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diff --git a/75282-0.txt b/75282-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..62434c1 --- /dev/null +++ b/75282-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15857 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75282 *** + + + + + +[Illustration: VIEW OF THE HARBOR AND TOWN OF BOSTON IN 1723 + +From an engraving in the British Museum after a drawing by William +Burgis] + + + + + THE + PIRATES + OF THE + NEW ENGLAND + COAST + 1630-1730 + + + By + + GEORGE FRANCIS DOW + Curator of the Society for the Preservation of + New England Antiquities + + and + + JOHN HENRY EDMONDS + Massachusetts State Archivist + + INTRODUCTION BY + CAPT. ERNEST H. PENTECOST, R.N.R. + + + [Illustration] + + + MARINE RESEARCH SOCIETY + SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS + + 1923 + + + + + PUBLICATION NUMBER TWO + + OF THE + + MARINE RESEARCH SOCIETY + SALEM, MASS. + + + COPYRIGHT, 1923, BY + THE MARINE RESEARCH SOCIETY + + + PRINTED IN + THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA + BY THE JORDAN & MORE PRESS + BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS + + + + + THIS VOLUME + IS DEDICATED TO THE + MARINERS AND MERCHANTS OF + NEW ENGLAND WHO SUFFERED + LOSS OF LIFE OR PROPERTY + AT THE HANDS OF + PIRATES + + + + +PREFACE + + +There is scarcely a sandy beach on New England’s long and deeply +indented coastline that has not connected with it some traditionary +tale of the landing of pirates or their buried treasure. Many of these +half-forgotten tales may have had an origin in the operations of early +smugglers or in the evasion of the British Navigation Acts, but it +is undoubtedly true that pirates did frequent this coast, beginning +with the early days of its settlement, and during their periodical +appearances, robbed and destroyed shipping almost at will. In gathering +material relating to this subject no attempt has been made to include +the traditionary lore. The public records of the time supply an +astonishing amount of detailed information, but the principal source +for first-hand information on the operations of pirate vessels during +the first twenty-five years of the eighteenth century, the period +when piracy was most frequent and least controlled, is the “History +of the Pirates” by Capt. Charles Johnson. It has been claimed that +the author at one time sailed in a pirate ship and therefore wrote +from a personal knowledge of many of the events described. It seems +impossible that anyone could have obtained such a circumstantial +narrative of illicit life on the open sea unless he had lived in +intimate personal acquaintance with a number of those who took part in +the stirring actions recounted. Some of his tales are so extraordinary +that they seem improbable--impossible of belief. And yet, the portion +of his history relating to the North Atlantic coast has been verified +by original records and items of current news in the newspapers and +found to be a truthful relation in all essential details. With so +much corroborative evidence at hand it is only fair to concede the +probability that other portions of his “History,” not verified at this +time, are also based upon fact. + +The account of piracy to be found in the following chapters is based +upon original documents in the Massachusetts State Archives, in the +records of the Vice-Admiralty Courts, the Courts of Assistants and the +Quarterly Courts. Printed accounts of trials have supplied valuable +information and many details that have greatly enriched the narrative +have been gleaned from newspapers published at the time. Intermingled +are personal anecdotes and details recorded by Captain Johnson, of +captures, murders and injuries inflicted upon the officers and crews of +plundered merchant vessels. + +Many friends have aided in the preparation of this volume. Capt. Ernest +H. Pentecost, R.N.R., of Topsfield, has freely placed at our disposal +his collection of voyages and books on piracy and related subjects. He +also has critically examined the manuscript and given it the benefit +of his technical knowledge of things nautical. Mr. John W. Farwell +of Boston has generously permitted the reproduction of portions of +several rare maps in his fine collection of early charts and maps. +Mr. Julius H. Tuttle, Librarian of the Massachusetts Historical +Society, and Mr. George Parker Winship, Librarian of the Harry Elkins +Widener Collection, Harvard College Library, have kindly allowed the +reproduction of early engravings and title pages of rare books. Cordial +thanks also are due to Mr. Howard M. Chapin, Librarian of the George +L. Shepley Library, Providence; Mr. Charles H. Taylor, Mr. William W. +Cordingley, the Bostonian Society and the Society for the Preservation +of New England Antiquities, all of Boston; the Peabody Museum of Salem; +and to all others who in any way have furthered the production of this +volume. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PREFACE v + + TABLE OF CONTENTS vii + + LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ix + + INTRODUCTION BY CAPT. ERNEST H. PENTECOST, R.N.R. xvii + + I THE BEGINNINGS OF ENGLISH PIRACY 1 + + II DIXEY BULL, THE FIRST PIRATE IN NEW ENGLAND WATERS + AND SOME OTHERS WHO FOLLOWED HIM 20 + + III JOHN RHODES, PILOT OF THE DUTCH PIRATES ON THE + COAST OF MAINE 44 + + IV THOMAS POUND, PILOT OF THE KING’S FRIGATE, WHO + BECAME A PIRATE AND DIED A GENTLEMAN 54 + + V WILLIAM KIDD, PRIVATEERSMAN AND REPUTED PIRATE 73 + + VI THOMAS TEW, WHO RETIRED AND LIVED AT NEWPORT 84 + + VII JOHN QUELCH AND HIS CREW, WHO WERE HANGED AT + BOSTON AND THEIR GOLD DISTRIBUTED 99 + + VIII SAMUEL BELLAMY, WHOSE SHIP WAS WRECKED AT + WELLFLEET AND 142 DROWNED 116 + + IX GEORGE LOWTHER, WHO CAPTURED THIRTY-THREE + VESSELS IN SEVENTEEN MONTHS 132 + + X NED LOW OF BOSTON AND HOW HE BECAME A PIRATE + CAPTAIN 141 + + XI CAPTAIN ROBERTS’ CURIOUS ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED + ON LOW’S SHIP 157 + + XII THE BRUTAL CAREER AND MISERABLE END OF NED LOW 200 + + XIII THE STRANGE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP ASHTON 218 + + XIV NICHOLAS MERRITT’S ACCOUNT OF HIS ESCAPE FROM + PIRATES 270 + + XV FRANCIS FARRINGTON SPRIGGS, THE COMPANION OF + NED LOW 277 + + XVI CHARLES HARRIS, WHO WAS HANGED AT NEWPORT WITH + TWENTY-FIVE OF HIS CREW 288 + + XVII JOHN PHILLIPS, WHOSE HEAD WAS CUT OFF AND + PICKLED 310 + + XVIII WILLIAM FLY, WHO WAS HANGED IN CHAINS ON + NIX’S MATE 328 + + XIX PIRATE HAUNTS AND CRUISING GROUNDS 338 + + XX PIRATE LIFE AND DEATH 353 + + APPENDIX + I CAPTAIN PLOUGHMAN’S COMMISSION 371 + II CAPTAIN PLOUGHMAN’S INSTRUCTIONS 373 + III DYING SPEECH OF CAPTAIN QUELCH 376 + IV JOHN FILLMORE’S NARRATIVE 379 + V AN “ACT OF GRACE” 381 + + INDEX 383 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + BOSTON HARBOR FROM THE SURVEY IN THE “ENGLISH + PILOT,” Part IV. London, 1707 _Front end-paper_ + + From an original in the Harvard College Library. + + + VIEW OF THE HARBOR AND TOWN OF BOSTON IN + 1723 _Frontispiece_ + + From an engraving in the British Museum after a drawing + by William Burgis. + + + FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF CAPT. CHARLES + JOHNSON’S “HISTORY OF THE PIRATES,” London, 1724 1 + + From an original in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + MAP OF THE WEST INDIES ABOUT 1720, SHOWING “THE + TRACTS OF THE SPANISH GALLIONS” 10 + + From Herman Moll’s “Atlas Minor,” London, 1732, in the + Harvard College Library. + + + CAPT. HENRY MORGAN, THE BUCCANEER, BEFORE PANAMA 14 + + From an engraving in Johnson’s “General History of the + Lives and Adventures of the Most Famous Highwaymen, + Murderers, Pyrates,” etc., London, 1734, in the Harry + Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard College Library. + + + FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF REV. COTTON + MATHER’S “PILLARS OF SALT, AN HISTORY OF SOME + CRIMINALS EXECUTED IN THIS LAND,” Boston, 1699 26 + + From an original in the Harvard College Library. + + + RICHARD COOTE, EARL OF BELLOMONT, GOVERNOR OF + MASSACHUSETTS, 1699-1700 42 + + From a rare engraving in the Harvard College Library. + + + VIEW OF CASTLE WILLIAM, BOSTON HARBOR, ABOUT + 1729, AND A MAN-OF-WAR OF THE PERIOD 54 + + From the only known copy of an engraving probably by + John Harris, after a drawing by William Burgis. + + + AN ARMED SLOOP NEAR BOSTON LIGHTHOUSE IN 1729 62 + + From the only known copy of a mezzotint by William + Burgis, published Aug. 11, 1729, and now in the + possession of the United States Lighthouse Board. + + + SAMUEL SEWALL, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPERIOR + COURT IN MASSACHUSETTS, 1718-1728 66 + + From an original painting in possession of the + Massachusetts Historical Society. + + + FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF “A FULL ACCOUNT + OF THE PROCEEDINGS IN RELATION TO CAPT. KIDD,” + London, 1701 82 + + From an original in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + JOSEPH DUDLEY, GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, WHO + PRESIDED AT THE TRIAL OF CAPTAIN QUELCH 102 + + From an original painting in possession of the + Massachusetts Historical Society. + + + FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF “THE TRIAL OF + CAPT. JOHN QUELCH FOR PIRACY,” London, 1704 106 + + From an original in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF REV. COTTON + MATHER’S “FAITHFUL WARNINGS TO PREVENT FEARFUL + JUDGMENTS,” Boston, 1704 112 + + From an original in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + REV. COTTON MATHER, PASTOR OF THE SECOND (NORTH) + CHURCH, Boston, 1685-1728 114 + + From a mezzotint by Peter Pelham after a portrait + painted in 1728. + + + FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF “THE TRIAL OF + EIGHT PERSONS INDITED FOR PIRACY,” Boston, 1717 116 + + From an original in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + SPANISH DOUBLOON 126 + + From the original gold coin, found on the beach at + Wellfleet, Mass., where Bellamy’s pirate ship was + wrecked in 1717 and now in the possession of Charles + H. Taylor. + + + SPANISH PIECE OF EIGHT 126 + + From the original eight real piece in the cabinet of + the Massachusetts Historical Society. + + + FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF REV. COTTON + MATHER’S “INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LIVING FROM THE + CONDITION OF THE DEAD,” Boston, 1717 130 + + From an original in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + CAPT. GEORGE LOWTHER AT PORT MAYO 138 + + From an engraving in Johnson’s “General History of the + Lives and Adventures of the Most Famous Highwaymen, + Murderers, Pyrates,” etc., London, 1734, in the Harry + Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard College Library. + + + THE IDLE APPRENTICE SENT TO SEA 142 + + From an engraving by William Hogarth in the “Industry + and Idleness” series, published in 1747. The young + reprobate is being rowed past Cuckold’s Point on the + Thames where may be seen a pirate hanging from a gibbet. + + + A BARQUE IN THE WEST INDIES ABOUT 1720 146 + + From an engraving in Lobat’s “Nouveau Voyage,” Vol. II, + Paris, 1722, in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + A BRIGANTINE IN THE WEST INDIES ABOUT 1720 146 + + From an engraving in Lobat’s “Nouveau Voyage,” Vol. II, + Paris, 1722, in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + CAPT. EDWARD LOW IN A HURRICANE 152 + + From an engraving in Johnson’s “General History of the + Lives and Adventures of the Most Famous Highwaymen, + Murderers, Pyrates,” etc., London, 1734, in the Harry + Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard College Library. + + + ONE OF LOW’S CREW KILLING A WOUNDED SPANIARD 204 + + From an engraving in Johnson’s “Historie der Engelsche + Zee-roovers,” Amsterdam, 1725, in the Harvard College + Library. + + + FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF “ASHTON’S MEMORIAL: + THE STRANGE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP ASHTON,” + Boston, 1725 222 + + From an original in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + PIRATES BOARDING A SPANISH VESSEL IN THE WEST INDIES 238 + + From an engraving in “The History and Lives of the most + Notorious Pirates,” by an old Seaman, London, n.d., in + possession of Capt. Ernest H. Pentecost, R.N.R. + + + MAP OF THE BAY OF HONDURAS SHOWING RATTAN + ISLAND AND PORT MAYO 242 + + From the map in “Voyages and Travels of Capt. Nathaniel + Uring,” London, 1726, in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + MAP SHOWING RUATAN ISLAND IN THE BAY OF HONDURAS + WHERE PHILIP ASHTON ESCAPED FROM PIRATES 256 + + From a map in the “American Atlas,” by Thomas Jefferys, + London, 1776, in the possession of John W. Farwell. + + + “SWEATING” ON CAPTAIN SPRIGG’S PIRATE VESSEL 278 + + From an engraving in “The History and Lives of the most + Notorious Pirates,” by an old Seaman, London, n.d., in + possession of Capt. Ernest H. Pentecost, R.N.R. + + + PIRATES KILLING A CAPTURED MAN 284 + + From an engraving in “The History and Lives of the Most + Notorious Pirates,” by an old Seaman, London, n.d., in + possession of Capt. Ernest H. Pentecost, R.N.R. + + + FIGHT ON A PIRATE SHIP 284 + + From an engraving in “The History and Lives of the Most + Notorious Pirates,” by an old Seaman, London, n.d., in + possession of Capt. Ernest H. Pentecost, R.N.R. + + + WILLIAM DUMMER, LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, + WHO PRESIDED AT THE TRIAL OF CAPT. + CHARLES HARRIS FOR PIRACY 296 + + From the portrait by Robert Feke in possession of the + Trustees of Dummer Academy. + + + “VIEW OF NEWPORT, R. I., IN 1730,” SHOWING, AT THE + LEFT, GRAVELLY POINT, ON WHICH THE PIRATES WERE + HANGED IN 1723 308 + + The original painting really represents the town at a + somewhat later date. Reproduced from a lithograph copy + made in 1864, now in the George L. Shepley Library, + Providence, R. I. + + + FISHING SHIP AND STATION ON THE NEWFOUNDLAND + COAST ABOUT 1710 314 + + From an insert in Herman Moll’s “Map of North + America,” London [1710-1715], in the possession of + John W. Farwell. + + + FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF REV. COTTON MATHER’S + “THE CONVERTED SINNER ... A SERMON PREACHED ... IN THE + HEARING AND AT THE DESIRE OF CERTAIN PIRATES, A LITTLE + BEFORE THEIR EXECUTION,” Boston, 1724 324 + + From an original in the library of the American + Antiquarian Society. + + + FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF “THE TRYALS OF + SIXTEEN PERSONS FOR PIRACY,” Boston, 1726 328 + + From an original in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF REV. BENJAMIN + COLMAN’S “SERMON PREACHED TO SOME MISERABLE + PIRATES,” Boston, 1726 334 + + From an original in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF REV. COTTON + MATHER’S “VIAL POURED OUT UPON THE SEA,” + Boston, 1726 336 + + From an original in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + CAPT. BARTHOLOMEW ROBERTS 340 + + From an engraving in Johnson’s “General History of the + Pirates,” London, 1725, in the possession of George + Francis Dow. + + + CAPT. JOHN AVERY TAKING THE GREAT MOGUL’S SHIP 346 + + From an engraving in Johnson’s “General History of the + Lives and Adventures of the Most Famous Highwaymen, + Murderers, Pyrates,” etc., London, 1734, in the Harry + Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard College Library. + + + CAPT. EDWARD TEACH, COMMONLY CALLED “BLACK BEARD” 350 + + From an engraving in Johnson’s “General History of the + Lives and Adventures of the Most Famous Highwaymen, + Murderers, Pyrates,” etc., London, 1734, in the Harry + Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard College Library. + + + FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF “THE TRIALS OF + FIVE PERSONS FOR PIRACY, FELONY AND ROBBERY,” + Boston, 1726 354 + + From an original in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + THE PIRATE SHIPS “ROYAL FORTUNE” AND “RANGER” + IN WHYDAH ROAD, JAN. 11, 1722 360 + + From an engraving in Johnson’s “General History of + the Pirates,” London, 1725, in possession of George + Francis Dow. + + + NIX’S MATE, BOSTON HARBOR, IN 1775, WHERE CAPTAIN + FLY WAS GIBBETTED IN 1726 368 + + From an engraving in the “Atlantic Neptune,” Part III, + London, 1781, in the library of the Massachusetts + Historical Society. + + + MONUMENT ON THE SHOAL, FORMERLY NIX’S MATE, IN + 1637 AN ISLAND OF MORE THAN TEN ACRES 368 + + From a photograph made about 1900. + + + MAP OF CAPE COD IN 1717, SHOWING THE LOCATION OF + THE PIRATE WRECK _Back end-paper_ + + From a chart surveyed and published by Capt. Cyprian + Southack of Boston, now in possession of John W. + Farwell. + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +Why did men go a-pirating, or “on the account” as the pirates called +it? The sailors said it was few ships and many men, hard work and +small pay, long voyages, bad food and cruel commanders. “Hard ships +make hard men.” “Many sailed but few returned.” “No kind words on deep +water.” “No law off soundings.” “We live hard and die hard and go to +Hell afterwards.” These are some of the sea sayings that have come down +to us from long ago, and they go to prove that the narrow channel of +sailor men was narrow indeed and full of rocks and shoals which could +only be cleared by very careful steering. + +The sea was ever a hard calling, especially in the days of which this +work treats. The men before the mast were little better than slaves: +“Growl you may but go you must” was the saying. Small pay (which +they “earned like horses and spent like asses”), scanty food and +often stinking water with generally hard usage turned many an honest +sailorman into a desperate pirate. + +Sea captains thought it good policy to keep their men as “busy as the +Devil in a gale of wind” to prevent them doing a job o’ work for that +Gentleman with the long tail, who, it was said, took especial interest +in the doings of “those who go down to the sea in ships.” “Six days +shalt thou labour as hard as thou art able, the seventh, holy-stone +the main deck and chip the chain cable.” Capt. Thomas Phillips wrote +in 1693, that “nothing grates upon the seamen more than pinching their +bellies, or treating them with cruel or reproachful words.” + +One can easily imagine a group of hard-bitten men sheltering under the +lee of the long boat on a dirty night; wet, cold and tired; listening +with hungry interest to the yarns of an “old stander” who had been “on +the account,” telling of the time he sailed with Bart Sharp or “Long +Ben” Avery; picturing with many a brave oath, that other channel, +the broad one, straight, with smooth water, pieces-of-eight to port, +dollars and doubloons to starboard, snug harbors in tropic isles, dusky +maids, punch, tobacco and grub in plenty, laced coats and chains of +gold. + +There is another side to the picture, not so pleasant, to be sure, +but easily dimmed by a noggin of rum or a swig or two of flip. ’Tis +naught, after all, but the yard-arm of a man-of-war with a man on the +end of a tricing line with his flippers seized to his sides; and on a +seashore, a wooden erection with a something hanging--something that +looks uncommonly like a sailorman, watching, with wry face, the ebbing +and flowing of the tide. But there’s nothing in the picture to make one +of the right sort go about ship. Better a short choking sensation than +a long starving in merchants’ employ or scurvy rotting for a pay ticket +on board a king’s ship. + +Capt. Charles Johnson tells us in his book on pirates, that one “Mary +Read, a female pirate, being asked by her captain, before he knew +she was a woman, why she followed a life so full of danger and at +last to the certainty of being hanged, replied: as to the hanging she +thought it no great hardship, for were it not for that every cowardly +fellow would turn pirate and so infest the seas that men of courage +would starve. That if it was put to her choice she would not have the +punishment less than death, the fear of which kept dastardly rogues +honest; that many of those who were now cheating the widows and orphans +and oppressing their poor neighbors who had no money to obtain justice, +would then rob at sea and the ocean would be as crowded with rogues +as the land, so that no merchant would venture out and the trade in a +little time would not be worth following.” + +There is an old saying that “Peace makes pirates.” The lawless +scamps--“sweepings of Hell and Hackney”--who manned the privateers were +especially prone to go a-pirateering in times of peace. They could +not or would not settle down to steady work and small pay or be bound +by laws and conventions. They loved roving and loot too well. Better +to hang a sun-drying than to live with “a southerly wind in the shot +locker.” It was but a step, after all, and that a short one, if half +be true that has been written of privateers by men of regular navies. +But perhaps they were a little prejudiced. Many rich prizes were taken +by the private ships of war, often robbing the regulars of the chance +of filling their pockets. Those who manned the King’s ships, like all +others that used the seas, suffered from loot hunger and to satisfy +the same would often sail very close to the wind, so close, in fact, +that several of the King’s captains were caught flat aback and made a +stern board towards the rocks. Some cleared by discharging their golden +ballast, others, by the wind of influence. + +Coasters and fishermen were not so apt to turn pirates. Their work was +hard and risky; but fresh food, “full and plenty,” and shore influence +kept them steady. They were not as a rule of such an adventurous type +as deep-water seamen. Occasionally, however, some lusty young fisherman +or coaster would go a-roving. Perhaps some maid had been unkind or too +kind. + +Some sailed under the “Jolly Roger” because they thought that he +who dared, toiled and ventured, deserved as great a percentage of +the profits as he who sat at home in personal safety and comfort +and handled the pen. It was their only chance of getting even with +the merchants and that chance a good one. Governments had little to +spend on pirate chasing; besides, who could better stand a little +cash-letting than the money-fat merchants. But well as they might +have been able to stand it they roared so during the operation that +governments were forced at last, Acts of Grace having failed, to +send men-of-war to cruise against “the gentlemen of fortune following +the sea.” They effected little. After one pirate-hunting squadron had +returned unsuccessful, sailors’ yarns floated around that told of the +commodore’s ship springing a leak out Madagascar way, and of great +store of powder, shot and rum being landed to lighten her. The leak +stopped as suddenly as it began and when the boats’ crews landed to +bring off the powder, shot and rum, all had disappeared. The yarns went +on to tell that when the commodore was taking a walk on shore, he found +several small kegs stowed under a palm tree down by the water’s edge, +and how heavy they were, and how carefully they were kept in the after +cabin of the Commodore’s ship, and that the officers said they had +nothing in ’em but honey; but Barney Brown, the boatswain’s mate, swore +his Bible oath that he heard the clink of coin when a-rolling them +along the deck. + +There’s no doubt that many were worthy, but only Kidd was hanged. + +The news of Captain Avery’s rich prize, the Mogul’s ship, with her +cargo of wealth and beautiful women, including, it was said, one of +the Great Mogul’s daughters, made many an old tarpaulin hitch up his +breeches and turn his quid. The fame of the beauty of the fair captives +was such that the mariners lost all their admiration for the Boston +Kates and Wapping Pegs of the ports where sea-faring men mostly took +their ease. “No! damme, no! Might as well ask a man to thirst for a sup +of sour beer when good rum’s to be had.” So off they’d go a-pirating, +hoping to capture something of the Miss Mogul sort with something to +keep her on. + +The Peace of Ryswick forced hundreds of West India privateers or +buccaneers who had preyed on the Spaniards, to seek for purchase under +the black flag in all seas and from all nations. + +Spain’s jealous policy regarding trade with her over-sea subjects, and +monopolies such as enjoyed by the East India Company, were resented +by all free merchants. Ships were fitted out and loaded with suitable +cargoes for the illegal trade. These interlopers were fast and well +manned and armed to enable them to wrong the _guarda costas_. + +With a fair whack of luck great gains were made; but some failed to +get their whack; found shore officials suffering from honesty, a very +uncommon disorder among them in those days and easily cured by most +anything of value. But some of the patients required such enormous +doses, that rather than give the medicine and by so doing make a broken +voyage, the interlopers would throw the bones with Davy Jones. They +had the ship, they had the guns, and many a willing hand and if they +lacked black bunting there was store of black tarpaulin with artists of +sufficient skill to paint “the Skull and Bones.” Hurrah for the “Jolly +Roger”! A “gold chain or a wooden leg”! We’ll take what we can’t make! + +When a prize was taken the pirate quartermaster would seek for recruits +from among the prisoners. Every lad of them of spirit, impressed by +the sight of such a bold swaggering crew rapping out their first-rate +oaths and well ballasted with punch, with their bravery of laced hats, +ribbons and pistols, was ready enough to square away for the broad +channel. + +Although many were willing, few volunteered to sign the pirate +articles. The many wanted the plea of force, to let go, in case of +getting on a lee shore in a law storm. It was a very light anchor, +more like to drag than hold, but “better a kedge than nothing at all.” +Landsmen, the pirates despised, nor pricked they the halt, lame or +feeble. + +The pirate wind was an ill wind, but it blew wonderful luck to those +merchants who loaded ships to their scuppers with fiery Jamaica, +red-hot brandy, gunpowder, small arms and cannon balls, and sent +them off to trade with some negro king, ’twas said. On the voyage +they would call at a lonely isle for wood and water and there they +would meet other ships manned by the most open-fisted merchants ever +known. No wrangling over a bale or two. Such bargains, the like of +which never could have been made even with the most unsophisticated of +dusky potentates. It was true, these merchants lacked the gravity of +their kind; tossed the bowl about a good deal; and swore,--well, like +pirates! And so home with a rich cargo. + +With such a reputation for reckless daring, why, it may be asked, +were the pirates not more successful when engaging ships of war? +John Atkins, surgeon on board the “Swallow,” man-of-war, that took +three pirate ships on the Guinea coast in 1722, tells the reason. +“Discipline,” says the Doctor, “is an excellent path to victory; and +courage, like a trade, is gained by an apprenticeship, when strictly +kept up to rules and exercise. The pirates though singly fellows of +courage, yet wanting such a tie of order and some director to unite +that force, were a contemptible enemy. They neither killed or wounded a +man in the taking; which ever must be the fate of such rabble.” + +From whatever source the pirates sprang, they were, taking them by and +large, brisk, courageous men, who were for making hasty estates at the +expense of the public and ever athirst for the juice of the sunny isle, +that magic fluid which helped them to forget that last pilot of many a +good pirate,--the Man with the Silver Oar. + + ERNEST H. PENTECOST. + + + + +[Illustration: + + A GENERAL + + HISTORY + + OF THE + _Robberies and Murders_ + Of the most notorious + + PYRATES, + + AND ALSO + Their _Policies_, _Discipline_ and _Government_, + + From their first RISE and SETTLEMENT in the Island + of _Providence_, in 1717, to the present Year 1724. + + WITH + + The remarkable ACTIONS and ADVENTURES of the two Female + Pyrates, _Mary Read_ and _Anne Bonny_. + + To which is prefix’d + An ACCOUNT of the famous Captain _Avery_, and his Companions; + with the Manner of his Death in _England_. + + The Whole digested into the following CHAPTERS; + + Chap. I. Of Captain _Avery_. + II. The Rise of Pyrates. + III. Of Captain _Martel_. + IV. Of Captain _Bonnet_. + V. Of Captain _Thatch_. + VI. Of Captain _Vane_. + VII. Of Captain _Rackam_. + VIII. Of Captain _England_. + IX. Of Captain _Davis_. + X. Of Captain _Roberts_. + XI. Of Captain _Worley_. + XII. Of Captain _Lowther_. + XIII. Of Captain _Low_. + XIV. Of Captain _Evans_. + + And their several Crews. + + To which is added, + A short ABSTRACT of the Statute and Civil Law, in + Relation to PYRACY. + + By Captain CHARLES JOHNSON. + + _LONDON_, Printed for _Ch. Rivington_ at the _Bible_ and _Crown_ in St. + _Paul’s Church-Yard_, _J. Lacy_ at the _Ship_ near the _Temple-Gate_, + and _J. Stone_ next the _Crown_ Coffee-house the back of _Greys-Inn_, + 1724. +] + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE BEGINNINGS OF ENGLISH PIRACY + + +“As in all lands where there are many people, there are some theeves, +so in all Seas much frequented, there are some Pyrats.” So wrote Capt. +John Smith, the one-time Admiral of New England, when commenting in +1630 on the “bad life, qualities and conditions of Pyrats,”[1] and this +characterization remained true for many years after his day. Piracy +was as old as the art of transportation by water and until suppressed +by force in comparatively recent times it was a favorite trade among +seamen when times were hard or temptations great. + +The reign of Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603) was characterized by a great +development of the maritime power of England. This was the time when +Drake and Hawkins and other great navigators fought with the ships +of Spain and brought fame and fortune to English seamen. Much of the +fighting at sea, however, was but little removed from freebooting and +it is now difficult to judge what was legalized warfare and what was +piratical capture. Notwithstanding the frequent opportunity for brave +men to attack rich Spanish ships common piracy flourished and in 1563 +there were over four hundred known pirates sailing the four seas.[2] + +When James I (1603-1625) came to the throne he resolved to live at +peace with all nations and so found little employment for a navy. +In the first year of his reign he recalled all “letters of marque,” +and two years later, by proclamation, forbade English seamen to seek +employment in foreign ships. In consequence many poverty-stricken +seamen became pirates, urged on by their necessities. “Some, because +they became sleighted of those for whom they had got much wealth; some, +for that they could not get their due; some, that had lived bravely, +would not abase themselves to poverty; some vainly, only to get a +name; others for revenge, covetousnesse, or as ill; and as they found +themselves more and more oppressed, their passions increasing with +discontent, made them turne Pirats.”[3] + +By 1618, there were ten times as many pirates as there had been during +the whole reign of Queen Bess. About the only voyage open to an English +seaman at that time was the fishing venture of Newfoundland, which +was toilsome in the extreme and full of exposure and hardship. The +dirty carrying trade to Newcastle, for coals, while a good school for +seamen, was despised and thought beneath the ability of an active man, +and the long voyage to the East Indies was tedious and dangerous. As +for the navy--berths were few and the food poor, the pay was small +and the service a kind of slavery. Ordinary seamen received only ten +shillings a month, which was raised to fifteen shillings when Charles +I (1625-1649) became king. But even this small wage was subject to a +deduction of six pence for the Chatham Chest founded in 1590 for the +relief of injured and disabled seamen. + +Peter Easton was one of the most notorious of the English pirates +during the reign of James I. In 1611 he had forty vessels under his +command. The next year he was on the Newfoundland coast with ten of +his ships where he trimmed and repaired, appropriated provisions and +munitions and took one hundred men to man his fleet.[4] On June 4, +1614, Henry Mainwaring, was at Newfoundland, with eight vessels in his +fleet. Mainwaring became even better known than Easton and a few years +later was pardoned and placed in command of a squadron and sent to +the Barbary coast in an unsuccessful attempt to drive out the pirates +located there. While he was on the Newfoundland coast he plundered the +fishing fleet of carpenters and marines and the provisions and stores +that he needed. Of every six seamen he took one. From a Portuguese +ship he looted a good store of wine and a French ship supplied him +with 10,000 fish. Some of the fishermen deserted their vessels and +voluntarily went with him. In all he took four hundred men, many of +whom were “perforstmen,”[5] and then sailed back across the Atlantic +to continue his impartial plundering of the ships of Spain and other +nations. + +It was an easy matter for the English pirates to obtain bread, wine, +cider and fish and all the necessaries for shipping on the Newfoundland +coast as the fishermen were unarmed and moreover did not stand +together. Not many pirates went there, however, as the voyage across +the Atlantic was long and the prevailing winds apt to be westerly or +northwesterly during the summer months. Notwithstanding, the fishing +fleets suffered so much from these attacks that by 1622, men-of-war +were sent out to convoy and remain on the station during the fishing +season. In 1636, three hundred English fishing vessels were in the +fleet that sailed for home under convoy. + +The Irish coast was another favorite resort where pirates went to +careen and obtain provisions from the country people. Broadhaven was +a favorite rendezvous. The Irish coast not only was a good place to +provision but also there “they had good store of English, Scottish and +Irish wenches which resort unto them, and these are strong attractions +to draw the common sort of them thither.”[6] + +Mainwaring in his account of English piracy at this period, supplies an +interesting description of their methods of attack. + +“In their working they usually do thus: a little before day they take +in all their sails, and lie a-hull, till they can make what ships are +about them; and accordingly direct their course so as they may seem +to such ships as they see to be Merchantmen bound upon their course. +If they be a fleet, then they disperse themselves a little before +day, some league or thereabouts asunder, and seeing no ships do most +commonly clap close by a wind to seem as Plyers.[7] If any ships stand +in after them, they heave out all the sail they can make, and hang out +drags to hinder their going, so that the other that stand with them +might imagine they were afraid and that they shall fetch them up. They +keep their tops continually manned, and have signs to each other when +to chase, when to give over, where to meet, and how to know each other, +if they see each other afar off. + +“In chase they seldom use any ordnance, but desire as soon as they can, +to come a board and board; by which course he shall more dishearten +the Merchant and spare his own Men. They commonly show such colours as +are most proper to their ships, which are for the most part Flemish +bottoms, if they can get them, in regard that generally they go well, +are roomy ships, floaty[8] and of small charge.” + +Mainwaring also comments on the ease with which successful pirates +might obtain a pardon and of this he spoke with personal knowledge of +how it was done, writing, “if they can get £1000 or two, they doubt +not but to find friends to get their Pardons for them. They have also +a conceit that there must needs be wars with Spain within a few years, +and then they think they shall have a general Pardon.” + +Capt. John Smith in his “True Travels,” relates that the pirates +prospered exceedingly and became a serious menace to trade so that +“they grew hatefull to all Christian Princes.” Their increase in number +finally induced them to establish a rendezvous on the Barbary coast +in Northern Africa.[9] Ward, Bishop and Easton, all Englishmen, were +among the first to go there, and were soon joined by others,--Jennings, +Harris and Thompson and some who were hanged, at last, at Wapping +on the Thames. The Mediterranean was the center of a rich commerce +and these outlawed seamen banded together in small fleets, plundered +impartially the vessels of Genoa, Malta, England or Holland. Success +brought on indolence and the riotous, debauched life they led after +a time deprived them of leaders of spirit, so that the Moors began +to dominate their operations.[10] Some pirates were enslaved, others +became renegades and accepted the Mohammedan faith and all, at last, +became merged into the Barbary corsair and for nearly two centuries +sailed out of ports in Algiers and Tunis and were the terror of +mariners, not only about the Strait of Gibraltar but for some distance +up and down the Atlantic coast,--robbing, enslaving or exacting tribute +from all so unfortunate as to fall into their hands. Another group of +rovers made their home port at Sallee harbor, on the west coast of +Morocco. The “Salley rovers” were a great danger to vessels engaged in +the Guinea trade. + +From this it will be seen that piracy in European waters, in the +early years of the seventeenth century, had its origin in a lack of +legitimate employment for seamen. This condition was brought about +by a period of peace and aggravated by an imperfectly developed +maritime commerce that could not be quickly increased in order to find +occupation for idle men. “I could wish Merchants, Gentlemen, and all +setters forth of ships,” concludes Captain Smith, “not to bee sparing +of a competent pay, nor true payment; for neither souldiers nor Sea-men +can live without meanes, but necessity will force them to steale; and +when they are once entered into that trade, they are hardly reclaimed.” + +Another contributing factor, that later helped to supply suitable +material for piratical ventures, may be found in the character of +the shifting population of the American colonies. In all frontier +settlements, in all parts of the world and at all times, there exist +irresponsible and lawless elements sloughed off by more perfectly +controlled governments. This was true in the early days of the seaport +towns along the Atlantic coast. Prisoners of war, poor debtors, +criminals from the gaols and young men and boys kidnapped in the +streets of English towns, were shipped across the Atlantic and sold to +planters and tradesmen for a term of years under conditions closely +approaching servitude. It became a trade to furnish the plantations +with servile labor drawn from the off-scourings of the mother country. +Even the English government took a hand and in 1661 “a committee +was appointed to consider the best means of furnishing labor to the +plantations by authorizing contractors to transport criminals, beggars, +and vagrants. Runaway apprentices, faithless husbands and wives, +fugitive thieves and murderers were thus enabled to escape beyond the +reach of civil or criminal justice.”[11] Once landed in the colonies +and having tasted the hardships of forced labor, a roving disposition +was soon awakened and runaway servants were almost as common as +blackbirds. Numbers of these men joined marauding expeditions and +eventually became pirates of the usual type. + +Undoubtedly privateering was the principal training school that +taught adventurous men to accept a roving commission not only +against Spaniards but against men of all nations. Like pirates, the +privateersmen lived on spoil and while legally restricted in their +attacks to the vessels of an enemy nation it was easy sometimes to +overlook the color of a flag if an honest living was not at hand and +one was far from home. In fact, it has been said that “privateers in +time of war are a nursery for pirates against a peace.” A stirring +description of an attack on a Spanish ship is given in the “Accidence +for all Young Seamen,” published in London in 1626, and written by +Capt. John Smith, the “Admiral of New England.” It may well serve as an +account of what took place at that time on nearly every privately armed +vessel attacking an enemy. + +“A sail, how stands she, to windward or leeward, set him by the +Compass. He stands right a-head. Out with all your sails, a steady +man at the helm, sit close to keep her steady. He holds his own. Ho, +we gather on him. Out goeth his flag and pennants or streamers, also +his Colours, his waist-cloths and top armings, he furls and slings his +main sail, in goes his sprit sail and mizzen, he makes ready his close +fights fore and after. Well, we shall reach him by and by. + +“Is all ready? Yea, yea. Every man to his charge. Dowse your top sail, +salute him for the sea. Hail him! Whence your ship? Of Spain. Whence +is yours? Of England. Are you Merchants or Men of War? We are of the +Sea. He waves us to leeward for the King of Spain, and keeps his luff. +Give him a chase piece, a broadside, and run a-head, make ready to tack +about. Give him your stern pieces. Be yare at helm, hail him with a +noise of Trumpets. + +“We are shot through and through, and between wind and water. Try +the pump. Master, let us breathe and refresh a little. Sling a man +overboard to stop the leak. Done, done. Is all ready again? Yea, yea. +Bear up close with him. With all your great and small shot charge him. +Board him on his weather quarter. Lash fast your grapplins and shear +off, then run stem line the mid ships. Board and board, or thwart the +hawse. We are foul on each other. + +“The ship’s on fire. Cut anything to get clear, and smother the fire +with wet cloths. We are clear, and the fire is out. God be thanked! + +“The day is spent, let us consult. Surgeon look to the wounded. Wind up +the slain, with each a piece or bullet at his head and feet. Give three +pieces for their funeral. + +“Swabber make clean the ship. Purser record their names. Watch be +vigilent to keep your berth to windward; and that we loose him not in +the night. Gunners sponge your Ordnances. Carpenters about your leaks. +Boatswain and the rest, repair the sails and shrouds. Cook see you +observe your directions about the morning watch. Boy. Hulloa, Master, +Hulloa. Is the kettle boiling. Yea, yea. + +“Boatswain call up the men to Breakfast; Boy fetch my cellar of +Bottles. A health to you all fore and aft, courage my hearts for a +fresh charge. Master lay him aboard luff for luff. Midshipmen see the +tops and yards well manned with stones and brass balls, to enter them +in the shrouds. Sound Drums and Trumpets, and St. George for England. + +“They hang out a flag of truce. Stand in with him, hail him amain, +abaft or take in his flag. Strike their sails and come aboard, with the +Captain, Purser, and Gunner, with your Commission, Cocket, or bills of +loading. + +“Out goes their Boat. They are launched from the ship’s side. Entertain +them with a general cry, God save the Captain, and all the Company, +with the Trumpets sounding. Examine them in particular; and then +conclude your conditions with feasting, freedom, or punishment as you +find occasion.” + +During the middle years of the seventeenth century the West India +waters were covered with privateers commissioned to prey upon Spanish +commerce. Not only did the home government issue these commissions but +every colonial governor as well, so that thousands of men were out of +employment when a peace was declared. Merchants then took advantage +of such conditions and poorly paid and poorly fed their seamen and +this bred discontent and made willing volunteers when the first pirate +vessel was encountered. + +Not infrequently it was difficult to separate privateering from piracy. +John Quelch, who was hanged in Boston for piracy, in 1704, preyed upon +Portuguese commerce as he supposed in safety and not until he returned +to Marblehead did he learn of the treaty of peace that made him a +pirate. In 1653, Thomas Harding captured a rich prize sailing from +Barbadoes and in consequence was tried in Boston for piracy, but saved +his neck when he was able to prove that the vessel was Dutch and not +Spanish. In 1692, the Governor and Council of Connecticut were informed +that “a catch and 2 small sloops, with about 30 or 40 privateers or +rather pirates,” were anchored off East Hampton, Long Island, and had +sold a ketch to Mr. Hutchinson of Boston and bought a sloop of Captain +Hubbard, also of Boston. + +Newport, R. I., sent out many privateers. In 1702 it was reported that +nearly all of the able-bodied men on the Island were away privateering. +The town also profited frequently from the visits of known pirates, +as in 1688, when Peterson, in a “barkalonga” of ten guns and seventy +men, refitted at Newport and no bill could be obtained against him from +the grand jury as they were neighbors and friends of many of the men +on board. Two Salem ketches also traded with him and a master of one +brought into “Martin’s Vineyard,” a prize that Peterson “the pirate, +had taken in the West Indies.”[12] Andrew Belcher, a well-known Boston +merchant and master of the ship “Swan,” paid Peterson £57, in money and +provisions, for hides and elephants’ teeth taken from his plunder. + +The ill-defined connection between privateering and piracy was fully +recognized in those days and characterized publicly by the clergy. In +1704 when Rev. Cotton Mather preached his “Brief Discourse occasioned +by a Tragical Spectacle in a Number of Miserables under Sentence of +Death for Piracy,” he remarked that “the Privateering Stroke so easily +degenerates into the Piratical; and the Privateering Trade is usually +carried on with an Unchristian Temper, and proves an Inlet unto so much +Debauchery and Iniquity.” + +The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, by which peace was made between England +and Spain, was signed in 1668, but the colonial authorities were +so little concerned by the depredations of the English privateers +on Spanish commerce in the West Indies that their commissions were +not revoked until 1672 and even then, for a time, the doings of the +adventurous, privately armed vessels were not scrutinized too closely. + +The Peace of Ryswick in 1697 put an end to most of the privateering in +the West Indies and sixteen years later England’s wars with France, +over the Spanish succession, lasting for nearly a half-century, +ended with the treaty of peace signed at Utrecht. By its terms Great +Britain received Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and the right to send +African slaves to America. While the notable battles of this war had +been fought on land yet, in many respects, it had been a conflict +between naval powers and the peace released a great many men who found +themselves unable to obtain employment in the merchant shipping. This +was particularly true in the West Indies where the colonial governors +had commissioned a large number of privateers. When adventurous spirits +have been privately employed under a commission to sail the seas and +plunder the ships of another nation, it is but a step forward to +continue that fine work without a commission after the war is over. To +the mind of the needy seaman there was very little distinction between +the lawfulness of one and the unlawfulness of the other. + +[Illustration: MAP OF THE WEST INDIES ABOUT 1720, SHOWING “THE TRACTS +OF THE GALLIONS” + +From Herman Moll’s “Atlas Minor,” London, 1732, in the Harvard College +Library] + +Another training school for pirate ships also existed among the +buccaneers who flourished in the West Indies during the last half +of the seventeenth century. Spain at that time claimed sovereignty +over all the lands lying in or about the Caribbean Sea, a territory +which she looked upon as a great preserve over which to exercise +absolute control and from which to extract the wealth of the mines. +Manufactures were forbidden and commerce with other nations was not +permitted. Clothing and supplies of all kinds, wines, oil, and even +some kinds of provisions must be purchased from merchants in distant +Spain. No foreigner might land under pain of death and no foreign ship +was permitted to anchor in any of their harbors. Twice each year a +splendid fleet left Spain, bound for Mexico and the Isthmus of Panama, +laden with all kinds of merchandise required by Spanish-America. On +the arrival of the galleons a great fair was held where the traders +met and for forty days Porto Bello, the city of the deadly climate, +was thronged by the merchants of Peru, cargadores and sailors from the +ships, negroes and native Indians. + +By the year 1630, small settlements had been established by the +English on the islands of Bermuda, St. Christopher, Tortuga and the +Barbadoes, and Frenchmen were on Hispaniola; but before many years St. +Christopher and Tortuga were ravaged by Spanish fleets, the women and +children murdered and all able-bodied men condemned to slavery in the +mines. The limitations of English navigation laws at this time were +crowding the home ports with unemployed seamen; some took to begging on +the high roads, but the more adventurous found their way to the West +Indies where twice each year journeyed the fleet of great ships laden +with gold and silver from the mines of Mexico and Peru, pearls from +Margarita and precious gems gathered from two continents. Here, too, +came the scum of Europe and on the island of Tortuga a settlement grew +that was frequented by lawless vagabonds coming from everywhere who +lived variously by hunting, planting and piracy. + +The name “buccaneer,” afterwards applied to these rovers, was derived +from the hunters who smoked the flesh of the wild cattle that they +killed, over a “boucane” or wood fire. Two centuries and a half later, +the French half-breeds canoeing in the Canadian backlands spoke of “la +boucane” when they lighted their camp fires. The hunters went to the +mainland in large parties and killed the wild cattle for their hides. +“After the hunt was over” writes Esquemeling,[13] the historian of the +buccaneers, “they commonly sail to Tortuga to provide themselves with +guns, powder and shot, and necessaries for another expedition; the +rest of their gains they spend prodigally, giving themselves to all +manner of vice and debauchery, particularly to drunkenness, which they +practiced mostly with brandy.” The tavern keepers and the hangers-on +of both sexes, watched for the return of the buccaneers, “even as at +Amsterdam, they do for the arrival of the East India fleet.” + +It was a Frenchman, known among his associates as “Peter the Great,” +who first played the uproarious game of piracy on the Spanish fleet. +With only twenty-eight men he cruised off the coast of Hispaniola in +an open boat at the time of year when the galleons passed on their +homeward voyage. On sighting the fleet he followed during the night +and notwithstanding the fact that the Vice-Admiral had been told of +the suspicious craft, so confident was he of the strength of his ship +that she was allowed to straggle from the convoy. When the boatload +of desperadoes ran alongside they scuttled their craft and boarded +the Spaniard yelling like demons. They were dressed in their usual +manner, in shirts soaked in the blood of wild cattle, leather breeches +and moccasins of rawhide, and the Vice-Admiral, sitting in his cabin +playing cards, may well have imagined, as in fact he cried out--“The +ship is invaded by devils.” + +After the news of the rich capture reached Tortuga, many of the +buccaneers turned to piracy and in a few years the Spanish seas were +infested with small fleets of pirate vessels which obeyed fixed laws +and were governed by a single chief. Desperate men in every European +port came out to join them and in time many thousand men recognized +the command of the great captains of the “Brethren of the Coast,” +as they styled themselves. Before the end of the first year that +followed the capture of the Spanish galleon, twenty large vessels +had been taken, two great plate ships had been cut out of the harbor +of Campeachy and a trade in looted merchandize had sprung up between +Tortuga and Europe that soon made the piratical settlement one of the +richest in America. + +The “Brethren of the Coast” established among themselves a code of laws +the larger number of which related to captured booty. All offences +against these laws were severely punished, the commonest penalty being +“marooning” which consisted of landing the offender on an uninhabited +key or island with only a small supply of food. The most desperate +might well shrink from such an end. The invariable practice required +that everything should be held in common and at the last be divided +into shares according to a fixed ratio. The captain drew the largest +number, of course, and the sailing master, carpenter and surgeon came +next. There was also a tariff by which to indemnify those who were +mutilated while fighting. For a right arm, six hundred Spanish pieces +of eight were awarded or a corresponding value in slaves. The left arm +was worth only five hundred pieces of eight, and a leg was of equal +value. An eye was worth one hundred and a finger the same. The booty +brought into the pirate rendezvous at Tortuga was enormous. Frequently +pirates would land bringing in five or six thousand pieces of eight +per man and a single vessel once brought in loot amounting to 260,000 +pieces. Huge sums were gambled away in a single night and drunken +buccaneers would sometimes buy pipes of wine and force every passer-by +to drink or fight. + +The success of the buccaneers before long paralyzed Spanish commerce +and fewer ships were sent to the American colonies so that the +“Brethren,” then numbering several thousands, began to plan attacks +upon land. The first Spanish settlement assaulted was Campeachy, on +the coast of Yucatan. An Englishman named Lewis Scot led this attack +which resulted in much loot and the almost entire destruction of the +city. Another Englishman named Davis took Nicaragua and plundered +the churches of vast quantities of plate and jewels. L’Olonnais, a +Frenchman, with eight vessels filled with men, fell upon Maracaibo and +after much hard fighting brought away 260,000 pieces of eight and a +great amount of jewels and plate. “But,” writes Esquemeling, “in three +weeks they had scarce any money left, having spent it all in things of +little value, or lost it at play. The taverns and stews, according to +the custom of the pirates, got the greatest part.” + +Capt. Henry Morgan, the leader of the expedition against Panama, +achieved the greatest fame among all these lawless chieftains. Charles +II knighted him and made him governor of Jamaica, where he turned upon +his late companions and waged a bitter warfare. An early exploit of +Morgan was the taking of Puerto Velo, one of the strongest fortresses +in New Spain. Surprising the sentry at night he easily captured the +outer defences. The prisoners were placed in a room with several +barrels of gunpowder and as they were blown into the air the buccaneers +assaulted the citadel. The cloisters had been seized and the priests +and nuns were forced to climb the scaling ladders before the men, “the +religious men and women ceasing not to cry to the governor and beg him +to deliver the castle, and so save both his and their lives,” writes +Esquemeling. The castle surrendered at last, though “with great loss of +the said religious people.” The loot amounted to over 250,000 pieces +of eight and much other spoil which was soon squandered at Port Royal, +a pirate town in Jamaica that supplied almost unlimited resources for +debauchery. + +[Illustration: SIR HENRY MORGAN, THE BUCCANEER, BEFORE PANAMA + +From an engraving in Johnson’s “General History of the Lives and +Adventures of the Most Famous Highwaymen, Murderers, Pyrates,” etc., +London, 1734, in the Harry Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard College +Library] + +The capture of Panama took place in 1671. Morgan’s fleet sailed from +Jamaica and with only twelve hundred men he crossed the Isthmus. The +Spaniards learned of his coming and carried away or destroyed all food +stuffs along the route so that when the buccaneers came in sight of +the South Sea, after a nine days’ march, they were nearly famished and +in desperate straits. A few days’ rest put them in condition again and +with many revengeful oaths they fell upon the defences of the city with +irresistible fury. No quarter was given on either side. Soon Panama was +in flames. It was four weeks before the fires at last were extinguished +and over two hundred great warehouses, seven thousand houses, huge +stables that sheltered the horses and mules that transported the golden +ingots of the King of Spain, and many other buildings were entirely +destroyed. The plunder was immense. On the way back a dispute broke out +and when Morgan reached the ships he scuttled all but one and set sail +with only his chosen followers. Such treachery was unforgivable and he +never afterward led the “Brethren of the Coast.” + +Morgan became governor of Jamaica with strict orders to enforce the +treaty concluded between England and Spain and relentlessly persecuted +those of his late associates who neglected to accept the royal pardon +which provided grants of lands to all buccaneers who would abandon the +sea and become planters. By proclamation all cruising against Spain +was forbidden under severe penalties. Many of the English filibusters +accepted the pardon while others became logwood cutters in the Bay of +Honduras or raised a black flag and preyed upon the ships of every +nation. + +The pirate commonwealth at Port Royal was abandoned and such Englishmen +as continued to rove joined their French brethren who frequented the +island of Tortuga, or crossed the Isthmus and preyed upon the Spanish +towns in Peru and the shipping of the Great South Sea. They also +captured immense booty at Acapulco where the Spanish ships landed the +riches of the Philippines. The peace of Ryswick in 1697 settled the +disputes between France and Spain and also sounded the knell of the +French filibusters. Before long the buccaneers were absorbed in the +population of the various islands in the West Indies and the Spanish +galleons again sailed peacefully through the tropic seas. + +Another strong influence that led to insecurity on the high seas +and eventually to outright piracy was the operation of the English +Navigation Acts. European nations were in agreement that the +possession of colonies meant the exclusive control of their trade and +manufactures. Lord Chatham wrote, “The British Colonists in North +America have no right to manufacture so much as a nail for a horse +shoe,” and Lord Sheffield went further and said, “The only use of +American Colonies, is the monopoly of their consumption, and the +carriage of their produce.”[14] + +English merchants naturally wished to sell at high prices and to buy +colonial raw materials as low as possible and as they were unable to +supply a market for all that was produced, the colonies were at a +disadvantage in both buying and selling. By the Acts of Navigation +certain “enumerated articles” could be marketed only in England. +Lumber, salt provisions, grain, rum and other non-enumerated articles +might be sold within certain limits but must be transported in English +or plantation built vessels of which the owners and three-fourths of +the mariners were British subjects. Freight rates also advanced as +other nations, notably the Dutch, had previously enjoyed a good share +of the carrying trade. + +The first Navigation Act was passed in 1647. It was renewed and its +provisions enlarged in 1651, 1660, 1663 and later. Before long it was +found that these attempts to monopolize the colonial markets resulted +in a natural resistance and smuggling began and also an extensive trade +with privateers and pirates who brought into all the smaller ports of +New England captured merchandise that was sold at prices below the +usual market values. Matters went from bad to worse and servants of the +Crown frequently combined with the colonists to evade the obnoxious +laws. Even the royal governors connived at what was going on. This +was particularly true in the colonies south of New England. Colonel +Fletcher, the governor of New York, commissioned numerous privateers +and received a fee, the equivalent of one hundred dollars per man. +These vessels when well away from local jurisdiction became pirates in +earnest and ravaged the Red Sea and brought home rich cargoes of East +India goods in which the members of the governor’s council obtained +their share. Hore, a famous privateer and pirate, was very successful +in this trade and Thomas Tew, another freebooter, divided his time +between New York, Newport and the Madagascar coast. He was on the +black list of the East India Company but Governor Fletcher entertained +him at his table and when the Lords of Trade remonstrated, the artful +governor replied that he wished to make Captain Tew a sober man and in +particular “to reclaime him from a vile habit of swearing,”[15] and as +for coming to his table, that was but a common hospitality. + +In Rhode Island, the president and four assistants granted these +commissions with the condition that the colony was to share in any +captures. In 1649, Bluefield or Blauvelt, a Dutch privateersman, +brought a prize into Newport, which the governor found was taken during +a truce. But there was no man-of-war in the harbor to enforce the law +and as the townsfolk wanted to buy the cargo and the sailors wanted +the prize money, everybody was satisfied. At a later time Governor +Bellomont of New York complained of the Admiralty Court at Newport as +too “favourable” to piracies and in Queen Anne’s time, Connecticut and +Rhode Island were both complained of because “Her Majesty’s and ye Lord +High Admiral’s dues are sunk in condemning prizes.”[16] + +At Stamford, Conn., a prominent citizen had a warehouse “close to the +Sound,” where he received illicit goods and afterwards shipped them to +Boston and other ports. The shore of eastern Long Island was haunted +by smugglers and pirates. Sometimes the wind lay in the other quarter +and a privateersman was adjudged a pirate and hanged. This happened in +Boston in 1704 to John Quelch who had captured Portuguese vessels. But +contemporaries say that officialdom was after a goodly share of the +gold dust that he had brought in. Usually, however, the enterprising +rover lived out his days in the character of a “rich privateer” and +died respected by friends and neighbors. + +There were pirates and pirates. Some were letters-of-marque and +legitimate traders and enjoyed the protection of merchants and +officials on shore, while others were outlaws. In 1690, Governor +Bradstreet of the Massachusetts Colony was complaining of the great +damage done to shipping by “French Privateers and Pirates,” and +four years later, Frontenac, the governor of Canada, was asking for +a frigate to cruise about the St. Lawrence against the New England +“_corsaires et filibusters_.” There is no doubt these French privateers +were a considerable menace to New England shipping and that there was +need for privately armed vessels to protect the coast, a task not easy +or desirable; so why should one scrutinize too closely semi-piratical +captures made by so useful friends? In 1709, in mid-winter, a French +privateer appeared off Cape Cod and Governor Dudley ordered Capt. +Abraham Robinson of Gloucester, to man his sloop and sail in pursuit. +It was not an inviting enterprise, especially at that season of the +year, and when the drums went about the town beating up for volunteers, +enlistments languished and the expedition was finally given up. The +minister of the place afterwards wrote to the governor, making excuses +saying “it made them quake to think of turning out of their warm beds +and from good fires, and be thrust into a naked vessel, where they +must lie on the cold, hard ballast, instead of beds, and without fire, +excepting some few who might crowd into the cabin.”[17] + +The agents sent over by the Lords of Trade and Plantations were unable +to make progress against the flagrant evasions of the Navigation Acts. +Randolph, who arrived in Boston in 1679, was the most active of these +agents, and when he seized several vessels for irregular trading, +the courts decided against him and “damages were given against his +Majesty.”[18] He afterwards complained of those privateers that were +fitting out for the Spanish West Indies and writes of Mr. Wharton of +Boston, as “a great undertaker for pyratts and promoter of irregular +trade.” “New England rogues and pitiful damned Scotch pedlars,” he +termed those who opposed him. The pirates or privateers were supplied +with provisions by vessels from the mainland and prize goods were taken +in payment. Vessels were often fitted out at Rhode Island and manned in +New York and Arabian gold was to be found in both colonies; “in fact, +’tis the most beneficiall trade, that to Madagascar with the pirates, +that was ever heard of, and I believe there’s more got that way than +by turning pirates and robbing.” So wrote the New York governor, and +later, he again wrote to the Lords at Whitehall: “The temptation is soe +great to the common seamen in that part of the world where the Moores +have so many rich ships and the seamen have a humour more now than ever +to turne pirates.”[19] + +The profits of piracy and the irregular trade practiced at that time +were large, indeed, and twenty-nine hundred per cent profit in illicit +trade was not unusual, so there is little wonder that adventurous +men took chances and honest letters-of-marque sometimes seized upon +whatever crossed their course. The pirate, the privateer and the armed +merchantman often blended the one into the other. + + +FOOTNOTES + + [1] _True Travels, Adventures and Observations of Captain John Smith_, +London, 1630. + + [2] Oppenheim, _The Administration of the Royal Navy_, p. 177. + + [3] _True Travels, Adventures and Observations of Captain John Smith_, +London, 1630. + + [4] _Purchas, His Pilgrimage_, Vol. IV, p. 1882. + + [5] Perforst, _i.e._, forced. + + [6] Mainwaring, _The Beginnings, Practices and Suppression of Pirates, +ca. 1717_. MS. in British Museum. + + [7] To ply: to beat up against a wind. + + [8] Floaty, _i.e._, draw little water. + + [9] As early as 1613, English pirates were established at Mamora, at +the mouth of the Sebu River on the Barbary Coast. That year about +thirty sail were using the port. + +[10] By 1618 there were one hundred and fifty Turkish vessels to only +twenty English at Algiers. + +[11] Doyle, _English Colonies in America_, Vol. I, p. 383. + +[12] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. 35, folio 61. + +[13] John Esquemeling, _The Buccaneers of America_, London, 1684. + +[14] Viscount Bury, _Exodus of the Western Nations_, Vol. II, London, +1865. + +[15] _New York Colonial Documents_, Vol. IV, p. 447. + +[16] _New York Colonial Documents_, Vol. IV, p. 1116. + +[17] Babson, _History of Gloucester_, p. 138. + +[18] _Andros Tracts_, Vol. III, p. 5. + +[19] _New York Colonial Documents_, Vol. IV, p. 521. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +DIXEY BULL, THE FIRST PIRATE IN NEW ENGLAND WATERS AND SOME OTHERS WHO +FOLLOWED HIM + + +The doubtful honor of having been the first pirate to plunder the +small shipping of the New England colonists belongs to one Dixey Bull +who was living in London in 1631 and who came over late that fall +and for a short time was living at Boston. He probably was sent over +by Sir Ferdinando Gorges and certainly was associated with him in a +large grant of land lying east of Agamenticus, at York, on the coast +of Maine. He came of a respectable family but was of an adventurous +disposition and soon after reaching New England became a “trader for +bever,” spending much of his time on the Maine coast bartering with the +Indians and the scattered white settlers. + +In June, 1632, he was trading in Penobscot Bay when a roving company +of Frenchmen in a pinnace came upon him and seized his shallop and +stock of “coats, ruggs, blanketts, bisketts, etc.” These Frenchmen had +previously rifled the trading post on the Penobscot maintained by the +Pilgrim Colony at Plymouth, where “many French complements they used, +and Congees they made.”[20] + +Having lost his slender stock of trading goods Bull seems to have +become desperate and getting together a small company of wanderers, +located here and there along the coast, he proposed a venture against +the French. Governor Winthrop relates that Bull added to his own crew +“fifteen more of the English who kept about the East,” and with these +men he sailed along the coast in the late summer hoping to fall in +with some Frenchmen and so retrieve his losses. But the French kept out +of sight and badly in need of supplies he took and plundered two or +three small vessels owned by colonial traders and from them forced four +or five men to join his company. + +The next venture was to sail into the harbor at Pemaquid and loot +that trading station of goods to the value of over £500. He met with +practically no resistance while the plundering was going on and the +goods were safely got on board the shallop. But just as they were +weighing anchor, a well-aimed musket shot from shore killed the +second in command. This was the first blood that had been shed and as +the entire company, so far as known, had had no previous piratical +experience, the fatal outcome and the sight of human blood seems to +have been somewhat of a shock. Capt. Anthony Dicks, a Salem skipper, +fell into their hands not long after and some of them told him of what +had happened at Pemaquid and expressed great fear and horror so “that +they were afraid of the very Rattling of the Ropes.”[21] + +Bull tried to persuade Captain Dicks to pilot them to Virginia which +may have been an excellent refuge at that time for a New England +pirate, for a contemporaneous Puritan writer describes the Virginia +colony as “a nest of rogues, whores, dissolute and rooking persons.” +The Salem skipper, however, refused to serve Bull and his company and +so the voyage to Virginia was abandoned for the time and it was decided +to continue attacks on other trading posts. The company then adopted +a body of articles to govern their acts and among them a law against +excessive drinking. “At such times as other ships use to have prayer, +they would assemble upon the deck, and one sing a song, or speak a few +senseless sentences, etc. They also sent a writing, directed to all the +governors, signifying their intent not to do harm to any more of their +countrymen, but to go to the southward, and to advise them not to send +against them; for they were resolved to sink themselves rather than be +taken: signed underneath, _Fortune le garde_, and no name to it.”[22] + +The threat of piratical attack on the trading posts was soon spread +abroad by men returning from the Penobscot and then “perils did abound +as thick as thought could make them.” Late in November the authorities +in the Massachusetts Bay sent out a pinnace with twenty armed men +to join with four small pinnaces and shallops and about forty men +already sent out from Piscataqua and the united expedition in time +reached Pemaquid where it lay windbound for nearly three weeks. This +was the first hostile fleet fitted out in New England and the first +naval demonstration made in the colonies. Samuel Maverick who lived on +Noddle’s Island, now East Boston, was the “husband and merchant of the +pinnace sent out to take Dixie Bull.” + +The pirate shallop was nowhere to be found and after two months of +winter weather the hostile expedition returned home. Early in February, +1633, three men who had served under Bull and deserted, reached their +homes. They claimed that he had sailed eastward and gone over to the +French. Governor Winthrop, two years later, repeated this version of +his disappearance, but Capt. Roger Clap of Dorchester, relates in his +“Memoirs,” that Bull at last safely reached England. Whatever his +fortune or fate he disappears from New England leaving behind him the +badly earned fame of having been the first pirate captain in these +waters. + +Dixey Bull’s captures do not seem to have been followed by any other +piratical venture in New England for some years. Shipping sailing to +and from England was obliged to run the gauntlet of the Dutch and +French privateers and the so-called pirates sailing out of Flushing and +Ostend made several captures that effected the fortunes of the Boston +traders. Nov. 12, 1644, the Great and General Court of Massachusetts +granted a commission to Capt. Thomas Hawkins of Boston “to take any +ship that shall assault him, or any other that hee shall have certeine +knowledge to have taken either ship or ships of ours, or to take any +ship that hath commission to make prize of any of ours.” Fourteen +days later he sailed for Spain in the “Seafort,” of four hundred +tons, a ship that he had just built and which was loaded with bolts, +tobacco, etc. As he neared the Spanish coast very early one morning +he thought he saw some Turkish vessels and preparing for attack stood +towards them. Unhappily the ship soon went aground about two miles +from the shore and nineteen were drowned. Captain Hawkins was a London +shipbuilder who came to New England in 1632 and engaged in shipbuilding +and commerce. It was his grandson Thomas, who was tried in Boston in +1690 for piracy as is told elsewhere in this volume. + +At the Nov. 12, 1644 session of the General Court, a commission was +also granted to Capt. Thomas Bredcake for twelve months, to take +Turkish pirates, thereby meaning the Algerines who were a constant +danger to shipping trading with Spain. John Hull, the Boston +mint-master, records in his diary in 1671 that William Foster, one of +his neighbors, had been taken by the Turks as he was going to Bilboa +with fish. He afterwards was redeemed and reached home safely in +November, 1673. + +Capt. Thomas Cromwell of Boston, master of the ship “Separation,” +obtained a commission in 1645 from the Earl of Warwick, the Lord +Admiral of the Long Parliament, and after capturing several rich +prizes in the West Indies, came into Massachusetts Bay and was forced +by a strong northwest wind to take refuge in Plymouth Harbor where +he remained for two weeks. There were about eighty men in his crew +and they “did so distemper themselves with drink as they became like +madd-men; ... they spente and scattered a great deale of money among +the people, and yet more sine than money.”[23] + +From Plymouth, he sailed for Boston where he presented Governor +Winthrop with a sedan that he had captured. It had been sent by the +Viceroy of Mexico as a present to his sister and by capture reached +Puritan hands. Captain Cromwell had formerly been known about Boston as +a common sailor and on his appearance possessed of a great fortune, the +Governor offered him for his use one of the best houses in the town. +But the captain refused and took lodgings in “a poor thatched house” +saying that in his former “mean estate that poor man entertained him, +when others would not, and therefore he would not leave him now, when +he might do him good.” Governor Winthrop says of Cromwell:--“He was +ripped out of his mother’s belly, and never sucked, nor saw father nor +mother, nor they him.”[24] He died in Boston in 1649, and by will gave +to the town “my six bells.” + +Another Boston man who sailed under a commission from the Long +Parliament was Capt. Edward Hull, the brother of John Hull, the +mint-master who made the “pine tree shillings.” His vessel, the barque +“Swallow frigott,” was owned by his father and brother and he had sent +them word that he was engaged in a design for the good of the English +nation and for the glory of God. He sailed from Boston in the spring of +1653, and captured several vessels from the French and the Dutch and +while in Rhode Island waters sent some of his men to Block Island with +orders to seize the trading stock in the house of Capt. Kempo Sebada, +which afterwards was valued at nearly one hundred pounds. He then sold +the bark and dividing the plunder went for England. Sebada afterwards +brought suit for damages against the Hulls, the owners of the bark; but +they claimed that the vessel was engaged in privateering wholly without +their knowledge and consent and the court gave the verdict to them. It +is interesting to note that Edward Hull is styled a “pirate” in the +court records and that his father deposed that when he learned of his +son’s exploits he did not protest for fear that he would never see him +or the vessel again. + +Rev. Cotton Mather, the pastor of the North Church, Boston, in his +“History of Some Criminals Executed in this Land,” relates the story +of the seizure of the ship “Antonio,” in 1672, off the Spanish coast. +She was owned in England and her crew quarrelled with the master and +at last rose and turned him adrift in the ship’s longboat with a +small quantity of provisions. With him went some of the officers of +the ship. The mutineers, or pirates as they were characterized at the +time, then set sail for New England and on their arrival in Boston they +were sheltered and for a time concealed by Major Nicholas Shapleigh, a +merchant in Charlestown. He also was accused of aiding them in their +attempt to get away. Meanwhile, “by a surprizing providence of God, the +Master, with his Afflicted Company, in the Long-boat, also arrived; +all, Except one who Dyed of the Barbarous Usage. + +“The Countenance of the _Master_, was now become Terrible to the +Rebellious _Men_, who, though they had _Escaped the Sea_, yet +_Vengeance would not suffer them to Live a Shore_. At his Instance and +Complaint, they were Apprehended; and the Ringleaders of this Murderous +Pyracy, had sentence of Death Executed on them, in _Boston_.” + +The three men who were executed were William Forrest, Alexander Wilson +and John Smith. As for Major Shapleigh; he was fined five hundred +pounds which amount was afterwards abated to three hundred pounds +because “his estate not being able to beare it.” + +The extraordinary circumstances of this case probably induced the +General Court to draw up the law that was enacted on Oct. 15, 1673. +By it piracy became punishable by death according to the local laws. +Before then a kind of common law was in force in the colony based upon +Biblical law as construed by the leading ministers. Of course the laws +of England were theoretically respected, but Massachusetts, in the +wilderness, separated from England by three thousand miles of stormy +water, in practice actually governed herself and made her own laws. + +“The Court observing the wicked and unrighteous practices of evill +men to encrease, some piratically seizing of shipps, ketches, &c. +with their goods, and others by rising up against their commanders, +officers, and imployers, seizing their vessells and goods at sea, +exposing theire persons to hazard, &c. for the prevention whereof, +and that due witnes may be borne against such bold and notorious +transgressions,-- + + “This Court doeth order, & be it hereby ordered & enacted, + that what person or persons soever shall piratically or + ffelloniously seize any ship or other vessell, whither in the + harbour or on the seas, or shall rise up in rebellion against + the master, officers, merchant or owners of any such ship or + other sea vessell and goods, and dispoyle or dispossess them + thereof, and excluding the right owner or those betrusted + therewith, every such offender, together with their complices, + if found in this jurisdiction, shall be apprehended, and, being + legally convicted thereof, shall be put to death; provided + allwayes, that any such of the said company (who through feare + or force have binn draune to comply in such wicked action), + that shall, upon their first arrival in any of our ports or + harbours, by the first opperturnity, repaire to some magistrate + or others in authority, and make discovery of such a practise, + shall not be liable to the aforesaid poenalty of death.”[25] + +In July, 1684, this order was revised and it became unlawful for +any person to “enterteyne, harbour, counsel, trade, or hold any +correspondence by letter or otherwise with any person or persons +that shall be deemed or adjudged to be privateers, pyrates, or +other offenders within the construction of this Act.” The highest +commissioned officer in any town or harbor was also impowered to issue +warrants for the seizure of suspected privateers and pirates and he +could raise and levy armed men to inforce the apprehension of such +persons. + +[Illustration: + + Pillars of Salt. + + An HISTORY + OF SOME + CRIMINALS Executed in this Land + FOR + Capital Crimes. + With some of their Dying + Speeches; + + Collected and Published, + For the WARNING of such as _Live_ in + Destructive _Courses_ of Ungodliness. + + Whereto is added, + For the better Improvement of this History, + A Brief Discourse about the Dreadful + _Justice_ of God, in Punishing of + SIN, with SIN. + + Deut. 19, 20. + _Those which remain shall hear & fear, and shall henceforth + commit no more any such Evil among you._ + + _BOSTON_ in _New-England_. + Printed by _B. Green_ and _J. Allen_, for _Samuel Phillips_ + at the Brick Shop near the Old Meeting House, 1699. +] + +On the evening of July 6, 1685, a small ketch hailing from New London, +Conn., came to anchor before the town of Boston and the next morning +the master, Capt. John Prentice, appeared before the General Court and +gave information that he had been chased by a pirate until he had come +in sight of the Brewster’s, at the mouth of the harbor. He deposed +that while at New London, on July 1st, a sloop had put into that port +commanded by one Captain Veale, and with him was one Harvey who was the +merchant on board. Captain Veale asked Captain Prentice if he might +“set his mast by the said Prentice’s Katches side,” which was done. +A little later there came in a vessel from Pennsylvania commanded by +Capt. Daniel Staunton who at once accused Veale and Harvey of piracy +committed in Virginia. Staunton went before the local magistrate and +repeated his charge and demanded that Veale and Harvey be arrested and +tried as pirates. But the magistrate was a little uncertain of his +authority and asked for security. While the matter was being discussed +Harvey “went away from them in great hast, & got on bord & speedily +sailed away in the said Sloop.” + +Not long after Captain Prentice set sail in his ketch and on clearing +the mouth of the harbor he saw a shallop at anchor with Veale’s and +Harvey’s sloop hove to near by. A boat passed from the shallop to the +sloop and soon the sloop stood to seaward firing guns several times +and catching sight of Captain Prentice’s ketch made after her, the +chase continuing until darkness came on when the course of the ketch +was changed and in the morning nothing was seen of the sloop. Three +days later, however, early in the morning, the sloop was sighted ahead +under easy sail and after a time she bore up toward the ketch. Captain +Prentice then ordered guns to be fired and also “spread his antient” +and braced to for the sloop to come up. But Captain Veale brought to +as well and kept to the windward for about an hour all the while +firing guns. A severe thunder storm then coming up the sloop fell to +the leeward but continued in chase of the ketch until the Brewster’s, +off Boston harbor, came in sight, when the sloop bore away towards Cape +Ann and Captain Prentice came to an anchorage before the town without +further molestation. + +Captain Prentice also reported that one Graham was in command of the +shallop seen in company with Veale and that fourteen men were said to +be on board. Captain Veale, while at New London, tried to buy of John +Wheeler several small carriage guns offering three times their value. +At the time he was well supplied with money. Nicholas Hallam, a sailor +on board the ketch, testified before the magistrates that the men on +board the suspected sloop had some silver plate with the letters and +marks scratched out and also some fine clothing, including a plush +cloak, a broadcloth petty-coat trimmed with broad gold lace and also “a +pair of staies of cloth-of-Tishue.”[26] + +The Court at once ordered drums to be forthwith beat up for a +convenient number of volunteers not exceeding forty to man Mr. Richard +Patteshall’s brigantine. Soon the Court was informed that the men +did not readily offer themselves to the service of the country in +the expedition against Veale and Graham, whereupon it was ordered +“for their Incouragemt that free plunder be offered to such as shall +Voluntarily list themselves or that a sufficient number of men be +forthwith Impressed to that service.” Those willing to serve were +directed to report “with sufficient & compleate Arms” to Mr. John Vyall +at the ship Tavern “where Capt. Sampson Waters will enter their names +& direct them presently to goe on board the Brigantine whereof Mr. +Richard Patteshall is master.” + +The directions given to Capt. Sampson Waters required him “in all +difficulties to consult with Mr. Richard Pattishall endeavoring to +maintain a good correspondence with him.” All goods seized were to be +brought back for a legal condemnation; prisoners were to be brought +to Boston for trial and care was to be taken to “beware of killing any +of the enemy unnecessarily or exposing your own company to any hazard +without necessity.”[27] + +The expedition at last got away and after cruising about the Bay for +several days returned empty-handed like many other similar expeditions +that were sent out in following years. + +Piracy now began to be more common on the New England coast. +Buccaneering in the West Indies was disappearing and some of these bold +adventurers raised a black flag against all nations. Desperate sailors +out of a berth also became rovers. The number of sporadic appearances +of these men in northern waters can only be touched upon in these +pages. They came upon the coast and then sailed away leaving little +behind save a mention of their coming. + +In the summer of 1687 the ketch “Sparrow,” Richard Narramore, master, +owned by Nicholas Paige of Boston, arrived in the harbor from the +Barbadoes and the Isle of Eleuthera. She had sailed from Boston ten +months before bound for Virginia with English goods. Captain Narramore +loaded with provisions at Maryland and at Roanoke and then sailed +for the Barbadoes where the lading was sold for plate and money. At +the Isle of Eleuthera he loaded with dyeing wood and took on board +eighteen passengers under an agreement that they should be landed at +Newfoundland for forty pieces of eight, per man, passage money. One of +these men, John Danson, shipped as mate and came to Boston in the ketch +but the rest changed their minds as to their intended destination and +asked to be landed at different points. Two men were put ashore at the +easternmost end of Long Island; six landed at Gardiner’s Island; five +at “Martin’s” Vineyard; one was taken to the “Sackadehock” on the Maine +coast and two were left at “Damaras Cove” near there. Captain Narramore +claimed that he had learned the names of none of these men; but he +admitted that they had brought on board two heavy chests which were +taken off at Gardiner’s Island. + +Strange stories began to circulate about the wharves and Captain +Narramore and his mate were soon sent for by the magistrates. A +search of Danson’s chest discovered nine hundred pieces of eight--not +a very large fortune for a successful pirate! Danson deposed that +he had sailed from Boston four years before in a private man-of-war +commanded by one Henley, “bound for the Rack,” and afterwards had gone +into the Red Sea where they had plundered and taken what they could +from the Malabars and the Arabs. He left Henley and took passage with +one Wollery, a consort of Henley, for the Isle of Eleuthera where he +shipped with Captain Narramore. He acknowledged that Henley was now +considered a pirate. Thomas Scudder, one of the passengers who had come +to Boston, had gone on board a ketch bound for Salem, where his family +lived, and Christopher Goffe had gone ashore at Gardiner’s Island.[28] + +A warrant was issued for the arrest of Scudder and the seizure of any +plate, money or goods in his possession. The sheriff in Essex County +also arrested several other supposed pirates who were sent to Boston +for examination. + +Christopher Goffe came into Newport, R. I., in a ship commanded by +William Wollery who was supposed to have come from the Great South Sea. +A shot was fired across their forefoot whereupon they came to anchor +but the next day sailed for Andrews Island where the vessel was burnt +and the men dispersed.[29] In November, 1687, Goffe appeared in Boston +and surrendered himself in pursuance of His Majesty’s “Proclamation for +Calling in and Suppressing Pyrates and Privateers.” He was then very +sick and weak and gave a bond, also signed by two Boston citizens, that +as soon as he recovered he would go to England and receive the King’s +pardon. + +Nothing seems to have come of the lengthy investigations made by the +magistrates. The plate and money that had been seized was returned to +Captain Narramore and John Danson and two of the suspected passengers +who had been taken--Edward Calley and Thomas Dunston--were freed and +their money, plate and “a parcel of stones” returned to them. + +About the same time a man named William Douglass applied to Edward +Randolph, the English Agent, for relief. He had been a passenger on +board a small vessel sailing between the Barbadoes and the Carolinas +and had been taken by Henry Holloway, the pirate, from whom he had +escaped as the pirate ship rode at anchor in Casco Bay, Maine. + +Christopher Goffe recovered from his sickness and in August, 1691, was +commissioned by Governor Bradstreet, to cruise with his ship “Swan” +between Cape Cod and Cape Ann and off the Isles of Shoals for the +safeguard of the coast. This came about as the result of the capture +at Piscataqua, now Portsmouth, N. H., of a vessel commanded by Capt. +Thomas Wilkinson, inward bound from Cadiz. She was taken by two +privateers commanded respectively by Capt. Thomas Griffin and Captain +Dew. Captain Griffin landed at Portsmouth and sent a letter to the +Governor in which he claimed that he carried a privateering commission +and that he had mistaken Captain Wilkinson for a French vessel said to +be on the coast. But as he had found prohibited goods on board he had +seized her after firing three great shot and a volley of small arms. +Captain Griffin wrote that he feared if he brought the prize to Boston +he “should be unkindly dealt with.” He also quite gratuitously accused +the Bostonians of furnishing the French at Fort Royal with arms, +ammunition and cloth in truck for beaver and other goods. Griffin and +Dew first carried their prize into the Isle of Shoals and afterwards +into the river at Portsmouth where part of the cargo was disposed of +without trial or adjudication. + +Meanwhile, Captain Goffe was anchored near Portsmouth. On August 14th +he wrote to the Governor:--“I shall obay your honors Comand in making +Seasuer of Capt. Griffin and Capt. Dew If it lies in my power to meet +with them ... one of them is now in site standing of and on between +this place and the Isle of Sholes.... They sayle two foot to ower +one.... Ower Bread and beare is all most Expended.” A few days later he +asked to be recalled to Nantasket to provide necessary supplies, “the +Docters chest Espeshely,”[30] and there the episode seems to have ended. + +The ketch “Elinor,” William Shortrigs, master, came to anchor at +Nantasket road, near the mouth of Boston harbor, early in the afternoon +of Nov. 20, 1689. She was inward bound from the island of Nevis, loaded +with sugar and indigo, and the wind failing and the flood tide being +almost spent, the captain was obliged to anchor as most of his men were +sick or disabled with the cold. Leaving the vessel in charge of James +Thomas, he took his mate and one other man and started for Boston in +the ship’s boat to get help to bring the vessel into harbor. Provisions +also were running short. The next day his owner, Mr. Thomas Cooper, +was unable to secure a permit to bring her up because there had been +smallpox on board but on the 22d he told the captain that she might be +brought up as far as the Castle, so four men were sent down the harbor. +The next morning they returned and astonished the captain with the news +that the ketch had disappeared from her anchorage. Mr. Cooper at once +sent out a “hue and cry” according to law and hired a sloop to go in +search of the missing ketch which was found two days later run ashore +within Cape Cod hook. + +About seven o’clock in the evening of the day on which Captain +Shortrigs had started to row up to Boston, Thomas was between decks +and had just called the boy to turn the glass and mind the pump, when +he heard a noise on deck and going up to investigate found that four +armed men and a boy had come aboard. One of the men at once gave Thomas +a blow on the head with the butt of his musket and ordered him to keep +quiet. Soon after he was forced under the half-deck and the scuttle was +shut and a tarpaulin put over it. The leader of the party then came +down into the cabin and asked how many were on board, finding four men, +two boys and a woman, all sick save Thomas and one of the boys. The +armed men then cut the cable, which was about half in, and two of them +went aloft to cut the gaskets and loose the sails after which a course +was taken for Cape Cod. + +The next morning was Friday and early in the day they came to anchor at +Cape Cod and shot a musket to call a shallop. The leader asked Thomas +if he would go to England with them when they were revictualled and +when he refused they threatened his life. When the shallop came out +to them an agreement was made for a supply of provisions which were +brought out the next morning, but only a small supply--a gallon of rum, +some biscuits and some cheese. The shallop-men said the ketch must be +brought in nearer shore. About midnight, at full sea, they loosed the +cable and let it run out and not long after the ketch went ashore. At +low water the armed party went off and soon disappeared. + +Such was the homely tale of the appearance and disappearance of the +ketch “Elinor.” The sequel was soon found in the new stone gaol in +Boston where William Coward, Peleg Heath, Thomas Storey and Christopher +Knight were to be seen confined and in irons. What became of the boy +does not appear. Thomas Pound, Thomas Hawkins, Thomas Johnston and +other more valorous pirates were also confined there at the same time. +Justice moved swiftly that year and notwithstanding the claim made +by Coward, the leader of the party that boarded the ketch, that his +crime had been committed upon the high seas without the jurisdiction +of the court, he was found guilty of piracy and sentenced to be hanged +on January 27, 1690.