37

Captain George Lowther, and his Crew 51

Captain Anstis, and his Crew 65

Captain John Phjllips, and , his, Crew 77

Captain Teach; 'alias Blackboard 87

Major Stede Bcuinet,; mvd his Crew 101

Captain William JCijd. .-. • : 117

Captain Edward* England, and his Crew 135
Captain John Gow, alias Smith, and his Crew 145

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Captain Avery
Captain John Rackham
Captain Edward Lowe
Captain Teach
Major Stede Bonnet
Captain William Kid
Captain Edward England
Captain John Gow

frontispiece

facing page 19

39

89

103

119

137

147

VI

FOREWORD

TIME, though a good Collector, is not
always a reliable Historian. That is to say,
that although nothing of interest or impor-
tance is lost, yet an affair may be occasionally
invested with a glamour that is not wholly
its own. I venture to think that Piracy has
fortuned in this particular. We are apt to
base our ideas of Piracy on the somewhat
vague ambitions of our childhood; and I
suppose, were such a thing possible, the
consensus of opinion in our nurseries as
to a future profession in life would place
Piracy but little below the glittering heights
of the police force and engine-driving.
Incapable of forgetting this in more mature
years, are we not inclined to deck Her (the

Vll

FOREWORD

"H" capital, for I speak of an ideal), if not
in purple and fine linen, at least with a lavish
display of tinsel and gilt? Nursery lore
remains with us, whether we would or not,
for all our lives ; and generations of ourselves,
as schoolboys and pre-schoolboys, have
tricked out Piracy in so resplendent a dress
that she has fairly ousted in our affections, not
only her sister profession of "High Toby
and the Road," but every other splendid and
villainous vocation. Yet Teach, Kid, and
Avery were as terrible or grim as Duval,
Turpin, and Sheppard were courtly or whim-
sical. And the terrible is a more vital
affair than the whimsical. Is it, then, un-
natural that, after a lapse of nigh on two
centuries, we should shake our wise heads
and allow that which is still nursery within
us to deplore the loss of those days when
we ran — before a favouring "Trade" — the
very good chance of being robbed, maimed,
or murdered by Captain Howel Davis or
Captain Neil Gow? It is as well to re-
member that the "Captains' in this book
were seamen whose sole qualifications to the

• • •
Vlll

FOREWORD

title were ready wit, a clear head, and,
maybe, that certain indefinable " power of
the eye" that is the birth-right of all true
leaders. The piratical hero of our child-
hood is traceable in a great extent to the
'thrillers," toy plays, and penny theatres
of our grandfathers. Here our Pirate was,
as often as not, a noble, dignified, if gloomy
gentleman, with a leaning to Byronic soli-
loquy. Though stern in exterior, his heart
could (and would) melt at the distresses of
the heroine. Elvira's eyes were certain to
awaken in his mind the recollection of
"other eyes as innocent as thine, child." In
short, he was that most touching of all beings,
the Hero-cum-Villain. And it was with a sigh
of relief that we saw him at the eleventh hour,
having successfully twitted the " Government
Men' and the Excise (should he have an
additional penchant for smuggling), safely
restored to the arms of the long-suffering
possessor of the other eyes.

Alas ! this little book mentions no Poll
of Portsmouth, nor does it favour us with
a "Yeo, heave, oh!" nor is there so very

ix

FOREWORD

much "cut and thrust" about it. It was
written in that uninspiring day when Pirates
were a very real nuisance to such law-abiding
folk as you and I; but it has the merit of
being written, if not by a Pirate, at least by
one who came into actual contact with them.
I am not at all sure that "merit" is the
right word to use in this instance, for to be
a Pirate does not necessarily ensure you
making a good author. Indeed, it might
almost be considered as a ban to the fine
literary technique of an Addison or a
Temple. It has, however, the virtue of
being in close touch with some of the hap-
penings chronicled. Not that our author
saw above a tithe of what he records — had
he done so he would have been " set a-sun-
drying' at Execution Dock long before he
had had the opportunity of putting pen to
paper; but, as far as posterity was con-
cerned, he was lucky in his friend William
Ingram — evidently a fellow of good memory
and a ready tongue — "who," as our author
states in his Preface, "was a Pirate under
Anstis, Roberts, and many others," and who

FOREWORD

eventually was hanged in good piratical
company on the llth of June, 1714.

The actual history of the little book, the
major part of which is here reprinted, is
as follows :

Its full title is " The History and Lives
of all the most Notorious Pirates and their
Crews," and the fifth edition, from which
our text is taken, was printed in 1735. A
reproduction of the original title-page is given
overleaf.

As a matter oi fact, the title is misleading.
How could a book that makes no mention
of Morgan or Lollonois be a history of all
the most notorious Pirates? It deals with
the last few years of the seventeenth century
and the first quarter of the eighteenth, a
period that might with justice be called
"The Decline and Fall of Piracy," for
after 1730 Piracy became but a mean
broken-backed affair that bordered peri-
lously on mere sea-pilfering.

A little research into the book's history
shows us that it is consistent throughout, and
that it is a " piracy," in the publisher's sense

xi

THE

HISTORY and LIVES

Of all the mofl Notorious

PIRATES'

AND THEIR

CREWS;

From Capt. AVERY, who firft fettled at

to Captain John GOVJ, and

Williams; liis Lieutenant, &c. who were hang &
at Execution Dock, Jnat t,. 171^, lor Piracy a"d
Murthcr; and afterwards hang'd in Chains be-
e-wee n Blackwall and Deptford. And in this £d'-
tit»n continued down to the prefcnt Ycai I7JS-
Giving a mote full and true Account than any yc*
Tublifh'd, of all their Murthers, Piracies, Maroon-
ings, Places of Refuge, and Ways "f Living.

tE&e jFiftlj CUition.

Adorned with Twenty Beautiful CWTS, being th:
Reprefenratio'.i of each Pirate.

To which is prefixed,
<An j4b(lratt of the L*ws againft Piracy.

LONDON:

Printed f<v A. Bettefworth and C. Hitcb^ at the
Red Ljon in Patcr.nofler-Row -, R. Ware, st the
Sun and !?*£/(? m Amen-Corner ; and 7-
ai the Leokiag-glajs on Londan-biuige,

XII

FOREWORD

of the word, of a much larger and more pre-
tentious work by Captain Charles Johnson,
entitled, " A General History of the Pyrates
from their first Rise and Settlement in the
Island of Providence to the Present Time;
With the Remarkable Actions and Adven-
tures of the two Female Pyrates Mary
Read and Anne Bonny."

This was published in London, in 8vo.,
by Charles Rivington in 1724. A second
edition, considerably augmented, was issued
later in the same year, a third edition in the
year following, and a fourth edition— in
two volumes, as considerable additions in the
form of extra "Lives," and an appendix
necessitated a further volume — in 1725.

This two-volume edition contained the
history of the following Pirates: Avery,
Martel, Teach, Bonnet, England, Vane,
Rackham, Davis, Roberts, Anstis, Morley,
Lowther, Low, Evans, Phillips, Spriggs,
Smith, Misson, Bowen, Kid, Tew, Halsey,
White, Condent, Bellamy, Fly, Howard,
Lewis, Cornelius, Williams, Burgess, and
North, together with a short abstract on

xiii

FOREWORD

the Statute and Civil Law in relation to
" Pyracy," and an appendix, completing the
Lives in the first volume, and correcting
some mistakes.

The work evidently enjoyed a great
vogue, for it was translated into Dutch by
Robert Hannebo, of Amsterdam, in 1727,
and issued there, with several "new illus-
trations," in 12mo. A German version by
Joachim Meyer was printed at Gosslar in
the following year, while in France it saw
the light as an appendix to an edition of
Esquemeling's "Histoire des Avanturiers,"
1726.

But little is known of the author, Captain
Charles Johnson, excepting that he flour-
ished from 1724 to 1736, and it is more than
probable that the name by which we know
him is an assumed one. It is possible that
his knowledge of Pirates and Piracy was
of such a nature to have justified awkward
investigations on the part of His Majesty's
Government.

There is one thing that we do know for
certain about him, and that is that the worthy

xiv

FOREWORD

Captain's spelling, according to the pirated
version of his book, was indefinite even for
his own day. He was one of those inspired
folk who would be quite capable of spelling
"schooner" with three variations in as many
lines. In this edition the spelling has been
more or less modernized.

Lastly, it is to be remembered that the
ships of this period, according to our modern
ideas, would be the veriest cockle-shells, and
so that we should know what manner of
vessel he refers to in these pages, I had
recourse to a friend of mine whose know-
ledge of things nautical is extensive enough
to have gained for him the coveted " Extra
Master's Certificate," and who was kind
enough to supply me with the following
definitions :

SLOOP.

A veiscl rifled a» • cutter, but with one head-tail only set on •

very short bowsprit.

XV

FOREWORD

SCHOONER. TOPSAIL SCHOONER.

Two-masted vessels, fore and aft rigged, sometimes having square topsails on

the fore-mast.

BRIGANTINE.
A two-masted vessel, square rigged on fore-mast.

GALLEY.
A large vessel rowed by oars and sometimes having auxiliary sail of various rigs.

PINK.
Probably a small, fast vessel used as a tender and despatch boat for river work.

SNOW.

A two-masted vessel with a stay, known as a " Horse," from the main-mast to the
poop on which the trysail was set. Sometimes a spar was fitted instead of a stay.
The rig was most likely of a brig (i.e., a two-masted ship, square sails on both
masts), and the triangular trysail set on the stay in bad weather or when hove to*

Cu L. P*

xvi

THE LIFE OF
CAPTAIN AVERY

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN AVERY

HE was the son of John Avery, a victualler
near Plymouth, in Devonshire, who in a few
years was grown as opulent in his purse as
in his body, by scoring two for one; and
when he had so done, drinking the most of
the liquor himself. By which means, and
having a handsome wife, who knew her busi-
ness as well as if she had been brought up to
it from a child (which, indeed, she mostly
was, her mother keeping the House before
she married Mr. Avery), they soon became
very rich and very able to give credit to a
whole ship's crew upon their tickets, which
in those days were sold for less than half
their value.

Having but one child (afterwards the

3

PIRATES

Captain), they at first resolved to bring him
up a scholar, that he might advance the
dignity of the family. But instead of learn-
ing his book, he was taught by such com-
panions that he could soon swear to every
point of his compass, which was a very
diverting scene for the Boatswain and his
crew, who were then drinking in the kitchen,
having just received ten pounds apiece short
allowance money on board the Revenge,
every farthing of which they spent before
leaving the house.

But as soon as their money was spent,
they wTere all like to have been imprisoned
by their Landlady for a riot, as she called it,
so they were soon glad to sheer off, and he
thought himself happiest that could get first
aboard. Indeed, it would have been happy
for them if they had, for the ship was un-
moored and gone to sea; which put the
Boatswain and his crew swearing in earnest,
and not knowing what to do, they resolved
to return to their Landlady, Mrs. Avery,
at "the Sign of the Defiance" But she
shut them out of doors, calling them a

4

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN A VERY

parcel of beggarly rascals, and swearing that
if they would not go from the door she
would send for the Constable ; and notwith-
standing all the entreaties and tears of her
only son, who was then about six years of age,
she could not be prevailed upon to let them
in, so they were obliged to stroll about the
street all night. In the morning, spying the
ship at anchor, being driven back by contrary
winds, they resolved to make the best of
their way aboard; but on the way, whom
should they meet but young Avery, wrho
had no sooner seen them, but he cried after
them. " Zounds," says the Boatswain, " let's
take the young dog aboard, and his mother
shall soon be glad to adjust the reckoning
more to our satisfaction before she shall
have her son."

This was agreed upon by all hands, and
the boy was as willing as any of them. So,
stepping into . ie Soat, in about an hour's
time they reached the ship, which they had
no soont. boarded but they were brought
before the Captain, who, being in want of

hands, contented himself with bidding them

5

PIRATES

all go to their business ; for the wind turned
about, and there was occasion for all hands
to be at work to carry out the ship.

All this while young Avery was at the
heels of the Boatswain, and was observed to
swear two oaths to one of the Boatswain's ;
which being soon observed by the Captain,
he inquired who brought that young rascal
aboard.

To which the Boatswain replied that he
did, that the boy's mother was his Landlady
on shore, and he had taken him up in jest,
but was afraid that they would now have to
keep him in earnest.

When the hurry was a little over, the
Captain commanded the boy to be brought
to him in his cabin. He had not talked long
to him before he took a fancy to him, telling
him that if he would be a good boy, he
should live with him.

He, being a mighty lover of children,
would often divert himself by talking to the
boy, till at length he took such a fancy to him,
that he ordered him a little hammock in his
own cabin, and none were so great as the

G

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN AVERY

Captain and his boy Avery, which had like
to have proved very fatal to him ; for Avery
one night, observing the Captain to be very
drunk with some passengers that were on
board, got a lighted match and had like to
have blown up the ship, had not the Gunner
happened accidentally to follow him into
the store-room. This made the Captain
ever after very shy of his new Acquaintance,
and Avery, after he had been well whipped,
was ordered down into the hold, where he
remained until they arrived at Carolina,
which happened four or five days after.

The boy was given to a merchant, who,
taking a fancy to him, put him to school ; but
he made so little progress in learning, and
committed so many unlucky tricks, that the
merchant, in about three years, shipped him
off to his friends at Plymouth on board the
Nonesuch, where he was no sooner arrived
but his mother was overjoyed with the sight
of her son, his father being dead about a
month before his arrival.

And, indeed, it was thought the loss of
their son broke his heart, for it was observed

7

PIRATES

the father never held up his head after, the
neighbours often reflecting upon him for his
ill-usage of the seamen, who had spent so
much money at his house; saying he could
never expect that all his ill-gotten riches
could prosper him, which so happened, as
you shall hear presently. For his mother,
dying soon after, the boy was left under
the guardianship of one Mr. Lightfoot, a
merchant, who, having great losses at sea,
became a bankrupt, and so young Avery
was left to look out after himself; there he
continued for many years in pilfering and
stealing till the country was too hot for him,
when he betook him to sea again, where in
time he became as famous for robbing as
Cromwell for rebellion.

He entered himself on board the Duke,
Captain Gibson Commander, being one of
the two ships of twenty-four guns and one
hundred men which were fitted out by the
merchants of Bristol for the service of Spain,
which they had no sooner done, but they
were ordered by their agents at Bristol to
sail for the Groyne to receive their orders.

8

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN AVERY

On board one of which ships Avery,
being at this time above twenty years old,
entered himself, where he had not been long
before he observed the Captain was much
addicted to drunkenness.

He endeavoured to spirit up not only his
own ship's crew, but having also given the
word to part of the other ship's crew, the
conspirators gave the signal.

At which the Duchess, as the other ship
was named, put off her longboat; which
the conspirators hailing were answered
by the men in the boat, " Is your drunken
Boatswain on board?" This being the
word agreed upon, Avery answered,
" All is safe ;" upon which twenty lusty
fellows came aboard and joined them,
which they had no sooner done but they
secured the hatches and went to work,
putting to sea without any disorder, although
there were several ships in the bay, amongst
whom was a frigate of forty-four guns.