[31] His companions also were found guilty and +sentenced to death but afterwards reprieved and eventually allowed to +go free. + +The story of the capture of James Gillam, a notorious pirate in his +time, is best told by the Earl of Bellomont, Governor of Massachusetts, +in a letter written to the Council of Trade and Plantations on Nov. 29, +1699. + +“I gave you an account, Oct. 24, of my taking Joseph Bradish and Tee +Wetherley, and writ that I hoped in a little time to be able to send +news of my taking James Gillam, the Pirate that killed Capt. Edgecomb, +commander of the Mocha frigate for the East India Co., and that with +his own hand while the Captain was asleep. Gillam is supposed to be +the man that encouraged the ship’s company to turn pirates, and the +ship has been ever since robbing in the Red Sea and Seas of India. If +I may believe the reports of men lately come from Madagascar, she has +taken above £2,000,000 sterling. I have been so lucky as to take James +Gillam and he is now in irons in the gaol of this town, and at the +same time we seized one Francis Dole, in whose house he was harboured, +who proves to be one of Hore’s crew, one of Col. Fletcher’s pirates, +commissioned by him from N. York. Dole is also committed to gaol. +My taking of Gillam was so very accidental, one would believe there +was a strange fatality in that man’s stars. On Saturday, 11th inst., +late in the evening, I had a letter from Col. Sanford, Judge of the +Admiralty Court in Rhode Island, giving me an account that Gillam had +been there, but was come towards Boston a fortnight before, in order to +ship himself for some of the Islands, Jamaica or Barbadoes; that he was +troubled he knew it not sooner and was afraid his intelligence would +come too late to me; that the messenger he sent knew the mare Gillam +rode on to this town. I was in despair of finding the man because Col. +Sandford writ to me that he was come to this town so long a time as a +fortnight before that. However, I sent for an honest constable I had +made use of in apprehending Kidd and his men, and sent him with Col. +Sandford’s messenger to search all the inns in town for the mare, and +at the first inn they went to they found her tied up in the yard. The +people of the inn reported that the man that brought her thither had +lighted off her about a quarter of an hour before, had then tied her, +but went away without saying anything. I gave orders to the master +of the inn that if anybody came to look after the mare, he should be +sure to seize him, but nobody came for her. Next morning, which was +Sunday, I summoned a Council, and we published a proclamation wherein +I promised a reward of 200 [pieces of eight] for the seizing and +securing Gillam, whereupon there was the strictest search made all that +day and the next that was ever made in this part of the world, but we +had missed of him, if I had not been informed of one Capt. Knot as an +old pirate, and therefore likely to know where Gillam was concealed. +I sent for Knot and examined him, promising him, if he would make an +ingenious confession, I would not molest him. He seemed much disturbed, +but would not confess anything to purpose. I then sent for his wife +and examined her on oath apart from her husband, and she confessed +that one who went by the name of James Kelly had lodged several nights +in her house, but for some nights past he lodged, as she believed, in +Charlestown, cross the river. I knew he went by the name of Kelly. Then +I examined Capt. Knot again, telling him his wife had been more free +and ingenious than him, which made him believe she had told all, and +then he told me of Francis Dole in Charlestown, and that he believed +Gillam would be found there. I sent half a dozen men immediately over +the water, to Charlestown and Knot with ’em; they beset the house and +searched it, but found not the man, Dole affirming he was not there, +neither knew he any such man. Two of the men went through a field +behind Dole’s house and passing through a second field they met a man +in the dark (for it was 10 o’clock at night) whom they seized at all +adventures, and it happened as oddly as luckily to be Gillam; he had +been treating two young women some few miles off in the country and was +returning at night to his landlord Dole’s house. I examined him, but +he denied everything, even that he came with Kidd from Madagascar, or +ever saw him in his life; but Capt. Davies who came thence with Kidd, +and all Kidd’s men, are positive he is the man and that he went by his +true name Gillam all the while he was on the voyage with ’em, and Mr. +Campbell, Postmaster of this town, whom I sent to treat with Kidd, +offers to swear this is the man he saw on board Kidd’s sloop under the +name of James Gillam. He is the most inpudent, hardened villain I ever +saw. That which led me to a search after this man was the information +of William Cuthbert, which I sent your Lordships with my packet of +July 26th, wherein he says that it was commonly reported that Gillam +had killed Capt. Edgecomb with his own hands, that he had served the +Mogul, turned Mohammedan and was circumcised. I had him searched by a +surgeon and a Jew in this town: they have both declared on oath that he +is circumcised. I recommend the perusal of the evidence I enclose as +what will inform you of the strange countenance given to pirates by the +Government and people of Rhode Island. In searching Capt. Knot’s house +[a sma]ll trunk was found with some remnants of E. India goods and a +letter from Kidd’s wife to Capt. Thomas Pain, an old pirate living on +Canonicot Island in Rhode Island government. He made an affidavit to +me when I was at Rhode Island that he had received nothing from Kidd’s +sloop, when she lay at anchor there, yet by Knot’s deposition he was +sent with Mrs. Kidd’s letter to Pain for 24 ounces of gold, which Knot +accordingly brought, and Mrs. Kidd’s injunction to Pain to keep all the +rest that was left with him till further order was a plain indication +that there was a good deal of treasure still behind in Pain’s custody. +Therefore I posted away a message to Gov. Cranston and Col. Sanford to +make a strict search of Pain’s house before he could have notice. It +seems nothing was then found, but Pain has since produced 18 ounces and +odd weight of gold, as appears by [Gov.] Cranston’s letter, Nov. 25, +and pretends ’twas bestowed on him by Kidd, hoping that may [pass for] +a salvo for the oath he made. I think ’tis plain he foreswore himself +and I am of opinion he has a great deal more of Kidd’s goods still in +his hands, [but] he is out of my power and being in that government +I cannot compel him to deliver up the [rest]. Your Lordships will +find in Capt. Coddington’s narrative, sent with my report Nov. 27, an +inventory of gold and jewels in Gov. Cranston’s hands, which he took +from a pirate. I see no reason why he should keep them, [but] so far +from that, that he ought to be called to an account for conniving at +the pirates making that Island their sanctuary, and suffering some to +escape from justice. If there be an order sent to him to deliver all +goods and treasure which he has at any time received from privateers or +pirates into my hands for the use of his Majesty, and that upon oath, +I will see the order executed and give a faithful account thereof. +Four pounds weight of the gold brought from Gardiner’s Island, which +I formerly acquainted your Lordships of, and all the jewels belonged +to Gillam, as Mr. Gardiner’s letter to Mr. Dummer, a merchant in +this town and one of the Committee appointed by me and the Council +to receive all the treasure brought in Kidd’s sloop, will prove, and +there is some proof of it in Capt. Coddington’s narrative and Capt. +Knot’s deposition. I am told that as Vice [Admiral] of these provinces +I am entitled to 1/3 part of Gillam’s gold and jewels; I know not wh +[ether I] am or no, but if it be my right I hope you will represent to +the King accordingly. ’Tis a great prejudice to the King’s [service] +that here is no revenue or other fund to answer any occasion of His +Majesty’s. I [have been] forced to disburse the 200 pieces of eight +out of my own little stock, and also to defray my expenses in going to +Rhode Island to execute the King’s Commission; both accounts I now +send and beg your Lordships’ favour in promoting. Capt. Gullock tells +me that 15 or 16 of the ship’s company that would not be concerned with +Gillam went home in the _America_ belonging to the E. I. company. I +should think an advertisement in the _Gazette_ requiring some of those +men to appear before one of the Secretaries of State to give their +evidence would be proper. + +“Your Lordships will meet with a pass among the other papers to Sion +Arnold, one of the pirates brought from Madagascar by Shelley of N. +York, signed by Governor Basse, which is a bold step in Basse after +such positive orders as he received from Mr. Secretary Vernon, but +I perceive plainly the meaning of it, he took several pirates at +Burlington in West Jerzey and a good store of money with them as ’tis +said: and I dare say he would be glad they [?should] escape, for when +they are gone who can witness what money he seized with ’em? I know +the man so well that I verily believe that’s his plot. John Carr +mentioned in some of the [?papers to] be in Rhode Island was one of +Hore’s crew. There are abundance of other pirates in that island at +this time, but they are out of my power. Mr. Brinley, Col. Sanford, +and Capt. Coddington are honest men and of the best estates in the +island, and because they are heartily weary of the maladministrations +of that Government, and because I commissioned ’em, by virtue of H. +M. Commission to me, to [make] enquiry into the irregularities of +those people, they are become strangely odious to ’em and are often +affronted by ’em; neither will they make ’em Justices of the Peace, +so that when they would commit pirates to gaol, they are forced to go +to the Governor, for his warrant, and very [comm]only the pirates get +notice and avoid the warrant. Gardiner, the Dep. Collector, is accused +to have been once a pirate, in one of the papers enclosed. I doubt he +will forswear himself rather than part with Gillam’s gold which is +in his hands. ’Tis impossible for me to transmit to the Lords of the +Treasury these proofs against Gardiner, being so jaded with writing, +but I could wish they were made acquainted with his character and would +send over honest, in[tellige]nt men to be Collectors of Rhode Island, +Connecticut and N. Hampshire, and that they [would] hasten Mr. Brenton +hither to his post or send some other Collector in his room. I could +wish Mr. Weaver were ordered to hasten to N. York. Captain Knot in one +of his depositions accuses Gillam to have pirated four years together +in the South Sea against the Spaniards. We have advice that Burk, an +Irishman and pirate, that committed sea-robberies on the coast of +Newfoundland, is drowned with all his ship’s company, except 7 or 8, +somewhere to the southward, in the hurricane about the end of July or +the beginning of Aug. last. ’Tis good news, he was very strong and said +to have had a good ship with 140 men and 24 guns.”[32] + +John Halsey was a Boston privateersman who heard of the good fortune of +those who scoured the Red Sea and the Arabian coast and so abandoned +cruising on the banks of Newfoundland and set a course for Madagascar. +He was the son of James and Dinah Halsey and was born Mar. 1, 1670. As +a boy he followed the sea and in time became master of small vessels +trading with the Southern Colonies and the West Indies. In April, 1693, +while master of the sloop “Adventure,” of Boston, he testified in +court in relation to a seaman shipped by him the previous November on +a voyage to Virginia. At that time he deposed that he was twenty-three +years old. + +While Joseph Dudley was governor, he was given the command of the +brigantine “Charles,” and sent out with a privateering commission to +cruise against French vessels on the fishing banks. From there he went +to the Canaries where he took a Spanish “barcalonga” which he plundered +and sunk. Having determined on a free life in the Indian Ocean he +wooded and watered at one of the Cape Verdes and then stood away for +the Cape of Good Hope and Madagascar. + +For a time Captain Halsey was followed by ill-fortune. He was +nearly taken by a Dutchman of sixty guns and later was chased by the +“Albemarle,” East Indiaman, and only got clear because he could show a +better share of heels. In the Strait of Babelmandeb, a Moorish fleet +of twenty-five sail came upon him and the brigantine was only saved +from being taken when they fell to with their oars. Three days later +their luck changed and two English ships fell into their hands after +brisk fighting. The loot amounted to over £50,000 in money and also +many bale goods, so they steered for Madagascar where they shared their +booty. Here, Captain Halsey fell sick of a fever and died in 1716 and +was buried with great ceremony. His sword and pistols were laid on his +coffin, which was covered with a ship’s jack, and minute guns were +fired. He was a brave man and died regretted by his men and the friends +he had made in Madagascar. “His Grave was made in a Garden of Water +Melons and fenced in with Pallisades to prevent his being rooted up by +wild Hogs, of which there are Plenty in those Parts.”[33] + +Another Massachusetts pirate was Joseph Bradish of Cambridge, who was +born there Nov. 28, 1672. In March, 1698 he was in London, England, out +of a berth and so shipped as boatswain’s mate on board “the ship or +hakeboat Adventure,” Thomas Gulleck, commander, bound for the island of +Borneo on an interloping trade. The ship was about 350 tons burthen and +carried twenty-two guns. The following September, while at the island +of Polonais for water, most of the officers and passengers being on +shore, the rest of the ship’s company cut the cable and ran away with +the ship. There were about twenty-five men aboard and Joseph Bradish +was chosen their commander because of his skill in navigation. Sail +was made for Mauritius where they refitted the ship and took on fresh +provisions and then a course was set for New England. + +Not long after rounding the Cape of Good Hope a sharing was made of +the money found on board which was contained in nine chests stowed in +the breadroom. Each man received over fifteen hundred Spanish dollars +and the captain was assigned two and a half shares. Later there was a +sharing of the broadcloths, serges and other goods in the lading of the +ship. + +The “Adventure” arrived at the east end of Long Island on March 19, +1699 and Captain Bradish went on shore at Nassau Island taking with +him most of his money and jewels. He sent a pilot on board to bring +the ship around to Gardiner’s Island, but the wind not favoring, Block +Island was made instead. Two men were then sent to Rhode Island to buy +a sloop but the Governor, suspecting them to be pirates, ordered them +seized. A day or two later several sloops sailing near the “Adventure” +were hailed and after some bartering one of them was bought and another +hired. The sloopmen were allowed to take what they pleased out of the +ship and having transferred their money and some of the richer of the +lading to the two sloops, the “Adventure” was sunk. Some of the crew +were set ashore at different landings where they reached farmhouses and +purchased horses and departed for parts unknown. + +Captain Bradish and others of his company ventured into Massachusetts +early in April, but the news of their arrival at Long Island had +preceded them and soon the captain and ten of his men were lodged +in the stone gaol in Boston where Caleb Ray, his kinsman, was the +gaol-keeper. Bradish and his men were examined by the authorities and +several of them confessed. Money and goods to the value of about £3000, +were seized and Bradish’s jewels, which had been left with Col. Henry +Peirson at Nassau Island, were sent for and taken to New York to be +inventoried. Ten or more of his crew were also captured on Rhode Island. + +Bradish lay in gaol for nearly two months and it does not appear that +he was placed in irons which was the fate of Captain Kidd a few weeks +later. Governor Bellomont ordered Kidd placed in irons weighing sixteen +pounds and not content with that paid the gaoler forty shillings a week +above his salary in the hope of keeping him honest. This all came about +because Bradish was allowed to escape. Caleb Ray, the gaol-keeper, was +a relative of Bradish, a fact unknown to the authorities, and doubtless +not many days passed before family influences were exerted in his +behalf. + +On the morning of June 25th, Ray found the prison door open and +Bradish and Tee Wetherly, one of his company, who had but one eye, +were missing. The Governor was angry and finding the Council slow to +take action he became still more enraged. Learning that prisoners had +mysteriously escaped at other times, Ray finally was dismissed and a +prosecution ordered. + +Meantime, Bellomont had devoted much of his time to pirates and piracy. +Kidd had been taken and his spoil sequestered. A ship had arrived at +New York bringing sixty pirates from Madagascar and a vast deal of +treasure. The New York owners were said to have cleared £30,000 by +the voyage. He learned that about two hundred Madagascar pirates were +intending to take passage for New York in Frederick Phillips’ ships +at £50 each. A great ship had been seen off the Massachusetts coast +supposed to be commanded by Maise, the pirate, and laded with much +wealth taken in the Red Sea. There was a sloop in at Rhode Island, +undoubtedly a pirate as the crew went ashore daily and spent their gold +freely. He also was occupied in manning out a ship to go in quest of +the “Quidah Merchant,” Kidd’s ship, left by him in the West Indies. +Long reports were sent to the Lords of Trade and Plantations by the +busy Governor in one of which he mentions “having writ myself almost +dead.” + +[Illustration: RICHARD COOTE, EARL OF BELLOMONT, GOVERNOR OF +MASSACHUSETTS, 1699-1700 + +From a rare engraving in the Harvard College Library] + +When Bradish and Wetherly stole out of gaol they made their way to the +eastward and Governor Bellomont offered a reward of two hundred pieces +of eight for the recapture of Bradish and one hundred pieces for +Wetherly. He also wrote to the Governors of Canada and St. Johns. There +happened to be in Boston at the time, an Indian sachem, Essacambuit, +who had come to make submission in behalf of the Kennebeck Indians +and the reward sent him on the trail of the fleeing pirates with such +success that they were taken and brought into the fort at Saco. On +Oct. 24th, they were again in Boston gaol, this time well secured with +irons. During the following months they made two unsuccessful attempts +to escape. Once they broke through the floor, but that failing them +a night or two later they filed off their fetters, whereupon they +were manacled and chained to one another. “I believe this new gaoler +I have got is honest; otherwise I should be very uneasy,” wrote the +Governor.[34] + +On Feb. 3, 1700, the man-of-war “Advice” arrived in Boston harbor +for the express purpose of conveying Kidd, Bradish and other pirates +to London, for trial before an Admiralty Court and on April 8th they +arrived there, still in irons. + +Justice was summarily meted out to Bradish and his men and their fate +became well-known to sailormen and pirates in all seas. Twenty years +later when Capt. Bart. Roberts captured a Boston-bound ship, the +captain was told by some of the pirate crew that they never would “go +to Hope-Point, to be hang’d up a Sun drying, as Kidd’s and Braddish’s +Company were; but that if they should ever be overpower’d, they would +set Fire to the Powder, with a Pistol, and go all merrily to Hell +together.” + + +FOOTNOTES + +[20] Bradford, _History of Plymouth Plantation_, Boston, 1856, p. 293. + +[21] Capt. Roger Clap’s _Memoirs_, p. 35. + +[22] Winthrop’s _Journal_, New York, 1908, Vol. I, p. 96. + +[23] Bradford, _History of Plymouth Plantation_, p. 441. + +[24] Winthrop’s _Journal_, New York, 1908, Vol. II, p. 273. + +[25] _Records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony_, Vol. IV, Part II, p. +563. + +[26] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. LXI, leaf 280. + +[27] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. LXI, leaf 280. + +[28] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. CXXVII, leaf 10. + +[29] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. CXXVII, leaf 191. + +[30] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. XXXVII, leaf 117. + +[31] See chapter on Capt. Thomas Pound. + +[32] _Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies_, 1699, pp. +551-554. + +[33] Johnson, _The History of the Pirates_, London, 1726. + +[34] _Calendars of State Papers, America and West Indies_, 1699, p. +1011. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +JOHN RHOADE, PILOT OF THE DUTCH PIRATES ON THE COAST OF MAINE + + +In the summer of 1674, while the Dutch were yet in control of New +York, the privateer frigate “Flying Horse,” came sailing into the +harbor. Her commander, Capt. Jurriaen Aernouts, had been commissioned +by the governor of Curacao, “to take, plunder, spoil and possess any +of the ships, persons or estates” of the enemies of the great States +of Holland, which meant the English and the French at the time the +commission was issued. But when the Dutch captain reached New York +he was much surprised to learn of the treaty of peace, signed nearly +six months before, which made it illegal for him to prey on English +shipping. The war was still on with France, however, so he decided to +sail northward for the fishing banks and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. +While the “Flying Horse” was recruiting and preparing for sea, Captain +Aernouts accidentally made the acquaintance of a coasting pilot from +Boston, Capt. John Rhoade, an adventurous character who told the +captain that he was well acquainted with the coast along the French +colonies at the north; that their forts and defences were weak and +if taken by surprise it would be easy conquest for him of a rich fur +country. Rhoade said that he had recently been at Pentagoet (now +Castine, Maine) and had exact information as to the strength of the +French garrison there. The Dutch captain submitted the project to his +officers and crew and it was unanimously favored. Captain Rhoade then +enlisted, took the oath of allegiance to the Prince of Orange, and was +made the chief pilot of the “Flying Horse.” + +The Dutchmen landed at Pentagoet on Aug. 1, 1674, and as the fort was +garrisoned by only thirty men it soon surrendered. The commander of +the fort, M. de Chambly, was also the Governor of Acadie and for him a +ransom of one thousand beavers was demanded, an amount he was unable to +furnish. With the Governor on board, the “Flying Horse” sailed eastward +and every French fort and trading post as far as the St. John river +was captured. Captain Aernouts proclaimed all this territory a Dutch +conquest, naming it New Holland, and at every point where he landed he +buried a bottle containing a copy of his commission and a statement +of his conquest. Laden with the plunder of Acadie, the “Flying Horse” +reached Boston the last of September and the Dutch captain applied to +Governor Leverett for leave to remain in the harbor in order to repair +his ship and dispose of his plunder. This was granted and soon the +frigate lay at anchor before the town. The Colony gladly purchased the +cannon that had been taken from the French forts and the Boston traders +bought the rest of the spoil. + +The Massachusetts fur traders now applied to Captain Aernouts for leave +to trade in the newly conquered territory, a privilege they had always +paid well for in the past. But they were disappointed, for the Dutch +officers claimed that this conquest had been made by the sword and +that the fur trade was of great value to the States of Holland, so all +requests for leave or license were refused. The owners of two Boston +vessels, however, disregarded the warnings of the Dutch officers and +set sail, and probably others followed. + +When Captain Aernouts was ready to depart, which was about the first of +November, he left in Boston two of his officers, Capt. Peter Roderigo, +a “Flanderkin,” and Capt. Cornelius Andreson, a Dutchman, and also +Captain Rhoade and a Cornishman, John Williams, and gave these men +and their associates, authority to return to New Holland and there to +trade and keep possession until further instructions were received. +They induced four or five others to join them and before the month had +gone they had purchased a small vessel, the “Edward and Thomas,” Thomas +Mitchell of Malden, part-owner, who shipped with the company, which +was commanded by Roderigo, and hired another, the “Penobscot Shallop,” +commanded by Andreson, and after arming them as well as they could, +they sailed down the harbor with the flag of the Prince of Orange at +each topmast. At Pentagoet, they found that Englishmen from Pemaquid +had recently been there and carried away iron and other materials found +in the ruins of the fort. Farther eastward, Edward Hilliard of Salem +was found in a small vessel, and when ordered to come on board he +immediately submitted and said he was ignorant that he was trespassing +on their authority and further complained of the bad voyage he had +made thus far. He was dismissed with a warning and his vessel and +peltry returned to him. Not long after they came upon a Boston vessel, +commanded by William Waldron, who had been refused a permit to trade. +He was recognized at once and his vessel made a prize but after a time +returned to him. His peltry, however, was seized. + +Among the men who had applied for a permit to trade and been refused +was George Manning, who commanded a shallop called the “Philip,” owned +by John Feake, a Boston merchant. Nevertheless he had sailed and on +December 4th Captain Roderigo came upon him at anchor in “Adowoke Bay +to ye Estward of Mount deZart.” The shallop was boarded, the hatches +opened and all the peltry taken away. Captain Manning had in his cabin +a loaded pistol and planned to shoot Captain Roderigo but a boy on +board warned him to look out for himself and drawing a cutlass the +“Flanderkin” laid about him. There was some firing of guns but no one +was killed. Manning was confined on board the Dutch boat and the next +day it was proposed to burn his shallop and set him adrift in his boat. +Rhoade told him he deserved to be turned ashore on an island and there +be compelled to eat the roots of trees. Manning had received a flesh +wound in one hand and was cut about the head. There is much confusion +in the testimony bearing on the encounter and doubtless some lying, +but it is plain that Manning continued in command of his shallop and +accompanied the Dutchmen in their later operations.[35] + +A small barque owned by Major Shapleigh of Piscataqua in New Hampshire +was taken shortly and found to have traded for peltry and also to have +brought provisions from Port Royal to the French at Gamshake on the +St. John river. The peltry and provisions were seized and the barque +dismissed. The Dutchmen, when on trial in Boston, claimed that this +barque had transported French from Port Royal to the St. John river and +supplied them with ammunition so that when Captain Roderigo arrived +that winter they were able to defend themselves and he was obliged to +return to Machias in Maine, where he had established a trading post. + +The Dutch carried on a prosperous trade with the Indians that winter at +Machias and there was always the hope that the tri-colored flag of the +United Provinces might appear over a fleet coming to their assistance. +On March 10th, 1675, a vessel flying an English flag appeared off +shore. It was commanded by Thomas Cole of Nantasket. A boatload of +men, well armed, came ashore and finding only four men at the trading +post these were soon overpowered. The Dutch flag was pulled down, the +men taken prisoners and the winter’s store of peltry and trading goods +carried off. The Dutch afterwards testified in court that Cole ordered +Randall Judson’s[36] arms bound behind him and then put him ashore +where he remained for four days and nights without shelter or food, and +this was early in March on the eastern Maine coast. + +It was to be expected that sooner or later the news of the capture +of the trading vessels would reach Boston. The shallop commanded by +George Manning was owned by John Feake, a Boston merchant, and Feb. +15, 1675, he appeared before Governor Leverett and the Magistrates +and made his complaint, that property had been piratically seized +and his vessel detained. He named Captain Rhoade as the principal +offender. William Waldron and others had already presented a protest. +Mr. Feake proposed that Capt. Samuel Mosely, afterwards the famous +Indian fighter, be instructed to organize an expedition to proceed to +the eastern parts and seize Rhoade and his company, and the Council at +once assented and ordered that no shipping in the harbor bound eastward +should be permitted to sail until after Captain Mosely and his company +had departed. Captain Mosely had recently been in command of an armed +vessel that had cruised about the island of Nantucket to protect Boston +interests against suspected attacks by the Dutch, and he was ready for +any new adventure. He received his instructions on Feb. 15, 1675 and +soon after sailed for the eastward. Before reaching the Dutchmen he +fell in with a French vessel which he induced to join his enterprise. +He provided her with men and ammunition and when these vessels bore +down on Captain Roderigo’s little fleet, Manning, who had gone into the +Dutch service at a wage of £7 per month, at once joined the new-comers +and without taking the trouble to haul down the tri-colored flag flying +from his topmast, opened fire on the Dutch vessels. Taken by surprise +and attacked by three vessels carrying English, French and Dutch +colors, resistance was soon over. The prisoners were closely confined, +their vessels were plundered of the peltry obtained during the winter’s +barter and their remaining trading stock was turned over to Boston +men who had accompanied the expedition and these traders were left +to continue the barter with the Indians while the victorious Captain +Mosely sailed back to Boston where he arrived on April 2d. Again, had +commercial greed brought about military attack. The Dutch, at war with +France, had seized French territory which previously had been exploited +by colonial traders, who, deprived of their rich opportunity for gain, +now seized the Dutch outpost. + +The Court of Assistants met at Cambridge on April 7th and ordered +the pirates, as the prisoners were styled, confined in the prison at +Cambridge. The Dutch vessels and their fittings were appraised and left +in the hands of John Feake who had made the complaint of the alleged +piracy. At the examination of the prisoners, the day they reached +Boston, they frankly declared what had been done by them and justified +in writing their supposed authority. A special Court of Admiralty was +then summoned to meet on May 17th, but before the day arrived John +Feake, the complainant, was dead and buried. On May 4th, he had gone +on board a ship in the harbor, just arrived from Virginia, and while +in the great cabin with Captain Scarlett, one of the appraisers of +the Dutch vessels, in conference with the supercargo of the ship and +others, there was a great explosion resulting in the death of Feake, +Scarlett and the supercargo, and the wounding of nine others. The great +Increase Mather preached a sermon “Occasioned by this awful Providence.” + +The Court of Admiralty sat on the day appointed and shortly declared +the Dutch vessels and their cargoes lawful prizes to be delivered to +the heirs of Feake as satisfaction for the injury done to the shallop +commanded by Manning. The Court then adjourned. A week later it +reassembled and Peter Roderigo and Cornelius Andreson were placed on +trial, charged with piratically seizing several small English vessels +and making prize of their goods, etc.[37] A verdict of guilty was +declared against Roderigo and he was sentenced to be hanged. Not long +after he petitioned the Great and General Court for his life and on May +12th “the Court judged it meete to grant the petitioner a full & free +pardon, according to his desire in his petition.” Roderigo found his +way again to the eastward and in June of the next year served in the +company of Capt. Joshua Scottow in Indian fighting about Black Point, +near Scarborough, Maine. On the other hand Andreson, who owned during +his examination that he had taken two English vessels, Waldron’s and +Hilliard’s, was not found guilty of piracy and the Court sent the jury +out again with instruction to “find what they could against him.” The +jury obediently brought in a verdict of guilty of “theft and robbery,” +based on the seizure of the peltry. He, too, was sentenced but later +pardoned. + +It is a curious circumstance that this Cornelius Andreson should +shortly join the independent military company organized by Captain +Mosely to fight Indians in King Philip’s War which broke out soon +after the trials were concluded. Andreson also appears in Capt. +Thomas Wheeler’s company and fought bravely and with renown in the +attacks about Brookfield. At one time he was sent out as “Captain of a +forlorne” hope[38] and afterwards marched to Groton. On Oct. 13, 1675 +he was about leaving the country and nothing is known of his later +history. Undoubtedly he was the “buccaneer,” mentioned by New England +historians as going with Captain Mosely against Philip near the end of +June. After the trial of Andreson, the Court again adjourned and on +June 17th the other prisoners were brought to trial. Capt. John Rhoade, +when asked why he fought against the King’s colors, replied that the +attacking vessels had fought under French, Dutch and English colors and +he thought that his company would be given no quarter, and therefore he +fought. Richard Tulford acknowledged that he had acted in company with +the others and had gone ashore at Casco Bay and brought off sheep said +to belong to Mr. Mountjoy, and that Thomas Mitchell had sent him. The +testimony of Peter Grant and Randall Judson was similar. John Thomas +said that he had sailed from Boston with Captain Roderigo and was +present at the taking of the vessels and when asked if he didn’t kill +a Frenchman he denied but confessed “that hee did shoote at him, but +knew not that hee hit him.”[39] John Williams told under examination +that he was a Cornishman and had sailed out of Jamaica with Captain +Morrice, but was captured by the Dutch and taken into Curacao, where +he had joined Captain Aernout’s privateering voyage and on reaching +Boston had remained and gone to the eastward with Captain Roderigo. He +had been ashore at Machias when the rest were captured. Thomas Mitchell +testified that he lived near Malden, Massachusetts, and that he had +come last from Pemaquid. He claimed that the English vessels had been +taken against his will, but he had eaten of the stolen mutton and also +had piloted his vessel from the St. John river to Twelve Penny harbor +where they had plundered one Lantrimong and killed his cattle. Edward +Uran of Boston, a former fisherman of the Isles of Shoals, had gone on +the expedition in Mitchell’s shallop and offered similar testimony. + +The Court of Assistants presided over by Governor Leverett, found +Rhoade, Fulford, Grant and Judson each guilty of piracy and sentence +was pronounced directing that they be hanged “presently after the +lecture.” Thomas and Williams were acquitted and discharged. Mitchell +was ordered to pay treble satisfaction to Mr. George Mountjoy, i. e., +£9.12.0 for the four stolen sheep, and Uran was to be “whipt with +twenty stripes.” + +A week before the time set for the executions, King Philip went on +the warpath and all else, for the time, was forgotten in the fearful +danger of the emergency. The executions were postponed again and again. +Fulford before long was released without conditions[40] and Rhoade, +Grant and Judson were banished from the Colony after paying prison +charges and furnishing sureties, and there the affair ended so far as +they were concerned. As for the conquest of French Acadia in behalf +of the United Provinces, when the Amsterdam authorities learned of +what had taken place they at once recognized the services of John +Rhoade of Boston, the pilot of the Dutch cruiser, and authorized him +to hold possession of Acadia and to carry on unlimited trade with the +natives. This was on Sept. 11, 1676, and over a year after he had +been sentenced to death for piracy while carrying out the very policy +now laid down by the nation that had subjugated the territory. He had +acted clearly within his rights and any exceptions that might have been +taken were questions between the United Provinces and England, then at +peace for some time, and so the matter was then regarded outside the +Massachusetts Bay Colony. + +When the news of the trial and condemnation of the Dutch officers +and their associates reached the States-General, their ambassador +to England was immediately instructed to demand the release of the +prisoners, the restoration of the territory and the punishment of the +offending authorities, and after much procrastination the Council +addressed an order to “The Bostoners in New England,”[41] requiring +a speedy answer to the complaint. Governor Leverett’s answer calmly +recited what had been done by the Colony and stated that there had not +been any violation of the peace between the two nations. Meanwhile, +Captain Rhoade’s commission had reached him and he undertook to use the +authority conferred upon him and got into trouble in consequence, for +he sailed into the river St. George and undertook to trade there and +was taken prisoner and with his vessel and goods sent to New York. The +Dutch West India Company of course protested and demand was made for +the release and indemnification of Captain Rhoade. This was on May 21, +1679. The complaint was renewed and much correspondence followed but +nothing very definite appears as a result. The main issue was lost in a +maze of diplomatic correspondence and evasive reports, and so ended the +conquest of Acadia by the Dutch and the charges and counter-charges of +piracy on the Maine coast. + + +FOOTNOTES + +[35] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. LXI, leaves 117, 118. + +[36] He was one of the colonists who had joined Captain Roderigo in +Boston. + +[37] _Records of the Court of Assistants_, Vol. I, p. 35. + +[38] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. LXVIII, leaf 7. + +[39] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. LXI, leaf 72. + +[40] He belonged in Muscongus, Maine, and had married a daughter of +Richard Pearce. + +[41] _Massachusetts Historical Society Colls._ 4th Ser., Vol. II, p. +286. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THOMAS POUND, PILOT OF THE KING’S FRIGATE, WHO BECAME A PIRATE AND DIED +A GENTLEMAN + + +In front of the South Station in Boston, there is an intersection of +wide streets known as “Dewey Square.” It is very firm ground today, +but in 1689, the year in which these events took place, this space was +tidewater and into it projected Bull’s wharf. On shore, near the head +of the wharf, was a tavern with a swinging sign in front displaying on +either side a beefy looking animal that was labelled “The Bull.” At +about eleven o’clock on the night of Thursday, August 8, 1689, six men +and a boy came down to the water’s edge not far from the tavern and +went on board a two-masted, half-decked fishing boat, of the type known +at that time as a Bermudas boat, and hoisting sails soon disappeared +down the harbor in the direction of the Castle. The leader of the party +was Thomas Pound, pilot of the frigate “Rose,” which had arrived at the +Boston station three years before. + +One of the results of the recent insurrection against the authority of +Governor Andros had been the seizure of Captain George, of the “Rose,” +by the townspeople, who also struck the frigate’s topmasts and brought +her sails ashore. On August 3d, Governor Andros had escaped from the +Castle, but had been recaptured in Rhode Island two days later and by +easy stages was being brought back to Boston at the time when Thomas +Pound and his party planned their expedition here described. + +[Illustration: VIEW OF CASTLE WILLIAM, BOSTON HARBOR, ABOUT 1729, AND A +MAN-OF-WAR OF THE PERIOD + +From the only known copy of an engraving probably by John Harris, after +a drawing by William Burgis] + +Thomas Hawkins, who owned the boat, had agreed with Pound to put his +men ashore at Nantasket, the consideration being two shillings and +six pence, but when the boat reached Long Island, about halfway to +the agreed destination, Hawkins was ordered to anchor, and there they +remained until early in the morning. Before daylight Pound told Hawkins +that he had changed his mind about going to Nantasket and said that his +party would like to go fishing. So the anchor was hauled aboard and +soon the boat was sailing down the harbor. When near Lovell’s Island, +the sounds of men launching a boat were heard and one of Pound’s men +at once said, “There they are,” and soon after a small boat with five +men in it, came alongside and boarded Hawkins’ boat. These men were +armed and Pound and one of his men, Richard Griffin, a gunsmith, also +had brought guns. Pound now took command and ordered the fish casks +thrown overboard and then directed that an easterly course be made +which soon carried the boat into deep water beyond the Brewster Islands +at the entrance to the harbor. He told Hawkins that he and his men had +agreed to take the first vessel they met and proceed in her to the +West Indies, to prey on the French. Hawkins seems to have acquiesced +willingly and thereafter to have been the sailing-master while Pound +commanded the expedition. + +Isaac Prince of Hull, the master of a small deck-sloop, had been out +in the Bay after mackerel and with a good catch was about four or five +leagues off the Brewsters, bound in, when he was hailed from Thomas +Hawkins’ boat bound out. Hawkins brought his boat to the windward of +the sloop and asked Captain Prince if he had any mackerel and water to +spare and then bought eight penny worth of fish and was given three +or four gallons of water. The curiosity of the fishermen was aroused +because Hawkins was careful not to bring his boat alongside the sloop +but held her by the quarter of the fisherman. The crew on the sloop +also noted through the cracks in the deck or covering of the Bermudas +boat, some ten or twelve men who seemed to be keeping out of sight, +and abaft a man, whose body was out of sight, was seen to peer at the +fishermen and then quickly draw back, so Captain Prince asked Hawkins +where he was bound, and he replied to Billingsgate,[42] and when asked +how he came to be so far to the northward, Hawkins replied “It’s all +one to me.” The two vessels then separated, but when the fishermen +reached Boston, they went at once to the Governor and reported the +suspicious conduct of Hawkins, whom they said “seemed very cheerful and +Merry.”[43] + +When near Halfway Rock, only two or three hours after parting with +the sloop, Hawkins came up with the fishing ketch “Mary,” Helling +Chard,[44] master, owned by Philip English, the great Salem merchant +who was accused of witchcraft three years later. The ketch was coming +in from sea with a full fare of fish when Captain Hawkins hailed and +after a show of arms took the vessel. Captain Chard knew Hawkins and +also recognized one of his men, “a Limping privateer called Johnson.” +When he reached Salem on Monday, August 12th, Chard reported that when +Hawkins came on board the ketch on Friday, he pushed him away from the +helm and said the ketch was his prize. Later Hawkins told him that as +soon as they could take a better vessel and supply themselves with +provisions, they intended to go to the West Indies and plague the +French, and they expected forty more men who had enlisted to join them +shortly. Hawkins’ men were supplied with firearms but had only “two +gallons of powder” aboard and so few bullets that as soon as the ketch +had been taken they set to work at once melting up all the lead they +could find to make bullets. Saturday night Captain Chard and two of his +men were set free and sent away in the Bermudas boat and Hawkins and +his crew, in the ketch, steered a course to the northeast, taking with +them John Darby[45] of Marblehead, who went voluntarily, and forcing +a boy who could speak French, intending to use him as an interpreter. +When Chard brought the news to Salem, information was sent at once +to the Governor and Council and a vessel manned by the Salem and +Marblehead militia was ordered out “to seeke after and surprise ye said +Ketch,” but it returned to harbor without finding Pound and Hawkins. + +Captain Pound, meanwhile, had ordered a course for Falmouth, Maine, +which was reached early Monday morning. The ketch came to anchor about +four miles below the fort and sent ashore a long boat with three men +in it, one of whom was John Darby, who was known to Silvanus Davis, +the commander at Fort Loyal. While two of the men filled water casks, +Darby reported to Commander Davis that the ketch had come from Cape +Sable where it had been taken by a privateer brigantine that had robbed +them of some lead and most of their bread and water. He also said that +Captain Chard, the master of the ketch, had hurt his foot and needed +a doctor. One was sent for and went out to the ketch immediately. It +was all a part of a scheme to secure his services for the proposed +expedition, but the doctor lost his courage and declined the post, +but when he came back to Falmouth, he had a variety of tales about +the ketch,--sometimes that there were few on board and that they were +honest, and at other times that there were many on board. + +It was noticed that the doctor, after he came back from the ketch, was +much in conversation with the soldiers belonging to the fort which +aroused the suspicions of the commander so that at night, after all the +soldiers were in their quarters, he charged the guard to keep a close +watch on the water side of the fort. He little thought at the time that +he was placing his trust in men who already had planned to desert.[46] +For so it turned out and as soon as the rest were asleep the guard and +sentinels robbed the sleeping soldiers of everything “except what was +on their backs,” took all the ammunition they could lay their hands +on, including a brass gun and going down to a large boat, that was +afloat just below the fort, went on board the ketch. Commander Davis +was greatly upset over what had happened, and well he might be, for he +lacked a sufficient number of men to properly garrison the fort from +Indian attack and had no vessel to engage an enemy that might attack +by sea. As it turned out, the fort was attacked by French and Indians +the following May and forced to surrender when women and children and +wounded men were mercilessly slaughtered. + +The morning after the soldiers deserted, there being little wind, +Commander Davis sent two men in a canoe to demand of Captain Pound that +the soldiers be sent back to the fort. He laughed at the request and +not only refused to return any of the arms and clothing that had been +stolen from the sleeping soldiers but threatened to go into the harbor +and cut out a sloop at anchor belonging to George Hesh. + +After helping himself to a calf and three sheep feeding on an island +in the bay, Pound set sail for Cape Cod, and early on the morning of +the 16th came upon the sloop “Good Speed,” John Smart, master, owned by +David Larkin of Piscataqua, lying at anchor under Race Point, at the +tip of the Cape. A boatload of armed men took possession of the sloop +and as she was a larger vessel than the ketch she was taken over by +the pirates and Captain Smart and his men were given the ketch and set +free. Pound told Captain Smart that when he reached Boston “to tell +there that they knew ye Gov^t Sloop lay ready but if she came out +after them & came up w^{th} them they sh^d find hott work for they w^d +die every man before they would be taken.” + +Smart reached Boston on the 19th with this audacious message. The +Great and General Court was in session at the time and an order was +immediately adopted to fit out the sloop “Resolution,” Joseph Thaxter, +commander (which had been built during the Andros administration as a +Province sloop, but in some way had got into private hands), with a +crew of forty able seamen, to cruise along the coast and “strenuously +to Endeavour the Suppressing and seizing of all Pirates, Especially one +Thomas Hawkins, Pound and others confederated with them,” being “very +careful to avoid the shedding of blood unless you be necessitated by +resistance and opposition made against you.” And as for “those men who +shall go forth in said Vessel ... It’s ordered that they be upon usual +monthly wages, and upon any casualty befalling any of the said men by +loss of Limb or otherwise be maimed that meet allowance and provision +be made for such.”[47] Captain Thaxter in the “Resolution,” was no more +successful in his search for pirates than the vessel that had been sent +out from Salem for the reason that the pirate sloop was constantly +moving about and after another capture at Homes’ Hole had sailed +through the Sound before a north-easterly gale and finally brought up +in York river, Virginia. + +Soon after Pound took possession of the sloop “Good Speed,” he put in +to Cape Cod and sent some of his crew ashore, in charge of Hawkins, to +get fresh meat. They killed four shoats and after wooding and watering, +the sloop sailed around the Cape to “Martyn’s Vineyard Sound,” and +on August 27th, sighted a brigantine at anchor in Homes’ Hole. Pound +ordered “a bloodie flagg” hoisted and running up to the brigantine +ordered her master to come aboard the pirate sloop. The brigantine was +the “Merrimack,” John Kent of Newbury, master, and he at once obeyed +the command, and after reporting his destination and cargo, the vessel +was plundered of twenty half-barrels of flour, and sugar, rum and +tobacco. Captain Kent was then allowed to go. + +Sailing out into the Sound the sloop ran into a stiff northeaster and +was forced away to Virginia where Pound found his way into York river. +Easterly winds kept him at anchor here for over a week. This happened +at a very fortunate time for the man-of-war ketch at York river had +sunk shortly before and the ship on the station was being careened. +The sloop made into the mouth of James river and there lay aground +for a day before they could get her afloat again. While the men were +at work on the sloop, Pound and Hawkins went ashore. There they met +two sailors, John Giddings and Edward Browne, who were looking for +adventures and at night these men came off to the sloop on a float +bringing with them a negro they had kidnapped belonging to a Captain +Dunbar. They also brought out some other spoil in the shape of an old +sail, a piece of dowlas, and some galls and copperas. The next day the +weather moderated and the sloop made sail to go out into the bay. She +hadn’t been out very long before Hawkins noticed that they were being +followed by another sloop so all sail was crowded on and the strange +sloop began to fall behind and at length gave up the pursuit and went +back into James river. + +From Virginia, Pound sailed directly for the Massachusetts coast and +came to anchor in Tarpaulin Cove, on the southeast side of Nanshon +Island in Vineyard Sound. Here they filled their water casks. A Salem +bark,[48] William Lord, master, homeward bound from Jamaica, was also +at anchor in the Cove and as she was evidently more than they cared to +tackle, Hawkins went on board and offered to trade sugar for an anchor. +Captain Lord was ready to trade and he also purchased for £12, the +negro that had been brought from Virginia, and gave a draft on Mr. +Blaney of the Elizabeth Islands in payment. + +Not long after coming out of Tarpaulin Cove, Pound sighted a small +ketch, commanded by one Alsop, who escaped into Martha’s Vineyard +harbor when he found that he was being chased and even then the ketch +might have been taken if the inhabitants hadn’t gathered and made a +show of defending her.[49] This happened on a Sunday. Pound and his +company then went over the shoals about the same time that Captain Lord +sailed for home. Near Race Point, at the end of Cape Cod, Hawkins went +ashore with a boat’s crew and making some excuse went inland over the +dunes and didn’t come back. After waiting a while the men returned to +the sloop and reported his desertion. Hawkins afterward claimed that +while at Tarpaulin Cove he had been recognized and told if ever he came +back to Boston he would be hanged. Probably he thought he would try to +save his skin if possible or at least drop out of sight for a time. + +After leaving the boat’s crew Hawkins walked south along the shore and +finally fell in with some Nauset fishermen to whom he told his story +of escaping from Pound and something of his adventures. He asked their +protection in case Pound and his men should attempt to find him. The +Nauset men, however, made short work with Hawkins and after fleecing +him thoroughly turned him loose to shift for himself. Fortunately he +met Capt. Jacobus Loper,[50] the master of a small sloop, whom he had +known in Boston and who was about setting sail for Boston and so was +shipped for the voyage. On the way Hawkins talked freely about his +doings. He was particularly bitter over his treatment by the Nauset +fishermen and said they “ware a pasel of Roughes & if he got Cleer at +Boston from this troble that was now on him, as he did not question +but he should, he would be Revenged on them for theire base dealing for +they be wors pirats than Pounds & Johnson.”[51] He told Captain Loper +that when he left Boston their company had intended to go privateering +and expected to get a commission at St. Thomas. But when he was asked +if he proposed to go all the way to the West Indies in the small +Bermudas boat in which they left Boston, “he was upon this surprised & +wholly silent.” Loper told him “that it apeered by his words that he +would first take a biger vessell as he before said & did: & that he was +a foole & would hang himself by his discorce then he answered, by God +thay kant hang me for what has bin don for no blood has bin shed.”[52] +As he neared Boston his courage began to fail and soon he proposed to +Captain Loper that for old acquaintance’ sake he conceal him on board +and send the sloop to Salem with oysters and so allow him to escape +to the Dutch man-of-war lying there at anchor. This was a privateer, +the “Abraham Fisher, a Scotch Rotterdammer.” Loper, however, thought +best to turn him over to the Boston authorities and soon Hawkins was +shackled and safely lodged in the new stone gaol. + +Captain Pound, meanwhile, in no way distressed by Hawkins’ desertion, +was busily at work robbing vessels in the vicinity of the Cape. +On Saturday evening, Sept. 28, 1689, he sighted a small sloop and +gave chase and brought her to anchor under the Cape. She was from +Pennsylvania. Not having any salt pork on board she was allowed to +go and Pound sailed back over the shoals hoping for better luck in +Vineyard Sound. At “Homes his Hole” he found the sloop “Brothers +Adventure,” of New London, Conn., John Picket, master, just coming out, +having been forced in by bad weather. She was bound for Boston and +was loaded with the very provisions that Pound had been in search of +and a boat’s crew of armed men soon induced Captain Picket to come +to anchor beside the pirate sloop. The loot amounted to thirty-seven +barrels of pork, three of beef and a good supply of pease, Indian corn, +butter and cheese. Having at last obtained the provisions so necessary +for a southern voyage, Captain Pound anchored in Tarpaulin Cove while +the rigging was overhauled and everything made shipshape for the +intended voyage to “Corazo”--Curacao, the Dutch colony near the South +American coast. The Netherlands were then at peace with England and +there Pound could refit before going out to prey upon French shipping +out of Martinique. He lay in Tarpaulin Cove for two days and was nearly +ready to set sail when a sloop appeared off the anchorage and steered +directly for him. Pound at once came to sail and stood away with the +sloop in hot pursuit. + +[Illustration: ARMED SLOOP NEAR BOSTON LIGHTHOUSE IN 1729 + +From the only known copy of a mezzotint by William Burgis, published +Aug. 11, 1729, and now in the possession of the United States +Lighthouse Board] + +It was now less than two weeks since that Sunday morning when Captain +Pound had chased a small ketch into Martha’s Vineyard harbor. The +island at that time was a part of the colony of New York and as soon +as the pirate was gone, Matthew Mayhew, the local Governor, sent +a messenger, riding post, to inform the Governor and Council at +Boston of the presence of the pirate so that shipping bound westward +might be warned of the danger. The Council did more than that for +it commissioned Capt. Samuel Pease, late commander of the Duke of +Courland’s ship “Fortune,” two hundred tons and twelve guns, to go to +sea at once in the sloop “Mary,” with a crew of twenty able seamen in +search of the pirate. Benjamin Gallop was commissioned lieutenant and +the “Mary” was supplied with a barrel of powder, fifty pounds of small +shot, and cartridge papers and match. Captain Pease was instructed to +endeavor to take the pirates by surprise if possible and “to prevent ye +sheding of blood as much as may bee.”[53] + +The Council meeting was held on Monday, Sept. 30th and the “Mary” +sailed from Boston that evening every man on board being a volunteer. +When Captain Pease reached Cape Cod he learned that Pound had gone +westward so he sailed on, over the shoals, expecting to find him at +Tarpaulin Cove. On Friday morning when off Woods Hole, a canoe came out +with the information that the pirate was at Tarpaulin Cove:-- + +“Upon which Wee presently gave a great shout, and the word was given to +our men to make all ready which was accordingly done, the wind being +SSE, and blew hard. Quickly after we were all ready we espied a Sloop +ahead of us. We made what saile we could, and quickly came so neere +that we put up our Kings Jack, and our Sloop sailing so very well we +quickly came within Shot, and our Captain ordered a great Gun to be +fired thwart her fore foot. On that a man of theirs presently carryed +up a Red flagg to the top of their maine mast and made it fast. Our +Captain then ordered a musket to be fired thwart his forefoot. He not +striking we came up with him and our Captain commanded us to fire on +them which accordingly we did, and also called them to strike to the +King of England. Captain Pounds standing on the quarter deck with his +naked sword in his hand flourishing, said, come aboard, you Doggs, and +I will strike you presently or words to that purpose. His men standing +by him with their Guns in their hands on the Deck, he taking up his +Gun, they let fly a volley upon us, and we againe at him. At last +wee came to Leeward of them, supposing it to be some Advantage to us +because the wind blew so hard and so our weather side did us good. They +perceiving this gave severall Shouts supposing (as we did apprehend) +that we would yield to them. Wee still fired at them and they at us as +fast as they could loade and fire and in a little space we saw Pounds +was shot and gone off the deck. While we were thus in the fight two of +our men met with a mischance by the blowing up of some gun powder which +they perceiving by ye smoke (we being pretty near them) gave severall +shouts and fired at us as fast as they could. Wee many times called to +them, telling them if they would yield to us we would give them good +quarter, they utterly refusing to have it, saying ‘Ai yee dogs, we +will give you quarter by and by.’ We still continued our fight, having +two more of our men wounded. At last our Captain was much wounded so +that he went off the deck. The Lieutenant quickly after ordered us to +get all ready to board them which was readily done. Wee layed them on +bord presently and at our Entrance we found such of them that were +not much wounded very resolute, but discharging our Guns at them, we +forthwith went to club it with them and were forced to knock them downe +with the but end of our muskets. At last we queld them, killing four +and wounding twelve, two remaining pretty well. The weather coming on +very bad and being desirous to get good Doctors or Surgeons for our +wounded men, we shaped our Course for Rhode Island and the same night +we secured our Prisoners and got in between Pocasset and Rhode Island. +The next day being Saturday, the fifth of October we got a convenient +house for our wounded men, got them on shore and sent away to Newport +for Doctors who quickly came and dressed them. Our Captain being shot +in the arm and in the side and in the thigh, lost much blood and +continued weak and faint, and on Friday after, being the eleventh day +of October, he being on board intending to come home, we set saile and +were come but a little way before he was taken with bleeding afresh, so +that we came to an anchor againe and got him on shore to another house +on Rhode Island side, where he continued very weake. In the afternoon +he was taken with bleeding again and with fits. He continued that night +and losing so much blood, on Saturday morning, the twelfth of October, +departed this life. We buried him at Newport, in Rhode Island, the +Monday following. That Monday at night we set saile from Rhode Island +and arrived at Boston on Saturday the 18th of October with fourteen +Prisoners. The Bloody Flag was not put above Pounds his vessell before +we fired at them.”[54] + +The prisoners were duly lodged in Boston’s new stone gaol which had +a dungeon in it, walls four feet thick, and all kinds of irons to +keep them there. The “treasure,” including the sloop, was appraised +at £209.4.6. As the owners of the sloop declined to pay the salvage +ordered on her, she was condemned to her captors. Captain Pease +left a widow and four orphans. In December they were “in a poor +and low condition” and the General Court passed a bill providing +for a “collection” in the several meeting houses for their relief. +The wounded pirates were doctored by Thomas Larkin, whose bill for +attendance amounted to £21.10.0. Pound had been shot in the side and +arm “& Severall bones Taken oute.” Thomas Johnson lost part of his jaw; +Buck had seven holes in one of his arms; Griffin lost an eye and part +of an ear; Siccadam was shot through both legs; and Browne, Giddings, +Phips, Lander and Warren had various wounds. + +Pound and Hawkins and the rest of their company lay in prison until +January 13, 1690, before they were brought to trial. Hawkins had been +examined by the aged Governor Bradstreet and the Magistrates on October +4th and Pound had given his version of their doings the day after he +had been placed in gaol. Hawkins was tried first,--on January 9th, +and found guilty at one session of the Court. Pound and the rest of +the indicted men were brought to trial on the 17th and found guilty +of felony, piracy and murder and Deputy-Governor Thomas Danforth +pronounced sentence of death, that they “be hanged by the neck until +they be dead.” Pound, Hawkins, Johnson and Buck were ordered to be +executed on January 27th. + +Samuel Sewall, the diarist, rode into Boston a little before twelve +o’clock on the day of the trial having spent the night at Braintree. +It had been a cold ride and a snowstorm was threatening. After dinner +he went to the Town House where the Court was sitting and then in +company with the Reverend Cotton Mather, went to the gaol to visit +the condemned prisoners. Mr. Mather never failed to attend to +this detail of his professional work and Pound and the others were +thereupon counseled and prayed with. Mr. Waitstill Winthrop, one of +the magistrates who had tried the pirates, was not satisfied with the +verdict or sentence and immediately after the trial bestirred himself +to obtain for them a reprieve. He went about obtaining the signatures +of influential persons and finally headed a committee that went before +the Governor and petitioned that reprieve be granted. Sewall records +in his diary that he was one of those who called on the aged Governor +and asked that Pound and Buck be respited, and he further relates that +Mr. Winthrop, Col. Samuel Shrimpton, one of the magistrates, and Isaac +Addington, the clerk of the court, followed him to his house with +another petition asking that Hawkins be reprieved. Sewall signed it and +the Governor granted the reprieve barely in time to save Hawkins’ neck +for he was on the scaffold and ready to be turned off when the order +reached the sheriff. “Which gave great disgust to the People; I fear +it was ill done”--writes Sewall. “Some in the Council thought Hawkins, +because he got out of the Combination before Pease was kill’d, might +live; so I rashly sign’d, hoping so great an inconvenience would not +have followed. Let not God impute Sin.”[55] And so it happened that +the only entertainment found by the crowd that had gathered to see the +hanging was the turning off of Thomas Johnson, “the limping privateer.” + +[Illustration: SAMUEL SEWALL, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT IN +MASSACHUSETTS, 1718-1728 + +From an original painting in possession of the Massachusetts Historical +Society] + +On February 20th, on petition of Thomas Hawkins and others, the +sentence of death was remitted on Hawkins, Warren, Watts, Lander, +Griffin, Siccadam, Buck and Dunn on payment of twenty marks[56] each +in money, to reimburse the charges of the prosecution and imprisonment +or else be sold into Virginia. Pound’s name was not included with the +others but four days later, he was further reprieved from execution +at the instance of Mr. Epaphras Shrimpton and sundry women of quality. +Who these “women of quality” were is not known but Thomas Hawkins’s +sisters had married the leading men of the Colony and may have +joined in the petitions. One sister had been the second wife of Adam +Winthrop, brother of Waitstill Winthrop, who worked so earnestly for +the reprieves. At that time she was the wife of John Richards, one of +the magistrates, who had tried the pirates. Another sister was the wife +of Rev. James Allen of the First Church. Hannah Hawkins had married +Elisha Hutchinson, another of the magistrates, and Abigail, married the +Hon. John Foster, while Hawkins lay in prison. Certainly these were +“women of quality,” and it seems strange, at this late day, that one so +well connected should have surreptitiously “gone privateering,” or, in +plainer language, have engaged in piracy. + +On April 20, 1690, the “Rose” frigate, John George, commander, lying +before the town of Boston, whose sails had been returned by the King’s +command, sailed from Nantasket for England, and carried Thomas Hawkins, +the pirate, whose sentence had been remitted, and Thomas Pound, his +captain, whose sentence had only been respited. The “Rose” went into +Piscataqua where she lay for a month waiting for two mast ships to +finish their lading and on May 19th sailed in convoy. On the 24th, +off Cape Sable, they met a privateer, “or Pirot,” of thirty guns and +well manned, from St. Malo, France. She came up under English colors +and when hailed from the “Rose,” answered “Will tell you by and by.” +Soon after she hoisted French colors and fired a broadside and not +less than three hundred small arms. The “Rose” returned the fire to +good purpose and the nearest mast-ship also engaged the Frenchman. The +other mast-ship having only two guns stood off. At a distance of half a +musket-shot the fight obstinately continued for nearly two hours. + +“The Rose had her Mizzon shott down, her Ensign, her sails and Rigging +much torn, but so bored the French Man’s sides that his Ports were +made Two or three into one. It was almost quite Calm, else we had Run +Thwart him with out Head, and possibly might have sent him Low enough, +but we had not winde enough, so we Lay on his Quarter which we fired +so that he was necessitated to cutt down and Cast into the Sea, which +was so much as to burn in our View half an hour as it floated in the +Sea. We saw his Captain and Lieutenant fall & believe we could not have +killed less than a hundred of his men. His Tops were full of Grenadiers +and Fuzes which we saw fall like Pidgeons, and Multitudes of his Men +lay Slaughtered on his Decks. We would have taken him for Certain would +our heavy Ship have workt, but he was a quick Sailor and so gott away. +Captain George and Mr. Wiggoner were slaine with Musket shott, 5 Common +men more were slain, and 7 desperately wounded. Mr. Maccarty’s man +Michael lost his arm. Paul Main, Sam Mixture and Thomas Hawkins the +Pirate, were amongst the slain.”[57] + +Such was the end of Hawkins. As for Captain Pound,--he reached England +safely and on July 8th, after his arrival at Falmouth, wrote to Sir +Edmund Andros, then in London, announcing his return and sending the +latest news from New England together with a short account of the fight +with the privateer. Pound published in London in 1691, “A New Mapp of +New England,” of which only one copy is now known,[58] and which served +as a basis for other charts for nearly fifty years after. The charge +of piracy seems to have been dismissed at once for on Aug. 5, 1690, +he was appointed captain of the frigate “Sally Rose,” of the Royal +Navy. In 1697 his ship was stationed at Virginia under his old patron +Governor Andros. In 1699, he retired to private life and died in 1703, +at Isleworth, county Middlesex, a “gentleman,” and respected by friends +and neighbors.[59] + + +CAPTAIN POUND’S COMPANY OF PIRATES + +_Captain Thomas Pound_, pilot and sailing master on the “Rose” +frigate; embarked from Boston in Hawkins’ boat; wounded in the fight +at Tarpaulin Cove, shot in the side and arm and several bones taken +out; found guilty but reprieved; sent to England where the charge +was dismissed; given command of a ship, and died in 1703 in England, +honored and respected. + +_Thomas Hawkins_, son of Capt. Thomas Hawkins, a Boston privateersman, +and Mary his wife; found guilty but reprieved; sent to England but on +the voyage was killed in an engagement with a French privateer off Cape +Sable. + +_Thomas Johnston_, of Boston, “the limping privateer”; embarked from +Boston in Hawkins’ boat; wounded in the fight at Tarpaulin Cove; shot +in the jaw and several bones taken out; found guilty and hanged in +Boston, Jan. 27, 1690; the only one of the company who was executed. + +_Eleazer Buck_, embarked from Boston in Hawkins’ boat; had seven holes +shot through his arms in the fight at Tarpaulin Cove; found guilty but +pardoned on payment of twenty marks.[60] + +_John Siccadam_, embarked from Boston in Hawkins’ boat; shot through +both legs in the fight at Tarpaulin Cove; found guilty but pardoned on +payment of twenty marks. + +_Richard Griffin_, of Boston, gunsmith, embarked from Boston in +Hawkins’ boat; shot in the ear in the fight at Tarpaulin Cove, the +bullet coming out through an eye which he lost; found guilty but +pardoned on payment of twenty marks. + +_Benjamin Blake_, a boy, who embarked from Boston in Hawkins’ boat. + +_Daniel Lander_, came on board in a boat at Lovell’s Island, Boston +harbor, and probably from the frigate “Rose”; shot through an arm in +the fight at Tarpaulin Cove; found guilty but pardoned on payment of +twenty marks. + +_William Warren_, came on board in a boat at Lovell’s Island, Boston +harbor, and probably from the frigate “Rose”; shot in the head in the +fight at Tarpaulin Cove; found guilty but pardoned on payment of twenty +marks. + +_Samuel Watts_, came on board in a boat at Lovell’s Island, Boston +harbor, and probably from the frigate “Rose”; found guilty but pardoned +on payment of twenty marks. + +_William Dunn_, came on board in a boat at Lovell’s Island, Boston +harbor, and probably from the frigate “Rose”; found guilty but pardoned +on payment of twenty marks. + +_Henry Dipper_, a member of Governor Andros’ company of red coats, +commanded by Francis Nicholson, the first English regulars to come +to Massachusetts, brought over in 1686; came on board in a boat at +Lovell’s Island, Boston harbor, probably from the frigate “Rose”; +killed in the fight at Tarpaulin Cove or died of wounds soon after. + +_John Darby_, a Marblehead fisherman, one of the crew of the ketch +“Mary,” of Salem, captured by Pound; voluntarily joined the expedition +and was killed in the fight at Tarpaulin Cove; left a widow and four +children living at Marblehead. + +_A Boy_, one of the crew of the ketch “Mary,” of Salem, captured by +Pound; forced to join the expedition to serve as an interpreter as he +could speak French. + +_John Hill_, a member of Governor Andros’ company of red coats, +commanded by Francis Nicholson, the first English regulars to come +to Massachusetts, brought over in 1686; was stationed at Fort Loyal, +Falmouth, Maine, where he held the rank of corporal; deserted and +joined the expedition; killed in the fight at Tarpaulin Cove. + +_John Watkins_, a soldier, one of the garrison at Fort Loyal, Falmouth, +Maine; deserted and joined the expedition; killed in the fight at +Tarpaulin Cove. + +_John Lord_, a soldier, one of the garrison at Fort Loyal, Falmouth, +Maine; deserted and joined the expedition; killed in the fight at +Tarpaulin Cove. + +_William Neff_, son of William and Mary Neff, born in 1667, in +Haverhill, Mass.; his father, while in the military service against +Indians, died in February, 1689, at Pemaquid, Maine; a soldier and one +of the garrison at Fort Loyal, Falmouth, Maine; deserted and joined +the expedition; was found not guilty of piracy as it was shown that he +was “enticed and deluded away from the Garrison by his corporal,” John +Hill; the Court discharged him he paying for a gun belonging to the +country’s store. + +_William Bennett_, a soldier, one of the garrison at Fort Loyal, +Falmouth, Maine; deserted and joined the expedition; was in prison at +Boston, where he may have died as he never was brought to trial. + +_James Daniels_, a soldier, one of the garrison at Fort Loyal, +Falmouth, Maine; deserted and joined the expedition; killed in the +fight at Tarpaulin Cove. + +_Richard Phips_, a soldier, one of the garrison at Fort Loyal, +Falmouth, Maine; deserted and joined the expedition; wounded in the +head in the fight at Tarpaulin Cove; was in prison in Boston where he +may have died as he never was brought to trial. + +_John Giddings_, joined the expedition at York River, Virginia, was +wounded in the fight at Tarpaulin Cove and imprisoned in Boston, where +he may have died as he never was brought to trial. + +_Edward Browne_, joined the expedition at York River, Virginia, and +was wounded in a hand in the fight at Tarpaulin Cove; at the trial was +found not guilty. + + +FOOTNOTES + +[42] Now the town of Wellfleet. + +[43] _Suffolk County Court Files_, No. 2539: 1. + +[44] Elsewhere written Allen Chard. + +[45] John Darby probably was one of the four pirates who were killed +Oct. 4, 1689, in the fight with the Colony sloop “Mary,” Captain +Pease, at Tarpaulin Cove. He had a wife and four children living at +Marblehead. His estate was inventoried on June 17, 1690, and his widow +on July 2, 1690, married John Woodbury of Beverly. + +[46] These men were Corporal John Hill, John Watkins, John Lord, +William Neff, William Bennett, James Daniels, and Richard Phips. + +[47] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. CVII, leaves 277-279. + +[48] In Hawkins’ deposition called a _brigantine_. + +[49] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. XXXV, leaf 10a. + +[50] Captain Loper was a Portuguese whaler and oysterman who had been +on the Cape since 1665. + +[51] _Suffolk Court Files_, No. 2539: 13. + +[52] _Ibid._ + +[53] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. XXXV, leaf 31. + +[54] _Suffolk Court Files_, No. 2539: 9. + +[55] _Diary of Samuel Sewall_, Vol. I, p. 310. + +[56] £13.6.8. + +[57] _Gay Transcripts_, _Phips_ (Mass. Hist. Society), Vol. I, leaf 31. + +[58] In the Library of Congress collection. + +[59] Charnock, _Biographia Navalis_, Vol. II, p. 401. + +[60] £13.6.8. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +CAPT. WILLIAM KIDD, PRIVATEERSMAN AND REPUTED PIRATE + + +Long after sunset in the evening of June 13, 1699, there came riding +over Boston Neck, a weary horseman who inquired his way to the Blue +Anchor Tavern, and after a hasty supper was directed to the fine brick +house of Mr. Peter Sergeant where the Governor, the Earl of Bellomont, +lately arrived from New York, was lodging. It was “late at night” when +he reached the house but the Governor at once received him on learning +that the stranger was Joseph Emmot, a New York lawyer with important +news. In the Governor’s study the lawyer announced that he had come in +behalf of Capt. William Kidd, the proscribed pirate, who had sailed +from New York, Sept. 5, 1696, on a privateering venture against the +pirates that went out from New England and New York and made captures +about the island of Madagascar and on the Arabian coast. + +Captain Kidd’s appearance just at that time probably was not wholly +unexpected by the Governor, as will be seen later, but his return +unhappily called for an immediate decision as to what course should be +pursued, for Governor Bellomont had a personal interest in the venture +that had sent Kidd into the Eastern Seas. It was he who had obtained +from the King the commission under which Captain Kidd sailed and he +had also written the sailing orders by which Kidd was directed to +“serve God in the best Manner you can” and after reaching “the Place +and Station where you are to put the Powers you have in Execution: +and having effected the same, you are according to Agreement, to sail +directly to Boston in New England there to deliver unto me the whole +of what Prizes, Treasure, Merchandizes, and other Things you shall +have taken.... I pray God grant you a good success, and send us a good +Meeting again,” concludes the noble Earl. + +The King’s commission to Captain Kidd was issued Jan. 26, 1696, and +directed him to apprehend Thomas Tew of Rhode Island, Thomas Wake +and William Maze of New York, John Ireland and “all other Pirates, +Free-booters, and Sea Rovers, of what Nature soever ... upon the +Coasts of America or in any other Seas or Parts.” In substance it was +a special commission for the capture of Captain Tew and other known +pirates, added to the usual powers granted to the privateer. + +Associated with Bellomont in this venture were Lord Somers, the Lord +Chancellor; the Earl of Orford, the First Lord of the Admiralty; the +Earl of Romney and the Duke of Shrewsbury, Secretaries of State; Robert +Livingston, Esq. of New York, and Captain Kidd;[61] who had together +subscribed £6000, with which to purchase and refit the ship “Adventure +Galley,” 287 tons burthen, armed with thirty-four guns. Livingston and +Kidd were to pay one-fifth of the cost and the remainder was to be met +by the titled members of the Government in London. + +The Government undoubtedly was interested in the suppression of piracy +along the American coast and elsewhere, but the particular interest +of Bellomont and his associates seems to have been in the “Goods, +Merchandizes, Treasure and other Things which shall be taken from the +said Pirates,” one-fourth part of which, by agreement, was to go to the +ship’s crew. The remainder was to be divided into five parts, “whereof +the said Earl is to have to his own Use, Four full parts, and the other +Fifth Part is to be equally divided between the said Robert Livingston +and the said Wm. Kidd.” + +The agreement provided that Captain Kidd was to man the galley with +a crew of one hundred men shipped under a “no purchase,[62] no pay” +contract, and in case prize goods to the value of £100,000 or more +were brought to Boston in New England and delivered to the Earl of +Bellomont, that then the galley should become the property of Captain +Kidd as a “Gratification for his Good Service therein.” If the venture +was unsuccessful, all charges were to be repaid to Bellomont by Mar. +25, 1697, “the Danger of the Seas, and of the Enemy, and Mortality of +the said Captain Kidd, always excepted,” and then the galley and her +fittings were to become the property of Livingston and Kidd. + +Nearly three years had passed since Captain Kidd had sailed from +New York. In August, 1698, the East India Company had complained of +piracies said to have been committed by him and four months later +the Lords of Trade issued a letter urging the apprehension of “the +obnoxious pirate Kidd.” In December, 1698, when a general pardon was +extended to pirates who should surrender themselves, Kidd and “Long +Ben” Avery, who was famous for his piracies on the Arabian coast, were +excluded from the “Act of Grace.” + +On May 15, 1699, however, Bellomont wrote from New York to the Lords of +Trade: + +“I am in hopes the several reports we have here of Captain Kidd’s being +forced by his men against his will to plunder two Moorish ships may +prove true, and ’tis said that neare one hundred of his men revolted +from him at Madagascar and were about to kill him when he absolutely +refused to turn pirate.” + +Richard Coote, the first Earl of Bellomont, had been appointed Governor +of New England and New York in 1695. He made his headquarters in New +York and it was not until May 26, 1699, that he visited Boston. On June +1, 1699, Captain Kidd reached Delaware Bay. Did Bellomont know that +he was coming and go to Boston to meet him, in accordance with their +mutual agreement and also because he was afraid of the consequences if +he tried to arrest him in New York as instructed by the Lords of Trade? +On Dec. 6, 1700, Bellomont wrote from New York to Secretary Vernon: + +“I own I wrote to Kidd to come to New York after I knew he had turned +pirate. Menacing him would not bring him but rather wheedling and that +way I took and after that manner got him to Boston and secured him. If +I was faulty by the letter I wrote by Burgesse, I was no less so by +that I sent by Cambel which brought him to Boston.” + +Whatever the circumstances or coincidence, Governor Bellomont came over +the road from his New York government and arrived in Boston on Friday, +May 26, 1699, where he lodged with Mr. Peter Sergeant in what was +afterwards known as the “Province House”--the home of the provincial +governors--and here he received “late at night” on the evening of +June 13th, Mr. Joseph Emmot, the New York lawyer who specialized in +admiralty cases. + +The Governor afterwards reported to the Council of Trade and +Plantations that during that midnight conference he learned that +Captain Kidd was on the coast in a sloop (Emmot would not say where) +and had brought with him sixty pounds weight of gold, a hundred weight +of silver and a number of bales of East India goods and that Kidd had +left near the coast of Hispaniola, in a place where no one but himself +could find, a great ship loaded with bale goods, saltpetre and other +valuable commodities, to the value of at least £30,000. Emmot brought +word that if the Governor would give Captain Kidd a pardon he would +bring the sloop and treasure to Boston and afterwards go for the great +ship. Emmot also delivered to Bellomont two French passes which Captain +Kidd had taken on board two Moorish ships that he had captured in the +seas of India, “or, as he alleges by his men against his will.”[63] +These two ship’s passes were evidence that the prizes taken were lawful +spoil under his commission. It was the suppression of this evidence and +Captain Kidd’s inability to produce them at the time of his trial that +contributed largely to his conviction and execution. + +When Governor Bellomont learned of the great value of the booty brought +back by Captain Kidd he probably experienced conflicting emotions. +Here was plunder to the value of £40,000 or more in which he and his +associates might have had a considerable interest and yet, it must slip +through his fingers because it chanced that Kidd had been proscribed +as a pirate on Nov. 23, 1698, at the instigation of an interfering +East India Company. Bellomont’s instructions from London required that +Kidd, his late associate and co-partner, should be arrested and as he +had been sent to New York with a special mission to suppress piracy and +unlawful trading and there seemed to be no way out by which he might +now share in the loot, unless Kidd could be cleared of the charge of +piracy, there was nothing for him to do but to secure Kidd and send him +to London for trial in accordance with the English law. He therefore +sent for Duncan Campbell, the postmaster in Boston, a bookseller, who +like Captain Kidd, was a Scotchman and an old acquaintance of the +captain and instructed him to go with Emmot and obtain from Kidd a +statement of what had taken place during his voyage. + +Campbell and Emmot sailed from Boston in a small sloop on the morning +of June 17th and about three leagues from Block Island met the sloop +commanded by Captain Kidd who at that time had sixteen men on board. +Seemingly both captain and crew felt reasonably sure of Bellomont’s +protection, but Campbell brought back word to the Governor that they +had heard in the West Indies of their having been proclaimed pirates +and therefore the crew would not consent to come into any port without +some assurance from Bellomont that they would not be imprisoned or +molested. Captain Kidd had related in much detail the occurrences of +his privateering voyage and had protested with much earnestness that +he had done nothing contrary to his commission and orders aside from +what he was forced to do when overpowered by his men who afterwards +deserted. The crew on board the sloop also solemnly protested their +innocence of piracy. Kidd sent word to Bellomont that if so directed he +would navigate the sloop to England and there render an account of his +proceedings.[64] + +Duncan Campbell returned to Boston on June 19 and reported to the +Governor in writing and the same day a meeting of the Council was held +at which Bellomont announced for the first time the return of Captain +Kidd and presented the report just made by Postmaster Campbell. The +Governor also exhibited a draft of a letter which he proposed to send +to Captain Kidd and this was approved by the Council and given to Emmot +with instructions to deliver it to Kidd. This letter was in substance a +safe conduct and in part reads as follows:[65] + +“I have advised with His Majesty’s Council, and shewed them this +letter, and they are of the opinion that if your case be so clear as +you (or Mr. Emmot for you) have said, that you may safely come hither, +and be equipped and fitted out to go and fetch the other ship, and I +make no manner of doubt but to obtain the King’s pardon for you, and +for those few men you have left, who I understand have been faithful +to you, and refused as well to dishonour the Commission you have from +England. + +“I assure you on my Word and Honour I will perform nicely what I have +promised though this I declare beforehand that whatever goods and +treasure you may bring hither, I will not meddle with the least bit of +them; but they shall be left with such persons as the Council shall +advise until I receive orders from England how they shall be disposed +of.” + +Captain Kidd seems to have taken Bellomont’s assurances at face value, +but nevertheless he decided to get rid of most of his valuable cargo +before sailing for Boston; so he set a course for Gardiner’s Island +at the eastern end of Long Island, where Emmot left him and returned +to New York in a small boat. Kidd lay at anchor here for several +days. Three or four small sloops appeared in which chests and bales +of goods were transshipped and finally Kidd sent for John Gardiner, +the owner of the island, and asked him to take charge of a chest and a +box containing gold dust with several bales of goods, all of which he +assured him were intended for Governor Bellomont. Gardiner consented +and gave him a receipt. Meanwhile Mrs. Kidd[66] and her children had +come from New York, and taking on board Benjamin Bevins, a pilot, Kidd +sailed around the Cape and reached Boston Harbor on Saturday, July 1st, +where tide waiters were put on board the sloop and the captain and his +wife found lodgings at the house of Postmaster Campbell. + +The Governor was sick with the gout when Kidd reached Boston, but on +Monday, July 3d, he met with the Council and Captain Kidd was sent for +and questioned. He asked leave to make a detailed report in writing. +The next day he was present with five of his company and was questioned +further and allowed more time in which to prepare his report. On +Thursday morning at nine o’clock, he was sent for again and informed +the Council that his report would be ready that evening. It was at +this meeting that the Governor first informed the Council that he had +instructions to arrest Kidd and his men and that afternoon the warrants +were issued. It chanced that the constables looking for Captain Kidd +came upon him near the Sergeant house where the Governor lodged and +when Kidd found that he was in danger of arrest he ran into the house +with the constables after him, in the hope of finding a refuge in the +Governor’s study. It was a dramatic situation and Captain Kidd at once +found that Bellomont’s fair assurances of protection were worthless. + +At first Kidd was confined in the house of the prison-keeper, but after +a day or two he was ordered placed in the stone gaol and kept in irons. +His lodgings were searched and in two sea beds were found gold dust and +ingots to the value of about £1000 and a bag of silver containing money +and pigs of silver. Even the household plate and clothing belonging to +Mrs. Kidd were seized, though afterwards restored. + +On July 26th, Governor Bellomont wrote to the Lords of Trade and +Plantations giving a full account of what had taken place and asked +what should be done with Kidd and other pirates then in custody. +At that time a pirate could not be convicted in the Province of +Massachusetts and be punished by death. The English statute provided +that pirates should be tried before a High Court of Admiralty sitting +in London and this made it necessary to send Kidd to England. + +On Feb. 6, 1700, His Majesty’s ship “Advice” arrived in Boston harbor +with orders to convey Kidd, Bradish and other pirates to England +for trial. Ten days later they were safely on board and on April +8th Kidd was in England, arriving just as Parliament was proceeding +in “An humble address to his Majesty to remove John, Lord Somers, +Lord Chancellor of England, from his presence and counsels forever.” +Lord Somers with other members of the existing Government had been +associated with Bellomont in sending out Kidd and his return in irons +just at that time, accused of piracy, supplied ammunition for the +Opposition and made his case a political issue. + +Another powerful influence was working for Kidd’s destruction. He had +been denounced as a pirate by the East India Company which enjoyed +a monopoly of English trade in the Indian Seas and confiscated the +ships and goods of private traders as it pleased. Kidd was accused of +seizing two ships belonging to the Great Mogul with whom the East India +Company desired to remain on friendly terms. His defense was that the +two captured ships sailed under French passes issued by the French +East India Company and therefore they automatically became enemy ships +and lawful prizes, when taken by him. It was upon the existence of +these two French passes that his life then depended. Even his enemies +admitted that their introduction as evidence at his trial would go a +long way to clear him of the charge of piracy. The original documents +had been turned over by him in good faith to Bellomont and in turn had +been sent to the Lords of Trade. They were before the House of Commons +during the examination of Kidd, but when he was brought to trial before +the Court of Admiralty, they had strangely disappeared and Kidd was +deprived of the very cornerstone of his defense. Political exigencies +demanded that he should become a scapegoat and the life-saving passes +disappeared. Strangely enough, however, they were not destroyed at the +time and have recently come to light[67] in the Public Record Office, +so that two centuries after Captain Kidd was ignominiously executed for +piracy it becomes possible to reestablish his fame as a master mariner +of good repute and a privateersman who attacked only the ships of the +enemies of the King of England. + +Captain Kidd remained in gaol for over a year before he was brought to +trial and then not for piracy, as he had expected, “but being moved and +seduced by the instigations of the Devil ... he did make an assault in +and upon William Moore upon the high seas ... with a certain wooden +bucket, bound with iron hoops, of the value of eight pence, giving the +said William Moore ... one mortal bruise of which the aforesaid William +Moore did languish and die.” William Moore had been the gunner on the +“Adventure Galley,” Captain Kidd’s vessel, and during an altercation, +Kidd had struck him on the right side of the head with an iron-bound +bucket. He died the next day in consequence. Kidd’s defense was that +Moore was the leader of a mutinous crew; but it is evident from +the minutes of the trial that there was no question as to what the +verdict would be. At the most he should only have been convicted of +manslaughter. The jury found him guilty of murder. + +Having made certain that Kidd would be hanged, the Court next ordered +him brought to trial under an indictment for piracy. He asked +postponement until his papers and particularly the two French passes +could be obtained and submitted as evidence, but without avail. The +Lord Chief Baron, in summing up the evidence even went so far as to +suggest that they existed only in Kidd’s imagination. With the East +India Company forcing a prosecution and the Lord Chancellor and other +high officials in danger should he make damaging disclosures, it was +only a question of time. Kidd hadn’t a ghost of a chance for his life. + +After sentence had been pronounced, Captain Kidd said: “My Lord, it is +a very hard sentence. For my part I am innocentest of them all, only I +have been sworn against by perjured persons.” And he told the truth. + +[Illustration: + + A FULL + + ACCOUNT + + OF THE + + PROCEEDINGS + + In Relation to + + Capt. KIDD. + + In two LETTERS. + + Written by a Person of Quality to a + Kinsman of the Earl of _Bellomont_ + in _Ireland_. + + _LONDON_, + + Printed and Sold by the Booksellers of _London_ and + _Westminster_. MDCCI. +] + +On May 23, 1721, he was hanged at Execution Dock, on the Thames water +front at Wapping, after which his body was placed in chains and +gibbetted on the shore near Tilbury Fort, in the lower reaches of the +river. + +Captain Kidd as he is recalled today is a composite type. All the +pirates who have frequented the New England coast have become blended +into one and that one--Captain Kidd. A credulous public even denies him +his own name and sings of Robert Kidd in the famous ballad:-- + + My name was Robert Kidd, when I sail’d, when I sail’d, + My name was Robert Kidd, when I sail’d; + My name was Robert Kidd, God’s law I did forbid, + And so wickedly I did, when I sail’d. + + * * * * * + + I’d a Bible in my hand, when I sail’d, when I sail’d, + I’d a Bible in my hand, when I sail’d; + I’d a Bible in my hand, by my father’s great command, + But I sunk it in the sand, when I sail’d. + + * * * * * + + I murder’d William Moore, as I sail’d, as I sail’d, + I murder’d William Moore, as I sail’d; + I murder’d William Moore, and left him in his gore, + Not many leagues from shore, as I sail’d. + + * * * * * + + I’d ninety bars of gold, as I sail’d, as I sail’d, + I’d ninety bars of gold, as I sail’d; + I’d ninety bars of gold, and dollars manifold, + With riches uncontroll’d, as I sail’d. + + * * * * * + + Come all ye young and old, see me die, see me die, + Come all ye young and old, see me die; + Come all ye young and old, you’re welcome to my gold, + For by it I’ve lost my soul, and must die. + + +FOOTNOTES + +[61] Capt. William Kidd was born in Greenock, Scotland, about 1655 +and probably was the son of Rev. John Kidd who suffered the torture +of the boot. In August, 1689, he arrived at the island of Nevis, in +the West Indies, in command of a privateer of sixteen guns that had +been taken from the French at Basseterre by the English members of her +crew. The next year his privateer took part in Hewetson’s expedition to +Mariegalante; but in February, 1691, while he was on shore, his company +deserted him and ran away with the vessel. Most of the crew were former +pirates and liked their old trade better. A month later he reached New +York where he obtained command of another privateer and before long +brought in a French ship. The last of May, 1691, the Government sent +him out in pursuit of a French privateer which he followed so leisurely +that she escaped. Arriving at Boston, June 8th, he received proposals +to go in search of the privateer which were not satisfactory to him and +further negotiations were without result, so that complaint was made to +the Governor of New York that Kidd neglected a fair opportunity to take +her. In August, 1695, he was in London, in command of the brigantine +“Antego,” and while there testified as to the irregularities existing +in New York. Two months later, on October 10th, he signed articles with +the Earl of Bellomont which sent him to the Indian ocean and later to +Execution Dock on the Thames. + +[62] Prizes. + +[63] _Calendars of State Papers, America and West Indies_, 1699, pp. +366-367. + +[64] _Calendars of State Papers, America and West Indies_, 1699, p. 371. + +[65] The original letter is now preserved in the Boston Public Library. + +[66] Captain Kidd married in May, 1691, Sarah Oort, the widow of John +Oort, merchant of New York. + +[67] See Paine, _The Book of Buried Treasure_, page 104, for a +photographic reproduction. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THOMAS TEW, WHO RETIRED AND LIVED AT NEWPORT + + +Privateering was a thriving business during the last half of the +seventeenth century, and commissions were issued in large numbers by +all the colonial governors in America. + +In 1691, Thomas Tew, a young seaman hailing from Rhode Island in +New England, came into Bermuda with gold in his pockets and after a +time purchased a share in the sloop “Amity,” owned by merchants and +officials living on the island, among whom were Thomas Hall, Richard +Gilbert, John Dickenson, Col. Anthony White and William Outerbridge. +The latter was a member of the Governor’s Council. Tew claimed to +belong to a good Rhode Island family that had been living there since +1640,[68] and having interested his part-owners in the “Amity,” a +privateering commission was obtained from the governor and beating up a +willing crew of volunteers, the sloop, with Tew in command, was shortly +on her eastward passage. + +It was afterwards claimed by one Weaver, counselor for the King in the +prosecution of Governor Fletcher of New York, that during Tew’s stay +at Bermuda “it was a thing notoriously known to everyone that he had +before then been a pirate”;[69] and a sailor who had known him well +testified that he “had been rambling.” When Tew sailed from Bermuda +there went in company with him another privateer sloop commanded by +Capt. George Drew, fitted out by the governor, and the commissions +issued to these captains instructed them to take the French factory at +Goree, on the river Gambia, on the west coast of Africa. + +On the voyage out a violent storm came up; Captain Drew’s sloop sprung +her mast and the two vessels lost sight of each other. A morning or +two after the gale had spent itself Captain Tew ordered all hands on +deck and told them that they probably realized the proposed attack on +the French factory would be of little value to the public and of no +particular reward to them for their bravery. As for booty, there was +not the least prospect of any. Speaking for himself, he had only agreed +to take a commission for the sake of being employed and therefore he +was of the opinion they should turn their thoughts to bettering their +condition and if so inclined he would shape a course that would lead +to ease and plenty for the rest of their days. The ship’s company +undoubtedly were prepared for Captain Tew’s proposal for we are told +that they unanimously cried out, “A gold chain or a wooden leg--we’ll +stand by you.”[70] + +A quartermaster was then chosen to look out for the interests of the +ship’s company and instead of continuing the voyage to Gambia, a +course was made for the Cape of Good Hope and in time the Red Sea was +reached. Just as they were entering the Strait of Babelmandeb, a large +and richly laden Arabian vessel hove in sight carrying about three +hundred soldiers and much gold. Tew told his men that this was their +opportunity to strike for fortune and although it was apparent that +the ship was full of men and mounted a great number of guns, the Arabs +would be lacking in skill and courage; which proved true for she was +taken without loss. Each man’s share in the gold and jewels amounted +to over three thousand pounds sterling and the store of powder was so +great that much was thrown overboard. + +From the Strait they steered for Madagascar where the quartermaster +and twenty-three others elected to leave the ship and settle there +proposing to enjoy a life of ease in a delightful climate producing +all the necessaries for existence. The rest of the company remained +with Captain Tew who planned to return to America. The sloop sailed but +before getting out of sight of land sighted a ship and Tew, thinking to +return home somewhat richer, stood towards her and when within gunshot +hoisted black colors and fired a gun to windward. The stranger hove to +and fired a gun to leeward and hoisting out a boat Captain Tew soon +learned that he had intercepted Captain Mission, a famous pirate in +those parts who had come out from France with a privateering commission +and some time before had established a settlement on Madagascar and +named it Libertatia. + +Captain Tew was invited on board the “Victoire,” Captain Mission’s +ship, and after being handsomely entertained was invited to visit the +pirate colony that had been set up at Libertatia. On returning to the +sloop and telling his men what he had learned, the company consented +and Mission’s ship was followed until the harbor was reached which they +were much surprised to see was well fortified. The first fort saluted +them with nine guns and the company on shore received Captain Tew and +his men with great civility. He was soon invited to take part in a +council of officers to consider what should be done with the large +number of prisoners brought in by Mission. Seventy-three of these men, +English and Portuguese, took on and the rest were set at work on a dock +in process of construction about half a mile above the mouth of the +harbor. + +Tew and his men were charmed with the settlement and the new friends +they had made and here they remained until Captain Mission, desiring +to strengthen his colony, decided to send a ship to Guinea to seize +slaving ships frequenting that coast. He offered the command of this +expedition to Captain Tew and gave him a crew of two hundred men +composed of thirty English and the rest French, Portuguese and negroes. + +Tew didn’t sight a vessel until in the Atlantic, north of the Cape of +Good Hope, where he fell in with a Dutch East Indiaman of eighteen guns +which he took with the loss of but one man and secured several chests +filled with English crowns. Nine of the Dutchmen joined his company and +the rest were set ashore in Soldinia Bay. On the coast of Angola he +took an English vessel with two hundred and forty slaves aboard among +whom the negroes in his crew found relatives. These men told the slaves +of the happy life they lead in Madagascar where none lived in slavery +and so prepared, their leg irons and handcuffs were taken off and a +course was made for Libertatia where the captured slaves were set at +work on the dock. + +After his return Captain Tew was given command of a sloop mounting +eight guns and manned with one hundred men and with the schoolmaster in +command of another sloop of about the same size, made a voyage around +Madagascar charting the coast and discovering the shoals and depths of +water. Tew’s sloop was called the “Liberty.” The schoolmaster commanded +the “Childhood”; and the expedition was absent nearly four months. + +Not long after this Captain Tew proposed that he should return to +America and arrange with merchants to send to Madagascar ship’s stores, +clothing and a variety of luxuries needed for the safety and comfort +of the pirate colony. Some of his men also wished to return to their +families, and so the “Amity” was refitted and Tew set a course for +the Cape and soon was in the South Atlantic bound for the island of +Bermuda. Contrary winds prevented, however, and running into a brisk +gale he sprung his mast and after beating about for a fortnight at last +made his old home at Newport, R. I., where he was received with much +respect when his prosperous “privateering” voyage became known. + +From here he dispatched an account to his part-owners in Bermuda and an +order for them to send an agent to receive their share in the produce +of the voyage and a few weeks later a sloop arrived, commanded by one +Captain Stone, who, some years after testified that when he presented +his order to Captain Tew from the Bermuda owners, he found that part of +the money was buried in the ground at Newport and for the remainder he +was obliged to go to Boston.[71] + +Outerbridge, the councillor, received £540 left by Tew in Boston and +his entire share in the proceeds of the voyage amounted to over £3000, +which reached him in the form of “Lyon dollars and Arabian gold.” The +pieces of Arabian gold were then worth about two Spanish dollars and +soon were common in Rhode Island and New York. Tew’s share in the +proceeds amounted to about £8000. + +Some ten years later, when Kidd and Bradish had been hanged and the +Council of Trade was busily engaged in stirring up matters supposedly +overlooked or forgotten, an officious agent of the Council appeared +at Bermuda and began to uncover the close relations existing between +pirates and prominent merchants and officials in the islands. Some of +the facts concerning Outerbridge, Colonel White and others then came +out and were reported to London. The agent was George Larkin and he +brought a commission as Judge of an Admiralty Court which very soon was +ignored and when his true activities were recognized he was threatened +and various complaints were made under oath and at last he was arrested +“by the Marshall with a file of musqueteers and taken to the castle, +a forlorne place, where there is but one room and the waves of the +sea beat over the platform into it in stormy weather.... The Clerk +of the Justices came to the Islands, a fidler in a Pyrate ship and +the proceedings here against me differ in few circumstances from the +Inquisition till they come to the Rack.”[72] + +Captain Tew when in Boston had applied to the governor for a new +privateering commission and been refused but found no considerable +objection in Rhode Island although it cost him £500. In New York, he +found Frederick Phillips not averse to making profitable voyages to +Madagascar and soon the ship “Frederick” was dispatched with a full +cargo and seven years later the Rev. John Higginson of Salem, when +writing to his son Nathaniel, in command of Fort George, at Madras, +reported the current rumor that Phillips had attained an estate of +£100,000, much of it gained in the pirate trade to Madagascar. + +Having completed his arrangements, Tew set sail with a commission +authorizing him to seize the ships of France and the enemies of the +Crown of England and in a few weeks had rounded the Cape and was at +anchor in the harbor at Libertatia. + +Not long after his return he went out with Captain Mission on a cruise +to the Red Sea, each in command of a ship manned by about two hundred +and fifty men including many negroes. Off the coast of Arabia Felix +they came upon a large ship belonging to the Great Mogul with more than +a thousand pilgrims on board bound for Mecca. The ship carried one +hundred and ten guns but made a poor defence and was boarded and taken +without the loss of a single man. After a consultation it was decided +to put the prisoners ashore near Aden, but as they wanted women, over +one hundred unmarried girls, from twelve to eighteen years old, were +kept notwithstanding their tears and the lamentations of their parents. +With the large ship in company they made their way back to Libertatia +where they found in her hold a vast quantity of diamonds, besides rich +silks, spices, rugs and wrought and bar gold. + +The prize was a heavy sailer and of no use so she was taken to pieces +and her guns mounted in two batteries near the mouth of the harbor. +The settlement was now so strongly fortified that there was little +danger of successful attack from shipping. By this time they had also +cleared and cultivated a considerable area of land and had in pasturage +over three hundred black cattle. The dock was finished and all were +living comfortably and happily each supplied according to taste and +nationality with several white, yellow or black wives. + +One morning a sloop that had been sent out to exercise the negroes, +came back chased by five tall ships which proved to be fifty-gun ships +flying the Portuguese flag. The alarm was given and all the forts and +batteries manned. Tew commanded the English and Mission commanded the +French and the negroes. The two forts at the entrance to the harbor +didn’t stop the ships, though one was brought on the careen, but once +inside, the forts, batteries, sloops and ships gave them so warm a +reception that two of them sank and many men were drowned. Having +entered just before the turn of the tide, the other ships, with the +help of the ebb tide, made haste to escape; but they were followed by +the ships and sloops in the harbor and in the bay, after a running +fight, one was taken that greatly increased the store of powder and +shot in the magazine. The other two escaped but in crippled condition. +This was the engagement with the pirates that made so much noise in +Europe and America. + +Captain Tew was now made admiral of their fleet and proposed building +an arsenal, which was agreed upon. He also proposed going on a cruise, +hoping to meet East India ships and bring in some volunteers, for +he thought the colony at that time more in need of men than riches. +The flagship “Victoire” was accordingly fitted out and manned with +three hundred men and Tew put to sea intending to call first at the +settlement made by his former quartermaster and men, where, coming to +anchor, he went ashore. The governor, _alias_ quartermaster, received +him civilly but could not be persuaded to agree upon a change in his +comfortable situation where his company enjoyed all the necessaries of +life and were free and independent of all the world. + +Late that afternoon, while they were drinking a bowl of punch, a +violent storm came up suddenly with so high a sea that Captain Tew +could not go out to his ship. The storm increased and in less than two +hours the “Victoire” parted her cables and was driven ashore on a steep +point where everyone on board was drowned in sight of Tew who could +give no assistance. Not knowing which way to turn he remained with his +former men hoping that Captain Mission in time might come in search of +him, which happened a few weeks later. + +One morning two sloops came to anchor off-shore and soon a canoe was +hoisted out and brought Captain Mission ashore. He brought doleful +news. At dead of night two great bodies of natives had come down on +the pirate settlement and slaughtered men, women and children without +mercy. The absence of the three hundred men on the “Victoire” and the +sailing about the same time of another pirate ship, the “Bijoux,” had +so weakened the settlement that the natives soon prevailed through +sheer force of numbers and Captain Mission escaped with only forty-five +men. He was able, however, to bring away with him a considerable weight +of rough diamonds and bar gold. + +The two captains condoled with each other over their misfortunes and +Tew at last proposed that they abandon further roving and return to +America where, with the riches that remained to them, they could live +in comfort and safety for the rest of their lives. Mission was a +Frenchman and could not think of retiring from active life until he +had visited his family, but he gave up one of the sloops to Tew and +divided with him the diamonds and gold that had been saved. + +A week later the two captains sailed, Mission having fifteen Frenchmen +and Portuguese in his sloop and Tew taking thirty-four English in the +sloop commanded by him. They shaped a course for the Guinea Coast, but +off Infantes, before reaching the Cape, they were overtaken by a storm +in which the unhappy Mission’s sloop went down within a musket shot of +Captain Tew who could give no assistance. + +Captain Tew continued his course for America and reached Newport +safely where his men took their share of diamonds and gold and quietly +dispersed as they thought best while Tew settled down among his +former acquaintances to spend a tranquil life. He lived unquestioned +and with his easy fortune might in time have married the daughter +of some neighbor and spent the remainder of his days as a retired +privateersman. One of his company, Thomas Jones, who had formerly +sailed with “Long Ben” Avery, married Penelope Goulden and also settled +down and lived in Rhode Island, but others, who continued to live there +or elsewhere in the province, soon squandered their shares and began +soliciting him to make another voyage. For a time he refused until +at last a considerable number of resolute lads came in a body and so +earnestly begged him to head them for one more voyage that he finally +agreed. + +His frequent journeys to New York in connection with shipments to +Madagascar and more recently for the purpose of disposing of some part +of his store of diamonds, had given him an acquaintance with Governor +Fletcher, so in October, 1694, he presented himself at the Governor’s +mansion for the purpose of obtaining a privateering commission. +Governor Fletcher, like some other colonial governors, was always ready +to turn “an honest penny” and on Nov. 8, 1694, Tew was in possession of +the desired commission it having cost him exactly £300. + +It was afterwards claimed by the Attorney General of New York in a +report to the Earl of Bellomont, the succeeding governor, that it was +well-known in New York that Captain Tew had been roving in the Red Sea +and had made much money. “He had brought his spoil to Rhode Island and +his crew dispersed in Boston where they shewed themselves publicly. In +1694 or 1695 Tew came to New York, where Governor Fletcher entertained +him and drove him about in his coach, though Tew publicly declared that +he would make another voyage to the Red Sea and make New York his port +of return.... He fitted out his sloop in Rhode Island, whence he sailed +to the Red Sea and there died or was killed. His crew picked up another +ship at Madagascar.”[73] + +Governor Bellomont sent numerous dispatches to the Lords of Trade +describing in much detail the relations of his predecessor in office +with those who had sailed “on the account,” armed with privateering +commissions issued by Fletcher. He wrote that many pirates in the Red +Sea and elsewhere had been fitted out in New York or Rhode Island. The +ships commanded by Mason, Tew, Glover and Hore were commissioned by +Governor Fletcher. Everybody knew at the time they were bound for the +Red Sea, “being openly declared by the captains so as to enable them +to raise men and proceed on their voyage quickly.... Captain Tew, who +had before been a notorious pirate, on his return from the East Indies +with great riches visited New York, where, although a man of infamous +character, he was received and caressed by Governor Fletcher, dined and +supped often with him and appeared publicly in his coach. They also +exchanged presents, such as gold watches, with each other.”[74] + +Governor Fletcher, on the other hand, protested that Captain Tew had +produced a commission from the Governor of Bermuda and accordingly +he had granted him another to make war against the French. “Captain +Tew brought no ship into this port. He came as a stranger and came to +my table like other strangers who visit this province. He told me he +had a sloop well manned and gave bond to fight the French at the mouth +of Canada river, whereupon I gave him a commission and instructions +accordingly.... It may be my misfortune, but not my crime, if they turn +pirates. I have heard of none yet that have done so.” + +“Tew appeared to me,” wrote the disingenuous governor, “not only a man +of courage and activity, but of the greatest sense and remembrance +of what he had seen of any seaman that I ever met with. He was also +what is called a very pleasant man, so that some times after the day’s +labour was done, it was divertisement as well as information to me +to hear him talk. I wished in my mind to make him a sober man, and +in particular to cure him of a vile habit of swearing. I gave him a +book for that purpose, and to gain the more upon him I gave him a gun +of some value. In return he made me a present which was a curiosity, +though in value not much.”[75] + +Tew’s commission was signed by Gov. Benjamin Fletcher and countersigned +by his private secretary, Daniel Honan, but his bond was signed by +Edward Coates, a notorious pirate, so it was said, and by John Feny, “a +Popist tailor of this city and a beggar.”[76] + +Meanwhile, reasonably certain of securing his commission, Tew had been +busily engaged in fitting out his sloop for the new venture. He made no +bones about his intentions and such was his sense of security that he +talked freely with neighbors and also strangers. + +A traveller passing through Newport in October, 1694, records that +he then saw three vessels fitting out. One of them, a sloop, was +commanded by Thomas Tew or Tue, whom he had known in Jamaica, twelve +years before. “He was free in discourse with me and declared that he +was last year in the Red Sea; that he had taken a rich ship belonging +to the Mogul and had received for his owner’s dividend and his sloop’s +twelve thousand odd hundred pounds, while his men had received upwards +of a thousand pounds each. When I returned to Boston there was another +barque of about thirty tons ready to sail and join Tew in the same +account. I was likewise advised of another that had sailed from the +Whore Kills in Pennsylvania, and that one or two were since gone on the +same account. I understand that two of the four that I saw are returned +with great booty.”[77] + +“Captain Tew had a commission from the Governor of New York to cruise +against the French,” afterwards wrote Governor Bellomont. “He came out +on pretence of loading negroes at Madagascar, but his design was always +to go into the seas, having about seventy men on his sloop of sixty +tons. He made a voyage three years ago in which his share was £8000. +Want was then his mate. He then went to New England and the Governor +would not receive him; then to New York where Governor Fletcher +protected him. Colonel Fletcher told Tew he should not come there again +unless he brought store of money, and it is said that Tew gave him +£300 for his commission. He is gone to make a voyage in the Red Sea, +and if he makes his voyage will be back about this time. This is the +third time that Tew has gone out, breaking up for the first time in New +England and the second time in New York. The place that receives them +is chiefly Madagascar, where they must touch both going and coming. All +the ships that are now out are from New England, except Tew from New +York and Want from Carolina. They build their ships in New England, but +come out under pretence of trading from island to island. The money +they bring in is current there and the people know very well where they +go. One Captain Gough who keeps a mercer’s shop at Boston got a good +estate in this way. On first coming out they generally go first to +the Isle of May for salt, then to Fernando for water, then round the +Cape of Good Hope to Madagascar to victual and water and so for Batsky +[_sic_] where they wait for the traders between Surat and Mecca and +Tuda, who must come at a certain time because of the trade wind. When +they come back they have no place to go to but Providence, Carolina, +New York, New England and Rhode Island, where they all along have been +kindly received.”[78] + +Captain Tew sailed from Newport in the sloop “Amity,” in November, +1694, and was joined by Captain Want in a brigantine and Captain +Wake[79] in another small vessel that had been fitted out at Boston. +Want was Tew’s mate on the first voyage and returned with him and +spent his share of the plunder in Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. On +the present voyage, Thomas Jones of Newport was also associated with +him. One Captain Glover, in a ship owned by New York merchants, is also +said to have joined Tew’s fleet and to have remitted to his owners the +value of the vessel. Probably Tew’s gold may have made the restitution +possible.[80] + +In June, 1695, Captain Tew was at Liparau island at the mouth of the +Red Sea, where with other English vessels he joined the fleet commanded +by Captain Avery. Tew at that time had a crew of about forty men. After +lying there some time Avery sent a pinnace to Mocha and took two men +who gave them information as to the ships coming down. They then stood +out to sea and five or six days later the Moors’ ships, twenty-five in +number, passed them in the night. Hearing of this from a captured junk +they followed. The “Amity” was a bad sailer and fell astern and never +came up. The rest of the fleet overtook one of the Moorish vessels and +captured her after having fired three shots and found on board £60,000 +in gold and silver. Soon another ship was taken after a fight of three +hours. The loot of this vessel was so great that each of the one +hundred and eighty men engaged received as his share over £1000. There +was a great quantity of jewels and a saddle and bridle set with rubies +designed as a present for the Great Mogul.[81] + +After this fight, mention of Captain Tew disappears from all +contemporary sources of information save the passing allusions made +by the Attorney General of New York in his report to the Earl of +Bellomont (see page 93). It therefore is highly probable that there +may be foundation for the statement by Captain Johnson in his “History +of the Pirates,” that Captain Tew “attack’d a Ship belonging to the +Great _Mogul_; in the Engagement, a Shot carried away the Rim of +_Tew’s_ Belly, who held his Bowels with his Hands some small Space; +when he dropp’d it struck such a Terror in his men, that they suffered +themselves to be taken, without making Resistance.” + + +FOOTNOTES + +[68] Richard Tew came from Maidford, co. Northampton, England, and +settled at Newport, R. I., in 1640, where he was a prominent citizen. +He served as deputy and assistant and was named in the charter granted +in 1663. Thomas Tew undoubtedly was his grandson. It was a well-known +family in Rhode Island and highly respected. + +[69] _Calendar of State Papers, America and the West Indies_, 1699, p. +44. + +[70] Johnson, _History of the Pirates_, London, 1726. + +[71] _Calendar of State Papers, America and the West Indies_, +1702-1703, p. 1014. + +[72] _Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies_, 1702-1703, p. +237. + +[73] _Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies_, 1697-1698, p. +860. + +[74] _Ibid._, 1697-1698, p. 473. + +[75] _Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies_, 1697-1698, p. +587. + +[76] _Ibid._, 1697-1698, p. 473. + +[77] John Graves, in a letter printed in the _Calendar of State Papers, +America and West Indies_, 1696-1697, p. 744. + +[78] _Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies_, 1696-1697, +pp. 259-260. + +[79] Captain Wake was an old pirate who had received a pardon in King +James’ time. + +[80] Jeremiah Basse, writing to the Secretary of the Council of +Trade in a letter that reached London on July 26, 1697, reported as +follows:--“In all I am told that there are gone from Boston, New York, +Pennsylvania and Carolina, from each one ship and from Rhode Island +two.... The Nassau met one of these rovers at the Cape Bonne Esperance +homeward bound from India. I was told by the mate of her that being +fearful lest the Dutch should make prize of her they got leave to put +some chests of money on board her, which chests were so heavy that +six men at the tackles could hardly hoist them in. The chests were +given back to the rovers at sea, who announced that they were bound to +Madagascar. The persons expected to return are Tew’s company, and all +those that sailed from New York and Rhode Island. It is expected that +they will try to conceal themselves in the Jerseys or Pennsylvania +being little inhabited about the harbour, they reckon themselves safe +there. I am told that some persons have already been preparing for +their reception there.”--_Calendar of State Papers, America and West +Indies_, 1696-1697, p. 1203. + +[81] _Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies_, 1696-1697, +pp. 260-262. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +JOHN QUELCH AND HIS CREW WHO WERE HANGED IN BOSTON AND THEIR GOLD +DISTRIBUTED + + +About the middle of May, 1704, there came to anchor in the harbor of +Marblehead, the “Charles,” a brigantine of some eighty tons burden, +commanded by one Capt. John Quelch. This newly-built vessel had been +fitted out the previous summer by Charles Hobby, Col. Nicholas Paige, +William Clarke, Benjamin Gallop and John Colman, leading citizens and +merchants of Boston, as a privateer to prey upon French shipping off +the coast of Acadia and Newfoundland. She was commissioned on July 13, +1703 by Governor Dudley in the usual manner and her commander, Capt. +Daniel Plowman, was then given his instructions governing his conduct +while in the pursuit of pirates and the Queen’s enemies. + +After receiving her equipment and while riding at anchor off +Marblehead, Captain Plowman was taken sick and on Aug. 1, 1703 sent +a letter to his owners informing them that he was unable to take her +to sea on account of his severe illness. He may have realized at the +time the character of the crew that he had shipped, for he wrote +proposing that the owners of the “Charles” come to Marblehead at once +and “take some speedy care in saving what we can. The Lieutenant +the Bearer can give you a full Account.” One of the owners went to +Marblehead the next day but found the captain too sick to see him. A +survey of the situation resulted in a recommendation to his associates +that the vessel be sent out as planned but under another captain. +This intelligence reached Captain Plowman and he aroused sufficiently +to send another letter urging that the vessel be sent to Boston +and declaring that “it will not do with these people” (meaning his +crew), to send the vessel out under a new commander and the sooner +the guns and stores were landed on shore the better it would be +for all concerned. However, before the owners could take effectual +measures in relation to the vessel, she went to sea. It afterwards +appeared that before sailing, the crew, under the lead of one of their +number, had locked Captain Plowman in his cabin and John Quelch, the +lieutenant-commander, had come on board and after a conference with the +crew had taken command and steered a course to the southward. Sometime +after Quelch assumed command the captain was thrown overboard, but +whether alive or dead is not known. + +In November, 1703, the “Charles” was off the coast of Brazil and during +the next three months Quelch made nine captures,--five brigantines (the +largest being about forty tons), a small shallop, two fishing boats, +and a ship of about two hundred tons loaded with hides and tallow and +carrying twelve guns and about thirty-five men. These vessels were the +property of subjects of the King of Portugal, an ally of the Queen of +England, and from them Quelch secured rich booty including a hundred +weight of gold dust, gold and silver coins to the value of over one +thousand pounds, ammunition, small arms and a great quantity of fine +fabrics, provisions and rum. + +When Quelch planned his descent on Portuguese shipping he may not have +known of the treaty of amity and alliance between Great Britain and +Portugal that was signed in Lisbon on May 16, 1703, and which contained +the following section:-- + + “XVIII. Piratical ships, of whatever nation, shall not only not + be permitted or received into the ports which their Portugueze + and Brittanic Majesties, and the States General of the United + Provinces, possess in the East Indies, but shall be deemed the + common enemies of the Portugueze, the English and the Dutch.” + +However that may be, Quelch was well aware that few gold mines existed +in the dominions of the French King, with whom England was at war, and +that the loot of French ships promised less valuable spoil than might +be found in the South Atlantic. His avarice led to his undoing. + +Not long after the “Charles” came to anchor in Marblehead harbor, +on her return from pillaging Portuguese shipping, the crew began to +disappear. Some of them went to Salem and from there found their way +to Cape Ann, while others went to Rhode Island. The sudden departure +of the vessel less than a year before was recalled and the fishing +village became very skeptical of the story told by Captain Quelch of +the recovery of great treasure from a wreck in the West Indies. The +_Boston News-Letter_, the first newspaper published in the Province of +the Massachusetts-Bay, had begun publication only a short time before +and the fifth number issued announced the arrival of the “Charles” in +the following words:-- + + “Arrived at _Marblehead_, Capt. _Quelch_ in the Brigantine that + Capt. _Plowman_ went out in, are said to come from _New-Spain_ + & have made a good Voyage.”--_Boston News-Letter_, May 15-22, + 1704. + +The owners of the vessel having previously learned nothing of the +fortunes of their privateering venture became suspicious. Not long +after her sudden departure they had concluded that she was bound for +the West Indies and had written to various West India ports in the +hope of obtaining some trace of the missing vessel and recovering +their property, but without success. Colman and Clarke now filed a +written “information” with the Secretary of the Province and the +Attorney-General. This was on the twenty-third of May, the day +following the publication of the news of the arrival of the “Charles,” +and the Attorney-General, Paul Dudley, the son of the Governor, at once +set out to capture Quelch and his crew. Judge Samuel Sewall, Acting +Chief Justice of the Superior Court, who was returning from a visit to +relatives in Newbury, records in his diary that he stopped that day to +“Refresh at Lewis’s [in Lynn], where Mr. Paul Dudley is in egre pursuit +of the Pirats. He had sent one to Boston.” + +The next day, May 24th, Lieutenant-Governor Povey, acting during the +temporary absence of the Governor, issued a proclamation announcing:-- + + “Whereas _John Quelch_, late Commander of the Briganteen + _Charles_ and Company to her belonging, _Viz. John Lambert_, + _John Miller_, _John Clifford_, _John Dorothy_, _James Parrot_, + _Charles James_, _William Whiting_, _John Pitman_, _John + Templeton_, _Benjamin Perkins_, _William Wiles_, _Richard + Lawrence_, _Erasmus Peterson_, _John King_, _Charles King_, + _Isaac Johnson_, _Nicholas Lawson_, _Daniel Chevalle_, _John + Way_, _Thomas Farrington_, _Matthew Primer_, _Anthony Holding_, + _William Rayner_, _John Quittance_, _John Harwood_, _William + Jones_, _Denis Carter_, _Nicholas Richardson_, _James Austin_, + _James Pattison_, _Joseph Hutnot_, _George Peirse_, _George + Norton_, _Gabriel Davis_, _John Breck_, _John Carter_, _Paul + Giddins_, _Nicholas Dunbar_, _Richard Thurbar_, _Daniel Chuley_ + and others; Have lately Imported a considerable Quantity + of Gold dust, and some Bar and coin’d Gold, which they are + Violently Suspected to have gotten & obtained by Felony and + Piracy, from some of Her Majesties Friends and Allies, and + have Imported and Shared the same among themselves, without + any Adjudication or Condemnation thereof, to be lawful Prize. + The said Commander and some others being apprehended and in + Custody, the rest are absconded and fled from Justice.” + +All officers, civil and military, were commanded to apprehend the said +persons and secure their treasure. + +[Illustration: JOSEPH DUDLEY, GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, WHO PRESIDED +AT THE TRIAL OF CAPTAIN QUELCH + +From an original painting in possession of the Massachusetts Historical +Society] + +Within two days the assiduous Mr. Dudley had safely landed in Boston +gaol Quelch, Lambert, Miller, Clifford, Dorothy, Parrot and Wiles. +William Whiting lay on a sick bed at Marblehead and was likely to +die. Two others were sick at Marblehead. James Austin was in gaol +at Piscataqua (Portsmouth) and another pirate was in Salem gaol. On +Friday, May 26, news from Newport, R. I., reached Boston that five of +Quelch’s crew had bought a small decked boat and sailed the day before, +it was supposed, for Long Island; but the news of the piracy arriving +by an express from Boston about the time of their departure, one of the +men had been seized and was being sent to Boston the constable of each +intervening town delivering the prisoner to the constable of the +next town and so on in like order. + +Gov. Joseph Dudley having returned to Boston and not content with the +proclamation issued by the Honourable Mr. Povey, issued a new one over +his own name in which he included the name of Christopher Scudamore +among the suspected pirates and also stated definitely that their gold +and treasure had been taken from the subjects of the Crown of Portugal, +“on whom they have also acted divers Villanous Murders.” All sheriffs +were required to publish immediately the proclamation in the principal +towns and cause it to be posted up in all other towns. A proclamation +was also issued by Governor Cranston in Rhode Island. Soon Scudamore, +Lawrence and Pimer were in custody and several parcels of gold dust +were in the possession of the authorities. + +The Governor was very keen to secure the gold dust brought in by Quelch +and on the 6th of June he appointed a Commission of Inquiry consisting +of Samuel Sewall, Acting Chief Justice of the Superior Court, +Nathaniel Byfield, Judge of the Court of Admiralty, and Paul Dudley, +Attorney-General, “to repair to Marblehead, & to send for and examine +all persons of whom they shall have Information or just ground of +suspition, do conceal and detain” gold and treasure brought in by the +pirates, “either at Marblehead or parts adjacent, and to take what they +shall find into their hands; as also to secure any of the Pirates.” +The next day the Commission rode to Salem arriving there about eight +o’clock in the evening and were informed by Samuel Wakefield, the +water bailey,[82] of a rumor that Captain Larramore, in the “Larramore +Galley” at Cape Ann, had turned rogue and several of Quelch’s company +designed to go off in her. The Commission at once issued a warrant to +Wakefield to go to Gloucester and investigate the matter and if true +to seize the men. He got away from Salem about midnight. By this time +about seventy ounces of gold and an equal weight of silver plate had +been brought to the Council in Boston by different persons who had +received it from Quelch or his men. + +The next morning, June 8th, in a heavy rain, the Commission rode over +to Marblehead and held a court before an open fire at Captain Brown’s +house and there they spent the night. About six o’clock the next +morning, before they were out of bed, an express arrived from Cape +Ann bringing information of “9 or 11 Pirats, double arm’d, seen in +a Lone-house there.” Colonel Legg of Marblehead, the colonel of the +Essex South Regiment, was sent for and directed to order out at once +companies for service at Cape Ann and like orders were sent to Colonel +Wainwright at Ipswich, the colonel of the Essex North Regiment. Judge +Sewall records in his diary that he incorporated in his letter to +Colonel Wainwright, as a gentle prod to that estimable gentleman, the +information “we were moving thither our selves to be Witness of his +forwardness for Her Majesties Service.” + +Judges Sewall and Byfield then rode over to Salem and Major Stephen +Sewall, clerk of the Inferior Court, got a shallop, the “Trial,” and +the pinnace belonging to Salem Fort and with about twenty men of his +military company started for Cape Ann by water while Sewall and +Byfield, escorted by a troop of horse, went overland. At Beverly, the +local troop were starting and at Manchester the military company “was +mustering upon the top of a Rock.” Excitement was rampant but there was +no great anxiety to hunt pirates. Meanwhile Attorney-General Dudley and +Colonel Legg had sailed for Gloucester direct from Marblehead and on +arriving learned that Captain Larramore had already sailed and taken +the pirates on board at the head of the Cape near Snake Island. Judge +Sewall records what followed. + +“When we came to Capt. Davis’s we waited Brother’s arrival with his +Shallop Trial, and Pinnace: When they were come and had Din’d, Resolv’d +to send after Larramore. Abbot was first pitch’d on as Captain. But +matters went on heavily, ’twas difficult to get Men. Capt. Herrick +pleaded earnestly his Troopers might be excus’d. At last Brother +offer’d to goe himself: then Capt. Turner offer’d to goe, Lieut. +Brisco, and many good Men; so that quickly made up Fourty two; though +we knew not the exact number till came home, the hurry was so great, +and vessel so small for 43. Men gave us three very handsom cheers; +Row’d out of the Harbour after sun-set, for want of wind. Mr. Dudley +return’d to Salem with Beverly Troop. Col. Byfield and I lodg’d at Cape +Ann all night; Mr. White pray’d very well for the Expedition Evening +and morning; as Mr. Chiever had done at Marblehead, whom we sent for to +pray with us before we set out for Gloucester. We rose early, got to +Salem quickly after Nine. Din’d with Sister, who was very thoughtfull +what would become of her Husband. The Wickedness and despair of the +company they pursued, their Great Guns and other war like Preparations, +were a terror to her and to most of the Town; concluded they would not +be taken without Blood. Comforted our selves and them as well as we +could.” + +Major Stephen Sewall with his company of volunteers in the shallop +and pinnace followed the course of the “Larramore Galley” and reached +the Isles of Shoals about seven o’clock the next morning where they +sighted the galley as they approached. The men were “rank’d with their +Arms on both sides the shallop in covert; only the four fishermen were +in view.” As the expedition drew near they saw the boat belonging to +the galley go ashore with six hands including three of the pirates, +“which was a singular good Providence of God” as Judge Sewall piously +commented afterwards. When the shallop approached nearer Larramore’s +men at last saw the large number of men on board and “began to run +to and fro and pull off the aprons from the Guns, and draw out the +Tamkins [tampions], but when Major Sewall ordered his men to stand and +show themselves ready to fight Larramore quickly abandoned all signs +of resistance. Seven of the pirates were seized and with them over +forty-five ounces of gold dust. The officers of the galley were also +taken and with the galley in tow the expedition triumphantly returned +to Salem “without striking a stroke or firing a gun.” While passing +Gloucester, there being little wind, the men from the Cape were sent +ashore at Eastern Point with the information that two of the pirates +William Jones and Peter Roach, had mistaken their way and were still +on the Cape. Strict search was immediately made by the town’s people +and “being Strangers and destitute of all Succors they surrendered +themselves and were sent to Salem Prison.” + +Before the return of the expedition a warrant had been issued for the +apprehension of Captain Larramore and the _News-Letter_ of June 5-12 +announces that two more of the pirates, Benjamin Perkins and John +Templeton, were in custody and that “His Excellency intends to bring +forward the Tryal of _Quelch_ and Company now in Custody for Piracy +within a few days.” This prompt decision was in keeping with the +haste displayed thus far and boded ill for the looters of Portuguese +treasure. Their ill-gotten spoil was reputed to be immense and +much of it was likely to fall into the hands of the Court, in fact, a +considerable weight of gold had already been secured making certain the +distribution of handsome rewards and large fees to the informers and +all officials concerned in their capture and prosecution. Twenty-five +of the pirates were then in custody. The “Charles,” when she arrived +at Marblehead had forty-three white men on board and of this number +eighteen got away without capture. + +[Illustration: + + THE + + Arraignment, Tryal, and Condemnation, + + OF + + Capt. John Quelch, + + And Others of his Company, _&c._ + + FOR + + Sundry _Piracies_, _Robberies_, and _Murder_, Committed upon + the Subjects of the King of _Portugal_; Her Majesty’s Allie, + on the Coast of _Brasil_, &c. + + WHO + + Upon full Evidence, were found Guilty, at the _Court-House_ in + _Boston_, on the Thirteenth of _June, 1704_. By Virtue of + a Commission, grounded upon the Act of the Eleventh and + Twelfth Years of King _William_, _For the more effectual, + Suppression of Piracy_. With the Arguments of the QUEEN’s + Council, and Council for the Prisoners upon the said Act. + + PERUSED + + By his Excellency _JOSEPH DUDLEY_, Esq; Captain-General and + Commander in Chief in and over Her Majesty’s Province of the + _Massachusetts-Bay_, in _New-England_, in _America_, &c. + + To which are also added, some PAPERS that were produc’d + at the Tryal abovesaid. + + WITH + + An Account of the Ages of the several Prisoners, and the + Places where they were Born. + + _LONDON_: + + Printed for _Ben. Bragg_ in _Avemary-Lane_, 1705. + + (Price One Shilling.) +] + +The Governor’s announced intention of a prompt trial resulted in the +holding of a Court of Admiralty at the Town House in Boston. The +building stood at the head of what is now State Street and on Tuesday +June 13, 1704, Joseph Dudley, Esq., “Captain-General and Governor in +Chief of the Provinces of the _Massachusetts-Bay_ and _New-Hampshire_ +in _New-England_ in _America_,” sat as President of the Court and with +him were Lieutenant-Governor Thomas Povey; the Lieutenant-Governor of +the Province of New-Hampshire, John Usher; Nathaniel Byfield, Judge of +the Vice-Admiralty; Samuel Sewall, First Judge of the Province of the +Massachusetts-Bay; Jahlael Brenton, Esq., Collector of Her Majesty’s +Customs in New England; Her Majesty’s Council in the Province of the +Massachusetts Bay, twelve in number; and Isaac Addington, Esq., the +Secretary of the Province. That morning Major Sewall, attended by a +strong guard, brought to Boston the pirates that had been confined in +Salem and gave to His Excellency a full account of his adventures while +in pursuit of Quelch’s men. The _News-Letter_ states that “The service +of Major _Sewall_ and Company was very well Accepted and Rewarded by +the Governor,” and this is borne out by an entry in the Council records +showing that £132.5.0 was ordered “paid out of the Treasure imported by +the said Pirates,” to Major Sewall, Captain Turner and other officers +of his company. This amount included a “gratification” made to these +gentlemen for special services rendered. + +The Court of Admiralty having assembled and proclamation for silence +having been made, the statute made during the reign of King William, +“An Act for the more effectual Suppression of Piracy,” was read and +John Valentine, a Notary Publick, was sworn by the Governor as Register +of the Court. The President of the Court and his Associates were then +sworn in turn and the Court was opened by three proclamations as a +“Court of Admiralty for the Tryal of Pirates.” A warrant was sent to +the keeper of the prison to bring Capt. John Quelch before the Court +which then adjourned for dinner to reassemble at three o’clock in the +afternoon. At that time “_Matthew Pymer_, _John Clifford_, and _James +Parrot_ (the first of whom had surrendered himself quickly after his +Arrival to his Excellency the Governor) were brought to the Bar, and +Arraigned upon several Articles of Piracy, Robberry, and Murder, drawn +against Captain _Quelch_, and others his Accomplices.” These three men +pleaded guilty and then were ordered to “stand within the Bar, and to +be Sworn as Witnesses on Her Majesty’s behalf.” Quelch was next brought +to the bar and on being arraigned pleaded not guilty and asked the +Court if he “might not have Council allow’d him upon any Matter of Law +that might happen upon his Tryal,” and also that time be granted to +prepare for the same. The Court replied that the articles under which +he had been arraigned were “plain Matters of Fact,” but it did assign +as council for the prisoner, James Meinzies, a Scotchman living in +Boston, an attorney-at-law of ability who afterwards became Register +of the Court of Vice-Admiralty. He seems to have defended the accused +with skill and learning and to have called the attention of the Court +to important objections to its course of procedure; but his personal +relations with the Court and the unpopularity of his side of the case +may have been an influence indicating how impolitic it was to contend +too persistently against the obvious opinions of the Court. Twenty +other prisoners were arraigned and then the Court adjourned until the +next Friday morning at nine o’clock when further time was prayed for +and adjournment was made until the following Monday morning, the Court +refusing Attorney Meinzies motion that meanwhile “the Queen’s witnesses +might be kept asunder until the Prisoners came upon their Tryals.” + +On Monday, June 9, 1704, Quelch was brought for trial and his irons +were taken off. The nine articles of his indictment accused him of +piracy, robbery and murder. As “Lieutenant” of the brigantine “Charles” +he had neglected the orders of the owners and refusing to set on +shore Matthew Pymer and John Clifford (witnesses for the Queen), who +“dreading your Pyratical Intention, earnestly desired the same,” had +directed a course for Fernando Island off the coast of Brazil, and +while thereabouts had piratically taken various vessels belonging to +subjects of the King of Portugal, “Her Majesty’s good Allie,” among +them a ship of about two hundred tons burden, killing the captain and +wounding several of the crew and from the several vessels had secured a +rich booty. The chase of the ship had lasted for nearly two days. One +of the Queen’s witnesses testified that it was Scudamore, the cooper of +the brigantine, who had killed the Portuguese captain with a petard, +but there was some dispute among the men as to which of them it was +who killed him. From the various testimonies it appeared that Captain +Plowman’s cabin door had been fastened with a marlin spike which was +done by order of Anthony Holding who planned with others to seize the +vessel. When Quelch came on board he didn’t object to what had been +done or what was planned. Holding, who was among those who had escaped, +was really the ringleader but Quelch was made commander, perhaps +because he understood navigation. + +There were three negroes in Quelch’s company--Cæsar-Pompey, Charles, +and Mingo, who also were tried, for, as the Queen’s Advocate, Mr. +Dudley, said in open court, “The Three Prisoners now at the Bar are of +a different Complexion, ’tis true, but it is well known that the First +and most Famous Pirates that have been in the World, were of their +Colour.” The two first were shown to be Mr. Hobby’s slaves and that +they didn’t run away from their master but were forcibly carried away +by Captain Quelch. They were not active during the voyage and only did +as they were commanded. They were the cooks on the brigantine and also +sounded the trumpet when ordered. The Court cleared them whereupon they +were “ordered upon their knees.” + +Among the crew of one of the captured vessels was a Dutchman, +originally from Jutland, who entered himself for the remainder of the +voyage, but because the company voted that he should not have a full +share in the loot he threatened to inform against them when he came on +shore with the result that he was given a gun and some powder and shot +and set ashore at once. + +Although by the civil law at that time the testimony of an accomplice +was not admissible, yet the Court permitted the greatest latitude in +the testimony of witnesses and also disregarded the prevailing rules +of procedure in not excluding interested witnesses. At no time did it +appear that Quelch had killed the Portuguese captain; in fact, the +testimony showed that Scudamore probably was the man who did it. The +prosecuting Attorney-General in his speech to the Court said that the +accused + +“After obtaining a Commission to draw the Sword to fight the open and +declared Enemies of Her Sacred Majesty, instead of drawing it against +the French and Spaniards, they have sheathed it in the Bowels of some +of the best Friends and Allies of the Crown at this bay ... instead +of fighting for Honour with the French, or Money with the Spaniards, +they must go and surprize a few honest and peaceable Men, and our good +Friends.” + +And so it came about that Quelch, Lambert, Scudamore, Miller, +Peterson, Roach and Francis King had sentence of death pronounced +against them. Fifteen of the crew who had pleaded “not guilty,” +withdrew their pleas and asked for the mercy of the Court. The +sentence of death was passed upon them but only two of the fifteen +were executed. The rest remained in prison until July 19th of the next +year when “Her Majesty’s most gracious pardon” was communicated to the +Council and in open Court their chains “were knocked off,” on condition +that they enter the Queen’s service. At the time of the trial two of +the men had been acquitted on paying the prison fees. Wilde broke out +of prison in September, 1704, but was apprehended the following June +and again committed to close prison. + +Quelch came from Old England as did most of his crew. He was born +in London and was about thirty-eight years old. Scudamore had been +apprenticed to a cooper in Bristol, England; Miller came from +Yorkshire; Peterson was a Swede; Roach was an Irishman; and King was +born in Scotland. Of the New England men, John Lambert may serve +as an example typical of the rest. He was born in Salem and at the +time of his execution was about forty-nine years old. His father and +grandfather were fishermen and he, too, doubtless followed the sea +although in deeds he is called a “ship wright.” At the time that he +sailed with Quelch he was married and had children. In his testimony +during the trial he claimed that he was sick in the gun room at the +time the captain was confined in his cabin and that he was forced to go +on the voyage to the south. However, during the voyage he was as active +as the rest and accepted his share of the spoils, but claimed that +if he had not accepted, the company might have killed him or set him +ashore on some desolate island where he would have starved to death. +However that may be he suffered death with the others. A broad-sheet +issued at the time, giving an account of the “Behaviour and last Dying +Speeches of the Six Pirates, that were Executed on Charles River, +Boston Side, on Fryday, June 30, 1704,” states that on the gallows +Lambert “appeared much hardened and pleaded much on his Innocency: He +desired all men to beware of Bad Company; he seemed in a great Agony +near his Execution.” + +Previous to the day of the execution “the Ministers of the Town had +used more than ordinary Endeavours to Instruct the Prisoners, and +bring them to Repentance. There were Sermons Preached in their hearing +Every Day; And Prayers daily made with them, And they were Catechised; +and they had many occasional Exhortations, And nothing was left that +could be done for their Good,”--so says the broad-sheet. It must +have been a harrowing ordeal for the victims. The Reverend Cotton +Mather, who never failed to be present at public executions, preached +a sermon which was printed under the title of “Faithful Warnings to +prevent Fearful Judgments,” and he and another minister walked with +the condemned in solemn procession on that Friday afternoon, from the +prison to Scarlett’s wharf, when “the silver oar” was carried before +them as they continued by water to the place where the gallows had +been set up between high- and low-water mark off a point of land just +below Copp’s hill “about midway between Hudson’s Point and Broughton’s +warehouse.”[83] The condemned were guarded by forty musketeers and the +constables of the town and were preceded by the Provost Marshal and his +officers. Great crowds gathered to see the execution. Judge Sewall in +his diary comments on the great number of people on Broughton’s hill, +as Copp’s hill was called at that time. + +“But when I came to see how the River was cover’d with People, I was +amazed: Some say there were 100 Boats. 150 Boats and Canoes, saith +Cousin Moodey of York. Mr. Cotton Mather came with Capt. Quelch and +six others for Execution from the Prison to Scarlet’s Wharf, and from +thence in the Boat to the place of Execution about midway between +Hanson’s [_sic_] point and Broughton’s Warehouse. When the scaffold +was hoisted to a due height, the seven Malefactors went up: Mr. Mather +pray’d for them standing upon the Boat. Ropes were all fasten’d to +the Gallows (save King, who was Repriev’d). When the Scaffold was let +to sink, there was such a Screech of the Women that my wife heard it +sitting in our Entry next the Orchard, and was much surprised at it; +yet the wind was sou-west. Our house is a full mile from the place.” + +[Illustration: + + _Faithful Warnings to prevent Fearful + Judgments._ + + Uttered in a brief + DISCOURSE, + Occasioned, by a + Tragical Spectacle, + in a Number of + Miserables + Under a Sentence of Death for + PIRACY. + + At BOSTON in N. E. _Jun. 22. 1704_ + + Deut. XIII. 11. + + _All Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do + no more any such wickedness as this is + among you._ + + Occultam culpam sequitur aperta percussio. + _Cassiodor._ + + _Boston_, Printed & Sold by _Timothy Green_, + at the _North_ End of the Town. 1704. +] + +According to the custom of the time the bodies remained hanging on a +gibbet until by decay they gradually disappeared.[84] There was an +exception made, for some reason, in the case of Lambert for his body +was turned over to his widow after his son and others had made petition +to Judge Sewall. It was buried that night about midnight in the old +burying ground “near some of his relatives.” + +In his speech on the gallows Quelch warned the people to “take care +how they brought money into New England, to be Hanged for it” and he +also asked “Gentlemen, I desire to be informed for what I am here. I +am condemned only upon Circumstances.” Peterson also complained of the +injustice done him; and said, “it is very hard for so many mens Lives +to be taken away for a little Gold.”[85] + +While the trial was yet in progress, accounts of charges in connection +with the seizure of Quelch and his company began to come in. Judge +Sewall and his Commission of Inquiry were awarded £25.7.10 for their +sitting at Marblehead and journey to Cape Ann. Paul Dudley, the +Attorney-General, received £36 for his work, while Meinzies, who +defended the prisoners, was given £20 and then only after petitioning +the Council on Aug. 4th for the usual fee “according to Custome in +the like Case.” Sheriff Dyer for his service was paid five pounds and +Thomas Bernard “for erecting the gibbet” was awarded forty shillings +additional “to be paid out of the treasure.” By the time all accounts +had been adjusted the sum of £726.19.4 had been “paid out of the +treasure.” + +By October, 1705, the officials of the Province were ready to turn +over to the Crown what remained of the “Coyn’d, Bar and Dust Gold +imported by Capt. John Quelch.” This was weighed by Jeremiah Dummer, +the Boston goldsmith, and found to be 788 ounces and after being placed +in five leather bags, properly marked and sealed, it was sent by +H. M. Ship “Guernsey,” to the “Lord high Treasurer of England for her +Majesty’s use,” and so ended what has been characterized as “one of +the clearest cases of judicial murder in our American annals,”[86] +save that Governor Dudley’s personal interest in the case appeared on +May 27, 1707 when there was awaiting his order in London, the “royal +bounty” awarded to him as his share of the “pirate money.” Not long +after the trial of the pirates the Rev. Cotton Mather quarrelled with +the Governor and published in London in 1708--“The _Deplorable State_ +of New England, By Reason of a _Covetous_ and _Treacherous_ Governor,” +in which appears the following paragraph indicating that acts of piracy +at that time were not confined entirely to the high seas. + +“III There have been odd _Collusions_ with the Pyrates of Quelch’s +Company, of which one Instance is, That there was Extorted the Sum +of about Thirty Pounds from some of the Crue, for Liberty to Walk +at certain times in the _Prison_ Yard; and this Liberty having been +Allow’d for Two or Three Days unto them, they were again Confined to +their former Wretched Circumstances.” + +[Illustration: REV. COTTON MATHER, PASTOR OF THE SECOND (NORTH) CHURCH, +BOSTON, 1685-1728 + +From a mezzotint by Peter Pelham after a portrait painted in 1728.] + + +FOOTNOTES + +[82] Water bailiff:--a custom house officer charged with the duty of +searching ships. + +[83] The place of the execution was about where the North End Park +bathing beach is today. + +[84] In the summer of 1755, two negro servants of Capt. John Codman of +Charlestown, poisoned their master. Phillis, the woman servant and the +principal in the murder, was burned at the stake at Cambridge and Mark, +her accessory, was hanged and then gibbetted on Charlestown Neck. Three +years later Dr. Caleb Rea of Wenham, while on his way to Ticonderoga, +rode by and stopped to inspect the body of Mark. He recorded in his +diary that “the skin was but little broken altho’ he had been hanging +there near three or four years.” + +[85] These pirates were tried under authority conferred by a commission +sent over in accordance with an Act of the 11th and 12th year of +William III, authorizing the trial of pirates by Courts of Admiralty, +out of the realm. The commission sent to New England was dated Nov. +23, 1700. This commission required that all trials should be conducted +“according to the civil law” of the Province, which at that time +required two innocent witnesses against each defendant necessary +for a conviction, and in no case was the testimony of an accomplice +admissible. Moreover, by the Act under which the commission was issued, +principals only were triable in the Admiralty Courts held in the +Provinces; accessories were expressly required to be sent to England +for trial. We learn from the _Boston News-Letter_ of the third week in +July, that Captain Larramore and Lieutenant Wells, of the “Larramore +Galley,” had been sent for England in the express sloop “Sea Flower,” +Captain Cary, for trial as “Accessaries in endeavouring to carry off +the 7 Pirates.... He carries also with him three Evidences of their +crime committed.” All the men on board the pirate brigantine could not +be considered as principals. In fact, only six men were executed and +the rest of those condemned to death at the same time were afterwards +set free. Only such as could be shown were principals in committing +acts of piracy or murder could be sentenced by the court. All others +must clearly be sent to England to be tried by jury. Nothing in the +somewhat detailed report of the trial that was printed in London at the +time, shows that the accused were even given the benefit of a doubt +either as to the law or the testimony. For an analytical summary of +this trial, see _Acts and Resolves of the Province of Massachusetts +Bay_, _Vol._ VIII, p. 397. + +[86] _Acts and Resolves of the Province of Massachusetts Bay_, Vol. +VIII, p. 397. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +SAMUEL BELLAMY, WHOSE SHIP WAS WRECKED AT WELLFLEET AND 144 DROWNED + + +Very little is known of the origin of this man save that he came from +the west of England where families of the same name are living today. +In company with one Paul Williams,[87] he first appears in the West +Indies where they tried to raise a Spanish wreck hoping to salve the +bags of silver supposed to be in the hold. Meeting with no success +and being at odds with honest merchants and shipmasters, they decided +to turn pirates or “go on the account,” a term adopted by men of +that profession, and not long after they fell in with Capt. Benjamin +Hornygold, in the sloop “Mary Anne,” and Capt. Louis Lebous, in the +sloop “Postillion,” and agreed to join forces. They set out in two +large sloops each having about seventy men aboard. + +Before long several captures were made that increased their gains and +also enlarged their crews, but Hornygold and some of the Englishmen on +board his sloop refused to take and plunder English vessels, so his +company divided and he went away in a prize sloop with twenty-six men +leaving ninety men who elected Bellamy their new captain. Most of those +on board were English and at that time it was not their habit to force +men. + +Bellamy and Lebous sailed together and off the Virgin Islands took +several small vessels and off St. Croix, a French ship from Quebec +laden with fish and flour. Afterwards making Saba they sighted two +ships which they chased and came up with, spreading a large black +flag “with a Deaths Head and Bones a-cross.” The larger of the two +was the ship “Sultana,” commanded by Captain Richards. The other was +commanded by Captain Tozor. The “Sultana” was taken over by Bellamy and +cut down and made into a galley and Paul Williams, his quartermaster, +was given command of the sloop. + +[Illustration: + + THE + TRIALS + Of Eight Persons + Indited for Piracy _&c._ + + Of whom Two were acquitted, + and the rest found Guilty. + + At a Justiciary Court of Admiralty Assembled and Held in + Boston within His Majesty’s Province of the Massachusetts-Bay + in New-England, on the 18th of October 1717. and by several + Adjournments continued to the 30th. Pursuant to His Majesty’s + Commission and Instructions, founded on the Act of Parliament. + Made in the 11th. & 12th of KING William IIId. Intituled, + _An Act for the more effectual Suppression of Piracy_. + + With an APPENDIX, + + Containing the Substance of their Confessions + given before His Excellency the Governour, + when they were first brought to _Boston_, + and committed to Goal. + + [Illustration] + + _Boston_: + + Printed by B. Green, for John Edwards, and Sold + at his Shop in King’s Street. 1718. +] + +On Dec. 19, 1716, about nine leagues to the leeward of the island of +Blanco, they fell in with the ship “St. Michael,” James Williams, +master, a Bristol ship that had sailed from Cork in September, bound +for Jamaica with provisions. The ship was taken to the island of Blanco +where they helped themselves to such provisions as they wanted and +forced four men. Among the men who were forced was Thomas Davis, the +ship’s carpenter, born in Carmarthenshire, Wales, who was the only +white man to escape drowning when Bellamy was afterwards wrecked on +Cape Cod. Thomas South of Boston, England, also was forced. + +When Davis was told he must join the pirate crew he cried out that +he was undone and “one of the pirates hearing him lament his sad +condition, said, ‘Damn him, He is a Presbyterian Dog, and should fight +for King James.’” Captain Williams tried to say a good word for Davis +and finally Bellamy promised that he might go free on the next vessel +that was taken. On Jan. 9, 1717, with fourteen other forced men, he +was put on board the “Sultana.” At that time there were on the three +pirate vessels eighty men of the “old Company” and one hundred and +thirty forced men. “When the Company was called together to consult, +each Man to give his Vote, they would not allow the forced Men to have +a vote.”[88] + +From Blanco, they sailed to a maroon island called Testegos where they +refitted and then sailed for the Windward Passage, but the wind blowing +hard they parted company with Captain Lebous and went into St. Croix, +“where a French pirate was blown up.” + +About the end of February, 1717, the “Whidaw,” a fine London-built +galley commanded by Capt. Lawrence Prince, was making her way under +easy sail through the Windward Passage between Cuba and Porto Rico. She +had lately cleared from Jamaica and was bound for London, with a rich +cargo of elephants’ teeth, gold dust, sugar, indigo and Jesuit’s bark, +having previously been on a slaving voyage to the Guinea coast. The +galley was about three hundred tons burthen, mounted eighteen guns and +carried a crew of fifty men. Early in the morning a ship and a sloop in +company were sighted. They shortly altered their course and followed +the “Whidaw” and after a three days’ chase took her with practically no +resistance. In fact, Captain Prince was so lacking in spirit that only +two chase guns were fired at the sloop and his flag was hauled down at +the first demand to surrender. + +The pirate ship was commanded by Captain Bellamy who ordered a prize +crew on board the “Whidaw” and all three vessels then made a course for +Long Island, one of the Bahamas, where they came to anchor. This prize +not only enriched but strengthened them for Bellamy immediately took +her over and mounted additional guns, so that she carried twenty-eight. +Captain Prince was rewarded for making an easy surrender by being given +the ship “Sultana.” He also was permitted to load her with much of +the best and finest of the cargo of the “Whidaw,” not wanted by the +pirates, and after his crew had been picked over and the boatswain and +two other men forced and seven had volunteered, he was allowed to go. +Bellamy felt so well-disposed that he gave the captain £20 in silver +and gold, “to bear his charges.”[89] + +When the “Whidaw” was taken over, Davis reminded Captain Bellamy of +his promise and asked if he might go with Captain Prince. Bellamy said +he might go if the company consented and called for a vote; but the +pirates expressed themselves violently and voted no. He was a carpenter +and needed on board. “Damn him,” said the company, “rather than let +him go he should be shot or whipped to Death at the Mast.” All the new +men were now sworn to be true and not cheat the company to the value of +a piece of eight and it was agreed to treat forced men and volunteers +alike. “When a prize was taken the Watch Bill was to be called over and +Men put on board as they stood named in the Bill.” + +The money taken on the “Whidaw” was reported to amount to £20,000. It +was counted over in the cabin and put up in bags, fifty pounds as every +man’s share, there being one hundred and eighty men on board. “The +money was kept in chests between decks without any Guard.” + +The next day Bellamy and Williams sailed and shaped a course for the +Capes of Virginia on the way taking an English ship, hired by the +French, laden with sugar and indigo, and after an inspection dismissing +her. Off the Virginia coast three ships and a snow were taken, two of +them hailing from Scotland, one from Bristol, and the last, a Scotch +ship from the Barbadoes with a little rum and sugar aboard, in so leaky +a condition that the crew refused to go farther in her and so the +pirates sunk her and put the crew on board the snow which was commanded +by a Captain Montgomery. This vessel was taken over and manned by men +from the “Whidaw.” The two other ships were plundered and discharged. + +Just at this time a storm came up and Bellamy took in all his small +sails and Williams double-reefed his main sail. It was a thunder-storm +and the wind blew with such violence that the “Whidaw” was very nearly +over-set. Fortunately it blew from the northwest and so drove them away +from the coast with only the goose-wings of the foresails to scud with. +Towards night the storm increased mightily “and not only put them by +all Sail, but obliged the _Whidaw_ to bring her Yards aportland, and +all they could do with Tackles to the Goose Neck of the Tiler, four Men +in the Gun Room, and two at the Wheel, was to keep her Head to the Sea, +for had she once broach’d to, they must infallibly have founder’d. The +Heavens, in the mean while, were cover’d with Sheets of Lightning, +which the Sea by the Agitation of the saline Particles seem’d to +imitate; the Darkness of the Night was such, as the Scripture says, +as might be felt; the terrible hollow roaring of the Winds, cou’d be +only equalled by the repeated, I may say, incessant Claps of Thunder, +sufficient to strike a Dread of the supream Being, who commands the +Sea and the Winds, one would imagine in every Heart; but among these +Wretches, the Effect was different, for they endeavoured by their +Blasphemies, Oaths, and horrid Imprecations, to drown the Uproar of +jarring Elements. Bellamy swore he was sorry he could not run out his +Guns to return the Salute, meaning the Thunder, that he fancied the +Gods had got drunk over their Tipple, and were gone together by the +Ears: + +“They continued scudding all that Night under their bare Poles. +The next Morning the Main-Mast being sprung in the Step, they were +forced to cut it away, and, at the same time, the Mizzen came by the +Board. These Misfortunes made the Ship ring with Blasphemy, which was +encreased, when, by trying the Pumps, they found the Ship made a great +Deal of Water; tho’ by continually plying them, it kept it from gaining +upon them: The Sloop as well as the Ship, was left to the Mercy of the +Winds, tho’ the former, not having a Tant-Mast, did not lose it. The +Wind shifting round the Compass, made so outrageous and short a Sea, +that they had little Hopes of Safety; it broke upon the Poop, drove in +the Taveril, and wash’d the two Men away from the Wheel, who were saved +in the Netting. The Wind after four Days and three Nights abated of its +Fury, and fixed in the North, North East Point, hourly decreasing, and +the Weather clearing up, so that they spoke to the Sloop, and resolv’d +for the Coast of Carolina; they continued this Course but a Day and a +Night, when the Wind coming about to the Southward, they changed their +Resolution to that of going to _Rhode Island_. All this while the +_Whidaw’s_ Leak continued, and it was as much as the Lee-Pump could +do to keep the Water from gaining, tho’ it was kept continually going. +Jury-Masts were set up, and the Carpenter finding the Leak to be in the +Bows, occasioned by the Oakam spewing out of a Seam, the Crew became +very jovial again; the Sloop received no other Damage than the Loss of +the Main-Sail, which the first Flurry tore away from the Boom.”[90] + +While on the voyage to Rhode Island they came upon a Boston-owned sloop +commanded by Captain Beer, who was ordered on board the “Whidaw” while +the sloop was being plundered. Both Bellamy and Williams were for +giving Captain Beer his sloop again but for some reason the company +would not agree to it and so the sloop was sunk and later Captain Beer +was set ashore on Block Island. He reached his home in Newport, the +first of May. + +After the vote to sink the sloop had been taken Bellamy announced the +fact to the captain in a speech that has been preserved in the “History +of the Pirates.” + +“D---- my Bl----d,” says he, “I am sorry they won’t let you have your +Sloop again, for I scorn to do any one a Mischief, when it is not +for my Advantage; damn the Sloop, we must sink her, and she might be +of Use to you. Tho’, damn ye, you are a sneaking Puppy, and so are +all those who will submit to be governed by Laws which rich Men have +made for their own Security, for the cowardly Whelps have not the +Courage otherwise to defend what they get by their Knavery; but damn +ye altogether: Damn them for a Pack of crafty Rascals, and you, who +serve them, for a Parcel of hen-hearted Numskuls. They villify us, the +Scoundrels do, when there is only this Difference, they rob the Poor +under the Cover of Law, forsooth, and we plunder the Rich under the +Protection of our own Courage; had you not better make One of us, than +sneak after the A----s of these Villains for Employment? Capt. Beer +told him, that his Conscience would not allow him to break thro’ the +Laws of God and Man. You are a devilish Conscience Rascal, d----n ye, +replied Bellamy, I am a free Prince, and I have as much Authority to +make War on the whole World, as he who has a hundred Sail of Ships at +Sea, and an Army of 100,000 Men in the Field; and this my Conscience +tells me; but there is no arguing with such sniveling Puppies, who +allow Superiors to kick them about Deck at Pleasure; and pin their +Faith upon a Pimp of a Parson: a Squab, who neither practices nor +believes what he puts upon the chuckle-headed Fools he preaches to.”[91] + +On board the “Whidaw” was a man named Lambert, and John Julian, a Cape +Cod Indian, both of whom knew the coast and who were to act as pilots. +It was Bellamy’s intention to clean his ship at Green Island. + +On Friday, April 26, 1717, early in the morning, about a fortnight +after setting Captain Beer ashore, when halfway between Nantucket +shoals and St. George’s banks, the pirates came up with a pink, the +“Mary Anne,” of Dublin, Capt. Andrew Crumpstey, with a cargo of wine +from Madeira. She had touched at Boston and was bound for New York. +The pirate vessels came up “with King’s Ensign and Pendant flying” and +after the pink had struck her colors a boat was hoisted out from the +“Whidaw” and seven men were sent on board “armed with Musquets, Pistols +and Cutlasses.” Captain Crumpstey, with five of his hands, was ordered +to go aboard the “Whidaw” with his ship’s papers. The mate, Thomas +Fitzgerald, and two seamen, Alexander Mackconachy and James Dunavan, +were left on board the “Mary Anne.” + +A little later, men from the “Whidaw” rowed over to get some wine +from the cargo but finding it difficult to get at returned with only +a small quantity, carrying back at the same time some clothing needed +by the men from the pink. Soon after the boat was hoisted aboard, the +ship hailed and ordered the pink to steer N. W. by N. and the little +fleet followed this course until about four o’clock in the afternoon +when it came up very thick, foggy weather and they lay to. Presently +the snow came up under the ship’s stern and hailed Captain Bellamy and +told him that they saw land. He then ordered the pink to steer north. +A sloop from Virginia had also been taken that afternoon and as night +came on all four vessels put out lights a-stern and made sail, keeping +together. Soon Captain Bellamy hailed the pink, which was a slow +sailer, and ordered them to make more haste, whereupon John Brown, one +of the pirates, swore “that she should carry sail till she carryed her +Masts away.” + +The pirates on board the pink drank plentifully of the wine on board +and took turns at the helm. As she was leaky all hands were forced to +pump hard and in consequence damned the vessel and wished they had +never seen her. A pirate named Thomas Baker was in command of the +company on the pink and told Fitzgerald, the mate, that Captain Bellamy +held a commission from King George, and Simon van Vorst, one of his +men, said, “Yes, and we will stretch it to the World’s end.” + +At this time there were about fifty forced men on board the pirate +vessels “over whom they kept a watchful eye, and no Man was suffered +to write a word, but what was nailed up to the Mast. The names of the +forced men were put in the Watch Bill and fared as others. They might +have had what money they wanted from the Quartermaster, who kept a Book +for that purpose.”[92] It was common report on board that they had with +them about £20,000, in gold and silver. + +About ten o’clock in the evening it came on very thick weather. The +wind blew from the east, it lightened and rained hard and the vessels +soon lost sight of each other. Fitzgerald, the mate, was then at the +helm and suddenly found that the pink was among the breakers. All hands +tried to trim the head sail but before they could do it the vessel ran +ashore opposite to Slutts-bush, at the back of Stage Harbor, on the +south side of Cape Cod in what is now the town of Orleans. Baker, the +pirate in command, at once ordered the foremast and mizzen mast cut +down and the heavy sea soon drove the pink high on shore. Some of the +prize crew, fearful of apprehension, then said “For God’s sake let us +go down into the Hould and Die together” and later asked Fitzgerald to +read to them out of the common prayer book which he did for about an +hour. As the pink gave no signs of breaking up everybody remained on +board until daybreak when they found it possible on the shore side to +jump directly on land. It was a small island called Pochet Island, now +a part of the mainland of Orleans. Here they breakfasted on sweetmeats +found in a chest, washed down with wine from the cargo. At the time +they could see at anchor beyond the bar, the snow and the small sloop, +both having ridden out the storm safely. About the middle of the +morning they worked off shore. + +At ten o’clock in the forenoon two men, John Cole and William Smith, +came out to the island in a canoe and carried them all to the mainland +where they went to Cole’s house and stayed for a short time, “looking +very dejected.” Cole afterwards testified that they asked the way to +Rhode Island and seemed in great haste to be off. + +News of the wreck traveled swiftly and soon reached the ears of Joseph +Doane of Eastham, a justice of the peace and representative to the +Great and General Court. Fitzgerald testified at the trial of the +pirates that Mackconachy, the cook on the pink, had bravely denounced +the seven pirates as soon as they reached the house of John Cole. At +any rate, Justice Doane, with a deputy sheriff and posse of men, was +soon in pursuit of the fleeing pirates who were overtaken and seized at +Eastham tavern and taken to Barnstable gaol. + +Meanwhile, the “Whidaw” drove ashore ten miles[93] to the north with a +great loss of life. Only two out of the ship’s company of one hundred +and forty-six men reached the shore alive,--Thomas Davis, a young Welsh +shipwright who had been forced the previous December, and John Julian, +an Indian, born on Cape Cod,--these two men, by great endurance and +good fortune, not only swam ashore from the bar on which the “Whidaw” +was breaking up, but after reaching the shore successfully scaled “the +Table Land” and escaped the smother of pounding rollers beneath. + +Davis told the judges of the Admiralty Court in Boston that when the +thunder-storm broke, the “Whidaw” lost sight of her escorts and like +the pink soon found breakers ahead. An anchor was let go but the +violence of the sea was so great that the cable was cut and the attempt +made to work off shore but she soon drove on the bar. A quarter of +an hour after she struck, the mainmast went by the board and in the +morning the fine new ship was a tangled mass of wreckage. About sixteen +prisoners were drowned including Crumpstey, the master of the pink. +“The riches on board were laid together in one head,” testified Davis. + +While the condemned pirates were awaiting execution they were taken to +the North Meeting House, as an edifying spectacle, and there the Rev. +Cotton Mather preached a sermon which was published under the title: +“Instructions to the Living from the Condition of the Dead.” In this +pamphlet he states that “when it appeared that the wrecked ship was +breaking up the pirates murdered their prisoners on board lest they +should escape and appear as witnesses. Wounds were afterwards found on +their dead bodies washed up by the sea.” Nowhere in the testimony given +at the trial is there an allusion to anything of the sort. Davis, the +white survivor, testified in great detail and makes no mention of such +horrible brutality. That dead bodies may have come ashore battered and +mutilated is highly probable. Every great loss of life in a wrecked +ship that has broken up and buffeted its victims has exhibited similar +horrors. + +Another tale that has survived relates to the supposed heroism of +the captain of the Irish pink. The “_Boston News-Letter_” of April +29-May 6, 1717, prints news of the wreck and states that “The Pyrates +being free with the Liquor that the Captive had, got themselves Drunk +and asleep, and the Captive master in the Night, thought it a fit +opportunity to run her ashore on the back side of Eastham.” Nearly +eighty years later a citizen of Wellfleet wrote a short history of +the town with an account of the pirate wreck, in which he doubtless +perpetuated the local traditions. He relates that Bellamy’s entire +fleet was “cast on the shore of what is now Wellfleet, being led to +the shore by the captain of a snow, which was made a prize on the day +before: who had the promise of the snow as a present, if he would pilot +the fleet into Cape Cod harbor; the captain, suspecting that the pirate +would not keep his promise, and that instead of clearing his ship, as +was his pretence, his intentions were to plunder the inhabitants of +Provincetown. The night being dark, a lantern was hung in the shrouds +of the snow, the captain of which, instead of piloting where he was +ordered, approached so near the land, that the pirate’s large ship +which followed him struck on the outer bar; the snow being less, struck +much nearer the shore. The fleet was put in confusion; a violent storm +arose; and the whole fleet was shipwrecked on the shore. Many in the +smaller vessels got safe on shore. Those that were executed, were the +pirates put on board a prize schooner before the storm.... At times to +this day [1793], there are King William and Queen Mary coppers picked +up, and pieces of silver, called cob money. The violence of the seas +moves the sands upon the outer bar; so that at times the iron caboose +of the ship, at low ebb, has been seen.”[94] + +[Illustration: SPANISH DOUBLOON + +From the original coin found on the beach at Wellfleet, Mass., where +Bellamy’s pirate ship was wrecked in 1717 and now in the possession of +Charles A. Taylor.] + +[Illustration: A SPANISH “PIECE OF EIGHT” + +From a coin in the cabinet of the Massachusetts Historical Society] + +No longer ago than the year 1900, Capt. Webster Eldridge of Chatham, +secured two guns that undoubtedly came from the wreck of the wine ship. +The guns of the “Whidaw” should be found where she first struck on the +outer bar, as she turned bottom up before she broke up and came ashore. + +The “Whidaw” came ashore about twelve o’clock at night. As soon as it +was light, Thomas Davis, one of the two survivors, found his way to the +house of Samuel Harding, about two miles distant from the wreck, and +after telling his story Harding took him on his horse and they went to +the shore and began to salvage what had washed up from the ship. They +made several trips between the shore and the house. By ten o’clock a +dozen others were there busily at work. The next day was Sunday and +when Mr. Justice Doane reached the beach that morning he found that +everything of value had been carried away. Davis was apprehended by him +and a few days later the nine men in Barnstable gaol were placed on +horseback and started for Boston under a strong guard and on May 4th +they were placed in irons in the stone gaol that then was located where +the City Hall Annex now stands. + +Meanwhile, Governor Shute saw visions of a great store of pirate gold +and so issued a proclamation charging all of His Majesty’s officers +and subjects within the Province to use all diligence to seize and +apprehend not only escaped pirates but “money, bullion, treasure, +goods and merchandizes” from the pirate ship. He also dispatched +Capt. Cyprian Southack to the scene of the wreck. Captain Southack +had been in command of the “Province Galley” for over nineteen years +and afterwards published a chart of the New England coast on which he +located the pirate wreck. He hired a small sloop, the “Nathaniel,” +John Sole, master, and sailed from Boston on May 1st, at ten o’clock +in the morning, only five days after the “Whidaw” had come ashore. The +wind was at the south, “a frisking gale,” and he didn’t reach Cape Cod +harbor until the afternoon of the next day. There he hired a whale boat +and sent two men to Truro where they got horses and at seven o’clock +in the evening reached the wreck where a watch was maintained all night. + +At four o’clock on the morning of May 3, 1717, the diligent captain +started in a whale boat and crossed the Cape by means of the natural +canal that existed at that time between Orleans and Eastham, sometimes +called “Jeremy’s Drean.” At Truro, he was “much afronted by one Caleb +Hopkins, Senr. of Freetown,” and nowhere on the Cape did he find a +cordial spirit of coöperation, as may be surmised. He found the “Pepol +very Stife and will not [give up] one thing of what they Gott on the +Rack.” He wrote to the Governor that “Samuel Harding has a great many +Riches that he saved out of the Rack being the first man there and says +that the Englishman give him orders to Deliver nothing of the Riches +they had saved, so I find the said Harding is as Gilty as the Pirates +saved.” + +The day after he arrived at Eastham, he posted a notice on the doors +of three nearby meeting-houses announcing that he had been authorized +by the Governor to discover and take care of the wreck, with power +to “go into any house, shop, cellar, warehouse, room or other place +and in case of resistance to break open any door, chests, trunks and +other packages” and seize any plunder belonging to the wreck. But His +Majesty’s “loving subjects” refused to disgorge. “They are very wise +and will not tell one nothing of what they got on the Rack,” wrote the +complaining captain. The coroner and his jury had ordered the victims +of the wreck to be buried and demanded £83, as their due for the cost +of burying the sixty-two bodies. Captain Southack claimed that public +money should not be wasted in burying outlawed pirates and so the +thrifty coroner “putt a stop” on some of the goods from the wreck and +secured payment, which “is very hard,” writes the captain. + +The fragments of the wrecked ship he found scattered along the shore +for a distance of nearly four miles. The anchor of the “Whidaw” +could be seen on the bar at low tide but the sea was so rough that +it was impossible to go out in the whale boat that he had impressed +until nearly a week had gone by and then nothing could be seen for +the moving sand made the water thick and muddy. It also rained much +of the time. Altogether, a disagreeable experience for the faithful +captain! Eventually he was obliged to abandon his attempt to recover +“the riches” believed to be buried in the sand on the bar and return to +Boston. Fate also played him a scurvy trick by sending along a pirate +vessel to capture the sloop “Swan,” Samuel Doggett, master, that had +been ordered from Boston to bring back the goods saved from the wreck. +After being plundered of stores to the value of £80 she was allowed to +go. This happened on the voyage down to the Cape. + +Does the sandy bar off Wellfleet still conceal the pirate gold? Who can +say? Certainly no large salvage has ever been made. Moreover, there is +a possibility that a part of it was carried off by some of the crew +who may have escaped from the stranded ship. Captain Williams, the +escort of Bellamy, also put in a belated appearance two days after the +“Whidaw” was wrecked and came to anchor off shore and sent in a boat. +Some salvage may have been effected then. + +Williams had reached Block Island on April 28th, too late to join +Bellamy, and while there had beguiled on board and forced three men, +Dr. James Sweet, George Mitchell and Willaim Tosh.