The Captain, by this time being awaked
by the noise of the conspirators working
the ship, rung the bell, inquiring what was

9

PIRATES

the matter, to whom Avery and some of the
crew replied, " Nothing. Are you mutinous
in your cups? Can't you lie down, sleep>
and be quiet?"

"No," saith the Captain. "I am sure
something's the matter with the ship. Does
she drive? What weather is it? Is it a
storm ?"

Saith Avery: " Cannot you lie quiet while
you are quiet ? I tell you all's well ; we are
at sea in a fair wind and good weather."

"At sea," saith the Captain; "that can't
be."

"Be not frightened," saith Avery, "and
I'll tell you. You must note, I am now the
Captain of the ship ; nay, you must turn
out, for this is my cabin, and I am bound
for Madagascar, to make my own fortune
as well as my companions."

The Captain, being more terrified than
ever, did not know what to say, which Avery
perceiving, bid him take heart. "For,"
saith he, "if you will join me and these
brave fellows, my companions, in time you

may get some post under me. If not,

10

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN AVERY

step into the longboat and get about your
business."

This the Captain was glad to hear, but
yet began to expostulate with them upon
the injustice of such doings. Saith Avery:
"What do I care? Every man for himself.
Gome, come, Captain, if you will go, get
you gone; the longboat waits for you, and
if there be any more cowards in the ship,
you may all go together." Which words so
affrighted the whole crew, that there was
not above nine or ten of them that durst
venture, who made the best of their way to
the shore as fast as they could, and thought
they were well off.

The Captain was no sooner gone, but
they called a Council, which agreed to
own Avery as their Captain; which he
accepted of with all humility imaginable,
seeming to excuse himself on account of
his inexperience at sea. But he did it so
artfully that it more confirmed them in the
good opinion of their choice. " Gentlemen,"
said he, " what we have done we must live

or die by; let us all be hearty and of one

11

PIRATES

mind, and I don't question but we shall
make our fortune in a little time. I propose
that we sail first to Madagascar, where we
may settle a correspondence, in order to
secure our retreats, whenever we think fit
to lie by."

To which they all agreed, " Nemine con-
tradicente."

" But hold," saith Avery ; " it is necessary
that we make some order among us, for the
better governing of the ship's crew." Which
were in a few days drawn up by the clerk of
the ship.

And Avery promising them vast things,
they all came into them at last, although
some things went very much against the
grain of many of them.

It took up all their spare time till they
arrived at Madagascar, where they saw a
Ship lying at the N.E. part of the Island,
with wrhich the men had run away from New
England; and seeing Avery, they supposed
that he had been sent after them to take
them, but Avery soon undeceived them, and
promised them protection; therefore they

12

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN AVERY

resolved to sail together. In the whole com-
pany, there was not above ten that pretended
to any skill in navigation; for Avery him-
self could neither write nor read very well,
he being chosen Captain of the Duke purely
for his courage and contrivance.

In the latitude of Descada, one of the
Islands, they took two other sloops, which
supplied them with provisions, and then they
agreed to proceed to the West Indies;
and coming to Barbadoes, they fell in with
a ship for London with twelve guns, from
which they took some clothes and money,
ten barrels of powder, ten casks of beef, and
several other goods, and five of her men, and
then let her go. From thence he went to
the Island of Dominica* and watered ; there
he met with six Englishmen, who willingly
entered with Avery. They stayed not long
before they sailed for the Granada Island to
clean their ships ; which being known to
the French Colony, the Governor of Mar-
tenico sent four sloops well manned after
them. But they stayed there not long, but
made the best of their way for Newfound-

13

PIRATES

land, entering the harbour of Trepasse with
black colours, drums beating, and trumpets
sounding.

It is impossible to relate the havoc they
made there, burning all before them. When
they left Newfoundland they sailed for the
West Indies, and from thence to the Island
Descada, it being judged the most convenient
place, at that time of the year, to meet with
a rich booty.

From hence they steered towards the
Arabian Coast, near the River Indus, where,
spying a sail, they gave chase. At their near
approach she hoisted Mogul colours and
seemed as if she would stand upon her
defence, whilst Avery contented himself by
cannonading her at a distance, which made
many of his men begin to mutiny, thinking
him a coward.

But Avery knew better, and command-
ing his sloops to attack her, one in the Bow,
and the rest on the Quarter, clapt her on
board, upon which she struck her colours
and yielded. Aboard her was one of the
Mogul's own daughters, with several persons

14

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN AVERY

of distinction, who were carrying rich offer-
ings of jewels and other valuable presents
to Mecca; which booty was the more con-
siderable, because these people always travel
with great magnificence, having all their
slaves and attendants always with them,
besides jewels and great sums of money to
defray the charges. But Avery, not content
with this, seized the young Princess, and
taking her with him into his own ship,
made the best of his way to Madagascar,
where she soon broke her heart and died.
Also her father, the Great Mogul, did no
sooner hear of it but he threatened all
Europe with revenge. And when he knew
they were Englishmen who had captured
his daughter and robbed him, he threatened
to send a mighty army, with fire and sword,
to extirpate all the English from their settle-
ments on the Indian Coasts, which gave no
small uneasiness to the Indian Company at
London, when they heard of it.

15

CAPTAIN JOHN RACKHAM,
AND HIS CREW

CAPTAIN JOHN. RACKHAM

CAPTAIN JOHN RACKHAM,
AND HIS CREW

JOHN RACKHAM was Quarter - Master to
Vane's Company, till Vane was turned out
for not fighting the French Man-of-War,
and Rackham put in Captain in his place,
which happened about the 24th day of
November, 1718. His first cruise was
among the Caribbe Islands, where he took
and plundered several vessels. Afterwards,
to the windward of Jamaica, he fell in with
a Madeira Man, which he detained till he
had made his market out of her, and then
restored her to her Master, suffering Hosea
Tisdel, a tavern-keeper at Jamaica, whom he
had taken among his Prizes, to go aboard
her, she being bound for that Island.

Afterwards he sailed towards the Island

19

PIRATES

Bermuda, where he took a Ship bound to
England from Carolina, and a small Ship
from New England, both* which he carried
to the Bahama Islands, and there clean'd.
But staying too long in that Neighbour-
hood, Captain Rogers sent out a Sloop well
mann'd, which retook both the Prizes, the
Pirate making his Escape.

From hence they proceeded to the Back
of Cuba, where Rackham staid a long Time
with his Delilahs, till their Provision was
consumed, when he concluded it Time to
look out for more. As he was putting
to Sea, a Gar da del Costa came in with a
small English Sloop, which he had taken
as an interloper on that coast. The
Spaniards seeing the Pirate, attacked her;
but finding he could not come to her that
night, because she lay close behind a little
island, he warps into the channel, to make
sure of her in the morning. Upon this
Rackham took his Grew into the Boat, with
their pistols and cutlasses, and falls aboard
the Spaniards in the night, without being

discovered, telling them, if they spoke a

20

CAPTAIN JOHN RAGKHAM, AND HIS GREW

word they were dead men : And so ship-
ping their cables, drove out to sea, com-
manding them to take the Boat, and go
aboard their Sloop immediately, or else they
were all dead men. Afterwards they waking
the Captain and his men in the Hammocks,
who rose full of their expectation of the
Prizes, they sent them aboard their empty
Sloop.

In the Beginning of September, they went
off of the French part of Hispaniola, where
they took two or three Frenchmen on board,
that were looking after some cattle grazing
near the waterside. Then plundered two
Sloops, they returned to Jamaica, where
they took a Schooner.

Rackham continuing about this Island
longer than a Man of his business ought
to have done, gave time to a Canoe, which
he had surprised in Ocho Bay, to inform
the Governor of Jamaica of his civilities
to all he met with going or coming from
the Island. Thereupon a Sloop was sent
out in quest of him, well mann'd and arm'd,
under Captain Barnet, to repay him for all

21

PIRATES

his good-natured Actions, and, if possible,
to bring him into the Island. In the mean
Time Rackham met, near the Negril Point,
a small Pettiauger, which, upon sight of
him, ran ashore, and landed her Men; but
Rackham hailing them, desired the Pet-
tiauger's men to come aboard him, and
drink a bowel of punch; swearing, They
were all Friends and would do no Harm.
Hereupon they agreed to his Request, and
went aboard him, though it proved fatal to
every one of them, they being nine in all.
For, they were no sooner got aboard, and
had laid down their muskets and cutlasses,
in order to take up their pipes, and make
themselves merry with their new acquaint-
ance over a can of Flip, but Captain
Barnefs Sloop was in sight, which soon put
a damp to all their merriment : Finding she
stood directly towards them, they immedi-
ately weighed their anchor and stood off.
Barnet gave them chase, and having the
advantage of the wind, soon came up with
her, gave her a broadside or two, and, after
a very small dispute, took her and his nine

22

CAPTAIN JOHN RAGKHAM, AND HIS CREW

new guests, and brought them all together
into Port-Royal in Jamaica, in about a fort-
night's time.

November the 10th, 1720, a Court of
Admiralty was held at St. Jago de la Vega,
where the following Persons were tried and
convicted of Piracy, and accordingly Sen-
tence of Death was passed upon them by the
Governor, viz.: John Rackham, Captain;
George Fetherstone, Master; Richard Cor-
ner, Quarter - Master ; John Davis, John
Howel, Patrick Carty, Thomas Earle, James
Dobbin, and Noah Harwood; Five of whom
was hang'd the next day at Gallows-point,
and the rest the day after. The three first
were taken and hanged in Chains ; Rackham
at Plumb-point, Fetherstone at Bush-key, and
Corner at Gun-key.

But what was yet more strange was the
conviction of the nine guests, that knew
nothing of the matter, or at least they pre-
tended so ; but the People would not believe
them, because it was proved that they came
on board with pistols and cutlasses: How-
ever, they were so much favoured as to

23

PIRATES

have the Court adjourned to the 24th of
January following, to give a better Account
of themselves than at the time appeared
to the Court: Beside, the Jury also then
wanted sufficient evidence to prove the
piratical intention of going aboard the said
Sloops. The two Frenchmen taken by
Rackham from the Island of Hispaniola,
deposed, That John Eaton, Edward Warner,
Thomas Baker, Thomas Quick, John Cole,
Benjamin Palmer, Walter Rouse, John Han-
son, and John Howard, came on board the
Pirate's Sloop at Negril Point in Jamaica.
Indeed they owned, That at first Sight of
them, they run away from Rackham's Sloop,
but that he hailing them, they returned, and
Rackham sent his canoe ashore to fetch
them aboard him, when they saw them all
armed with guns and cutlasses, which they
brought with them ; and that when they were
chased by Captain Barnet, they were frank
and free, some drinking and walking about
the deck not at all dispirited ; during which
time there was a great gun, and small
arms, fired by the Pirate Sloop at Captain

24

CAPTAIN JOHN RAGKHAM, AND HIS CREW

Barnefs Sloop; but that they could not say
that the Prisoners were any way concerned
in it : However, they were certain that when
Captain Barnefs Sloop fired at Rackham's,
the Prisoners at the Bar went under
Defck, for cowardice, as they supposed ;
not so much as once peeping up during the
time of the whole action : But when
Captain Barnet drew nigh to them to board
them, all of them came up, and helped to row
the sloop, in order to escape from him :
And that Rackhanfs Men and they seemed
to agree very well together, and that they
did verily believe they were all of a Party,
having heard them say, when they came on
board, They liked them never the worse for
being Pirates, since they were all honest Boys,
and loved their Bottles.

To which the Prisoners answered, in their
own Defence ; That they were a great way
off from friends and acquaintance, and,
therefore it was impossible to have any one
to give an account of them. That they
were very honest pains-taking men, and
came out to go a-turtling to provide for

25

PIRATES

their families ; accordingly going ashore at
Negril Point they saw a Sloop, with a
white pendant, making towards them,
whereupon they took up their arms, which
were no other but what all people carry
upon such occasions, and ran into the
woods, to hide themselves among the
bushes, not knowing what she might be.
But when they hailed them and told them
they were Englishmen, they ventured out,
and came aboard them, as they desired, to
drink a bowl of punch, they being poor
men, who get their livelihood very hardily,
and such a thing was very acceptable to
them. But when they came on board the
Sloop, to their very great surprise, they found
they were Pirates ; upon which they begged
to be released ; but Rackham swore, That if
they did not stay and assist them against
that Sloop that was coming down against
them, he would cut all their throats. So
being compelled thereunto by Rackham and
his men, to save their Lives, they did assist
him, and with no other design but to pre-
vent their being cut in pieces, but as soon as

26

CAPTAIN JOHN RACKHAM, AND HIS CREW

Captain Barnet came up with them, they all
very readily and willingly submitted.

This being all they had to say in their
own Defence, the Prisoners were ordered
from the Bar: The Court were divided in
their Judgments; but the majority were of
opinion, that they were all guilty of the
Piracy and Felony they were charged with ;
thereupon they all received Sentence of
Death, as usual in such cases, the Judge
making a very pathetic Speech to them,
exhorting them to bear their Sufferings
patiently, assuring them, that if they were
innocent, which he very much doubted, then
their reward would be greater in the Other
World : But everybody must own their case
was very hard in this.

February the 17th, John Eaton, Thomas
Quick, and Thomas Baker, were accord-
ingly executed at Gallows-Point; and the
next Day, John Cole, John Howard, and
Benjamin Palmer, underwent the same fate
at Kingston. The <A ?r three got a Re-
prieve, they being against going aboard the
Pirate's Sloop, and are now living.

27

CAPTAIN SPRIGGS,
AND HIS CREW

CAPTAIN SPRIGGS, AND
HIS GREW

SPKIGGS sailed at first with Lowe, and came
away with him from Lowther. Afterwards
Lowe took a ship of twelve guns on the
Coast of Guinea, called the Delight, which
Spriggs went off on board with twenty men,
and leaving Lowe in the night, came to the
West Indies. In their passage they made a
Black Ensign, which they called the Jolly
Roger, with a skeleton in the middle holding
a dart in one hand, striking a bleeding
heart; and in the other an hour-glass; and
being hoisted, they fired all their guns to
salute Spriggs, whom they chose Captain,
and then went to look out for prey.

In their voyage they took a Portuguese
barque, wherein they had rich plunder.

31

PIRATES

Near St. Lucia, they took a Sloop belonging
to Barbadoes, which they first plundered, and
then burnt, forcing some of the men into
their Service, and beating, in a barbarous
manner, those that refused to join with
them, and afterwards sent them away in
the Boat, half dead with their wounds, the
rest got to Barbadoes, with much ado, though
some of them died soon after of their cuts and
slashes. After this they took a Martinico
Man, which they used in like manner, save
that they did not burn the ship. Then run-
ning down to the Leeward, they took one
Captain Hawkins coming from Jamaica, laden
with Logwood ; out of which, they took her
stores, arms, and ammunition, and what
they did not want they threw over-board;
they cut the cables to pieces, knocked down
the cabins, broke the windows, and did
what mischief they could, taking Burridge
and Stephens, the two Mates, and some other
Hands, by force; and then after keeping
her a week, they let her go. On the 27th
they took a Rhode Island Sloop, compelling
the Captain, and all his men, to go on

32

CAPTAIN SPRIGGS, AND HIS GREW

board the Pirate: One of them not being
willing to stay with them, they told him he
should have a discharge presently, which
was to receive ten lashes from every man
on board.

The next day Burridge signed their
Articles; which pleased them so much,
that they fired all the Guns, and made him
Master, spending that day in rejoicings and
drinking healths.

The First of April they spied a sail, and
gave her chase all night, believing she had
been a Spaniard; but when they came up
to her, and gave her a broadside, she cried
out for Quarters, which made them cease
firing, and ordered the Captain to come
aboard, which proved to be Captain Hawkins,
whom they had dismissed three days before,
not worth a groat. Two Days after, they
anchored at Ratran, not far from Honduras,
and put ashore Captain Hawkins, and several
others, giving them powder and ball, and a
musquet, and then left them to shift as well
as they could. Here they staid three weeks,
when two men came in a canoe, that had

33 C

PIRATES

been left in another Maroon Island near
Benecca, and carried them thither. A fort-
night after they espied a Sloop at sea, which
had lately escaped from the Spaniards at the
Bay of Honduras, which, upon a signal stood
in and took them all off.

At an Island to the westward, the Pirates
cleaned their ship, and then sailed towards
St. Christophers to meet Captain Moor.

Spriggs next stood towards Bermudas,
where he took a Schooner belonging to
Boston, from which he took all the Men,
and sunk the Vessel.

Instead of going to Newfoundland, they
came back to the Islands, and on the 8th
of June, to windward of St. Christophers,
they took a Sloop, Nicholas Trot, Master,
belonging to St. Eustatia, whose men they
hoisted as high as the main fore-tops, and
so let them fall down again ; then whipping
them about the deck, they gave Trot his
Sloop, and let him go, keeping only two of
his men, besides the plunder. Two or three
days after, they took a ship coming from
Rhode Island to St. Christophers, laden with

84

CAPTAIN SPRIGGS, AND HIS CREW

provisions and some horses, and burnt ship,
men, and horses: Since when Spriggs has
not been heard of : though it is supposed he
went to Madagascar, to spend, in rioting
and wantonness, his ill gotten plunder; till
by a letter from Jamaica, of the 2nd of
March last, we understood, That he h •
been again at the Bay of Honduras, and
taken sixteen Sail.

35

CAPTAIN EDWARD LOWE,
AND HIS CREW

CAPTAIN EDWARD LOWE

CAPTAIN EDWARD LOWE,
AND HIS CREW

EDWARD LOWE, born at Westminster, very
early began the Trade of Plundering; for
if any Child refused him what he had,
he must fight him. When he grew bigger,
he took to Gaming among Blackshoe Boys
upon the Parade, with whom he used to
play the Whole Game, as they call it; that
is, cheat every Body, and if they refused,
they had to fight him.

Ned went to Sea with his eldest Brother,
and leaving him in New-England, he worked
in a Rigging House, at Boston, for some

89

PIRATES

Time, when not liking that, he returned to
England to see his Mother, with whom he
did not stay long before he took his Leave
of her, for the last Time, as he said, and
returned to Boston, where he shipped him-
self in a Sloop that was bound to the Bay
of Honduras; and when he arrived there,
he was made Patron of the Boat, to bring
the logwood on board to lade the ship;
where he differing with the Captain about
the hurry of taking the logwood on board,
Lowe takes up a loaden Musquet, and fired at
him; then putting off the Boat, he, with
twelve of his companions, goes to sea,
Next day they met a small vessel, which
they took, made a Black Flag, and declared
War against all the world. From hence
they proceed to the Island of the Grand
Caimanes, where they met with George
Lowther, who took him under his protec-
tion as an ally, without any formal Treaty;
which Lowe readily agreed to. But parting
with Lowther on the 28th of May, as we have
already given in an Account in Lowther's
Life, Lowe took a Vessel belonging to Amboy>

40

CAPTAIN EDWARD LOWE, AND HIS GREW

which he plundered, and then stood away
to the South East, by which he avoided two
Sloops which the Governor had sent to take
him from Rhode Island.

July the 12th, he sailed into the Harbour
of Port Rosemary, where he found 13 small
vessels at anchor, whom he told they
would have no quarters if they resisted;
which so frightened the Masters of the
vessels, that they all yielded. Out of them
he took whatever he wanted, keeping for
his own Use a Schooner of 80 Tons, on
board of which he put 10 Carriage Guns,
and 50 men, and named her the Fancy
making himself Gaptain, and appointing
Charles Harris Captain of the Brigantine.
Making up a complement of 80 men
out of the vessels, some by force, and
others by their own inclinations, he sailed
away from Mablehead, and
soon after he met two Sloops
bound for Boston, with pro-
visions for the garrison ; but
there being an officer and
soldiers on board, he thought

41

PIRATES

it the safest way, after some small resistance,
to let them go on about their business.

They then steered for the Leeward
Islands; but in their voyage met with
such a hurricane, as had not been known
in the memory of man. After the storm
was over, they got safe to one of the small
Islands of the Carribees, and there refitted
their vessels as well as they could.. As
soon as the Brigantine was ready, they
took a short cruise, leaving the Schooner
in the harbour till their return; which
had not been many days at sea, before
she met a ship that had lost all her
masts, on board of which they went, and
took, in money and goods, to the value of
1QOO/. Upon this success, the Brigantine
returned to the Schooner, which being then
ready to sail, they agreed to go to the
Azores, or Western Islands, where Lowe
took a French Ship of 32 Guns, and in St.
Michael's Road, he took several sail that
were lying there, without firing a gun.
Being in great want of water, he sent to
the Governor of St. Michael's for a Supply,

42

CAPTAIN EDWARD LOWE, AND HIS GREW

promising upon that Condition, to release
the Ships he had taken, otherwise to burn
them all ; which the Governor, for the sake
of the Ships, agreed to. Thereupon he
released six, keeping only the Rose Pink, of
which he took the Command.

The Pirates took several of the Guns out
of the ships, and mounted them on board
the Rose. Lowe ordered the Schooner to lie
in the Fare between St. Michael's and St.
Mary's, where he met with Captain Carter
in the Wright Galley; who, defending him-
self, they cut and mangled him and his Men
in a barbarous manner; after which, they
were for burning the ship, but contented
themselves with cutting her cable, rigging,
and sails to pieces, and so left her to the
mercy of the seas. From hence they sailed
to the Island of Maderas, where they took
a fishing boat, with two old men and a
boy in her, one of whom they sent ashore,
demanding a boat of water, otherwise they
would kill the old man, which being com-
plied with, the old man was discharged.
From hence they sailed to the Canaries,

43

PIRATES

and thence continued their course for the
Cape de Verde Islands, where they took
a ship called the Liverpool Merchant, from
which they took 300 gallons of brandy,
two guns and carriages, besides six of the
men, and then obliged them to go to the
Isle of May. They also took two Portuguese
ships bound to Brazil, and three Sloops
from St. Thomas's bound to Curaso: All of
which they plundered, and let them go,
except one Sloop, by which they heard that
two Gallies were expected at the Western
Islands. Her they manned, and sent in
Quest of these Ships whilst they careened
the Rose at Cape de Verde; but the Sloop
missing the prey, was reduced to great
want of water and provisions, so that they
ventured to go ashore St. Michael's, and pass
for Traders ; where, being suspected by the
Governor, they were conducted into the
Castle, and provided for as long as they
lived.

Lowe's ship was overset a-careening, so
that he was reduced to his old Schooner,
aboard of which there went about an hun-

44

CAPTAIN EDWARD LOWE, AND HIS GREW

dred as bold rogues as ever was hanged,
and sailed to the West-Indies, where they
took a rich Portugueze ship bound Home
from Bahia, putting to the torture several
of the men, who confest the Captain flung
into the sea a bag of 11000 Moidores. This
made Lowe swear a thousand oaths ; and
after cutting off his lips, he murdered him
and all his Grew, being 36 men.

After this, they cruised to the North-
ward, and took several Vessels and then
steered for the Bay of Honduras, where they
took Five English Sloops, and a Pink, and
a Spaniard of 6 Guns and 70 men, whom
they killed every man; which being done
they rummaged the Spanish Ship, bring-
ing all the booty on board their own
vessel.

In the next cruise, between the Leeward
Islands and the Main, they took two Snows
from Jamaica to Liverpool, and just after
a Ship called the Amsterdam Merchant, the
Captain thereof he slit his Nose, cut his
Ears off, and then plundered the ship and
let her go. Afterwards he took a Sloop

45

PIRATES

bound to Amboy, of whose Men he tied lighted
matches between the fingers, which burnt
the flesh off the bones, and afterwards set
them ashore in an uninhabited part of the
country, as also other ships which fell a
prey to those villains.

One of His Majesty's Men-of-War called
the Greyhound, of 20 guns and 120 men, hear-
ing of their barbarous actions, went in search
of them and, seeing the Pirates, allowed Lowe
to chase them at first, till they were in readi-
ness to engage him, and when he was within
gunshot, tacked about and stood towards
him. The Pirates edged away under the
Man-of- War's stern, making a running fight
for about two hours. But little wind hap-
pening, the Pirates gained from her ; there-
upon the Greyhound left off firing, and turned
all her hands to her oars, and came up
with them, when the fight was renewed
with a brisk fire on both sides, till the
Ranger's main-yard was shot down ; upon
which, the Greyhound pressing close, Lowe
bore away and left his consort, who seeing
the cowardice of his Commadore, and that

46

CAPTAIN EDWARD LOWE, AND HIS CREW

there was no possibility of escaping, called
out for quarters.

Lowe's conduct in this engagement shewed
him to be a cowardly villain; for had
he fought half as briskly as Harris, the
Man-of-War could never have taken either
of them. The Greyhound carried her
Prize to Rhode-Island, which was looked
upon to be of such signal Service to the
Colony, that in Council they resolved to
compliment Peter Sulgard Captain, with
the Freedom of their Corporation. They
secured the prisoners under a strong guard
in Jail, till a Court of Vice-Admiralty
could be held for their Trials, which was
on the 10th of July at Newport, lasting
three Days. The Judges were William
Dummer, Esq; Lieutenant Governor of the
Massachusets, President; Nathaniel Payne,
Esq; John Lechmore, Esq; Surveyor
General; John Valentine, Esq; Advocate
General; Samuel Cranston, Governor of
Rhode Island; John Menzies, Esq; Judge
of the Admiralty; Richard Ward, Esq;
Registrar ; and Mr. Jahleet Brinton, Provost

47

PIRATES

Marshal. Robert Auchmuta, Esq, was ap-
pointed by the Court, Counsel for the
prisoners here under mentioned.

Charles Harris, Captain, William Blads,
Daniel Hyde, Thomas Powel, jun., Stephen
Munden, Thomas Hugget, William Read, Peter
Kneeves, James Brinkley, Joseph Sound, Wil-
liam Shutfield, Edward Eaton, John Brown,
Edward Lawson, Owen Rice, John Tomkins,
John Fitzgerald, Abraham Lacy, Thomas Line'
ster, Francis Leyton, John Walters, Quarter-
master, William Jones, Charles Church, Thomas
Hazel, and John Bright, who were all executed
the 19th of July, 1723, near Newport in Rhode
Island; but John Brown and Patrick Cunning-
ham were recommended to Mercy.

The eight following were found Not
Guilty; John Wilson, Henry Barnes, Thomas
Jones, Joseph Switzer, Thomas Mumper, Indian,
John Hencher, Doctor, John Fletcher, and
Thomas Child.

Instead of working repentance in Lowe,
this deliverance made him ten times worse,
vowing revenge upon all they should meet
with for the future, which they executed

48

CAPTAIN EDWARD LOWE, AND HIS CREW

upon Nathan Skiff, Master of a Whale-fishing
Sloop, whom they whipt naked about the
deck, and then cut off his ears, making his
torture their sport. At length being weary
thereof, they shot him through the head,
and sunk his vessel. Some days after, he
took a fishing boat off of Black Island, and
only cut ofi the master's head; but next
day taking two Whale Boats near Rhode
Island, he brutally killed one of the masters
and cut ofi the ears of the other. From
hence he went to Newfoundland, where he
took 23 French Vessels, and mann'd one of
them of 22 Guns with pirates; after which,
they took and plundered 18 ships, some of
which they destroyed.

The latter end of July, Lowe took a large
ship called the Merry Christmas, and mounted
her with 34 Guns, on which he goes aboard,
taking the title of Admiral, and sails to the
Western Islands, where he took a Brigantine
manned with English and Portuguese, the
Latter of whom he hanged.

Afterwards Lowe went to the Coast of
Guinea, but nothing happened till he came

49 D

PIRATES

to Sierra Leon, in Africa, when he met with
the Delight, which he took, mounting her
with 16 Guns, and 60 men, appointing Spriggs
Captain, and from whom two days after he
separated.

In January after, he took a Ship called
Squirrel, but what came of him afterwards
we cannot tell.

50

CAPTAIN GEORGE LOWTHER,
AND HIS CREW

CAPTAIN GEORGE LOWTHER,
AND HIS GREW

GEORGE LOWTHER went second Mate on board
the Gambia Castle, belonging to the Royal
African Company, on board which was
Captain Massey, with soldiers that he was
to command under Colonel Whitney, whom
were landed on James Island ; but the Fort
and Garrison not agreeing the Company
soon after lost a Galley worth 10000/. by it.

Massey finding he must be over-ruled by
the merchants, soon began to complain of
their ill-treatment of his men
in their allowance, saying he
did not come to be a Guinea
Slave; and that if they did not

53

PIRATES

use him and his men better, he should take
other measures.

At the same time, there happened a
dispute between the Captain of the ship
and Lowther, which very much contributing
to Lowther's design: For Lowther finding
himself neglected by the Captain, found
means to ingratiate himself into the favour
of the sailors, who, upon the Captain's
going to punish him, swore, They would
knock down the first man that should offer
to lay hands on him ; which Lowther im-
proved to a general disaffection of the ship's
Crew. Massey in the meantime, having
contracted an intimacy with Lowther^ they
agreed to curb their enemies, and provide
for themselves some other way; which the
Captain perceiving, he goes on shore to
the Governor and Factor, to consult what
methods to take. But Lowther apprehending
it was against him, he sent a letter in the
same boat to Massey, advising him to repair
on board, to put their project in execution.

Upon which Massey harangued the
Soldiers, saying, You that have a Mind to

54

CAPT. GEORGE LOWTHER, AND HIS GREW

return to England, may now do it; which
they all agreed to. Then he went to the
Governor's appartment, and took his bed,
baggage, plate and furniture, believing the
Governor would go with him, which he
refused ; however Massey came aboard with
the Governor's son. After demolishing all
the guns of the Fort, they weighed anchor,
and fell down, but soon ran the ship aground ;
upon which Massey returns to the Fort, re-
mounts the guns, and keeps garrison till
the ship got clear. In the meantime
Captain Russell got off but was not suffered
to come on board, although he offered
Lowther what terms he pleased. Next
tide they got the ship afloat, having first
nailed up and dismounted all the cannon.
Then putting the Governor's son ashore,
they put out to sea, when Lowther called
upon the men, and told them, It was Mad-
ness to think of returning to England; for what
they had done, would be judged a Capital Offence ;
and therefore, since they had a good ship
under them, he proposed that they should
seek their fortunes upon the Seas, as others

55

PIRATES

had done before them, which they all agreed
to, calling the ship The Delivery, and swore
to stand by one another.