[95] From Block +Island, he steered easterly and the next day, April 29th, reached the +scene of the wreck. From there he chased several fishing vessels and +then stood out to sea. He was back again a month later and took a ship +and a schooner and even came into Cape Cod harbor on May 24th and then +sailed through Vineyard Sound the following Sunday. He was then in +great want of provisions. On May 25th, a man-of-war and an armed sloop, +with ninety men, had sailed from Boston in pursuit. The news was sent +to Rhode Island and Governor Cranston replied, “I hope it will please +god to Bless Your Excellency’s Indevours by the Sirprize and Caption of +those Inhumaine Monsters of pray so as our Navigation may be made more +Safe and Secure.” + +As for the possible escape of men from the wrecked “Whidaw,” the only +evidence that now appears is found in the deposition of Daniel Collins, +the master of a Cape Ann fishing sloop, who was captured by a small +pirate sloop on May 10th. He was forty leagues eastward of Cape Ann at +the time. There were nineteen men on board the pirate and they told +him that “they were the only men that escaped that belonged to the +ship that run on shoar att Cape Cod and that they made their escape +in the long boat.” Since then they had taken three shallops and three +schooners that belonged to Marblehead. + +Pirates usually were brought to a speedy trial in Boston; but for some +reason the men who escaped the perils of the sea on Cape Cod remained +in gaol until Friday, Oct. 18th before they were taken into Admiralty +Court and made to taste the perils of the land. John Julian, the Cape +Cod Indian, was brought to Boston with the others but never was tried. +He disappears from the records and may have died. Thomas Davis, the +twenty-two year old Welshman, was able to convince the Court that he +was a forced man and when he was cleared “put himself on his knees and +thanked the Court and was dismissed with a suitable admonition.” + +The remaining seven:--Simon Van Vorst, 24 years, born in New York; +John Brown, 25 years, born in Jamaica; Thomas Baker, 29 years, born in +Flushing, Holland; Hendrick Quintor, 25 years, born in Amsterdam; Peter +Cornelius Hoof, 34 years, born in Sweden; John Sheean, 24 years, born +in Nantes; and Thomas South, 30 years, born in Boston, England; were +brought to trial in the Court House standing at the head of what is +now State Street. Governor Shute, the Captain-General of the Province, +sat as President of the Court and beside him was Lieutenant-Governor +Dummer. The prisoners were charged with piracy in taking the “free +trading Vessel or Pink called the Mary Anne” and were tried under the +statute made in the 11th and 12th year of the reign of William III. The +evidence was conclusive. Thomas South, it appeared by the testimony, +was a ship carpenter who had been forced by Bellamy the previous +December, from a Bristol ship commanded by Capt. James Williams. He was +cleared. The others were found guilty and sentenced to be hanged on +Friday, Nov. 15, 1717, “at Charlestown Ferry within the flux and reflux +of the Sea.” + +After the condemned pirates were removed from the courtroom the +ministers of the town took them in hand and “bestowed all possible +_Instructions_ upon the Condemned Criminals; often _Pray’d_ with them; +often _Preached_ to them; often _Examined_ them; and _Exhorted_ them; +and presented them with Books of Piety.” At the place of execution +Baker and Hoof appeared penitent and the latter joined with Van Vorst +in singing a Dutch psalm. John Brown, on the contrary, broke out into +furious expressions with many oaths and then fell to reading prayers, +“not very pertinently chosen,” remarks the Rev. Cotton Mather. He then +made a short speech, at which many in the assembled crowd trembled, in +which he advised sailors to beware of wicked living and if they fell +into the hands of pirates to have a care what countries they came into. +Then the scaffold fell and six twitching bodies, outlined against the +sky, ended the spectacle. + +[Illustration: + + Instructions to the LIVING, + from the Condition of the + DEAD. + + A Brief Relation of REMARKABLES + in the Shipwreck of above + One Hundred + + Pirates, + + Who were Cast away in the Ship _Whida_, + on the Coast of _New-England_, + _April 26. 1717_. + + And in the Death of Six, who after + a Fair Trial at _Boston_, were + Convicted & Condemned, _Octob. + 22._ And Executed, _Novemb. 15. + 1717_. With some Account of + the Discourse had with them on + the way to their Execution. + + And a SERMON Preached on their + Occasion. + + _Boston_, Printed by _John Allen_, for + _Nicholas Boone_, at the Sign of + the Bible in _Cornhill_. 1717. +] + + +FOOTNOTES + +[87] Paul Williams, sometimes styled Paulsgrave Williams, is said to +have been born on Nantucket. Later he lived at Newport, Rhode Island. + +[88] _The Trials of Eight Persons Indited for Piracy_, Boston, 1717. + +[89] _The Trials of Eight Persons Indited for Piracy_, Boston, 1717. + +[90] Johnson, _History of the Pirates_, London, 1726. + +[91] Johnson, _History of the Pirates_, London, 1726. + +[92] _The Trials of Eight Persons Indited for Piracy_, Boston, 1717. + +[93] About two and one-half miles south of the present life-saving +station at Wellfleet. + +[94] _Massachusetts Historical Society Collections_, Vol. III, p. 120. + +[95] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. II, leaf 165. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +GEORGE LOWTHER WHO CAPTURED THIRTY-THREE VESSELS IN SEVENTEEN MONTHS + + +Most of the piracies perpetrated by this man took place away from the +New England coast, but as he aided Capt. Ned Low to begin his piratical +career and at various times was his consort, it seems proper to include +here some relation of the villainies that he committed. Lowther was an +Englishman and an honest man when he sailed from London in March, 1721, +as second mate of the ship “Gambia Castle,” owned by the Royal African +Company and commanded by Capt. Charles Russell. The ship was carrying +stores and a company of soldiers to the river Gambia, on the African +coast, to garrison a fort some time before captured and destroyed by +Capt. Howel Davis, the pirate. She came to anchor at Gambia in May and +before long disputes arose between Lowther and Captain Russell in which +many of the crew sided with the second mate. These disputes eventually +led to a conspiracy whereby the ship was seized during the absence of +the captain on shore, and with Lowther in command the ship sailed down +the river. + +When safely at sea Lowther called the entire company together and +made a speech in which he pointed out the folly of returning to +England, for, by seizing the ship they had been guilty of an offence, +the penalty of which was hanging, and for one he didn’t propose to +chance such a fate. Continuing, he said if the company didn’t accept +his proposal he only asked to be set ashore in some safe place. His +proposal was that they should seek their fortunes on the seas as other +brave men had done before them. The sailors and soldiers on board +proved to be a crowd of good fellows not suited for the gallows or +damp prison cells and so fell in with his suggestions. The cabins were +knocked down, the ship made flush fore and aft and renamed the “Happy +Delivery,” and the following “Articles” were drawn up, signed and, +strangely enough, sworn to upon a Bible, viz:-- + + “1. The Captain is to have two full Shares; the Master is + to have one Share and a half; the Doctor, Mate, Gunner, and + Boatswain, one Share and a quarter. + + “2. He that shall be found guilty of taking up any unlawful + Weapon on Board the Privateer, or any Prize, by us taken, so + as to strike or abuse one another, in any regard, shall suffer + what Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall + think fit. + + “3. He that shall be found Guilty of Cowardice, in the Time + of Engagement, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and + Majority shall think fit. + + “4. If any Gold, Jewels, Silver, &c. be found on Board of any + Prize or Prizes, to the Value of a Piece of Eight, and the + Finder do not deliver it to the Quarter-Master, in the Space of + 24 Hours, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority + shall think fit. + + “5. He that is found Guilty of Gaming, or Defrauding another + to the Value of a Shilling, shall suffer what Punishment the + Captain and Majority of the Company shall think fit. + + “6. He that shall have the Misfortune to lose a Limb, in Time + of Engagement, shall have the Sum of one hundred and fifty + Pounds Sterling, and remain with the Company as long as he + shall think fit. + + “7. Good Quarters to be given when call’d for. + + “8. He that sees a Sail first, shall have the best Pistol, or + Small-Arm, on Board her.” + +This occurred on June 13, 1721. Seven days later, near Barbadoes, they +came in sight of the brigantine “Charles,” James Douglass, master, +owned in Boston in the Massachusetts Bay, which fell into their hands +without any resistance and was plundered in the usual piratical manner. +No one on board was injured and the vessel was let go without damage. +Several other captures were made near Hispaniola including a Spanish +pirate that recently had taken a Bristol ship, then in company. The +Spaniards being engaged in the same trade expected some consideration +at the hands of Lowther, but he rifled and then burned both ships, +permitting the Spaniards to go away unharmed in their launch and adding +all the English sailors to his own pirate crew. Meanwhile the news of +his venture on the high seas had reached England and in September, +H. M. Ship “Feversham,” stationed at Barbadoes, was reported to have +taken Lowther, so Captain Russell set out from Plymouth for Barbadoes +to take possession of his ship and give evidence against Lowther and +his crew.[96] Unfortunately for him, on his arrival at Barbadoes he +learned that the capture had not been made. About that time Lowther +took a small sloop owned at St. Christopher’s which he manned from +his enlarged crew and together they made for a small island where the +vessels were careened and their bottoms cleaned and here the company +spent some time drinking and carousing with some Indian women they had +seized. + +About Christmas time, 1721, they went aboard their vessels and took a +course across the Caribbean for the Bay of Honduras, but running short +of water made for the Grand Caimane islands to fill up the water butts. +While here a small vessel came into the same harbor with only thirteen +men aboard and with a man named Edward Low in command. It turned out +that this company had recently come away from a Boston sloop in the Bay +of Honduras and had turned pirates like themselves. Lowther accordingly +proposed to Captain Low that they should join forces and shortly an +agreement was reached and all went aboard the “Happy Delivery.” The +joint adventures of these kindred spirits are related at length in the +chapter on Captain Edward Low, until Low’s ambition led to a rupture +between them. They separated at night on May 28, 1722, in the latitude +of 38°, and Captain Lowther set a course for the mainland and took +three or four fishing vessels off New York. + +On June 2d, the ship “Mary Galley,” Peter King, master, was overhauled, +in latitude 35°. She was bound homeward to Boston from the Barbadoes +and from her Lowther took thirteen hogsheads and a barrel of rum, a +sufficient supply to wet thirsty throats for some days it would seem. +He also secured five barrels of sugar and several cases of loaf sugar +and pepper, a box of English goods and six negroes. The passengers were +examined and robbed of all their money and plate and at eleven o’clock +the next morning the ship was allowed to proceed. She reached Boston +on the 14th and soon the intelligence was published in the newspapers. +At the time of this capture Lowther was reported as commanding a sloop +mounting four guns. About the same time sloops from the West Indies +arriving at New York, brought news of the capture of a New York sloop, +Thomas Noxon, master, on the voyage to Jamaica, loaded with provisions. +The captain and crew had been marooned but taken off by a passing +vessel bound for Bermuda. This may have been an earlier capture of +Lowther. He next appeared near the Capes of the Chesapeake and cruised +on and off for nearly three weeks, the wind being southerly and blowing +an easy gale. Many persons harvesting on plantations near the shore +reported the strange vessels, for Lowther and Harris were than in +company. Several times they sailed up the bay for ten or twelve leagues +and on July 8th brought down with them a large sloop taken high up in +the bay. That night the vessels anchored at no great distance from +shore and the excited neighborhood heard drums beating “all night,” so +says the report, and could see a large number of men on board. Trade +between the Capes was entirely stopped, no vessels daring to venture +out. Franklin’s newspaper, the “New England Courant,” when publishing +this information just arrived from Philadelphia, makes the satirical +comment that for some time no man-of-war had been seen in the vicinity, +“who, by dear experience, we know, love Trading better than Fighting.” +One vessel did enter safely through the Capes, the sloop “Little +Joseph,” commanded by Captain Hargrave, “who sailed from hence about +two months ago for the Island of St. Christophers, but was taken by the +Pyrates three Times and rifled of most of her Cargo, so that she was +obliged to return back.”[97] + +From the Capes of the Chesapeake, Captain Lowther directed a course +southerly and near the South Carolina coast met a ship just out of port +bound for England,--the “Amy,” Captain Gwatkins. Lowther hoisted his +piratical colors and fired a gun. Captain Gwatkins did not lose courage +at sight of the black flag and replied with a broadside which caused +Lowther to sheer off and the ship getting the pirate between her and +the shore stood boldly after him. Finding that at last he had “caught +a Tartar,” Lowther ran in towards shore and at length went aground +and landed all his men with their arms. Captain Gwatkins hove to as +near in-shore as he dared and filling one of his boats with armed men +rowed toward the stranded sloop with the intention of setting it on +fire. Most unfortunately, just before reaching the vessel, a volley +from Lowther’s men on shore picked off Captain Gwatkins, wounding +him fatally, after which the mate turned about and made for the ship +without attempting farther to reach the sloop. When the “Amy” had left +them, Lowther soon got his vessel afloat but found her in shattered +condition. During the engagement he had a good many men killed and +wounded and all in all it seemed best to pull into one of the many +inlets on the North Carolina coast and refit and allow his wounded +to recover. This required more time than he had anticipated and soon +winter was at hand and at their chosen anchorage they finally remained +until the next spring. Much of the time during the winter months was +spent in hunting black cattle, hogs, etc., to supply fresh meat. The +crew was divided up into small parties and sent out to ravage the back +country, at last coming back to their huts and tents near the sloop +where they lodged during the winter and only went on board when the +weather grew very cold. + +Spring came at last and leaving their winter quarters they went to +sea steering a course for the fishing banks off Newfoundland. On June +18th, 1723, the schooner “Swift” of Boston, John Hood, master, fell +into their hands and supplied them with forty barrels of salt beef, +very much needed at the time. Other miscellaneous stores were taken and +three men--Andrew Hunter, Henry Hunter and Jonathan Deloe--were forced +to join the pirate crew. Lowther’s sloop at that time had ten guns +mounted.[98] + +Several other captures were made on the banks or in harbors along shore +but none supplied much plunder. On July 5th, being then about a hundred +leagues eastward of the banks of Newfoundland, Lowther overhauled the +brigantine “John and Elizabeth,” owned in Boston, Richard Stanny, +master, bound home from Holland having called at Dover. Captain Stanny +afterward reported that Lowther at that time had with him about twenty +men and the sloop mounted only seven guns. The pirates broke open the +hatches and helped themselves to a variety of merchandise and stores +and forced two men,--Ralph Kendale of Sunderland, county Durham, and +Henry Watson of Dover. These men struggled against being forced on +board the sloop and before this was accomplished were badly whipped and +beaten.[99] At the time this capture was made Lowther was headed for +warmer waters and early in September, in company with Capt. Ned Low, +reached Fayal in the Western Islands, as is related elsewhere. + +The depredations of Low and Lowther that spring and summer aroused +the fears of every shipmaster along the New England coast and every +unrecognized vessel was imagined to be a rogue. Capt. James Codin on +his passage from New York to Newport, R. I., sighted a sloop at anchor +near Fisher’s Island which immediately made sail and chased him all +day so that he concluded the sloop to be a pirate, more especially +as he was followed when he altered his course. Captain Codin made +for Stonington which he reached safely during the evening. The next +morning the strange sloop was not in sight. She afterwards proved to +be a New York sloop commanded by one Captain Heed, homeward bound +from Jamaica. Not long after a sloop with a white bottom and eight +gun-ports came to anchor near Block Island and sent a boat ashore for +fresh provisions and a pilot. At Captain Rea’s some sheep were bought +and payment was made in silver money. “It is conjectured to be Lowther +the Pirate.”[100] Two weeks later the Boston newspapers published a +new batch of information according to which the sloop at Block Island +proved to be a Londoner, owned by the Royal Assiento Company, and +commanded by Capt. Rupert Wappen. She mounted eight guns and carried +a crew of thirty-nine men, and on board were ten or twelve chests of +silver money, a fact which her captain seems to have been at no pains +to conceal. She was said to have come from Laver de Cruz and South +Carolina and to be bound for Jamaica and was waiting at Block Island +for a pilot. + +About the same time Capt. George Slyfield arrived at Philadelphia from +South Carolina, in the sloop “Lincolnshire,” with the news that Lowther +had gone to Cape Fear, to careen and Governor Nickolson had sent an +Indian to learn the truth of the report and was also fitting out a +man-of-war to go in search. And so the rumors flew about. + +[Illustration: CAPT. GEORGE LOWTHER AT PORT MAYO + +From a rare engraving in the Harry Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard +College Library] + +Meanwhile, Lowther, in the sloop “Happy Delivery,” cruised about +the Western Islands with Low and then made for the Guinea coast and +the West Indies where he seems to have left Low, for he was alone +when he had the good luck to capture a Martinico vessel that gave +him greatly needed provisions. Not long after, a Guinea-man, the +“Princess,” Captain Wickstead, surrendered to him. The bottom of the +“Happy Delivery” having become foul, Lowther began to look about for a +suitable inlet in which to careen and finally hit upon the island of +Blanco which lies between the islands of Margarita and Rocas and is +not far from Tortuga. It is a low-lying island, about two leagues in +circumference and uninhabited. It is well wooded and there is a heavy +scrub growth everywhere. Besides being frequented by large sea turtles +it supports great numbers of iguanas, a kind of lizard that grows to a +length of about five feet and is very good to eat; in fact, the pirates +used to go there to catch them, as was well-known at the time. On the +northwest end of the island there is a small cove or sandy bay and here +Lowther, about the first of October, 1723, unrigged his sloop, sent +the guns, sails, etc., ashore and began to careen his vessel. Just at +this time, most unfortunately for him, there appeared off the cove, the +armed sloop “Eagle,” Walter Moore, commander, owned by Colonel Otley +of the island of St. Christopher. She was bound for Comena, in Spanish +territory, and passing near this well-known resort for pirates and +catching sight of the sloop on the careen and so unprepared, Captain +Moore decided to grasp the advantage and attack the rogues. So he +fired a gun to oblige them to show their colors and they hoisted the +St. George’s flag to their topmast head. But Captain Moore felt sure +that she was no trader and so came in close. When Lowther found that +the strange sloop was determined to engage him he opened fire from the +shore, but was at so great a disadvantage that shortly his men called +for quarter and began to run for the woods behind them. All resistance +was soon over and Captain Moore got the “Happy Delivery” off, secured +her, and then went ashore with twenty-five men in search of Lowther and +his crew, and after five days of beating about the bushes succeeded in +taking sixteen of the pirates including the sloop’s surgeon and seven +others who surrendered themselves as forced men. Lowther they were +unable to discover. At last abandoning further search Captain Moore +continued his voyage to Comena, with the captured sloop in company, +and on his arrival the Spanish Governor condemned the sloop a prize to +the Englishman and also sent a sloop with twenty-three armed men to +make further search for pirates at the island of Blanco. This search +resulted in the capture of four more men whom the Spanish Governor +tried and condemned to slavery for life. Captain Lowther and three of +his men were able to conceal themselves in some dense undergrowth and +so escaped capture, but not long after another party visited the island +and came upon his dead body with a pistol beside it and it was supposed +that in desperation he at last committed suicide. + +The sloop “Eagle,” having brought Captain Moore’s prisoners to St. +Christopher’s, a Court of Vice-Admiralty was held on Mar. 11, 1724 when +the following men were tried for piracy, viz: John Churchill, Edward +Mackdonald, Nicholas Lewis, Richard West, Samuel Levercott, Robert +White, John Shaw, Andrew Hunter, Jonathan Deloe, Matthew Freeborn, +Henry Watson, Roger Granger, Ralph Candor and Robert Willis. The +last three were acquitted, and the others found guilty, two of them, +however, being recommended to mercy, were afterwards pardoned. Eleven +of Lowther’s piratical crew accordingly were hanged by the neck until +dead on Mar. 20, 1724, on a gallows erected between high- and low-water +mark at St. Christopher’s in the West Indies. + + +FOOTNOTES + + [96] _American Weekly Mercury_, Feb. 6, 1722. + + [97] _New England Courant_, Aug. 6, 1722. + + [98] _Boston Gazette_, Sept. 9, 1723. + + [99] _Boston News-Letter_, Aug. 8, 1723. + +[100] _Boston News-Letter_, Aug. 22, 1723. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +NED LOW OF BOSTON AND HOW HE BECAME A PIRATE CAPTAIN + + +There was living in Boston in the year 1719, a young man who went by +the name of Ned Low. He was a ship-rigger by trade and as shipbuilding +in Boston was brisk about that time, Low’s services were in demand. +He was born in Westminster, England, and such meagre biographical +information as is now available shows that he could neither read nor +write and that as a boy he ran wild in the streets of his native +parish. He seems to have begun his career early as a petty thief and +gamester among the boys of his neighborhood and later to have spent +much time among the hangers-on about the House of Commons which was +near his home. Strong and fearless, he was always ready to attack any +one who might catch him cheating or attempt to relieve him of his +ill-gotten gains. It is said that one of his brothers, at the age +of seven, was carried about in a basket on the back of a porter, in +crowded streets, where he would snatch off hats and wigs and conceal +them in his basket,--a profitable occupation for his family, it seems; +and as he grew too large for the basket trick, he became a pickpocket +and petty thief and in time, a housebreaker. According to the “Newgate +Calendar,” he ended his days on a scaffold at Tyburn in company with +others of his stripe. + +Ned Low was more fortunate for when old enough he went to sea with a +brother and during the next three or four years visited many of the +larger seaports, at last reaching Boston, in New England, where his +fancy was caught by the pretty face of Eliza Marble, a girl of a good +family, and after a time they were married,[101] Ned meanwhile having +found regular work as a ship-rigger. His wife became a member of the +Second Church in 1718 and a son and daughter were baptized there. + +The couple had a daughter Elizabeth, born in the winter of 1719, and +shortly after the young mother died, no doubt to the great sorrow +of Low, for in after life probably the only redeeming traits in his +character, were a love for his young daughter (the son having died in +infancy) and his refusal to force married men to join his pirate crew. +In lucid intervals between revelling and fighting Low is said to have +frequently expressed great affection for the young child[102] he had +left in Boston, and mere mention of her would often bring tears to +his eyes. Philip Ashton, a Marblehead fisherman whom Low captured and +forced and who afterwards escaped after many adventures, has preserved +in his “Narrative,” much curious information concerning Low, including +instances of this vein of sentiment so strangely associated in a brutal +nature. + +Low was of a rather cock-sure disposition and frequently engaged in +disputes and quarrels. Not long after the death of his wife he was +discharged by his employer for some cause and soon decided to leave +Boston. He shipped on board a sloop bound for the Bay of Honduras for a +cargo of logwood and proving himself to be no ordinary type of seaman, +as soon as the sloop reached the Bay he was appointed to command the +boat’s crew that was sent ashore to get the logwood and bring it out to +the vessel. As Honduras was Spanish territory and the logwood was cut +without permission, in fact, was being stolen from the Spaniards, the +boat’s crew of twelve men always went on shore fully armed. + +[Illustration: THE IDLE APPRENTICE SENT TO SEA + +From an engraving by William Hogarth in the “Industry and Idleness” +series, published in 1747. The young reprobate is being rowed past +Cuckold’s Point on the Thames on which can be seen a pirate hanging +from a gibbet] + +One day it happened that the loaded boat came out to the sloop just +before dinner was ready and as the men were tired and hungry, Low +proposed that they stay and eat before going ashore again; but the +captain was in a hurry to complete the loading of his vessel and +sending for a bottle of rum he ordered them to take another trip +at once so that no time should be lost. This angered the men and +particularly Low who seized a musket and fired at the captain and +missed him but shot through the head a sailor who happened to be +standing behind him. Low then leaped into the boat and with its crew of +twelve men made off from the sloop. + +It is more than likely that some such action had already been discussed +by Low and his intimates among the crew. At any rate, they now decided +to make a black flag and prey upon the vessels in the Bay. Luck was +with them and the next day they came upon a small vessel which they +captured. + +Low was now embarked on his bloody and cruel career as a pirate and +if ever a man sailing the seas deserved to be hanged and gibbeted in +chains, it was Low. If one half of the tales that have been told of him +are true he must at times have been little short of a maniac. Time and +again part of his crew deserted him because of his cruelty. No evil or +cruel action was beyond his doing so that it is quite remarkable that +he did not die a violent death within the knowledge of his men. In +point of fact, however, it is not known exactly how or when he died. + +After the capture of the small vessel, Low, who had been elected +captain, ordered a course made for the Grand Caimanes--islands lying +about halfway between Yucatan and the island of Jamaica--intending to +refit their vessel for piratical forays. + +The Grand Caimanes or Caymans, as they are known today, were much +resorted to by gentlemen of the kidney of Captain Low and soon +after arriving at the islands he fell in with Capt. George Lowther, +another pirate, who was short of men and who, after becoming somewhat +acquainted with Low, proposed that they join forces. As Low’s company +was small in number and ill-fitted, an agreement was soon arrived at +whereby Lowther remained in command with Low as his lieutenant. The +small vessel brought in by Low was sunk and the united company made off +together in the “Happy Delivery,” the name of Lowther’s ship. + +On the 10th of January, 1722, they came into the Bay of Honduras and +sighted the ship “Greyhound,” Benjamin Edwards, commander, of about +two hundred tons burden and owned in Boston. Lowther hoisted his +piratical colors and fired a gun for the “Greyhound” to bring to, and +she refusing, he gave her a broadside which was bravely returned. The +engagement lasted for about an hour when Captain Edwards ordered his +ensign struck fearing the consequences of too great a resistance. The +pirate’s boat soon came aboard and the ship was thoroughly looted. +The crew were cruelly whipped, beaten and cut, and five of them, +Christopher Atwell, Charles Harris, Henry Smith, Joseph Willis and +David Lindsay, were forced and the ship was burned.[103] + +Lowther also captured and burned seven other vessels belonging to +Boston, and all their logwood, “because they were New-England men,” it +was reported. About the same time a sloop belonging to Connecticut, +Captain Ayres, was taken and burned and also a sloop from Jamaica, +Captain Hamilton, which was taken for their own use and the command +given to Charles Harris, who had been second mate of the “Greyhound” +and who joined the pirates, it would seem, willingly. A sloop from +Virginia, they took and then unloaded and generously gave back to her +master who owned her. A sloop of about one hundred tons, belonging to +Newport, Rhode Island, also was captured and as it was a new hull and +a good sailer she was made a part of the pirate fleet and fitted with +eight carriage and ten swivel guns and the command given to Ned Low. + +The pirate fleet was then composed of the “Happy Delivery,” commanded +by Admiral Lowther; the Rhode Island sloop, commanded by Captain +Low; Hamilton’s sloop, commanded by Captain Harris, formerly of the +“Greyhound”; and with a small sloop for a tender, the fleet set sail +from the Bay and made for Port Mayo in the gulf of Matique where they +intended to careen and clean the foul bottoms of their vessels. There +they carried ashore all their sails and made tents in which they placed +their plunder and stores and then began heaving down their ship. +This turned out to be a very unfortunate move for just as they were +in the midst of scrubbing and tallowing the bottom of the ship and +wholly unprepared for any attack, a considerable number of the natives +appeared from among the trees nearby and attacking the pirates forced +them to go aboard their sloops which had not yet been careened. The +natives carried off or destroyed all the stores and plunder, which was +of considerable value, and also set fire to the ship. + +Lowther then took command of the largest sloop, which he called the +“Ranger.” It was armed with ten guns and eight swivels and was the best +sailer, so the entire company went aboard and abandoned at sea the +other sloops. Provisions, however, were very short and empty stomachs +and thinking of the loot that had been lost soon put them all in a vile +temper and there was much fighting and blaming each other for their +misfortune. + +About the beginning of May, 1722, they came near the island of Discade, +in the West Indies, and while there took a brigantine, one Payne, +master, which supplied what they needed most and put them in better +temper. The brigantine, after it was well plundered, was sent to the +bottom. After watering at the island, the sloop stood for the Florida +coast where Lowther proposed to ravage the shipping in the vicinity +of the Bahamas. On May 28th, in the latitude of thirty-eight degrees +north, they overtook the brigantine “Rebecca,” of Charlestown in the +Massachusetts Bay, James Flucker, commander, bound for Boston from St. +Christophers. She fell into their hands at once as her crew were too +few in number to contend with Lowther and his hundred pirates. There +were twenty-three persons on board including five women, all of whom +were treated decently and in due time reached Boston. The master of the +brigantine they held promising him his vessel again when they had taken +a better one. + +For some time Lowther had found Low an unruly officer, always aspiring +and never satisfied with his proposals so that Lowther thought this a +good opportunity to rid himself of a source of trouble and annoyance. +Whereupon he proposed to Low that he take command of the brigantine and +together with forty men, who elected to sail with him, Low made off by +himself. Of the crew of the brigantine, three men were forced,--Joseph +Sweetser of Charlestown and Robert Rich of London, Old England, who +were compelled to go with Low, and Robert Willis, also of London, +who, having broken his arm by a fall from the mast, begged that his +condition be considered. But he was a vigorous and intelligent fellow +and Lowther refused his plea and forced him away with him.[104] These +two commanders accordingly parted company, Low with forty-four men +going off in the brigantine and Lowther with the same number remaining +in the sloop. This happened in the afternoon of the 28th of May, 1722. +Low took with him in the brigantine, two guns, four swivels, six +quarter-casks of powder, provisions and some stores. + +[Illustration: A BARQUE IN THE WEST INDIES ABOUT 1720] + +[Illustration: A BRIGANTINE IN THE WEST INDIES ABOUT 1720] + +“HERE FOLLOW THE ARTICLES OF CAPT. EDWARD LOW THE PIRATE WITH HIS +COMPANY + +“1. The Captain is to have two full Shares; the Master is to have one +Share and one Half; The Doctor, Mate, Gunner and Boatswain, one Share +and one Quarter. + +“2. He that shall be found guilty of taking up any Unlawfull Weapon on +Board the Privateer or any other prize by us taken, so as to Strike +or Abuse one another in any regard, shall suffer what Punishment the +Captain and Majority of the Company shall see fit. + +“3. He that shall be found Guilty of Cowardice in the time of +Ingagements, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority of +the Company shall think fit. + +“4. If any Gold, Jewels, Silver, &c. be found on Board of any Prize or +Prizes to the value of a Piece of Eight, & the finder do not deliver +it to the Quarter Master in the space of 24 hours he shall suffer what +Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall think fit. + +“5. He that is found Guilty of Gaming, or Defrauding one another to the +Value of a Ryal of Plate, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and +Majority of the Company shall think fit. + +“6. He that shall have the Misfortune to loose a Limb in time of +Engagement, shall have the Sum of Six hundred pieces of Eight, and +remain aboard as long as he shall think fit. + +“7. Good Quarters to be given when Craved. + +“8. He that sees a Sail first, shall have the best Pistol or Small Arm +aboard of her. + +“9. He that shall be guilty of Drunkenness in time of Engagement shall +suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall +think fit. + +“10. No Snaping of Guns in the Hould.”[105] + + --_Boston News-Letter_, Aug. 8, 1723. + +Low’s first adventure in the brigantine took place on the following +Sunday when a sloop belonging to Amboy, in New Jersey, fell into his +hands. This vessel he rifled of provisions and then let go. This +happened off Block Island near the Rhode Island coast. The same day +he captured and plundered a sloop belonging to Newport, commanded by +James Cahoon, and took away his mainsail and provisions and water. +His bowsprit was cut away and all his rigging and thrown overboard +intending thereby to prevent his getting in to give the alarm. Cahoon +himself was badly cut in the arm during the scrimmage. Low then stood +away to the south-eastward, with all the sail that could be made, there +being then but little wind at the time. + +He judged well in making haste to get away from the coast for +notwithstanding the disabled condition of Cahoon’s sloop she reached +Block Island about midnight and a whale boat was sent out at once +with the news which reached Newport about seven the next morning. The +Governor immediately ordered the drums to be beaten about the town for +volunteers to go in search of the pirates and two of the best sloops in +the harbor were armed and fitted out. One of these sloops, commanded by +Capt. John Headland, mounted ten guns and carried eighty men. The other +sloop, which was commanded by Capt. John Brown, jun., was armed with +six guns and plenty of small arms and carried sixty men. These sloops +were both under sail before sunset, each commander carrying a ten days’ +commission from the Governor. At about the same time the pirate vessel +could be seen from Block Island. But good fortune favored Low and the +sloops returned to Newport several days afterwards without so much as +catching sight of the brigantine. + +Proclamation also was made in Boston, by beat of drum, for the +encouragement of volunteers to engage against the pirates and over a +hundred men enlisted under Capt. Peter Papillion who fitted out a ship +and sailed shortly; but he, too, returned to harbor without finding +Low, but bringing in the brigantine “Rebecca” which Low had turned over +to Captain Flucker at Port Roseway, near the southern end of Acadia +(Nova Scotia), to carry home the Marblehead fishermen taken by him, he +having shipped his arms and stores on board a recently built schooner +belonging to Marblehead. + +By the _Boston News-Letter_ of July 9, 1722, we learn that sundry goods +left by the pirates on board the brigantine “Rebecca” were to be sold +at publick vendue at the house of Captain Long in Charlestown. These +consisted of “1 Turtle Net, 1 Scarlet Jacket, 1 small Still, 2 pair +Steel yards, 1 Jack and Pendant, 2 doz. Plates, 2 papers of Pins, 5 +Horn books, 2 pieces of cantaloons, 1 main-sail, Boom and small Cable +belonging to a Scooner, a small Boat and 20 yards of old Canvas.” There +was also found cast ashore on the back side of Martha’s Vineyard, a +sloop supposed to have been taken and set adrift by Low, on board of +which were a few shillings in silver money and some strips of paper on +which were found written the names of Dan Hide, Nath. Hall and John +Wall. This Dan Hide was one of Low’s crew and about a year later he was +hanged at Newport, as will be told at length in another place. + +After his escape from the attacking expeditions sent out from +Newport and Boston, Captain Low went among the islands at the mouth +of Buzzard’s Bay, in search of enough fresh water to make the run +to the Bahamas. He remained here for some days while his boat crews +stole sheep at No Man’s Land and rifled whale boats out of Nantucket. +Changing his mind about the course towards the Bahamas, he then sailed +northerly towards Marblehead and on the afternoon of Friday, June 15th, +put into the harbor of Roseway which is located near the arm of the sea +that makes up to what is now Shelburne, Nova Scotia. + +At that time it was the habit of the banks fishermen to come into Port +Roseway for a Sunday’s rest and when Low sailed into the harbor he +found thirteen vessels at anchor. They supposed him to be inward bound +from the West Indies and his arrival gave no concern. But soon a boat +from the brigantine, with four men, came alongside the fishing vessels, +one after another, the men coming aboard as though to make a friendly +visit to inquire for news. When on deck the four men drew cutlasses +and pistols from under their clothes and cursing and swearing demanded +instant surrender. Taken by surprise the fishermen of course submitted +and by this means all the vessels in the harbor were captured and +afterwards plundered. + +Among them was a newly-built schooner, the “Mary,” of eighty tons, +owned by Joseph Dolliber of Marblehead, clean and a good sailer. Low +liked her lines and decided to appropriate her for his own use, so he +renamed her the “Fancy” and the guns, stores and men were transferred +from the brigantine. The fishermen from the different vessels were then +put on board the brigantine and Captain Flucker was ordered to make +sail for Boston. Meanwhile, Low forced a number of likely men from +among the fishermen including Philip Ashton, Nicholas Merritt, Joseph +Libbie, Lawrence Fabens and two others from Marblehead and four men +belonging to the Isle of Shoals. + +On Tuesday afternoon, June 19th, 1722, Low and his company sailed +from Port Roseway bound for the Newfoundland coast and arrived at the +mouth of St. John’s harbor in a fog which lifted somewhat disclosing +a ship riding at anchor within the harbor. She looked to Low like a +fish-trader and he determined to attempt her capture by a stratagem. +All of his men were ordered below, save six or seven, to make a show of +being a fisherman, and so he sailed boldly into the harbor intending +to run alongside the ship and bring her off. Before having gone far, +however, a small fishing boat was met coming out which hailed them +asking from what port they had come. Low answered, “from Barbadoes, +loaded with rum and sugar”; and then asked the fisherman what large +ship that was in the harbor. Imagine his chagrin when they replied that +it was the “Solebay,” man-of-war. He immediately put about and escaped +before the suspicious fishermen could alarm the town. This happened on +July 2d. + +At Carbonear, a small harbor about fifteen leagues farther to the +north, Low was more successful, for going on shore and meeting little +opposition, he plundered the place and burned all the houses. The +next day he sailed for the Grand Banks where he took seven or eight +vessels including a French banker, a ship of nearly four hundred tons +armed with two guns. Considerable rigging and ammunition was secured +and a number of fishermen were forced. Late in the month he had an +encounter with two sloops from Canso bound for Annapolis-Royal loaded +with provisions for the garrison and having soldiers on board. Low’s +schooner was the better sailer and coming up began the attack. The red +coats at once replied and gave him so warm a reception that Low sheered +off and a fog coming on they escaped into Annapolis after having been +chased by Low for two days and a night.[106] About the time the French +banker was taken, the news came that the “Solebay” was cruising about +in search of him so Low decided to steer for the Leeward Islands taking +with him the French ship. While on the voyage down they ran into a +hurricane that nearly ended matters. The sea ran mountains high and +all hands were employed both day and night keeping the pump constantly +going besides bailing with buckets and yet finding themselves unable to +keep the vessel free. The schooner made somewhat the better weather of +it but on board the ship they began to hoist out their heavy goods and +provisions and throw them overboard together with six guns in order to +lighten the vessel. They even debated cutting away the masts, but the +ship making less water, so that they could at last keep it under with +the pump, instead of cutting away the masts they were made more secure +by means of preventer-shrouds and by laying-to on the larboard tack, +the hurricane was safely ridden out. The schooner split her mainsail, +sprung her bowsprit and both of her anchors had to be cut away. + +After the storm, Low went to a small island, one of the westernmost of +the Caribbees, and there refitted his vessels so far as possible with +the supplies at hand and traded goods with the natives for provisions. +As soon as the ship was ready he then decided to make a short cruise in +her leaving the schooner at anchor until their return. They hadn’t been +out many days before they came upon a ship that had lost all her masts +in the storm. She was a rich find for they plundered her of money and +goods amounting to over a thousand pounds in value. This ship was bound +home from Barbadoes and was then slowly making her way under jury-rig +to Antigua to refit, where she afterwards safely arrived but minus the +best of her cargo. + +This hurricane, it afterwards appeared, did great damage throughout the +West Indies and was particularly violent at the island of Jamaica where +there happened a tidal wave that overflowed the town of Port Royal +and destroyed about half of it. Immense quantities of rocks and sand +were thrown over the wall of the town and the next morning the streets +were about five feet deep in water. The cannon of Fort Charles were +dismounted and some washed into the sea and about four hundred lives +were lost. Scores of houses were ruined and forty vessels at anchor in +the harbor were cast away. + +When Low returned to the island where the schooner had been left, +future plans were discussed by the company and after having been put +to vote it was decided to make for the Azores or Western Islands. This +was largely due to the presence near the Leeward Islands of several +men-of-war cruising about their stations in search of piratical gentry. +So both vessels made sail to the eastward and on August 3d came into +St. Michael’s road, off which they took seven sail including a French +ship of 34 guns; the “Nostra Dame”; the “Mere de Dieu,” Captain Roach; +the “Dove,” Captain Cox; the “Rose” pink, formerly a man-of-war, +Captain Thompson; another English ship, Captain Chandler; and three +other vessels. Low threatened with instant death all who resisted +and at that time there was such a deadly fear of the excesses committed +by pirates that these vessels struck without firing a gun or offering +any resistance. The “Rose” pink, was a large Portuguese vessel, loaded +with wheat. She struck to the schooner, fearing the ship which was +coming down on her, although she was much the stronger and was more +than a match for Low and his company had she made a good resistance. +The pink proved to be a better sailer than the French banker, so most +of the cargo of wheat was thrown overboard and guns from the French +ship were mounted on board the pink and after stores were transferred +the banker was burned. The French ship also was burned, the crew having +been transferred to a large Portuguese launch except the cook who Low +declared was a greasy fellow and would fry well in a fire, so he was +bound to the mainmast and burnt alive with the ship. The command of the +“Rose” pink, mounting fourteen guns, was taken over by Low and Harris +was given command of the schooner. + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN EDWARD LOW IN A HURRICANE + +From a rare engraving in the Harry Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard +College Library] + +As water and fresh provisions were needed, Low then sent word to the +Governor at St. Michaels, that if furnished with supplies he would +release the vessels that had been taken, otherwise they would be +burned. The Governor was a prudent man and thought best not to debate +the matter, so fresh provisions soon made their appearance and the +six vessels were released, as Low had promised, that is, after he had +plundered them. While the schooner was lying at anchor in the fairway +between St. Michael’s and St. Mary’s, about August 20th, Captain +Carter in the “Wright” galley came sailing by and fell into Harris’ +hands after a short but ill-judged resistance. Those on board were +cut and mangled in a barbarous manner and especially some Portuguese +passengers, two of whom were Roman Catholic friars. These unfortunate +men Harris had triced up at each arm of the foreyard, but before they +were quite dead he let them down again and after having recovered +somewhat they were sent up again, a sport much enjoyed by these +Puritan pirates. Another Portuguese passenger who was much terrified +by what was going on, was attacked by one of the pirate crew who gave +him a slashing cut across the belly with his cutlass that opened his +bowels and soon caused death. The fellow said that he did it because +“he didn’t like the looks” of the Portuguese. Captain Low happened to +be on board at the time this capture was made and while the cutting and +slashing was going on among the unfortunate passengers he accidentally +received a blow on his under jaw intended for a Portuguese, that laid +open his teeth. The surgeon was called and the wound stitched up, but +Low found fault with the way the work was done and the surgeon becoming +incensed struck him on the jaw with his fist so that the stitches were +pulled away, at the same time telling Low to go to Hell and sew up his +own chops. After the drunken crew were tired of their slashing and had +thoroughly plundered the ship, it was proposed that she be burned as +they had done with the Frenchman, but at last it was decided to cut her +sails and rigging in pieces and turn her adrift. + +Low in the pink and Harris in the schooner now steered for the island +of Madeira where, needing a supply of water, they came upon a fishing +boat having in her two old men and a boy. They detained one of the old +men on board and sent the other ashore with a demand to the governor +for a boatload of water, under penalty of hanging the old man at the +yard-arm in case their demand was not complied with. When the water +was received the old man was released and he and his companions were +given a supply of handsome clothing that had been plundered from some +captured vessel as an evidence of the “generous treatment” sometimes +shown by the pirates. From here they sailed for the Cape Verde islands +and near Bonavista captured an English ship called the “Liverpool +Merchant,” Captain Goulding, from which they stole a quantity of +provisions and dry goods, three hundred gallons of fine brandy, a mast +and hawsers and forced six of his men. They also captured among these +islands a ship owned in London, the “King Sagamore,” Captain Andrew +Scot, homeward bound from Barbadoes by way of Cape Verde islands. +The captain was wounded and set ashore on the island of Bonavista +absolutely naked and the ship burned. Several of the crew joined +the pirates.[107] Two Portuguese sloops bound for Brazil also fell +into their hands and three sloops from St. Thomas bound for Curacao, +commanded by Captains Lilly, Staples and Simpkins, all of which were +plundered and then set free. A small trading sloop, owned in England +and commanded by Capt. James Pease, they detained to use as a tender; +but a majority of the men placed on board of her chanced to be forced +men, who for some time had been looking for an opportunity to escape, +and the sloop having been sent in search of two small galleys, expected +at the Western Islands about that time, the New England men in the +crew rose against the others and took possession of the sloop and set +a course for England. This happened on the fifth of September. Their +provisions and water soon began to run low and the course was changed +for St. Michael’s in the Azores where they sent two men ashore to give +information who they were and to obtain the needed provisions. The +Portuguese officials, however, were skeptical and seized and jailed the +entire crew and kept them in close quarters for several months. Some +of the men in time escaped as is shown in the narrative of Nicholas +Merritt, a Marblehead fisherman,[108] but most of them are supposed to +have rotted in the castle until they died. + +Meanwhile Captain Low had gone to the island of Bonavista to careen his +vessels. The schooner was hove down first and then the pink, which, it +will be recalled, was ballasted with wheat. Low now gave this wheat to +the Portuguese living nearby and took on other ballast. After cleaning +and refitting he steered for the island of St. Nicholas to fill his +water butts. At this time Francis Farrington Spriggs was in command of +a ship that was escort to Low and with them was a schooner commanded by +the quartermaster of the fleet, one John Russell, who in reality was a +Portuguese instead of the North Country Englishman that he pretended +to be. At Curisal Road, on the southeast end of St. Nicholas, they +captured a sloop, the “Margaret,” from Barbadoes, Capt. George Roberts, +commander, that had recently arrived and the events that immediately +followed are related in the next chapter. + + +FOOTNOTES + +[101] Edward Low and Eliza Marble were married by Rev. Benjamin +Wadsworth of the First Church, Boston, on Aug. 12, 1714. + +[102] Elizabeth Low married James Burt, Dec. 7, 1739, in Boston. + +[103] A full account of this outrage was afterwards printed in the +_Boston News-Letter_ of April 30, 1722. + +[104] _New England Courant_, June 18, 1722. + +[105] These Articles are similar to Captain Lowther’s with some +additions. + +[106] _Boston News-Letter_, Sept 17, 1722. + +[107] _American Weekly Mercury_, May 9, 1723. + +[108] See Chapter XIV. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +CAPTAIN ROBERTS’ ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED ON LOW’S SHIP + + +Captain George Roberts sailed from London in September, 1721, mate +of the ship “King Sagamore,” twenty-two guns, Capt. Andrew Scott, +commander, bound for the Barbadoes and Virginia where he was to take +command of a sloop and buy a cargo to slave with on the coast of +Guinea. After various delays he reached the Cape Verde islands in +the sloop “Margaret,” “sixty ton of cask,” and at Curisal Road, on +the island of St. Nicholas, was taken by the pirate fleet of which +Capt. Ned Low was commodore. Captain Roberts afterwards recounted +his adventures in a volume published[109] in London, from which the +following account is taken. + +“When I came on board the _Rose Pink_, the Company welcomed me on +board, and said, _They were sorry for my Loss; but told me, I must go +to pay my Respects to the Captain, who was in the Cabbin, and waited +for me_. I was ushered in by an Officer, who, I think, was their +Gunner, and who, by his Deportment, acted as though he had been Master +of the Ceremonies; tho’ I do not remember to have heard of such an +Officer or Office mentioned among them, neither do I know whether they +are always so formal on Board their Commodore, at the first Reception +of their captivated Masters of Vessels. When I came into the Cabbin, +the Officer who conducted me thither, after paying his Respects to the +Commodore, told him, _That I was the Master of the Sloop which they had +taken the Day before_, and then withdrew out of the Cabbin, leaving us +two alone. + +“Captain _Loe_, with the usual Compliment, welcomed me on board, and +told me, _He was very sorry for my Loss, and that it was not his Desire +to meet with any of his Country-men, but rather with Foreigners, +excepting some few that he wanted to chastise for their Rogueishness_, +as he call’d it: _But however_, says he, _since Fortune has ordered +it so, that you have fallen into our Hands, I would have you to be of +good Cheer, and not to be cast down_. I told him, _That I also was +very sorry, that it was my Chance to fall into their Way; but still +encouraged myself in the Hopes, that I was in the Hands of Gentlemen of +Honour and Generosity; it being still in their Power whether to make +this their Capture of me, a Misfortune or not_. He said, _It did not +lie in his particular Power; for he was but one Man, and all Business +of this Nature, must be done in Publick, and by a Majority of Votes +by the whole Company; and though neither he, nor, he believed, any of +the Company, desired to meet with any of their own Nation (except some +few Persons for the Reasons before-mention’d) yet when they did, it +could not well be avoided, but that they must take as their own what +Providence sent them: And as they were Gentlemen, who entirely depended +upon Fortune, they durst not be so ungrateful to her, as to refuse +any Thing which she put into their Way; for if they should despise +any of her Favours, tho’ never so mean, they might offend her, and +thereby cause her to withdraw her Hand from them; and so, perhaps, they +might perish for want of those Things, which in their rash Folly they +slighted_. He then, in a very obliging Tone, desired me to sit down, he +himself all this Time not once moving from his Seat, which was one of +the great Guns, though there were Chairs enough in the Cabbin; but I +suppose, he thought he should not appear so martial, or Hero-like, if +he sat on a Chair, as he did on a great Gun. + +“After I had sat down, he asked me, _What I would drink?_ I thank’d +him, and told him, _I did not much Care for drinking; but out of a +Sense of the Honour he did me in asking, I would drink any Thing with +him which he pleased to drink_. He told me, _It would not avail me +any Thing to be cast down: It was Fortune of War, and grieving or +vexing myself, might be of no good Consequence in respect to my Health; +besides, it would be more taking_, he said, _with the Company, to +appear brisk, lively, and with as little Concern as I could. And come_, +says he, _you may, and I hope you will, have better Fortune hereafter_. +So ringing the Cabbin-bell, and one of his _Valet de Chambres_, or +rather _Valet de Cabins_, appearing, he commanded him to make a Bowl +of Punch, in the great Bowl, which was a rich silver one, and held, I +believe, about two Gallons; which being done, he ordered likewise some +Wine to be set on the Table, and accordingly two Bottles of Claret were +brought; and then he took the Bowl and drank to me in Punch; but bid +me pledge him in which I liked best; which I did in Wine. He told me, +_That what he could favour me in, he would, and wished that it had been +my Fortune to have been taken by them ten Days or a Fortnight sooner; +for then_, he said, _they had abundance of good Commodities, which +they took in_ 2 Portugueze _outward-bound_ Brasile _Men, viz. Cloth, +as well Linens as Woollens, both fine and coarse, Hats of all sorts, +Silk, Iron, and other rich Goods in abundance, and believed, he could +have prevailed with the Company even to have loaded my Sloop. But now +they had no Goods at all, he believed, having disposed of them all, +either by giving them to other Prizes, &c. or heaving the rest into_ +David Jones’s Locker (i.e. the Sea); _but did not know, but it might +be his Lot, perhaps, to meet with me again, when it might lie in his +Way to make me a Retaliation for my present Loss; and he did assure me, +that when such an Occasion, as he was but now a speaking of, offered, +I might depend he would not be wanting to serve me in any Thing that +might turn to my Advantage, as far as his Power or Interest could +reach_. I could do no less, in common Civility, and the Truth is, I +dared do no less, than thank him.... + +“I was order’d to remain on Board the Commodore till by a general Vote +of the Company it should be determin’d how I and the Sloop were to +be dispos’d of; and Captain _Loe_ ordered a Hammock and Bedding to be +fix’d for me, and told me, _That he would not oblige me to sit up later +than I thought fit, nor drink more than suited my own Inclination; +and that he lik’d my Company no longer than his was agreeable to me_; +adding, _That there should be no Confinement or Obligation as to +drinking, or sitting up, but I might drink, and go to sleep, when I +pleas’d, without any Exceptions being taken, ordering me to want for +nothing that was on Board; for I was very welcome to anything that was +there, as to Eatables and Drinkables_. I thank’d him, and told him, _I +would, with all due Gratefulness, make Use of that Freedom which he was +so generous to offer me, &c._ About Eight a-Clock at Night I took my +Leave of him, and went to my Hammock, where I continued all Night, with +Thoughts roving and perplex’d enough, not being able, as yet, to guess +what they design’d to do with me, whether they intended to give me the +Sloop again, or to burn her, as I heard it toss’d about by some, or to +keep me as a Prisoner on Board, or put me ashoar. + +“My two Boys and Mate remained still on Board the Sloop, but all the +rest they took on Board of them, not once so much as asking them +whether they would Enter with them, only demanding their Names, which +the Steward writ down in their Roll-Book. + +“About eight a-Clock in the Morning I turn’d out, and went upon Deck, +and as I was walking backwards and forwards, as is usual amongst +us Sailors, there came up one of the Company to me, and bid me +Good-Morrow, and told me, _He was very sorry for my Misfortune_. I +answer’d, _So was I_: He look’d at me, and said, _He believ’d I did not +know him_. I replied, _It was true, I did not know him; neither, at +present, could I call to mind that ever I had seen him before in the +whole Course of my Life_. He smil’d, and said, _He once belong’d to +me, and sail’d with me when I was Commander of the_ Susannah _in the +Year 1718_ (At that Time I was Master of a Ship call’d the _Susannah_, +about the Burthen of 300 Tons, whereof was sole Owner Mr. _Richard +Stephens_, Merchant, living at this present writing in _Shad-Thames_, +_Southwark_ Side, near _London_----) In the _Interim_ came up two more, +who told me they all belong’d to me in the _Susannah_, at one Time. +By this time I had recollected my Memory so far as just to call them +to Mind, and that was all; and then I told them I did remember them. +They said, they were truly very sorry for my Misfortune, and would do +all that lay in their Power to serve me, and told me, they had among +them the Quantity of about 40 or 50 Pieces of white Linnen Cloth, and +6 or 8 Pieces of Silk, besides some other Things; and they would also, +they said, make what Interest they could for me with their Consorts and +Intimates, and with them would make a Gathering for me of what Things +they could, and would put it on Board for me as soon as the Company +had determined that I should have my Sloop again. They then look’d +about them as tho’ they had something to say that they were not willing +any body should hear; but as it happen’d, there was no body nigh us, +which was an Opportunity very rare in these Sort of Ships, of speaking +without Interruption: But we lying too all Night, no body had any thing +to do, but the Lookers-out, at the Topmast-head; the Mate of the Watch, +Quarter-master of the Watch, Helmsman, _&c._ being gone down to drink +a Dram, I suppose, or to smoak a Pipe of Tobacco, or the like. However +it was, we had the Quarter Deck intire to our selves, and they seeing +the Coast clear, told me, with much seeming Concern, That if I did not +take abundance of Care, they would force me to stay with them, for my +Mate had inform’d them, that I was very well acquainted on the Coast of +_Brasile_, and they were bound down along the Coast of _Guinea_, and +afterwards design’d to stretch over to the Coast of _Brasile_: That +there was not one Man of all the Company that had ever been upon any +Part of that Coast; and that there was but one Way for me to escape +being forced; but I must be very close, and not discover what they +were going to tell me; for if it was known that they had divulg’d it, +notwithstanding they were enter’d Men, and as much of the Company as +any of them, yet they were sure it would cost them no smaller a Price +for it than their Lives. I told them, I was very much obliged to them +for their Goodwill, and did not wish them to have any Occasion for my +Service; but if ever it should be so, they might depend it should be +to the utmost of my Power; and as for my betraying any thing that they +should tell me of, they could not fear that, because my own Interest +would be a sufficient Tye upon me to the contrary; and were it not so, +and that I was sure to get Mountains of Gold by divulging it to their +Prejudice, I would sooner suffer my Tongue to be pluck’d out. + +“They said, they did not much fear my revealing it, because the +disclosing it would rather be a Prejudice to me than an Advantage, +and therefore out of pure Respect to me they would tell me; which was +thus: _You must know_, said they, _that we have an Article which we are +sworn to, which is, not to force any married Man, against his Will, to +serve us: Now we have been at a close Consultation whether we should +oblige you to go with us, not as one of the Company, but as a forc’d +Prisoner, in order to be our Pilot on the Coast of_ Brasile, _where we +are designed to Cruise, and hope to make our Voyage; and your Mate_, +continued they, _has offer’d to Enter with us, but desires to defer it +till we have determined your Case_. _Now your Mate, as yet, is ignorant +of our Articles, we never exposing them to any till they are going to +sign them. He was ask’d, Whether you was married or not? and he said, +he could not tell for certain, but believed you was not: Upon which +we spoke, and said, we had known you several Years, and had sail’d +with you in a Frigat-built Ship of 300 Tons, or more: That you was an +extraordinary good Man to your Men, both for Usage and Payment; and +that, to our Knowledge, you was married, and had four Children then: +However, there is one Man who would fain have the Company break through +their Oath on that Article, and tells them, they may, and ought to +do it, because it is a Case of Necessity, they having no Possibility +of getting a Pilot at present for that Coast, except they take you: +And in their Run along the Coast of_ Guinea, _if they should light of +any body that was acquainted with the Coast of_ Brasile, _and no way +exempted from serving them by the Articles, then they might take him, +and turn you ashore, but ’till such offer’d, he did not see but the +Oath might be dispens’d with; but_, continued they, _Captain_ Loe _is +very much against it, and told them, That it would be an ill Precedent, +and of bad Consequence; for if we once take the Liberty of breaking our +Articles and Oath, then there is none of us can be sure of any thing: +If_, said Captain _Loe, you can perswade the Man upon any Terms to stay +with us as a Prisoner, or otherwise, well and good; if not, do not let +us break the Laws that we have made our selves, and sworn to_. They +went on, and told me, _That most of the Company seem’d to agree with +Captain_ Loe’s _Opinion, but_ Russel, said they, _seem’d to be sadly +nettled at it, that his Advice was not to be taken; and_, continued +they, _you will be ask’d the Question, we reckon, by and by, when_ +Russel _comes on Board, and all the Heads meet again; but you must be +sure to say you are married, and have five or six Children; for it is +only that, that will prevent your being forced; tho’, you may depend +upon it_, Russel _will do what he can to perswade the Company to break +the Article, which we hope they will not, nor shall they ever have our +Consent; and, indeed, there are very few of the Company but what are +against it, but_ Russel _bears a great Sway in the Company, and can +almost draw them any Way. However, we have put you in the best Method +that we can, and hope it will do: But, for fear Notice should be taken +of our being so long together, we have told you as much as we can, and +leave you to manage it; and so God bless you._ + +“Upon this, away they went, and by-and-by Captain _Loe_ turns out, and +comes upon Deck, and bidding me Good-morrow, ask’d me, _How I did? and +how I lik’d my Bed?_ I thank’d him, and told him, _I was very well, +at his Service, and lik’d my Bed very well, and was very much obliged +to him for the Care he had taken of me_. After which, he order’d a +Consultation Signal to be made, which was their _Green Trumpeter_, as +they call’d him, hoisted at the Mizen-Peek: It was a green silk Flag, +with a yellow Figure of a Man blowing a Trumpet on it. The Signal being +made, away came the Boats flocking on Board the Commodore, and when +they were all come on Board, Captain _Loe_ told them, He only wanted +them to Breakfast with him; so down they went into the Cabbin, as many +as it would well hold, and the rest in the Steerage, and where they +could. + +“After Breakfast, Captain _Loe ask’d_ me, _If I was married? and how +many Children I had?_ I told him, _I had been married about ten Years, +and had five Children when I came from Home, and did not know but I +might have six now, one being on the Stocks when I came from Home_. +He asked me, _Whether I had left my Wife well provided for, when I +came from Home?_ I told him, _I had left her in but very indifferent +Circumstances: That having met with former Misfortunes, I was so low +reduc’d, that the greatest Part of my Substance was in this Sloop and +Cargo; and that, if I was put by this Trip, I did not know but my +Family might want Bread before I could supply them_. + +“_Loe_ then turning to _Russel_, said, _It will not do_, Russel. _What +will not do_, said _Russel_? _Loe_ answer’d, _You know who I mean; we +must not, and it shall not be, by G--d. It must, and shall, by G--d_, +reply’d _Russel; Self-Preservation is the first Law of Nature, and +Necessity, according to the old Proverb, has no Law. Well_, says _Loe, +It shall never be with my Consent_. Hereupon most of the Company said, +_It was a Pity, and ought to be taken into Consideration, and seriously +weighed amongst them, and then put to the Vote_. At which _Loe_ said, +_So it ought, and there is nothing like the Time present to decide the +Controversy, and to determine the Matter_. They all answered, _Ay, it +was best to end it now_. + +“Then _Loe_ ordered them all to go upon Deck, and bid me stay in the +Cabbin; so up they went all hands, and I sat still and smoak’d a Pipe +of Tobacco, Wine and Punch being left on the Table: And tho’ I was very +impatient to know the Determination, sometimes hoping it would be in my +Favour, and sometimes fearing the contrary; yet I durst not go out of +the Cabbin to hear what they said, nor make any Enquiry about it. + +“After they had been upon Deck about two Hours, they came down again, +and _Loe_ ask’d me, _How I did? and how I lik’d my Company since +they went upon Deck?_ I thank’d him, and said, _I was very well, at +his Service; and as for my Company, I lik’d it very well, and it was +Company that few would dislike. Why_, said he, _I thought you had been +all alone ever since we went upon Deck_. I answer’d, _How could you +think, Sir, that I was alone, when you left me three such boon, jolly +Companions to keep me Company?_ + +“_Z--ds_, says _Loe_, and seem’d a little angry, _I left no-body, +and ordered no-body but the Boy_ Jack, _and him I bid stay at the +Cabbin-Door, with-out-side, and not go in, nor stir from the Door, +’till I bid him. But_, I said, _Sir, my three Companions were not +humane Bodies, but those which you left on the Table, to wit, a +Pipe of Tobacco, a Bottle of_ French _Claret, and a Bowl of Punch_; +at which they all laugh’d, and _Loe_ said, _I was right_: So after +some Discourses had pass’d by way of Diversion, _Russel_ said to me. +_Master, your Sloop is very Leaky_; I said, _Yes, she made Water. +Water!_ says he, _I do not know what you could do with her, suppose +we were to give her to you. Besides, you have no Hands, for all your +Hands now belong to us._ I said, _Sirs, if you please to give her to +me, I do not fear, with God’s Blessing, but to manage her well enough, +if you let me have only those which are on Board, which I hope you +will: namely, my Mate and the two Boys. Well_, says he, _and suppose +we did, you have no Cargo, for we have taken, to replenish our Stores, +all the Rum, Sugar, Tobacco, Rice, Flower, and, in short, all your +Cargo and Provisions_. I told him, _I would do as well as I could, and +if the worst came to the worst, I could load the Sloop with Salt, and +carry it to the_ Canaries, _where, I knew, they were in great Want of +Salt at present, and therefore was sure it would come to a good Market +there: Ay, but_, says he, _how will you do to make your Cargo of Salt, +having no Hands, and having nothing wherewith to hire the Natives to +help you to make it, or to pay for their bringing it down on their +Asses; for you must believe_, said he, _I understand Trade_. I told +him, _If it did come to that Extremity, I had so good Interest both +at the Island of_ Bona Vist, _as likewise at the Isle of_ May, _that +I was sure the Inhabitants would assist me all that they could, and +trust me for their Pay till I return’d again; especially when they came +to know the Occasion that oblig’d me to it; and that, upon the Whole, +I did not fear, with God’s Blessing, to get a Cargo of Salt on Board, +if they would be so generous as to give me the Sloop again. Well but_, +says Russel, _suppose we should let you have the Sloop, and that you +could do as you say, what would you do for Provisions? for we shall +leave you none; and I suppose I need not tell you, for, without doubt, +you know it already, that all these Islands to Windward are in great +Scarcity of Victuals, and especially the two Islands that produce the +Salt, which have been oppress’d for many Years with a sore Famine_. +I told him, _I was very sensible that all he said last was true, but +hop’d, if they gave me the Sloop, they would also be so generous as +to give me some Provisions, a small quantity of which would serve my +little Company; but if not, I could go down to the Leeward Islands, +where, likewise, I had some small Interest, and I did not doubt but I +could have a small Matter of such Provisions as the Islands afforded, +namely, Maiz, Pompions, Feshunes, &c. with which, by God’s Assistance, +we would endeavour to make shift, ’till it pleased God we could get +better. Ay but_, says he, _perhaps your Mate and Boys will not be +willing to run that Hazard with you, nor care to endure such Hardship_. +I told him, _As for my Boys, I did not fear their Compliance, and hop’d +my Mate would also do the same, seeing I requir’d him to undergo no +other Hardship but what I partook of myself. Ay, but_, says Russel, +_Your Mate has not the same Reasons as you have, to induce him to bear +with all those Hardships, which you must certainly be exposed to in +doing what you propose; and therefore you cannot expect him to be very +forward in accepting such hard Terms with you; (tho’ I cannot conceive +it to be so easie to go through with, in the Manner you propose, as you +seem to make it)_. I answer’d, _As for the Mate’s Inclinations, I was +not able positively to judge in this Affair, but I believed him to be +an honest, as well as a conscientious Man, and as I had been very civil +to him in several Respects, in my Prosperity, so I did not doubt, if I +had the Liberty to talk with him a little on this Affair, but he would +be very willing to undergo as much Hardship to extricate me out of this +my Adversity, as he could well bear, or I in Reason require of him, +which would be no more than I should bear myself; and when it pleased +God to turn the Scales, I would endeavour to make him Satisfaction to +the full of what, in reason, he could expect, or, at least, as far as I +was able_. + +“_Come, come_, says Captain _Loe, let us drink about. Boy! how does +the Dinner go forward?_ The Boy answer’d, _Very well, Sir_. Says +Loe, _Gentlemen, you must all Dine with me to Day._ They unanimously +answer’d, _Ay: Come then_, says Loe, _toss the Bowl about, and let us +have a fresh One, and call a fresh Cause_. + +“They all agreed to this, and then began to talk of their past +Transactions at _Newfoundland_, the _Western Islands_, _Canary +Islands_, &c. What Ships they had taken, and how they serv’d them when +in their Possession; and how they oblig’d the Governor of the Island of +St. _Michael_ to send them off two Boat-Loads of fresh Meat, Greens, +Wine, Fowls, &c. or otherwise, threatened to damnifie the Island, by +burning some of the small Vilages: Of their Landing on the Island of +_Teneriff_, to the Northward of _Oratavo_, in hopes of meeting with a +Booty, but got nothing but their Skins full of Wine; and how they had +like to have been surpriz’d by the Country, which was raised upon that +Occasion, but got all off safe, and without any Harm, except one Man, +who receiv’d a Shot in his Thigh after they were got into their Boats; +but, they said, they caused several of the _Spaniards_ to drop; and, +That they should have been certainly lost, if they had tarried but +half a quarter of an Hour longer in the House where they were drinking, +and where they expected to get the Booty, which they Landed in quest +of, according to the Information given them by one of the Inhabitants +of the Island, who was taken by them in a Fishing-Boat, and told them, +that, that Gentleman had an incredible Quantity of Money, as well as +Plate, in his House: And on this Occasion they threatened the poor +Fisherman how severely they would punish him for giving them a false +Information, if ever they should light of him again; but, I suppose, +the Fellow kept close ashore after they let him go, all the Time they +lay lurking about the Island: They also boasted how many _French_ +Ships they had taken upon the Banks of _Newfoundland_, and what a vast +Quantity of Wine, especially _French_ Claret, they took from them; with +abundance of such like Stuff; which, as it did not immediately concern +me, so I shall not trouble myself with particularizing: And, indeed, +my Attention was so wholly taken up with the Uncertainty of my own +Affairs, that I gave no great Heed to those Subjects that were foreign +to me; and which, for that Reason, made but a slight Impression on my +Memory. + +“In this Manner they pass’d the Time away, drinking and carousing +merrily, both before and after Dinner, which they eat in a very +disorderly Manner, more like a Kennel of Hounds, than like Men, +snatching and catching the Victuals from one another; which, tho’ it +was very odious to me, it seem’d one of their chief Diversions, and, +they said, look’d Martial-like. + +“Before it was quite dark, every one repaired on Board their respective +Vessels, and about Eight a-Clock at Night I went to my Hammock, without +observing, as I remember, any thing worth remarking, save, that Captain +_Loe_, and I, and three or four more, drank a couple of Bottles of +Wine after the Company were gone, before we went to Sleep, in which +time we had abundance of Discourse concerning _Church_ and _State_, as +also about _Trade_, which would be tedious to relate in that confused +Manner we talked of these Subjects, besides the Reason I just now +mentioned. + +“_Loe_ stay’d up after me, and when I was in my Hammock, I heard him +give the necessary Orders for the Night, which were, that they were +to lie too with their Head to the _North Westward_, as, indeed, we +had ever since I had been on Board of him; to mind the Top-light, and +for the Watch, to be sure, above all things, to keep a good Look-out; +and to call him if they saw any thing, or if the other Ships made any +Signals. + +“I passed this Night as the former, ruminating on my present unhappy +Condition, not yet being able to dive into, or fathom their Designs, or +what they intended to do with me, and often thinking on what the three +Men told me, as also on what the Company said, but in a more particular +manner, of what _Russel_ told me concerning my Mate, ’till Sleep +overpowered my Senses, and gave me a short Recess from my Troubles. + +“In the Morning, about five a-Clock, I turned out, and a little after, +one of the three Men who spoke to me the Morning before, came to me, +and bid me Good-morrow, and ask’d me very courteously how I did? and +told me, that they would all three, as before, have come and spoke to +me, but were afraid the Company, especially _Russel’s_ Friends, would +think they held a secret Correspondence with me, which was against one +of their Articles, it being punishable by Death, to hold any secret +Correspondence with a Prisoner; but they hop’d all would be well, and +that they believ’d I should have my Sloop again; _Russel_ being the +only Man who endeavour’d to hinder it, and he only, on the Account of +having me to go with them on the Coast of _Brasile_; but that most of +the Company was against it, except the meer Creatures of _Russel_. He +said, I might thank my Mate for it all, who, he much fear’d, would +prove a Rogue to me, and Enter with them; and then, if they should give +me my Sloop, I should be sadly put to it to manage her myself, with +one Boy, and the little Child. He also said, That he, and the other +two, heartily wish’d they could go with me in her, but that it was +impossible to expect it, it being Death even to motion it, by another +of their Articles, which says, _That if any of the Company shall +advise, or speak any thing tending to the separating or breaking of the +Company, or shall by any Means offer or endeavour to desert or quit the +Company, that Person shall be shot to Death by the Quarter-Master’s +Order, without the Sentence of a Court-Martial_. He added, That +’till my Mate had given _Russel_ an Account of my being acquainted +on the Coast of _Brasile_, he seem’d to be my best Friend, and would +certainly have prov’d so, and would have prevail’d with the Company +to have made a Gathering for me, which, perhaps, might not have come +much short in Value of what they had taken from me; for there was but +few in the Company but had several Pieces of Linnen Cloth, Pieces of +Silk, spare Hats, Shoes, Stockings, gold Lace, and abundance of other +Goods, besides the publick Store, which, if _Russel_ had continued my +Friend, for one Word speaking, there was not one of them but would have +contributed to make up my Loss; it being usual for them to reserve such +Things for no other Use but to give to any whom they should take, or +that formerly was of their Acquaintance, or that they took a present +Liking to: He said farther, That he believ’d Captain _Loe_ would be +my Friend, and do what he could for me; but that, in Opposition to +_Russel_, he could do but little, _Russel_ bearing twice the Sway with +the Company, that Captain _Loe_ did; and that _Russel_ was always more +considerate to those they took, than _Loe_; but now I must expect no +Favour from him, he was so exasperated by the Opposition that the +Company, and especially Captain _Loe_, made to my being forc’d to go +with them on the Coast of _Brasile_: He, however, bid me have a good +Heart, and wish’d it lay in his Power to serve me more than it did, and +bid me not to take very much Notice, or shew much Freedom with them, +but rather a seeming Indifference: Adding, That he and his two Consorts +wish’d me as well as Heart could wish, and whatever Service they could +do me, while among them, I might assure myself it should not be +wanting; desiring me to excuse him, and not take amiss his withdrawing +from me; concluding, with Tears in his Eyes, that he did not know +whether he should have another Opportunity of private Discourse with +me; neither would it be for the Advantage of either of us, except some +new Matter offer’d them Occasion to forewarn, or precaution me, which, +if it did, one of them would not fail to acquaint me with it: And so he +left me. + +“Some time after, Captain _Loe_ turn’d out, and after the usual +Compliments pass’d, we took a Dram of Rum, and enter’d into Discourse +with one or another, on different Subjects; for as a Tavern or +Alehouse-keeper endeavours to promote his Trade, by conforming to the +Humours of every Customer, so was I forc’d to be pleasant with every +one, and bear a Bob with them in almost all their Sorts of Discourse, +tho’ never so contrary and disagreeable to my own Inclinations; +otherwise I should have fallen under an _Odium_ with them, and when +once that happens to be the Case with any poor Man, the Lord have Mercy +upon him; for then every rascally Fellow will let loose his Brutal +Fancy upon him, and either abuse him with his Tongue (which is the +least hurtful) or kick or cuff him, or otherways abuse him, as they are +more or less cruel, or artificially raised by Drinking, Passion, _&c._ + +“Captain _Russel_, with some more, came on Board about ten or eleven +a-Clock in the Forenoon, and seem’d to be very pleasant to me, asking +me how I did? telling me, that he had been considering of what I said +Yesterday, and could not see, how I should be able to go through with +it: That it would be very difficult, if not wholly impossible, and I +should run a very great Hazard in what I propos’d. He believed, he +said, that I was a Man, and a Man of Understanding, but in this Case +I rather seem’d to be directed by an obstinate Desperation, than by +Reason; and for his Part, since I was so careless of myself as to +determine to throw myself away, he did not think it would stand with +the Credit or Reputation of the Company, to put it into my Power. He +wish’d me well, he said, and did assure me, that the Thoughts of me had +taken him up the greatest Part of the Night; and he had hit on a Way +which, he was sure, would be much more to my Advantage, and not expose +me to so much Hazard and Danger, and yet would be more profitable, than +I could expect by having the Sloop, tho’ every thing was to fall out to +exceed my Expectation; and did not doubt of the Company’s agreeing to +it: _And this_, says he, _is, to take and sink or burn your Sloop, and +keep you with us no otherwise than as you are now_, viz. _a Prisoner; +and I promise you, and will engage to get the Company to sign and agree +to it, the first Prize we take, if you like her; and if not, you shall +stay with us till we take a Prize that you like, and you shall have her +with all her Cargo, to dispose of how and where you please, for your +own proper Use_. He added, _that this, perhaps, might be the making of +me, and put me in a Capacity of leaving off the Sea, and living ashore, +if I was so inclin’d_; protesting, _that he did all this purely out +of Respect to me, because he saw I was a Man of Sense_, as he said, +_and was willing to take Care and Pains to get a Living for myself and +Family_. + +“I thank’d him, and told him, _I was sorry I could not accept of his +kind Offer; and hoped he would excuse me, and not impute it to an +obstinate Temper; because_, I said, _I did not perceive it would be +of any Advantage to me, but rather the Reverse; for I could not see +how I should be able to dispose of the Ship, or any Part of her Cargo; +because no Body would buy, except I had a lawful Power to sell; and +they all certainly knew, they had no farther Right to any Ship or Goods +that they took, than so long as such Ship or Goods was within the Verge +of their Power; which, they were sensible, could not extend so far, as +to reach any Place where such Sale could be made: Besides_, I said, _if +the Owners of any such Ship or Goods should ever come to hear of it, +then should I be liable to make them Restitution, to the full Value of +such Ship and Cargo, or be oblig’d to lie in a Prison the remaining +Part of my Days; or, perhaps, by a more rigid Prosecution of the Law +against my Person, run a Hazard of my Life_. + +“_Russel_ said, _These were but needless and groundless Scruples, and +might easily be evaded: As for my having a Right to make Sale of the +Ship and Cargo, which they would give me, they could easily make me a +Bill of Sale of the Ship, and such other necessary Powers in Writing, +as were sufficient to justify my Title to it beyond all Possibility +of Suspicion; so that I should not have any Reason to fear my being +detected in the Sale: And as for my Apprehension of being discover’d +to the Owners, that might as easily be prevented; for they should +always know, by Examination of the Master, &c. and also by the Writings +taken on board such Ship (which they always took Care to seize upon) +who were the Owners and Merchants concern’d in both Ship and Cargo, +as also their Places of Abode; by which I might be able to shun a +Possibility of their discovering me_: Adding, _That I might have the +Powers and Writings made in another Name, which I might go by ’till I +had finish’d the Business, and then could assume my own; which Method +would certainly secure me from all Possibility of Discovery_. + +“I told him, _I must confess, there was not only a Probability, but a +seeming Certainty, in what he said, and that it argued abundance of +Wit in the Contrivance; but_, I assur’d him, _that were I positively +certain, which I could not be, that ’till the Hour of my Death it would +not be discover’d, yet there was still a strong Motive to deter me from +accepting it; which, tho’ it might seem, perhaps, to them to be of no +Weight, and but a meer Chimera, yet it had greater Force with me than +all the Reasons I had hitherto mention’d; and that was my Conscience; +which would be a continual Witness against me, and a constant Sting, +even when, perhaps, no Body would accuse me: And as there could be no +hearty and unfeigned Repentance, without making a full Restitution, +as far as I was able, to the injur’d Person_; I ask’d them, _What +Benefit would it be to me, if I got Thousands of Pounds, and could +not be at Peace with my Conscience, ’till I had restor’d every Thing +to the proper Owners, and after all, remain as I was before?_ A great +deal more, I told them, I could say upon this Head; but doubted that +Discourses of this Nature were not very taking with some of them, and +might seem of very little Account; _Yet I hope_, said I, _and God +forbid that there should not be some of you, who have a Thought of a +great and powerful God, and a Consciousness of his impartial Justice +to punish, as well as of his unfathomable Mercy to pardon Offenders +upon their unfeigned Repentance, which would not so far extend as to +encourage us to run on in sinning, thereby presuming to impose on his +Mercy_. + +“Some of them said, _I should do well to preach a Sermon, and would +make them a good Chaplain_. Others said, _No, they wanted no Godliness +to be preach’d there: That Pirates had no God but their_ Money, _nor_ +Saviour _but their_ Arms. Others said, _That I had said nothing but +what was very good, true, and rational, and they wish’d that Godliness, +or, at least, some Humanity, were in more Practice among them; which +they believ’d, would be more to their Reputation, and cause a greater +Esteem to be had for them, both from God and Man_. + +“After this, a Silence follow’d; which Capt. _Russel_ broke, saying to +me again, _Master, as to your Fear that you wrong your Neighbour in +taking a Ship from us, which we first took from him; in my Judgment, +it is groundless and without Cause; nor is it a Breach of the Laws +of God or Man, as far as I am able to apprehend; for you do not take +their Goods from them, nor usurp their Property: That we have done +without your Advice, Concurrence, or Assistance; and therefore whatever +Sin or Guilt follows that Action, it is intirely_ Ours, _and, in my +Opinion, cannot extend to make any unconcern’d Person guilty with us. +It is plain, beyond disputing_, continu’d he, _that you can be no Way +Partaker with us in any Capture, while you are only a constrain’d +Prisoner, neither giving your Advice or Consent, or any Ways assisting; +and therefore it may be most certainly concluded, that it is We only +that have invaded the Right, and usurp’d the Property of another; and +that you must be innocent, and cannot be Partaker of the Crime, unless +concern’d in that Action that made it a Crime. But you seem to allow, +that we have a Property, while we are in Possession; but_, added he, _I +suppose you think, that all the Claim we have to the Ships and Goods +that we take, is by an Act of Violence, and therefore unjust, and of +no longer Force than while we are capable to maintain them by the same +superior Strength by which we obtain’d them_. + +“I told him, _I could not express my Conceptions of it better or +fuller, I thought, than he had done; but hoped, neither he, nor Capt._ +Loe, _nor any of the Gentlemen present, would be offended at my taking +so much Liberty; which was rather to acquaint them with my Reasons +for not being able to accept of their kind Offer, than to give any +Gentleman Offence_; adding, _That I had so much Confidence in their +Favours, that, if I could have accepted them, I verily believ’d, they +would all have concurred with Capt._ Russel _in what he so kindly and +friendly design’d me_. + +“At which Words they all cry’d, _Ay, Ay, by G--_, and that _I was +deserving of that and more_. + +“I told them, _I heartily thank’d them all in general, and did not wish +any of them so unfortunate, as to stand in Need of my Service; yet, +if ever they did, they should find, that the uttermost of my Ability +should not be wanting in Retaliation of all the Civilities they had +shewn me, ever since it was my Lot to fall into their Hands; but, in a +more especial Manner, for this their now offer’d Kindness, tho’ I could +not accept it with a safe and clear Conscience, which I valued above +any Thing to be enjoy’d in this World_. I said, _I could add farther +Reasons to those I had already urg’d; but I would not trouble them +longer, fearing I had already been too tedious or offensive to some of +them; which, if I had, I heartily begg’d their Pardon; assuring them +once more, that if it was so, it was neither my Design nor Intent, but +the Reverse_. + +“Hereupon they all said, _They liked to hear us talk, and thought we +were very well match’d_: Adding, _That Capt._ Russel _could seldom meet +with a Man that could stand him: But, as for their Parts, they were +pleas’d with our Discourse, and were very sure_ Loe _and_ Russel _were +so too_. + +“Capt. _Loe_ than said, He liked it very well; but told me, I had +not return’d Capt. _Russel_ an Answer to what he last said, which he +thought deserv’d one. + +“I answer’d, That since the Gentlemen were so good-natur’d, as not only +to take in good Part what I had hitherto said, but also to give me free +Liberty to pursue my Discourse, I should make Use of their Indulgence, +and answer what Capt. _Russel_ had said last to me, in as brief and +inoffensive a Manner as I was capable of. + +“Then turning to _Russel_, I said, _Sir, Your Opinion of my Notion +of the Right you have to any Ship or Goods you may take, is exactly +true; and I think your Right cannot extend farther than your Power to +maintain that Right; and therefore it must follow, you can transfer +no other Right to any one than what you have your selves, which will +render any Person who receiv’d them, as guilty for detaining them from +the proper Owners, as you for the taking them_. + +“He said, _Be it so; we will suppose_ (and seemed a little angry) _for +Argument Sake, we have taken a Ship, and are resolv’d to sink or burn +her, unless you will accept of her: Now, pray, where is the Owner’s +Property, when the Ship is sunk, or burned? I think the Impossibility +of his having her again, cuts off his Property to all Intents and +Purposes, and our Power was the same, notwithstanding our giving her to +you, if we had thought fit to make use of it._ + +“I was loth to argue any farther, seeing him begin to be peevish; and +knowing, by the Information afore given me by the three Men, that all +his pretended Kindness and Arguments were only in order to detain +me, without the Imputation of having broken their Articles; which he +found the major Part of the Company very averse to; wherefore, to cut +all short, I told him, I was very sensible of the Favours design’d +me; and should always retain a grateful Sense of them: That I knew I +was absolutely in their Power, and they might dispose of me as they +pleas’d; but that having been hitherto treated so generously by them, I +could not doubt of their future Goodness to me. And that if they would +be pleas’d to give me my Sloop again, it was all I requested at their +Hands; and I doubted not, but that, by the Blessing of God on my honest +Endeavours, I should soon be able to retrieve my present Loss; at +least, I said, I should have nothing to reproach myself with, whatever +should befal me, as I should have, if I were to comply with the Favour +they had so kindly intended for me. + +“Upon which, Capt. _Loe_ said, _Gentlemen, the Master, I must needs +say, has spoke nothing but what is very reasonable, and I think he +ought to have his Sloop. What do you say Gentlemen?_ + +“The greatest Part of them answered aloud, _Ay, Ay, by G--, let the +poor Man have his Sloop again, and go in God’s Name, and seek a Living +in her for his Family. Ay_, said some of them, _and we ought to make +something of a Gathering for the poor Man, since we have taken every +Thing that he had on Board his Vessel_. This put an End to the Dispute; +and every Body talked according to their Inclinations, the Punch, Wine, +and Tobacco being moving Commodities all this Time: And every one who +had an Opportunity of speaking to me, wish’d me much Joy with, and +success in, my newly obtain’d Sloop. + +“Towards Night, _Russel_ told Capt. _Loe_, that as the Company had +agreed to give me the Sloop again, it was to be hoped they would +discharge me, and let me go about my Business in a short Time; and +therefore, with his Leave, he would take me on Board the Scooner with +him, to treat me with a Sneaker of Punch before parting. Accordingly, +I accompany’d him on Board his Vessel, tho’ I had rather stay’d with +_Loe_, and he welcomed me there, and made abundance of Protestations +of his Kindness and Respect to me; but still argued, that he thought I +was very much overseen in not accepting what he had so kindly, and out +of pure Respect, offer’d to me, and which, he said, would really have +been the making of me. I told him, I thank’d him for his Favour and +Good-will; but was very well satisfy’d with the Company’s Generosity +in agreeing to give me the Sloop again, which, I said, was more +satisfactory to me, than the richest Prize that they could take. + +“Well, says he, I wish it may prove according to your Expectation. I +thank’d him; so down we went into the Cabbin, and, with the Officers +only, diverted ourselves in talking ’till Supper was laid on the Table. + +“After Supper, a Bowl of Punch, and half a Dozen of Claret, being set +on the Table, Capt. _Russel_ took a Bumper, and drank _Success to their +Undertaking_; which went round, I not daring to refuse it. Next Health +was _Prosperity to Trade_, meaning their own Trade. The third Health +was, _The King of France_: After which, _Russel_ began the _King of_ +England_’s Health_; so they all drank round, some saying, _The King of_ +England’s _Health_, others only _The aforesaid Health_, ’till it came +round to me; and Capt. _Russel_ having empty’d two Bottles of Claret +into the Bowl, as a Recruit, and there being no Liquor that I have a +greater Aversion to, than red Wine in Punch, I heartily begg’d the +Captain and the Company would excuse my drinking any more of that Bowl, +and give me leave to pledge the Health in a Bumper of Claret. + +“Hereupon _Russel_ said, _Damn you, you shall drink in your Turn a full +Bumper of that Sort of Liquor that the Company does. Well, Gentlemen_, +said I, _rather than have any Words about it, I will drink it, tho’ it +is in a Manner Poyson to me; because I never drank any of this Liquor, +to the best of my Remembrance, but it made me sick two or three Days at +least after it._ _And d--n you_, says _Russel, if it be in a Manner, or +out of a Manner, or really, rank Poyson, you shall drink as much, and +as often, as any one here, unless you fall down dead, dead_! + +“So I took the Glass, which was one of your _Hollands_ Glasses, made +in the Form of a Beaker, without a Foot, holding about three Quarters +of a Pint, and filling it to the Brim, said, _Gentlemen, here is the +aforesaid Health. What Health is that_, said _Russel? Why_, says I, +_the same Health you all have drank, The King of_ England’s _Health. +Why_, says _Russel, who is King of_ England? I answer’d, _In my +Opinion, he that wears the Crown, is certainly King while he keeps it. +Well_, says he, _and pray who is that? Why_, says I, _King_ George +_at present wears it_. Hereupon he broke out in the most outrageous +Fury, damning me, and calling me Rascally Son of a B--; and abusing +his Majesty in such a virulent Manner, as is not fit to be repeated, +asserting, with bitter Curses, that we had no King. + +“I said, _I admir’d that he would begin and drink a Health to a Person +who was not in being_. Upon which, he whipp’d one of his Pistols from +his Sash, and I really believe would have shot me dead, if the Gunner +of the Scooner had not snatch’d it out of his Hand. + +“This rather more exasperated _Russel_, who continu’d swearing and +cursing his Majesty in the most outrageous Terms, and asserting the +Pretender to be the lawful King of _England, &c._ He added, That ’twas +a Sin to suffer such a false traiterous Dog as I was to live; and with +that whipp’d out another Pistol from his Sash, and cock’d it, and swore +he would shoot me through the Head, and was sure he should do God and +his Country good Service, by ridding the World of such a traiterous +Villain. But the Master of the Scooner prevented him, by striking the +Pistol out of his Hand. + +“Whether it was with the Fall, or his Finger being on the Trigger, I +cannot tell, but the Pistol went off without doing any Damage: At which +the Master, and all present, blamed _Russel_ for being so rash and +hasty; and the Gunner said, I was not to blame; for that I drank the +Health as it was first propos’d, and there being no Names mention’d, +and King _George_ being possess’d of the Crown, and establish’d +by Authority of Parliament, he did not see but his Title was the +best. _But what have we to do_, continued he, _with the Rights of +Kings or Princes? Our Business here, is to chuse a King for our own +Commonwealth; to make such Laws as we think most conducive to the Ends +we design; and to keep ourselves from being overcome, and subjected to +the Penalty of those Laws which are made against us._ He then intimated +to _Russel_, That he must speak his Sentiments freely, and imputed +his Quarrel with me, to his being hinder’d from breaking thro’ their +Articles: Urging, that he would appear no better than an Infringer of +their Laws, if the Matter were narrowly look’d into: And that it was +impossible ever to have any Order or Rule observ’d, if their Statutes +were once broken thro’. He put him in Mind of the Penalty, which was +Death, to any one who should infringe their Laws; and urg’d, That if it +were once admitted that a Man, thro’ Passion, or the like, should be +excused breaking in upon them, there would be an End to their Society: +And concluded with telling him, that it was an extraordinary Indulgence +in the Company, not to remind him of the Penalty he had incurr’d. + +“_Russel_, still continuing his Passion, answer’d, That if he had +transgress’d, it was not for the Sake of his own private Interest, +but for the general Good of the Company; and therefore did not fear, +neither in Justice could he expect, any Severity from the Company for +what he had done; and for that Reason, whatever he (the Gunner) or +those of his Sentiments, thought of it, he was resolv’d, whatever came +of it, to pursue his present Humour. + +“Then says the Gunner to the rest, _Well, Gentlemen, if you have a +Mind to maintain those Laws made, establish’d, and sworn to by you +all, as I think we are all obligated by the strongest Tyes of Reason +and Self-Interest to do, I assure you, my Opinion is, that we ought +to secure_ John Russel, _so as to prevent his breaking our Laws and +Constitutions, and thereby do ourselves, and him too, good Service: +Ourselves, by not suffering such an Action of Cruelty in cold Blood, +as he more than once attempted to commit, as you are Eye-witnesses of, +and, I believe, most on Board have been Ear-witnesses to the Pistol’s +going off; and all this for no other Reason in the World, but through a +proud and ambitious Humour, conceiting he is the Man that is not to be +contradicted, and that his Words, though tending to our Ruin, must yet +be receiv’d as an Oracle, without any Opposition_. + +“At which they all said, It was a pity the Master should suffer, +neither would they permit it; and speaking to _Russel_, they said, they +would not allow him to be so barbarous: That they had always valued +themselves upon this very Thing of being civil to their Prisoners, +and not abusing their Persons: That, ’till now, he himself had been +always the greatest Perswader to Clemency, and even to the forgiving +Provocations, and permitting them to go from ’em with as little Loss +as could be, after they had taken what they had Occasion for: _But +now_, said they, _you are quite the Reverse, to this poor Man, and for +no other Reason, that we know of, but, as the Gunner said just now, +because we would not yield a greater Power to you alone, then you with +the whole Company have when conjoin’d; that is, that you at any Time, +to gratify your own Humour, shall have Liberty, not only to dispense +with our Laws, but to act against the Sentiments of the whole Company_. + +“_Russel_ answer’d, That he never did oppose the Company before; +neither could he believe any present could charge him with any Cruelty +in cold Blood, ever since he belong’d to the Company; but that he +had a Reason for what he did, or would have done, if he had not been +prevented. Hereupon the Master interrupting him, said, _Capt._ Russel, +_we know of no Reason for your passionate Design, but what we have told +you; and, as you have been told before, it reflects a Revenge against +the Company; but not being able to effect that, you turn it on that +poor Man the Master of the Sloop, and, as it were, in despite of the +Company, because they have decreed him his Sloop again, that he may +provide a Living for his Family, you would barbarously, nay brutishly, +as well as to the Company contemptuously, murder that poor Man, who +has given you no Occasion to induce you to such an Action that we know +of; and if he has given you any sufficient Cause to be so offended at +him, we promise you this Instant, to deliver him up to you, to suffer +Death, or what other Punishment you think fit to inflict on him_. + +“_Russel_ told them, That he had been in the Company almost from the +first, and he challeng’d any one to charge him with Singularity, or +Opposition to the Company, or of Cruelty to any one Prisoner before +that Rascal, as he call’d me, and that therefore they might be assur’d, +he should not have taken up such Resentments against me, if he had not +a sufficient Reason to provoke him to it, which he did not think proper +at that Time to divulge. + +“_Then_, says the Gunner, _neither do we think proper that you shall +take any Man’s Life away in cold Blood, ’till you think fit to acquaint +the Company with the Reasons for it; and I think it was your Place to +satisfy the Company, before you took the Liberty to attempt the Life of +any Man under the Company’s Protection, as I think all Prisoners are: +And, to say the Truth, I do verily believe, you have no other Reasons +to give than those hinted by the Master and me; and therefore, I think +it but Reason, to use such Methods as may prevent your passionate +Design, and secure the Prisoner ’till Morning, and then send him on +Board the Commodore, who, with the Advice of the Majority, may order +the Matter as he thinks best_. + +“This was consented to by all, and so _Russel_, having his Arms taken +from him, was order’d not to offer the least Disturbance again, nor +concern himself with or about me, ’till after I was on Board the +Commodore, on Pain of the Crew’s Displeasure, and also of being +prosecuted as a Mutineer; and the Gunner, Master, Boatswain, _&c._ bid +me not be discourag’d; assuring me, that there should no Harm come to +me while I was on Board of them; and that they would send me away now, +but that there is, said they, an express Order among us, to receive +no Boats on Board after eight at Night, or nine a-Clock at farthest; +but they would put me on Board Capt. _Loe_ in the Morning, where they +were sure I should be protected and secur’d from the revengeful Hand +of Capt. _Russel_; for they said, they were sure that Capt. _Loe_ +had a great Respect for me, and would be a Means to counter-ballance +_Russel_; and they said they would sit up with me all Night for my +greater Security: Which they did, smoaking and drinking and talking, +every one according to his Inclination, and so we pass’d the Time away +’till Day. + +“_Russel_ went to sleep about two a-Clock in the Morning in his Cabbin; +however, the Master, the Gunner, and five or six more, did not go to +Bed all that Night, but would have had me gone to sleep, telling me, I +need not fear, for they would take Care that _Russel_ should not hurt +me. + +“About eight a-Clock in the Morning, I was carry’d on Board Capt. +_Loe_, the Gunner and Steward going with me, who told him all that had +pass’d; and acquainted him, that they still believ’d _Russel_ to be so +implacable against me, that he would murder me in cold Blood before +I got clear of them, if he did not interpose to protect me from his +Violence. Capt. _Loe_ said, He very well knew, and he believ’d so did +they all, what was the Reason that made _Russel_ so inveterate and +implacable to me: He added, That _Russel_ did not do well; and that +I had behav’d myself so inoffensively, that there could be no Reason +to induce the most savage Monster to be such an irreconcilable Enemy +to me; but that ’twas an easy Matter to dive into the Cause of it, to +wit, his being thwarted by the Company in his Humour; and because they +would not break thro’ the Articles which cemented them together, and +which were sign’d and swore to by them all, as the standing Rule of +their Duty, by which only they could decide and settle Controversies +and Differences among themselves; the least Breach of which, would be +a Precedent for the like Infractions, whenever _Russel_, or any other, +thought fit to give Way either to Revenge or Ambition, and that then +all their Counsels would be fluctuating; and Fancy, and not Reason, +would be the Rule of their Conduct; and their Resolutions would be +render’d more unconstant than the Weathercock. He added, That he hoped +the Company would inviolably adhere to their establish’d Laws, which, +he said, were very good; and were they not, yet, as they were made by +the unanimous Consent of the whole Company, so they ought not to be +alter’d without the same unanimous Consent; concluding, that, for his +Part, he would rather chuse to be out of the Company than in it, if +they did not resolve to be determin’d by their Articles. Hereupon they +answer’d, That what he had said was very good, and they were resolv’d +to adhere to his Advice. + +“After this they drank a Dram, and then return’d with their Boat on +Board the Scooner; and Capt. _Loe_ told me, he was sorry for Capt. +_Russel’s_ Disgust against me, because he believ’d it would be a +disadvantage to me; but, however, there was no Remedy but Patience; +assuring me, That _Russel_ should neither kill me, nor abuse my Person, +and I should have my Sloop again, and be discharg’d in as short a while +as possible, that I might be clear of _Russel_, who, he was afraid, +would always continue my Foe. + +“All the Officers and Men likewise spoke very friendly to me, and bid +me not be daunted; so we pass’d the Time away in several Kinds of +Discourse ’till Dinner; after which, _Loe_ order’d a Bowl of Punch to +be made, and said he wish’d I was well clear of them. + +“About four a-Clock in the Afternoon Capt. _Russel_ came on Board, as +did also _Francis Spriggs_, who commanded the other Ship, and after a +little while, says _Russel_ to Capt. _Loe_, _The Mate of the Sloop is +willing to enter with us as a Volunteer_. + +“_Loe_ made Answer, and said, _How must we do in that Case? For then +the Master of the Sloop will have no Body to help him, but one Boy; +for_, says he, _the little Child is no Help at all_. + +“_Russel_ said, _He could not help that. But_, said Loe, _we must not +take all the Hands from the poor Man, if we design to give him his +Sloop again_; adding, _That he thought in Reason there could not be +less than two Boys and the Mate_. + +“_Z--ds_, says _Russel, his Mate is a lusty young brisk Man, and has +been upon the Account before, and told me but even now_ (_for_, said +he, _I was on Board the Sloop but just before I came here, and_ Frank +Spriggs _was along with me, and heard him say_), _That he was fully +resolv’d to go with us, and would not go any more in the Sloop, unless +forced; and when he came out of_ Barbadoes, _he said, his Design was +to enter himself on Board the first Pyrate that he met with; And will +you refuse such a Man, contrary to your Articles, which you all so much +profess to follow; and which enjoin you by all Means, not repugnant to +them, to encrease and fill your Company? Besides_, continued he, _he +spoke to me the first Day, that he was resolv’d to enter with us_. + +“_Loe_ reply’d, That to give the Man his Sloop, and no Hands with him +to assist him, was but putting him to a lingering Death, and they had +as good almost knock him on the Head, as do it. + +“_Russel_ answer’d, As to that, they might do as they pleas’d; what he +spoke now was for the Good of the whole Company, and agreeable to the +Articles, and he would fain see or hear that Man that should oppose him +in it. He said, He was Quarter-Master of the whole Company, and, by the +Authority of his Place, he would enter the Mate directly, and had a +Pistol ready for the Man that should oppose him in it. + +“_Loe_ said, As for what was the Law and Custom among them (as what he +now pleaded, was) he would neither oppose, nor argue against; but, if +they thought fit to take the Man’s Mate from him, then they might let +him have one of his own Men with him. + +“_Russel_ said, No; for all the Sloop’s Men were already enroll’d +in their Books, and therefore none of them should go in her again. +_Gentlemen_, continu’d he, _you must consider I am now arguing, as well +for the Good of the Company, as for the due Maintenance and Execution +of the Laws and Articles; and as I am the proper Officer substituted +and intrusted by this Company with Authority to execute the same, so_ +(_as I told you before_) _I have a Pistol and a Brace of Balls ready +for any one, who dare oppose me herein_; and turning to me, said, +_Master, the Company has decreed you your Sloop, and you shall have +her; you shall have your two Boys, and that is all: You shall have +neither Provisions, nor any Thing else, more than as she now is. And, +I hear, there are some of the Company design to make a Gathering for +you; but that also I forbid, by the Authority of my Place, because +we are not certain but we may have Occasion ourselves for those very +Things before we get more; and for that Reason I prohibit a Gathering; +and I swear by all that is Great and Good, that if I know any Thing +whatsoever carry’d, or left on Board the Sloop against my Order, or +without my Knowledge, that very Instant I will set her on Fire, and you +in her._ + +“Upon which I said, that since it was their Pleasure to order it +thus, I begged that they would not put me on Board the Sloop in such +a Condition; but rather begg’d, if they so pleas’d, to do what they +would with the Sloop, and put me, and my two Boys, ashore on one of the +Islands. + +“_Russel_ said, No; for they were to Leeward of all the Islands, and +should hardly come near any of them this Season again. + +“I said, I should rather be put ashore any where else, either on the +Coast of _Guinea_, or on whatever Coast they came at first, than be put +as a Victim on Board the Sloop; where I should have no Possibility of +any Thing but perishing, except by an extraordinary Miracle. + +“He told me, My Fate was already decreed by the Company, and he, +by his Place, was to see all their Orders put in Execution; and he +would accordingly see me safely put on Board the Sloop, in the exact +Condition as he had but now mention’d. + +“I was going to make him a Reply, but casting my Eye on Capt. _Loe_, he +wink’d at me to be silent; and taking a Bumper, drank Success to their +Proceedings. The Health went round, and _Loe_ order’d the great Bowl +to be fill’d with Punch, and Bottles of Wine to be set on the Table in +the Cabbin, to which we all resorted, and spent the remaining Part of +the Evening in Discourses on different Subjects: Only _Frank Spriggs_ +offer’d to perswade me to accept of what was first offer’d me, which +_Russel_ swore I should not now have, I having not once, but several +Times already refus’d it. Capt. _Loe_ not being then willing to have +any more of that Kind of Discourse, broke it off by singing a Song, and +enjoining every one present to do the same, except me, whom he said he +would excuse ’till Times grew better with me: And thus they diverted +themselves, and pass’d the Evening away ’till towards eight a-Clock, +and then every one repair’d on Board their respective Ships; and, +after they were gone, _Loe_ and I, and two or three of his Confidents, +smoak’d a Pipe, and drank a Bottle or two of Wine; in which Time he +told me, He was very sorry that _Jack Russel_ was so set against me. I +said, So was I, and wonder’d what should be the Reason of it, having +given him no Cause, unless by drinking that Health the preceding Night: +I said, I had imputed to Liquor, the Fury he was then in, and was in +Hopes, that after that had work’d off, his Resentments also would have +cooled, and was not a little concern’d to find it otherwise. _Loe_ +said, The Health was not the Cause, but rather the Effect of his Anger, +and a meer Pretence to cloak his Resentment for other Disappointments: +Adding, That I did right to take his Hint given me by winking, to +answer no more; _For_, says he, _I knew that every Thing which you +could speak to him, would be taken Edge-ways; and the more you said +to excuse yourself, the more it would add Fuel to his Anger, which he +turn’d against you who could not resist him, because he could not have +his Will of us; but we will endeavour to draw him off by Degrees; and +for that Reason will not discharge you, but I will keep you on Board +with me, where he shall not hurt nor abuse you, except with his Tongue, +which you must bear, ’till we see if we can alter his Temper, so as to +deal with you a little more favourable than at present he designs_. + +“I thank’d him, and all of them present, for their Favours and +Good-will, and it being near Midnight, we parted, and every one retired +to his Rest, and I to my Hammock; and being pretty much fatigued the +Night before, as well as the preceding Day, soon fell asleep; and +about Day-dawning, I got up, and came upon Deck, and walking upon the +Quarter Deck very solitary, one of the three Men, mention’d before, +pass’d by me, and ask’d me how I did, and said he was very sorry for +the Unkindness already shew’d me, and like to be shew’d; but it was +what they expected, as they had before hinted to me, and that still +there was like to be a tough Struggle about me: That _Russel_ did +design to be very barbarous to me, and that _Loe_, and a great Part of +the Company, intended to oppose him in it; that there were a great many +who were _Russel’s_ Gang or Clan, and design’d to stand by him in it, +and had threaten’d, that if there were much Disturbance about it, they +would shoot me, and so put an End to the Controversy: That there were +some, on the other Hand, that threaten’d hard if they did, to revenge +my Death by some of theirs; so that it was likely to be an untoward +Touch, and he wish’d it might not prove to my Disadvantage in the +End; but would have me still to keep a good Heart, and trust in God, +and hope for the best, and by no means to speak one Word, or concern +myself either Way, but patiently wait the Issue, which he hoped would +be better for me than some of them intended; and so heartily wishing me +well, walk’d his Way. + +“Now you must believe these Accounts were not a little shocking to me; +but I had no Friend that I could really rely on, but God, to whom I +made my Petitions, and whose Assistance I humbly besought, to extricate +me, in his own good Time, out of these Difficulties and Snares which +were laid for me on every Side, and, in the mean Time, patiently so to +bear them, as not to murmur and repine at his fatherly Chastisements, +nor, by their Extremity, through Desperation, wound my Conscience; but +that in all Things I might, through the Guidance of the holy Spirit, be +directed so as to submit myself entirely to his Will, who infinitely +knew what was better for me than I knew myself. + +“After some Time pass’d, Capt. _Loe_ came upon Deck, who ask’d me how I +had rested the preceding Night? I told him, Very well, considering my +present Case; but, next under God, had grounded my Hopes upon him, to +rid me of my present Fears, by dispatching me away as soon as possible +he could with Conveniency. He told me, He would do every Thing in his +Power to further my Desires, and hoped that what he had already done on +my Account, would sufficiently convince me of his Desire to serve me; +but that Things hitherto had fallen out very unluckily and cross, as I +myself was able to judge by what was already pass’d. + +“I told him, I had very good Reasons to return him my hearty Thanks, +and own’d myself bound to him in the strictest Ties of Gratitude; and +that if it ever should be in my Power to serve him, I would not content +myself with bare Acknowledgments of his Favour. + +“He said, His Will was at present more extensive than his Power; but +that he still hoped to prevail with _Russel_, and those who were of his +Side, to be more compassionate to me before I parted with them, than at +present they seem’d to intend, and as soon as he had brought them to +a better Temper, he then would procure my Discharge; but if _Russel_ +still continu’d inexorable, which he should be very sorry for, then you +must endeavour, says he, to keep up a good Heart, and patiently wait +’till Providence brings you out of your present Calamities, which I +hope he will. + +“I thank’d him, and told him, I would endeavour to follow his Advice, +tho’, I said, ’twas with some Impatience that I waited to have my Doom +determin’d in a Discharge from them. He bid me be easy, it should be +shortly. + +“By this Time there were several join’d with us, so we broke off that +Discourse, and fell into other Talk. + +“About two or three a-Clock in the Afternoon, Capt. _Russel_, Capt. +_Spriggs_, and some of their Officers, came on Board, and held +a Consultation, which I was not allow’d to be a Hearer of; but +understood afterwards, ’twas chiefly about their own Affairs, in +Relation to the further Prosecution of their intended Voyage; and by +the little mention that was made of me, it appear’d, that _Russel_ +continu’d still inflexible, bitterly swearing, that he would, if he had +a thousand Lives, lose them all, rather than miscarry in this his fix’d +Resolution. + +“In this difficult Situation I stood, not daring to speak freely +for fear of offending, nor be silent, lest I should be thought +contemptuous; not knowing how to avoid their Resentments, and every +Resentment menacing, and often bringing Death. And thus I tediously, +as well as dangerously, pass’d my Time among them, until it pleas’d +God to put it into their Hearts to discharge me; tho’, if seriously +weigh’d, this my Discharge seem’d like sentencing me to a lingering +and miserable Death; yet I must needs confess, considering the whole +Matter, that I was in a Manner miraculously befriended and supported, +even in spite of Malice, Rage, and Revenge, for which I shall always +pay my humble Acknowledgements to the Divine Providence. + +“After several Efforts made by Capt. _Loe_, and others, and abundance +of Arguments used to bring _Russel_ to better Temper relating to me; +and finding it all to no Purpose, and that some of his Clan had bound +themselves by Oath to stand by him, even to my Destruction, if the +Dispute continu’d much longer; Capt. _Loe_, and Capt. _Spriggs_, and +others, who were my Friends, resolv’d on sending me away as soon as +possible; and for that Purpose _Loe_, the 10th Day after I was taken, +made a Signal for a general Consultation on Board of him; and as soon +as the Officers and leading Men of the other two Ships, were assembled, +he made a Speech to them, to let them know the Reason of his calling +them to a Consultation, telling them, _That he thought it was Time to +discharge me, as they had before agreed, as also to prosecute their +intended Voyage, they having lain a long Time driving; and that, +altogether out of their Way, by Reason they could not expect, either +here, or in this Drift, to meet with any Ships_. + +“To this they all agreeing, Capt. _Loe_ told them, _He thought it would +be best to discharge me first, for several Reasons, among which, my +being cumbersome to them, as well as unserviceable, they being forc’d +to sail the Sloop themselves; besides, he said it was not proper that I +should be made acquainted with the Design of their Voyage_. + +“They ask’d, _Why he did not turn me away?_ Saying, _They did not know +for what Reason I had been kept so long, the Company having settled +that Matter so long since_. + +“Capt. _Loe_ said, _Gentlemen, you all know what Arguments we have had +already about this Matter, and how Capt._ Russel, _and some more, were +angry with the Master of the Sloop, and, I verily believe, without any +Cause by him given to any of you designedly; and therefore, I hope you +have consider’d better of it since, and laid aside your Resentments +against the poor Man; neither_, said he, _let us do any Thing now in +Passion, for I do not design (nor would I, if I could) to inforce any +of you to comply to any Thing against your Will; nor would I have +you think, Gentlemen, that I shall ever shew so much Respect to any +Prisoner, as, on his Account, to cause a Difference or Wrangling among +our selves; but yet, Gentlemen, give me Leave to say, That tho’ we +are Pirates, yet we are Men, and tho’ we are deem’d by some People +dishonest, yet let us not wholly divest ourselves of Humanity, and +make ourselves more Savage than Brutes. If we send this poor Man away +from us, without Provisions or Hands to assist him, Pray what greater +Cruelty can there be? I think the more lingering any Death is made, the +more barbarous ’tis accounted by all Men; and therefore, Gentlemen, I +leave it to your own Consideration._ + +“To this, _Russel_ made answer, _That he, in the Company’s Name, had +made the Master of the Sloop very good and generous Offers, in the +Hearing of all the Company; but that I had, in his Opinion, after a +very slighting Manner, refus’d them: That ’twas my Choice to be sent +thus on Board the Sloop, rather than the Compulsion of the Company; +and that, notwithstanding he told me what I must trust to by insisting +on the Sloop, and how favourable they were design’d to be to me, if +I would have but a little Patience ’till they could provide for me, +yet that I had refus’d their Favours, notwithstanding the Pains he +took to perswade me_; adding an egregious Falshood, (but I durst not +tell him so) _That I had petition’d and begg’d of the Company, rather +to be put in the Sloop in the Condition he now propos’d for me, and +that therefore, according to my Desire, it should be so; and he hoped +it could never be reckon’d Cruelty in them to give a Person his free +Choice. And, Gentlemen_, says he, _we have had a great many more Words +about this Matter already, than ever we had in the like Case before; +but I hope you all have so much Value and Respect for one another, and +for the general Peace, as that we shall have no more Debate on this +Head, but determine at once the Time when he is to be discharg’d, the +Manner of it being already settled by the major Part, and I as your +Quarter-master, as my Office requires, will see it executed, and, +perhaps, in a more favourable Manner than at first I design’d, or he +really deserves at mine or your Hands either; but let that rest there_. + +“Then Capt. _Loe_ said, _Mr._ Russel _hath spoke to you, Gentlemen, his +Sentiments, which, in the main, are reasonable and true, and I am glad +he is reconcil’d to the Master of the Sloop before their parting; and, +I cannot say, but I always believ’d_ Jack Russel _to be a Man of so +much Sense, as well as Good-nature, that he would scorn to take Revenge +on one whose Condition render’d him uncapable of helping himself. And I +think, Gentlemen, we may discharge him as soon as you please, and this +Afternoon, if you are all agreed to it._ They all said _Ay_. Upon which +_Russel_ told them, it should be done that Afternoon; telling _Loe_, +_That after Dinner he would take me on Board the Scooner with him, and, +from thence, send me on Board the Sloop, and see what could be done for +me_. + +“Some of _Loe’s_ Company said, _They would look out some Things, and +give me along with me when I was going away_; but _Russel_ told them, +_they should not, for he would toss them all into_ Davy Jones’s Locker +_if they did; for I was the Scooner’s Prize, and she had all my Cargo +and Plunder on Board of her, and therefore what was given to me should +be given to me out of her_: And turning to me said, _Well, Master, I +will this Evening put you on Board your own Sloop, and will be a better +Friend to you, perhaps, than them that pretended a great deal more; +but I am above being led by Passion_, &c. They all din’d on Board of +_Loe_, who, after Dinner, order’d a Bowl of Punch to be made in the +great Silver Bowl, and set a Dozen of Claret on the Table, and that +they said was for me to take my Leave of them, and part Sailor-like. +I thank’d them; so they drank round to my good Success, and then to +their own fortunate Proceedings and good Success; and _Loe_ told me, +_He wish’d me very well, and hoped to meet with me again, at some Time +when they had a good Prize of rich Goods, and he would not fail to make +me a Retaliation with good Advantage for my present Loss_. And they all +present said, _I need not fear meeting with a Friend, whenever I met +with them again_. + +“About duskish, they began to prepare to go on Board their Ships, and +I took my Leave of Capt. _Loe_, and all his Ship’s Company, and in +particular of the three Men, who, I believe, were my hearty Friends, +and return’d them all Thanks for their Kindness, as well as good +Humour, shew’d to me since my first coming on Board of them. I also +took my Leave of Capt. _Spriggs_, and those of his Company who were +present, wish’d me well, but not one of them, I believe, dar’d to give +me any Lumber with me, nor durst I have accepted of it had they offer’d +it, for Fear of angering my but newly and seemingly reconcil’d Enemy, +who, in all Likelihood, would have taken from me whatever they would +have given me: And for that Reason I believe it was, that none of them +offer’d to give me a Farthing, notwithstanding all their Professions of +Kindness to me; tho’ this Generosity is very usual with them, to People +that they profess much less Favour for, than they did to me. + +“_Russel_ being ready, I was order’d to go in his Boat, which I did; +and, as soon as we were come on Board the Scooner, he order’d a Supper +to be got ready, and, in the mean Time, there was a Bowl of Punch made, +and some Wine set on the Table. _Russel_ invited me down into the +Cabbin, as also all his Officers, and we drank and smoak’d ’till Supper +was brought, and then he told me I was very welcome, and bid me eat +and drink heartily; _For_, he said, _I had as tedious a Voyage to go +through, as_ Elijah’s _forty Days Journey was to Mount_ Horeb, _and, as +far as he knew, without a Miracle, it must only be by the Strength of +what I eat now; for I should have neither Eatables nor Drinkables with +me in the Sloop_. + +“I told him, _I hoped not so_: He rapt out a great Oath, _That I should +find it certainly true_. I told him, _That rather than be put on Board +the Sloop, in that Manner, where there was no Possibility to escape +perishing, without a Miracle, I would submit to tarry on Board, ’till +an Opportunity offer’d to put me ashore where they pleas’d; or would +yield to any Thing else they should think fit to do with me, excepting +to enter into their Service_. + +“He said, _It was once in my Power to have been my own Friend; but my +slighting their proffer’d Favours, and my own chusing what I now must +certainly accept, had render’d me uncapable of any other Choice; and +that therefore all Apologies were but in vain; and he thought he shew’d +himself more my Friend than I could well expect, or than I had deserv’d +at his Hands, having caused him to have a great deal of Difference with +the Company more than ever he had in his Life before, or ever should +have again, he hoped_. + +“I told him, _I was very sorry that I was so unfortunate as to be the +unhappy Occasion of it; but could from my Heart aver, that it was not +only undesign’d, but also sorely against my Inclinations_; and begg’d +of him, and all the Gentlemen then present, _to consider me as an +Object rather of their Pity, than of their Revenge_. + +“He told me, _All my Arguments and Perswasions now were in vain, it +being too late: I had not only refus’d their Commiseration when I was +offer’d it, but ungratefully despis’d it: Therefore_, says he, _as +I told you before, it’s in vain for you to plead any more: Your Lot +is cast, and you have nothing now to do, but to go through with your +Chance as well as you can, and fill your Belly with good Victuals and +good Drink, to strengthen you to hold it as long as you can: It may +be, and is very probable to be, the last Meal that ever you may eat in +this World: However, perhaps, such a Conscientious Man as you would +fain seem, or it may be are, may have a supernatural, or, at least, a +natural Means wrought by a supernatural Power, in a miraculous Manner, +to deliver you. However, I cannot say but I pity the two Boys, and have +a great Mind to take them on Board, and let the miraculous Deliverance +be wrought on you alone_. + +“The Master and Gunner said, _They heard the Boys say, they were +willing to take their Chance with their Master, let it be what it +would. Nay, then_, says _Russel_, _it’s fit they should. I suppose +their Master has made them as religious and as conscientious as +himself. However, Master_, says _Russel_, (speaking to me) _I would +have you eat and drink heartily, and talk no more about changing your +allotted Chance; because, as I told you before, it is all in vain; +besides, it may be a Means of Provocation to serve you worse_. + +“_Gentlemen_, says I, _I have done: I will say no more; you can do no +more than God is pleas’d to permit you; and I own, for that Reason, I +ought to take it patiently_. + +“_Well, well_, says _Russel_, _if it be done by God’s Permission, you +need not fear that he will permit any Thing hurtful to befall so good a +Man as you are_. + +“About ten a-Clock at Night, he order’d to call the Sloop’s Boat, which +was brought by some of the Pirates of his own Clan, who were station’d +on Board of her, and ask’d them, _If they had done as he had order’d +them_, viz. _to clear the Sloop of every Thing_? And they said _Yes_, +raping out a great Oath or two, adding, _She had nothing on Board +except Ballast and Water. Z--ds_, said _Russel_, _did not I bid you +have all the Casks that had Water in them on Board? So we did_, said +they; _but the Water that we spoke of was Salt-water, leak’d in by the +Vessel, and is now above the Ballast; for we have not pump’d her we do +not know when_. + +“Said _Russel_, _Have you brought away the Sails I told you of?_ They +said, _All but the Mainsail that was bent, for the other old Mainsail +that he had order’d to be left, was good for nothing but to cut up for +Parceling, and hardly for that, it was so rotten; besides, it was so +torn, that it could not be brought too, and was past mending, and for +that Reason they let it lie, and would not unbend the other Mainsail_. + +“_Z--ds_, says _Russel_, _we must have it, for I want it to make us a +Mainsail. D--n it_, said the Men, _then you must turn the Man adrift in +the Sloop without a Mainsail_. + +“_Pish_, said _Russel_, _the same miraculous Power that is to bring him +Provisions, can also bring him a Sail_. + +“_What a Devil, is he a Conjurer?_ said one of them. + +“_No, no_, says _Russel_, _but he expects Miracles to be wrought for +him, or he never would have chosen what he hath_. + +“_Nay, nay_, said they, _if he be such a one, he will do well enough; +but I doubt_, says one of them, _he will fall short of his Expectation; +for if he be such a mighty Conjurer, how the Devil was it that he did +not conjure himself clear of us?_ + +“_Pish_, said another, _it may be his conjuring Books were shut up. Ay, +but_, said another, _now we have hove all his Conjuration Books over +Board, I doubt he will be hard put to it to find them again_. + +“_Come, come_, says the Gunner, _Gentlemen, the poor Man is like to go +through Hardship enough, and very probably may perish; yet it is not +impossible but he may meet with some Ship, or other timely Succour, +to prevent his perishing, and I heartily wish he may; but however, +you ought not to add Affliction to the Afflicted; You have sentenc’d +him to a very dangerous Chance, which I think is sufficient to stop +your Mouths from making a Droll and Game of him. I would have you +consider_, added he, _if any of you were at_ Tyburn, _or any other +Place to be executed, as many better and stouter Men than some of you, +have been, and the Spectators, or_ Jack Catch _should make a Droll and +May-game of you, you would think them a very hard-hearted, as well as +an inconsiderate Sort of People: And pray, Gentlemen, consider the +Sentence which you are now going to execute on this poor Man, will +be as bad, or rather worse, than one of our Cases would be there; +because, unless Providence stand his Friend in an extraordinary Manner, +his Death must as certainly ensue or be the Consequence of this your +Sentence, as it would there be to any of us by the Sentence of a Judge, +and so much the more miserable, by how much it is more lingering_. + +“_Damn it_, said _Russel_, _we have had enough, and too much of this +already_. + +“_Ay_, said the Gunner, _and take Care_, Russel, _you have not this +to answer for one Day, when perhaps you will then, but too late, wish +you had never done it. But you have got the Company’s Assent in this, +I cannot tell how, and therefore I shall say no more, only that I, +as I believe most of the Company, came here to get Money, but not to +kill, except in Fight, and not in cold Blood, or for private Revenge. +And I tell you_, John Russel, _if ever such Cases as these be any more +practis’d, my Endeavour shall be to leave this Company as soon as I +possibly can_. + +“To which _Russel_ said nothing in Answer; but bid the Men that came on +Board in the Boat, to leave the Sloop’s Boat on Board the Scooner, and +take the Scooner’s Boat with them on Board the Sloop; and, as soon as +they saw the Lights upon Deck on Board the Scooner, to come away from +the Sloop with the Scooner’s Boat, and bring the Master of the Sloop’s +biggest Boy with them; and to take their Hands out of the Sloop’s +Boat, and put the Master’s Boy on Board of the Sloop’s Boat with his +Master, and let them go on Board themselves with their Boat, and to be +sure to bring the Sloop’s Mainsail with them, and also the Mate of the +Sloop. All which they said they would do; so away they went; and then +_Russel_ told me, _He would give me something with me to remember him_; +which was an old Musket, and a Cartridge of Powder, but for what Reason +he made me that Present, I cannot tell; and then order’d the Candles +to be lighted in the Lanthorns and carry’d upon Deck, and order’d two +Hands to step into the Sloop’s Boat to carry me away, and to execute +his former Orders; and then shaking Hands with me, he wish’d me a good +Voyage. I told him I hoped I should. The Gunner, Master, and several +of the Crew, shook Hands with me also, and heartily wish’d me Success, +and hoped I should meet with a speedy and safe Deliverance. I thank’d +them for their good Wishes; and told them I was now forc’d into a +Necessity of going through it, whether I would or not; but thank’d God +I was very easy at present, not doubting in God’s Mercy to me, tho’ I +was not deserving of it: And that if I was permitted to perish, I knew +the worst; and doubted not but he would graciously pardon my Sins, and +receive me to his Everlasting Rest; and, in this Respect, what they had +intended for my Misfortune, would be the Beginning of my Happiness; +and that in the mean Time, I had nothing to do but to resign myself to +his blessed Will and Protection, and bear my Lot with Patience. And so +bidding them farewell, I went over the Side into the Boat, which was +directly put off; and about half Way between the Scooner and Sloop, we +met the Scooner’s Boat, and, according to their Orders from _Russel_, +they put my Boy on Board of me, and so put away again to get on Board +their own Vessel. + +“After their Boat put away from us, I thought I heard the Voice of my +Mate, but was not certain, because he spoke so low, his Conscience +checking him, I suppose, for his leaving me so basely. I call’d to +him, and said Arthur, _what are you going to leave me?_ He answer’d, +_Ay_. _What_, said I, _do you do it voluntary, or are you forc’d?_ He +answer’d faintly, _I am forc’d, I think_. I said, _It was very well_. +He call’d to me again, and said, _He would desire me to write to his +Brother, and give him an Account where he was, if ever I should have +an Opportunity_. I told him, _I did not know where his Brother liv’d_. +He called and said, _He liv’d in_ Carlingford. I told him, _I did not +know where that was_. He said, _It was in_ Ireland. _Why_, said I, _you +told me in_ Barbadoes that you was a Scotchman, _and that all your +Friends liv’d in_ Scotland. But he made me no further Answer; but away +they row’d towards their Vessel, and I towards the Sloop, and it being +a very dark, as well as a close Night, it was as much as ever I could +do to see her; this being the last Time that I spoke to, or saw any of +them, nor do I ever more desire to see them, except at some Place of +Execution.” + + +FOOTNOTES + +[109] _The Four Voyages of Capt. George Roberts ... written by +Himself_, London, 1726. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE BRUTAL CAREER AND MISERABLE END OF NED LOW + + +The day after parting with Captain Roberts the pirate fleet put to sea +bound for the coast of Brazil hoping for some rich Portuguese prizes. +They made land on the northern part of the coast, meanwhile sighting +only one sail, a ship they could not come up with, and fell in with +much dangerous shoal water. The trade-winds were very strong just at +that time and the pirate vessels narrowly escaped foundering. Good +fortune not seeming to lie in that direction, Captain Low bore away for +the West Indies and soon reached the Triangles, three islands lying off +the mainland about forty leagues eastward of Surinam, where they went +in to careen the vessels in order to remove the foul growth that had +accumulated during the passage up from the equator. They began with +the pink and ill fortune continued, for Low ordered too many men into +the shrouds and yards so that the vessel heeled over too far and the +water came rapidly into the ports, which had been left open, so that +she soon overset. Low was in the cabin at the time and barely escaped +by climbing out at one of the stern ports. Where the pink turned turtle +there was about six fathoms of water, just enough for the masts to +strike into the mud and keep the hull above water, so that the men +could hold on until picked up by the boats. Nevertheless two men were +drowned. + +Having found it impossible to right the pink, Low went to sea in the +schooner and for lack of water, which could not be obtained at the +Triangles, they soon were in bad shape. For sixteen days only half a +pint of water a day was allowed each man. They tried to reach Tobago +but the winds were light and the current strong and at last they stood +away for the French island of Grand Grenada. When the port officers +came on board they saw only men enough to man the ship. The rest were +hidden below. Low told the Frenchmen that he was from Barbadoes and +that his water casks had sprung aleak so he was obliged to put in for +a supply. The story was swallowed and Low was permitted to send men +ashore but after a time the Frenchmen became suspicious and the next +day fitted out a large Rhode Island-built sloop and with thirty men +aboard they sailed out into the harbor and had nearly come alongside +the schooner before Low understood their intention. He at once called +up his men on deck, some ninety in all, and with his eight guns to the +Frenchman’s four, the sloop soon fell an easy prey. + +Low now took over the sloop and gave the command of the schooner to +Francis Farrington Spriggs, who had been his quartermaster, and they +cruised together for some time, capturing seven or eight sloops and +a rich Portuguese ship called “Nostra Signiora de Victoria.” Low +tortured several of her men to compel them to disclose where the money +was concealed on board and soon learned that during the chase of the +ship the Portuguese captain had hung out of a cabin window, a canvas +bag containing about eleven thousand gold moidores, the equivalent +of nearly fifteen thousand English pounds, and when the ship was +captured the captain cut the rope and let the bag drop into the sea. +Low raved like a fury when he discovered what he had lost and ordered +the unfortunate captain to be tied to the mast, when he slashed off the +poor man’s lips with his cutlass and had them broiled before the galley +fire and then compelled the Portuguese mate to eat them while hot from +the fire. Captain and crew were then murdered, thirty-two persons in +all. + +Among the vessels captured about this time was the snow “Unity” from +New York bound for Curacao, Robert Leonard, master, which was taken +within sight of her destination. A man on board, who once belonged to a +man-of-war, they whipped unmercifully and two of the crew were forced, +viz.: Richard Owen and Frederick Van der Scure, both living in New +York. The snow was taken on Jan. 25, 1723. Low also captured a snow +bound from London for Jamaica, part of the cargo being wines shipped +at Madeira, of which a generous stock was taken on board the sloop and +the schooner.[110] Other captures were Captain Craig, in a sloop from +the Bay of Honduras bound for New York, whom Low afterwards released so +that he reached New York on April 27th. Captain Simpkins of New York on +a sloop bound for Curacao, was taken in sight of the island and shortly +released. The pink “Stanhope,” Andrew Delbridge, master, for Boston +from Jamaica, was less fortunate and was burnt because of Low’s hatred +for New England men. + +After a time Low came to anchor off the island of Santa Cruz and while +laying there took it into his head that he wanted a new doctor’s chest. +Shortly before he had captured two French sloops which were then at +anchor near him. So putting four Frenchmen in one of the sloops and +handing them some money, he ordered them to make all haste to buy a +doctor’s chest at St. Thomas, about twelve leagues distant, swearing +that if they didn’t bring back the chest the other sloop should be +burnt and the rest of the Frenchmen killed. To his great amusement +within twenty-four hours they returned with the chest and according to +promise the sloops and Frenchmen were then allowed to go. + +From Santa Cruz, Low sailed for Curacao, meeting on the passage two +sloops which outsailed him and got away. He then ranged the coast of +New Spain and in the Gulf of Darien, about half-way between Carthagena +and Porto Bello, sighted two ships which afterwards turned out to be +the “Mermaid,” British man-of-war, and a large Guinea-man. Low was +in the Rhode Island sloop that he had taken at Grand Grenada and +Spriggs was in command of the Marblehead schooner “Fancy,” captured +at Port Roseway the previous year. With them was the snow “Unity,” +Captain Leonard, late commander, a recent capture. For some time Low +made sail after the two ships until he came so near that he discovered +his mistake and then there was nothing for him to do but to turn tail +and run. The man-of-war of course gave chase and slowly overhauled +Low’s fleet which was rapidly making towards the shoal water near the +coast. Deciding to rid himself of the snow, the more unreliable of the +forced men were put aboard and she was abandoned and Low and Spriggs +took separate courses. As the sloop was the larger and carried more +men, the “Mermaid” stood after her and was within gun-shot when she +ran aground on a shoal. This happened because one of the men with Low +knew of this uncharted shoal and telling him what course to steer the +whole company thereby escaped hanging.[111] Spriggs, meanwhile, got +safely into Pickaroon Bay, about eighteen leagues from Carthagena, and +afterwards made sail for the Bay of Honduras and came to anchor near a +small island called Utilla, about seven or eight leagues from the large +island of Roatan and here the schooner was hove down and cleaned. + +Five weeks had passed since Spriggs parted from Low and the day that he +was ready to sail out of Utilla a large sloop was discovered bearing +down on them. At first sight Spriggs thought her to be a Spanish +privateer full of men and being much weaker in both guns and men +he made sail and tried to get away. Low, who was in the sloop, had +recognized the schooner at once and when she tried to escape imagined +that she had been captured from Spriggs, so he fired a shot that struck +the schooner in the bow. Spriggs, still failing to recognize the sloop, +continued on his course and Low then hoisted his pirate colors and +discovered who he was, to the uproarious joy of them all. The next day +the two vessels went into Roatan harbor where Low careened and cleaned +the bottom of the sloop, the crews meanwhile living on shore in booths +which they built for shelter. There was much drinking and carousing. +By Saturday, the 9th of March, all was in readiness for another foray +and the long-boat brought off the last of the casks from the watering +place. It was here that Philip Ashton, a Marblehead fisherman who had +been forced at Port Roseway, the previous year, made his escape into +the forest growth, where he lived a solitary existence for nine months, +as will be told in another chapter. + +By the Boston newspapers of May, 1723, it appears that Low and +Spriggs were not the only pirates ranging the Bay of Honduras at +that time. On the 10th of March, 1723, quite a fleet of New England +vessels were there busily engaged in loading logwood. Three sloops +hailing from Newport, Rhode Island, commanded by Captains Benjamin +Norton, John Madbury and Jeremiah Clark, were nearly ready to sail. +In addition there was a Boston sloop commanded by Capt. Edward Lyde, +and a brigantine from the same port; a ship and a snow; and two +or three other sloops that hailed from New York, one commanded by +Captain Spafforth and another by Captain Craig. That morning a Spanish +privateer of six guns and about sixty men came upon the small fleet +that lay there at anchor. One of the Boston captains, Lyde, immediately +cut his cables and made sail and although chased by the privateer +succeeded in getting away safely. He lacked fresh water for the +homeward passage, however, and so stood in for a small creek farther up +the coast and while there learned from some Bay men that the Spaniard +had taken all the other vessels. But this victory was short-lived for +only four hours later Captains Low and Spriggs came sailing in to the +anchorage flying Spanish colors which were hauled down as they came +near the privateer and the black flag hoisted. Low fired a broadside +and boarded at once. The Spaniards were greatly outnumbered and made +no resistance, so Low’s men fell to plundering the vessel, soon finding +the New England captains confined in the hold. When Low learned of the +captures made by the Spaniards it was decided after a short discussion +to kill the entire company, so they fell to with their cutlasses, +pollaxes and pistols and soon wiped out nearly all of them. Some who +jumped overboard were knocked in the head by men who manned the canoe +belonging to the sloop. Seven of the younger and more active men did +succeed in reaching the shore and escaped into the forest growth in +more or less wounded condition. In one account of this affair it is +related that while Low’s men were on shore carousing, one of the +unfortunate Spaniards who reached shore, in his extremity came crawling +out to them begging for God’s sake they would give him quarter. One of +the crew took hold of him and said, “G-- d-- you, I will give you good +quarters presently,” and forcing the unfortunate Spaniard to his knees, +pushed the muzzle of his fusil into his mouth and fired down his throat. + +[Illustration: ONE OF LOW’S CREW KILLING A WOUNDED SPANIARD + +From an engraving in Johnson’s “Historie der Engelsche Zee-roovers,” +Amsterdam, 1725, in the Harvard College Library] + +The captains who had been confined in the hold of the privateer Low +ordered released and restored to their vessels, but made them solemnly +promise not to steer for Jamaica for fear that a man-of-war should +learn of his whereabouts. He threatened them with instant death in case +they met again, should they violate their promise. The carpenter of the +snow he forced and after burning the privateer sloop, the pirate sailed +boisterously away steering for the Leeward Islands. + +Three months later a sloop arrived at Perth Amboy, New Jersey, with the +following account of Low’s adventures on this cruise:-- + + “Perth-Amboy, June 6, 1723. The Sloop _William_, William + Fraser, Master, arrived here from Jamaica. They sailed the + last day of April in company with a Snow bound for Liverpool, + whose Commander’s name was Sandison; also 3 Ships, viz. Capt. + Willing, Capt. Burlington, and Capt. Eastwick, and a Scooner, + all belonging to New England, and a Sloop, Capt. Ellicot, for + Hampton in Virginia. In sailing round the West end of Cuba, + off of Cape San Antonia, the aforesaid Vessels were taken by + Pyrates and only Fraser escaped by running close under the Land + and coming to an Anchor within the breakers, then weighing + and standing to the Southward past them in the Night and so + got clear of them. But entering the Gulf the Pyrates waiting + there for them, took them and Plundered them. They cut and + whiped some and others they burnt with Matches between their + Fingers to the bone to make them confess where their Money was. + They took to the value of a Thousand Pistoles from Passengers + and others. They them let them go. But coming on the Coast + off of the Capes of Virginia, they were again chased by the + same Pyrates who first took them. They did not trouble them + again but wished them well Home. They saw at the same time his + Consort, a Sloop of eight Guns, with a Ship and a Sloop which + were supposed to be his Prizes. They are commanded by one + Edward Low. The Pyrates gave us an account of his taking the + Bay of Hondoras from the Spaniards, which had surprized the + English, and taking them and putting all the Spaniards to the + Sword Excepting two Boys; as also burning the _King George_ and + a Snow belonging to New York, and sunk one of the New England + Ships, and cut off one of the Masters Ears and slit his Nose; + all this they confessed themselves. They are now supposed to be + cruising off of Sandy Hook or thereabouts.”--_American Weekly + Mercury_, June 13, 1723. + +On the 27th of May, 1723, Captain Low appeared off the coast of South +Carolina in the sloop “Fortune.” Capt. Charles Harris was then in +command of the sloop “Ranger” lately commanded by Spriggs. Nothing has +been learned of the whereabouts of Harris during the preceding five +months. No mention of him is made in any account of Low’s doings until +he reached the Carolina coast in May. There these two commanders, after +a long chase, took three ships, the “Crown,” Captain Lovering, the +“King William,” and the “Carteret,” and a brigantine that came out of +port only two days before. A few days before they had taken the ship +“Amsterdam Merchant,” Capt. John Welland [Williard?] from Jamaica, +but owned in New England. As Low seldom allowed a New Englander to go +free without carrying away some mark of his hatred, Captain Welland in +consequence, lost one of his ears, had his nose slit up and was cut in +several places about his body. After the ship was plundered it was sunk +and the next day Captain Estwick of Piscataqua was taken, plundered and +set free and in his ship Captain Welland and his crew later reached +Portsmouth, N. H.[112] + +Early in June, Low overhauled the sloop “Hopefull Betty,” Captain +Greenman, off the Capes of the Delaware and took away all his water +and his sails and sheet anchor. The captain was badly cut about his +body but was able to reach Philadelphia ten days later. He brought the +news of the capture of Captain Pitman in a pink bound from Virginia +to London and said that the pirates claimed they had recently taken +sixteen sail of vessels but seemed to be in a great hurry to be gone, +probably because of the intelligence that men-of-war from Virginia, New +York and Boston were cruising in search of them. Low was reported to +have on board about £80,000 in gold and silver. The man-of-war on the +New York station was the ship “Greyhound,” Peter Solgard, commander, +of twenty guns and one hundred and twenty men, and from one of the +unfortunate vessels plundered by Low he learned of the whereabouts of +the pirate vessels and steering as directed, at half-past four in the +morning of June 10th came in sight of the rovers. He then tacked and +stood to the southward and the pirates, always on the lookout for prey, +gave chase which lasted for nearly two hours while Captain Solgard +cleared his ship for action. At half-past seven he was ready for them. +The sloop and the schooner were then about a gunshot off. Suddenly the +ship tacked again and stood for them and both of the pirate vessels +at once hoisted a black flag and fired on the “Greyhound.” A little +later when about three-quarters of a mile distant the black flags +came down and were replaced by red ones. The “Greyhound” passed to +the windward and received their fire several times and when abreast +made such good return with round- and grape-shot, that the sloop and +the schooner began to edge away under the “Greyhound’s” stern and +she after them. They made a running fight for nearly two hours when +the pirates got out their oars and soon began to draw away from the +ship. On discovering this, Captain Solgard ordered firing to cease and +turned all hands to rowing and at about half-past two in the afternoon +came up with them. The pirates hauled into the wind and the fight was +warmly renewed. After a time, the “Greyhound” fell in between the +pirate vessels and soon the main-yard of the schooner was shot down. +Low now showed the real stuff that he was made of and bore away leaving +Harris, in the “Ranger,” to his fate, and he, seeing the treachery of +his commodore, lost courage and called for quarter. This happened at +about four o’clock and an hour later the rogues were safely on board +the “Greyhound.” There were then thirty-seven whites and six blacks in +Harris’ crew, and ten or twelve of his men had been killed or wounded. +Captain Low heretofore had borne so high a reputation for courage and +boldness that in the minds of even his own men he had become a terror. +But his behavior in the action with the “Greyhound” shows him to have +been at heart a treacherous scoundrel. When the prisoners were safely +in irons Captain Solgard followed the course of Captain Low toward the +northwest, but he had too great a start and after a time drew out of +sight in the growing darkness.[113] + +After this narrow escape Low’s chagrin and rage knew no bounds and +swearing many oaths, he vowed vengeance on the unfortunates that next +fell into his hands. This happened only two days later, when he came +upon a sloop out of Nantucket that was whale fishing about eighty +miles off shore. She had two whale-boats and one of them fortunately +was out and at some considerable distance from the sloop at the time +she was taken. The men in this boat seeing what had happened got safely +to another whaling sloop some distance away and all escaped. The +captain of the captured sloop was Nathan Skiff, a young unmarried man +living at Nantucket. Low first ordered him stripped and then cruelly +whipped him about the deck. His ears were then slashed off. After a +time they grew tired of beating the unfortunate man and telling him +that because he had been a good captain he should have an easy death, +at last they shot him through the head and sunk the sloop. Low forced a +boy and two Indian men and allowed three others of the crew to go away +in the whale-boat in which, fortunately, there was a little water and +a few biscuits, and with good weather these men at last safely reached +Nantucket--“beyond all Expectation,” ends the account in the _Boston +News-Letter_. + +Low’s insane rage was unabated two days later when a fishing boat was +taken off Block Island. The master was dragged on board the pirate +sloop and Low with furious oaths at once attacked him with a cutlass +and hacked off his head. He gave the boat to two Indians who sailed +with the murdered man and sent them away with the information that he +intended to kill the master of every New England vessel he captured. On +the afternoon of the same day two whaling sloops out of Plymouth were +taken near the Rhode Island shore. The master of one vessel he ripped +open alive and taking out the poor man’s heart ordered it roasted and +then compelled the mate to eat it. The master of the other vessel he +slashed and mauled about the deck and then cut off his ears and had +them roasted and after sprinkling them with salt and pepper, made the +unfortunate men eat them. The man’s wounds were so severe that he +afterwards died.[114] Low proposed to murder some of the hands on +these whaling sloops but the pirate crew had had enough blood about the +deck for one day and swore the rest of the men should go free so Low +was obliged to submit. These men brought home the information that the +pirate master and crew claimed to have on board nearly £150,000 value +in gold and silver coin and plate.[115] + +On the 5th of June, 1723, the sloop “Farley,” Thomas Calder, master, +a “Pock-fretten” Scotchman, sailed from Piscataqua, N. H., bound for +Maryland. On the 14th, when off Nantucket, she sighted a sloop with +sails fluttering and rigging badly cut to pieces. The boat’s crew who +boarded the sloop found that an attempt had been made to sink her. Not +a soul was found on board. A pipe of wine was on the deck with the head +knocked in and standing about were several buckets half-full of wine. +From ship’s papers it was learned that the sloop belonged to William +Clark of Boston.[116] Undoubtedly this sloop had been captured by Low +but no record has been found giving any information regarding the fate +of her master or crew. Capt. Jacob Waldron brought the derelict into +Boston and libelled her for salvage. In the order of the Vice-Admiralty +Court published in the _Boston Gazette_ of July 15, 1723, the sloop is +described as “Flotsom, taken up on the high Seas,” and so ended another +chapter in the lives of those who “go down to the sea in ships.” + +From the waters off Cape Cod, Low sailed north for the banks off +Newfoundland and near Cape Breton took twenty-three French fishing +vessels. One of the larger of them, a ship of twenty-two guns, he +refitted and manned from his own crew and the two vessels then scoured +the harbors and banks off Newfoundland and took eighteen more ships and +smaller vessels some of which were sunk. While near Canso, two French +shallops were taken by a small company of the pirates in a periagua +that was serving as a tender. The Frenchmen were abused, noses were +slit and faces slashed with cutlasses before they were allowed to go. +A letter received by a Boston merchant not long after, gives some +interesting details of the depredations committed by Low and his crew. +It was printed in the _Boston News-Letter_ for Sept. 19, 1723. + + “Canso, August 1, 1723. + +“In my last Letter to you, I inform’d you of the mischief the Pirates +had done on the French at Whitehead, 6 Leagues Westward of this +Harbour; and now I proceed to say, that they went to the Eastward and +took a Sloop belonging to this Harbour, but treated them very kindly, +and dismiss’d them without harm. The next News we heard of them was +that they had taken another Vessel, Capt. Job Prince, Commander; +they order’d them on Board, but Capt. Prince had no Boat, wherefore +they only detain’d him about an hour and dismiss’d him without doing +him any Damage. The next Vessel they took was Capt. Robinson’s whom +they divested of their Arms, Ammunition and Silver Buckles, and then +dismiss’d them. They had then in their Custody four French Ships, which +they Plundered, used the men very Barbarously, and sent them in a +Vessel belonging to Canso, to Cape Briton. They took Mr. Hood belonging +to Boston, in a large Fishing Scooner,[117] when they first came on the +Banks from Boston; but that was another Pirate, who also forced away +three of his Men. The latter Sloop, which is known to be Low, uses the +English very Kindly; but the French find little Mercy, at his hand; +they cutt off some of their Ears and Noses, and treated them with all +the Barbarity imaginable. One of the French Commanders desired him only +to give him a Line from under his hand, that he had taken away some +Casks of his Wine and Brandy, that his Owners might not suspect he had +Dishonestly Sold them; upon which Low told him he would fetch him +one, and accordingly brought up two Pistols, presenting one at Bowels, +he told him there was one for his Wine, and Discharg’d it; and there, +says he (presenting the other at his Head in the same manner) is one +for your Brandy; which said, he discharg’d that also. We hear they +have since Taken near 40 French Fishing Vessels, and are gone towards +Newfoundland. This is all that is Remarkable concerning these Enemies +to Mankind in General.” + +Two men-of-war were cruising at that time near the Cape Breton coast. +Captain Solgard in the “Greyhound,” after landing his captured pirates +at Newport, R. I., had sailed to the eastward and searched all the +principal harbors for Low, but without success. On the 16th of June he +met His Majesty’s ship “Sea Horse,” Captain Durell, from the Boston +station, and they kept company for several days while cruising about +the coast and fishing banks. All sorts of wild rumors were flying about +the Province and the current newspapers reported several times that Low +had been taken. One circumstantial story had it that the “Sea Horse” +had surprised Low near Cape Sables, where he had gone to careen, and +after a smart engagement had captured him killing eight of his pirate +crew. From Salem it was reported that Low had been taken near Canso +by a French man-of-war and another report had it that Low had died of +his wounds three days after an engagement with H. M. ship “Greyhound.” +A sloop arriving at New York on Sept. 19th, from Placentia in +Newfoundland, after a month’s passage, brought news of the depredation +of the pirates and reported that “it’s believed Low is dead for he +was a little man and the new Capt. of those Pyrates is a lusty Man.” +Undoubtedly Lowther had been confused with Low in this report. The +sloop also brought news that the day before it sailed, Captain Harris, +in a sloop from Boston, had reached Placentia and reported sighting “on +the banks about eighteen or twenty Vessels together, which he imagined +were all taken by the Pyrates and kept together by them.”[118] The +_Boston News-Letter_ also published earlier intelligence from Canso, +that one of their bank sloops had met a pirate sloop with one hundred +and fifty men aboard, who had “ask’d them some Questions, who was at +Canso. Inquired after most of the Notedest Men and left them without +abuse; they did not Know the Master’s Name, but say most of them are +West Country-men.”[119] + +Towards the end of July, 1723, Low captured a large ship from Virginia, +called the “Merry Christmas,” and opening several new ports mounted +her with thirty-four guns and refitting went on board and made her his +principal ship. He assumed the title of Admiral and hoisted at the +main-topmast head a new black flag--having on it a skeleton in red. As +the fishing banks had been pretty thoroughly cleared of vessels and it +was supposed that men-of-war were cruising on several of them,[120] it +was thought best by Low and Lowther to make a course for the Western +Islands where they arrived about the first of September. Soon after +reaching Fayal, they took an English brigantine, formerly commanded +by Elias Wild, but recently bought by a Portuguese nobleman. She was +manned partly by English and partly by Portuguese and the latter Low +caused to be hanged. The English sailors were put into their boat to +shift for themselves and the brigantine was set on fire. + +“Thus these inhumane Wretches went on, who could not be contented +to satisfy their Avarice only, and travel in the common Road of +Wickedness; but, like their Patron, the Devil, must make Mischief their +Sport, Cruelty their Delight, and damning of Souls their constant +Employment. Of all the pyratical Crews that were ever heard of, none +of the _English_ Name came up to this, in Barbarity; their Mirth and +their Anger had much the same Effect, for both were usually gratified +with the Cries and Groans of their Prisoners; so that they almost as +often murthered a Man from the Excess of good Humour, as out of Passion +and Resentment; and the Unfortunate could never be assured of Safety +from them, for Danger lurked in their very Smiles. An Instance of this +had liked to have happened to one Captain Graves, Master of a Virginia +Ship last taken; for as soon as he came aboard of the Pyrate, Low takes +a Bowl of Punch in his Hand, and drinks to him, saying, Captain Graves, +here’s half this to you. But the poor Gentleman being too sensibly +touched at the Misfortune of falling into his Hands, modestly desired +to be excused, for that he could not drink; whereupon Low draws out a +Pistol, cocks it, and with the Bowl in t’ther Hand, told him, he should +either take one or the other; So Graves, without Hesitation, made +Choice of the Vehicle that contained the Punch, and guttled down about +a Quart, when he had the least Inclination that ever he had in his Life +to be merry.”[121] + +At St. Michael’s, Low and Lowther sent their boats into the road and +cut out a London-built ship of fourteen guns commanded by Captain +Thompson, the same captain who had been taken there by Low the year +before. His ship was stronger than the boats and he could have defended +himself with every prospect of success, but his men through cowardice +or an inclination to join the pirates, obliged him to surrender. When +he came aboard Low’s vessel his ears were cut off close to his head by +way of compensation for having proposed to his men to resist the pirate +boats. The ship was burned. A bark was taken not long after and the +Portuguese crew fared better than was usually the case, for the pirates +happened to be in good humor, and only slashed them here and there with +cutlasses and then set them adrift in their boat and fired the bark. +Johnson, in his account of Low’s career, preserves a curious anecdote +in connection with this capture, as follows: + +“When the Boat was going from the Side of the Ship, one of Low’s Men, +who, we may suppose, was forced into his Gang, was drinking with a +Silver Tankard at one of the Ports, and took his Opportunity to drop +into the Boat among the Portugueze, and lye down in the Bottom, in +order to escape along with them: After he had stowed himself in the +Boat, so as not to be seen, it came into his Head, that the Tankard +might prove of some Use to him, where he was going; so he got up again, +laid hold of the Utensil, and went off, without being discover’d: In +which Attempt had he failed, no doubt his Life, if not the Lives of all +the People in the Boat, would have paid for it: The Name of this Man is +Richard Hains.”[122] + +The Portuguese authorities in the Islands were highly incensed at Low’s +cruelties and became exceedingly suspicious of all English vessels +coming into their harbors. A sloop from Boston, commanded by Capt. +Peter Tillinghast, going into Fayal about that time, was received by +cannon shot from the castle and when the captain went ashore with a few +hands he was seized and after an examination sent to jail. His vessel +was boarded and his chest and papers brought ashore for examination and +finding nothing by which he might be accused at last he obtained his +liberty.[123] + +Low and Lowther, in company, sailed from the Canaries to the Cape +Verde Islands and the London newspapers had news that they had gone +down the African coast as far as Sierre Leone, and Captain Wyndham, +in the “Diamond” man-of-war, was reported to have captured Low, sunk +Lowther’s sloop and made twenty of the pirates prisoners. This account +was soon contradicted[124] and not long after there came reports of his +appearance near the Leeward Islands in the West Indies. The evidence +is obscure and it is more probable that from the Cape Verdes, Low and +Lowther made for the South American coast. At any rate. Low was off +the Guinea coast during the fall of 1723 and captured a schooner and +afterwards took the ship “Delight,” Captain Hunt, of twelve guns, +formerly a man-of-war in the English service. She seemed well suited +to their needs and so four more guns were mounted on her and Francis +Farrington Spriggs, who had been serving as quartermaster, was given +command with a crew of about sixty men. The fleet then consisted of the +ship “Merry Christmas,” 34 guns, commanded by Captain Low; the sloop +“Happy Delivery,” 16 guns, commanded by Captain Lowther; and the ship +“Delight,” 16 guns, Captain Spriggs, and together they sailed along the +Guinea coast bound for the West Indies. Spriggs seems to have been a +slippery fellow for within two days he deserted the other vessels and +went off pirating on his own account, as will be related in another +chapter. Lowther may have separated from Low about the same time for he +had no consort when he met with a disastrous adventure some time later +at the island of Blanco near Tortuga. + +In January, 1724, Low took a ship called the “Squirrel,” Captain +Stephenson,[125] and in March the news reached Boston that Low had had +a fight with other pirates who had taken him, burned his vessel and +marooned the survivors on an uninhabited island,[126] and this report +persisted and was repeated as late as the spring of 1726, when Capt. +William Cross arrived at Piscataqua, N. H., in a sloop, from the Bay of +Honduras and related that both Low and Spriggs had been marooned and +were supposed to have escaped among the Mosquito Indians.[127] From +that time nothing can be learned about him until May 17th when some +sailors belonging to a sloop owned in the Barbadoes, arrived there +after much suffering and reported that they had been taken near the +island of St. Lucia by Low, who, at that time, had only thirty men with +him. A French man-of-war from the Martinico station was reported to +be in pursuit[128] and may have afterwards captured him for a French +account of Low’s piracies relates that in the spring of 1724, Low got +into a dispute with his men in which the quartermaster took sides +against him, which so greatly enraged Low that he afterwards murdered +the quartermaster while he lay asleep. The crew at once rose against +Low and with two or three of his strongest partisans he was thrown +into a boat without provisions and abandoned to his fate. This proved +to be capture by a French vessel owned in Martinico, the day after he +had been set adrift, and after a quick trial by the French, he and his +companions received short shift on a gallows erected for their benefit. + +This account of Low’s fate is confirmed, in part, by the narrative +of Jonathan Barlow, a sailor who was taken off the Guinea coast, by +Low in the “Merry Christmas.” Barlow relates that after capturing a +French sloop near Martinico “some Differance arising among said Pirates +they disbanded Low from his office & sent him away w’th only two more +hands in s’d French sloop & put one Shipton Captain in his steed.” +The pirate company then went to the Isle of Ruby and not long after +Captain Spriggs put in appearance in the “Delight.” Spriggs “heft down” +his ship and cleaned her and Shipton burned the “Merry Christmas” and +went away in a sloop that had been taken not long before commanded +by Capt. Jonathan Barney of Newport, R. I. The two pirate captains +cruised to the westward and in the Bay of Honduras were chased by the +“Diamond” man-of-war as is told in the chapter on Francis Farrington +Spriggs.--_Massachusetts Archives_, vol. 38A, leaf 73. + + +FOOTNOTES + +[110] _American Weekly Mercury_, Mar. 14, 1723. + +[111] _American Weekly Mercury_, May 2, 1723. + +[112] _New England Courant_, June 17, 1723. + +[113] _New England Courant_, June 17, 1723 (_postscript_). + +[114] _Boston News-Letter_, June 27, 1723. + +[115] _American Weekly Mercury_, June 27, 1723. + +[116] _American Weekly Mercury_, Aug. 8, 1723. + +[117] This vessel was captured by Captain Lowther who was there about +the same time as Captain Low. + +[118] _American Weekly Mercury_, Oct. 4, 1723. + +[119] _Boston News-Letter_, July 18, 1723. + +[120] In point of fact the “Greyhound” reached Newport, R. I. early in +July and the “Sea Horse” arrived in Boston on July 13th. + +[121] Johnson, “_History of the Pirates_,” London, 1726. + +[122] Johnson, “_History of the Pirates_,” London, 1762. + +[123] _Boston News-Letter_, Oct. 18, 1723. + +[124] _Boston News-Letter_, Oct. 8, 1724. + +[125] _Boston News-Letter_, May 7, 1724. + +[126] _Boston News-Letter_, Mar. 27, 1724. + +[127] _New England Courant_, Apr. 30, 1726. + +[128] _Boston News-Letter_, Oct. 15, 1724. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE STRANGE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP ASHTON + + +On Friday, June 15, 1722, a number of the vessels of the fishing +fleet hailing from Massachusetts Bay, were at anchor at Port Roseway +near what is now Shelburne, Nova Scotia. It was the custom of these +God-fearing fishermen, when possible, to come into some harbor not too +remote from their fishing grounds and there to spend the Sabbath. On +this occasion thirteen schooners and shallops were lying peacefully +at anchor when a strange brigantine hove in sight and soon found an +anchorage near them. She seemed to be an inward bound vessel from the +West Indies and little attention was paid to her at first, even when a +boat put off from her side with four men in it. When this boat’s crew +reached the side of the nearest fisherman, the men climbed boldly on +board and drawing pistols and cutlasses demanded a surrender. + +The brigantine turned out to be the “Rebecca,” owned in Boston, but +recently captured and then commanded by Capt. Edward Low, the Boston +man who had become a pirate and whose bloody excesses were becoming +more notorious every day. One by one the fishermen surrendered and +were pillaged.[129] On Tuesday, the 19th, Low decided to take for +his “privateer,” the new schooner “Mary,” owned by Joseph Dolliber +of Marblehead. He fitted her with ten guns, renamed her the “Fancy,” +and went aboard with a crew of fifty men, including eight whom he +forced from among the fishermen. The forced men were Philip Ashton +and Nicholas Merritt, masters; Joseph Libbie, one of Ashton’s crew; +Lawrence Fabens, one of the crew of the schooner “Rebeckah,” all of +Marblehead, and four other men belonging to Piscataqua and the Isles of +Shoals, all nimble young men, about twenty years of age and unmarried. +Low shipped the prisoners he designed to send home, on board his late +brigantine, the “Rebecca,” of Boston, which he and his consort Lowther +had taken May 28th, and gave her to her former master, Capt. James +Flucker, with orders to take them to Boston. On their arrival the +news was duly published in the _Boston News-Letter_ of July 2d, with +the customary advertisement as to the forcing, but in order to make +the matter doubly sure, a further advertisement, in more legal form, +appeared in the _News-Letter_, of July 9th, viz:-- + + “Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New-England, Essex, ss. + Anno Regni Regis Georgij nunc Magna Britaniæ, &c. Octavo. + + “The Depositions of Thomas Trefry late Master of the Scooner + Mary; Robert Gilford Master of the Shallop Elizabeth; and John + Collyer, one of the Crew belonging to the Scooner Samuel, + William Nichols Master, all of Marblehead in the County of + Essex, Fisher men, Testify and say, That as they were upon + their lawfull Imployment nigh Cape Sables, on or about the + 14th, 15th and 16th Days of June last past, they were taken + Prisoners by Captain Edward Low a Pirate then Commander of the + Brigantine [Rebecca] but since removed himself into the before + named Scooner Mary, which they took from the Deponent Trefry; + and besides these Deponents they took several other Fishing + Vessels, viz.: _Nicholas Merrit Master of the Shallop Jane_, + _Philip Ashton Master of the Scooner Milton_, _Joseph Libby + one of said Ashton’s Crew_, _Lawrence Phabens one of the Crew + belonging to the Scooner Rebeckah, Thomas Salter Commander_, + all these four Men, to wit, Nicholas Merrit, Philip Ashton, + Joseph Libbey, and Lawrence Phabens, being Young Nimble Men of + about Twenty Years of Age, the Pirates kept them by Force and + would not let them go tho’ they pleaded as much as they dare + to, yet nothing would avail, so as they wept like Children; yet + notwithstanding they forceably Carried them away to the great + Grief and Sorrow of the aforenamed four Young Men, as well as + these Deponents; and when any of these Deponents mentioned any + thing in favour of the said four Young Men, the Quarter Master + of the Pirate Publickly Declared, They would carry them, and + let them send to New England and Publish it if they pleased. + The Deponants further say, That the said Pirates constrained + four more Fisher men belonging to Piscataqua, and the Isle of + Sholes to go with them against their wills also. + + “Salem, July the 3d 1722. + Thomas Trefry, + John Collyer, + Robert Gilford. + + Essex, ss. Salem, July the 3d, 1722. + + “Then Thomas Trefry, John Collyer and Robert Gilford the + Three Deponants above named personally Appearing made Oath to + the Truth of the foregoing Deposition taken ad Perpetuam rei + memoriam. + + { Josiah Wolcot Justices of the Peace + “Coram Nobis { Stephen Sewall Quorum Unis + + “A True Copy of the Original, and as of Record appears. + Examin’d per Stephen Sewall, Regist.” + + --_Boston News-Letter_, July 9, 1722. + +Philip Ashton served, unwillingly, with Low in the schooner “Fancy,” in +the “Rose Pink,” alias “Frigate,” and again in the “Fancy,” with Low’s +late quartermaster, Francis Farrington Spriggs. In the spring of 1723, +Low went to the island of Roatan, in the Bay of Honduras, to clean and +refit his fleet. Roatan lies in the latitude of 16° 31’ and is about +thirty miles long. On March 9, 1723, while there, Ashton went ashore +with the cooper and others for water and managed to escape and after +five days Low and Spriggs sailed away without him. Ashton remained +alone on the island, except for three days, until June, 1724, when he +was joined by eighteen Bay men, seeking shelter from the Spaniards, who +took him with them to the Island of Barbarat. Ashton then made several +hunting trips to the island of Bonaco and in the spring of 1725 was +found there by Captain Dove, the master of a Salem brigantine, who came +in over the shoals for water. They sailed for Salem on March 31st, and +Ashton arrived home May, 1725, having been absent almost three years. +The _New England Courant_ announced his return soon after as follows:-- + + “Boston, May 10. We hear from Salem, that a Vessel arrived + there from the Bay [of Honduras] _has brought a Man who was + taken by Low the Pirate some Years since_, and ran away from + him when he went ashore at a Maroon Island to take in Water, + where he had been above two Years, when some of this Vessel’s + Company going on Shore brought him off.” + +Shortly after Ashton’s return to Marblehead, Roads, the historian of +Marblehead, says the next Sunday, which would have been the day after +his return, the Rev. John Barnard, pastor of the First Church, preached +a sermon on “God’s Ability to Save His People from All Danger,” using +for his text Daniel III, 17.