Lowther left the Fort the 13th of June,
and on the 20th, near Barbadoes, he came up
with a Brigantine, belonging to Boston, which
he plundered, and then let go. After this
he proceeded to Hispaniola, where he met
with a French Sloop loaden with wine and
brandy, on board whom Captain Massey
went, pretending at first to be a merchant;
but finding her to be a Ship of value, he
told Monsieur, He must have it all without
money. On board her, there was 30 casks
of brandy, 5 hogsheads of wine, several
pieces of chintz, and 70/. in money, all of
which they took, only Lowther return'd the
French Master five pounds again.

But this good harmony did not last long
amongst them, Massey was uneasy, and re-
solved to leave them ; which Lowther agreed
to, giving him a Sloop he had just before
taken, to go where he thought fit. Accord-
ingly Massey goes aboard, with ten men,
and comes in directly for Jamaica, where,

56

GAPT. GEORGE LOWTHER, AND HIS GREW

putting a bold face on the matter, he in-
forms Sir Nicholas Laws, the then Governor,
how he had left Lowther the pirate, and of all
that had been transacted before, adding,
That he assisted him at the River Gambia
only to save so many of His Majesty's
subjects, and return to England.

Massey was well received, and, at his
own report, he was sent on board the
Happy Sloop, to cruise off Hispaniola for
Lowther; but not meeting with him, he
returned to Jamaica, and getting a Certifi-
cate, he came home to England, where, when
he arrived, he writes to the African Company,
relating the whole transaction of his voy-
age, but excuses it as an inadvertency, by
his being ill-used ; for which, if they would
not forgive him, he begged to die like a
soldier, and not be hanged like a dog.
This not producing so favourable an answer
as he expected, he went the next day to
the Lord Chief Justice Chambers, and
enquired, If there had been ever a Warrant
granted and against one Captain Massey for
Piracy. But being told, There was not, he

57

PIRATES

said, He was the Man, and that the African
Company would soon apply to my Lord for
one, which if they did, he lodged in Alders-
gate street, wh ;re the Officer might at any
time find him. This the Clerk took down
in writing, and a Warrant being soon
granted, the Tipstaff went accordingly, and
took him without any trouble.

But still there was no person to charge
him, neither could they prove the letter to
be his own hand-writing, till the Justice
interrogated him, Whether he did write the
letter or not; which he readily confessed,
as also gave an ample account of the whole
voyage, thereupon he was committed to
Newgate, though soon after he was admitted
out upon bail.

July the 5th, 1723, he was tried at the
Old-Baily by a Court of Admiralty, when
Captain Russell and others appeared against
him: But he would have saved them all
that trouble, for he confessed more than
they knew, fixing the facts so firm upon
himself, that he was found Guilty, re-
ceived Sentence of Death, and was

58

GAPT. GEORGE LOWTHER, AND HIS GREW

executed three weeks after at Execution
Dock.

But to return to Lowther? whom Massey
left cruising off of Hispaniola, who plying to
the Windward near Porto Rico, took two
sail, one was a small Bristol Ship, the other
a Spanish Pirate, who had taken the Bristol
Ship; which so provoked Lowther, that he
threatened to

ards to Death,
for daring to
intermeddle in
his Affairs : But
at last he con-
tented himself
with burning
both their ships ; and the Spaniards getting
away in their launch, they thought they
were well off.

Afterwards he took a small Sloop from
St. Christophers, which he manned; and
carried with him to an island where they
cleaned, and then going aboard, they sailed
towards the Bay of Honduras, where they

59

PIRATES

met with a small vessel with 13 Hands, of
the same employment, under Captain Lowe,
whom Lowther received as friends, inviting
them, as they were few in number, to join
their strength together; which being ac-
cepted of, Lowther continued Captain, and
Lowe was made Lieutenant, burning his own
ship. Then coming into the Bay, they fell
upon a ship of two hundred tons, called
the Greyhound; against whom Lowther firing
his guns, hoisted the piratical Colours,
which Captain Edward bravely returned;
but at length finding the Pirate too strong
for him he yielded, and the Pirate came on
Board, and not only rifling the ship, but
beat and cut the men in a cruel manner.
In crusing about the Bay, they took several
other vessels without any resistance, par-
ticularly a Sloop of 100 Tons, which they
mounted with 8 carriages and 10 swivel
guns. With this fleet, Lowther in the
Happy Delivery, Lowe in the Rhode Island
Sloop, Harris in Hamilton's Sloop, left the
Bay, and came to Port Mayo, where they
made preparations to careen, carrying

60

GAPT. GEORGE LOWTHER, AND HIS CREW

ashore all their sails, to lay their plunder
and stores in ; but when they were busy
at work, a body of the natives came down
and attacked the Pirates unprepared, who
were glad to fly to their Sloops, and leave
them masters of the field, leaving the Happy
Delivery behind them, contenting them-
selves with the Ranger ', which had only 20
guns, and 8 swivels, taking all the men on
board her, wherein they presently began
to quarrel, laying the blame upon one
another. Being very much in want of
provisions, they got to the West Indies,
May 1722, and near the Island of Descada
took a Brigantine stored with provisions
and necessaries, which put them in better
temper. Then they watered and stood to
the Northward, intending to visit the North
Coast of America, and in Latitude 38, they
took the Rebecca of Boston, at which Time
the Crews divided, Lowe with 44 Hands
went on board the Brigantine, and Lowther
with the same number, staid in the Sloop,
separating that very night, being the 28th
of May 1722.

61

PIRATES

Lowther cruised a pretty while among
the Islands to no purpose, till at length he
fell in with a Martinico Man, which proved
a seasonable relief, he being reduced to
great want of provisions, and after that a
Guinea Man. After which they thought it
time to clean, in order to prepare for new
adventures; for which purpose they sailed
to the Island of Blanco, which is a low
Island 30 leagues from the main of Spanish
America, where he unrigged his Sloop,
sending his guns, rigging, and sails
ashore, and putting his vessel upon the
careen. But the Eagle Sloop of Barbadoes,
coming near this Island, and seeing her,
supposing her to be a Pirate, took the
advantage of attacking her when unpre-
pared, who immediately hoisted the St.
George's Flag at her top-mast head to bid
them defiance : But when they found the
Eagle resolved to board them in good
earnest, the Pirates cut their cable, and
hawled the stern on shore, which obliged
the Eagle to come to an anchor athwart the
hawse, where they engaged them till they

62

GAPT. GEORGE LOWTHER, AND HIS GREW

cried out for Quarters. At which time Low-
ther and 12 men made their escape, but they
took the rest, and brought them to Camena,
where the Spanish Governor condemned
the Sloop to the captors, and sent 23 Hands
to scour the Bushes of Blanco for the Pirates,
when they took 40; but could not find Low-
ther, three men and a little Boy. John
Churchill, Edward Mackonald, Nicholas Lewis,
Rich. West, Sam Lavercot, Rob. White, John
Shaw, And. Hunter, Jonathan Delve, Matthew
Freeborn, and Henry Watson, were hanged,
Roger Granger, Ralph Candem, and Robert
Willis, were acquitted. And Captain Low-
ther, it is said, afterwards shot himself, being
found dead, and a pistol burst by his side.

63

CAPTAIN ANSTIS, AND HIS

CREW

CAPTAIN ANSTIS, AND HIS

CREW

THOMAS ANSTK shipped himself at Providence,
in the Year 1718, aboard the Buck Sloop,
and was one of the six that conspired
together to get off with the vessel, along
with Howel Davis, Dennis Topping, and Walter
Kennedy, etc. I shall only observe, that this
combination was the beginning of Captain
Roberts's company, which afterwards proved
so formidable, from whom Anstis separated
the 18th of April, 1721, leaving his Commo-
dore to pursue his adventures upon the
Coasts of Guinea, whilst he returned to the
West Indies, upon the same design.

About the middle of June, he met with

67

PIRATES

one Captain Maiston, between Hispaniola
and Jamaica, bound to New-York, from which
he took all the wearing apparel, liquors and
provisions, and six men. Afterwards he
met with the Irwin, Captain Ross from Cork,
on the Coast of Martinico, which ship had
Colonel Doyly of Montserrat on board, and
his Family, and 600 barrels of beef.

Afterwards they went into one of the
Islands to clean, and thence proceeding
towards Bermudas, they met with a stout
ship called the Morning Star, bound from
Guinea to Carolina, which they kept for
their own use. Just after, they took a
ship from Barbadoes bound to New England,
from whence taking her guns, they mounted
the Morning Star with 32 pieces of cannon,
and 100 men, appointing John Fenn Captain :
For Anstis was so in love with his own
vessel, she being a good sailor, he made it
his choice to stay in her, and let Fenn have
the other ship. Though they were not
sufficiently strong, yet being most new men,
they could not agree, but resolving to break
up company, sent a Petition to His Majesty

68

CAPTAIN ANSTIS, AND HIS GREW

by a Merchant Ship, expecting her Return
at Cuba.

Here they staid about nine months; but
not having provisions for above two, they
were obliged to take what the Island afforded;
wrhich is many sorts of fish, particularly
turtle; though they eat not a bit of bread,
nor flesh meat, during their being on the
Island.

They passed their time here in dancing,
and other diversions, agreeable to these
sort of folks. Among the rest, they ap-
pointed a mock Court of Judicature, to try
one another for Piracy, and he that was a
Criminal one day, was made a Judge
another. I shall never forget one of their
Trials, which for the curiosity of it, I shall
relate. The Judge got up into a tree, having
a dirty tarpaulin over his shoulders for a
robe, and a Thrum Cap upon his head,
with a large pair of spectacles upon his
nose, and a monkey bearing up his train,
with abundance of Officers attending him,
with crows and hand-spikes instead of
wands and tip-staves in their hands.

69

PIRATES

Before whom the Criminals were brought
out, making 1000 wry Faces; when the
Attorney-General moved the Court, and
said, An't please your Lordship, and you
Gentlemen of the Jury, this fellow before
you is a sad dog, a sad, a sad dog, and I
hope your Lordship will order him to be
hanged out of the way; he has committed
Piracy upon the High Seas; nay, my Lord,
that's not all ; this fellow, this sad dog before
you, has out-rid a hundred storms, and you
know, my Lord, He that's born to be hanged,
will never be drowned. Nor is this all, he
has been guilty of worse villany than this,
and that is of drinking of small beer; and
your Lordship knows, there was never a

sober fellow but what was
a rogue — My Lord, I should
have said more, but your
Lordship knows our rum is
out, and how should a Man
speak that has drunk a dram
to-day.

Judge. Harkee me, Sir-
rah— you ill - looked

70

CAPTAIN ANSTIS, AND HIS GREW

dog. What have you to say why you
may not be tucked up, and set a-sun-
drying like a scare-crow? — Are you
Guilty, or not?

Prisoner. Not Guilty, an't please your
Worship.

Judge. Not Guilty! say so again, and I
will have you hanged without any
Trial.

Prisoner. An't please your Worship's
Honour, my Lord, I am as honest a
fellow as ever went between stem
and stern of a ship, and can hand,
reef, steer, and clap two ends of
a rope together, as well as e'er a He
that ever crossed Salt-water; but I
was taken by one George Bradley (the
name of the Judge) a notorious
Pirate, and a sad rogue as ever was
hanged, and he forced me, an't please
your Honour.

Judge. Answer me, Sirrah — how will you
be tried?

Prisoner. By God and my country.

Judge. The Devil you will . . . Then,

71

PIRATES

Gentlemen of the Jury, we have
nothing to do but to proceed to
Judgment.

Attorney-Gen. Right, my Lord; for if
the fellow should be suffered to
speak, he might clear himself; and
that, you know, is an affront to the
Court.

Prisoner. Pray, my Lord, I hope your
Lordship will consider.

Judge. Consider ! — How dare you talk
of considering! — Sirrah, Sirrah, I
have never considered in all my
life. — I'll make it Treason to con-
sider.

Pris. But I hope your Lordship will hear
reason.

Judge. What have we to do with Reason ?
-I would have you to know, Sirrah,
we do not sit here to hear Reason-
we go according to Law. — Is our
dinner ready?

Attorney-General. Yes, my Lord.

Judge. Then harkee you rascal at the
Bar, hear me, Sirrah, hear me.— You

72

CAPTAIN ANSTIS, AND HIS CREW

must be hanged for three reasons :
First, because it is not fit that I should
sit as Judge, and no-body to be
hang'd : Secondly, You must be hang'd
because you have a damn'd hanging
Look : Thirdly, You must be hanged,
because I am hungry. There's Law
for you, ye dog; take him away,
Goaler.

By this we may»see how these fellows
can jest upon things, the thoughts of which
should make them tremble.

August 1722, they made ready the Brigan-
tine, and came out to sea, where meeting
their correspondent returning, and finding
nothing done, they all agreed to ply their
old trade. So they sailed with the ship

73

PIRATES

and Brigantine to the Southward, where they
ran the Morning Star upon the Grand Car-
manes, and wrecked her; the next Day
Anstis went ashore to fetch the men off,
who were all safe. Anstis had just time
to get Captain Fenn, and a few others on
board, before the Hector and Adventure
came down upon him; but he got to sea,
and one of the Men-of-War after him,
keeping within gun-shot several hours,
when the wind dying away, the Pirates
got to their oars, and rowed for their
lives.

The Hector landed her men, and took
40 of the Morning Star's Crew, without any
resistance, they pretending they were glad
of this opportunity ; the rest hid themselves
in the woods.

The Brigantine after her escape, sailed
to an Island, near the Bay of Honduras, to
clean, and in her way took a Sloop, Captain
Durfey Commander, which they destroyed,
but brought the men on board. While she
was cleaning, Durfey conspired with some
of the prisoners, to carry off the Brigantine ;

74

CAPTAIN ANSTIS, AND HIS CREW

but it being discovered, he and four or five
more got ashore, with arms and ammuni-
tion ; and when the Pirates' Canoe came in
for Water, seized the boat and men ; upon
which, Anstis sent another boat with 30
hand ashore; but Durfey gave them such a
warm reception that they were glad to
return back again.

In December 1722, Anstis left this place,
taking in his cruise a good ship. He
mounted her with 24 Guns and made Fenn
Commander. From hence they went to the
Bahama Islands, taking what they wanted.

As they were cleaning their ship the
Winchelsea came down upon them, when
most of them escaped to the woods; but
Anstis having a light pair of heels, escaped
in the Brigantine. Afterwards, some of the
Company, being tired of this trade, shot
Anstis in his Hammock, and put the rest
in irons, and then carried the Brigantine to
Curacco, a Dutch Settlement, where they
were hanged, and those that delivered up the
vessel acquitted. Fenn was soon after taken
by the Man-of-War's Men, straggling in the

75

PIRATES

woods, with a few more, and carried to
Antegoa and hanged. But some escaped
among the negroes, and were never heard
of since.