[130] + +Philip Ashton[131] and his parents were present and the sermon closed +with a personal address to him. + +Public interest having been aroused in the local Robinson Crusoe, +who, indeed, had gone Alexander Selkirk one better, having landed on +an uninhabited island wearing only a frock, trousers and cap, without +a shirt or shoes, stockings, knife or other iron instrument, or any +means of making a fire, and who had lived there nine months without +fire or cooked food, there was naturally a demand for an account of his +adventures. This was met by Mr. Barnard, who, on Aug. 3d, 1725, writing +from Marblehead, says:-- + + “The great Reason why this Narrative, which has been so long + wished for, has no sooner appeared, is because Mr. Ashton has + necessarily been so absent, that I have not been able to get + the opportunity of Conferring with him, more than two or three + times, about the Remarkable Occurrences he has met with; and + having no leisure himself to write, I have taken the Minutes of + all from his own Mouth, and after I had put them together, I + have improved the first vacant Hour, I could, to Read it over + distinctly to him, that he might Correct the Errors, that might + arise from my misunderstanding his Report. Thus corrected, he + has set his Hand to it as his own History. + + “I have added to a short Account of Mr. Nicholas Merritt, (who + was taken at the same time with Mr. Ashton), the manner of his + Escape from the Pirates, and the hard usage he met with upon + it, till his return to his own Country; which I had from his + own Mouth, all tending to the same end and purpose.” + +The narrative was soon published under the following title:-- + + “ASHTON’S MEMORIAL. / An / History / of the / Strange + Adventures, / and / Signal Deliverances, / of / Mr. Philip + Ashton, / Who, after he had made his Escape from the Pirates, + liv’d alone on a Desolate / Island for about Sixteen Months, + &c. / With A Short Account of Mr. Nicholas Merritt, / who was + taken at the same time. / To which is added / A Sermon on Dan. + 3. 17. / By John Barnard V. D. M. / _We should not trust in + our selves, but in God; / --who delivered us from so great + a Death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust, that he will + yet deliver us._ / 11. Cor. 9. 10. / Boston, N. E. Printed for + Samuel Gerrish, at his Shop in Corn-Hill, 1725.” + +An edition was also published in London the next year and reprints in +whole or in part have been made at Portland, Me., in 1810; Edinburgh, +1815; Boston, 1850; and Marblehead in 1910. + + * * * * * + +This interesting recital of the veritable experiences of a New England +man on board notorious pirate vessels, together with other adventures +that fall to the lot of but few men, is here reprinted as a document of +great value in corroborating many of the statements appearing elsewhere +in this volume in chapters devoted to the exploits of Low, Lowther and +Spriggs. + + +[Illustration: + + _Ashton’s_ Memorial. + + AN + _HISTORY_ + OF THE + Strange Adventures, + AND + Signal Deliverances, + OF + Mr. _Philip Ashton_, + + Who, after he had made his Escape from the + PIRATES, liv’d alone on a Desolate + _Island_ for about Sixteen Months, &c. + + WITH + + A short Account of Mr. _Nicholas Merritt_, + who was taken at the same time. + + To which is added + + A SERMON on _Dan. 3. 17._ + + By JOHN BARNARD, V. D. M. + + ----_We should not trust in our selves, but in God; + ----who delivered us from so great a Death, and doth + deliver; in whom we trust, that he will yet deliver us._ + II. Cor. I. 9, 10. + + _BOSTON_, N. E. Printed for _Samuel Gerrish_, + at his Shop in Corn-Hill, 1725. +] + + +FOOTNOTES + +[129] Among the thirteen vessels taken were the following from +Marblehead, viz.:--schooner Milton, Philip Ashton, master; shallop +Jane, Nicholas Merritt, master; schooner Rebeckah, Thomas Salter, +master; schooner Mary, Thomas Trefry, master; shallop Elizabeth, Robert +Gifford, master; schooner Samuel, William Nichols, master. + +[130] “If it be so, our God whome we serve, is able to Deliver us from +the Burning Fiery Furnace, and He will Deliver us out of thine Hand, O +King.” + +[131] Ashton was the son of Philip and Sarah (Hendly) Ashton, and was +born in Marblehead, Aug. 12, 1702. He married, first, Jane or Jean +Gallison, Dec. 8, 1726, who bore him a daughter Sarah, baptized Dec. 3, +1727, in the First Church, the mother dying a week later. + +On July 15, 1729, he married, second, Sarah Bartlett and they had +Eliza, baptized Oct. 25, 1730; Philip, baptized May 28, 1732; William, +baptized Oct. 20, 1734; Thomas, baptized Apr. 17, 1737 and Jean, +baptized Aug. 15, 1742. The date of his death is not known. + + + + + ASHTON’S MEMORIAL + + AN HISTORY OF THE STRANGE ADVENTURES, AND SIGNAL + DELIVERANCES OF + MR. PHILIP ASHTON, JUN. + OF MARBLEHEAD + + +Upon Friday, June 15th, 1722, After I had been out for some time in the +Schooner Milton, upon the Fishing grounds, off Cape Sable Shoar, among +others, I came to Sail in Company with Nicholas Merritt, in a Shallop, +and stood in for Port-Rossaway, designing to Harbour there, till the +Sabbath was over; where we Arrived about Four of the Clock in the +Afternoon. When we came into the Harbour, where several of our Fishing +Vessels had arrived before us, we spy’d among them a Brigantine, which +we supposed to have been an Inward bound Vessel, from the West Indies, +and had no apprehensions of any Danger from her; but by that time we +had been at Anchor two or three Hours, a Boat from the Brigantine, with +Four hands, came along side of us, and the Men Jumpt in upon our Deck, +without our suspecting any thing but that they were Friends, come on +board to visit, or inquire what News; till they drew their Cutlasses +and Pistols from under their Clothes, and Cock’d the one and Brandish’d +the other, and began to Curse & Swear at us, and demanded a Surrender +of our Selves and Vessel to them. It was too late for us to rectify our +Mistake, and think of Freeing our Selves from their power; for however +we might have been able, (being Five of us and a Boy) to have kept them +at a Distance, had we known who they were, before they had boarded us; +yet now we had our Arms to seek, and being in no Capacity to make any +Resistance, were necessitated to submit our selves to their will and +pleasure. In this manner they surprised Nicholas Merritt, and 12 or 13 +other Fishing Vessels this Evening. + +When the Boat went off from our Vessel, they carried me on board the +Brigantine, and who should it prove but the Infamous Ned Low, the +Pirate, with about 42 Hands, 2 Great Guns, and 4 Swivel Guns. You may +easily imagine how I look’d, and felt, when too late to prevent it, I +found my self fallen into the hands of such a mad, roaring, mischievous +Crew; yet I hoped, that they would not force me away with them, and I +purposed to endure any hardship among them patiently, rather than turn +Pirate with them. + +Low presently sent for me Aft, and according to the Pirates usual +Custom, and in their proper Dialect, asked me, If I would sign their +Articles, and go along with them. I told him, No; I could by no means +consent to go with them, I should be glad if he would give me my +Liberty, and put me on board any Vessel, or set me on shoar there. +For indeed my dislike of their Company and Actions, my concern for my +Parents, and my fears of being found in such bad Company, made me dread +the thoughts of being carried away by them; so that I had not the least +Inclination to continue with them. + +Upon my utter Refusal to joyn and go with them, I was thrust down into +the Hold, which I found to be a safe retreat for me several times +afterwards. By that time, I had been in the Hold a few Hours, they had +compleated the taking the several Vessels that were in the Harbour, and +the Examining of the Men; and the next Day I was fetched up with some +others that were there, and about 30 or 40 of us were put on board a +Schooner belonging to Mr. Orn of Marblehead, which the Pirates made use +of for a sort of a Prison, upon the present occasion; where we were +all confined unarm’d, with an armed Guard over us, till the Sultan’s +pleasure should be further known. + +The next Lord’s Day about Noon, one of the Quarter Masters, John Russel +by Name, came on board the Schooner and took six of us, (Nicholas +Merritt,[132] Joseph Libbie,[133] Lawrence Fabens,[134] and my self, +all of Marblehead, the Eldest of, if I mistake not, under 21 Years of +Age, with two others) and carried us on board the Brigantine; where we +were called upon the Quarter Deck, and Low came up to us with Pistol +in hand, and with a full mouth demanded, Are any of you, Married Men? +This short and unexpected Question, and the sight of the Pistol, struck +us all dumb, and not a Man of us dared to speak a word, for fear there +should have been a design in it, which we were not able to see thro’. +Our Silence kindled our new Master into a Flame, who could not bear it, +that so many Beardless Boyes should deny him an Answer to so plain a +Question; and therefore in a Rage, he Cock’d his Pistol, and clapt it +to my Head, and cryed out, You D--g! why don’t you Answer me? and Swore +vehemently, he would shoot me thro’ the Head, if I did not tell him +immediately, whether I was Married or no. + +I was sufficiently frightened at the fierceness of the Man, and the +boldness of his threatening, but rather than lose my Life for so +trifling a matter, I e’en ventured at length to tell him, I was not +Married, as loud as I dar’d to speak it; and so said the rest of my +Companions. Upon this he seemed something pacified, and turned away +from us. + +It seems his design was to take no Married Man away with him, how young +soever he might be, which I often wondred at; till after I had been +with him some considerable time, and could observe in him an uneasiness +in the sentiments of his Mind, and the workings of his passions towards +a young Child he had at Boston (his Wife being Dead, as I learned, some +small time before he turned Pirate) which upon every lucid interval +from Revelling and Drink he would express a great tenderness for, +insomuch that I have seen him sit down and weep plentifully upon the +mentioning of it; and then I concluded, that probably the Reason of +his taking none but Single Men was, that he might have none with him +under the Influence of such powerful attractives, as a Wife & Children, +lest they should grow uneasy in his Service, and have an Inclination to +Desert him, and return home for the sake of their Families. + +Low presently came up to us again, and asked the Old Question, +Whether we would Sign their Articles, and go along with them? We all +told him No; we could not; so we were dismissed. But within a little +while we were call’d to him Singly, and then it was demanded of me, +with Sternness and Threats, whether I would Joyn with them? I still +persisted in the Denial; which thro’ the assistance of Heaven, I was +resolved to do, tho’ he shot me. And as I understood, all my Six +Companions, who were called in their turns, still refused to go with +him. + +Then I was led down into the Steerage, by one of the Quarter-Masters, +and there I was assaulted with Temptations of another kind, in hopes to +win me over to become one of them; a number of them got about me, and +instead of Hissing, shook their Rattles, and treated me with abundance +of Respect and Kindness, in their way; they did all they could to +sooth my Sorrows, and set before me the strong Allurement of the Vast +Riches they should gain, and what Mighty Men they designed to be, and +would fain have me to joyn with them, and share in their Spoils; and +to make all go down the more Glib, they greatly Importuned me to Drink +with them, not doubting but this wile would sufficiently entangle me, +and so they should prevail with me to do that in my Cups, which they +perceived they could not bring me to while I was Sober; but all their +fair and plausible Carriage, their proffered Kindness, and airy notions +of Riches, had not the Effect upon me which they desired; and I had no +Inclination to drown my Sorrows with my Senses in their Inebriating +Bowls, and so refused their Drink, as well as their Proposals. + +After this I was brought upon Deck again, and Low came up to me, with +His Pistol Cock’d, and clap’d it to my Head, and said to me, You D--g +you! if you will not Sign our Articles, and go along with me, I’ll +shoot you thro’ the Head, and uttered his Threats with his utmost +Fierceness, and with the usual Flashes of Swearing and Cursing. I told +him, That I was in his hands, and he might do with me what he pleased, +but I could not be willing to go with him: and then I earnestly beg’d +of him, with many Tears, and used all the Arguments I could think of to +perswade him, not to carry me away; but he was deaf to my Cryes, and +unmoved by all I could say to him; and told me, I was an Impudent Dog, +and Swore, I should go with him whether I would or no. So I found all +my Cryes, and Entreaties were in vain, and there was no help for it, go +with them I must, and as I understood, they set mine and my Townsmens +Names down in their Book, tho’ against our Consent. And I desire to +mention it with due Acknowledgments to GOD, who withheld me, that +neither their promises, nor their threatenings, nor blows could move +me to a willingness to Joyn with them in their pernicious ways. + +Upon Tuesday, June 19th, they changed their Vessel, and took for +their Privateer, as they call’d it, a Schooner belonging to Mr. +Joseph Dolliber of Marblehead, being new, clean, and a good Sailer, +and shipped all their hands on board her, and put the Prisoners, such +as they designed to send home, on board the Brigantine, with one +---------------- who was her Master, and ordered them for Boston. + +When I saw the Captives were likely to be sent Home, I thought I would +make one attempt more to obtain my Freedom, and accordingly Nicholas +Merrit, my Townsman and Kinsman, went along with me to Low, and we +fell upon our Knees, and with utmost Importunity besought him to let +us go Home in the Brigantine, among the rest of the Captives: but he +immediately called for his Pistols, and told us we should not go, and +Swore bitterly, if either of us offered to stir, he would shoot us down. + +Thus all attempts to be delivered out of the hands of unreasonable Men +(if they may be called Men) were hitherto unsuccessful; and I had the +melancholy prospect of seeing the Brigantine sail away with the most of +us that were taken at Port-Rossaway, but my self, and three Townsmen +mentioned, and four of Shoal-men detained on board the Schooner, in the +worst of Captivity, without any present likelyhood of Escaping. + +And yet before the Brigantine sailed, an opportunity presented, that +gave me some hopes that I might get away from them; for some of Low’s +people, who had been on shoar at Port-Rossaway to get water, had left +a Dog belonging to him behind them; and Low observing the Dog a shoar +howling to come off, order’d some hands to take the Boat and fetch him. +Two Young Men, John Holman, and Benjamin Ashton, both of Marblehead, +readily Jumpt into the Boat, and I (who pretty well know their +Inclination to be rid of such Company, & was exceedingly desirous my +self to be freed from my present Station, and thought if I could but +once set foot on shoar, they should have good luck to get me on board +again) was getting over the side into the Boat; but Quarter Master +Russel spy’d me, and caught hold on my Shoulder, and drew me in board, +and with a Curse told me, Two was eno’, I should not go. The two Young +Men had more sense and virtue than to come off to them again, so that +after some time of waiting, they found they were deprived of their Men, +their Boat, and their Dog; and they could not go after them. + +When they saw what a trick was play’d them, the Quarter Master came up +to me Cursing and Swearing, that I knew of their design to Run away, +and intended to have been one of them; but tho’ it would have been an +unspeakable pleasure to me to have been with them, yet I was forced +to tell him, I knew not of their design; and indeed I did not, tho’ +I had good reason to suspect what would be the event of their going. +This did not pacifie the Quarter-Master, who with outragious Cursing +and Swearing clapt his Pistol to my Head, and snap’d it; but it miss’d +Fire: this enraged him the more; and he repeated the snapping of his +Pistol at my Head three times, and it as often miss’d Fire; upon which +he held it over-board, and snap’d it the fourth time, and then it went +off very readily. (Thus did GOD mercifully quench the violence of the +Fire, that was meant to destroy me!) The Quarter-Master upon this, in +the utmost fury, drew his Cutlass, and fell upon me with it, but I +leap’d down into the Hold, and got among a Crowd that was there, and +so escaped the further effects of his madness and rage. Thus, tho’ +GOD suffered me not to gain my wished-for Freedom, yet he wonderfully +preserved me from Death. + +All hopes of obtaining Deliverance were now past and gone; the +Brigantine and Fishing Vessels were upon their way homeward, the Boat +was ashore, and not likely to come off again; I could see no possible +way of Escape; and who can express the concern and Agony I was in, to +see my self, a Young Lad not 20 Years Old, carried forcibly from my +Parents, whom I had so much reason to value for the tenderness I knew +they had for me, & to whom my being among Pyrates, would be as a Sword +in their Bowels, and the Anguishes of death to them; confined to such +Company as I could not but have an exceeding great abhorrence of; in +Danger of being poisoned in my morals, by Living among them, and of +falling a Sacrifice to Justice, if ever I should be taken with them. +I had no way left for my Comfort, but earnestly to commit my self and +my cause to GOD, and wait upon Him for Deliverance in his own time and +way; and in the mean while firmly to resolve, thro’ Divine Assistance, +that nothing should ever bring me to a willingness to Joyn with them, +or share in their Spoils. + +I soon found that any Death was preferible to being link’d with such +a vile Crew of Miscreants, to whom it was a sport to do Mischief; +where prodigious Drinking, monstrous Cursing and Swearing, hideous +Blasphemies, and open defiance of Heaven, and contempt of Hell it self, +was the constant Employment, unless when Sleep something abated the +Noise and Revellings. + +Thus Confined, the best course I could take, was to keep out of the +way, down in the Hold, or wherever I could be most free from their +perpetual Din; and fixed purpose with my self, that the first time I +had an opportunity to set my Foot on shore, let it be in what part of +the World it would, it should prove (if possible) my taking a final +leave of Low and Company. + +I would remark it now also (that I might not interrupt the Story +with it afterwards) that while I was on board Low, they used once a +Week, or Fortnight, as the Evil Spirit moved them, to bring me under +Examination, and anew demand my Signing their Articles, and Joyning +with them; but Blessed be GOD, I was enabled to persist in a constant +refusal to become one of them, tho’ I was thrashed with Sword or Cane, +as often as I denyed them; the fury of which I had no way to avoid, +but by Jumping down into the Hold, where for a while I was safe. I +look’d upon my self, for a long while, but as a Dead Man among them, +and expected every Day of Examination would prove the last of my Life, +till I learned from some of them, that it was one of their Articles, +Not to Draw Blood, or take away the Life of any Man, after they had +given him Quarter, unless he was to be punished as a Criminal; and this +emboldned me afterwards, so that I was not so much affraid to deny +them, seeing my Life was given me for a Prey. + +This Tuesday, towards Evening, Low and Company came to sail in the +Schooner, formerly called the Mary, now the Fancy, and made off for +Newfoundland; and here they met with such an Adventure, as had like to +have proved fatal to them. They fell in with the Mouth of St. John’s +Harbour in a Fogg, before they knew where they were; when the Fogg +clearing up a little, they spy’d a large Ship riding at Anchor in the +Harbour, but could not discern what she was, by reason of the thickness +of the Air, and concluded she was a Fish-Trader; this they look’d upon +as a Boon Prize for them, and thought they should be wonderfully well +accommodated with a good Ship under Foot, and if she proved but a good +Sailer, would greatly further their Roving Designs, and render them a +Match for almost any thing they could meet with, so that they need not +fear being taken. + +Accordingly they came to a Resolution to go in and take her; and +imagining it was best doing it by Stratagem, they concluded to put all +their Hands, but Six or Seven, down in the Hold, and make a shew as +if they were a Fishing Vessel, and so run up along side of her, and +surprise her, and bring her off; and great was their Joy at the distant +prospect how cleverly they should catch her. They began to put their +designs in Execution, stowed away their Hands, leaving but a few upon +Deck, and made Sail in order to seise the Prey; when there comes along +a small Fisher-Boat, from out the Harbour, and hailed them, and asked +them, from whence they were? They told them, from Barbadoes, and were +laden with Rhum and Sugar; then they asked the Fisherman, What large +Ship that was in the Harbour? who told them it was a large Man-of-War. + +The very Name of a Man-of-War struck them all up in a Heap, spoil’d +their Mirth, their fair Hopes, and promising Design of having a good +Ship at Command; and lest they should catch a Tartar, they thought it +their wisest and safest way, instead of going into the Harbour, to +be gone as fast as they could: and accordingly they stretched away +farther Eastward, and put into a small Harbour, called Carboneur, about +15 Leagues distance; where they went on Shoar; took the Place, and +destroyed the Houses, but hurt none of the People; as they told me, for +I was not suffered to go a shore with them. + +The next Day they made off for the Grand Bank, where they took seven +or eight Vessels, and among them a French Banker, a Ship of about 350 +Tuns, and 2 Guns; this they carried off with them, and stood away for +St. Michaels. + +Off of St. Michaels they took a large Portugueze Pink, laden with +Wheat, coming out of the Road, which I was told was formerly call’d the +Rose-Frigat. She struck to the Schooner, fearing the large Ship that +was coming down to them; tho’ all Low’s Force had been no Match for +her, if the Portugueze had made a good Resistance. This Pink they soon +observed to be a much better Sailer than their French Banker, which +went heavily; and therefore they threw the greatest part of the Wheat +over board, reserving only eno’ to Ballast the Vessel for the present, +and took what they wanted out of the Banker, and then Burnt her, and +sent the most of the Portugueze away in a large Lanch they had taken. + +Now they made the Pink, which Mounted 14 Guns, their Commodore, and +with this and the Schooner Sailed from St. Michaels, to the Canaries, +where off of Teneriff, they gave Chase to a Sloop, which got under the +Command of the Fortress, and so escaped sailing into their Hands; but +stretching along to the Western end of the Island, they came up with a +Fishing Boat, and being in want of Water, made them Pilot them into a +small Harbour, where they went a shore and got a supply. + +After they had Watered, they Sailed away for Cape de Verde Islands, and +upon making the Isle of May, they descry’d a Sloop, which they took, +and it proved to be a Bristol-man, one Pare or Pier Master; this Sloop +they designed for a Tender, and put on board her my Kinsman Nicholas +Merritt, with 8 or 9 hands more, and Sailed away for Bonavista, with a +design to careen their Vessels. + +In their Passage to Bonavista, the Sloop wronged both the Pink and the +Schooner; which the Hands on board observing, being mostly Forced Men, +or such as were weary of their Employment, upon the Fifth of September, +Ran away with her and made their Escape. + +When they came to Bonavista, they hove down the Schooner, and careen’d +her, and then the Pink; and here they gave the Wheat, which they had +kept to Ballast the Pink with, to the Portugueze, and took other +Ballast. + +After they had cleaned and fitted their Vessels, they steered away +for St. Nicholas, to get better Water; and here as I was told, 7 or +8 hands out of the Pink went a shore a Fowling, but never came off +more, among which I suppose Lawrence Fabins was one, and what became +of them I never could hear to this Day. Then they put out to Sea, and +stood away for the Coast of Brasil, hoping to meet with Richer Prizes +than they had yet taken; in the Passage thither, they made a Ship, +which they gave chase to, but could not come up with; and when they +came upon the Coast, it had like to have proved a sad Coast to them; +for the Trade-Winds blowing exceeding hard at South East, they fell in +upon the Northern part of the Coast, near 200 Leagues to the Leeward of +where they designed; and here we were all in exceeding great Danger, +and for Five Days and Nights together, hourly feared when we should +be swallowed up by the violence of the Wind and Sea, or stranded upon +some of the Shoals, that lay many Leagues off from Land. In this time +of Extremity, the Poor Wretches had no where to go for Help! For they +were at open Defiance with their Maker, & they could have but little +comfort in the thoughts of their Agreement with Hell; such mighty +Hectors as they were, in a clear Sky and a fair Gale, yet a fierce +Wing and a boisterous Sea sunk their Spirits to a Cowardly dejection, +and they evidently feared the Almighty, whom before they defied, lest +He was come to Torment them before their expected Time; and tho’ they +were so habituated to Cursing and Swearing, that the Dismal Prospect of +Death, & this of so long Continuance, could not Correct the language of +most of them, yet you might plainly see the inward Horror and Anguish +of their Minds, visible in their Countenances, and like Men amazed, or +starting out of Sleep in a fright, I could hear them ever now and then, +cry out, Oh! I wish I were at Home. + +When the Fierceness of the Weather was over, and they had recovered +their Spirits, by the help of a little Nantes, they bore away to the +West Indies, and made the three Islands call’d the Triangles, lying off +the Main about 40 Leagues to the Eastward of Surinam. Here they went +in and careened their Vessels again; and it had like to have proved a +fatal Scouring to them. + +For as they hove down the Pink, Low had ordered so many hands upon the +Shrouds, and Yards, to throw her Bottom out of Water, that it threw +her Ports, which were open, under Water; and the Water flow’d in with +such freedom that it presently overset her. Low and the Doctor were in +the Cabin together, and as soon as he perceived the Water to gush in +upon him, he bolted out at one of the Stern-Ports, which the Doctor +also attempted, but the Sea rushed so violently into the Port by that +time, as to force him back into the Cabin, upon which Low nimbly run +his Arm into the Port, and caught hold of his Shoulder and drew him +out, and so saved him. The Vessel pitched her Masts to the Ground, +in about 6 Fathom Water, and turn’d her Keel out of Water; but as her +Hull filled, it sunk, and by the help of her Yard-Arms, which I suppose +bore upon the Ground, her Masts were raised something out of Water; +the Men that were upon her Shrouds and Yards, got upon her Hull, when +that was uppermost, and then upon her Top-Masts and Shrouds, when +they were raised again. I (who with other light Lads were sent up to +the Main-Top-Gallant Yard) was very difficultly put to it to save my +Life, being but a poor Swimmer; for the Boat which picked the Men up, +refused to take me in, & I was put upon making the best of my way to +the Buoy, which with much ado I recovered, and it being large I stayed +my self by it, till the Boat came along close by it, and then I called +to them to take me in; but they being full of Men still refused me; +and I did not know but they meant to leave me to perish there; but the +Boat making way a head very slowly because of her deep load, and Joseph +Libbie calling to me to put off from the Buoy and Swim to them, I e’en +ventured it, and he took me by the hand and drew me in board. They lost +two Men by this Accident, viz. John Bell, and one they called Zana +Gourdon. The Men that were on board the Schooner were busy a mending +the Sails, under an Auning, so they knew nothing of what had happened +to the Pink, till the Boat full of Men came along side of them, tho’ +they were but about Gun-Shot off, and We made a great out-cry; and +therefore they sent not their Boat to help take up the Men. + +And now Low and his Gang, having lost their Frigate, and with her the +greatest part of their Provision and Water, were again reduced to their +Schooner as their only Privateer, and in her they put to Sea, and were +brought to very great straits for want of Water; for they could not get +a supply at the Triangles, and when they hoped to furnish themselves +at Tobago, the Current set so strong, & the Season was so Calm, that +they could not recover the Harbour, so they were forced to stand away +for Grand Grenada, a French Island about 18 Leagues to the Westward of +Tobago, which they gained, after they had been at the hardship of half +a pint of Water a Man for Sixteen Dayes together. + +Here the French came on board, and Low having put all his Men down, but +a sufficient number to Sail the Vessel, told them upon their Enquiry, +Whence he was, that he was come from Barbadoes, and had lost his Water; +and was oblig’d to put in for a recruit; the poor People not suspecting +him for a Pyrate, readily suffered him to send his Men ashoar and fetch +off a supply. But the Frenchmen afterwards suspecting he was a Smugling +Trader, thought to have made a Boon Prize of him, and the next day +fitted out a large Rhode-Island built Sloop of 70 Tuns, with 4 Guns +mounted, and about 30 Hands, with design to have taken him. Low was +apprehensive of no danger from them, till they came close along side of +him and plainly discovered their design, by their Number and Actions, +and then he called up his hands upon Deck, and having about 90 Hands on +board, & 8 Guns mounted, the Sloop and Frenchmen fell an easy prey to +him, and he made a Privateer of her. + +After this they cruised for some time thro’ the West Indies, in which +excursion they took 7 or 8 Sail of Vessels, chiefly Sloops; at length +they came to Santa Cruiz, where they took two Sloops more, & then came +to Anchor off the Island. + +While they lay an Anchor here, it came into Low’s Head, that he wanted +a Doctor’s Chest, & in order to procure one, he put four of the +Frenchmen on board one of the Sloops, which he had just now taken, & +sent them away to St. Thomas’s, about 12 Leagues off where the Sloops +belonged, with the promise, that if they would presently send him off a +good Doctor’s Chest, for what he sent to purchase it with, they should +have their Men & Vessels again, but if not, he would kill all the Men +& burn the Vessels. The poor People in Compassion to their Neighbours, +& to preserve their Interest, readily complyed with his Demands; so +that in little more than 24 Hours the four Frenchmen returned with what +they went for, & then according to promise, they & their Sloops were +Dismissed. + +From Santa Cruz they Sailed till they made Curacao, in which Passage +they gave Chase to two Sloops that out sailed them & got clear; then +they Ranged the Coast of New Spain, and made Carthagena, & about +mid-way between Carthagena and Port-Abella, they descry’d two tall +Ships, which proved to be the Mermaid Man-of-War, & a large Guinea-Man. +Low was now in the Rhode Island Sloop, & one Farrington Spriggs a +Quarter-Master, was Commander of the Schooner, where I still was. For +some time they made Sail after the two Ships, till they came so near +that they could plainly see the Man-of-War’s large range of Teeth, & +then they turned Tail to, and made the best of their way from them; +upon which the Man-of-War gave them Chase & overhalled them apace. And +now I confess I was in as great terrour as ever I had been yet, for I +concluded we should be taken, & I could expect no other butt to Dye for +Companies sake; so true is what Solomon tells us, a Companion of Fools +shall be destroyed. But the Pirates finding the Man-of-War to overhale +them, separated, & Low stood out to Sea, & Spriggs stood in for the +Shoar. The Man-of-War observing the Sloop to be the larger Vessel +much, and fullest of Men, threw out all the Sail she could, & stood +after her, and was in a fair way of coming up with her presently. But +it hapened there was one Man on board the Sloop, that knew of a Shoal +Ground thereabouts, who directed Low to run over it; he did so; and +the Man-of-War who had now so forereached him as to sling a Shot over +him, in the close pursuit ran a Ground upon the Shoal, and so Low and +Company escaped Hanging for this time. + +Spriggs, who was in the Schooner, when he saw the Danger they were in +of being taken, upon the Man-of-War’s outsailing them, was afraid of +falling into the hands of Justice; to prevent which, he, and one of +his Chief Companions, took their Pistols, and laid them down by them, +and solemnly Swore to each other, and pledg’d the Oath in a Bumper of +Liquor, that if they saw there was at last no possibility of Escaping, +but that they should be taken, they would set Foot to Foot, and Shoot +one another, to Escape Justice and the Halter. As if Divine Justice +were not as inexorable as Humane! + +[Illustration: PIRATES BOARDING A SPANISH VESSEL IN THE WEST INDIES + +From an engraving in “The History and Lives of the most Notorious +Pirates,” by an old Seaman, London, n.d., in possession of Capt. Ernest +H. Pentecost, R.N.R.] + +But, as I said, he stood in for the Shoar, and made into Pickeroon Bay, +about 18 Leagues from Carbagena, and so got out of reach of Danger. +By this means the Sloop and Schooner were parted; and Spriggs made +Sail towards the Bay of Honduras, and came to Anchor in a small Island +called Utilla, about 7 or 8 Leagues to Leeward of Roatan, where by the +help of a small Sloop, he had taken the Day before, he haled down, and +cleaned the Schooner. + +While Spriggs lay at Utilla, there was an Opportunity presented, which +gave occasion to several of us to form a design, of making our Escape +out of the Pirates Company; for having lost Low, and being but weak +handed, Spriggs had determined to go thro’ the Gulf, and come upon the +Coast of New-England, to encrease his Company, and supply himself with +Provision; whereupon a Number of us had entred into a Combination, to +take the first fair advantage, to Subdue our Masters; and Free our +selves. There were in all about 22 Men on board the Schooner, and 8 +of us were in the Plot, which was, That when we should come upon the +Coast of New-England, we would take the opportunity when the Crew had +sufficiently dozed themselves with Drink, and had got sound a Sleep, to +secure them under the Hatches, and bring the Vessel and Company in, and +throw ourselves upon the Mercy of the Government. + +But it pleased GOD to disappoint our Design. The Day that they came +to Sail out of Utilla, after they had been parted from Low about five +Weeks, they discovered a large Sloop, which bore down upon them. +Spriggs, who knew not the Sloop, but imagined it might be a Spanish +Privateer, full of Men, being but weak handed himself, made the best +of his way from her. The Sloop greatly overhaled the Schooner. Low, +who knew the Schooner, & thought that since they had been separated, +she might have fallen into the hands of honest Men, fired upon her, & +struck her the first Shot. Spriggs, seeing the Sloop fuller of Men than +ordinary, (for Low had been to Honduras, & had taken a Sloop, & brought +off several Baymen, & was now become an Hundred strong) & remaining +still ignorant of his old Mate, refused to bring to, but continued to +make off; and resolved if they came up with him, to fight them the best +he could. Thus the Harpies had like to have fallen fowl of one another. +But Low hoisting his Pirate Colours, discovered who he was; and then, +hideous was the noisy Joy among the Piratical Crew, on all sides, +accompanied with Firing, & Carousing, at the finding their Old Master, +& Companions, & their narrow Escape; and so the design of Crusing upon +the Coast of New-England came to nothing. A good Providence it was to +my dear Country, that it did so; unless we could have timely succeeded +in our design to surprise them. + +Yet it had like to have proved a fatal Providence to those of us that +had a hand in the Plot; for tho’ our design of surprising Spriggs and +Company, when we should come upon the Coast of New-England, was carried +with as much secrecy as was possible, (we hardly daring to trust one +another, and mentioning it always with utmost privacy, and not plainly, +but in distant hints) yet now that Low appeared, Spriggs had got an +account of it some way or other; and full of Resentment and Rage he +goes aboard Low, and acquaints him with what he called our Treacherous +design, and says all he can to provoke him to Revenge the Mischief upon +us, and earnestly urged that we might be shot. But GOD who has the +Hearts of all Men in His own Hands, and turns them as He pleases, so +over ruled, that Low turned it off with a Laugh, and said he did not +know, but if it had been his own case, as it was ours, he should have +done so himself; and all that Spriggs could say was not able to stir up +his Resentments, and procure any heavy Sentence upon us. + +Thus Low’s merry Air saved us at that time; for had he lisped a Word in +compliance with what Spriggs urged, we had surely some of us, if not +all, have been lost. Upon this he comes on board the Schooner again, +heated with Drink, but more chased in his own mind, that he could not +have his Will of us, and swore & tore like a Madman, crying out that +four of us ought to go forward, & be shot; and to me in particular he +said, You D--g, Ashton, deserve to be hang’d up at the Yards Arm, for +designing to cut us off. I told him, I had no design of hurting any man +on board, but if they would let me go away quietly I should be glad. +This matter made a very great noise on board for several Hours, but at +length the Fire was quenched, and thro’ the Goodness of GOD, I escaped +being consumed by the violence of the Flame. + +The next Day, Low ordered all into Roatan Harbour to clean, and here it +was that thro’ the Favour of GOD to me, I first gained Deliverance out +of the Pirates hands; tho’ it was a long while before my Deliverance +was perfected, in a return to my Country, and Friends; as you will see +in the Sequel. + +Roatan Harbour, as all about the Gulf of Honduras, is full of small +Islands, which go by the General Name of the Keys. When we had got in +here, Low and some of his Chief Men had got a shoar upon one of these +small Islands, which they called Port-Royal Key, where they made them +Booths, and were Carousing, Drinking, and Firing, while the two Sloops, +the Rhode-Island, and that which Low brought with him from the Bay were +cleaning. As for the Schooner, he loaded her with the Logwood which the +Sloop brought from the Bay, & gave her, according to promise, to one +John Blaze, and put four men along with him in her, and when they came +to Sail from this Place, sent them away upon their own account, and +what became of them I know not. + +Upon Saturday the 9th of March, 1723, the Cooper with Six hands in the +Long-Boat were going ashore at the Watering place to fill their Casks; +as he came along by the Schooner I called to him and asked him, if he +were going a shoar? he told me Yes; then I asked him, if he would take +me along with him; he seemed to hesitate at the first; but I urged +that I had never been on shoar yet, since I first came on board, and I +thought it very hard that I should be so closely confined, when every +one else had the Liberty of going ashoar, at several times, as there +was occasion. At length he took me in, imagining, I suppose, that there +would be no danger of my Running away in so desolate uninhabitated a +Place, as that was. + +I went into the Boat with only an Ozenbrigs Frock and Trousers on, and +a Mill’d Cap upon my Head, having neither Shirt, Shoes, nor Stockings, +nor any thing else about me; whereas, had I been aware of such an +Opportunity, but one quarter of an Hour before, I could have provided +my self something better. However, thought I, if I can but once get +footing on Terra-Firma, tho’ in never so bad Circumstances, I shall +count it a happy Deliverance; for I was resolved, come what would, +never to come on board again. + +Low had often told me (upon my asking him to send me away in some of +the Vessels, which he dismissed after he had taken them), that I should +go home when he did, and not before, and Swore that I should never set +foot on shoar till he did. But the time for Deliverance was now come. +GOD had ordered it that Low and Spriggs, and almost all the Commanding +Officers, were ashoar upon an Island distinct from Roatan, where the +Watering place was; He presented me in sight, when the Long Boat came +by, (the only opportunity I could have had) He had moved the Cooper to +take me into the Boat, and under such Circumstances as rendred me least +lyable to Suspicion; and so I got ashoar. + +[Illustration: MAP OF THE BAY OF HONDURAS SHOWING RATTAN ISLAND + +From the map in “Voyages and travels of Capt. Nathaniel Uring,” London, +1726, in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society] + +When we came first to Land, I was very Active in helping to get the +Casks out of the Boat, & Rowling them up to the Watering place; then I +lay down at the Fountain & took a hearty Draught of the Cool Water; & +anon, I gradually strol’d along the Beech, picking up Stones & Shells, +& looking about me; when I had got about Musket Shot off from them +(tho’ they had taken no Arms along with them in the Boat) I began to +make up to the Edge of the Woods; when the Cooper spying me, call’d +after me, & asked me where I was going; I told him I was going to get +some Coco-Nuts, for there were some Coco-Nut Trees just before me. So +soon as I had recovered the Woods, and lost sight of them, I betook my +self to my Heels, & ran as fast as the thickness of the Bushes, and my +naked Feet would let me. I bent my Course, not directly from them, but +rather up behind them, which I continued till I had got a considerable +way into the Woods, & yet not so far from them but that I could hear +their talk, when they spake any thing loud; and here I lay close in a +very great Thicket, being well assured, if they should take the pains +to hunt after me never so carefully they would not be able to find me. + +After they had filled their Casks and were about to go off, the Cooper +called after me to come away; but I lay snug in my Thicket, and would +give him no Answer, tho’ I plainly eno’ heard him. At length they set +a hallooing for me, but I was still silent; I could hear them say to +one another, The D--g is lost in the Woods, and can’t find the way out +again; then they hallooed again; and cried, he is run-away and won’t +come again; the Cooper said, if he had thought I would have served him +so, he would not have brought me ashoar. They plainly saw it would be +in vain to seek me in such hideous Woods, and thick Brushes. When they +were weary with hallooing, the Cooper at last, to shew his good Will +to me, (I can’t but Love and Thank him for his Kindness) call’d out, +If you don’t come away presently, I’ll go off and leave you alone. But +all they could say was no Temptation to me to discover my self, and +least of all that of their going away and leaving me; for this was +the very thing I desired, that I might be rid of them, and all that +belonged to them. So finding it in vain for them to wait any longer, +they put off with their Water, without me; and thus was I left upon a +desolate Island destitute of all help, and much out of the way of all +Travellers; however this Wilderness I looked upon as Hospitable, and +this Loneliness as good Company, compared with the State and Society I +was now happily Delivered from. + +When I supposed they were gone off, I came out of my Thicket, and drew +down to the Water side, about a Mile below the Watering place, where +there was a small run of Water; and here I sat down to observe their +Motions, and know when the Coast was clear; for I could not but have +some remaining fears lest they should send a Company of Armed Men after +me; yet I thought if they should, the Woods and Bushes were so thick +that it would be impossible they should find me. As yet I had nothing +to Eat, nor indeed were my Thoughts much concerned about living in this +Desolate Place, but they were chiefly taken up about my geting clear. +And to my Joy, after the Vessels had stayed five Days in this Harbour, +they came to Sail, and put out to Sea, and I plainly saw the Schooner +part from the two Sloops, and shape a different Course from them. + +When they were gone and the Coast clear, I began to reflect upon my +self, and my present Condition; I was upon an Island from whence I +could not get off; I knew of no Humane Creature within many scores +of Miles of me; I had but a Scanty Cloathing, and no possibility of +getting more; I was destitute of all Provision for my Support, and +knew not how I should come at any; every thing looked with a dismal +Face; the sad prospect drew Tears from me in abundance; yet since GOD +had graciously granted my Desires, in freeing me out of the hands of +the Sons of Violence, whose Business ’tis to devise Mischief against +their Neighbour, and from whom every thing that had the least face of +Religion and Virtue was intirely Banished, (unless that Low would never +suffer his Men to work upon the Sabbath, (it was more devoted to Play) +and I have seen some of them sit down to Read in a good Book) therefore +I purposed to account all the hardship I might now meet with, as Light, +& Easy, compared with being Associated with them. + +In order to find in what manner I was to Live for the time to come, +I began to Range the Island over, which I suppose is some 10 or 11 +Leagues Long, in the Latitude of 16 deg. 30 min. or thereabouts. I soon +found that I must look for no Company, but the Wild Beast of the Field, +and the Fowl of the Air; with all of which I made a Firm Peace, and GOD +said Amen to it. I could discover no Footsteps of any Habitation upon +the Island; yet there was one walk of Lime Trees near a Mile long, and +ever now & then I found some broken Shreds of Earthen Pots, scattered +here and there upon the Place, which some say are some remains of the +Indians that formerly Lived upon the Island. + +The Island is well Watered, and is full of Hills, high Mountains, and +lowly Vallies. The Mountains are Covered over with a sort of scrubby +black Pine, & are almost inaccessible. The Vallies abound with Fruit +Trees, and are so prodigiously thick with an underbrush, that ’tis +difficult passing. + +The Fruit were Coco-Nuts, but these I could have no advantage from, +because I had no way of coming at the inside; there are Wild-Figs, and +Vines in abundance, these I chiefly lived upon, especially at first; +there is also a sort of Fruit growing upon Trees somewhat larger than +an Orange, of an Oval shape, of a brownish Colour without, and red +within, having two or three Stones about as large as a Walnut in the +midst: tho’ I saw many of these fallen under the Trees, yet I dared not +to meddle with them for sometime, till I saw some Wild Hogs eat them +with safety, and then I thought I might venture upon them too, after +such Tasters, and I found them to be a very delicious sort of Fruit; +they are called Mammees Supporters, as I learned afterwards. There are +also a sort of small Beech-Plumb, growing upon low shrubs; and a large +form of Plumb growing upon Trees, which are called Hog-Plumbs; and many +other sorts of Fruit which I am wholly a Stranger to. Only I would take +notice of the Goodness of GOD to me, in preserving me from destroying +my self by feeding upon any Noxious Fruit, as the Mangeneil Apple, +which I often took up in my hands, and look’d upon, but had not the +power to eat of; which if I had, it would have been present Death to +me, as I was informed afterwards, tho’ I knew not what it was. + +There are also upon this Island, and the Adjacent Islands, and Keys, +Deer, and Wild Hogs; they abound too with Fowl of diverse sorts, +as Ducks, Teil, Curlews, Galdings, (a Fowl long Legged, and shaped +somewhat like a Heron, but not so big) Pellicans, Boobys, Pigeons, +Parrotts, &c. and the Shoars abound with Tortoise. + +But of all this Store of Beast, and Fowl, I could make no use to Supply +my Necessities; tho’ my Mouth often watered for a Bit of them; yet I +was forced to go without it; for I had no Knife, or other Instrument of +Iron with me, by which to cut up a Tortoise, when I had turned it; or +to make Snares or Pitts, with which to entrap, or Bows & Arrows with +which to kill any Bird or Beast withal; nor could I by any possible +means that I knew of, come at Fire to dress any if I had taken them, +tho’ I doubt not but some would have gone down Raw if I could have come +at it. + +I sometimes had thoughts of Digging Pits and covering them over with +small Branches of Trees, & laying Brush and Leaves upon them to take +some Hogs or Deer in; but all was vain imagination, I had no Shovel, +neither could I find or make any thing that would answer my end, and I +was presently convinced, that my Hands alone, were not sufficient to +make one deep and large eno’ to detain any thing that should fall into +it; so that I was forced to rest satisfied with the Fruit of the Vine, +and Trees, and looked upon it as good Provision, and very handy for one +in my Condition. + +In length of time, as I was poking about the Beech, with a Stick, to +see if I could find any Tortoise Nests, (which I had heard lay their +Eggs in the Sand) I brought up part of an Egg clinging to the Stick, +and upon removing the Sand which lay over them, I found near an Hundred +& Fifty Eggs which had not been laid long eno’ to spoil; so I took some +of them and eat them: And in this way I sometimes got some Eggs to Eat, +which are not very good at the best; yet what is not good to him that +has nothing to Live upon, but what falls from the Trees. + +The Tortoise lay their Eggs above High Water Mark, in a hole which they +make in the Sand, about a Foot, or a Foot and half deep, and cover them +over with the Sand, which they make as smooth & even as any part of the +Beech, so that there is no discerning where they are, by any, the least +sign of a Hillock, or Rising; and according to my best observation, +they Hatch in about 18 or 20 Days, and as soon as the Young Ones are +Hatched they betake themselves immediately to the Water. + +There are many Serpents upon this, and the Adjacent Islands. There is +one sort that is very Large, as big round as a Man’s Wast, tho’ not +above 12 or 14 Feet long. These are called Owlers. They look like old +fallen Stocks of Trees covered over with a short Moss, when they lye +at their length; but they more usually lye coiled up in a round. The +first I saw of these greatly surprised me; for I was very near to it +before I discovered it to be a Living Creature, and then it opened it’s +Mouth wide eno’ to have thrown a Hat into it, and blew out its Breath +at me. This Serpent is very slow in its motion, and nothing Venemous, +as I was afterwards told by a Man, who said he had been once bitten by +one of them. There are several other smaller Serpents, some of them +very Venemous, particularly one that is called a Barber’s Pole, being +streaked White and Yellow. But I met with no Rattle-Snakes there, +unless the Pirates, nor did I ever hear of any other being there. + +The Islands are also greatly infested with vexatious Insects, +especially the Musketto, and a sort of small Black Fly, (something like +a Gnat) more troublesome than the Musketto; so that if one had never so +many of the comforts of Life about him, these Insects would render his +Living here very burthensome to him; unless he retired to a small Key, +destitute of Woods and Brush, where the Wind disperses the Vermin. + +The Sea hereabouts, hath a variety of Fish; such as are good to Eat, +I could not come at, and the Sharks, and Alligators or Crocodiles, I +did not care to have any thing to do with; tho’ I was once greatly +endangered by a Shark, as I shall tell afterwards. + +This was the Place I was confined to; this my Society and Fellowship; +and this my State and Condition of Life. Here I spent near Nine Months; +without Converse with any Living Creature; for the Parrots here had not +been taught to Speak. Here I lingred out one Day after another, I knew +not how, without Business, or Diversion; unless gathering up my Food, +rambling from Hill to Hill, from Island to Island, gazing upon the +Water, and staring upon the Face of the Sky, may be called so. + +In this Lonely and Distressed Condition, I had time to call over +my past Life; and Young as I was, I saw I had grown Old in Sin; my +Transgressions were more than my Days; and tho’ GOD had graciously +Restrained me from the Grosser Enormities of Life, yet I saw Guilt +staring me in the Face; eno’ to humble me and forever to vindicate the +Justice of GOD in all that I underwent. I called to mind many things I +had heard from the Pulpit, and what I had formerly Read in the Bible, +which I was now wholly Destitute of, tho’ I thought if I could but have +one now, it would have sweetened my Condition, by the very Diversion +of Reading, and much more from the Direction and Comfort it would have +afforded me. I had some Comforts in the midst of my Calamity. It was +no small Support to me, that I was about my Lawful Employment, when +I was first taken; and that I had no hand in bringing my Misery upon +my self, but was forced away sorely against my Will. It wonderfully +aleviated my Sorrows, to think, that I had my Parents approbation, and +consent in my going to Sea; and I often fancied to my self, that if +I had gone to Sea against their will and pleasure, and had met with +this Disaster, I should have looked upon it as a designed Punishment +of such Disobedience, and the very Reflection on it would have so +aggravated my Misery, as soon to have put an end to my Days. I looked +upon my self also, as more in the way of the Divine Blessing now, than +when I was linked to a Crew of Pirates, where I could scarce hope for +Protection and a Blessing. I plainly saw very signal Instances of the +Power & Goodness of GOD to me, in the many Deliverances which I had +already experienced (the least of which I was utterly unworthy of) and +this Encouraged me to put my Trust in Him: and tho’ I had none but GOD +to go to for help, yet I knew that He was able to do more for me than +I could ask or think: to Him therefore I committed my self, purposing +to wait hopefully upon the Lord till he should send Deliverance to me: +Trusting that in his own time and way, he would find out means for my +safe Return to my Fathers House; and earnestly entreating that he would +provide a better place for me. + +It was my Daily Practice to Ramble from one part of the Island to an +other, tho’ I had a more special Home near to the Water side. Here I +had built me a House to defend me from the heat of the Sun by Day, +and the great Dews of the Night. I took some of the best Branches I +could find fallen from the Trees, and stuck them in the Ground, and +I contrived as often as I could (for I built many such Huts) to fix +them leaning against the Limb of a Tree that hung low; I split the +Palmeto Leaves and knotted the Limb & Sticks together; then I covered +them over with the largest and best Palmeto Leaves I could find. I +generally Situated my Hut near the Water side, with the open part of +it facing the Sea, that I might be the more ready upon the look out, +and have the advantage of the Sea Breeze, which both the Heat and +the Vermin required. But the Vermin, the Muskettos and Flys, grew so +troublesome to me, that I was put upon contrivance to get rid of their +Company. This led me to think of getting over to some of the Adjacent +Keys, that I might have some Rest from the disturbance of these busy +Companions. My greatest difficulty lay in getting over to any other +Island; for I was but a very poor Swimmer; and I had no Canoo, nor any +means of making one. At length I got a piece of Bamboe, which is hollow +like a Reed, and light as a Cork, and having made tryal of it under +my Breast and Arms in Swimming by the shoar; with this help I e’en +ventured to put off for a small Key about Gunshot off, and I reached it +pretty comfortably. This Key was but about 3 or 400 Feet in compass, +clear of Woods & Brush, & lay very low: & I found it so free from the +Vermin, by the free Passage of the Wind over it, that I seemed to be +got into a New World, where I lived more at ease. This I kept as a +place of Retreat, whither I retired when the Heat of the Day rendred +the Fly-kind most troublesome to me: for I was obliged to be much upon +Roatan for the sake of my Food, Water, & House. When I swam backward +& forward from my Night to my Day Island, I used to bind my Frock & +Trousers about my Head, but I could not so easily carry over Wood & +Leaves to make a Hut of; else I should have spent more of my time upon +my little Day Island. + +My Swimming thus backward & forward exposed me to some Danger. Once I +Remember as I was passing from my Day to my Night Island, the Bamboe +got from under me e’er I was aware, & the Tide or Current set so +strong, that I was very difficulty put to it to recover the Shoar; +so that a few Rods more distance had in all probability landed me in +another World. At another time as I was Swimming over to my Day Island, +a Shovel nos’d Shark, (of which the Seas thereabouts are full, as well +as Alligators) struck me in the Thigh just as I set my Foot to Ground, +& so grounded himself (I suppose) by the shoalness of the Water, that +he could not turn himself to come at me with his Mouth, & so, thro’ +the Goodness of GOD, I escaped falling a Prey to his devouring Teeth. +I felt the Blow he gave me some hours after I had got ashoar. By +accustoming my self to Swim, I at length grew pretty dexterous at it, +and often gave my self the Diversion of thus passing from one Island to +another among the Keys. + +One of my greatest difficulties lay in my being Barefoot, my Travels +backward & forward in the Woods to hunt for my Daily Food, among the +thick under-brush, where the Ground was covered with sharp Sticks & +Stones, & upon the hot Beech among the sharp broken Shells, had made +so many Wounds and Gashes in my Feet, & some of them very large, that +I was hardly able to go at all. Very often as I was treading with all +the tenderness I could, a sharp Stone or Shell on the Beech or pointed +Stick in the Woods, would run into the Old Wounds, & the Anguish of it +would strike me down as suddenly as if I had been shot thro’, & oblige +me to set down and Weep by the hour together at the extremity of my +Pain; so that in process of time I could Travel no more than needs +must, for the necessary procuring of Food. Sometimes I have sat leaning +my Back against a Tree, with my Face to the Sea, to look out for the +passing of a Vessel for a whole Day together. + +At length I grew very Weak & Faint, as well as Sore and Bruised; and +once while I was in this Condition, a Wild Boar seemed to make at me +with some Fierceness; I knew not what to do with my self, for I was not +able to defend my self against him if he should attack me. So as he +drew nearer to me, I caught hold of the Limb of a Tree which was close +by me, & drew my Body up by it from the Ground as well as I could; +while I was in this Hanging posture, the Boar came and struck at me, +but his Tushes only took hold of my shattered Trousers & tore a peice +out; and then he went his way. This I think was the only time that I +was assaulted by any Wild Beast, with whom I said I had made Peace; and +I look upon it as a Great Deliverance. + +As my Weakness encreased upon me, I should often fall down as tho’ +struck with a dead sleep, and many a time as I was thus falling, and +sometimes when I lay’d my self down to Sleep, I never expected to wake +or rise more; and yet in the midst of all GOD has Wonderfully preserved +me. + +In the midst of this my great Soreness & Feebleness I lost the Days of +the Week, & how long I had layn in some of my numb sleepy Fits I knew +not, so that I was not able now to distinguish the Sabbath from any +other Day of the Week; tho’ all Days were in some sort a Sabbath to me. +As my Illness prevailed I wholly lost the Month, and knew not where +abouts I was in the Account of Time. + +Under all this Dreadful Distress, I had no healing Balsames to apply +to my Feet, no Cordials to revive my Fainting Spirits, hardly able now +& then to get me some Figs or Grapes to Eat, nor any possible way of +coming at a Fire, which the Cool Winds, & great Rains, beginning to +come on now called for. The Rains begin about the middle of October, & +continue for Five Months together, and then the Air is Raw Cold, like +our North East Storms of Rain; only at times the Sun breaks out with +such an exceeding Fierceness, that there is hardly any enduring the +Heat of it. + +I had often heard of the fetching Fire by Rubbing of two Sticks +together; but I could never get any this way; tho’ I had often +tried while I was in Health and Strength, untill I was quite tired. +Afterwards I learned the way of getting Fire from two Sticks, which I +will Publish, that it may be of Service to any that may be hereafter in +my Condition. + +Take Two Sticks, the one of harder the other softer Wood, the dryer the +better, in the soft Wood make a sort of Mortice or Socket, point the +harder Wood to fit that Socket; hold the softer Wood firm between the +Knees, take the harder Wood between your Hands with the point fixed in +the Socket, and rub the Stick in your Hands backward & forward briskly +like a Drill, and it will take Fire in less than a Minute; as I have +sometimes since seen, upon experiment made of it. + +But then I knew of no such Method (and it may be should have been +difficulty put to it to have formed the Mortice and Drill for want of +a Knife) and I suffered greatly without a Fire, thro’ the chillness of +the Air, the Wetness of the Season, and Living only upon Raw Fruit. + +Thus I pass’d about Nine Months in this lonely, melancholy, wounded, +and languishing Condition. I often lay’d my self down as upon my last +Bed, & concluded I should certainly Dye alone, & no Body knew what was +become of me. I thought it would be some relief to me if my Parents +could but tell where I was; and then I thought their Distress would be +exceeding great, if they knew what I under went. But all such thoughts +were vain. The more my Difficulties encreased, and the nearer prospect +I had of Dying, the more it drove me upon my Knees, and made me the +more earnest in my Crys to my Maker for His favourable regards to me, +and to the Great Redeemer to pardon me, and provide for my after well +being. + +And see the surprising Goodness of GOD to me, in sending me help in my +time of trouble, & that in the most unexpected way & manner, as tho’ an +Angel had been commissioned from Heaven to relieve me. + +Sometime in November, 1723, I espied a small Canoo, coming towards +me with one Man in it. It did not much surprise me. A Friend I could +not hope for; and I could not resist, or hardly get out of the way +of an Enemy, nor need I fear one. I kept my Seat upon the Edge of the +Beech. As he came nearer he discovered me & seemed great surprised. He +called to me. I told him whence I was, & that he might safely venture +ashoar, for I was alone, & almost Dead. As he came up to me, he stared +& look’d wild with surprise; my Garb & Countenance astonished him; he +knew not what to make of me; he started back a little, & viewed me more +thorowly; but upon recovering of himself, he came forward, & took me by +the Hand & told me he was glad to see me. And he was ready as long as +he stayed with me, to do any kind offices for me. + +He proved to be a North-Britain, a Man well in Years, of a Grave and +Venerable Aspect, and of a reserved Temper. His Name I never knew, for +I had not asked him in the little time he was with me, expecting a +longer converse with him; and he never told me it. But he acquainted me +that he had lived with the Spaniards 22 Years, and now they threatened +to Burn him, I knew not for what Crime: therefore he had fled for +Sanctuary to this Place, & had brought his Gun, Ammunition, and Dog, +with a small quantity of Pork, designing to spend the residue of his +Days here, & support himself by Hunting. He seemed very kind & obliging +to me, gave me some of his Pork, and assisted me all he could; tho’ he +conversed little. + +Upon the Third Day after he came to me, he told me, he would go out in +his Canoo among the Islands, to kill some Wild Hogs & Deer, and would +have had me to go along with him. His Company, the Fire and a little +dressed Provision something recruited my Spirits; but yet I was so +Weak, and Sore in my Feet, that I could not accompany him in Hunting: +So he set out alone, and said he would be with me again in a Day or +two. The Sky was Serene and Fair, and there was no prospect of any +Danger in his little Voyage among the Islands, when he had come safe in +that small Float near 12 Leagues; but by that time he had been gone an +Hour, there arose a most Violent Gust of Wind and Rain, which in all +probability overset him; so that I never saw nor heard of him any more. +And tho’ by this means I was deprived of my Companion, yet it was the +Goodness of GOD to me, that I was not well eno’ to go with him; for +thus I was preserved from that Destruction which undoubtedly overtook +him. + +Thus after the pleasure of having a Companion almost Three Days, I was +as unexpectedly reduced to my former lonely Condition, as I had been +for a little while recovered out of it. It was grievous to me to think, +that I no sooner saw the Dawnings of Light, after so long Obscurity, +but the Clouds returned after the Rain upon me. I began to experience +the Advantage of a Companion, and find that Two is better than One, +and flattered my self, that by the help of some fresh Hogs Grease, I +should get my Feet well, and by a better Living recover more Strength. +But it pleased GOD to take from me the only Man I had seen for so many +Months after so short a Converse with him. Yet I was left in better +Circumstances by him that he found me in. For at his going away he +left with me about Five Pound of Pork, a Knife, a Bottle of Powder, +Tobacco Tongs and Flint, by which means I was in a way to Live better +than I had done. For now I could have a Fire, which was very needful +for me, the Rainy Months of the Winter; I could cut up some Tortoise +when I had turned them, and have a delicate broiled Meal of it: So +that by the help of the Fire, and dressed Food, and the Blessing of +GOD accompanying it, I began to recover more Strength, only my Feet +remained Sore. + +Besides, I had this Advantage now, which I had not before, that I could +go out now and then and catch a Dish of Crab-Fish, a Fish much like a +Lobster, only wanting the great Claws. My manner of catching them was +odd; I took some of the best peices of the old broken small Wood, that +came the nearest to our Pitch Pine, or Candle-Wood, and made them up +into a small Bundle like a Torch, and holding one of these lighted at +one End in one hand, I waded into the Water upon the Beech up to my +Wast: the Crab-Fish spying the Light at a considerable distance, would +crawl away till they came directly under it, and then they would lye +still at my Feet. In my other hand I had a Forked Stick with which I +struck the Fish and tossed it ashoar. In this manner I supplyed my self +with a Mess of Shell-Fish, which when roasted is very good Eating. + +Between two and three Months after I had lost my Companion, as I was +ranging a long shoar, I found a small Canoo. The sight of this at first +renewed my Sorrows for his Loss; for I thought it had been his Canoo, +and it’s coming ashore thus, was a proof to me that he was lost in the +Tempest: but upon further Examination of it I found it was one I had +never seen before. + +When I had got this little Vessel in possession, I began to think +my self Admiral of the Neighbouring Seas, as well as Sole Possessor +and Chief Commander upon the Islands; and with the advantage hereof +I could transport my self to my small Islands of Retreat, much more +conveniently than in my former Method of Swimming. In process of time I +tho’t of making a Tour to some of the more distant and larger Islands, +to see after what manner they were inhabitated, and how they were +provided, and partly to give my self the Liberty of Diversions. So I +lay’d in a small parcel of Grapes and Figs, and some Tortoise, & took +my Fire-Works with me, and put off for the Island of Bonacco, an Island +of about 4 or 5 Leagues long, and some 5 or 6 Leagues to the Eastward +of Roatan. + +As I was upon my Voyage I discovered a Sloop at the Eastern End of +the Island; so I made the best of my way, and put in at the Western +End; designing to travel down to them by Land, partly because there +ran out a large point of Rocks far into the Sea, and I did not care +to venture my self so far out in my little Canoo as I must do to head +them: & partly because I was willing to make a better discovery of +them, before I was seen by them; for in the midst of my most deplorable +Circumstances, I could never entertain the thoughts of returning on +board any Pirate, if I should have the opportunity, but had rather Live +and Dye as I was. So I haled up my Canoo, and fastened her as well as I +could, and set out upon my Travel. + +[Illustration: MAP SHOWING ROATAN ISLAND IN THE BAY OF HONDURAS WHERE +PHILIP ASHTON ESCAPED FROM PIRATES + +From a map in the “American Atlas” by Thomas Jeffery, London, 1776, in +the possession of John W. Farwell] + +I spent two Days, and the biggest part of two Nights in Travelling +of it; my Feet were yet so sore that I could go but very slowly, and +sometimes the Woods and Bushes were so thick that I was forced to Crawl +upon my Hands and Knees for half a Mile together. In this Travel I +met with an odd Adventure that had like to have proved fatal to me, +and my preservation was an eminent Instance of the Divine Conduct and +Protection. + +As I drew within a Mile or two of where I supposed the Sloop might be, +I made down to the Water side, and slowly opened the Sea, that I might +not discover my self too soon; when I came down to the Water side I +could see no sign of the Sloop, upon which I concluded that it was +gone clear, while I spent so much time in Travelling. I was very much +tired with my long tedious March, and sat my self down leaning against +the Stock of a Tree facing to the Sea, and fell a Sleep. But I had +not slept long before I was awakened in a very surprising manner, by +the noise of Guns. I started up in a fright, and saw Nine Periaguas, +or large Canooes, full of Men firing upon me. I soon turned about and +ran as fast as my sore Feet would let me into the Bushes; and the Men +which were Spaniards, cryed after me, O Englishman, we’ll give you good +Quarter. But such was the Surprise I had taken, by being awakened out +of Sleep in such a manner, that I had no command of my self to hearken +to their offers of Quarter, which it may be at another time under +cooler thoughts I might have done. So I made into the Woods, and they +continued Firing after me, to the Number of 150 small Shot at least, +many of which cut off several small twigs of the Bushes along side of +me as I went off. When I had got out of the reach of their Shot, into a +very great Thicket, I lay close for several Hours; and perceiving they +were gone by the noise of their Oars in Rowing off, I came out of my +Thicket, and Travelled a Mile or two along the Water side, below the +place where they Fired upon me, and then I saw the Sloop under English +Colours, Sailing out of the Harbour, with the Periaguas in tow; and +then I concluded that it was an English Sloop that had been at the Bay, +whom the Spaniards had met with and taken. + +The next Day I went up to the Tree, where I so narrowly Escaped being +taken Napping, and there to my surprise I found 6 or 7 Shot had gone +into the Body of the Tree, within a Foot or less of my Head as I sat +down; & yet thro’ the wonderful goodness of GOD to me, in the midst of +all their Fire, and tho’ I was as a Mark set up for them to shoot at, +none of their Shot touched me. So did GOD as yet signally preserve me. + +After this I Travelled away for my Canoo at the Western End of the +Island, and spent near three Days e’er I reached it. In this Long March +backward and forward, I suffered very much from the Soreness of my +Feet, & the want of Provision; for this Island is not so plentifully +stored with Fruit as Roatan is, so that I was very difficultly put +to it for my Subsistence, for the 5 or 6 Days that I spent here; and +besides the Musketoes and Black Flys were abundantly more numerous, and +vexatious to me than at my old Habitation. The Difficulties I met with +here made me lay aside all thoughts of tarrying any time to search the +Island. At length much tired and spent I reached my Canoo, and found +all safe there, to my great Joy; and then I put off for Roatan, which +was a Royal Palace to me in comparison of Bonacco, where I arrived to +my great Satisfaction about Ten a Clock at Night, & found all things as +I left them. + +Here I Lived (if it may be called Living) alone for about Seven Months +more, from the time of my loosing my North British Companion; and spent +my time after my usual manner in Hunting for my Food, and Ranging the +Islands; till at length it pleased GOD, to send some Company to me with +whom I could Converse, and enjoy somewhat more of the Comforts of Life. + +Sometime in June, 1724, as I was upon my small Island, where I often +retired for Shelter from the pestering Insects, I saw two large Canooes +making into the Harbour; as they drew near they saw the Smoak of the +Fire which I had kindled, and wondring what it should mean came to a +stand. I had fresh in my Memory what I met with at Banacco, and was +very loth to run the risque of such another firing, and therefore +steped to my Canoo upon the back side of my small Island, not above 100 +feet off from me, and immediately went over to my great Mansion, where +I had places of safety to Shelter me from the Designs of an Enemy, +and Rooms large and spacious eno’ to give a kindly welcome to any +ordinary number of Friends. They saw me cross the Ferry of about Gun +shot over, from my little to my great Island, and being as much afraid +of Spaniards, as I was of Pirates, they drew very cautiously towards +the shoar. I came down upon the Beech shewing my self openly to them, +for their caution made me think they were no Pirates, and I did not +much care who else they were; however, I thought I could call to them, +and know what they were, before I should be in much danger from their +shot; and if they proved such as I did not like, I could easily retire +from them. But before I called, they, who were as full of fears as I +could be, lay upon their Oars and hallooed to me, enquiring who I was, +and whence I came; I told them I was an English Man, and had Run away +from the Pirates. Upon this they drew something nearer and enquired who +was there besides my self; I assured them I was alone. Then I took my +turn, and asked them who they were, and whence they came. They told +me they were Bay-men, come from the Bay. This was comfortable News to +me; so I bid them pull ashoar, there was no danger, I would stop for +them. Accordingly they put ashoar, but at some distance from me, and +first sent one Man ashoar to me; whom I went to meet. When the Man came +up to me he started back, frighted to see such a Poor, Ragged, Lean, +Wan, Forlorn, Wild, Miserable Object so near him: but upon recovering +himself, he came and took me by the hand, and we fell to embracing one +another, he with surprise and wonder, I with a sort of Extasy of Joy. +After this was over he took me in his Arms and carried me down to their +Canooes, where they were all struck with astonishment at the sight of +me, were glad to receive me, and expressed a very great tenderness to +me. + +I gave them a short History how I had escaped from Low, and had lived +here alone for Sixteen Months, (saving three days) what hardship I +had met with, and what danger I had run thro’. They stood amazed! +They wondred I was alive! and expressed a great satisfaction in it, +that they were come to relieve me. And observing I was weak, and my +Spirits low, they gave me about a Spoonful of Rhum to recruit my +fainting Spirits. This small quantity, thro’ my long disuse of any +Liquor higher Spirited than Water, and my present weakness, threw my +Animal Spirits into such a violent Agitation, as to obstruct their +Motion, and produced a kind of Stupor, which left me for some time +bereft of all Sense; some of them perceiving me falling into such a +strange Insensibility, would have given me more of the same Spirit to +have recovered me; but those of them that had more wit, would not allow +of it. So I lay for some small time in a sort of a Fit, and they were +ready to think that they should lose me as soon as they had found me. +But I revived. + +And when I was so thorowly come to my self as to converse with them, I +found they were Eighteen Men come from the Bay of Honduras, the chief +of which were, John Hope, and John Ford. The occasion of their coming +from the Bay was, a Story they had got among them, that the Spaniards +had projected to make a descent upon them by Water, while the Indians +were to assault them by Land, and cut off the Bay; and they retired +hither to avoid the Destruction that was designed. This John Hope and +Ford had formerly, upon a like occasion, sheltered themselves among +these Islands, and lived for four Years together upon a small Island +called Barbarat, about two Leagues from Roatan, where they had two +Plantations, as they called them; and being now upon the same design of +retreating for a time for Safety, they brought with them two Barrels +of Flower, with other Provisions, their Fire-Arms, Ammunition and Dogs +for Hunting, and Nets for tortoise, and an Indian Woman to dress their +Provisions for them. They chose for their chief Residence a small Key +about a quarter of a Mile Round, lying near to Barbarat, which they +called the Castle of Comfort, chiefly because it was low, and clear of +Woods and Bushes, where the Wind had an open passage, and drove away +the pestering Muskettoes and Gnats. From hence they sent to the other +Islands round about for Wood and Water, and for Materials, with which +they Built two Houses, such as they were, for Shelter. + +And now I seemed to be in a far more likely way to Live pretty +tollerably, than in the Sixteen Months past; for besides the having +Company, they treated me with a great deal of Civility, in their way; +they Cloathed me, and gave me a large sort of Wrapping Gown to lodge +in a Nights to defend me from the great Dews, till their Houses were +Covered; and we had plenty of Provision. But after all they were Bad +Company, and there was but little difference between them and the +Pirates, as to their Common Conversation; only I thought they were not +now engaged in any such bad design as rendered it unlawful to Joyn with +them, nor dangerous to be found in their Company. + +In process of time, by the Blessing of GOD, & the Assistance I +received from them, I gathered so much Strength that I was able +sometimes to go out a Hunting with them. The Islands hereabouts, I +observed before, abound with Wild Hogs and Deer, and Tortoise. Their +manner was to go out a number of them in a Canoo, sometimes to one +Island, sometimes to another, and kill what Game they could meet with, +and Firk their Pork, by beginning at one end of a Hog and cutting along +to the other end, and so back again till they had gone all over him, +and flee the flesh in long strings off from the Bones; the Venison they +took whole or in quarters, and the Tortoise in like manner; and return +home with a load of it; what they did not spend presently, they hung up +in their House a smoak drying; and this was a ready supply to them at +all times. + +I was now ready to think my self out of the reach of any danger from an +Enemy, for what should bring any here? and I was compassed continually +with a Number of Men with their Arms ready at hand; and yet when I +thought my self most secure, I very narrowly escaped falling again into +the hands of the Pirates. + +It happened about 6 or 7 Months after these Bay-men came to me. That +three Men and I took a Canoo with four Oars, to go over to Banacco, +a Hunting and to kill Tortoise. While we were gone the rest of the +Bay-men haled up their Canooes, and Dryed and Tarred them, in order to +go to the Bay and see how matters stood there, and to fetch off their +Effects which they had left behind them, in case they should find there +was no safety for them in tarrying. But before they were gone, we, who +had met with good Success in our Voyage, were upon our return to them +with a full load of Tortoise and Firkt Pork. As we were upon entering +into the Mouth of the Harbour, in a Moon-light Evening, we saw a great +Flash of Light, and heard the report of a Gun, which we thought was +much louder than a Musket, out of a large Periagua, which we saw near +our Castle of Comfort. This put us into a great Consternation, and we +knew not what to make of it. Within a Minute or two we heard a Volley +of 18 or 20 small Arms discharged upon the shoar, and heard some Guns +also fired off from the shoar. Upon which we were satisfied that some +Enemy, Pirates or Spaniards were attacking our People, and being cut +off from our Companions, by the Periaguas which lay between us and +them, we thought it our wisest way to save our selves as well as we +could. So we took down our little Mast and Sail, that it might not +betray us, and rowed out of the Harbour as fast as we could; thinking +to make our Escape from them undiscovered, to an Island about a Mile +and half off. But they either saw us before we had taken our Sail down, +or heard the noise of our Oars as we made out of the Harbour, and came +after us with all speed, in a Periagua of 8 or 10 Oars. We saw them +coming, & that they gained ground upon us apace, & therefore pull’d +up for Life, resolving to reach the nearest shoar if possible. The +Periagua overhaled us so fast that they discharged a Swivel Gun at us, +which over-shot us; but we made a shift to gain the shoar before they +were come fairly within the reach of their small Arms; which yet they +fired upon us, as we were getting ashoar. Then they called to us, and +told us they were Pirates, and not Spaniards, and we need not fear, +they would give us good Quarter; supposing this would easily move us +to surrender our selves to them. But they could not have mentioned any +thing worse to discourage me from having any thing to do with them, for +I had the utmost dread of a Pirate; and my first aversion to them was +now strengthened with the just fears, that if I should fall into their +hands again, they would soon make a Sacrifice of me, for my Deserting +them. I therefore concluded to keep as clear of them as I could; and +the Bay-men with me had no great inclination to be medling with them, +and so we made the best of our way into the Woods. They took away +our Canoo from us, and all that was in it; resolving if we would not +come to them, they would strip us, as far as they were able, of all +means of Subsistance where we were. I who had known what it was to be +destitute of all things, and alone, was not much concerned about that, +now that I had Company, and they their Arms with them, so that we could +have a supply of Provision by Hunting, and Fire to dress it with. + +This Company it seems were some of Spriggs Men, who was Commander of +the Schooner when I Ran away from them. This same Spriggs, I know not +upon what occasion, had cast off the Service of Low, and set up for +himself as the Head of a Party of Rovers, and had now a good Ship of +24 Guns, and a Barmuda Sloop of 12 Guns, under his Command, which were +now lying in Roatan Harbour, where he put in to Water and Clean, at the +place where I first made my Escape. He had discovered our People upon +the small Island, where they Resided, and sent a Perigua full of Men to +take them. Accordingly they took all the Men ashoar, and with them an +Indian Woman and Child; those of them that were ashoar abused the Woman +shamefully. They killed one Man after they were come ashoar, and threw +him into one of the Baymens Canooes where their Tar was, and set Fire +to it, and burnt him in it. Then they carried our People on Board their +Vessels, where they were barbarously treated. + +One of the Baymen Thomas Grande, turned Pirate, and he being acquainted +that Old Father Hope (as we called him) had hid many things in the +Woods, told the Pirates of it, who beat poor Hope unmercifully, and +made him go and shew them where he had hid his Treasure, which they +took away from him. + +After they had kept the Bay-men on board their Vessels for five Days, +then they gave them a Flat, of about 5 or 6 Tons to carry them to the +Bay in, but they gave them no Provision for their Voyage; and before +they sent them away, they made them Swear to them, not to come near +us, who had made our Escape upon another Island. All the while the +Vessels rode in the Harbour, we kept a good look out, but were put to +some difficulties, because we did not dare to make a Fire to dress our +Victuals by, least it should discover whereabouts we were, so that +we were forced to live upon Raw Provision for five Days. But as soon +as they were gone, Father Hope with his Company of Bay-men, (little +regarding an Oath that was forced from them; and thinking it a wicked +Oath, better broken, than to leave four of us in such a helpless +Condition) came to us, and acquainted us who they were, and what they +had done. + +Thus the watchful Providence of GOD, which had so often heretofore +appeared on my behalf, again took special care of me, and sent me out +of the way of danger. ’Tis very apparent that if I had been with my +Companions, at the usual Residence, I had been taken with them; and +if I had, it is beyond question (humanely speaking) that I should not +have escaped with Life, if I should the most painful and cruel Death, +that the Madness and Rage of Spriggs could have invented for me; who +would now have called to mind the design I was engaged in while we were +parted from Low, as well as my final Deserting of them. But Blessed be +GOD, who had designs of favour for me, and so ordered that I must at +this time be absent from my Company. + +Now Old Father Hope and his Company were all designed for the Bay; only +one John Symonds, who had a Negro belonging to him, purposed to tarry +here for some time, and carry on some sort of Trade with the Jamaica +Men upon the Main. I longed to get home to New England, and thought if +I went to the Bay with them, it was very probable that I should in a +little while meet with some New England Vessel, that would carry me to +my Native Country, from which I had been so long a poor Exile. I asked +Father Hope, if he would take me with him, and carry me to the Bay. +The Old Man, tho’ he seemed glad of my Company, yet told me the many +Difficulties that lay in the way; as that their Flat was but a poor +thing to carry so many Men in for near 70 Leagues, which they must +go before they would be out of the reach of Danger; that they had no +Provision with them, and it was uncertain how the Weather would prove, +they might be a great while upon their Passage thither, & their Flat +could very poorly endure a great Sea; that when they should come to the +Bay, they knew not how they should meet with things there, and they +were Daily in Danger of being cut off; and it may be I should be longer +there, in case all was well, than I cared for, e’er I should meet with +a Passage for New-England; for the New-England Vessels often Sailed +from the Bay to other Ports: so that all things considered, he thought +I had better stay where I was, seeing I was like to have Company; +whereas rather than I should be left alone he would take me in. + +On the other hand, Symonds, who as I said designed to spend some time +here, greatly urged me to stay and bear him Company. He told me that as +soon as the Season would permit, he purposed to go over to the Main to +the Jamaica Traders, where I might get a Passage to Jamaica, and from +thence to New-England, probably quicker, and undoubtedly much safer +than I could from the Bay; and that in the mean while I should fare as +he did. + +I did not trouble my self much about fareing, for I knew I could not +fare harder than I had done; but I thought, upon the Consideration of +the whole, that there seemed to be a fairer Prospect of my getting home +by the way of Jamaica, than the Bay; and therefore I said no more to +Father Hope about going with him, but concluded to stay. So I thanked +Father Hope and Company for all their Civilities to me, wished them a +good Voyage, and took leave of them. + +And now there was John Symonds, and I, and his Negro left behind; and +a good Providence of GOD was it for me that I took their Advice and +stayed; for tho’ I got not home by the way of Jamaica as was proposed, +yet I did another and quicker way, in which there was more evident +Interpositions of the Conduct of Divine Providence, as you will hear +presently. + +Symonds was provided with a Canoo, Fire-Arms, and two Dogs, as well +as a Negro; with these he doubted not but we should be furnished of +all that was necessary for our Subsistence; with this Company I spent +between two and three Months after the usual manner in Hunting and +Ranging the Islands. And yet the Winter Rains would not suffer us to +hunt much more than needs must. + +When the Season was near approaching for the Jamaica Traders to be over +at the Main, Symonds proposed the going to some of the other Islands +that abounded more with Tortoise, that he might get the Shells of +them, and carry to the Traders, and in Exchange furnish himself with +Ozenbrigs and Shoes and such other necessaries as he wanted. We did so, +and having got good store of Tortoise Shell, he then proposed to go +first for Bonacco, which lies nearer to the Main than Roatan, that from +thence we might take a favourable Snatch to run over. + +Accordingly we went to Bonacco, and by that time we had been there +about Five Days there came up a very hard North wind which blew +exceeding Fierce, and lasted for about three Days; when the heaft of +the Storm was over, we saw several Vessels standing in for the Harbour; +their number and largeness made me hope they might be Friends, and now +an opportunity was coming in which Deliverance might be perfected to me. + +The Larger Vessels came to Anchor at a great Distance off; but a +Brigantine came over the Shoals, nearer in against the Watering place +(for Bonacco as well as Roatan abounds with Water) which sent in her +Boat with Cask for Water: I plainly saw they were Englishmen, and +by their Garb & Air, and number, being but three Men in the Boat, +concluded they were Friends, and shewed my self openly upon the Beech +before them: as soon as they saw me they stop’d rowing, and called +out to me to know who I was. I told them, and enquired who they were. +They let me know they were honest Men, about their Lawful Business. I +then called to them to come ashoar, for there was no Body here that +would hurt them. They came ashoar, and a happy meeting it was for me. +Upon enquiry I found that the Vessels were the Diamond Man-of-War, +and a Fleet under his Convoy, bound to Jamaica, (many whereof she had +parted with in the late Storm) which by the violence of the North had +been forced so far Southward, and the Man-of-War wanting Water, by +reason of the Sickness of her Men which occasioned a great Consumption +of it, had touched here, and sent in the Brigantine to fetch off Water +for her. Mr. Symonds, who at first kept at the other end of the Beech, +about half a Mile off, (lest the three Men in the Boat should refuse to +come ashoar, seeing two of us together), at length came up to us and +became a sharer in my Joy, and yet not without some very considerable +reluctance at the Thoughts of Parting. The Brigantine proved to be +of Salem (within two or three Miles of my Fathers House) Capt. Dove, +Commander, a Gentleman whom I knew. So now I had the prospect of a +Direct Passage Home. I sent off to Capt. Dove, to know if he would give +me a Passage home with him, and he was very ready to comply with my +desire; and upon my going on Board him, besides the great Civilities +he treated me with, he took me into pay; for he had lost a hand, and +needed me to supply his place. The next Day the Man-of-War sent her +Long Boat in, full of Cask, which they filled with Water, and put on +Board the Brigantine, who carried them off to her. I had one Difficulty +more to encounter with, which was to take leave of Mr. Symonds, Who +Wept heartily at parting; but this I was forced to go thro’ for the Joy +of getting Home. + +So the latter end of March 1725, we came to Sail, and kept Company with +the Man-of-War, who was bound to Jamaica: the first of April we parted, +and thro’ the good hand of GOD upon us came safe thro’ the Gulf of +Florida, to Salem-Harbour, where we arrived upon Saturday-Evening, the +first of May: Two Years, Ten Months and Fifteen Days, after I was first +taken by the Pirate Low; and Two Years, and near two Months after I had +made my Escape from him upon Roatan Island. I went the same Evening to +my Father’s House, where I was received, as one coming to them from the +Dead, with all Imaginable Surprise of Joy. + +Thus I have given you a Short Account, how GOD has Conducted me +thro’ a great variety of Hardships and Dangers, and in all appeared +Wonderfully Gracious to me. And I cannot but take notice of the strange +concurrence of Divine Providence all along, in saving me from the Rage +of the Pirates, and the Malice of the Spaniards, from the Beasts of the +Field, and the Monsters of the Sea; in keeping me alive amidst so many +Deaths, in such a lonely and helpless Condition; and in bringing about +my Deliverance; the last Articles whereof are as peculiarly Remarkable +as any;--I must be just then gone over to Bonacco; a Storm must drive +a Fleet of Ships so far Southward; and their want of Water must oblige +them to put in at the Island where I was:--and a Vessel bound to my own +Home must come and take me in.