76

CAPTAIN JOHN PHILLIPS,
AND HIS GREW

CAPTAIN JOHN PHILLIPS,
AND HIS CREW

JOHN PHILLIPS was bred a carpenter, but
sailing in a West Country ship to New-
foundland, was taken by Anstis, who soon
persuaded him to join with him, making
him Carpenter of the Vessel, in which
station he continued till they broke up at
Tobago, when he came Home in a Sloop that
was sunk in Bristol Channel. But he did not
stay long in England; for hearing of some
of his companions being taken in Bristol
Gaol, he moved off to Topsham, and there
shipped himself with one Captain Wadham
for Newfoundland, where when the ship came

79

PIRATES

he ran away, and hired himself a splitter in
the Fishery for the season: but he soon
combined with others in the Fishery, to go
off with one of the vessels that lay in the
Harbour, and turn Pirate, and accordingly
fixed upon the 29th of August, 1713, at Night;
but of 16 Men that promised five only were
as good as their Word. Notwithstanding,
Phillips was for pushing on, assuring them
that they should soon increase their com-
pany. Hereupon they seized a vessel, and
went out to sea, when they soon began
to settle their Officers to prevent dispute,
appointing, John Phillips, Captain ; John Nutt,
Navigator of the Vessel; James Sparks, Gun-
ner ; Thomas Fern, Carpenter ; and William
White was only a private man among them.

Before they left the Banks, they took
several small fishing vessels, out of which
they took some more Hands, and then sailed
to the West-Indies: Among those that were
taken, was one John Rose Archer who having
been a pirate under Blackbeard was made
Quarter-Master to the company: They
came off Barbadoes in October, and cruised

80

CAPTAIN JOHN PHILLIPS, AND HIS CREW

about the Islands about three Months, with-
out meeting with a vessel, so that they were
almost starved for want of provisions, when
at length they fell in with a Martinico Man
of 12 guns and 35 hands, upon which they
hoisted the Black Flag and ran up along side
of the Sloop, with piratical Colours flying,
swearing, If they did not strike immedi-
ately, they must expect no quarters; which
so frightened the Frenchman, that he never
fired a gun. Having got this supply, they
took her provisions, and four of her men.

Having occasion to clean their vessel,
Phillips proposed Tobago; and just as they
had done, a Man-of- War's boat came into
the Harbour, the ship cruising to the Lee-
ward of the Island ; which was no sooner
gone, but they warped out, and plied to the
Windward for safety.

In a few days they took a Snow with a
few Hands in it, on board of which they
sent Fern the Carpenter, William Smith,
Philips Wood, and Taylor; but Fern being
dissatisfied at Archer's being preferred be-
fore him to be Quarter-Master, persuaded

81 F

PIRATES

the rest to go off with the prize ; but Phillips
gave them Chase, and coming up with them,
shot Wood, and wounded Taylor in the leg;
upon which the other two surrendered.

From Tobago they stood away to the
Northward, and took a Portuguese bound
for Brazil, and two or three Sloops for
Jamaica, in one of which Fern endeavouring
to go off, was killed by Phillips, as was also
another man for the like attempt, which
made all the others more fearful of dis-
covering their Minds, dreading the villany
of a few hardened wretches, who feared
neither God nor Devil, as Phillips was often
used blasphemously to say.

On the 25th of March, they took two ships
from Virginia, the Master's name of one
was John Phillips, the Pirate's Name-sake;
of the other, Robert Mortimer, a stout young
man. Phillips staid on board Mortimer's
Ship, while they transported the crew to
the Sloop, when Mortimer took up a hand-
spike and struck Phillips over the Head;
but not knocking him down, he recovered
and wounded Mortimer with his sword;

82

CAPTAIN JOHN PHILLIPS, AND HIS GREW

and the other two Pirates who were on
board, coming to Phillip's assistance they
cut Mortimer to pieces, while his own two
men stood and looked on. Out of the other
Virginia Man, they took Edward Cheesman,
a carpenter, to supply the Place of Fern,
who being averse to that way of life, pro-
posed to J. Philamore, who was ordered to
row Cheesman on board Mortimer's ship,
to overthrow their Piratical government;
which from time to time, as occasion
offered, they consulted how to do. The
Pirates, in the mean time, robbed and
plundered several ships and vessels, bend-
ing their course towards Newfoundland,
where they designed to raise more men,
and do all the mischief they could on the
Banks, and in the harbours. Towards
which country, Phillips making his way,
took one Salter in a Sloop on the Isle of
Sables, which he kept, and gave Mortimer's
Ship to the Mate and crew ; also a Schooner,
one Chadwell Master, which they scuttled in
order to sink : But Phillips understanding
that she belonged to Mr. Menors of New-

83

PIRATES

foundland, with whose Vessel they first went
off a-Pirating, said, We have done him injury
enough already, and so ordering his Vessel to
be repaired, returned her to the Master.

In the Afternoon, they chased another
vessel, whose Master was an Inward Light
Man, named Dependence Efllery, who told
Phillips he took him for a Pirate as soon as
he saw him, otherwise he would not have
given him the Trouble of chasing him so
long. This so provoked Phillips and his
Crew, that they made poor Dependence, for
his Integrity, dance about the Ship till he
was weary. After which they took 10 other
ships and vessels ; and on the 14th of April,
they took a Sloop belonging to Cape Anne,
Andrew Harradine Master; which looking
upon to be more fit for their purpose, they
came on board, keeping only the Master of
her Prisoner, and sending the crew away
in Salter's vessel. Cheesman broke his mind
to Harradine, to destroy the crew. Upon
this, it was concluded to be 12 a Clock at
Noon, when Cheesman leaves his working-
tools on the deck, as if he had been going

84

CAPTAIN JOHN PHILLIPS, AND HIS GREW

to use them, walks off. But perceiving some
signs of fear in Harradine, he fetches his
brandy bottle, and gives him and the rest
a dram, saying, Here's to our next Meeting;
then he talks to Nutt, in the mean while
Philamore takes up an axe, while Cheesman
and Harradine sieze Nutt by the Collar,
and toss him over the Side of the Vessel.

By this Time the Boatswain was dead;
for as soon as Philamore saw the Master laid
hold on, he up with the axe, and cut off the
Boatswain's head, which Noise soon brought
the Captain upon Deck, whom Cheesman
saluted with the blow of a mallet, which
broke his jaw-bone, but did not knock him
down ; upon which Harradine came to the
Carpenter's aid, when Sparks the Gunner
interposing, Cheesman trips up his Heels,
and flung him into the arms of Charles
Ivemay, who at that moment threw him
into the Sea ; and at the same Time Harra-
dine throws Captain Phillips after him, bid-
ding the Devil take them both. This done,
Cheesman jumps from the deck into the
Hold, to knock Archer on the Head, when

85

PIRATES

Harry Gyles came down after him, desired
his Life might be spared ; which being agreed
to, he was made a Prisoner, and secured.

All being over, they altered their course
from Newfoundland to Boston, where they
arrived the 3rd of May, to the great joy of
the Province, and on the 12th of May, a
special Court of Admiralty was held for the
Trial of these Pirates, when John Philamore,
Edward Cheesman, John Cobs, Henry Gyles,
Charles Joymay, John Boatman, and Henry
Payne, were honourably acquitted ; as also
three French Men, John Baptis, Peter Taffery,
and Isaac Lassen, as also three Negroes,
Pedro, Francisco, and Pierro. John Rose A rcher,
the Quarter-Master, William White, William
Taylor, and William Phillipswere condemned ;
altho' the two latter got a Reprieve, and the
two former, Archer and White, were executed
the 2nd of June following.

86

CAPTAIN TEACH, ALIAS
BLACKBEARD

CAPTAIN TEACH

CAPTAIN TEACH, ALIAS
BLACKBEARD

EDWARD TEACH was a Bristol Man, and had
served many years in the late wars, in a
Privateer fitted out from Jamaica, in which
he had often distinguished himself for his
boldness. He was never thought fit to be
entrusted with any Command, till he went
a-pirating in the Year 1716, when Captain
Benjamin Hornigold put him into a Prize
Sloop, with whom he kept company till
Hornigold surrendered.

In 1727, Teach and Hornigold sailed from
Providence for America, where, in their way,

89

PIRATES

they took a vessel with above 100 Barrels
of Flour, as also a Sloop from Bermudas,
and a Ship bound to Carolina; from which
they had a good plunder. After cleaning at
Virginia, they returned to the West-Indies,
and made Prize of a French Guinea Man
bound to Martinico, which Teach was made
Captain of; but Hornigold with his Sloop
returned to Providence, and surrendered to
mercy. Aboard the French Guinea Ship,
Teach mounted 46 guns, and called her
Queen Anne's Revenge. Not long after he
fell in with the Scarborough Man-of-War,
who, after a long fight finding she could do
no good with Teach, left him, and returned
to Barbadoes, while Teach sailed to Spanish
America. In his way, he met with Major
Bonnet a Gentleman, formerly of a good
estate in Barbadoes, in a small Sloop with
which he had turned Pirate: But Teach
finding Bonnet knew nothing of the matter,
took him into his own Ship, and put one
Richards Captain in his room, telling the
Major, That he had not been us'd to the Fatigues
of the Sea, he had better decline it, and take his

90

CAPTAIN TEACH, ALIAS BLACKBEARD

pleasure aboard his Ship. At Turnissi they
took in fresh water; but seeing a Sloop
coming in, they ran to meet her, which
struck her sail, upon the sight of the Black
Flag, to Teach, who took the Captain and
his men aboard, and put Israel Hands to
mann the Sloop: From thence they sailed
to the Bay, where they found a ship and
four Sloops. Teach hoisted his Black Colours,
at the Sight of which, the Captain and his
men left the Ship, and ran into the woods.
Teaches Quarter-Master, with some of his
Men, took possession of her, and Richards
secured the Sloops: One of which they
burnt, because she belonged to Boston,
where some of his Men had been hanged;
but the others they let go after plundering
them.

From hence they sailed to the Grand
Canaries, then to the Bahama Wrecks,
and then to Carolina, where they took a
Brigantine and two Sloops, lying off the Bar
of Charles Town; as also a Ship bound for
London, with some passengers aboard.
The next Day they took another Vessel

91

PIRATES

coming out, and two Pinks going in, and a
Brigantine with negroes, in the Face of the
Town; which put the Inhabitants into a
sad fright, being in no condition to help
themselves.

Teach, alias Blackbeard, sent Richards along
with Mr. Mark, one of the Prisoners, to de-
mand a chest of medicines of the Governor,
several of his Men being sick
aboard; threatening otherwise to
burn the Ships, and destroy all the
prisoners, among whom was Mr.
Samuel Wrag, one of his Council.
Altho' this went very much against
the inhabitants, yet they were forced
to comply with it to save the lives
of the many souls had in his custody. So
sending him a chest worth about 3 or 4
hundred Pounds, Richards went back safe
to the ships with his booty; which as
soon as Blackbeard had received, (for so
I shall call him for the future) he let
the ships and the prisoners go, having
first taken 1500/. Sterling, and some pro-
visions out of her. From thence they

92

CAPTAIN TEACH, ALIAS BLACKBEARD

sailed to North Carolina, where he had
thoughts of breaking up the company, and
securing the money and the best of the
effects for himself and friends. Accord-
ingly he ran a-ground, as if it had been
by accident, and calling Israel Hands to
his assistance, he ran the Sloop ashore
near the other, and so they were both
lost. This done Black beard goes into
the Revenge and maroons 17 men upon a
desert island; where they must inevitably
have perished, if Bonnet had not after
taken them up.

Blackbeard goes straight to the Governor
of North Carolina, with Twenty of his Men,
and pleads his Majesty's Pardon, and re-
ceives Certificates thereupon. He went to
his Sloop which lay at Okere-Cock Inlet, and
set out for Sea upon another expedition,
steering his Ship towards Bermudas. Meet-
ing with one or two English Vessels in his
way, he robb'd them only of provisions for
his present occasion; but meeting with a
French Ship laden with sugar and cocoa,
he brought her home with her cargoe to

93

PIRATES

North Carolina, where the Governor and
the Pirates shared the plunder. He had
no sooner arrived there, but he and four of
his Men made affidavit, That they found the
French Ship at Sea, without ever a Man on
board; upon which she was condemned.
The Governor had sixty bogheads of sugar
for his dividend, his Secretary twenty, and
the rest were shared amongst the other
Pirates. And for fear the ship might be
discovered by some that might come into
the River, Blackbeard, under pretence that
she was leaky, and might sink, obtained an
order from the Governor to bring her out
into the River, and burn her; which they
did, and sunk her bottom.

The Sloops trading in the River, being so
often pillaged by Blackbeard, consulted with
the traders what course to take, knowing it
was in vain to make any application to the
Governor ; therefore they sent a deputation
to the Governor of Virginia, to sollicit a
force from the Men-of-War to destroy this
Pirate. Accordingly the Governor con-
sulted with the Captains of the Pearl and

94

CAPTAIN TEACH, ALIAS BLACKBEARD

Lime Men -of- War, which lay in St. James's
River; whereupon it was agreed, That the
Governor should have a couple of small
Sloops, and they should be mann'd out of
the Men of War, the Command of which
was given to Mr. Robert Maynard, first
Lieutenant of the Pearl. But before they
sailed, it was agreed in Council, to offer a
reward of 100/. for any one that should take
Edward Teach, commonly called Blackbeard ;
for every Lieutenant, Master, Quarter-Mas-
ter, Boatswain, or Carpenter Twenty Pounds;
For every inferior Officer, Fifteen Pounds; And
for every Man taken on Board each Sloop, Ten
Pounds.

Upon this, the Lieutenant sailed from
James's River in Virginia, the 17th of
November, 1718, and the 21st in the evening
came to Okere-cock Inlet, where he had fight
of the Pirate: And altho' this Expedition
was made with all the Secrecy imaginable,
yet Blackbeard had notice of it from the
Governor of North Carolina and his Sec-
retary: But having heard several false
reports before, he gave the less credit

95

PIRATES

to this, till he saw the Sloops; and then he
put himself in a Posture of defence, with
his 25 Men.

Lieutenant Maynard came to an anchor
that night, because the Channel was so
intricate that there was no getting in, in the
dark. In the Morning, coming within gun-
shot of the Pirate, he received his fire:
whereupon the Maynard stood directly to-
wards him, endeavouring to make a running
fight. Maynard's men being most exposed,
he lost twenty at one broadside ; upon
which he ordered his men under deck,
and bid them get ready for close fighting
upon the first signal. Then Blackbeard's
men pour'd in grenadoes; after which,
seeing no Hands aboard, he told his men
they were all kill'd ; Let's jump in, and fall to
Plunder: Which they had no sooner done,
but the Lieutenant and his men gave them
as unwelcome a reception as ever they met
with before. The Lieutenant and Blackbeard
fired first at each other, and then they went
to it sword in hand, whilst the men on
each side were as warmly engaged as their

DC

CAPTAIN TEACH, ALIAS BLACKBEARD

Captains, until the vessel was all over
blood. Blackbeard stood it till he had received
above twenty wounds, five of them being
shots, before he fell down dead. Eight of
his fourteen men being kill'd, and the other
six being much wounded, they call'd for
quarters; which was granted, and then the
Lieutenant attacked with equal bravery the
men that remained in the Sloop and took
them.

The Lieutenant caused Blackbeard' s head
to be cut off, and hung at the bowsprit end ;
with which he sailed to Bath Town to get
his wounded men cured, and then began to
rummage the Pirate Sloop, aboard which
they found several Letters of Correspon-
dence betwixt the Governor of North
Carolina, his Secretary, and some Traders
of New York and Blackbeard. Thereupon
going to Bath Town in North Carolina, he
seized in the Governors Store-house, the
Sixty Hogsheads of Sugar, and Mr. Knight
his Secretary's 20, which was their dividend
of the plunder taken in the French Ship
before-mentioned.

97 O

PIRATES

After his Men were a little recovered, he
returned to the Men-of-War in James's River
in Virginia, with BlackbearcTs head hanging
at his bowsprit, and 15 prisoners, 13 of
whom were hanged, one of them being
taken but the night before out of a trading
Sloop: The other, not being in the fight,
was taken at Bath Town, being just before
disabled by Blackbeard in one of his drunken
humours.

The night before he was killed, being
ask'd if he should chance to be killed,
whether his wife knew where his money
was; he answered, That no-body but himself
and the Devil, knew where it was, and the
longest Liver should take all.

The Names of the Pirates killed in the
engagement were Edward Blackbeard, Com-
mander; Philip Morton, Gunner; Garnet
Gibbons, Boatswain ; Owen Roberts, Carpenter;
Thomas Miller, Quarter-Master; John Husk,
Joseph Curtice, Joseph Brooks, Nath. Jackson.

The following, except the two last, were
hanged, viz. : John Carnes, Jo. Brookes, jun.,

98

CAPTAIN TEACH, ALIAS BLACKBEARD

James Blake, John Gibbs, Thomas Gates, James
White, Richard Styles, Cesar, Joseph Philip,
James Robbins, John Maftyn, Edward Salter,
Stephen Daniel, Richard Greensarl, Israel
Hands, and Samuel Odel.

If

99

MAJOR STEDE BONNET,
AND HIS CREW

MAJOR STEDE BONNET

MAJOR STEDE BONNET,
AND HIS CREW

THE Major was a Gentleman of Fortune
and Distinction in the Island of Barbadoes,
who before his Piracy bore the character
of a worthy honest man, and no-body
could ever account for this his undertaking,
for he wanted neither learning nor under-
standing. He fitted out a Sloop with ten
guns and sixty men, which he named the
Revenge, at his own expence, and sailed
from Barbadoes for the Cape of Virginia,
where he took the Anne from Glasgow, the
Turbet from Barbadoes, the Endeavour from
Bristol, the Young from Leith, and many
others. From thence he went to New York,

103

PIRATES

and there took a Sloop, and then stood in
at Gardiner's Island where he bought pro-
visions, and went off. August , 1717, he came
off at the Bar of South Carolina, and took a
Sloop and Brigantine, which they plundered,
and then he dismissed the Brigantine, but
took the Sloop with him to an Inlet in North-
Carolina, where he careened, and set her
on fire.

Afterwards he put to sea, but could not
agree with the men what course to take;
for the Major being no sailor, was obliged
to submit to many things his men imposed
upon him, when falling in with Edward Teach,
alias Blackbeard, who was a good sailor, but
a hardened villain, Bonnet's Crew joined
with him, and put Bonnet aboard Blackbeard's
Ship.

But Black beard losing his Ship at Topsail
Inlet, surrendered to the King's Proclama-
tion ; when Bonnet re-assumed the command
of his own Sloop, and sailed directly for
Bath Town in North-Carolina, where he also
surrenders himself, and receives a certifi-
cate. There getting a clearance for his

104

MAJOR STEDE BONNET, AND HIS CREW

Sloop, he pretended to sail for the Island
of St. Thomas, to get the Emperor's Com-
mission to go a-Privateering upon the
Spaniards. But returning to Topsail Inlet,
he found that Blackbeard and his gang were
gone, with their effects; and that they had
set on shore, on a small sandy island about
a league from the continent, seventeen
men, without any provisions, or vessel to
escape. There they had been two nights
and one day without any sustenance, when,
to their inexpressible joy, they saw Major
Bonnet, who had been informed of their
being there by two of Blackbeard' s crew,
who had escaped to avoid his cruelty.

Then he steered his course towards
Virginia, where meeting with a Pink having
Provisions on board, and they being in want,
he took out of her ten barrels of pork, and
five hundredweight of bread, and gave her,
in exchange, ten casks of Rice, and an old
cable.

Two days after they took a Sloop of
sixty tons, from which they took two
hogsheads of rum, and two of molasses,

105

PIRATES

and then put in her eight men, to take care
of the Prize; but they not liking her new
acquaintance took the first opportunity to
get off with her.

After this the Major threw off all re-
straint, and became a downright Pirate, by
the name of Captain Thomas, taking and
plundering all the vessels he met with. He
took off Gape Henry, two Ships from Virginia,
bound to Glasgow; the next day a small
Sloop from Virginia bound to Bermudas;
from which they took twenty barrels of
pork, and gave her in return, two barrels
of rice, and as much, molasses. The next
day they took another Virginia man, bound
to Glasgow, out of which they took two men,
and a few small things, and gave her a
barrel of pork, and another of bread.
From thence they sailed to Philadelphia,
where they took a Schooner coming from
North Carolina to Boston, from which they
took two men, and two dozen of calves
skins, to make covers for guns. In the
latitude of 32°, off of Delaware River, near
Philadelphia, they took two Snows bound to

106

MAJOR STEDE BONNET, AND HIS CREW

Bristol, from which they took money and
goods to the value of two hundred pounds;
as also a Sloop of sixty tons, from Phila-
delphia to Barbadoes, from which they took
a few goods, and let her go. The 29th of
July, they took a Sloop of fifty tons, bound
from Philadelphia to Barbadoes, laden with
provisions, which they kept ; as also another
of sixty tons, from Antegoa to Philadelphia,
having on board, rum, molasses, sugar,
cotton and indigo, to the value of five hun-
dred Pounds, all of which they kept. Then
they left Delaware Bay, and sailed to Cape
Fear River, where they staid almost two
months to repair their Sloop, which proved
very leaky, till news came to Carolina of a
Pirate's Sloop, with her Prizes, being there
a-careening.

Whereupon Colonel William Rhet offered
to go with two Sloops to attack them ; which
being by the Governor and Council ap-
proved of, he was commissioned on board
the Henry, with eight guns and seventy
men, commanded by Captain John Mas-
ters; and the Sea Nymph, commanded by

107

PIRATES

Captain Farier-Hall, with as many guns
and men ; both under the Direction of the
Colonel, who went on board the Henry the
14th of September, and sailed from Charles
Town to Swillivant's Island, in order to
cruise: where he was informed, by a small
ship from Antegoa, which in sight of the
Bar, was taken and plundered by Charles
Vane, in a Brigantine of sixteen guns, and
a hundred men; that he had taken two
Sloops, one Captain Dill, Master, from
Barbadoes; the other Captain Thompson,
from Guinea, with seventy negroes, which
they put on board one Yeats his consort,
being a small Sloop with twenty-five men,
who being weary of this course of life, ran
into Edisto River, and surrender'd to his
Majesty's Pardon, by which the owners
got their negroes again, and Yeats and his
men had their certificates sign'd.

Vane cruised for some time thereabouts,
in hopes to take Yeats, and be revenged on
him; during which time, he took a ship
bound to London, to whom he gave out,
that he designed to go to the southward;

108

MAJOR STEDE BONNET, AND HIS GREW

which Colonel Rhet hearing, sailed over the
Bar the 15th with the two Sloops, and went
after the Pirate Vane; but not meeting with
him, tack'd and stood for Cape Fear, accord-
ing to his first Design; and on the 26th
following he entered the River, where he
saw Bonnet, and the three Sloops his Prizes,
at anchor ; but the Pilot running the Sloops
a-ground, hindered their getting up that
Night. The Pirates seeing the Sloops, and
not knowing who they were, mann'd three
canoes, and sent them down to take them ;
but finding their mistake, Bonnet took all
the men out of the Prizes to engage them.
Colonel Rhet's Sloops the next morning
getting under sail, stood for the Pirates,
who designed only to make a running fight ;
but the Colonel getting upon his quarters,
he edged in upon the shore, and ran his
Sloop a-ground. The Colonel's Sloops were
soon in the same condition : The Henry
grounded within pistol-shot of the Pirate,
on his bow; the other, right a-head of him,
almost out of gun-shot, which made it of but
very little use to the Colonel. By this time

109

PIRATES

the Pirate had a very great advantage : For
his Sloop lifted from Colonel Rhefs, which
converted them all over; and the Colonel
Sloop's lifting the same way, was much
exposed for about five hours, whilst they
lay a-ground. The Colonel's Sloop being
first a-float, he got into deeper water, and
after mending his rigging, he stood for the
Pirate, to go directly on board him; which
they prevented, by hoisting a flag of truce,
and surrendering soon after. The Colonel
lost in this action ten men, and had four-
teen wounded. The Sea Nymph had two
killed, and four wounded. Among the
Pirates were none killed, and three were
wounded. The next day the Colonel
weighed from Cape Fear, and arrived at
Charles Town the 3d of October, to the no
small joy of the people of Carolina.

There being no publick prison, Bonnet
was committed into the custody of the
marshal, and his Men were kept at the
Watch-house under a strict guard; a little
before the trial, David Harriot the Master,

and Ignatius Rathe Boatswain, the evidences,

no

MAJOR STEDE BONNET, AND HIS CREW

were removed from the Crew, to the Mar-
shals house, from whence on the 24th
Bonnet and Harriott made their escape;
which as soon as the Governor heard of,
he published a Proclamation, promising a
reward of 700/. to any one that would take
him, and also sent several boats with armed
men in pursuit of him.

Bonnet stood to the northward, in a small
vessel; but through stress of weather, and
want of necessaries, he was forced to Swilli-
vanfs Island. Of which information being
given to the Governor, he sent for Colonel
Rhet, and desired him once more to go in
pursuit of him ; which the Colonel readily
accepted of ; and having got all Things ready,
went that Night for Swillivanfs Island,
where, after a long search, he discovered
them. After the Colonel's men had fired
upon them, and killed Harriott, Bonnet imme-
diately surrendered himself, and was, next
Morning, brought back to Charles Town, and
confined under a strong guard till his trial,
which was hastened for fear he should give

them the slip again.

111

PIRATES

On the 28th of October, 1718, a Court of
Vice- Admiralty was held at Charles Town,
and, by several adjournments continued to
the 12th of November following, by Nicholas
Trot, Esq; Judge of the Vice-Admiralty,
and Chief Judge of Carolina, and other
Assistant Judges; where, after the King's
Commission was read, and a Grand Jury
sworn, Judge Trot gave them a learned
Charge: And then the Grand Jury went
out, and found the Bills; upon which, a
Petit-Jury was sworn, and the following
Persons were arraingn'd and try'd.

Stede Bonnet, alias Edwards, alias Thomas,
late of Barbadoes, Merchant.

Robert Tucker, late of Jamaica, Merchant.

Edward Robinson, late of Newcastle-upon-
Tine, Mariner.

Neal Peterson, late of Aberdeen, Mariner.

William Scot, late of Aberdeen, Mariner.

William Eddy, alias Neddy, late of Aberdeen,
Mariner.

Alexander Ann and, late of Jamaica, Mari-
ner.

George Rose, late of Glasgow, Mariner.

112

MAJOR STEDE BONNET, AND HIS CRKW

George Dubin, late of Glasgow, Mariner.
John Ridge, late of London, Mariner.
Matthew King, late of Jamaica, Mariner.
Daniel Perry, late of Guernsey, Mariner.
Henry Virgin, late of Bristol, Mariner.
James Rattle, alias Robbins, late of London,

Merchant.
James Mullet, alias Millet, late of London,

Mariner.

Thomas Price, late of Bristol, Mariner.
James Wilson, late of Dublin, Mariner.
John Lopez, late of Oporto, Mariner.
Zachariah Long, late of the Province of

Holland, Mariner.
Job. Barley, late of London, Mariner.
John William Smith, late of Charles Town

in Carolina, Mariner.
Thomas Carman, late of Maidstone in Kent,

Mariner.

John Thomas, late of Jamaica, Mariner.
William Morrison, late of Jamaica, Mar-
iner.
Samuel Booth, late of Charles Town,

Mariner.
William Howet, late of Jamaica, Mariner.

113 H

PIRATES

John Kent, late of North Carolina, Mariner.

William Livres, alias Evis, late of Carolina,
Mariner.

John Brier ly, alias Timberhead, late of Bath
Town in North Carolina, Mariner.

Robert Boyd, late of Bath Town in North
Carolina, Mariner.

Thomas Nicholas, late of London, Mari-
ner.

Rowland Sharp, late of Bath Town, Mari-
ner.

Jonathan Clark, late of Charles Town,
Mariner.

Thomas Gerrardt late of Antegoa, Mari-
ner.

All of whom, except the four last, were
found Guilty, and received Sentence of
Death, upon two Indictments, for Robbing
upon the High Sea the Francis, Peter
Manwaring, Commander; and for seizing,
in a Piratical Manner, the Sloop Fortune,
Thomas Read, Commander: To which they
all pleaded Not Guilty, except James Wilson
and John Levit, who pleaded Guilty to both

114

MAJOR STEDE BONNET, AND HIS GREW

Indictments, and Daniel Piercy to one only.
Bonnet moved to go through both the Indict-
ments at once ; but the Court overruling it,
he was found Guilty of one, and retracted
his Plea to the other. They made but little
Defence, pretending they were taken off a
Maroon Shore, and were shipped with Major
Bonnet to go to St. Thomas's, but wanting
provisions they were obliged to do what
they did; and the Major himself pretended
it was Necessity and not Inclination that com-
pelled them to do it. But that not appearing,
they having all shared ten or eleven Pounds
a man, except the four last, they were all
found Guilty. After which the Judge set
forth the enormity of their Crimes: And
then pronounced Sentence of Death upon
the persons aforesaid, except Major Bonnet,
who not being brought back in time, was
not tried till the 10th of November; and
being then also found Guilty, he received
Sentence in like manner as the others;
before whom Judge Trot made an excellent
speech, saying afterwards.

And now, having discharged my Duty as a

115

PIRATES

Christian, I must do my Office as a Judge,
which is

You the said Stede Bonnet shall go from
hence, to the Place from whence you came, and
from thence to the Place of Execution, where you
shall be hanged by the Neck till you are dead.

116

CAPTAIN WILLIAM KID

CAPTAIN WILLIAM KID

CAPTAIN WILLIAM KID

WE are now going to give an account of one
whose name is better known in England,
than most of those whose histories we have
already related; the person we mean is
Captain Kid, whose public Trial and Exe-
cution here, rendered him the subject of
all conversation.

In the beginning of King William's War,
Captain Kid commanded a Privateer in the
West-Indies, and by several adventurous
actions acquired the reputation of a brave
man, as well as an experienced seaman.
About this time the Pirates were very
troublesome in those parts, wherefore
Captain Kid was recommended by the

119

PIRATES

Lord Bellamont, then Governor of Bar-
badoes, as well as by several other persons,
to the Government here, as a person very
fit to be entrusted with the command of
a Government Ship, and to be employed in
cruising upon the Pirates, as knowing those
Seas perfectly well, and being acquainted
with their lurking places ; but what reasons
governed the politics of those times, I
cannot tell, but this proposal met with no
encouragement here, though it is certain it
would have been of great consequence to
the subject, our merchants suffering incredi-
ble damages by those robbers.