--_Not unto Men and means, but unto thy +Name, O Lord, be all the Glory!_ Amen. + + +FOOTNOTES + +[132] Nicholas Merritt was Ashton’s kinsman. He was the son of Nicholas +and Elizabeth Merritt and born in Marblehead where he was baptized Mar. +29, 1702 in the First Church. He served unwillingly on Low’s vessel and +finally escaped at Saint Michael’s, in September, 1722, where he was +imprisoned by the Portuguese authorities and not released until the +following June. Making his way to Lisbon he at last reached home safely +on September 28, 1723. + +[133] Joseph Libbie also served, unwillingly, at first. He was with Low +in the “Rose Frigate,” when she was lost in careening in the spring of +1723, and pulled Philip Ashton out of the water. He then served with +Low’s consort, Capt. Charles Harris, in the sloop “Ranger,” and on +June 10, 1723, with Harris and forty-two others, was taken by H. M. +ship “Greyhound,” Capt. Peter Solgard, commander, between Block Island +and Long Island, and brought into Newport, R. I. The pirates were duly +tried and on Friday, July 19th, 1723, Captain Harris, Joseph Libbie and +twenty-four others were hanged within the seamark inside of two hours. + +[134] Lawrence Fabens served, unwillingly, on the schooner “Fancy,” +under Low, but succeeded in escaping at St. Nicholas in the fall of +1722, shortly after Merritt escaped as is told elsewhere. He was +probably the son of James and Johannah Fabians, born in Marblehead +about 1702, where nine of his brothers and sisters were duly baptized +in the First Church between 1688 and 1709. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +NICHOLAS MERRITT’S[135] ACCOUNT OF HIS ESCAPE FROM PIRATES + + +I was taken by the Pirate Low, at Port-Rossaway, at the same time my +Kinsman Philip Ashton was; and while I continued under Low’s Custody +was used much as he was; and all my entreaties of him to free me were +but in vain; as you have seen something of in the foregoing History: +So that I shall not enlarge in telling how it fared with me under the +Pirates hands, but only give some short Account of the manner of my +Escape from them, and what I met with afterwards till I Arrived at +Marblehead, where I belong. + +Low had with him the Rose Pink, the Scooner, and a Sloop taken from +one Pier of Bristol, and was standing away for Bonavista. I who was on +board the Scooner had been greatly abused by an old Pirate, whom they +called Jacob, but what his Sirname was I know not: I desired some that +were upon occasion going on board Low, to acquaint him how much I was +beat and abused by old Jacob; they did so; and Low ordered me to be put +on board the Sloop. Thus the Foundation of my Escape was lay’d, and my +Sufferings proved the means of my Deliverance. + +On board the Sloop there were Nine hands, (one of them a Portugue) +whom Low had no Suspicion of, but thought he could trust them as much +as any Men he had; and when I came on board I made the Tenth Man. We +perceived that the Sloop greatly wronged both the Pink and Scooner, +and there were Six of us (as we found by sounding one another at a +distance) that wanted to get away. When we understood one anothers +minds pretty fully, we resolved upon an Escape. Accordingly the Fifth +of September, 1722, a little after break of Day, all hands being upon +Deck, three of us Six went forward, and three aft, and one John Rhodes, +who was a Stout hand, step’d into the Cabbin and took a couple of +Pistols in his hands, and stood in the Cabbin Door, and said, If there +were any that would go along with him, they should be welcome, for he +designed to carry the Sloop home, and Surrender himself; but if any +Man attempted to make resistance, he Swore he would shoot down the +first Man that stirred. There being five of us that wanted to gain our +Liberty, he was sure of us; and as for the other four they saw plainly +it was in vain for them to attempt to oppose us. So we haled close upon +a Wind, and stood away. + +When we parted with Low, we had but a very little Water aboard, and +but two or three pieces of Meat among us all; but we had Bread eno’. +We designed for England; but our want of Water was so great, being put +to half a Point a Man, and that very muddy and foul, from the time we +parted with Low, and meeting with no Vessel of whom we could beg a +Supply, that it made us come to a Resolution to put in at the first +Port: so we Steered for St. Michaels, where we Arrived September 26. + +So soon as we got in, we sent a Man or two ashoar, to inform who +we were, and to get us some Provisions & Water. The Consul who was +a French Protestant, with a Magistrate, and some other Officers +came on board us, to whom we gave an Account of our selves, and our +Circumstances. The Consul told us, there should not a Hair of our Heads +be hurt. Upon which we were all carried ashoar, and examined before +the Governor; but we understood nothing of their Language, and could +make him no Answer, till one Mr. Gould a Linguistor was brought to us; +and upon understanding our Case, the Governour cleared us. But the +Crusidore, a sort of Superintendent over the Islands, whose power was +Superiour to the Governours, refused to clear us, and put us in Jayl, +where we lay 24 Hours. + +The next Day we were brought under Examination again, and then we +had for our Linguistor one Mr. John Curre, who had formerly been in +New-England. We gave them as full and distinct Account as we could, +where, and when, we were severally taken and how we had made our Escape +from the Pirates. They brought several Witnesses Portuguese against +us, as that we had taken them, and had Personally been Active in the +Caption and Abuse of them, which yet they agreed not in; only they +generally agreed that they heard some of us Curse the Virgin Mary, +upon which the Crusidore would have condemned us all for Pirates. But +the Governour, who thought we had acted the honest part, interposed +on our behalf, and said, that it was very plain, that if these Men +had been Pirates, they had no need to have left Low, and under such +Circumstances, and come in here, and resign themselves, as they did; +they could have stayed with their Old Companions, and have been +easily eno’ supplied with what they wanted; whereas their taking the +first opportunity to get away from their Commander, and so poorly +accommodated, was a proof to him, that we had no Piratical designs; and +if he (the Crusidore) treated us at this rate, it was the way to make +us, and all that had the unhappiness to fall into Pirates hands, turn +Pirates with them. Yet all he could say would not wholly save us from +the Angry Resentments of the Crusidore, who we thought was inflamed by +the Portague that was among us. So he committed us all to Prison again: +me with three others to the Castle, the rest to another Prison at some +considerable distance off: and so much pains was taken to Swear us out +of our Lives, that I altogether despaired of Escaping the Death of a +Pirate; till a Gentleman, Capt. Littleton (if I mistake not) told me it +was not in their power to hang us, and this comforted me a little. + +In this Prison we lay for about four Months, where, at first we had +tolerable allowance, of such as it was, for our Subsistance; but +after three Months time they gave us only one Meal a Day, of Cabbage, +Bread, and Water boiled together, which they call Soop. This very +scanty allowance put us out of Temper, and made us resolve rather +than Starve, to break Prison, and make head against the Portuguese, +and get some Victuals; for Hunger will break thro’ Stone Walls. The +Governour understanding how we fared, told the Crusidore that we +should stay in his Prison no longer, as the Castle peculiarly was; and +greatly asserted our Cause, and urged we might be set at Liberty; but +the Crusidore would not hearken as yet to the clearing us, tho’ he +was forced to remove us from the Castle, to the Prison in which our +Comrades were, where after they had allowed us about an hour’s converse +together, they put us down into close Confinement; tho’ our allowance +was a small matter better than it had been. + +Under all this Difficulty of Imprisonment, short allowance, and hard +fare, false Witnesses, and fear lest I should still have my Life taken +from me, (when I had flattered my self, that if I could but once set +Foot upon a Christian shoar, I should be out of the reach of Danger) I +had a great many uneasy Reflections. I thought no bodies case was so +hard as mine: first to be taken by the Pirates, and threatened with +Death for not Joyning with them; to be forced away, and suffer many a +drubbing Bout among them for not doing as they would have me; to be +in fears of Death for being among them, if we should be taken by any +Superiour force; and now that I had designedly, and with Joy, made my +Escape from them, to be Imprisoned and threatened with the Halter. +Thought I, When can a Man be safe? He must look for Death to be found +among Pirates; and Death seems as threatening, if he Escapes from them; +where is the Justice of this! It seemed an exceeding hardship to me. +Yet it made me Reflect, with Humility I hope, on the Justice of GOD in +so Punishing of me for my Transgressions; for tho’ the tender Mercies +of Man seemed to be Cruelty, yet I could not but see the Mercy and +Goodness of GOD to me, not only in Punishing me less than I deserved, +but in preserving me under many and sore Temptations, and at length +delivering me out of the Pirates hands: and I had some hope that GOD +would yet appear for me, and bring me out of my distress, and set my +Feet in a large place. + +I thought my Case was exceedingly like that of the Psalmist; and the +Meditation on some Verses in the XXXV. Psalm was a peculiar support +to me: I thought I might say with him, False Witnesses did rise up, +they laid to my charge things that I knew not; they rewarded me evil +for good. But as for me, when they were taken (tho’ I don’t remember +I had ever seen the Faces of any of them then) I humbled my self, and +my Prayer returned into my own bosom; I behaved my self as tho’ they +had been my friends, I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for +his mother; but in my adversity they rejoyced, and gathered themselves +together against me; yea, they opened their mouth wide against +me,--they gnashed upon me with their teeth, and said Aba, Aba, our eye +hath seen it,--so would we have it. But Lord how long wilt thou look +on? preserve my Soul from their Destruction, let not them that are mine +Enemies wrongfully rejoyce over me,--stir up thy Self and awake to +my Judgment even unto my cause, my God and my Lord, and let them not +rejoyce over me--and I will give thee thanks in the great Congregation; +my tongue shall speak of thy Righteousness, and thy Praise all the day +long. + +In the midst of all my other Calamities, after I had been in this +Prison about two Months, I was taken down with the Small-Pox, and this +to be sure was a very great addition to my Misery. I knew well how +we dreaded this Distemper in my own Country: and thought I, how can I +possibly escape with Life? To be seised with it in a Prison, where I +had no Help, no Physician, nor any Provision suitable therefor; only +upon my first being taken I sent word of it to the Consul, who was so +kind as to send some Bundles of Straw for me to lye upon, instead of +the hard Stones which as yet had been my Lodging; and the Portuguese +gave me some Brandy, and Wine & Water to drive out the Pock. I was +exceedingly dejected, and had nothing to do but to commit my self to +the Mercy of GOD, and prepare my self for Death, which seemed to have +laid hold upon me; for which way soever I looked, I could see nothing +but Death in such a Distemper, under such Circumstances; and I could +see the Portuguese how they stared upon me, looked sad, and shook their +heads; which told me their apprehensions, that I was a Dead Man. Yet I +had this comfort, that it was better to Die thus by the hand of GOD, +than to Die a vile Death by the hand of Man, as if I had been one of +the worst of Malefactors. + +But after all it pleased GOD in His Wonderful Goodness so to order +it, that the Pock came out well, and filled kindly and then I had the +comfort of seeing the Portuguese look more pleasant, and hearing them +say, in their Language, that it was a good sort. In about five or six +Days the Pock began to turn upon me, and then it made me very Sick, +and at times I was something out of my Head; and having no Tender or +Watcher, I got up in the Night to the Pail of Water to drink, which at +another time, and in another place, would have been thought fatal to +me; but GOD in infinite Mercy prevented my receiving any hurt thereby, +and raised me up from this Sickness. + +After I recovered of this Illness, I was but in a weak Condition for a +long time, having no other Nourishment and Comfort, than what a Jayl +afforded, where I still lay for near three Months longer. At length, +sometime in June, 1723, I was taken out of jayl, and had the Liberty +of the Consul’s House given me, who treated me kindly and did not +suffer me to want any thing that was necessary for my Support. + +While I was at Liberty, I understood there was one John Welch, an +Irishman, bound to Lisbon, whom I desired to carry me thither. And in +the latter end of June I set Sail in him for Lisbon, where we Arrived +about the middle of July, after we had been 21 Days upon the Passage. +When I had got to Lisbon, being almost Naked, I apply’d my self to the +Envoy, told him my Condition and desired him to bestow some old Cloaths +upon me. But he, (good Man!) said to me, that as I had Run away from +the Pirates, I might go to Work for my Support, and provide my self +with Cloaths as well as I could. And I found I must do so, for none +would he give me. I had nothing against Working, but I should have +been glad to have been put into a Working Garb; for I was sensible it +would be a considerable while before I could purchase me any Cloaths, +because Welch play’d me such an Irish trick, that he would not release +me, unless I promised to give him the first Moidore I got by my Labour; +tho’ I had wrought for him all the Passage over, and he knew my poor +Circumstances; however when I came to Sail for New-England, Welch was +better than his Word, and forgave me the Moidore, after I had been at +the Labour of unloading his Vessel. + +I spent some time in Lisbon; at length I heard there was one Capt. +Skillegorne bound to New-England, in whom I took my Passage home; who +Clothed me for my Labour in my Passage. We touched in at Madara, and +Arrived at Boston upon Wednesday, September 25, 1723. And I at my +Father’s House in Marblehead the Saturday after. + +So had GOD been with me in six troubles, and in seven. He has suffered +no evil to come nigh me. He has drawn me out of the Pit, Redeemed my +Life from Destruction, and Crowned me with Loving Kindness and Tender +Mercies; unto Him be the Glory for ever. Amen. + + +FOOTNOTES + +[135] Nicholas Merritt, tertius, the son of Nicholas and Elizabeth +Merritt, was born in Marblehead and baptized Mar. 29, 1702, in the +First Church. He married Jane or Jean Gifford in December, 1724, which +may account for the name of the shallop “Jane,” which he commanded when +taken, although he had a sister Jane, and also a sister Rebecca who +married Robert Gifford, who was taken but released at Port Roseway. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +FRANCIS FARRINGTON SPRIGGS, COMPANION OF CAPT. NED LOW + + +Francis Farrington Spriggs is supposed to have sailed from London +with Lowther, in March, 1721, in the ship “Gambia Castle,” and to +have willingly followed him in his piratical venture. When Lowther +joined forces with Ned Low in January, 1722, Spriggs was with him +and when Lowther parted company with Low the following May, Spriggs +seems to have thought Low a man after his own heart for he left his +old commander and followed Low in the recently captured brigantine +“Rebecca,” where he was made quartermaster. With Low he sailed along +the New England coast and north to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland; +then across the Atlantic to the Western Islands and back to the West +Indies where, late in the year 1722, a Rhode Island-built sloop was +captured which Low took over for his own command and Spriggs was given +command of the Marblehead schooner “Fancy,” that had been taken at Port +Roseway, Nova Scotia, in June. When Low and Spriggs had their narrow +escape from capture by the man-of-war “Mermaid,” in February, 1723, +Spriggs determined never to be taken and swore with a boon companion +and pledged the oath in a bumper of rum, that when he saw there was +no possibility of escaping they would set foot to foot and shoot one +another and so cheat the halter.[136] + +Before long there was a falling out between Low and Spriggs or, +possibly, Spriggs may have been taken sick or been wounded; at any +rate, Charles Harris was in command of a sloop called the “Ranger,” +when the pirate vessel appeared off the coast of South Carolina on +May 27, 1723, and fortunate it was for Spriggs, for later on this +disastrous foray Low deserted his consort under fire near the Rhode +Island coast and the “Ranger” was captured and Harris and many of his +crew were tried and hanged at Newport. Spriggs served with Low on this +voyage, in his old station as quartermaster, until the ship “Delight” +was taken, off the Guinea coast, in the late fall. She was well suited +to their needs so four more guns were mounted on her and Spriggs was +given command with a crew of about sixty men. Within two days Spriggs +deserted Low--slipped away in the night--and for this reason. One of +the crew had murdered a man in cold blood and Spriggs was for executing +him as a punishment. Low, on the other hand, would not agree and so +there was a heated quarrel that embittered Spriggs and led to his +desertion. + +The next day Spriggs was elected captain of the company by popular +vote, and a black flag was made with the same device as the ensign +carried by Low, namely, a white skeleton holding in one hand an arrow +piercing a bleeding heart and in the other hand an hour-glass. This +flag they called the “Jolly Roger,” and when it was finished and +hoisted to the masthead they fired all their guns in salute and sailed +away to the West Indies in search of prey. Before long they overhauled +a Portuguese bark that supplied some valuable plunder, but not content +with that alone, Spriggs determined to torture the men by “sweating” +them, a game that greatly diverted his piratical crew. Lighted candles +were placed in a circle around the mizzenmast, between decks, and one +by one the poor Portuguese were ordered to go inside the circle and run +round and round the mast, while in a circle outside the candles stood +the crew (as many as could crowd into line), armed with penknives, +tucks,[137] forks, compasses, etc., and with roaring songs and +boisterous laughter they pricked the terrified Portuguese as long as +he was able to foot it. This usually lasted for ten minutes or more +for the pirates took good care not to strike too deep and so kill their +victims.[138] When the “sweating” was over the Portuguese were set +adrift in a boat with a small quantity of provisions and their vessel +was fired. + +[Illustration: “SWEATING” ON CAPT. SPRIGG’S PIRATE VESSEL + +From an engraving in “History and Lives of the Most Notorious Pirates,” +by an old Seaman, London, n.d., in possession of Capt. Ernest H. +Pentecost, R.N.R.] + +Near the island of St. Lucia, Spriggs took a sloop owned in the +Barbadoes, which was plundered and burned. Some of the crew were forced +and others who absolutely refused to go with him were cut and badly +beaten and set adrift in a boat. Captain De Haws was taken in sight of +Barbadoes and two of his men were forced--James Rush and Joseph Cooper, +both born in London, England. Some of Spriggs’ crew told Captain De +Haws that they had come away from Captain Low “on account of the +Barbarity he used those he took.”[139] A Martinico vessel was the next +capture. The men were abused in the usual manner, but their vessel was +not burned. + +On March 22, 1724, a ship called the “Jolly Batchelor,” from Jamaica, +commanded by Captain Hawkins, was taken near the island of Bonaco, as +she was coming out of the Bay of Honduras. Her principal cargo was +logwood, but her stores and ammunition were looted and what the pirates +didn’t take they threw overboard or destroyed. In sheer mischief her +cables were cut, the cabins knocked down and the cabin windows smashed. +The first and second mates, Burrage and Stephens, and some of the +men, were forced and on the 29th the ship was allowed to go. Two days +before, however, a Newport, R. I. sloop, the “Endeavor,” commanded by +Capt. Samuel Pike, Jr., came up and was ordered to lay by. The crew +were forced and the mate Dixey Gross, “being a grave, sober man, and +not inclinable to go, they told him he should have his Discharge, +and that it should be immediately writ on his Back; whereupon he was +sentenced to receive ten lashes from every Man in the Ship, which was +vigorously put in Execution.”[140] Among those forced from the sloop +were William Wood and Thomas Morris, a boy about twelve years old. +Burrage, the first mate of Captain Hawkins’ ship, and a good navigator, +is said to have signed their Articles. + +On April 2d, a sail was sighted and Spriggs gave chase. After several +hours they came close to her and fired a couple of broadsides when +a cry for quarter came from the ship and soon she was found to be +commanded by Captain Hawkins who had been looted and sent away only +three days before. This was such a disappointment that when the captain +came on board they laid for him with their cutlasses and soon he was +flat on the deck. Before he received a fatal blow, Burrage pushed in +among them and begged for the captain’s life and he having just shown +himself the right sort by signing their Articles his request was heeded +and Captain Hawkins was pulled to his feet. A bonfire was made of +his ship, however, and a little later, desiring more diversion, the +unfortunate Hawkins was sent down to the cabin for supper. This turned +out to be a dish of candles which he was forced to swallow and then, in +order to aid digestion, the poor man was thrown about the cabin until +he was covered with bruises and afterward sent forward amongst the +other prisoners. + +Two days later Spriggs reached the small island of Roatan in the Bay of +Honduras. It was uninhabited and here he put ashore Captain Hawkins, +his boatswain, and an old man who had been a passenger on his ship and +who afterwards died on the island of the hardships he had undergone. +With them went Capt. Samuel Pike of the Rhode Island sloop and his mate +Dixey Gross, Simon Fulmore, a sailor, and James Nelley, one of the +pirate crew with whom Spriggs was at odds.[141] The marooned men were +given an old musket and a small supply of powder and ball with which +to make shift as best they could and Spriggs and his crew then sailed +away. Captain Hawkins and his companions supplied themselves with fish +and fowl and lived in comparative comfort for the next ten days, when +two men in a dugout canoe came in sight and after a time answered their +signals. These men conveyed them to another island which had better +water and plenty of fish and twelve days later the sloop “Merriam,” +Captain Jones, came in sight and answered their smoke signals. He stood +in and took them off and by this timely rescue they all finally reached +Jamaica safely. It is a curious coincidence that Captain Hawkins should +have been marooned on the island of Roatan only four days after Philip +Ashton, the Marblehead fisherman who had lived a solitary life on the +same island for nine months, sailed from the nearby island of Bonaco, +homeward bound, as is told in another chapter. + +From Roatan, Spriggs sailed westward to another small island where +he cleaned his ship and then steered a course for the island of St. +Christopher, proposing to lay in wait for Captain Moore who had +surprised Captain Lowther while his vessel was on careen at the island +of Blanco. Spriggs had resolved to catch Captain Moore, if possible, +and put him to death for being the cause of the death of Lowther, his +brother pirate. Instead of Captain Moore, however, a French man-of-war +was found by Spriggs to be on the coast and not fancying such company +Spriggs crowded on all sail with the Frenchman after him. During the +chase the man-of-war unfortunately lost her main-topmast and so Spriggs +escaped the intended interview. Standing now to the northward, towards +Bermuda, Spriggs overhauled on April 30th, a schooner owned in New York +and commanded by Capt. William Richardson, who reported after reaching +Boston, that Spriggs had told him that he intended to ravage the +northern coasts and sink or burn all the vessels he took northward of +Philadelphia.[142] Captain Durell, in His Majesty’s ship “Sea Horse,” +was ordered to make sail at once in quest of Spriggs. + +On May 2, 1724, the Boston owned brigantine “Daniel,” John Hopkins in +Command, was homeward bound in latitude 33° and near Bermuda, when a +strange sail fired a gun and soon hoisted a black flag. The pirate +ship was crowded with men and resistance was out of reason so Captain +Hopkins ordered his boat lowered and went aboard the ship. After +rifling the brigantine it was burned. Joseph Cole of Beverly, Mass., +and Benjamin Wheeler of Boston, seamen on board the “Daniel,” were +forced “notwithstanding their importunate Prayers & Tears to him to +dismiss them.”[143] Spriggs swore to the master that “he designed to +encrease his Company on the Banks of Newfoundland, and then would sail +for the coast of New England in quest of Captain Solgard, who attack’d +and took their Consort Charles Harris; Spriggs being then in Low’s +sloop, very fairly run for it.”[144] Two days later Captain Hopkins +and his men, including John Bovewe and Elias Tozer, were put aboard a +Philadelphia sloop bound for Jamaica which in time they reached safely +and in April of the following year they were in Boston again. + +Instead of going to Newfoundland, as he had threatened, Spriggs stood +to the windward of St. Christopher’s and on June 4, 1724, took a +sloop, Nicholas Trot, master, belonging to St. Eustatia. The plunder +of the vessel didn’t amount to much so the pirates thought they would +amuse themselves by fastening a rope around the men’s bodies, one by +one, and after hoisting them as high as the main- and foretops by +letting go of the ropes the unfortunate wretches would fall tumbling +to the deck with force enough to break skins and smash bones. After +the men were well crippled by this usage Captain Trot was given his +sloop and told to clear out. A week later, a Rhode Island ship bound +for St. Christopher’s was taken. She was loaded with provisions and +some horses, which the pirate crew soon mounted and rode about the +deck, backwards and forwards, at full gallop, cursing and howling +like demons, which soon made the animals so wild that they threw their +riders and spoiled the sport. They then turned to the ship’s crew and +whipped and cut them in a wicked manner, saying, that it was because +boots and spurs had not been brought with the horses that they were not +able to ride like gentlemen. + +Captain Spriggs was seldom lacking in boldness and next he cruised off +Port Royal in the island of Jamaica and made one or two minor captures. +Two men-of-war at anchor in port were ordered out and the commander of +one of them, Capt. James Wyndham of the “Diamond,” ordered a course set +for the Bay of Honduras, thinking that Spriggs might return to his old +haunts. This proved to be correct for when the man-of-war sailed into +the Bay, Spriggs and his crew were there busily engaged in plundering +ten or twelve vessels that had been loading logwood. The pirates were +completely surprised and but feebly returned the fire of the man-of-war +and soon considered it wiser to get out their sweeps and row into shoal +water and so they at last escaped, there being but little wind. This +took place the latter part of September, 1724. Spriggs at that time was +in command of his ship, the “Batchelor’s Delight,” and had with him as +consort, a sloop commanded by Captain Shipton. During the encounter +they had six men killed and five or six wounded. Capt. John Cass, when +he reached Newport, R. I., from the Bay of Honduras, the first of +December following, brought an account of this affair and reported to +his owners the information that “a Spanish half Galley with about 50 +Men on board, and a Perriagoe with 26 Men, now in the Bay of Honduras, +lye in obscure Places & Key’s to take vessels in their way there.”[145] +All these dangers to New England shipping must have added greatly to +the market value of logwood chips. + +After escaping from the “Diamond” man-of-war, Spriggs sailed for the +Bahama Channel and on the voyage ran very short of provisions. He took +a sloop in the service of the South Sea Company, bound from Jamaica +to Havana, with negro slaves, and later a ship bound for Newport, R. +I., Capt. Richard Durffie, master. Spriggs proposed to put all the +negroes on board Captain Durffie’s vessel but the captain urgently +represented his want of sufficient provisions and the danger that they +all would perish by starvation and at last Spriggs transferred to his +ship only ten of the slaves and then let him go. Durffie put in to +South Carolina for fresh supplies and while there Capt. Jeremiah Clarke +of Newport, met him and brought home the news of his capture. Spriggs +and Shipton continued on their course towards the Bahamas and off the +western end of Cuba were so unfortunate as to again meet the “Diamond” +man-of-war, still in pursuit of them. As the wind lay their only means +of escape was to make for the Florida shore where Shipton’s sloop was +run aground near the Cape and lost. This sloop was owned in Newport, R. +I., and was in command of Jonathan Barney at the time she was taken by +Spriggs. When the sloop went ashore she carried 12 guns and seventy or +more men all of whom reached land safely only to fall into the hands +of the Indians, except Shipton and ten or a dozen others who escaped +in the ship’s canoe and finally reached Cuba.[146] It was said at the +time that the Indians killed and ate sixteen of the pirates and that +forty-nine were taken and carried to Havana; but why the “Diamond,” an +English man-of-war, should carry English pirates to a Spanish port is +not explained in any of the newspaper accounts of the affair. About two +thousand pounds value in gold fell a prize to the “Diamond.” + +[Illustration: PIRATES KILLING A CAPTURED MAN + +From an old mezzotint in the possession of Capt. E. H. Pentecost, +R.N.R.] + +[Illustration: FIGHT ON A PIRATE SHIP + +From an old mezzotint in the possession of Capt. Ernest H. Pentecost, +R.N.R.] + +Spriggs, by good seamanship, was able to make his escape and in some +way afterwards picked up Shipton and the few men who escaped with him +and made his way back to the Bay of Honduras where on Dec. 23, 1724, in +company with Shipton, who at that time was in command of a perriagua +with ten white men and three or four negroes, he descended on the +logwood ships in the Bay and took sixteen vessels, one of which, +commanded by Capt. Kelsey, he burned. The captain was given a long-boat +and it being fair weather, he reached the uninhabited island of Bonaco +safely, from which he and his crew afterwards were rescued by a passing +sloop. Shipton took the ship “Mary and John,” of Boston, Thomas Glen, +master, and after plundering her, carried away the master and put him +on board a Boston sloop, Ebenezer Kent, master, which he had taken the +same day, intending to sail for the rendezvous at the island of Roatan. +The mate of the “John and Mary,” Matthew Perry, he left on board with +his hands tied behind him and later ordered three of his pirates, +together with two forced men, Nicholas Simons and Jonathan Barlow, all +double armed, to take possession of the “John and Mary” and follow him +to the rendezvous. Simons was to be the navigator and commander. But +after Shipton had gone, Simons and Barlow untied Perry’s hands and +proposed that together they attempt to kill the three pirates who had +come on board with them and if successful, to make a course for some +English port. The mate at once consented and Barlow gave him a pistol +and he started for the steerage where one of the pirates was rummaging. +Coming up behind him he snapped his pistol but unfortunately it missed +fire. The pirate had four pistols in his belt and immediately drawing +one he aimed it at Perry before he could reach the ladder. Strangely +enough this pistol, too, missed fire. Simons was in the cabin at the +time and hearing the snapping of the flints came rushing in crying, +“In the name of God and His Majesty King George, let us go on with our +design.” He shot dead the pirate who had attempted to kill the mate and +told another of the pirates who was present, if he made any resistance +he would kill him too. Meanwhile, Barlow and some of the ship’s company +had killed the third pirate. They then cut their cable and made the +best of their way to deep water and with no further adventures reached +Newport, R. I., the last of January, 1725.[147] After their arrival, +the circumstantial accounts of Simons and Barlow were published at +length in the Boston newspapers. + +Simons claimed that he was the humble instrument that brought about the +disaster to the sloop commanded by Shipton, that was chased ashore on +the Florida coast, and that while in Spriggs’ company he and Barlow had +been treated “very barbarously; made to eat candles with the wick, and +often threatened to take away their lives.”[148] Barlow also related +that he had been forced by Low and afterwards served in Spriggs’ and +Shipton’s companies. He said Low had abused him, had knocked out one +of his teeth with a pistol and threatened to shoot down his throat, +“whereupon Barlow fell and was taken up sick which held him three +months.” He also repeated the story of the discarding of Low by his men +and his having been sent away with two other pirates in a French sloop +and nothing had been heard from him since.[149] + +After Spriggs and Shipton made their captures in the Bay of Honduras +on Dec. 23, 1724, but little is known as to their later movements. In +April, 1725, a captain arriving at New York brought the report that +Spriggs was yet roving and had five vessels in his fleet. Early in +May, 1725, Captain MacKarty reached Boston from Jamaica, and reported +that not long before he had spoken a pink off the South Carolina coast +that had been taken by Spriggs, who was in a ship mounting twelve guns +with a crew of thirty-five men. Several vessels had been captured and +burned or sunk and the crews had been put aboard the pink and sent +away. The master of the pink told Captain MacKarty that Spriggs was +using his prisoners barbarously and that he threatened to be on the +New England coast very soon after.[150] The threatened raid did not +materialize and Spriggs and Shipton both dropped out of sight and we +now have no information as to what became of them save the rumor that +reached Boston a year later that they both had been marooned by their +men and “were got among the Musketoo Indians.”[151] And this may have +been their fate, for Spriggs’ quartermaster, one Philip Lyne, was +in command of a pirate sloop mounting ten carriage guns and sixteen +swivels and carrying forty men which was making captures on the banks +off the Newfoundland coast in the summer of 1725. This sloop had been +one of Spriggs’ consorts on the South Carolina coast earlier in the +year and appears to have deserted him. On June 30th, Lyne took the ship +“Thomasine,” Capt. Samuel Thorogood, bound for London from Boston, on +which were four passengers and after plundering and destroying most of +the ship’s lading and forcing five of the crew to sign his Articles, +he allowed the ship to go free with only a small store of stinking +provisions and a little water.[152] Lyne also took a Rhode Island +sloop, Captain Casey, which was burned and the master and men were +forced to go aboard the pirate vessel which then headed for the Cape +Verde islands. Lyne probably followed the example of Low and Lowther +and from there set a course for the Guiana coast, for in October, +1725 he was captured by two sloops fitted out at Curacao. During the +engagement a number of the pirates were killed but Lyne and four others +were “hanged by the neck until dead,” by the Dutch authorities on the +island, to the great satisfaction of all who had ever met them on the +high seas.[153] + + +FOOTNOTES + +[136] See chapter on Philip Ashton. + +[137] A short sword. Sometimes a rapier is called a tuck. + +[138] “Sweating” generally was used to force information as to the +location of concealed valuables. + +[139] _Boston Gazette_, Apr. 20, 1724. + +[140] Johnson, _History of the Pirates_, London, 1726. + +[141] _Boston News-Letter_, July 23, 1724. + +[142] _Boston News-Letter_, May 21, 1724. + +[143] _Boston News-Letter_, Apr. 15, 1725. + +[144] Johnson, _History of the Pirates_, London, 1726. + +[145] _Boston News-Letter_, Dec. 10, 1724. + +[146] _Boston News-Letter_, Feb. 11, 1725; Oct. 7, 1725. + +[147] _New England Courant_, Feb. 8, 1725 and _Boston News-Letter_, +Feb. 11, 1725. + +[148] _Boston News-Letter_, Feb. 11, 1725. + +[149] _Boston News-Letter_, Feb. 11, 1725. + +[150] _New England Courant_, May 18, 1725. + +[151] _New England Courant_, Apr. 30, 1726. + +[152] _Boston News-Letter_, Sept. 16, 1725. + +[153] _New England Courant_, Jan. 8, 1726. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +CHARLES HARRIS WHO WAS HANGED AT NEWPORT WITH TWENTY-FIVE OF HIS CREW + + +On the 10th of January, 1722, the good ship “Greyhound” of Boston in +the Massachusetts Bay, Benjamin Edwards, commander, was homeward bound. +She was loaded with logwood and only one day out from the coast of +Honduras where the crew had been worked hard for several weeks loading +the many boatloads of heavy, thorny-growthed, blood-red wood. Early +in the morning the lookout had sighted a ship headed toward them and +while not plantation built she attracted no particular attention until +it was seen that her course was slightly changed to conform to that of +the “Greyhound,” or rather, it would seem, to intersect the course on +which the “Greyhound” was sailing. As the ship drew nearer, a long look +through the perspective revealed a heavily-manned vessel of English +build and Captain Edwards thought it best to order all hands on deck. +Soon the stranger ran up a black flag having a skeleton on it and fired +a gun for the “Greyhound” to bring to. + +West India waters had been plagued for many years by piratical gentry +and the Boston captain had heard many terrifying tales of their +barbarous cruelties to masters and seamen but he was a dogged type of +man and so at once prepared to defend his ship. The pirate edged down +a bit and shortly gave the “Greyhound” a broadside of eight guns which +Captain Edwards bravely returned and for nearly an hour the give and +take continued at long gunshot without much damage to either vessel. +Finding that the pirate was more heavily armed than the “Greyhound,” +and her decks showing many men, Captain Edwards began to reckon the +consequences of a too stubborn resistance, for it seemed likely that +eventually he must surrender, barring, of course, lucky chance shot +from his guns that might cut down a mast on the pirate ship. At last he +ordered his ensign to be struck and hove to. Two boatloads of armed men +soon came aboard and searched the ship for anything of value. The loot +was not great for the New England logwood ships had little opportunity +for trade or barter and the disappointment of the pirate crews was soon +spit out on the men. Whenever one came within reach of the cutlass of +a pirate he would receive a swinging slash across shoulders or arms, +or perhaps, a blow on the head with the flat of the blade that would +fell him half-senseless to the deck. By way of diversion two of the +unoffending sailors were triced up at the foot of the mainmast and +lashed until the blood ran from their backs. Captain Edwards and his +men were then ordered into the boats and sent on board the pirate ship +and the “Greyhound” was set on fire. + +The rogue proved to be the “Happy Delivery,” commanded by Capt. George +Lowther and manned by a strange assortment of English sailors and +soldiers with a sprinkling of New England men. As soon as the men from +the “Greyhound” reached her deck they were given a mug of rum and +invited to join the pirate crew. This was habitually done at that time +by these outlaws and frequently a nimble sailor would be forced and +compelled to serve with the pirates against his will. The first mate +of the “Greyhound” was Charles Harris, born in London, England, then +about twenty-four years old and a man who understood navigation. He, +with four others, Christopher Atwell, Henry Smith, Joseph Willis and +David Lindsay, was forced and Captain Edwards and the rest of his crew, +with other captured men, were put on board another logwood vessel and +permitted to make the best of their way home. In a day or two, Harris, +beguiled by the adventurous spirit of the ship’s company, was persuaded +to sign the Articles of the “Happy Delivery,” when again asked to do +so by Captain Lowther. He proved to be so capable a man, when several +captures were made, that ten days later, when a Jamaican sloop was +taken, Lowther decided to retain her and give the command to Harris and +to this he readily acceded. + +The mate of the “Happy Delivery” was Ned Low, a young Englishman who +had lived in Boston for a few years and not long before this time had +deserted from a logwood ship in the Bay and happening to meet Lowther +had joined him in a career of robbery and murder. Just before the +Jamaican sloop was taken, a Rhode Island sloop of about one hundred +tons was captured and as she was newly built was taken over by Lowther +and armed with eight carriage guns and ten swivels and the command +given to Low. + +The career of Harris during the next fourteen months closely follows +that of Lowther and Low and may be traced in the narrative of their +adventures. He soon lost his sloop when it was abandoned at sea in the +gulf of Matique and May 28th, 1722, when Lowther and Low separated, +Harris cast his lot with Low and sailed north with him along the New +England coast to Nova Scotia and then across the Atlantic to the +Western Islands, where a large Portuguese pink was taken and retained +and the command of the schooner “Fancy”[154] given to Harris. These two +scoundrels cruised together for some time making several captures and +at length reached the Triangles off the South American coast, eastward +of Surinam, and here the pink was lost while being careened and both +crews went on board the schooner where Low again assumed command. +Before long a large Rhode Island-built sloop was captured which Low +took over and having had a falling out with Harris, the command of the +schooner “Fancy” was given to Francis Farrington Spriggs, who had been +serving as quartermaster. + +Harris now drops out of sight for about five months. He may have been +wounded or sick at the time Spriggs was given his command, at any rate, +no mention of his name has been found until May 27, 1723, when he +appeared off the South Carolina coast in command of the sloop “Ranger,” +lately commanded by Spriggs. Captain Low was sailing in company with +him in the sloop “Fortune,” and together they took three ships. About +three weeks before, they had captured the ship “Amsterdam Merchant,” +from Jamaica but owned in New England. The master was John Welland of +Boston and after he had been on board the “Ranger” for some three hours +he was transferred to the “Fortune,” where Low vented his spite against +New Englanders by cutting the captain about the body with his cutlass +and slashing off his right ear. A month later, at the trial of Captain +Harris at Newport, R. I., this Captain Welland was the principal +witness against him. He deposed that he had been chased by two sloops +and that one of them came up with him and after hoisting a blue flag +had taken him. This was the “Ranger,” with Harris in command. He had +been ordered aboard the pirate sloop and had gone with four of his men. +The quartermaster had examined him and asked how much money he had on +board, and he had replied “About £150 in gold and silver.” This money +was taken away by the pirates. Meanwhile Captain Low in the “Fortune,” +came up and Welland was sent aboard to be interrogated where he was +greatly abused. The next day, after taking out a negro, some beef +and other stores, the “Amsterdam Merchant” was sunk. While the three +vessels were lying near each other, Captain Estwick of Piscataqua, N. +H., came in sight and soon fell into the clutches of Low and Harris. +His ship was plundered but not destroyed and in this vessel Captain +Welland and his men at last reached Portsmouth. + +Off the Capes of the Delaware other minor captures were made by Low +and steering eastward along the Long Island shore early on the morning +of the 10th of June a large ship was sighted which soon changed its +course and the two pirate sloops at once followed in pursuit. What +then took place may best be told in the words of the newspaper account +written at the time. + +“Rhode Island, June 14. On the 11th Instant arrived here His Majesty’s +Ship Grayhound, Capt. Peter Solgard Commander, from his Cruize at Sea +and brought in a Pirate Sloop of 8 Guns, Barmudas built, 42 White Men +and 6 Blacks, of which number eight were wounded in the Engagement and +four killed; the Sloop was commanded by one Harris, very well fitted, +and loaded with all sorts of Provisions: One of the wounded Pirates +died, on board of the Man of War, with an Oath on his Departure; thirty +lusty bold young Fellows, were brought on shore, and received by one of +the Town Companys under Arms guarding them to the Goal, and all are now +in Irons under a strong Guard. The Man of War had but two Men wounded, +who are in a brave way of Recovery. + +“Here follows an Account (from on board of the Man of War) of the +Engagement between Capt. Solgard and the two Pirates Sloops: Capt. +Solgard being informed by a Vessel, that Low the Pirate, in a Sloop of +10 Guns & 70 Men, with his Consort of 8 Guns and 48 Men, had sailed off +the East End of Long-Island: The Capt. thereupon steered his Course +after them; and on the 10th Currant, half an hour past 4 in the Morning +we saw two Sloops N. 2 Leagues distance, the Wind W.N.W. At 5 we tack’d +and stood Southward, and clear’d the Ship, the Sloops giving us Chase, +at half an hour past 7 we tack’d to the Northward, with little Wind, +and stood down to them; at 8 a Clock they each fired a Gun, and hoisted +a Black Flag; at half an hour past 8 on the near approach of the Man +of War, they haul’d it down, (fearing a Tartar) and put up a Bloody +Flag, stemming with us distant 3 quarters of a Mile: We hoisted up +our Main-Sail and made easy Sail to the Windward, received their Fire +several times; but when a breast we gave them ours with round & grape +Shot, upon which the head Sloop edg’d Away, as did the other soon +after, and we with them. The Fire continued on both sides for about an +hour; but when they hall’d from us with the help of their Oars, we left +off Firing, and turned to Rowing with 86 Hands, and half an Hour past +Two in the Afternoon we came up with them; when they clapt on a Wind to +receive us; we again kept close to Windward, and ply’d them warmly with +small and grape shot; and during the Action we fell between them, and +having shot down one of their Main Sails we kept close to him, and at 4 +a Clock he call’d for Quarters; at 5 having got the Prisoners on board, +we continued to Chase the other Sloop, when at 8 a Clock in the Evening +he bore from us N.W. by W. two Leagues, when we lost sight of him near +Block Island. One Desperado was for blowing up this Sloop rather than +surrendering, and being hindered, he went forward, and with his Pistol +shot out his own Brains. + +“Capt. Solgard designing to make sure of one of the Pirate Sloops, if +not both, took this, seeming to be the Chief, but proved otherwise, and +if we had more Day-light the other of Low’s had also been taken, she +being very much batter’d; and ’tis tho’t he was slain, with his Cutlas +in his hand, encouraging his Men in the Engagement to Fight, and that a +great many more Men were kill’d and wounded in her, than the other we +took. + +“The Two Pirate Sloops Commanded by the said Low and Harris intended +to have boarded the Man of War, but he plying them so successfully +they were discouraged, and endeavoured all they could to escape, +notwithstanding they had sworn Damnation to themselves, if they should +give over Fighting, tho’ the Ship should even prove to be a Man of War. +They also intended to have hoisted their Standard upon Block-Island, +but we suppose now, there will be a more sutable Standard hoisted for +those that are taken, according to their Desarts. + +“On the 12th Currant Capt. Solgard was fitting out again to go in +the Quest of the said Low the other Pirate Sloop, (having the Master +of this with him, he knowing what Course they intended by Agreement +to Steer, in order to meet with a third Consort) which, we hope he’ll +overtake and bring in.”--_Boston News-Letter_, June 20, 1723. + +The _New England Courant_ of Boston, Franklin’s paper, printed a +similar account of the fight and capture and also mentioned the fact +that Joseph Sweetser of Charlestown was one of the men taken and that +both he and Charles Harris, “who is the Master or Navigator,” had +previously been advertised in the public prints as forced men, with one +or two more of the company. A week later the _Courant_ published a list +of the names of the men, as follows:-- + + “An Account of the Names, Ages, and places of Birth of those + Men taken by his Majesty’s Ship Greyhound, in the Pirate Sloop + called the Ranger, and now confined in his Majesty’s Gaol in + Rhode-Island. + + _Names_ _Ages_ _Places of Birth_ + William Blades 28 Rhode Island + Thomas Powel, Gunner 21 Wethersfield, Conn. + John Wilson 23 New London County + Daniel Hyde 23 Eastern Shore of Virginia + Henry Barnes 22 Barbadoes + Stephen Mundon 29 London + Thomas Huggit 24 London + William Read 35 London-derry, Ireland + Peter Kewes 32 Exeter, England + Thomas Jones 17 Flint, Wales + James Brinkley 28 Suffolk, England + Joseph Sawrd 28 Westminster + John Brown 17 Leverpool + William Shutfield 40 Leicestershire, Engl. + Edward Eaton 38 Wreaxham, Wales + John Brown 29 County of Durham, Engl. + Edward Lawson 20 Isle of Man + Owen Rice 27 South Wales + John Tomkins 23 Glocestshire, Engl. + John Fitz-Gerald 21 County of Limerick, Irela. + Abraham Lacey 21 Devonshire, Engl. + Thomas Linisker 21 Lancashire, Engl. + Thomas Reeve 30 County of Rutland, Engl. + John Hinchard, Doctor 22 Near Edinburg, N. Brit. + Joseph Sweetser (forc’d) 24 Boston, New-England + Francis Layton 39 New-York + John Walters, Quar. Master 35 County of Devon + William Jones 28 London + Charles Church 21 Westminster + Tom Umper, an Indian 21 Marthas Vineyard + In all 30 + + --_New England Courant_, June 24, 1723. + +The following seven were held on board the “Grayhound” by Captain +Solgard, who hoped through them to take Low. They were brought back to +Newport and gaoled on July 11th. One of the pirates died in gaol on +July 15th. + + Charles Harris, Captain 25 London + Thomas Hazell 50 ---- + John Bright 25 ---- + Joseph Libbey 21 Marblehead + Patrick Cunningham 25 ---- + John Fletcher 17 ---- + Thomas Child 15 ---- + +When the news of this great capture of pirates reached the seaport +towns along the New England shore there was much rejoicing. Nothing +like it had ever happened in the history of the Colonies and to be +accused of piracy at that time, with any show of evidence, was very +nearly equivalent to being found guilty, so a great gathering of people +was assured for the hanging soon to follow. + +Three weeks later the Honorable William Dummer, Esq., +Lieutenant-Governor and Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s Province +of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, together with divers members +of His Majesty’s Council and other gentlemen from that Province +came riding into the town of Newport, and with Governor Cranston of +Rhode Island and other judges duly commissioned by Act of Parliament +proceeded to open a Court of Admiralty for the trial of the pirates. +The trial was held in the town house on Wednesday morning, July 10, +1723. The Court was authorized by Act of Parliament made 11 and 12 +William III; made perpetual by Act of 6 George I. The Court organized, +and then adjourned until eight oclock in the morning of the next +day--when Charles Harris and twenty-seven others were brought to the +bar and arraigned for acts of felony, piracy and robbery. + +[Illustration: WILLIAM DUMMER, LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, +WHO PRESIDED AT THE TRIAL OF CAPT. CHARLES HARRIS FOR PIRACY + +From the portrait by Robert Feke in possession of the Trustees of +Dummer Academy] + +The facts connected with the taking of the ship “Amsterdam Merchant,” +with the presence in court of the master and some of his men, were +in themselves sufficient to hang the accused. Captain Solgard of the +man-of-war, who had fought with the accused pirates and captured them, +also testified as did his lieutenant and surgeon. The presence of these +men in court together with the reputed facts of the chase and capture +decided the case in the minds of the people before the evidences were +offered or the verdict rendered. John Valentine, the Advocate General +for the King, presented the articles which accused the prisoners of +piratically surprising and seizing the ship “Amsterdam Merchant,” and +carrying away beef, gold and silver and a negro slave named Dick; +cutting off Captain Welland’s right ear and afterwards sinking the ship +valued at one thousand pounds. They were also accused of piratically +attacking His Majesty’s ship, the “Grey Hound,” and wounding seven of +his men. + +The prisoners were not represented by counsel, but they all pleaded +“not guilty,” and fourteen of them were ordered tried at that very +session, so the Advocate General addressed the Court as follows:-- + +“May it please your honor, and the rest of the honorable judges, of this +court. + +“The prisoners at the bar stand articled against and are prosecuted +for, several felonious piracies and robberies by them committed upon +the high sea. To which they severally pleaded not guilty. + +“The crime of piracy is a robbery (for piracy is a sea term for +robbery) committed within the jurisdiction of the admiralty. + +“And a pirate is described to be one who to enrich himself either by +surprise or open force, sets upon merchants and others trading by sea, +to spoil them of their goods and treasure, often times by sinking their +vessels, as the case will come out before you. + +“This sort of criminals are engaged in a perpetual war with every +individual, with every state, christian or infidel; they have no +country, but by the nature of their guilt, separate themselves, +renouncing the benefit of all lawful society, to commit these heinous +crimes. The Romans therefore justly styled them, _Hostes humoni +generis_ enemies of mankind, and indeed they are enemies and armed, +against themselves, a kind of _felons de se_--importing something more +than a natural death. + +“These unhappy men satiated with the number and notoriety of their +crimes, had filled up the measure of their guilt, when by the +Providence of Almighty God, and through the valor and conduct of +Captain Solgard, they were delivered up to the sword of justice. + +“The Roman Emperors in their edicts made this piece of service so +eminent for the public good, as meritorious as any act of piety, or +religious worship whatsoever. + +“And ’twill be said for the honor and reputation of this colony (though +of late scandalously reproached, to have favored or combined with +pirates), and be evinced by the process and event of this affair, that +such flagitious persons find as little countenance, and as much justice +at Rhode Island, as in any other part of his Majestie’s dominions. + +“But your time is more precious than my words, I will not misspend it +in attempting to set forth the aggravations of this complex crime, big +with every enormity, nor in declaring the mischiefs and evil tendencies +of it; for you better know these things before I mention them; and I +consider to whom I speak, and that the judgment is your honors. + +“I shall therefore call the King’s evidences to prove the several +facts, as so many distinct acts of piracy charged on Prisoners, not by +light circumstances and presumptions, not by strained and unfounded +conjectures, but by clear and postive evidence: and then I doubt not, +since for ’tis the interest of mankind, that these crimes should be +punished; your honors will do justice to the prisoners, this colony, +and the rest of the world in pronouncing them guilty, and in passing +sentence upon them according to law.” + +Capt. John Welland then testified as to the facts attending the capture +of his ship. He also said that Henry Barnes, one of the prisoners at +the bar, was forced out of his ship at the time it was taken and was +“very low and weak” and when on board Captain Estwick’s vessel (in +which they had at last reached Portsmouth) Barnes had tried to get away +and hid himself. But the pirates threatened to burn the ship unless he +was given up so Barnes was compelled to go on board the pirate sloop. +Barnes had cried and “took on very much” and asked the mate of the +“Amsterdam Merchant” to notify his three sisters living in Barbadoes +that he was a forced man and also very sick and weak at the time. The +mate and the ship’s carpenter confirmed the captain’s testimony that +all the pirates were “harnessed, that is, armed with guns, etc.” + +Capt. Peter Solgard, Lieut. Edward Smith, and Archibald Fisher, +“Chirsurgeon” of the “Grey-Hound Man of War,” testified to the +well-known facts of the engagement with the pirates and William Marsh, +a mariner, made oath that he had been taken by Low’s company in the +West Indies the previous January and that “he saw on board the schooner +at that time Francis Laughton and William ------------ and on board +the sloop, Charles Harris, Edward Lawson, Daniel Hyde, and John Fitz +Gerald, all prisoners at the Bar, and that Gerald asked him whether he +would seek his fortune with him.” + +This concluded the testimony and the prisoners were then severally +asked if they had anything to say in their own defence. Without +exception each man said that he had been forced on board of Low and did +nothing voluntarily. + +The Advocate General then summed up the case, as follows:-- + + “Your Honors, I doubt not have observed the weakness, and + vanity of the defence which has been made by the prisoners + at the Bar, and that the articles (containing indisputable + flagrant acts of piracy) are supported against each of them: + Their impudences and unfortunate mistake, in attacking his + majesty’s ship, tho’ to us fortunate, and of great service + to the neighboring governments: Their malicious and cruel + assault upon Capt. Welland, not only in the spoiling of his + goods, but what is much more, the cutting off his right ear, + a crime of that nature and barbarity which can never be + repaired: Their plea of constraint, or force, (in the mouth of + every Pirate) can be of no avail to them, for if that could + justify or excuse! No pirate would ever be convicted; nor even + any profligate person in his own account offend against the + moral law; if it were asked, it would be hard to answer; who + offer’d the violence? It’s apparent they forced, or persuaded + one another, or rather the compulsion proceeded of their own + corrupt and avaricious inclinations: but if there was the + least semblance of truth; in the plea; it might come out in + proof, that the prisoners or some of them did manifest their + uneasiness and sorrow, to some of the persons whom they had + surprised and robb’d; but the contrary of that is plain from + Mr. Marsh’s evidence, that the prisoners were so far from + a dislike, or regretting their number by inviting him to + join with them, and seemed resolved to live and die by their + calling, or for it, as their fate is like to be. And now seeing + that the facts are as evident as proof by testimony can make + ’em, I doubt not your honors will declare the prisoners to be + guilty.” + +The prisoners were than taken from the bar, the court room was cleared +and the judges considered the evidence and voted that all were guilty +except John Wilson and Henry Barns. The Court then adjourned for dinner +and at two o’clock met and opened by proclamation. The prisoners were +brought in and those found guilty were sentenced by Lieut.-Governor +Dummer to be hanged by the neck until dead. Thirteen more “of that +miserable crew of men,” as they were characterised by the Advocate +General, were then brought to the bar for trial, and Captain Welland +named six of whom he recognized as having been on the “Ranger” and +all had been harnessed, except Thomas Jones, the boy. John Mudd, the +carpenter, said that he well remembered Joseph Sound because “said +Sound took his buttons out of his sleeves.” + +“Benjamin Weekham of Newport mariner, deposed, that on the tenth of +March last he was in the bay of Honduras on board of a sloop, Jeremiah +Clark Master, Low and Lowders companies being pirates, took the +aforesaid sloop, and that this deponent then having the small pox was +by John Waters one of the prisoners at the Bar carried on board another +vessel; and that he begg’d of some of the company two shirts to shirt +himself, the said Waters said damn him, he would beg the vessel too, +but at other times he was very civil; and the deponent further saith, +he saw William Blades now prisoner at the Bar amongst them. + +“William Marsh deposed, that he was taken in manner as aforesaid, and +that John Brown the tallest was on board the schooner, and the said +Brown told him he had rather be in a tight vessel than a leaky one, and +that he was not forced. + +“Henry Barns mariner, deposed, that he being on board the Sloop Ranger +during her engagement with the Grey-Hound Man of War, saw all the +prisoners at the Bar on board the said sloop Ranger, and that he saw +John Brown the shortest in arms, that Thomas Mumford Indian, was only +as a servant on board. + +“The prisoners at the bar were then asked if they had anything to say +in their own defence. + +“William Blades said he was forced on board of Low about eleven months +ago, and never signed to their articles, and that he had when taken +about ten or twelve pounds, and that he never shared with them, but +only took what they gave him. + +“Thomas Hugget said he was one of Capt. Mercy’s men on the coast of +Guinea, and in the West Indies was put on board Low, but never shared +with them, and they gave him twenty-one pounds. + +“Peter Cues said, that on the twenty-third or twenty-fourth of January +last he belonged to one Layal in a sloop of Antigua, and was then taken +by Low and detained ever since, but never shared with them, and had +about ten or twelve pounds when taken, which they gave him. + +“Thomas Jones said, he is a lad of about seventeen years of age, and +was by Low and company taken out of Capt. Edwards at Newfoundland, and +kept by Low ever since. + +“William Jones said, he was taken out of Capt. Ester at the Bay of +Honduras the beginning of April last by Low and Lowther, and that he +has been forced by Low to be with him ever since; that he never shared +with them, nor signed the articles till compelled three weeks after he +was taken, and the said Jones owned he had eleven pounds of the quarter +master at one time, and eight pounds at another. + +“Edward Eaton said, that he was taken by Low in the Bay of Honduras, +about the beginning of March, and kept with him by force ever since. + +“John Brown the tallest said, that on the ninth of October last he was +taken out of the Liverpool merchant at the Cape De Verde by Capt. Low +who beat him black and blue to make him sign the articles, and from the +Cape de Verde they cruized upon the coast of Brazil about eleven weeks, +and from thence to the West Indies, and he was on board of the Ranger +at the taking of Welland. + +“James Sprinkly said, he was forced out of a ship at the Cape de Verde +by Low in October last, and by him compelled to sign the articles, but +never shared with them. + +“John Brown the shortest said, he was about seventeen years old, and in +October last at the Cape de Verdes was taken out of a ship by Low, and +kept there ever since, and that the quarter-master gave him about forty +shillings, and the people aboard about three pounds. + +“Joseph Sound said, he was taken from Providence, about three months +ago, by Low and company and detained by force ever since. + +“Charles Church said, he was taken out of the Sycamore Galley at the +Cape de Verdes, Capt. Scot commander, about seven or eight months ago, +by Capt. Low, never shared, but the quarter-master gave him about +fourteen pounds. + +“John Waters said, he was taken by Low on the twenty-ninth of June +last, out of --------, and they compelled him to take charge of a +watch, and that he had thirteen pistols when taken, which was given +him, and that he said in the time of the engagement with his Majesties +ship they had better strike, for they would have better quarter. + +“Thomas Mumford Indian said, he was a servant a fishing the last year, +and was taken out of a fishing sloop with five other Indians off of +Nantucket by Low and Company, and that they hanged two of the Indians +at Cape Sables, and that he was kept by Low ever since, and had about +six bitts when taken.” + +These excuses availed nothing except for Thomas Jones, the boy, and +Thomas Mumford, the Indian. The rest were found guilty and duly +sentenced. + +The next morning John Kencate, the doctor on board the “Ranger,” +was brought to trial. The Advocate General stated that although the +prisoner “used no arms, was not harness’d (as they term it) but was a +forc’d man; yet if he received part of their plunder, was not under +a constant durance, did at any time approve, or join’d in their +villanies, his guilt is at least equal to the rest; the Doctor being +ador’d among ’em as the pirates God for in him they chiefly confide +for their cure and life, and in this trust and dependence it is, that +they enterprise these horrid depredations not to be heightened by +aggravation, or lessened by any excuse.” + +“Capt. John Welland deposed, and that he saw the Doctor aboard the +Ranger; he seem’d not to rejoice when he was taken but solitary, and he +was inform’d on board he was a forc’d men; and that he never signed the +articles as he heard of, and was now on board the deponants ship. + +“John Ackin Mate and John Mudd Carpenter, swore they saw the prisoner +at the Bar walking forwards and backwards disconsolately on board the +Ranger. + +“Archibald Fisher Physician and Chirurgion on board the said Greyhound +Man-of-War deposed, that when the prisoner at the Bar was taken and +brought aboard the King’s ship he searched his medicaments, and the +instruments, and found but very few medicaments, and the instruments +very mean and bad.” + +Others testified that the doctor was forced on board, by Low, and +that he never signed articles so far as they knew or heard, but used +to spend much of his time in reading, and was very courteous to the +prisoners taken by Low and his company, and that he never shared with +them. + +The doctor himself said that he was chirurgion of the Sycamore-Galley, +Andrew Scot, master, and was taken out of that ship in September last +at Bonavista, one of the Cape de Verde Islands, by Low and Company, who +detained him ever since, and that he never shared with them, nor signed +their articles. + +The Court then cleared the doctor and proceeded with the trial of +Thomas Pownall, Joseph Sweetser and Joseph Libbey. The name of the +latter is not found in the first published lists of the pirates gaoled +at Newport for the reason that he was one of those detained by Captain +Harris in hopes of capturing Low who had deliberately deserted them, +when jointly they probably could have taken the man of war. Libbey’s +name appears in the published lists of those condemned and executed, as +having been born in Marblehead. + +At the trial of these men Doctor Kencate testified that “he well knew +Thomas Powell, Joseph Sweetser and John Libbey, and that Thomas Powell +acted as gunner on board the Ranger, and that he went on board several +vessels taken by Low and company, and plundered, and that Joseph Libbey +was an active man on board the Ranger, and used to go on board vessels +they took and plundered and that he see him fire several times, and +the deponent further deposed that Joseph Sweetser now prisoner at the +bar, was on board the pirate Low, and that he has seen him armed, but +never see him use them, and that the said Sweetser used to often get +alone by himself from amongst the rest of the crew, he was melancholly, +and refused to go on board any vessel by them taken, and got out of +their way. And the deponent further saith, that on that day, as they +engaged the man-of-war, Low proposed to attack the man-of-war, first +by firing his great guns then a volley of small arms, heave in their +powder flasks and board her in his sloop, and the Ranger to board over +the Fortune, and that no one on board the Ranger disagreed to it as he +knows of, for most approved of it by words and the others were silent. + +“Thomas Jones deposed that Thomas Powell acted as gunner on board the +Ranger, and Joseph Libbey was a stirring, active man among them, and +used to go aboard vessels to plunder, and that Joseph Sweetser was +very dull aboard, and at Cape Antonio he cried to Dunwell to let him +go ashore, who refused, and asked him to drink a dram, but Sweetser +went down into the hold and cried a good part of the day, and that Low +refused to let him go, but brought him and tied him to the mast and +threatened to whip him; and he saw him armed but never saw him use his +arms as he knows of: and that Sweetser was sick when they engaged the +man-of-war, tho’ he assisted in rowing the vessel. + +“John Wilson deposed that Thomas Powell was gunner of the Ranger; +and the Sabbath day before they were taken, the said Powell told the +deponent he wished he was ashore at Long Island, and they went to the +head of the mast and Powell said to him I wish you and I were both +ashore here stark naked. + +“Thomas Mumford, Indian (not speaking good English), Abissai Folger +was sworn interpereter, deposed that Thomas Powell, Joseph Libbey and +Joseph Sweetser were all on board of Low the pirate, that he saw Powell +have a gun when they took the vessels, but never saw him fire, he saw +him go on board of a vessel once, but brought nothing from her as he +saw, he see him once [shoot] a negro but never a white man. And he saw +Joseph Libbey once go aboard a vessel by them taken and brought away +from her one pair of stockings. And that Joseph Swetser cooked it on +board with him sometime, and sometimes they made him hand the sails; +once he saw said Swetser clean a gun, but not fire it, and Swetser +once told him that he wanted to get ashore from among them, and said +he if the Man-of-War should take them they would hang him, and in the +engagement of the Man-of-War, Swetser sat unarmed in the range of the +sloop’s mast, and some little time before the said engagement he asked +Low to let him have his liberty and go ashore, but was refused.” + +There was other testimony to much the same effect. Powell said he was +taken by Lowther in the Bay of Honduras in the winter of 1721-2 and by +him turned over to Low. Libbey said he was a forced man and produced a +newspaper advertisement in proof. Sweetser said he was taken by Lowther +about a year before and forced on board of Low. He, too, produced an +advertisement to prove that he had been forced. Powell and Libbey were +found guilty and Sweetser was cleared. Hazel, Bright, Fletcher, and +Child and Cunningham who had been detained on board the “Greyhound” +in the later pursuit of Low, were then placed on trial. By numerous +witnesses it was shown that all had been active on board the “Ranger” +at the time of the fight but that Fletcher was only a boy and that +Child had come on board from the “Fortune,” only three or four days +before the fight. Captain Welland spoke a good word for Cunningham +and said that he had got him water and brought the doctor at the time +he was laying bleeding below hatches for nearly three hours with a +sentinel over him. John Bright was the drummer and “beat upon his drum +upon the round house in the engagement.” + +Thomas Hazel said he had been forced by Low about twelve months before +in the Bay of Honduras. Bright said that he was a servant to one Hester +in the Bay and had been taken by Low about four months before and +forced away to be his drummer. + +Cunningham said he had been forced about a year before from a fishing +schooner and that he had tried to get away at Newfoundland but without +success. Fletcher, the boy, said he had been forced by Low from on +board the “Sycamore Galley,” Scot, master, at Bona Vista, because he +could play a violin. There is no record of what Child had to say for +himself. Fletcher and Child were found not guilty; the others were +sentenced to be hanged. Cunningham and John Brown “the shortest,” were +recommended “unto His Majesty, for Remission.” + +While the pirates were in prison and especially in the interval between +their condemnation and execution they were visited frequently by the +ministers who afterwards stated in print that “while they were in +Prison, most seemed willing to be advised about the affairs of their +souls.”[155] John Brown prepared in writing a “warning” to young people +in which he declared “it was with the greatest Reluctancy and Horror +of Mind and Conscience, I was compelled to go with them ... and I +can say my Heart and Mind never joined in those horrid Robberies, +Conflagarations and Cruelties committed.” On the day before they +were executed letters were written by many of them to relatives and +Fitz-Gerald composed a poem which afterwards was printed. The following +verses illustrate his poetical style: + + “To mortal Men that daily live in Wickedness and Sin; + This dying Counsel I do give, hoping you will begin + To serve the Lord in Time of Youth his Precepts for to keep; + To serve him so in Spirit and Truth, that you may mercy reap. + + * * * * * + + In Youthful blooming Years was I, when I that Practice took; + Of perpetrating Piracy, for filthy gain did look. + To Wickedness we all were bent, our Lusts for to fulfil; + To rob at Sea was our Intent, and perpetrate all Ill. + + * * * * * + + I pray the Lord preserve you all and keep you from this End; + O let Fitz-Gerald’s great downfall unto your welfare tend. + I to the Lord my Soul bequeath, accept thereof I pray, + My Body to the Earth bequeath, dear Friend, adieu for aye.” + +The gallows were set up between high-and-low water mark on a point of +land projecting into the harbor, then and now known as Gravelly Point. +At that time there was no street or way that gave direct or convenient +access and the crowds that gathered to witness the execution went +around by what afterwards was known as Walnut Street by the almshouse, +or filled the boats and small vessels that lined the shore. Most of the +condemned had something to say when on the gallows usually advising +all people, especially young persons, to beware of the sins that had +brought them to such an unhappy state. The execution took place on +July 19, 1723, between twelve and one o’clock, and twenty-six men were +“hanged by the neck until dead” in accordance with the sentence of the +Court. + +“Mr. Bass went to Prayer with them; and some little time after, the +Rev. Mr. Clap concluded with a short Exhortation to them. Their Black +Flag, with the Pourtrature of Death having an Hour-Glass in one Hand, +and a Dart in the other, at the end of which was the Form of a Heart +with three Drops of Blood, falling from it, was affix’d at one Corner +of the Gallows. This Flag they call’d Old Roger, and often us’d to say +they would live and die under it.”[156] + +“Never was there a more doleful sight in all this land, then while they +were standing on the stage, waiting for the stopping of their Breath +and the Flying of their Souls into the Eternal World. And oh! how awful +the Noise of their dying moans!”[157] + +The bodies were not gibbetted but taken to Goat or Fort Island and +buried on the shore between high and low water mark. + +After the execution had taken place, Captain Solgard set sail in the +“Greyhound” for his station at New York, taking with him the pirate +sloop.[158] His exploit was looked upon as a great service rendered to +the country and the merchants of New York were anxious that some public +acknowledgment be made, and so it came about that the Common Council of +the City, at a meeting held July 25, 1723, passed an order presenting +to Captain Solgard the Freedom of the City and providing that the seal +of the Freedom be enclosed in a gold box, the Arms of the Corporation +to be engraved on one side and a representation of the engagement on +the other, with this motto: _Quaesitos Humani Generis Hostes Debellare +Superbum 10 Junii 1723_. The clerk was instructed to have the +Freedom handsomely engrossed on parchment and when ready the Council +voted to wait upon Captain Solgard in a body and present the same. + +[Illustration: “VIEW OF NEWPORT, R. I., IN 1730,” SHOWING AT THE LEFT, +GRAVELLY POINT, ON WHICH THE PIRATES WERE HANGED IN 1723 + +The original painting really represents the town at a somewhat later +date. Reproduced from a lithograph copy made in 1864, now in the George +L. Shepley Library, Providence, R. I.] + +But the “Greyhound,” in March of the previous year, had an encounter +with Spaniards, in which her officers came off less happily. Captain +Waldron, then in command, was trading on the coast of Cuba and “invited +some of the Merchants to Dinner, who with their Attendants and Friends +came on Board to the Number of 16 or 18 in all; and having concerted +Measures, about six or eight dined in the Cabin, and the rest waited +on the Deck. While the Captain and his Guests were at Dinner, the +Boatswain Piped for the Ship’s Company to dine. Accordingly the Men +took their Platters, received their Provisions, and went down between +Decks, leaving only 4 or 5 Hands besides the Spaniards, above; who +were immediately dispatched by them, and the Hatches laid on the rest. +Those in the Cabin were as ready as their Companions, for they pull’d +out their Pistols and shot the Captain, Surgeon and another (Jacob +Lopez, a merchant) dead, and grievously wounded the Lieutenant; but he +getting out of the Window upon a Side-ladder, thereby saved his Life, +and so they made themselves Masters of the Ship in an Instant. But by +accidental good Fortune, she was recovered before she was carry’d off; +for Capt. Waldron having mann’d a Sloop with 30 Hands of his Ship’s +Company, had sent her to Windward some days before, also for Trade, +which the Spaniards knew very well; and just as the Action was over +they saw this Sloop coming down, before the Wind, towards their Ship; +upon which the Spaniards took about 10000£. in Specie, quitted the +Ship, and went off in their Launch unmolested.”[159] The Greyhound +eventually made her way to her station at New York under command of the +lieutenant, where she was joined on Oct. 19th by her new commander, +Capt. Peter Solgard, Doctor Fisher, and twenty sailors. + + +FOOTNOTES + +[154] Formerly the “Mary,” 80 tons, owned by Joseph Dolliber of +Marblehead and captured at Port Roseway, Nova Scotia. + +[155] _An account of the Pirates, with divers of their Speeches_, etc., +Boston, 1723. + +[156] _New England Courant_, July 22, 1723 (_postscript_). + +[157] _An account of the Pirates, with divers of their Speeches_, etc., +Boston, 1723. + +[158] A great storm occurred on July 29, 1723, during which the pirate +sloop, then at anchor at New York, was forced to cut down her mast and +afterwards was driven out to sea and lost. _New England Courant_, Aug. +12, 1723 (_postscript_). + +[159] Johnson, _History of the Pirates_, London, 1726. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +JOHN PHILLIPS WHOSE HEAD WAS CUT OFF AND PICKLED + + +The sloop “Squirrel,” commanded by Skipper Andrew Haraden, sailed out +of Annisquam harbor, Cape Ann, on the morning of April 14th, 1724, +bound eastward on a fishing voyage. She was newly built. In fact, the +owner and skipper were both so anxious to see her on her way to the +banks that they didn’t wait for all the deck-work to be completed +before she sailed and so the necessary tools were taken along with the +intention of finishing the work before Cape Sable was reached. As the +sloop made outward into Ipswich Bay two or three sails were in sight, +among them a sloop, off to the eastward, following a course similar to +the “Squirrel” but a point or two more to the north, so that early in +the afternoon when the vessels were both off the Isles of Shoals, the +stranger was only a gunshot distant. + +Skipper Haraden was looking her over when suddenly a puff of smoke +broke out of a swivel on her rail and the ball struck the water less +than a hundred feet in front of the “Squirrel’s” bow. Just after the +gun was fired the sloop ran up a black flag and soon the Annisquam +fisherman was headed into the wind and her skipper was getting into a +boat in answer to a command that came across the water from the pirate. +When he reached her deck, Haraden found that the pirate was commanded +by Capt. John Phillips who was well-known from the captures he had made +among the fishing fleets the year before. He was then on his way north +after spending a pleasant winter in the warm waters of the West Indies +and on the way up the coast had made numerous captures. + +When Captain Phillips found that he had taken a newly built vessel, +with lines that suggested speed, he decided to take her over and the +next day the guns, ammunition and stores were transferred to the +“Squirrel” and the fishermen were ordered aboard the other sloop and +left to shift for themselves; but Skipper Haraden was forcibly detained. + +Haraden soon found that about half of the men with Phillips had been +forced like himself and were only waiting for a chance to escape and +one of them, Edward Cheeseman, a ship carpenter, “broke his mind” to +Haraden not long after the vessels separated. It developed that various +plans had already been cautiously discussed by several of the captured +men and now that another bold man was aboard and an extra broadax and +adz used to complete the carpenter work on the “Squirrel” were about +the deck, the time seemed ripe to rise and capture the vessel. John +Filmore, a fisherman who had been captured by Phillips while off the +Newfoundland coast the previous fall, was active in abetting Cheeseman +in the proposal to rise. Filmore came from the town of Wenham which +is not far from Annisquam, and in November, 1724, after having been +acquitted of piracy by the Admiralty Court in Boston, he married Mary +Spiller of Ipswich and his son Nathaniel, became grandfather of Millard +Fillmore, President of the United States. + +Several of the men on the “Squirrel” were for surprising the pirates at +night but as the sailing master, John Nutt, was a man of great strength +and courage, it was pointed out that it would be dangerous to attack +him without firearms. Cheeseman, who had taken the lead in proposing +the capture of the vessel, was resolutely in favor of making the +attack by daylight as less likely to end in confusion or mistake. He +also volunteered to make way with the long-armed Nutt. The plan agreed +upon called for a united assault at noon on April 17th, while the +carpenter’s tools lay about the deck, Cheeseman, the ship-carpenter, +having his tools there also. When the time arrived, Cheeseman brought +out his brandy bottle and took a dram with the rest, drinking to the +boatswain and the sailing master and “To their next merry meeting.” He +then took a turn about the deck with Nutt, asking him what he thought +of the weather and the like. Meanwhile, Filmore took up a broadax and +whirling it around on its point as though at play, winked at Cheeseman +to let him know that all was ready. He at once seized Nutt by the +collar and putting the other hand between his legs and holding hard he +tossed him over the side of the vessel. Nutt, taken by surprise, had +only time to grasp Cheeseman’s coat sleeve and say “Lord, have mercy +upon me! What are you trying to do, carpenter?” Cheeseman replied that +it was an unnecessary question “For, Master, you are a dead man,” and +striking him on the arm, Nutt lost his hold and fell into the sea and +never spoke again. + +By this time the boatswain was dead, for as soon as Filmore saw the +master going over the rail he raised his broadax and gave the boatswain +a slash that divided his head clear to his neck. Nutt’s cry and the +noise of the scuffle brought the captain on deck to be met by a blow +from a mallet in the hands of Cheeseman, which broke his jaw-bone +but didn’t knock him down. Haraden then made for the captain with a +carpenter’s adz which Sparks, the gunner, attempted to prevent and +for his pains was tripped up by Cheeseman and tumbled into the hands +of Charles Ivemay, another of the conspirators, who, aided by two +Frenchmen, instantly tossed him overboard. Meanwhile, Haraden had +smashed the captain over the head with the adz and ended his piratical +career for all time. Cheeseman lost no time and jumped from the deck +into the hold and was about to beat out the brains of John Rose Archer, +the quartermaster, and already had got in two or three blows with +his mallet when Harry Giles, a young seaman, came down after him and +cried out that Archer’s life should be spared as evidence of their own +innocence so that it might not afterwards appear that the attack on +the pirates had been made with the intent of seizing their plunder. +Cheeseman saw the force of this advice and so Archer was spared and +secured with ropes as were three others who were below when the attack +was made on deck and who surrendered when they found out what had +happened. + +Captain Haraden now took command of the “Squirrel” and altered her +course from Newfoundland to Annisquam which was reached on April 24th. +As they came into the harbor they prepared to fire a swivel to announce +their arrival to the village, but in some way the gun was prematurely +discharged and a French doctor on board, a forced man, was instantly +killed. Tradition, still lingering on the Cape, affirms that the head +of Phillips was hanging at the sloop’s mast-head when she arrived at +Annisquam[160] and there is an island in Annisquam River, known as +Hangman’s Island, which received its name from some connection with +this event. The local tradition has it that some of the pirates were +hanged on this island but that is incorrect as will be shown later. It +is possible, however, that Captain Haraden may have brought back one or +more bodies of the dead pirates, as trophies, and these bodies may have +been placed on gibbets erected on what is now Hangman’s Island. + +The day after the return of the “Squirrel,” Captain Haraden, Israel +Tricker and William Mills went over to “the Harbor,” now the city +of Gloucester, and made oath before Esquire Epes Sargent to the +particulars of the capture and recapture of the sloop and on May 3d, +the entire company arrived in Boston and the four accused pirates and +the seven forced men found on board with them were placed in gaol to +await a speedy trial. + +Before relating the story of what took place at the trial it may +be well to recount the piratical adventures of Capt. John Phillips +previous to the final encounter that cost him his head. He was an +Englishman, a carpenter by trade, who shipped for a Newfoundland voyage +in a West-Country ship and was captured on the way over by Captain +Anstis in the “Good Fortune.” Phillips soon became reconciled to the +life of a pirate and was appointed carpenter of the vessel and there he +continued until the company broke up at Tobago in the West Indies. + +While Phillips was with Anstis, the ship “Irwin,” Captain Ross, bound +to the West Indies from Cork, Ireland, was taken off Martinico. Among +the passengers was Colonel Doyly of the island of Monserrat, who was +wounded and much abused while trying to save from the insults of the +pirate crew a poor woman, who was also a passenger. Twenty-one of the +scoundrels successively forced the poor creature and then they broke +her back and threw her overboard. Johnson in his “History of the +Pirates,” is responsible for this account, which seems incredible, +especially as all the known “Articles” of pirate ships expressly +forbid, under penalty of death, attacks on inoffensive women. + +Before long, dissentions arose among the crew. Some wanted to petition +the King for a pardon and others wished to continue to sail under the +black flag. Finally it was decided to seek a retreat on the island +of Tobago while a petition was sent to England. It was signed in a +“round robin,” that is, all names were signed in a circle to avoid +the appearance of any one having signed first and thereby be thought +a principal. The petition stated that they had all been taken by +Bartholomew Roberts and forced; that they abhorred and detested piracy +and that their capture of the “Good Fortune” and other vessels had been +made in the hope of escaping and obtaining a pardon. This petition was +sent home by a merchant ship bound to England from Jamaica and in +her went a number of the company who felt certain of a pardon and among +them John Phillips. + +[Illustration: + + _A View of a Stage & also of y^e manner of Fishing for, Curing + & Drying Cod at NEW FOUND LAND._ + + _A. The Habit of y^e Fishermen. B. The Line. C. The manner of + Fishing. D. The Dressers of y^e Fish. E. The Trough into which + they throw y^e Cod when Dressed. F. Salt Boxes. G. The manner + of Carrying y^e Cod. H. The Cleansing y^e Cod. I. A Press to + extract y^e Oyl from y^e Cods Livers. K. Casks to receive y^e + Water & Blood that comes from y^e Livers. L. Another Cask to + receive the Oyl. M. The manner of Drying y^e Cod._ + +FISHING SHIP AND STATION, NEWFOUNDLAND, ABOUT 1717 + +From an insert in Herman Moll’s “Map of North America,” London +[1710-1717], in the possession of John W. Farwell] + +His stay in England was short for while visiting his friends in +Devonshire he learned that some of his former companions had been +taken and were safe in custody in Bristol gaol and realizing that +his turn might come next he made for his nearest port, Topsham, and +shipped for a Newfoundland voyage with one Captain Wadham. When the +ship reached St. Peters, in Newfoundland, Phillips promptly deserted +and hired out for the season as a fish splitter. But this was only a +makeshift until he found opportunity to carry into effect his intended +piratical schemes. He soon persuaded a number of his fellow-workers to +join him in seizing a schooner owned by William Minott of Boston in the +Massachusetts Bay, which lay at anchor in the harbor near St. Peters. +The night of Aug. 29, 1723, was the time agreed upon for the adventure +but only four men put in an appearance out of the sixteen who had +agreed with Phillips to go pirating. Notwithstanding this falling away, +Phillips still favored taking the schooner, feeling certain they would +soon enlarge their company and so the vessel was seized and out of the +harbor they sailed. + +When safely at sea they renamed their schooner the “Revenge,” chose +officers and drew up Articles to govern their future affairs. John +Phillips was made captain; John Nutt, master or navigator; James +Sparks, gunner, Thomas Fern, carpenter, and William White, the +remaining member of the company, constituted the crew. The Articles, as +drawn up, were sworn to upon a hatchet for lack of a Bible and were as +follows, viz.:-- + + + “THE ARTICLES ON BOARD THE _REVENGE_. + + “1. Every Man shall obey civil Command; the Captain shall have + one full Share and a half in all Prizes; the Master, Carpenter, + Boatswain and Gunner shall have one Share and quarter. + + “2. If any Man shall offer to run away, or keep any Secret from + the Company, he shall be maroon’d, with one Bottle of Powder, + one Bottle of Water, one small Arm and Shot. + + “3. If any Man shall steal any Thing in the Company, or game to + the Value of a Piece of Eight, he shall be maroon’d or shot. + + “4. If at any Time we should meet another Marrooner [that is, + pyrate], that Man that shall sign his Articles without the + Consent of our Company, shall suffer such Punishment as the + Captain and Company shall think fit. + + “5. That Man that shall strike another whilst these Articles + are in force, shall receive Moses’s Law (that is, 40 Stripes + lacking one) on the bare Back. + + “6. That Man that shall snap his Arms, or smoak Tobacco in the + Hold, without a Cap to his Pipe, or carry a Candle lighted + without a Lanthorn, shall suffer the same Punishment as in the + former Article. + + “7. That Man that shall not keep his Arms clean, fit for an + Engagement, or neglect his Business, shall be cut off from his + Share, and suffer such other Punishment as the Captain and the + Company shall think fit. + + “8. If any Man shall lose a Joint in Time of an Engagement, he + shall have 400 Pieces of Eight, if a Limb, 800. + + “9. If at any Time we meet with a prudent Woman, that Man that + offers to meddle with her, without her Consent, shall suffer + present Death.” + +Thus organized and prepared, the “Revenge” was steered to the fishing +banks and several small vessels were soon captured out of which they +forced a few men and found a few others who joined them voluntarily. +Among the latter was a man named John Rose Archer who had served off +the Carolina coast under the famous Teach, otherwise called “Black +Beard,” and because he was experienced in the trade Captain Phillips +made him quartermaster, an appointment that disaffected some of the +original company and especially Fern, the carpenter, which led to +his attempted desertion at a later time. Three fishing vessels were +taken Sept. 5th, near a harbor in Newfoundland and John Parsons, John +Filmore, and Isaac Lassen, an Indian man, were forced. Lassen was +usually employed afterwards as man at the helm. About the middle of +the month a schooner, one Furber, master, was taken and on the 20th +of September a French vessel of 150 tons fell into their hands from +which they looted thirteen pipes of wine, provisions and a “Great Gun +& Carriage valued at £50.”