Upon this neglect the Lord Bellamont,
and some others who knew what great
captures had been made by the Pirates,
and what a prodigious wealth must be in
their possession, were tempted to fit out a
ship at their own private charge, and to
give the command of it to Captain Kid;
and to give the thing a greater reputation,
as well as to keep their seamen under the
better command, they procured the King's
Commission for the said Captain Kid.

120

CAPTAIN WILLIAM KID

Captain Kid had also 'another Com-
mission, which was called a Commission
of Reprisals; for it being then War time,
this Commission was to justify him in the
taking of French Merchant Ships, in case he
should meet with any. He sail'd out of
Plymouth in May 1696, in the Adventure
Galley of thirty guns, and eighty men ; the
place he first designed for was New York;
in his Voyage thither he took a French
Banker, but this was no Act of Piracy, he
having a Commission for that purpose, as
we have just observed.

When he arrived at New York he put up
Articles for engaging more Hands, it being
necessary to his Ship's crew, since he pro-
posed to deal with a desperate enemy: The
terms he offered were, that every man should
have a share of what was taken, reserving
for himself and Owners forty shares. Upon
this encouragement he soon increas'd his
company to a hundred and fifty five men.

With this company he first sail'd for
Maderas, where he took in wine and some

other necessaries; from thence he pro-

121

PIRATES

ceeded to Bonavist, one of the Cape de Verd
Islands, to furnish the ship with salt, and
from thence went immediately to St. Jago,
another of the Cape de Verd Islands, in order
to stock himself with provisions. When all
this was done, he bent his course to Mada-
gascar, the known rendezvous of Pirates ; in
this way he fell in with Captain Warren,
Commodore of three Men-of-War; he
acquainted them with his design, kept
them company two or three days, and
then leaving them, made the best way for
Madagascar, where he arrived in February
1696, just nine months from his departure
from Plymouth.

It does not appear all this while that he
had the least design of turning Pirate; for

near Mahala and Joanna both
he met with several Indian ships
richly laden, to which he did not
offer the least violence, tho' he
was strong enough to have done
what he pleas'd with them ; and
the first outrage or depredation I find he

committed upon mankind, was after his

122

CAPTAIN WILLIAM KID

repairing his ship, and leaving Joanna; he
touch'd at a place call'd Mabbee, upon the
Red Sea, where he took some Guinea Corn
from the natives, by force.

After this he sail'd to Bab's Key, a Place
upon a little Island at the entrance of the
Red Sea; here it was that he first began to
open himself to his ship's company, and let
them understand that he intended to change
his measures; for, happening to talk of the
Moca Fleet, which was to sail that way, he
said We have been unsuccessful hitherto, but
courage, my Boys, we'll make our fortunes out
of this Fleet: And finding that none of them
appear'd averse to it, he ordered a boat out,
well mann'd, to go upon the coast to make
discoveries, commanding them to take a
prisoner and bring to him, or get intelli-
gence any way they could. The boat
return'd in a few days, bringing him word,
that they saw fourteen or fifteen ships ready
to sail, some with English, some with Dutch,
and some with Moorish Colours. He there-
fore order'd a man continually to watch at
the mast-head, least this Fleet should go

123

PIRATES

by them ; and about four days after, towards
evening, it appear'd in sight, being convoy'd
by one English and one Dutch Man-of-War.
Kid soon fell in with them, and getting into
the midst of them, fir'd at a Moorish ship
which was next him; but the Men-of-War
taking the Alarm, bore down upon Kid, and
firing upon him, obliged him to sheer off,
he not being strong enough to contend with
them. Now he had begun hostilities, he
resolv'd to go on, and therefore he went and
cruis'd along the coast of Malabar ; the first
Prize he met was a small vessel belonging
to Aden, the vessel was Moorish, and the
Owners were Moorish Merchants, but the
Master was an Englishman, his name was
Parker. Kid forc'd him and a Portugueze that
was call'd Don Antonio, which were all the
Europeans on Board, to take on with them ;
the first he design'd as a pilot, and the last
as an interpreter. He also used the men
very cruelly, causing them to be hoisted up
by the arms, and drubb'd with a naked
cutlass, to force them to discover whether
they had money on board, and where it

124

CAPTAIN WILLIAM KID

lay; but as they had neither gold nor
silver on board, he got nothing by his
cruelty; however, he took from them a
bale of pepper, and a bale of coffee, and
so let them go.

Soon after this he came up with a Moorish
Ship, the Master whereof was a Dutchman,
call'd Schipper MitcheL and chased her under
French Colours, which they observing, hoisted
French Colours too : When he came up with
her, he hail'd her in French, and they having
a Frenchman on board, answer'd him in
the same language; upon which he order'd
them to send their boat on board ; they
were oblig'd to do so, and having examin'd
who they were, and from whence they
came; he ask'd the Frenchman, who was
a passenger, if he had a French pass for
himself ? The Frenchman gave him to
understand that he had. Then he told the
Frenchman he must pass for Captain, and
by God, says he, you are the Captain: The
Frenchman durst not refuse doing as he
would have him : The meaning of this was,
that he would seize the Ship as fair Prize,

125

PIRATES

and as if she belonged to French Subjects,
according to a commission he had for that
purpose ; tho', one would think, after what
he had already done, that he need not have
recourse to a quibble to give his actions a
colour.

In short, he took the cargoe and sold it
some time after, yet still he seem'd to have
some fears upon him least these proceed-
ings should have a bad end ; for, coming up
with a Dutch Ship some time, when his
men thought of nothing but attacking her,
Kid oppos'd it ; upon which a mutiny arose,
and the majority being for taking the said
ship, and arming themselves to man the
boat to go and seize her, he told them, such
as did, never should come on Board him
again ; which put an end to the design, so
that he kept company with the said ship
some time, without offering her any
violence : However, this dispute was the
occasion of an accident, upon which an
indictment was afterwards grounded against
Kid ; for Moor, the Gunner, being one day
upon deck, and talking with Kid about the

CAPTAIN WILLIAM KID

said Dutch Ship, some words arose betwixt
them, and Moor told Kid, that he had ruin'd
them all ; upon which, Kid, calling him Dog,
took up a bucket and struck him with it,
which breaking his skull, he died the next
day.

But Kid's penitential fit did not last long,
for coasting along Malabar, he met with
a great number of boats, all which he
plunder'd. Upon the same Coast he also
lit upon a Portugueze Ship, which he kept
possession of a week, and then having
taking out of her some chests of Indian
goods, thirty jars of butter, and some
wax, iron, and a hundred bags of rice, he
let her go.

The Adventure Galley was now so old
and leaky, that they were forced to keep
two pumps continually going, wherefore
Kid shifted all the guns and tackle out of
her into the Queda Merchant, intending her
for his Man-of-War; and as he had divided
the Money before, he now made a division
of the remainder of the cargo: Soon after
which, the greatest part of the company

127

PIRATES

left him, some going on board Captain
Culliford, and others absconding in the
Country, so that he had not above forty
men left.

He put to sea and happened to touch at
Amboyna, one of the Dutch Spice Islands,
where he was told, that the news of his
Actions had reach'd England, and that he
was there declared a Pirate.

The truth on't is, his Piracies so alarmed
our Merchants, that some motions were
made in Parliament, to enquire into the
commission that was given him, and the
persons who fitted him out: These pro-
ceedings seem'd to lean a little hard upon
the Lord Bellamont, who thought himself so
much touch'd thereby, that he published a
Justification of himself in a pamphlet after
Kid's execution. In the mean time, it was
thought advisable, to publish a Proclama-
tion, offering the King's free Pardon to all
such Pirates as should voluntarily surrender
themselves, whatever Piracies they had
been guilty of at any time, before the last
day of April, 1699 — That is to say, for all

128

CAPTAIN WILLIAM KID

Piracies committed Eastward of the Cape of
Good Hope, to the Longitude and Meridian
of Socatora, and Cape Camorin. In which
Proclamation, Avery and Kid were excepted
by Name.

When Kid left Amboyna he knew nothing
of this Proclamation, for certainly had he
had notice of his being excepted in it, he
would not have been so infatuated, to run
himself into the very jaws of danger; but
relying upon his interest with the Lord
Bellamont, and fancying, that a French Pass
or two he found on board some of the ships
he took, would serve to countenance the
matter, and that part of the booty he got
would gain him new friends — I say, all
these things made him flatter himself that
all would be hushed, and that justice would
but wink at him. Wheref or he sail'd directly
for New York, w^ere he was no sooner
arrived, but by the Lord Bellamont's orders,
he was secured with all his papers and
effects. Many of his fellow-adventurers
who had forsook him at Madagascar, came
over from thence passengers, some to New

129 I

PIRATES

England and some to Jersey; where hearing
of the King's Proclamation for pardoning
of Pirates, they surrendered themselves to
the Governor of those places : At first they
were admitted to bail, but soon after were
laid in strict confinement, where they were
kept for some time, till an opportunity
happened of sending them with their Gap-
tain over to England to be tried.

Accordingly a Sessions of Admiralty
being held at the Old Daily, in May, 1701,
Captain Kid, Nicholas Churchill, James How,
Robert Lumley, William Jenkins, Gabriel Loff,
Hugh Parrot, Richard Barlicorn, Abel Owens,
and Darby Mullins, were arraingn'd for
Piracy and Robbery on the High Seas,
and all found guilty, except three; these
were Robert Lumley, William Jenkins, and
Richard Barlicorn, who proving them-
selves to be apprentices to some of the
officers of the ship, and producing their
Indentures in Court, were acquitted.

Kid was tried upon an indictment of
Murder also, viz. for killing Moor the
Gunner, and found guilty of the same.

130

CAPTAIN WILLIAM KID

Nicholas Churchill and James How pleaded
the King's Pardon, as having surrendered
themselves within the time limited in the
Proclamation, and Colonel Bass, Governor
of West Jersey, to whom they surrendered,
being in Court, and called upon, proved the
same ; however, this plea was over-ruled by
the Court, because there being four Com-
missioners named in the Proclamation, it
was adjudged no other person was qualified
to receive their surrender, and that they
could not be intitled to the benefit.

As to Captain Kid's Defence, he insisted
much upon his own innocence, and the
villany of his men; he said he went out
in a laudable employment and had no
occasion, being then in good circumstances,
to go a-Pirating; that the men often muti-
nied against him, and did as they pleas'd;
that he was threatened to be shot in his
cabin, and that ninety five left him at one
time, and set fire to his boat, so that he
was disabled from bringing his ship home,
or the Prizes he took, to have them regularly
condemn'd, which he said were taken by

131

PIRATES

virtue of a commission under the broad
seal, they having French Passes — The Cap-
tain called one Col. Hew son to his Repu-
tation, who gave him an extraordinary
character, and declared to the Court, that
he had served under his command, and
been in two engagements with him against
the French, in which he fought as well as
any man he ever saw ; that there were only
Kid's Ship and his own against Monsieur du
Cass, who commanded a squadron of six
sail, and they got the better of him, but
this being several years before the facts
mentioned in the Indictment were com-
mitted, prov'd of no manner of service to
the Prisoner on his Trial.

A.S to the friendship shown to Culliford,
a notorious Pirate, Kid denied, and said, he
intended to have taken him, but his men
being a parcel of rogues and villains
refused to stand by him, and several of
them ran away from his ship to the said
Pirate. — But the evidence being full and
particular against him, he was found Guilty
as before mentioned.

132

CAPTAIN WILLIAM KID

When Kid was asked what he had to say
why Sentence should not pass against him,
he answered, That he had nothing to say, but
that he had been sworn against by perjured
wicked People. And when Sentence was
pronounced, he said, My Lord it is a very
hard Sentence. For my part I am the inno-
centest Person of them all, only I have been
sworn against by perjured Persons.

Wherefore about a week after, Capt.
Kid, Nicholas Churchill, James How, Gabriel
Loff, Hugh Parrot, Abel Owen, and Darby
Mullins, were executed at Execution Dock,
and afterwards hung up in Chains, at some
distance from each other, down the river,
where their Bodies hung exposed for many
years.

133

CAPTAIN EDWARD ENGLAND,
AND HIS CREW

CAPTAIN EDWARD ENGLAND

CAPTAIN EDWARD ENGLAND,
AND HIS CREW

EDWARD ENGLAND went Mate of a Sloop that
sailed out of Jamaica, and was taken by
Winter , a Pirate, from whom he had the
Command of a Sloop just before their
Settlement at Providence. The man was
brave and good natured, and far from being
cruel, as most of them are; and would not
have committed such barbarous actions
as he did, had not his comrades compelled
him to it.

He sailed to the Coast of Africa, after the
Island of Providence was inhabited by the
English. In his Passage he took several
Ships, particularly the Cadogan Snow be-
longing to Bristol, one Skinner Master, who

137

PIRATES

was murdered by those very men who had
formerly served under him, upon a quarrel
that happened between Skinner and them,
about their wages: He shipped them on board
a Man-of-War, from whence they deserted,
and went on board a ship in the West-Indies,
where they were taken by a pirate, and
brought to Providence, and then they sailed
htiw Captain England a-Pirating.

As soon as Skinner came on board, he saw
his old Boatswain, who said, Ah! Captain
Skinner is it you, I am much in your Debt, and
now I shall pay you in your own Coin. These
words put the Captain in a panic Fear:
And indeed he had Reason enough to be
afraid, for they immediately seized him,
bound him to the Windlass, pelted him with
Glass Bottles, afterwards whipt him about
the Deck, and then said, because he had
been a good Master, he should have an
easy Death, and so shot him through the
Head; the vessel and her Cargoe being
given to Howel Davis.

After this England went into an Harbour
to clean his Ship, and also fitted up the

138

CAPT. EDWARD ENGLAND, AND HIS GREW

Peterborough, which he called the Victory.
Then putting out to sea, they sailed for the
East-Indies, and took Madagascar, by the
Way. From thence, after taking in water
and provisions, they went for Malabar, in
the Empire of the Mogul. Here they took
several Indian Vessels, and one European,
a Dutch Ship, which they exchanged for
one of their own, and then came back to
Madagascar, were they sent several Hands
on shore to kill venison, and then resolved
to seek out for the remains of Avery's
Crew; but returning without success, they
being settled on the other side, they stay'd
no longer than till they had cleaned their
ships, and then sailed to Juanna.

In the Year 1720, the Bombay Fleet, con-
sisting of four Grabs, the London Chandois,
and some other ships, carried 1000 Men
to bombard and batter Gapra, a fort belong-
ing to Angria, on the Malabar Coast; which
they not being able to do, fell in with the
Pirates, in their return to Bombay: But
Captain Upton the Commodore, having no
orders, would not engage them ; which so

139

PIRATES

provoked the Governor, for missing so
favourable an opportunity of cutting the
Pirates all off, that he gave the command
to Captain Mackra, with orders to fight
them wherever he met with them.

But the Pirates proceeded to the south-
ward, and took a small ship out of Orincro
Road, with a Dutch and two Portuguese Men
on board, one of which they sent to the
Captain, to inform him, that if he would
supply them with provisions and water he
should have his ship again. But the Master
would not agree to it ; thereupon they sent
other persons ashore, and swore he should
be the last man they would give quarter
to, and so put directly for Laccadeva Island,
and arrived there in three days. But
being informed by a Menckew, there was
no anchor-ground there, they went to the
next Island, called Melincha, whence they
were driven by a storm, leaving behind
them a hundred people, and all their
water-casks: But in a week's time, they
regained the island, took their people on
board, and filled the water -casks. Pro-

140

GAPT. EDWARD ENGLAND, AND HIS GREW

visions being scarce, they resolved to visit
the Dutch at Cochin, and after three days
sail, arrived off of Tellechery, where they
took a small Vessel belonging to Governor
Adams; who giving an account of Captain
Mackra's fitting out against them, put them
into a grievous passion.

Afterward they arrived at Mauritius,
where they refitted the Victory, and then
sailed the 5th of April for Madagascar,
but called first at the Island Mascarine, at
which they found a Portugueze ship of
seventy guns at anchor, disabled by a
violent storm, so that they easily became a
Prize to the Pirates. She had on board the
Conde Ereceira Vice-Roy of Goa, also they
found on board her, in diamonds only, to
the value of four millions of Dollars. They
made the Vice-Roy a prisoner; but in con-
sideration of his losses^ accepted of a ran-
som of 2000 dollars and then set him and
his followers ashore. Learning that an
Ostender was on the leeward of that Island,
they sailed and took her, and sent her to
Madagascar with news of their success,

141

PIRATES

where they followed themselves soon after,
with two hundred Mozambique Negroes in
the Portugueze Ship.

When Taylor came with the Portugueze
Prize to Madagascar, they found that the
Ostender had made his men drunk, and
seized his ship, which they carried to the
Mozambique; from thence the Governor
ordered her to Goa. But the Pirates staid
and clean'd the Cassandra, and divided very
great plunder. Some, who thought they had
got enough, staid at Madagascar, and the rest,
having no occasion for two ships, burnt the
Victory, she being leaky, and went on board
the Cassandra, under the Command of
Captain Taylor, designing to go for Cochin
to dispose of his diamonds, amongst his old
Friends the Dutch, and also to avoid the
dangers of the Men-of-War that were in
pursuit of them. But as he was preparing
to sail, and heard of four Men-of-War
coming after him; therefore he altered his
mind, and sailed for the Main of Africa,
and put in at Delagoa: But the Pirates were
surprized in the evening with some shot

142

GAPT. EDWARD ENGLAND, AND HIS GREW

from the shore. They took it for a desert
shore, but it proved otherwise; for a
few months before, the Dutch East India
Company had settled one hundred men
upon it, who, not being supplied with
necessaries, were reduced to about sixteen;
whom Taylor, upon their humble petition
took aboard, and they all became Pirates
with him.

Here they stayed about four months,
careened their ships, and left Delagoa the
latter end of December: But not agreeing
among themselves, they parted those who
were weary of that sort of life, went on
board the Portugueze Prize, and sailed for
Madagascar; the others went on board the
Cassandra, and sailed for the Spanish West
Indies. The Mermaid Man-of-War, which
was a convoy to some Merchant-men, about
30 leagues distance, would have gone to
attack them, had not the Merchants, whom
he had the care of, declar'd their protection
was of more service than destroying the
Pirates ; and so he was oblig'd to be content
with only dispatching the news of it to

143

PIRATES

Jamaica. This brought down the Lanceston,
though it was a day or two too late, for they
had just before surrendered, with all their
riches, to the Governor of Porto-Bello, where
they now live upon their Spoils, saying,
others would have done as much, had they
had the same opportunity; swearing, That
whatever Robberies they had committed they
are not the only Rogues in the World; for that
the South-Sea* did more Mischief in one Year,
than they were able to do in their whole Lives.

* The South-Sea Bubble.

144

CAPTAIN JOHN cow, ALIAS SMITH,

AND HIS CREW

CAPTAIN JOHN GOW

CAPTAIN JOHN GOW, ALIAS SMITH,

AND HIS CREW

JOHN Gow, alias Smith, was born at a place
called Caristoun, in the Orkney Islands, and
was brought up a sailor from his youth,
having served on board several Men-of-
War, and last of all on board the Suffolk,
along with T. Swan, who was engaged with
him in the conspiracy to murder Captain
Ferneau, and seize the ship and cargoe, as
they went off the Texel, but they were pre-
vented by James Belvin, who was led into
the secret and discovered it. Captain
Ferneau taking little notice of it, contented
himself with turning off Swan, and preferred
Gow to be second Mate and Gunner.

147

PIRATES

They sailed on board the George Galley,
August the 1st, 1724, from the Texel to
Santa Cruz, having 15000/ on board, when
Gow designed to have seized the Ship as
they went out, but could not get a party
strong enough to join with him, till he
worked up a misunderstanding between
the Captain and part of the crew, con-
cerning the provisions of the ship, par-
ticularly Winter, Peterson, and Mc.Cawley,
who came upon the Quarter-Deck, in
presence of the Owners, just before they
sailed, and made a long complaint against
the Captain ; who assured them that if there
was any wrong done them, it was not by his
consent; and that he would enquire into it
as soon as they had unmoored the ship.

About eight a clock at night, Captain
Ferneau, as usual, called them up to prayers
in the great Cabin, and then set the watch,
and went to sleep, little thinking his end
was so near, when Winter, Rawlisson, and
Melvin, begun the scene of blood, Gow
lying snug in his hammock, as if he knew
nothing of the matter, till he saw whether

148

CAPTAIN JOHN GOW, AND HIS CPEW

the villany would succeed, or not. Winter
cut the Doctor's throat as he was asleep in
his hammock, and then went up to Melvin
and Rawlisson, who in the mean time had
seized the Captain and cut his throat also,
but not touching the windpipe, Gow stept
up and shot him with a brace of bullets,
and then threw him over-board. Mc.Cawley
cut Stephen Algiers the Clerk's throat, as he
lay in the hammock, and Williams shot him
dead afterwards. Peterson cut the throat
of Bonaventure Jelphs, the Chief Mate; and
Michael Moor, at the Command of Williams.
shot him.

After this Williams came upon the Quar-
ter-Deck, and saluted Gow with Captain
Ferneau's sword, first striking it upon one
of the guns, and saying, Welcome Captain
Gow, welcome to your new Command. After
which, Gow told the men, That if any of
them durst murmur or cabal together, they
must expect to meet with the same Fate;
and then calling a Council, they agreed to
go, Upon the Account, as they called it.

They called the ship the Revenge, and

149

PIRATES

mounted six more of her guns, she being
able to carry four and twenty tin all. But
instead of going to Genoa as intended, they
sailed for the coasts of Spain and Portugal,
in hopes of getting a ship laden with wine,
to keep up their spirits; but all was alike
they met with; and instead of wine, they
contented themselves with fish, which they
took out of a ship called the Delight of Poole,
Thomas Wise, Master, bound from New-
England to Cadiz, out of which they took
the men, and what they wanted, and then
sunk the Ship, to prevent their being dis-
covered to the English Men-of-War who lay
in the Straights.

On the 18th of December, they took the
Snow-Galley, out of which Grew they kept
Rob, and discharged the Captain and the
rest of the men, after having plundered
the Ship of the arms, ammunition, cloth,
provisions, sails, anchors, cables, and then
let her go.

By this time, they were got a great way
to the southward; and being in want of
water as well as wind, they agreed to go

150

CAPTAIN JOHN GOW, AND HIS GREW

to Maderas, which Island they made in two
days, cruising about it near a week, ex-
pecting some vessel to come in or come out ;
but the Country discovering what they were,
they were disappointed in their attempts.
Then they stood away for Porto Santa, where
they put up British Colours, and sent their
Boat ashore with a compliment to the
Governor, desiring leave to Water, and
buy some refreshments; which he readily
agreed to, and went with them to pay the
English Captain a Visit, who received him
in a very grand Manner. But the refresh-
ments not coming as expected, he at length
told him he was his Prisoner, and must
remain so till the provisions were come on
board, which was not till next day, when
Gow discharged him, giving him three
Cerons of Bees-wax, and three Guns at
his going away.

Having now got provisions, they agreed
to return to the Coasts of Spain and Portugal;
where they had not been above two days,
before they met with the Batchelor, Benjamin
Cross Master, from New-England bound to

151

PIRATES

Cadiz; out of which they took Cross and his
Men, and gave the Ship to Captain Wise, as
also 24 Cerons of Bees-wax to him and his
mate, and to his four men 8 Cerons.
After this they took a French Ship from
Cadiz, loaded with wine, oil, and fruit,
which was what they wanted, and manned
her with their own men, taking on board
the Revenge the French Master, and his 12
Men, and most Part of the cargoe, with
five guns and their carriages, ammunition,
small arms, and sails, and gave the ship
to Somerville, Captain of the Snow Galley; and
to Captain Cross the New-English Man, to
who they gave half the ship and cargoe and
Somerville had all his Men, but Alexander
Rob, whom they detained, and who was exe-
cuted in 1725, for engaging along with them.
Soon after they saw a large ship to the
windward bearing down upon them, which
at first they thought to have been a Portu-
gueze Man-of-War; but they found after-
wards, it was a French Merchant Ship
coming home from the West-Indies, which
not fearing them, came on to the windward.

152

CAPTAIN JOHN GOW, AND HIS GREW

Gow perceiving she was a Ship of great
strength, called all his men together, telling
them they had a great many prisoners on
board, and that he could not trust many of
his own men; besides, six of his best Hands
were on Board the other Ship, therefore he
advised them not to meddle with her, she
being far superior in Force. This so ex-
asperated Williams, that he demanded of
Gow to give his orders for fighting; but
he, by the advice of the whole crew,
declined it; whereupon Williams snapt his
pistol at his Face; which not going off,
made him still madder. Winter and Peterson
standing by him fired each a Pistol at
Williams, one shooting him through the
arm, and the other in the belly; at which
he fell, and they believing he was killed,
were going to throw him overboard, when
he leapt up, and ran into the Powder-Room,
with his pistol cocked in his hand, swear-
ing he would blow them all up; which he
had certainly done, had they not prevented
him that very moment, he having opened
the scuttle to do it.

153

PIRATES

They immediately put % him in irons, and
hand-cuffed him, and then put him between
decks, in a place prepared for prisoners.

Two days after this, they took the
Triumvirate, a Bristol Sloop, Joel Davis
Master, bound from Newfoundland to Oporto,
with fish ; from whence they took all her
provisions, arms, sails, and two of her
men, and then let her go with the rest,
and all her cargoe. Not knowing what to
do with Williams, they resolved to put him
on board them, and send him away, for fear
of further danger, ordering the Master to
put him on board the first English man of
War he should meet with, to hang him for
Piracy; which when Williams found they
were resolved to do, he made all the sub-
mission he wyas able to Captain Gow, begging
for pardon, knowing if he was carried to
Lisbon he should meet with his deserts. But
all his entreaties would not do, he was brought
up double fettered, when he begged they
would throw him into the sea, and drown
him, rather than give him up to be hanged
in chains, which he knew he deserved from

154

CAPTAIN JOHN GOW, AND HIS GREW

the Portuguese as well as English. This made
many of them begin to relent and pity him ;
but considering his savage disposition, they
knew there was no safety to keep him on
board, and so resolved to let him go, and
give him a hearty curse at parting, wishing
him a safe voyage to the gallows, not dream-
ing that they themselves should accompany
him.

The Bristol Captain obeyed their orders,
and as soon as he came to Lisbon put him
on board the Argyle man of War, Captain
Bowler Commander, who brought him home
not above three days before Gow and his
Crew came to keep him company.

In the middle of last January, they arrived
at Caristoun in the Isles of Orkney, when Gow
gave them instructions, what account they
should give of themselves to the people of
the country, to avoid suspicion. But now
began their misfortunes, for several of their
men began to think of making their escape,
the first was one Read, who took an oppor-
tunity to get away when the boat went
ashore, who went to a farm-house which

155

PIRATES

lay under a hill where he hired a horse
and rode to Kirkwall, a market town about
twelve miles off, where he informed them
what they were ; whereupon they raised
the Country to defend themselves. The
Pirates soon hearing what was done, ten
more of them went away with the long-
boat, making the best of their way for
Scotland, who were some time after taken in
the Frith of Edinburgh, and made Prisoners.
This so provoked Gow, that he resolved
to plunder the Country, be the consequence
what it would, and in order thereto, he sent
Belvin his Boatswain, with Rob and Four
more, to iMr. Honnyman's house, the Sheriff,
who not being at home, his Servants let
them in, not suspecting their design. They
immediately fell to work, but Mr. Honny-
mari's Daughter had the presence of mind
to hide the money in a tub of feathers, till
she found an opportunity to carry it away,
by the contrivance of Alexander Rob, who
was placed centinel at the door. But when
the Boatswain found the treasure was gone,
Gow having before told them where it

CAPTAIN JOHN GOW, AND H£S CRHW

lay, he swore he would burn the house, -and
all that was in it, which the young Lady hear-
ing, she runs to the Charter-room where the
Treasure lay, and threw it out of the Window,
jumping herself after. However, they plun-
dered the house of about fifty pounds, and
some plate, and then forced a servant who
played on the bag-pipes, to pipe before them
to the ship, whom they also detained, and
was brought along with them to the Mar-
shalsea, where he was sick till his release.

The next day they weighed anchor, and
came to Calf-Sound, where the boatswain
went ashore again with four armed Men,
meeting with no Plunder. From thence
they went to the Island of Eda, to plunder
the house of Mr. Fea, whom Gow had
formerly been School - fellow with, and
knowing him to be a Man of Courage,
believed that the Alarm at Caristoun had
drawn him thither: But Mr. Fed's wife at
that Time being very sick in Bed, kept him
at home, and having notice of them he
sent a letter to Gow by James Laing, to
desire him to withdraw, assuring him that

157

PIRATES

most of the inhabitants were fled to the
mountains on the report of his being a
Pirate, desiring him to send the messenger
safe back, at whose return the affrights of
the people would be over. Gow sent him
word back, that he would write to nobody,
but if Mr. Fea would send his men with a
Boat, he would reward them handsomely,
which Mr. Fea hearing, he ordered his great
Boat to be staved, and sunk, and the sails
to be carried out of sight. In the mean
time, perceiving Gow's boat come on
shore, with five men in it, well armed, he
met them, and said if they would go to a
Publick House in the neighbourhood, and
take a cup of ale with him, he would see
what he could do to serve them, which they
agreed to, seeing Mr. Fea was all alone, not
suspecting any danger. Mr. Fea had before
given orders for half a dozen men, well
armed, to lie in ambush to surprize them,
which being done, Mr. Fea sent to Mr.
Gow to let him know, that the country was
alarmed, and that it would be his best way
peaceable to surrender, which Gow did in

158

CAPTAIN JOHN GOW, AND HIS CREW

a day or two, thinking thereby to make
himself an evidence ; but it would not do,
although he complied so far as to delude
all his men ashore one after another, who
would certainly have cut his throat, had
they known of any ways afterwards to have
escaped.

They were put on board the Greyhound,
which delivered them into the Marsha/sea,
March 30, 1714, where they continued till
June following, when eight of them were
hanged at Execution Dock, viz. John Gow,
James Williams, James Belvin, John Winter,
Peter Rawlisson, Daniel Mc.Cawley, William
Ingram, for another Piracy under Anstis,
and a month afterwards Alexander Rob
was hanged for Piracy under Gow.

l.VJ

L CH CULAT1ON