[161] Two Frenchmen, John Baptis and Peter +Taffery, were forced from this vessel. They afterwards were active in +helping Cheeseman and Haraden to recapture the “Squirrel.” + +Early in October the “Revenge” was off Barbadoes and among the captures +made was the brigantine “Mary,” ---- Moor, master, from which cloth +and provisions valued at £500, were taken. A few days later they +fell in with a brigantine, ---- Reed, master, bound to Virginia with +servants. It was from this vessel that William Taylor was enlisted. +He afterwards said “they were carrying me to Virginia to be sold and +they met with these honest men [meaning the pirates] and I listed to +go with them.” Seven days later a Portuguese brigantine bound for +Brazil was captured, out of which a negro man slave named Francisco, +valued at £100, was taken; also three dozen shirts valued at £40, and +a cask of brandy valued at £30. On October 27th the sloop “Content,” +George Barrows, master, was captured near Bermuda. She was bound from +Boston for Barbadoes. The mate, John Masters, was forced and the sloop +was plundered of plate and provisions. Masters remained on board the +“Revenge” for four months before he was released. + +Captain Phillips now bore away for the island of Barbadoes and cruised +about there and off the Leeward Islands for nearly three months without +speaking a single vessel so no captures were made and the supply of +provisions ran so low that the company was reduced to a pound of meat +a day for ten men. It was then that they came up with a French sloop +out of Martinico, of twelve guns and thirty-five men, a far superior +force which they would not have ventured to attack at any other time. +But “hunger will break down stone walls” and so the black flag was run +aloft and they boldly ran along side the sloop and ordered them to +strike immediately or no quarter would be given, which so intimidated +the Frenchmen that they made no resistance. The pirate crew plundered +her of all her provisions and taking four of her men, the sloop was +allowed to go. + +Soon after this welcome supply of provisions was obtained Captain +Phillips proposed that the “Revenge” be careened and her bottom cleaned +and suggested that they go to the island of Tobago where the former +company of pirates that he belonged to, under Anstis and Fern, had +broken up. He said that there had been left behind on the island six +or eight men who would not take the chance of returning to England, +and three negro servants, and if any of these men yet remained on +the island they now would certainly join the company on board the +“Revenge.” This seemed worth while to the company so a course was set +for Tobago and when reached careful search was made for the men but +only one of the negroes was found, who told Captain Phillips that the +rest of those left behind including Captain Fern had been taken by a +man-of-war’s crew and carried to Antigua and hanged. This was bad news. +Nevertheless, they fell to work careening the sloop and just as the job +was completed, a man-of-war’s boat came nosing into the harbor and the +ship could be seen cruising to the leeward of the island. No time was +lost and as soon as the boat left, the “Revenge” was warped out and a +course to the windward was made in all haste. The four Frenchmen were +left on the island. + +Captain Phillips now steered northerly and on February 4, 1724, when +about thirty-five leagues south of Sandy Hook, they captured a +snow, -------- Laws, master, from New York bound for Barbadoes, and +obtained cloth and provisions. Fern, the carpenter, James Wood, William +Taylor and William Phillips were sent on board the snow and ordered +to navigate her in company with the “Revenge.” They sailed southward +until latitude 21° was reached when Fern and Wood attempted to run +away with the vessel. Fern had not forgotten that Archer had been +appointed quartermaster in preference to him and had been waiting for +this opportunity to break company with Captain Phillips, so he brought +over the others to his way of thinking and then changed the course +of the snow. Captain Phillips was keeping a good lookout, however, +and interpreting their design correctly gave chase and coming up with +the snow a skirmish ensued. Fern was ordered to come on board the +“Revenge” and replied by firing at the captain and a brisk exchange of +shots followed during which Wood was killed and William Phillips badly +wounded in his left leg. The other two then surrendered. + +There was no surgeon on board either of the vessels and after a +consultation it was decided that Phillips’ leg must be cut off. But who +should perform the operation was much disputed. Finally the carpenter +was selected as the man best fitted for the job. He brought up from his +chest his largest saw and taking the injured leg under his arm fell to +work as though he were cutting a deal board in two and soon the leg was +separated from the body of the patient. The carpenter then heated his +broadax red hot and cauterized the wound but this use of his excellent +tool being less familiar to him than the previous operation he +unfortunately burned flesh somewhat removed from the amputated surface +and in consequence the wound narrowly escaped becoming mortified. +Nature, however, made up for his lack of skill and in time a cure was +effected without other assistance. + +Two months after this rude operation had been performed, a fishing +schooner was taken and Captain Phillips proposed that the maimed man +should be put on board the vessel before she was allowed to go, but +he absolutely refused saying “if he should go they would hang him.” +William Phillips afterwards testified at his trial in Boston, that he +had been forced out of the sloop “Glasgow,” William Warden, master, +which had been captured in October, 1723, and “that sometime after +he was on board, he understood there were Articles drawn up for the +Captain called him auft, and with his pistol Cocked demanded him to +sign the said Articles or else he would blow his Brains out, which he +refused to do, Reminding the Captain of his promise that he should +be cleared; but the Captain Declaring that it should not hurt him, & +Insisting on it as aforesaid he was obliged to sign the said Articles.” +He also testified that when Fern and the others were attempting to get +away in the snow, they told him they were going to Holmes’ Hole and +“there every one to shift for himself.”[162] + +On Feb. 7, 1724, in latitude 37°, a ship bound from London for +Virginia, fell into the clutches of Captain Phillips. The master was +Captain Hussam and from this vessel they secured a great gun and +carriage, with powder and ball and forced Henry Gyles, “an artist,” _i. +e._ a man who understood navigation. Gyles afterwards testified in the +Admiralty Court that William White, one of the pirates who boarded the +ship, threatened “to cut him in sunder if he didn’t make haste to go on +board the pirate with his Books and Instruments.”[163] While on board +the “Revenge,” Gyles kept the journal having been ordered to do so by +Nutt, the sailing master. + +Captain Phillips continued his southerly course and shortly took a +Portuguese ship bound for Brazil and two or three sloops from Jamaica +in one of which Fern again attempted to make his escape and this time +he was shot and killed by Phillips. Another man met the same fate a +few days later so that the forced men became very careful how they +discussed measures for getting away and in sheer terror several of +them signed the Articles and quietly waited for a certain opportunity. + +On March 27, 1724, two ships from Virginia, bound for London, were +taken, one of them commanded by Capt. John Phillips, the pirate’s +namesake, and the other by Capt. Robert Mortimer, a young married man +on his first voyage in command. Phillips, the pirate captain, remained +on board Captain Mortimer’s ship while his men transferred the crew +to the sloop and when the boat returned one of the pirate crew called +up to Phillips that there was a mutiny on board their vessel. Captain +Mortimer had two of his men left on board and there were two pirates +with Phillips. When Mortimer heard of the mutiny he thought it was an +opportunity to recover his ship and taking up a handspike he struck +Phillips over the head making a dangerous wound but not felling him +to the deck. Phillips was able to draw his sword and wound Mortimer +and the two pirates that were on board coming to his assistance the +unfortunate captain was soon cut to pieces while his own two men stood +by and did nothing. + +Out of the other ship they forced Charles Ivemay, a seaman, and also +Edward Cheeseman, the carpenter, to fill the place of their former +carpenter, Fern, who had been killed by Phillips. It was while Filmore, +the young man from Wenham, was rowing Cheeseman from one ship to the +other, that he told him of his condition on board the pirate vessel and +how few voluntary pirates there were on board and proposed that they +join with others in capturing the sloop. More came of this later. + +The very last of March, the schooner “Good-Will,” of Marblehead, was +taken, Benjamin Chadwell, master, and on April 1st, a fishing schooner, +William Lancy, master, fell into their hands off Cape Sable. Lancy was +detained on board the “Revenge” and while there saw nine different +vessels taken, including a Cape Ann sloop commanded by Capt. John +Salter. On board Captain Lancy’s schooner was a seaman named David Yaw +who afterwards deposed that when the pirates came on board one of them, +John Baptis, a Frenchman, “damn’d him and kicked him in his legs and +pointed to his Boots, which was a sign as this deponent understood it +that he wanted his Boots, and he accordingly pulled them off and Baptis +took them.”[164] + +Among the vessels taken about this time, most of them while Captain +Lancy was on board, were those commanded by the following masters, +viz.:--Joshua Elwell, Samuel Elwell, Mr. Combs, Mr. Lansly, James +Babson, Edward Freeman, Mr. Start, Obadiah Beal, Erick Erickson, +Benjamin Wheeler and Dependence Ellery. The latter captain gave +Phillips a long chase and when he came up with him about night, the +poor man was dragged aboard the “Revenge” and made to dance about the +deck until he could hardly stand. + +It was on April 14th that Captain Haraden’s sloop was taken and three +days later Phillips was dead. Of the men who had sailed with him from +Newfoundland less than eight months before all had met a violent death +except William White and he reached the gaol in Boston on May 3d and +was brought to a speedy trial.[165] + +The Court of Admiralty for the trial of the pirates was held May 12th, +1724 and the Lieutenant-Governor of the Province, William Dummer, sat +as President. John Filmore, the son of the Wenham farmer, and Edward +Cheeseman, the carpenter of the London-bound ship, who had been so +active in the capture of the pirates, were brought to trial first and +“Articles of Piracy, Robbery and Felony exhibited” against them, by the +King’s attorney. Skipper Haraden testified as to the details of his +capture by Phillips and to the exciting events on the day when Phillips +was killed. Everything indicated that both men had been forced and the +activity they had shown in attacking the voluntary pirates was all in +their favor so the court room was cleared and a unanimous verdict of +“not guilty” was declared. + +In the afternoon, the Court sat again and William Phillips, Isaac +Larsen, the Indian, Henry Giles, “the artist,” Charles Ivemay, John +Bootman, John Combs and Henry Payne were brought to the bar. The men +were accused of assisting in the capture and plunder of the vessels +taken since the previous October and John Masters, formerly mate of the +sloop “Content,” and William Lancy, the master of a fishing schooner, +both of whom had testified at the morning session, were placed on the +witness stand. Filmore and Cheeseman also gave particular accounts +of occurrences on board the pirate vessel. It was agreed that Larsen +had hold of Captain Phillips’ arm when Haraden struck him on the head +with the adz and that during the seven months while on board “he was +generally set at the helm to steer the vessel” and Filmore said that he +never saw him guilty of piracy “except that they now and then obliged +him to take a shirt or a pair of stockings when almost naked.” + +William Phillips, who had lost a leg, addressed the court and attempted +to justify his conduct on board the pirate vessel. He said that he had +been forced out of the sloop “Glasgow” and had signed the Articles +under compulsion, but the Court “by a plurality of voices” found him +guilty and the rest of the accused, not guilty, by unanimous voice. + +William White, one of the original five who seized the sloop “Revenge” +at Newfoundland, and John Archer, “otherwise called John Rose Archer,” +who claimed to have served with “Black Beard” on the Carolina coast, +and William Taylor, were brought to trial the next day. Filmore was the +principal witness against them. He had been in the harbor of St. Peters +at the time that Mr. Minott’s sloop had been taken by Phillips and the +others and not long after had been captured by them. White had told him +that he had been in drink at the time he entered into his piratical +design and was afterwards sorry. As for William Taylor,--“he was very +Great with Phillips and Nutt, being admitted into the Cabin upon any +Consultation they had together.” All three were found guilty. + +The two Frenchmen, John Baptis and Peter Taffery, also escaped the +gallows for it was shown that they had been active at the rising +against the pirates and with the others had fallen on James Sparks, +the gunner, and killed him and thrown the body overboard. Haraden also +testified in their favor. + +On Tuesday, June 2, 1724, John Rose Archer, aged about twenty-seven +years, and William White, aged twenty-two years, were executed at the +ferryway in Boston leading to Charlestown, “where were a multitude +of spectators. At one end of the Gallows was their own dark Flag, in +the middle of which an Anatomy, and at one side of it a Dart in the +Heart, with drops of Blood proceeding from it; and on the other side an +Hour-glass, the sight dismal.... After their death they were in Boats +conveyed down to an Island, where the Quarter Master was hung up in +Irons, to be a spectacle, and so a Warning to others.”[166] + +It is said that they both died very penitent and made on the scaffold +the following declarations with the assistance of two grave divines who +attended them. + +[Illustration: + + _The Converted Sinner._ + + The NATURE of a + CONVERSION + to Real and Vital + PIETY: + And the MANNER in which it + is to be Pray’d & Striv’n for. + + A SERMON Preached in + BOSTON, May 31, 1724. + + In the _Hearing_ and at the _Desire_ of + certain PIRATES, a little before + their Execution. + + To which there is added, A more Private + CONFERENCE of a MINISTER with them. + + Jam. V. 20. + + _He who Converteth the Sinner from the + Error of his way, shall save a Soul + from Death._ + + _BOSTON_: Printed for _Nathaniel Belknap_ + and Sold at his Shop the Corner + Scarletts-Wharff. 1724. +] + + “The dying Declarations of John Rose Archer, and William White, + on the Day of their Execution at Boston, June 2, 1724, for the + Crimes of Pyracy, + + “First, separately, of _Archer_. + + “I Greatly bewail my Profanations of the Lord’s Day, and my + Disobedience to my Parents. And my Cursing and Swearing, and my + blaspheming the Name of the glorious God. + + “Unto which I have added, the Sins of Unchastity. And I have + provoked the Holy One, at length, to leave me unto the Crimes + of Pyracy and Robbery; wherein, at last, I have brought my self + under the Guilt of Murder also. + + “But one Wickedness that has led me as much as any, to all the + rest, has been my brutish Drunkenness. By strong Drink I have + been heated and hardened into the Crimes that are now more + bitter than Death unto me. + + “I could wish that Masters of Vessels would not use their Men + with so much Severity, as many of them do, which exposes us to + great Temptations. + + “And then of _White_. + + “I am now, with Sorrow, reaping the Fruits of my Disobedience + to my Parents, who used their Endeavours to have me instructed + in my Bible, and my Catechism. + + “And the Fruits of my neglecting the publick Worship of God, + and prophaning the holy Sabbath. + + “And of my blaspheming the Name of God, my Maker. + + “But my Drunkenness has had a great Hand in bringing my Ruin + upon me. I was drunk when I was enticed aboard the Pyrate. + + “And now, for all the vile Things I did aboard, I own the + Justice of God and Man, in what is done unto me. + + “Of both together. + + “We hope, we truly hate the Sins, whereof we have the Burthen + lying so heavy upon our Consciences. + + “We warn all People, and particularly young People, against + such Sins as these. We wish, all may take Warning by us. + + “We beg for Pardon, for the Sake of Christ, our Saviour; and + our Hope is in him alone. Oh! that in his Blood our Scarlet and + Crimson Guilt may be all washed away! + + “We are sensible of an hard Heart in us, full of Wickedness. + And we look upon God for his renewing Grace upon us. + + “We bless God for the Space of Repentance which he has given + us; and that he has not cut us off in the Midst and Height of + our Wickedness. + + “We are not without Hope, that God has been savingly at work + upon our Souls. + + “We are made sensible of our absolute Need of the Righteousness + of Christ; that we may stand justified before God in that. We + renounce all Dependance on our own. + + “We are humbly thankful to the Ministers of Christ, for the + great Pains they have taken for our Good. The Lord reward their + Kindness. + + “We don’t despair of Mercy; but hope, through Christ, that when + we die, we shall find Mercy with God, and be received into his + Kingdom. + + “We with others, and especially the Sea-faring, may get Good by + what they see this Day befalling of us. + + “Declared in the Presence of + + “J. W. D. M.” + +Jeremiah Bumstead, a Boston brazier, recorded in his diary that “Mr. +Webb wallkt with them and prayed thare: their death flagg was set on +the gallows.” Six days later he took his wife and ten relatives and +neighbors and sailed down the harbor “to see the piratte in Gibbits att +Bird Island.” Bird island was located about half-way between Governor’s +island and Noddle’s island, now East Boston. Fifty years later it had +worn away so that little remained but a sandy flat exposed at low water +and before many years it had disappeared entirely. As for Phillips +and Taylor; they were reprieved before the day set for execution and +finally pardoned but for what reason does not appear. + +Preserved among the manuscripts in the Massachusetts State Archives +are the papers connected with this trial and among them is the bill +rendered by the marshal for expenses incurred by him in connection with +the execution and gibbetting of Archer. + + “The Province of the Massachusetts Bay + to Edward Stanbridge, Dr. + + June 2, + 1724 + + For Sundrys by him Expended being Marshall and by Order of a + Special Cort of Admiralty for the Execution of John Rose Archer + and William White two Pirats, Viz.: + + To the Executioner for his Services £12:00:- + + To Mr. Joseph Parsons for Cordage & Line 2:17:6 + + To Boat hire and Labourers to help sett the Gibet and + there Attendance at the Execution and Diging the + grave for White 3:10:8 + + To Expences for Victuals and Drink for the Sherifs + officers and Constables after the Executions att Mrs. + Mary Gilberts her Bill 3:15:8 + + To George May, Blockmaker, 5 Blocks with straps and + hooks and Sheaves 1: 5:- + + To Makeing of the Chains for John Rose Archer one of + the Pyrats and the hire of a man to help fix him on + the Gebbet att Bird Island 12:10:- + + To treating the Gentlemen that listed the Piratical + Goods 0: 5:- + -------- + £36: 3:10 + + “E: Excepted + “P Edward Stanbridge.” + + +FOOTNOTES + +[160] Babson, _History of Gloucester_, p. 287. This very likely is +true as Jeremiah Bumstead of Boston recorded in his diary on May 3, +1724, that “Phillip’s & Burrill’s heads were brought to Boston in +pickle.”--_N. E. Hist. Gen. Reg._, Vol. 15, p. 201. + +[161] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. 63, leaf 341. + +[162] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. 63, leaf 381. + +[163] _Ibid._, Vol. 63, leaf 386. + +[164] _Massachusetts Archives_, Vol. 63, leaf 383. + +[165] Phillips had captured between August 29, 1723 and April 14, 1724, +a snow from New York, Low, master; three shallops; fifteen fishing +vessels; three schooners, Haskel of Cape Ann, Furber and Chadwell; +three brigantines, Moore, Read, and Francisco, masters; four sloops, +Barrow, Salter and Harradine, masters; five ships, one from France, and +a Frenchman, another from Martinico, Hussam from London to Virginia, +two from Virginia for London, John Phillips and Robert Mortimer; in all +thirty-four vessels.--_Boston News-Letter_, Apr. 30--May 7, 1724 issue. + +[166] _Boston News-Letter_, May 28-June 4, 1724 issue. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +WILLIAM FLY, WHO WAS HANGED IN CHAINS ON NIX’S MATE + + +The piratical career of this fellow was very short, a fortunate thing +for shipping along the New England coast, as he was a bloody-minded +man who would undoubtedly have become a scourge had he been able to +increase his ship’s company and secure a vessel better suited to his +purposes. The “Remarkable Relation of a Cockatrice crush’d in the Egg” +is the characterization made by the Rev. Cotton Mather in his narrative +of Fly’s career published in Boston soon after the execution of the +pirates. + +Fly was born in England and went to sea early. He was of obscure +parentage and of limited education and until he led the mutiny and +capture of the Bristol snow, in May, 1726, he had served only as a +foremast-man or petty officer. + +In the spring of 1726 he was at Jamaica, in the West Indies, when a +snow owned by Bristol merchants and commanded by Capt. John Green, came +to anchor in the harbor. The snow “Elizabeth” was bound for the coast +of Guinea on a slaving voyage and being short of hands, Fly was shipped +as boatswain. The captain of a slaving ship must be a man of strong +character, a rough and ready type, and Captain Green soon incurred, in +some way, the enmity of Fly who began plotting with several of the men +whom he found ripe for any kind of villainy. They resolved before long +to seize the snow, murder the captain and mate and turn pirates. + +On May 27, 1726, Fly had the early morning watch. At one o’clock, +accompanied by the other mutineers, he went to the helmsman, Morice +Cundon, and told him with many curses that if he spoke a word or +stirred from his post they would blow his brains out. Fly then rolled +up his shirt sleeves and cutlass in hand went into the captain’s cabin +accompanied by Alexander Mitchell. Captain Green awoke instantly and +asked what was the matter. Mitchell replied that they had no time to +answer impertinent questions; that he was to go on deck at once and if +he refused they would be at the trouble of scraping the cabin to clean +up his blood, for Captain Fly had been chosen commander and they would +have no other captain on board nor waste provisions to feed useless +men. Captain Green said he would make no resistance and proposed that +they should put him ashore somewhere meanwhile keeping him in irons. + +[Illustration: + + The + TRYALS + OF + Sixteen Persons for PIRACY, _&c._ + + _Four of which were found Guilty_, + + And the rest Acquitted. + + At a Special Court of Admiralty for the Tryal of + Pirates, Held at _Boston_ within the Province + of the _Massachusetts-Bay_ in _New-England_, + on Monday the Fourth Day of _July_, Anno Dom. + 1726. Pursuant to His Majesty’s Commission, + Founded on an Act of Parliament, made in the + Eleventh and Twelfth Years of the Reign of + King WILLIAM the Third, Intitled; _An Act for + the more Effectual Suppression of Piracy_. + And made Perpetual by an Act of the Sixth of + King GEORGE. + + [Illustration] + + _BOSTON_: Printed for and Sold by _Joseph + Edwards_, at the Corner Shop on the North + side of the Town-House, 1726. +] + +“Ay, God damn ye,” said Fly, “to live and hang us, if we are ever +taken. No! no! Walk up and be damn’d, that bite won’t take. It has +hanged many an honest fellow already.” + +Without more words they pulled the captain out of bed, hauled him into +the steerage and drove him up on deck, Fly cutting him several times +with his cutlass. Once there, one of them asked the unfortunate man if +he would rather take a leap like a brave fellow or be tossed overboard +like a sneaking rascal. In despair, the captain said to Fly,--“For the +Lord’s sake, don’t throw me overboard, boatswain; for if you do, you +throw me into Hell immediately.” + +“Damn you!” answered Fly. “Since he’s so devilish godly, we’ll give him +time to say his prayers and I’ll be parson. Say after me, _Lord, have +mercy on my soul_, short prayers are best, and then over with him, my +lads.” + +When the men seized him, the captain clutched at the mainsheet and one +of them, Thomas Winthrop, picked up a cooper’s broadax and chopped off +the poor master’s hand at the wrist and then overboard he went and soon +disappeared from sight. + +While this was going on, Winthrop, Samuel Cole and Henry Hill had +pounced on the mate, Thomas Jenkins, and dragged him on deck telling +him he was “of the Captain’s Mess, and they should e’en drink together; +it was a pity to part good Company.” As the mate struggled to escape, +one of them snatched up the broadax with which Winthrop had lopped off +the captain’s hand, and aimed a blow at the mate’s head which landed +instead on his shoulder and then he was thrown overboard just before +the main shrouds. As he fell he cried out to the ship’s doctor, “For +the Lord’s sake, fling me a rope.” But Fly soon put the doctor in irons +and also confined the gunner and the carpenter who declined to fall in +with the others. + +Captain Fly was now saluted and escorted to the great cabin with some +ceremony, where a bowl of punch was made. While it was brewing, Morice +Cundon, the helmsman, was called down and one John Fitzherbert set +in his place. A seaman named Thomas Streator was also brought into +the cabin and Fly told the two men that they were rascals and richly +deserved to be sent after the captain and the mate, but the company was +willing to show them mercy and not put them to death in cold blood; but +for the security of the ship’s company they would be placed in irons. +The snow was then renamed the “Fame’s Revenge.” She was well stored +with powder, rum and provisions but was a slow sailer. + +While the company was still debating what course should be taken word +was brought down that a ship was near them and the council broke up. As +it grew lighter she was recognized as the “Pompey,” which had come out +from England in company with Captain Green and had sailed from Jamaica +at the same time. The “Pompey” stood in near the snow and hailed, +asking for Captain Green’s health. Fly answered “He is very well. At +your service!” Not having hands enough Fly decided not to attack the +ship so the company returned to the cabin and the bowl of punch and +soon voted to make for the North Carolina coast. + +On June 3d, off Cape Hatteras, they came upon a sloop lying at anchor +inside the bar. She was the “John and Hannah,” John Fulker, master, +bound for Boston in New England. When the snow stood in for the harbor +of Carolina, Captain Fulker thought she might be in need of a pilot +and so took his boat and accompanied by Samuel Walker, the mate, a +young lad, and two passengers,--Capt. William Atkinson, late master +of the brigantine “Boneta,” and Richard Ruth, rowed out to the snow +intending to bring her in. When on board they were told the snow was +from Jamaica. Fly received them very civilly and invited them down to +the cabin where a bowl of punch was ordered. When it was brought in +Fly told his guests “that he was no Man to mince Matters: that he and +his Comrades were Gentlemen of Fortune, and should make bold to try if +Captain Fulker’s Sloop was a better sailer than the Snow; if she was, +she would prove much fitter for their Business, and they must have her.” + +The snow came to anchor about a league from the sloop and Fly ordered +Captain Fulker with six men to bring her alongside the snow. The wind +was in the wrong quarter, however, and after several attempts they +gave it up for the time and brought Captain Fulker back to the snow +where Fly received him in a violent passion, cursing and damning him +for not bringing off the sloop. Fulker said it was impossible. “Damn +ye,” replied Fly, “you lie like a Dog, but damn my Blood, your Hide +shall pay for your Roguery, and if I can’t bring her off I’ll burn her +where she lies.” He then ordered Captain Fulker “to the Geers.” He was +at once stripped and given an unmerciful beating. The boat’s crew were +then sent back again to bring off the sloop and after a time got her as +far as the bar where she bilged and sank. + +With Captain Fulker, Captain Atkinson and the rest on board, the +“Fame’s Revenge” set sail on June 5th and the next day sighted the ship +“John and Betty,” Capt. John Gale, bound from Barbadoes for Virginia. +Fly gave chase and finding that the ship could outsail him he hoisted +“a Jack at the Main topmast Head, in token of Distress.” Captain Gale +was suspicious and ignoring the signal kept his course with Fly still +in chase. The pursuit was kept up all night and early in the morning, +the wind having slackened, Fly came within gunshot and hoisting a black +flag, fired several times until Captain Gale struck his colors. Fly +manned his long boat, which carried a pateraro in the bow, and went on +board well armed with pistols and cutlasses and having made the master +and crew prisoners sent them on board the snow. Fly lay by for two days +and finding little on board of value to him, save some sail cloth and +small arms, he permitted the ship to go after forcing six of the crew. +In her went Captain Fulker, Mr. Ruth and Captain Green’s surgeon, who +had steadfastly refused to serve the pirate company. Captain Atkinson, +however, was forced to remain with Fly as he understood navigation and +also was familiar with the New England coast. When Captain Atkinson +asked to be allowed his liberty, Captain Fly replied as follows:-- + +“Look ye, Captain Atkinson, it is not that we care a T----d for +your Company, G----d d----n ye, G----d d----n my Soul, not a +T----d, by G----d, and that’s fair; but G----d d----n ye, and +G----d’s B----d and W----ds, if you don’t act like an honest +Man, G----d d----n ye, and offer to play us any Rogue’s Tricks, +by G----d, and G----d sink me, but I’ll blow your Brains out; +G----d d----n me if I don’t. Now, Captain Atkinson, you may +do as you please, you may be a Son of a Whore, and pilot us +wrong, which, G----d d----n ye, would be a rascally Trick, by +God, because you would betray Men who trust in you; but, by the +eternal J----s, you shan’t live to see us hang’d. I don’t love +many Words, G----d d----n ye, if you have a Mind to be well +used you shall, G----d’s B----d; but if you will be a Villain +and betray your trust, may G----d strike me dead, and may I +drink a Bowl of Brimstone and Fire with the D----l, if I don’t +send you head-long to H----ll, G----d d----n me; and so there +needs no more Arguments, by G----d, for I’ve told you my Mind, +and here’s all the Ship’s Crew for Witnesses, that if I do blow +your Brains out, you may blame no Body but your self, G----d +d----n ye.”[167] + +Fly forbade Captain Atkinson to have any conversation with other forced +men lest he should hatch a conspiracy and to prevent any communication +between them at night a hammock was given him in the cabin. + +Off Delaware Bay they met the sloop “Rachel,” Samuel Harris, commander, +bound for Pennsylvania from New York. She had about fifty Scotch-Irish +passengers aboard. When Fly hoisted his black ensign and ordered her to +strike she did so at once. The sloop was ransacked and held for a day +and then permitted to go. One of her crew, a lusty fellow named James +Benbrook, was forced. + +Fly now ordered Captain Atkinson to bear away for Martha’s Vineyard +proposing to water there and then sail for the Guinea coast; but +Atkinson, instead of steering for the Vineyard, purposely carried them +past and out into the Bay. When Fly discovered this he told Captain +Atkinson that “he was a rascally Son of an envenom’d Bitch, and damn +his Blood it was a Piece of Cruelty to let such a son of a Whore live, +who design’d the Death of so many honest Fellows.” + +Atkinson replied that he never pretended to know the coast and it +was very hard that he should die for being thought an abler man than +he really was. “G----d d----n you,” said Fly, “you are an obstinate +Villain,” and he was about to draw a pistol to shoot Atkinson when +Mitchell interposed and saved his life. + +On June 23d they met a fishing schooner lying to on Brown’s bank. She +was the “James,” of Marblehead, George Girdler, master, and as Fly +came up he fired a gun and hoisted his black ensign. When the master +came aboard, Fly told him that he proposed taking his vessel unless +he found a better sailer. About noon, as they lay near each other, +several other schooners came in sight and Fly ordered six of his +pirates and a prisoner named George Tasker, to man the prize schooner +and go in pursuit. This was a very hazardous thing to do for it left +him on board the “Fame’s Revenge” with only three of his pirate crew, +one of whom, Samuel Cole, was in irons on suspicion of mutiny. Against +this small number of armed men were Captain Atkinson, Captain Fulker’s +mate, a couple of his boys, Captain Green’s gunner and carpenter, five +of Captain Gale’s men, James Benbrooke, and three fishermen belonging +to the Marblehead schooner. Atkinson already had secretly had some +conversation with Samuel Walker and Thomas Streaton and Walker had +spoken to Benbrook. This seemed to be the opportunity that they had +waited for. By good fortune, just at this time, several other vessels +appeared in sight and Atkinson, by telling Fly what he saw from the +bows, drew him forward from his loaded guns and cutlass which he had +kept beside him on the quarter-deck. At first Fly was loath to leave +the quarter-deck and told Atkinson that he could see but one sail, but +Atkinson insisted that he could see two others and told Fly that he +would soon have a fleet of prizes. “If you were but here, Sir, with +your glass, ahead, you would easily see them all,” said Atkinson. Fly +in his intense interest forgot his earlier caution and came off the +quarter-deck where his arms lay and went ahead to spy the sails that +Atkinson claimed to have seen. He sat on the windlass and with his +prospective glass tried to locate the mythical vessels. Benbrook and +Walker now came forward and directed the captain to look a point or +two at one side and while so engaged, Atkinson, a spare and slender +man, slipped aft towards the guns and as Walker and Benbrook seized +Fly he quickly pointed a gun at him and told him that “he was a dead +man if he didn’t immediately submit.” Benbrook already had broken +Fly’s sword. About this time Greenville, one of the pirates, heard the +struggle and put his head above to see what was the matter. Atkinson +at once struck him over the head with his gun and with the help of the +carpenter the other man was soon in irons. Meanwhile the rest of the +forced men stood by as in a trance but soon came to and with a will +aided in securing the prisoners. + +[Illustration: + + _It is a fearful thing to fall into the + Hands if the Living GOD._ + + A + _SERMON_ + + Preached to some miserable + _PIRATES_ + + July 10. 1726. + + On the _Lord’s Day_, before their + Execution. + + By _Benjamin Colman_, + Pastor of a Church in _Boston_. + + To which is added some Account of said Pirates. + + Deut. XVII. 13. _And all the People shall + hear and fear, and do no more so + presumptuously._ + + _BOSTON, N. E._ Printed for _John Phillips_ and + _Thomas Hancock_, and Sold at their Shops. + 1726. +] + +Fly, when he found himself in irons, began to blaspheme, cursing all +rovers who should ever give quarter to an Englishman. This was the +brave-spirited fellow who would say when it had thundered, “They are +playing bowls in the air”; and when it lightned, he would say, “Who +fires now? Stand by,” etc. Four days later Captain Atkinson had brought +the snow and the pirates to anchor in Boston harbor and on July 4, +1726 they came to a speedy trial before the Honorable William Dummer, +Lieutenant-Governor, and the judges of the Admiralty Court, among whom +was Samuel Sewall. + +The court was held in the old Court House that formerly stood at the +head of what is now State street. Captain Atkinson was tried first and +soon cleared as were Joseph Marshall and William Ferguson, sailors +on the schooner “James.” Then followed the trials of John Cole, John +Browne, Robert Dauling, John Daw, James Blair and Edward Lawrence who +had been forced from the “John and Betty,” Edward Apthorp, who belonged +to the “John and Hannah,” James Benbrook, the spry young seaman forced +from the “Rachel,” and Morice Cundon, the helmsman on the “Elizabeth” +when Captain Green was thrown overboard. These all were acquitted. + +The four pirates that had been taken were brought to trial last. +Captain Fly, aged twenty-seven years, denied that he had aided in +throwing overboard either Captain Green or Jenkins, the mate. “I can’t +charge myself with Murder,” he said. “I did not strike or wound the +Master or Mate. It was Mitchel did it.” Samuel Cole, aged thirty-seven +years, owned to having a wife and seven children. He had served as +quartermaster on the pirate snow and when Fly suspected him of mutiny +he ordered a hundred lashes given him “whereof he continued sore to his +Death.” Henry Greenville, about forty years of age, was a married man. +George Condick, a young man of twenty years, had usually been the worse +for drink and not able to bear arms when vessels had been taken. He had +served as cook for the company. This may have saved his neck for he was +fortunate enough to be recommended for a reprieve. The other three were +sentenced to be hanged, Fly’s body afterwards to be hung in chains from +a gibbet erected on Nix’s Mate, a small island in Boston harbor which +now has been entirely washed away. A granite monument marks the site +and also serves as a warning to navigators. + +With the pirates sentenced to death and awaiting execution the +ministers of the town began their ministrations and “great pains were +taken to dispose them for a Return unto God”; so says the Rev. Cotton +Mather who always occupied a prominent place in the public eye at such +times. The account of his conference with the doomed pirates, held on +July 6, written by him and printed soon after their execution, begins +as follows:-- + +“Unhappy Men:--Yet not hopeless of Eternal Happiness:--A +Marvellous Providence of GOD has put a _Quickstop_ to a Swift +Carriere you were taking in the _paths of the Destroyer_. +But had you been _at once_ cut off in your Wickedness, what +had become of you? A merciful GOD has not only given you a +_space to Repent_, but has ordered your being brought into a +place where such _means_ of Instruction will be Employ’d upon +you, and such _pains_ will be taken for the Salvation of your +Souls, as are not commonly Elsewhere to be met withal, May this +_Goodness of GOD lead you to Repentance_:--Among other and +greater proofs of This, you will accept this _Visit_, which I +now intend you. + +“We thank you, Syr, replied the pirates.” + +The eminent divine continues in the same strain through twenty-one +printed pages. As he left the condemned prisoners he supplied them +“with several Books of Piety,” very likely of his own voluminous +writings. + +After Fly was put in prison he ate very little. New England rum +kept strength in his body. He absolutely refused to go to the North +Meeting-house, the Sunday before he was executed, when the other +prisoners were placed on exhibition and preached to by the Rev. Cotton +Mather who chose for his text--“They Dy even without Wisdom.” Fly said +“he would not have the Mob to gaze upon him.... He seemed all along +ambitious to have it said, _That he died a brave fellow!_ He pass’d +along to the place of Execution, with a _Nosegay_ in his hand, and +making his _Complements_, where he _thought he saw occasion_. Arriving +there, he nimbly mounted the stage, and would fain have put on a +Smiling Aspect. He reproached the Hangman, for not understanding his +Trade, and with his own Hands rectified matters, to render all things +more Convenient and Effectual.”[168] + +[Illustration: + + _The Vial poured out upon the SEA._ + + A + Remarkable RELATION + Of certain + + PIRATES + + Brought unto a Tragical and Untimely + END. + + Some CONFERENCES with them, + after their _Condemnation_. + + Their BEHAVIOUR at their _Execution_. + + AND _A_ + + SERMON + + Preached on that Occasion. + + Job XX. 29. + + _This is the portion of a wicked Man from GOD, + and the Heritage appointed unto him by GOD._ + + _BOSTON_: Printed by _T. Fleet_, for _N. Belknap_, + and sold at his Shop near _Scarlet_’s Wharf. 1726. +] + +The execution occurred at the usual place near the Charlestown ferry +about where the North End park is now located, and the gallows was +placed on the shore between the ebb and flow of the tides. Thousands of +people, coming from miles around, had gathered to witness the spectacle +and after the doomed men were on the platform three ministers of the +town offered lengthy prayers. + +After the execution was over and the crowd of spectators had returned +to their homes to recall its details, the bodies of the pirates “were +carried in a Boat to a small Island call’d Nicks’s-Mate, about 2 +Leagues from the Town, where Fly was hung up in Irons, as a Spectacle +for the warning of others, especially Seafaring Men; the other Two were +buried there.”--_Boston News-Letter_, July 7-14, 1726. + +And so ended the short reign of a would-be scoundrel who only wanted +skill and power to become as infamous as any who had scoured the seas. + + +FOOTNOTES + +[167] Johnson, _History of the Pirates_, London, 1726. + +[168] Rev. Cotton Mather, _Vial poured upon the Sea_, Boston, 1726. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +PIRATE HAUNTS AND CRUISING GROUNDS + + +The pirates who frequented the New England coast during the first +century after the settlement usually remained in the warm waters of +the West Indies during the winter months. With the coming of spring +they cruised northward along the coast capturing small vessels in the +hope of obtaining provisions and looting larger craft bound to and +from England or the Leeward Islands. During the seventeenth century +there was considerable piratical barter with the settlements along +the Carolina coast and when New England was reached, on the northerly +voyage, the eastern end of Long Island and the islands off the mouth of +Buzzard’s Bay were much frequented for fresh water and trade. The Sound +off Martha’s Vineyard was used by coasting vessels bound for New York +or Virginia and here the pirates could lie in wait with the certainty +of making some capture. But not for long as ill news traveled swiftly +even in those days and armed vessels from Boston were usually sent out +in pursuit, though seldom making a capture, for the pirate captain +skilled in his trade was constantly on the move and thereby eluded +successful attack by a stronger force. + +The inefficiency of the men-of-war on the various stations in the +early days is commented upon by contemporary writers. Because of the +difficulty of reckoning longitude it was customary at that time for +vessels sailing from Europe bound for the West Indies or the American +coast, to steer into the latitude of the port for which they were +bound and then sail westward without altering their course. An early +example of this practice is the course of Winthrop’s fleet when sailing +westward to found the settlement in Massachusetts Bay. After leaving +the Scilly Isles they came down to the latitude of Agamenticus, on +the Maine coast, and then sailed westward until they reached the +Gulf Stream. It was this “west-way” that the pirates frequented and +a merchant ship eluding one might be taken by another. This custom +was well-known and if the stolid men-of-war captains had taken the +same track followed by the pirates, captures must have followed. Of a +certainty the pirates would have been driven to other less-frequented +hunting grounds or forced to take refuge in some of their lurking +holes among the many uninhabited islands in the West Indies, there to +be systematically hunted down and destroyed. It seems strange that a +few pirates could range the seas for years and be engaged but rarely +by men-of-war. Captain Lowther made thirty-three captures in seventeen +months; Captain Low took one hundred and forty vessels in twenty +months; Francis Farrington Spriggs took forty in twelve months; John +Phillips, thirty-four in eight months; and greatest of all, Captain +Bartholomew Roberts took four hundred vessels in three years. + +To return to the islands off Buzzard’s Bay. From there the pirates +either steered southerly or sailed directly for Cape Sable then much +frequented by fishing vessels which often were sufferers at the hands +of Low, Lowther, Phillips, and others. From there a course was usually +made for Newfoundland which had long been good plundering ground. It +also was a good place at which to obtain recruits for pirate crews, for +the West Country fishing vessels each year brought over a considerable +number of poor fellows engaged at low wages, who, by their contracts, +must pay for the return passage. Fishing, splitting and drying fish was +hard labor and as the nights were chill, “black strap” was in great +demand. This was a villainous combination of rum, molasses and chowder +beer and before the season was over it usually caused many to “outrun +the Constable” and compelled them to agree to articles of servitude +that kept them on the Island during the winter. After the fishing +vessels returned home the masters in charge of the stations saw to it +that food and clothing supplied to the needy men were charged at high +prices so that the men would soon find themselves bound for the next +season’s labor and so the merry round continued. This made men willing +converts to the Articles signed on board pirate vessels or caused them +to run away with shallops and boats and begin piratical exploits on +their own account. + +From Newfoundland, the pirate captains usually took advantage of the +westerly winds and made the long voyage to the Azores, which was good +plundering ground. Sometimes they sailed south to the Cape Verde +islands and then to Sierre Leone and the Guinea coast. The Sierre Leone +river has a large mouth with small bays on one side very convenient +for cleaning and watering vessels and for some years it was a favorite +resort for pirates especially as the English traders located there were +friendly to them. About 1720, when this coast was most frequented by +pirates, there were about thirty of these traders nearly all of whom +had at some time in their lives engaged in privateering, buccaneering, +or piracy. The river also was resorted to by Bristol ships trading for +slaves and elephants’ ivory, and the ships of the Royal African Company +sailed past here regularly, richly laden with merchandize, ivory and +gold dust. + +There was a great clean-up of pirates on this coast in 1722 when +Bartholomew Roberts’ ships were taken by the “Swallow,” man-of-war, +and fifty-five pirates were hanged and twenty condemned for seven +years to work in chains in the gold mines. Some died in “the Hole,” at +Cape Coast and many more were sent to London for trial and exhibition +on gibbets at Cuckold’s Point, on the Thames. It was a fatal blow to +piracy on the Guinea Coast. + +From the Cape Verde islands the pirate captains would sail westerly, +taking advantage of the trade winds, and after making the coast +of Brazil and taking toll of Portuguese shipping, would cruise +northerly until the West Indies were reached and here the winter months +would be spent. + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN BARTHOLOMEW ROBERTS + +From an engraving in Johnson’s “General History of the Pirates,” +London, 1725] + +The West Indies possessed many advantages as a pirate stronghold and +were resorted to by freebooters of many nations. The small, uninhabited +islands and keys supplied harbors convenient for careening vessels and +many of them abounded with fish and game. Sea turtles in great numbers +furnished meat, and edible fruits of many kinds grew everywhere. +The turtles frequented the small, sandy keys and their eggs were a +common food not only among the pirates but on the larger inhabited +islands where turtling was a recognized industry. Moreover, it was +comparatively easy to escape from pursuit among the numerous small +inlets, lagoons and harbors. + +Because of the growth of the sugar-cane plantations a considerable +commerce had developed and in the vicinity of the Trading islands the +pirates were certain to find vessels laden with provisions, clothing, +naval stores and money, large sums of which were sent home to Europe, +the returns of the Assiento and private slave trade. The rich mines on +the mainland also paid tribute. + +Piracy frequently began in the West Indies when desperate men got to +the end of their rope in making an honest living. Then they would set +out in the long boat of a ship or even in a large sailing canoe and +exchange successive prizes, if successful, until after a time they +would be in possession of a large ship, often a former man-of-war, +and ready for foreign expeditions. The logwood cutters in the Bay of +Honduras and the vessels that went there to load with the dyewood, +supplied good material for piratical ventures. The cutters were +generally a rough, drunken crew, some of them having been pirates at +different times and most of them sailors. It was here that Capt. Ned +Low of Boston, began his career as a pirate. + +“In the dry time of the year the Logwood Cutters search for a good +Number of Logwood Trees: and then build a Hut near them where they live +during the Time they are cutting. When they have cut down the Tree, +they Log it, and Chip it, which is cutting off the Bark and Sap, and +then lay it in Heaps, cutting away the Under-wood, and making Paths to +each Heap, so that when the Rains come on, which overflows the Ground, +it serves as so many Creeks or Channels, where they go with small +Canows or Dories and load ’em, which they bring to a Creek-side and +there lade their Canows, and carry it to the Barcadares, which they +sometime fetch Thirty Miles, from whence the People who buy it fetch +it.”[169] + +Capt. Nathaniel Uring writes that he went into the Bay of Campeachy +in an English ship in July, 1712, to load logwood. When he arrived +he anchored off shore and “fired several Guns, to give Notice to the +Logwood Cutters (who were up in the Lagunes) of our arrival: and in a +Day or Two, several White Men came on board to us.... I sold Provisions +and Liquor to several of the Bay Men for Wood, which cost us about +Forty Shillings per Ton, prime cost, at Jamaica.... I remained here +more than a month before any Vessels arrived; during which Time my +People were fetching down the Logwood out of the Lagunes in Canows, and +went more than Thirty Miles for some of it.” + +The rise or rather increase of piracy in the West Indies after the +Peace of Utrecht, can be laid at the door of the Spanish settlements, +the governors of which having gone there to make a fortune generally +countenanced any proceeding that brought in profit. It is fair to say, +however, that the Spanish governors were not the only ones accused of +such practices. They granted commissions to great numbers of _guarda +costas_, under pretence of preventing an interloping trade, with orders +to seize all vessels within five leagues of their coasts. English ships +could not well avoid coming within this limit when on their way to +Jamaica. If the captains of Spanish _guarda costas_ exceeded their +authority, the sufferers were allowed legal redress, but usually found +after long litigation that their vessels and cargoes had been condemned +among the crew, and the captain, the only one responsible, had nothing +on which to levy. + +The frequent losses of the English merchants by these Spanish _guarda +costas_ was provocation enough to call forth reprisals and the +opportunity offering in 1716, the West India traders at once made use +of it. In 1714, several of the Spanish galleons of “the plate fleet,” +were cast away in the Gulf of Florida; and in 1716 several vessels from +Havana were at work with diving engines fishing up the silver. They +had recovered several millions of “pieces of eight” and carried them +to Havana and had taken up 350,000 pieces more, which were placed in +a storehouse on shore under guard of sixty soldiers, when an English +fleet from Jamaica and Barbadoes, consisting of two ships and three +sloops under Capt. Henry Jennings, came upon them. Jennings landed +three hundred men, drove away the guard and carried off the treasure to +Jamaica. On the way he met a Spanish ship laden with cochineal, indigo +and 60,000 “pieces of eight,” and his hand being in, she was plundered, +after which he sailed boldly back to Jamaica with the Spaniard +following him. The Governor at Havana soon sent a vessel to Jamaica to +demand restitution and punishment for Jennings. As it was in a time of +peace, Jennings and his men soon realized that they would not be left +unpunished let alone protected. Having disposed of their cargo to good +advantage and furnished themselves with ammunition, provisions, &c., +they again put to sea, but this time as full-fledged pirates, robbing +not only Spaniards but Englishmen and any one else they could lay their +hands on. + +About the same time three or four small “Spanish men of war” fell upon +the logwood cutters in the bays of Campeachy and Honduras, and also +took twenty-two vessels, about half of the number hailing from New +England, and most of the crews of these vessels, made desperate by +their misfortunes, took on with the pirates under Captain Jennings, +whom they met soon after. Captain Jennings and his consorts, augmented +by “the Bay men,” consulted together about some retreat where they +might store their wealth, clean and repair their ships and make +themselves a snug abode and fixed upon New Providence the largest of +the Bahama islands. The Bahamas for some years had been under English +control with a nominal governor, but were much resorted to by pirates +who were hand and glove with the principal traders. When Captain +Jennings arrived with his fleet it became a veritable pirate stronghold +and a breeding place for most of the pirate leaders who ranged the seas +during the next five or six years. + +Complaints soon reached London and in such number that on Sept. 15, +1716, Capt. Woods Rogers was placed in command of a fleet of sixteen +men-of-war and tenders and ordered to proceed to New Providence and +receive the submission of the pirates or suppress them by force. +Captain Rogers not long before had made a voyage around the world in +the course of which he had taken a Spanish ship bound for Acapulco +laden with the wealth of the Philippines. Before he sailed for New +Providence, the King’s Proclamation for suppressing pirates, or “Act +of Grace,” as it was usually called, was sent ahead so that ample +opportunity might be had for consideration and submission. On its +arrival at the Island a general council of the pirate commonwealth +was called. What took place is described in Johnson’s “History of the +Pirates,” in the following language, viz:-- + +“There was so much Noise and Clamour, that nothing could be +agreed on; some were for fortifying the Island, to stand upon +their own Terms, and treating with the Government upon the +Foot of a Commonwealth; others were also for strengthening the +Island for their own Security, but were not strenuous for +these Punctillios, so that they might have a general Pardon, +without being obliged to make any Restitution, and to retire, +with all their Effects, to the neighbouring British Plantations. + +“But Captain Jennings, who was their Commadore, and who +always bore a great Sway among them, being a Man of good +Understanding, and a good Estate, before this Whim took him +of going a Pyrating, resolved upon surrendering, without more +ado, to the Terms of the Proclamation, which so disconcerted +all their Measures, that the Congress broke up very abruptly +without doing any Thing; and presently Jennings, and by his +Example, about 150 more, came in to the Governor of Bermudas, +and had their Certificates, tho’ the greatest Part of them +returned again, like the Dog to the Vomit. The Commanders +who were then in the Island, besides Captain Jennings above +mentioned, I think were these, Benjamin Hornigold, Edward +Teach, John Martel, James Fife, Christopher Winter, Nicholas +Brown, Paul Williams, [consort to] Charles Bellamy [lost on +the back of Cape Cod, with 142 of his crew and prisoners, Apr. +26, 1717], Oliver la Bouche, Major Penner, Edward England, T. +Burgess, Thomas Cocklyn, R. Sample, Charles Vane, and two or +three others; Hornygold, William Burgess and LaBouche were +afterwards cast away; Teach and Penner killed, and their +Crews taken; James Fife killed by his own Men; Martel’s Crew +destroyed and forced on an unhabited Island; Cocklyn, Sample +and Vane hanged; Winter and Brown surrendered to the Spaniards +at Cuba, and England lives now [1724] at Madagascar.” + +Captain Rogers arrived at New Providence in June, 1717, with two +men-of-war and found that all the pirates had surrendered to the +pardon, except Charles Vane and his crew, who slipped their cable, +set fire to a large prize and sailed out of the harbor firing at the +men-of-war as they went off. + +In the latter part of the seventeenth century some of the richest +commerce in the world was on the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. The +Orientals owned much shipping and the overland trade with Europe was +increasing rapidly. The English East India Company had established +a number of important factories or trading stations and Portuguese +merchants had been established for some time at Goa, on the Malabar +coast. Finding that the game in the West Indies promised smaller +returns than the commerce of the East, many of the pirate fraternity +established themselves for a time on the island of Perim at the +entrance to the Strait of Babelmandeb. Here there was an excellent +harbor and the advantageous location permitted the levying of toll on +all vessels passing in and out of the Red Sea. The great disadvantage +was a lack of fresh water. Slaves were employed to excavate the rocky +formation to a great depth, but without success, and at last the nest +was abandoned and the pirate settlement removed to Madagascar. This +is said to have taken place not long after Captain Avery captured a +daughter of the Great Mogul of India, in a richly laden ship. + +Capt. John Avery, one of the greatest of the Madagascar pirates, was +the son of a tavern keeper of Plymouth, England, and was variously +known as Avery, Every and Bridgman, while his intimates spoke of him +as “Long Ben.” He was looting shipping on the Atlantic as early as +1693, when he took two heavily armed Danish vessels at Princess Island, +on the West Coast of Africa, and he is said to have been in the West +Indies before that time. During the winter of 1693-4, while in command +of the “Fanny,” of forty-six guns and one hundred and thirty men, he +made his most famous capture, a ship carrying a daughter of the Great +Mogul on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Other vessels in his pirate fleet +were the “Dolphin,” Captain Want, of Philadelphia; the “Portsmouth +Adventure,” Captain Faro, and the “Pearl,” Capt. William Mues, both +hailing from Newport, R. I.; and the ship “Amity,” of New York, +commanded by the notorious Capt. Thomas Tew,[170] who eventually +lost his life by a cannon ball while cruising in the Red Sea. + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN JOHN AVERY TAKING THE GREAT MOGUL’S SHIP + +From a rare engraving in the Harry Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard +College Library] + +The booty on the Mogul’s ship was immense and consisted of diamonds, +pearls and valuable jewels and also great sums of money intended to +meet the cost of the pilgrimage, an amount said to have been over +£325,000. Not content with this, Avery ravished the young princess and +eventually took her in his ship to Madagascar where he had a child +by her. When the Great Mogul learned what had happened, it aroused +a fanatical resentment against the English factories that was only +appeased by the promise of the governor to send out two ships of the +East India Company to convey the pilgrims to Jedda. + +Meanwhile, large rewards for his capture were offered by the British +Government and Avery abandoned the Perim rendezvous and effected a +settlement on Madagascar where he built a strong fortification and +organized a rude form of government that exacted a tenth of the value +of all captures and required tribute from the native princes on the +island. This tribute commonly took the form of their daughters and +other young girls who were added to the harems of the pirates. Many +slaves were employed in cultivating rice, fishing and hunting and for a +time a powerful settlement existed that was resorted to by pirates from +all parts of the world. When Capt. Woods Rogers went to Madagascar in +the “Delicia,” in 1722, to buy slaves to sell to the Dutch at Batavia, +he touched at a part of the island where he met some of the pirates +who had been living there for more than twenty-five years and were +surrounded by a motley collection of children and grandchildren. + +Avery ruled his little kingdom for a time but at last wearying of it, +planned with some chosen spirits to make his way to America. While +cruising with other vessels, one night his ship steered another course +and in the morning the others were no longer in sight. The first land +they made was the island of Providence, one of the Bahamas, where the +ship was sold[171] and in a sloop they touched at several American +ports at each of which some of the company disappeared. Avery intended +to settle in Boston but finding that Puritan town no safe market for +the display or sale of his store of diamonds, he sailed for Ireland and +eventually reached Bideford in Devonshire, where he changed his name +and lived quietly.[172] Through a friend he delivered his ill-gotten +fortune to Bristol merchants to be converted into money. Needing funds +he applied for an accounting and was shocked to discover that there +were as good pirates on land as he had been at sea. He died June 10, +1714 not leaving money enough to buy a coffin. + +While the founding of a pirate colony on the island of Madagascar is +generally credited to Avery and other pirate captains of his time it +is likely that at some earlier date a base had been established there +by buccaneers from the west coast of South America who, after looting +the wealth of Peru and Mexico, came in search of a hiding place at +which to enjoy their gains. The first rendezvous of the pirates was +in Masseledge Bay on the northwest coast of Madagascar, but later an +important settlement grew up on the island of St. Mary, or Nosy Boraha, +on the east coast, about three leagues from the mainland, which for +some time was the resort of Avery and Plantain, the celebrated Jamaica +pirate. Here came Burgess, Clayton, Taylor, Congdon, England and +other successful leaders. The island stronghold was established, it +is said, by Mission and Carracioli, who named it Libertatia. It was +fortified and from here marauding expeditions were fitted out on a +large scale. Pirates gorged with plunder settled on plantations where +they surrounded themselves with native “wives” and slaves. The native +tribes brought down their cattle from the interior and exchanged them +for European trinkets provided by the pirates, who also incited the +numerous chiefs to war with their neighbors and then bought their +prisoners of war to be sold to slavers and taken to the plantations in +the West Indies and America. + +The pirate settlements on the Madagascar coast increased in population +and required various goods and supplies necessary not only for human +comfort but also to continue the trade of plundering,--powder and shot +and the like. This demand was supplied by vessels sailing at somewhat +regular intervals from New York, Newport and Philadelphia and furnished +with passes from Governor Fletcher of New York or some other person +in authority. It was said in London that in Philadelphia they “not +onlie wink att but Imbrace pirats, Shipps and men.”[173] In 1697 many +returned pirates were living in Philadelphia and Governor Basse of New +Jersey reported that colony to be a favorite resort for such gentry. +The daughter of William Penn’s agent in Pennsylvania is said to have +married one of these retired freebooters.[174] In 1699, Bellomont, the +new governor of New York, reported that over forty of these returned +pirates were in custody in New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. + +But the ships continued to clear from the port of New York bound for +Madagascar. In the year 1699, four vessels were cleared at one time. +The merchandise brought back so glutted the markets that some kinds of +European and Oriental goods could be bought in the Colonies cheaper +than in London; and this was at a time when all European goods, by law, +must be imported through London. One of Captain Avery’s men testified +in Admiralty Court that “Captain Gough, who keeps a mercer’s shop at +Boston, made a good estate” dealing in piratical plunder. + +Rev. John Higginson, the minister at Salem, Massachusetts, had a +son Thomas, who sailed for Arabia in a privateer before 1696 and +nothing was heard from him afterward. Another son was in command at +Fort George, in Madras, and in 1699 he wrote that Thomas’ “unhappy +miscarriage” had troubled him much. Although he had met several who had +been taken by pirates and afterwards escaped he could learn nothing of +the erring Thomas. Four men-of-war had recently arrived in India having +touched at Madagascar on the way out, but met no pirate vessels. The +Salem minister replied in October, 1699:-- + +“I am sorry to hear there is such a crew of pirates in your parts; +and do doubt not that what you intimate of New York, Providence, and +the West Indies is too true. Frederick Phillips of New York, it is +reported, has had a pirate trade to Madagascar for near twenty years, +and it is said has attained an estate of 100,000 pounds. But I assure +you the government of this place has always been severe with all such; +and, at this time, there are many now in our gaol for piracy; namely, +Captain Kidd, who went from England with a ship and commission to take +pirates, but turned pirate himself, and robbed many ships in the East +Indies, and thence came into the West Indies, and there disposed of +much of his wealth; and at last came into these parts with some of his +stolen goods; who was here seized, and some of his men, and goods, +who are in irons, and wait for a trial. And there was one Bradish, a +Cambridge man, who sailed in an interloper bound for India, who, in +some part of the East Indies, took an opportunity, when the Captain and +some of the officers were on shore, to run away with the ship, and came +upon our coast, and sunk their ship at Block Island, and brought much +wealth ashore with them; but Bradish, and many of his company, and what +of his wealth could be found, were seized and secured. But Bradish, and +one of his men, broke prison and run away amongst the Indians; but it +is supposed that he will be taken again.”[175] + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN EDWARD TEACH, COMMONLY CALLED “BLACK BEARD” + +From a rare engraving in the Harry Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard +College Library] + +After a time the pirate colonies at Madagascar diminished in importance +and most of the men abandoned the sea and lived at ease on their +plantations. In 1716, one of the pirate settlements was visited by an +Englishman, Robert Drury,[176] who wrote as follows:-- + +“One of these men was a Dutchman, named John Pro, who spoke +good English. He was dressed in a short coat with broad, plate +buttons, and other things agreeable, but without shoes or +stockings. In his sash stuck a brace of pistols, and he had +one in his right hand. The other man was dressed in an English +manner, with two pistols in his sash and one in his hand, like +his companion.... John Pro lived in a very handsome manner. His +house was furnished with pewter dishes, &c., a standing bed +with curtains, and other things of that nature except chairs, +but a chest or two served for that purpose well enough. He +had one house on purpose for his cook-room and cook-slave’s +lodging, storehouse and summer-house; all these were enclosed +in a palisade, as the great men’s houses are in this country, +for he was rich, and had many castles and slaves. His wealth +had come principally while cruizing among the Moors, from whom +his ship had several times taken great riches, and used to +carry it to St. Mary’s. But their ship growing old and crazy, +they being also vastly rich, they removed to Madagascar, made +one Thomas Collins, a carpenter, their Governor, and built a +small fort, defending it with their ship’s guns. They had now +lived without pirating for nine years.” + +In the summer of 1719 there were about twenty white pirates living +permanently on the island of St. Mary’s. Others continued to sail +out from the harbor but the vigilance of the English Admiralty and +the strength and watchfulness of the ships of the East India Company +served to discourage freebooting in those parts and in 1721 when France +granted an amnesty a number of them surrendered and became colonists +on the island of Bourbon. The last of the pirates on St. Mary’s were +routed out by men-of-war during the winter of 1722-23. Others lived +and died on the mainland of Madagascar and left behind them numerous +descendants, for in 1768 the Abbe Rochon visited that part of the +island north of St. Mary’s and observed many whites and half-breeds +living about the Bay of Antongil who claimed descent from the pirates +formerly settled there. + + +FOOTNOTES + +[169] _Voyages and Travels of Capt. Nathaniel Uring_, London, 1726. + +[170] _Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies_, 1696-1697, +pp. 260, 262. + +[171] “It was at the island of St. Thomas that the famous Captain +Avery, or some of his companions, disposed of the greatest part of the +rich goods taken in a ship belonging to the Mogul, about forty years +ago, when the magazines on the Island were so excessively crowded +with rich Indian goods that they were not entirely emptied in twenty +years after, though they generally sold them at low prices; and it +was by this accident that pieces of Arabian gold, which were properly +speaking Pagodas, were long current in the West Indies under the name +of Sequins, for they knew not what to call them, at the rate of about +six shillings. And nutmegs, cloves, sinnimon and mace were likewise +bought very cheap for many years after.”--John Harris, _Collection of +Voyages_, London, 1739. + +[172] Some of Avery’s pirate crew were afterwards taken in England and +brought to trial on Oct. 19, 1696, but acquitted for lack of sufficient +evidence. + +[173] _Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies_, 1696-1697, +p. 636. + +[174] Channing, _History of United States_, Vol. II, p. 266. + +[175] _Massachusetts Hist. Society Colls._, 3d series, Vol. VII, p. 209. + +[176] _Madagascar; or Robert Drury’s Journal_, London, 1729. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +PIRATE LIFE AND DEATH + + +The company of men on board a pirate vessel, especially during that +great period of activity in roving following the Peace of Ryswick in +1697, well illustrate in their relations with one another, the main +features of that ideal commonwealth where everything is held in common +and where everyone has an equal voice in public affairs. As in every +well-ordered government it is necessary to have leaders, so in pirate +companies there must be captains, quartermasters, gunners, boatswains, +and other officers, but none may remain in authority after having lost +the confidence and support of the company. This appears in a speech +made at the time Bartholomew Roberts was elected a pirate captain. + +“Should a Captain be so sawcy as to exceed Prescription at any time,” +said one of the pirate Lords, “why down with Him; it will be a Caution +after he is dead, to his successors, of what a fatal Consequence any +sort of assuming may be. However, it is my Advice, that, while we are +sober, we pitch upon a Man of Courage, and skill’d in Navigation, +one, who by his Council and Bravery seems best able to defend this +Commonwealth, and ward us from Dangers and Tempests of an instable +Element, and the fatal Consequences of Anarchy.” + +The successful captain of a pirate vessel must possess qualities of +leadership and a dare-devil courage, for nothing will so quickly +brand a pirate leader and lose for him the support of his crew as an +appearance of cowardice,--a show of the white feather. Sometimes it +may be no more than a difference of judgment, but failing in the loyal +support of a resolute company no captain can last very long. This is +shown in the case of Capt. Charles Vane who defied Capt. Woods Rogers’ +men-of-war at New Providence in 1717, but the very next year when he +fell in with a French man-of-war off Cape Nicholas, his company was +divided as to what course to pursue. Vane was for making off as fast +as possible being of the opinion that the Frenchman was too strong +for them. The quartermaster, John Rackham,[177] was of a different +opinion saying, “That tho’ she had more Guns, and a greater Weight of +Mettal, they might board her and then the best Boys would carry the +Day.” At last, although the majority were for attacking, Captain Vane +exercised his right to settle the dispute, for his power by universal +agreement was absolute in time of chase, and so the brigantine showed +her heels to the Frenchman and outsailed her. But the next day the +captain’s decision was made to stand the test of a popular vote and he +failed of support. A resolution was passed branding him a coward and +deposing him from command. He was given a small sloop with a supply of +provisions and ammunition and sent off with all those who did not vote +for boarding the French man-of-war. + +The captain of a pirate company was generally chosen for his daring +and dominating character and for being “pistol proof.” Among +hardened pirates the one who went the greatest length in cruelty and +destructiveness was looked upon with a certain amount of admiration. +The captain had the great cabin to himself but any man had the right +to use his punch bowl, enter the cabin, swear at him and seize his +food without his finding fault, except as between men; but this rarely +happened. + +When a captain was chosen there was usually some little ceremony on +conducting him to the cabin. After the election had taken place, a +complimentary speech would be made expressing the desire that he would +take the command as the most capable among them and on his accepting +he would be led into the cabin in state and seated at a table with +only one other chair and that at the lower end. This was reserved for +the company’s quartermaster who then would seat himself also and tell +the captain in behalf of the crew (whose spokesman he was) that having +confidence in him they all promised to obey his lawful commands. Then +taking up a sword, the quartermaster would present it and declare him +captain, at the same time saying, “This is the commission under which +you are to act; may you prove fortunate to yourself and us.” The guns +would then be fired with a charge of round shot and a rousing three +cheers given in honor of the new captain. The ceremony would end with +an invitation from the captain to such as he wished to have dine with +him and an order for a large bowl of punch for every mess. + +[Illustration: + + THE + + TRIALS + + OF + + Five Persons + + For Piracy, Felony and Robbery, + + Who were found Guilty and Condemned, at a + Court of Admiralty for the Trial of Piracies, + Felonies and Robberies, committed on the + High Seas, Held at the Court-House in + _Boston_, within His Majesty’s Province of + the _Massachusetts-Bay_ in _New-England_, on + _Tuesday_ the Fourth Day of _October_, Anno + Domini, 1726. Pursuant to His Majesty’s Royal + Commission, founded on an Act of Parliament + made in the Eleventh and Twelfth Years of the + Reign of King _William_ the Third, Entituled, + _An Act for the more effectual Suppression of + Piracy_; And made Perpetual by an Act of the + Sixth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord + King _GEORGE_. + + _BOSTON_: Printed by _T Fleet_ for _S Gerrish_ + at the Lower End of _Cornhill_. 1726. +] + +The captain had usually a sort of privy council which was composed +of certain of the officers and older and more experienced sailors +and these were sometimes distinguished by the title of “Lord.” The +captain’s power was supreme in time of chase or action. He then had the +right to strike, stab or shoot any man who disobeyed his orders. He +also had power over prisoners and could condemn them to ill usage or +set them free but this power did not extend to cargo or captured vessel +for then the property interests of the company were concerned. + +The quartermaster came next after the captain in exercising authority +over the affairs of the pirate company. He was chosen with the approval +of the crew who could claim authority in this way through him, except +in time of battle. At discretion he could punish any of the men for +insubordination, by blows or whipping, which no one else might do +without standing in danger of receiving the lash from the ship’s +company. In a way he was the trustee for all and was usually the first +on board a prize. For small offences, too insignificant for a jury, +he was the arbitrator. If any of the crew disobeyed his commands, +plundered when plundering should end, or failed to keep their weapons +in good order, the quartermaster then might punish them. He was the +manager of all duels and in fact was the magistrate of the company. + +Pirate craft usually sailed under what was known as “the Jamaica +Discipline,” a commonwealth or form of government that originated +among the West India privateers or buccaneers. All pirate companies +also adopted codes of laws or “Articles,” as they were called, to +govern their actions and these were signed and sworn to by all. These +“Articles” varied somewhat in form and substance but in general +included the following obligations, viz:-- + + + I + + Every man had a vote in all affairs of importance and equal + title to all fresh provisions or strong liquors that had been + taken and might use them at pleasure unless a scarcity made it + necessary to vote a restriction for the common good. + + + II + + Every man was to be called in turn, as entered in the + quartermaster’s list, to go on board prizes, because on such + occasions each was allowed a shift of clothing from the + captured stores. This was in addition to the common share in + the plunder of the prize. If any man, however, defrauded the + common store of the company, in plates, jewelry or money, + to the value of a piece of eight, the punishment was to be + marooned on some uninhabited island or shore and supplied + with only a gun, a few shot, a bottle of water and a bottle + of powder, and there to starve or escape if possible by some + unexpected good fortune. If a man robbed another of the + same company, the ears or nose of the guilty party might be + slit, after which he sometimes would be put ashore, not on + an uninhabited island, but where he was sure to encounter + hardships. + + + III + + No gaming for money at cards or dice was allowed under any + circumstances as likely to lead to fighting and death. + + + IV + + All lights and candles must be put out before eight o’clock at + night and after that hour if any of the crew continued drinking + they were to do it on the open deck. This rule in relation + to drinking was not observed on board a number of the pirate + ships. The snapping of arms and smoking of tobacco in the hold + was also forbidden on board most ships. + + + V + + Every man must keep his gun, pistol and cutlass clean and fit + for service. This rule was seldom broken for its necessity was + recognized by all. Moreover, there was always more or less + competition between men over the beauty and richness of their + arms. When an auction was held “at the mast,” sometimes as much + as £30 or £40, would be bid for a pair of fine pistols. These + were slung into bright colored sashes worn over the shoulders + in a manner peculiar to the pirates, giving a very showy + appearance to the swaggering individual. + + + VI + + No women were allowed on board and if any man induced a woman + to go to sea in disguise he was to suffer death. When a + vessel was captured if a woman was found among the passengers + a sentinel was placed over her immediately to prevent ill + consequences from so dangerous a cause for quarrels. As a rule, + boys were not allowed in pirate companies but exceptions to + this rule sometimes occurred. + + + VII + + To desert the ship or to abandon quarters in time of battle was + punished with death or marooning. + + + VIII + + No man was permitted to strike a member of his company while on + board ship. All quarrels must be settled on shore, with sword + or pistol, the quartermaster acting as master of ceremonies. + The usual rule was for him to attempt a reconciliation but if + the difference could not be healed without a fight he would + go ashore with such assistants as he thought proper and after + placing the meh back to back they would walk apart the number + of paces agreed upon and at the word of command immediately + turn and fire. If both missed, they might fall to with + cutlasses and the man who drew first blood was declared the + victor. + + + IX + + No man was allowed to talk of breaking up their way of living + until each had shared £1000. In case a man lost a limb or was + otherwise injured there was to be an allowance made to him out + of the common stock in proportion to his injury. These amounts + varied with the company but a leg was usually estimated as + worth eight hundred to a thousand pieces of eight. + + + X + + The captain and the quartermaster each received usually two + shares in a prize; the master, gunner, and boatswain, a share + and a half, and the other officers, a share and a quarter. The + men had a share apiece. + + + XI + + All the larger pirate vessels carried musicians--trumpeters, + drummers and fiddlers, and these men were given a day off on + Sunday. + +When a vessel was captured the likely men among the prisoners would be +solicited by the quartermaster or captain to join the pirate crew and +sign the “Articles,” and young and active men who refused to sign would +sometimes be compelled to join the company in the hope that later +they might have a change of heart and in any event be of service in +navigating the vessel. This was called “forcing,” and when the captain +or fellow-seamen of the forced men reached shore, an advertisement was +oftentimes inserted in a newspaper, stating the circumstances so that +in case the forced men were taken while on board a pirate vessel they +might point to the advertisement as evidence of their innocence.[178] + +The flags on pirate vessels were intended to strike terror to the +hearts of mariners and usually displayed a white skull and cross-bones +on a black ground. Sometimes the skeleton of a man was depicted, +usually styled at the time “an anatomy.” Sometimes a livid heart +pierced by an arrow dripping blood was displayed. Small pirate +companies contented themselves with a plain black flag without device. +Capt. Howell Davis for lack of something better hung aloft “a dirty +Tarpawlin,” while attacking a French vessel near Hispaniola. He +afterwards used a black flag as did his associate La Bouse. Blackbeard +sailed under a black flag along the Carolina coast but Major Stede +Bonnet about the same time used “a bloody flag” and Captain Worley, +who was on the same coast in 1718, flew “a black ensign with a white +Death’s head in the middle of it.” + +Captain Roberts at first used a black flag which he called “the Jolly +Roger,” although this term did not originate with him, but afterwards +becoming enraged at the many attempts made by the governors of +Barbadoes and Martinico to take him, he ordered a new jack to be made +with his own figure portrayed standing on two skulls. Under one were +the letters A. B. H. and under the other, A. M. H., signifying “A +Barbadian’s Head” and “A Martinican’s Head.” When Roberts sailed into +Whydah in January, 1722, he had a “black silk flag flying at the mizen +peak and a jack and pendant of the same: The Flag had a Death in it, +with an Hour-Glass in one Hand, and cross-Bones in the other, a Dart by +it, and underneath a Heart dropping three Drops of Blood. The Jack had +a Man pourtray’d on it, with a flaming Sword in his Hand, and standing +on two Skulls.” + +Frequent mention has been made of the cruelty and destructiveness of +pirate captains. They often sank or burned the vessels that they took. +Sometimes it was done to prevent news of their presence getting abroad +before they were ready to sail for some other hunting ground. Sometimes +they lacked men enough to navigate their captures and at other times +the pirate captain would be displeased at the prolonged defense or +flight of the captured master. Sometimes the fate of a fine ship and +rich cargo was decided by a caprice or through sheer destructiveness. +Frequently enquiry would be made among the crew of a captured vessel +if their captain was a good master and kind to his men and when a +favorable answer was made such a captain would be let off more easily. + +[Illustration: THE PIRATE SHIPS “ROYAL FORTUNE” AND “RANGER” IN WHYDAH +ROAD, JANUARY 11, 1722 + +From an engraving in Johnson’s “General History of the Pirates,” +London, 1725] + +Bartholomew Roberts, one of the most successful and level-headed of the +pirate captains who plagued shipping during the first quarter of the +eighteenth century, sailed into the harbor of Trepassi in Newfoundland, +the last of June, 1720, with black colors flying, drums beating and +trumpets sounding. There were twenty-two vessels at anchor in the +harbor and every man on board fled ashore at sight of the pirate ship. +Roberts burned or sank every vessel except one, which he manned, and +then ruthlessly destroyed all the fishing stages of the poor planters, +depriving inoffensive men of their means of livelihood with absolutely +no attendant advantage to himself. It was this same crew that captured +the ship “Samuel,” Captain Cary, a few days later. She was from London +bound for Boston with a rich cargo. These furies opened the hatches and +swarmed into the hold armed with axes and cutlasses and cut and smashed +all the bales, cases and boxes they could reach and when any goods +came on deck that they didn’t want to carry aboard their ship, instead +of tossing them back into the hold they threw them overboard. Captain +Cary was told “that they should accept no Act of Grace; that the King +and Parliament might be damned with their Acts of Grace; neither would +they go to Hope’s Point, to be hang’d up a sun drying, as Kidd’s and +Braddish’s Company were; but if ever they should be overpowered, they +would set Fire to the Powder, with a Pistol, and go all merrily to Hell +together.”[179] + +“Walking the plank” was a diversion practised at a later day among the +West India pirates whereby their victims were blindfolded and forced to +find a watery grave at the end of a plank thrust out from the vessel’s +side. But this was not original with them for in the days of the Roman +empire when the Mediterranean pirates took a ship they frequently +would enquire if any on board were Romans and when found the pirates +would fall down on their knees before the citizens of that illustrious +nation, as though asking pardon for what they had done. Other +deferences would be shown until their captives actually grew to believe +in their sincerity. When that point was attained the outlaws would hang +the ship’s ladder over the side and with great show of courtesy tell +their victims they were free to leave the vessel in that way. The shock +to the unfortunate Romans always greatly amused the pirates who then +would throw them overboard with much laughter. + +Since those early times when men first effected crude forms of +government to guard and control their relations with each other, the +pirate has been looked upon as a common enemy. In the days of the +Roman empire neither faith nor oath need be kept with him. However, +“might made right” in those days, as in later times, and when large +bodies of successful sea rovers set up an organized state or government +that assumed a somewhat permanent form, after a time they would be +recognized by existing nations and granted the right of legalized +warfare with diplomatic and commercial intercourse. The Mediterranean +and the Baltic were nurseries for growths of this character and as +late as 1818, European nations were paying tribute to the corsair +governments on the Barbary coast. + +Piracy was considered among Englishmen a kind of petty treason until +about the year 1350, when it was made a felony by law and it has +remained so ever since. In 1536, during the reign of Henry VIII, the +laws relating to piracy were defined by Act of Parliament and the +forms of trial, executions of sentence, etc., were established and +with slight modifications were in force in New England during the +period covered by the preceding chapters. By the practical working of +this statute curious applications sometimes developed. An Englishman +captured from a foreign vessel flying the flag of a country with which +England was then at war, was declared to be a pirate and so dealt with; +but a subject of a country at war with England, if taken on board an +English pirate vessel, was not deemed to be engaged in piracy but in +actual warfare. + +Here are some of the laws at that time, relating to piracy, abstracted +from the “Statutes of the Realm.” + + “_If Letters of_ Marque _be granted to a Merchant, and he + furnishes out a Ship, with a Captain and Mariners, and they, + instead of taking the Goods, or Ships of that Nation against + whom their Commission is awarded, take the Ship and Goods of a + Friend, this is Pyracy; and if the Ship arrive in any Part of + his Majesty’s Dominions, it will be seized, and for ever left + to the Owners; but they are no Way liable to make Satisfaction._ + + “_If a Ship is assaulted and taken by the Pyrates, for + Redemption of which, the Master becomes a Slave to the Captors, + by the Law_ Marine; _the Ship and Lading are tacitly obliged + for his Redemption, by a general Contribution; but if it happen + through his own Folly, then no Contribution is to be made._ + + “_If Subjects in Enmity with the Crown of_ England, _are aboard + an_ English _Pyrate, in Company with_ English, _and a Robbery + is committed, and they are taken; it is Felony in the_ English, + _but not in the Stranger; for it was no Pyracy in them, but the + Depredation of an Enemy, and they will be tried by a Martial + Law._ + + “_If Pyracy is committed by Subjects in Enmity with_ England + _upon the_ British _Seas, it is properly only punishable by + the Crown of_ England, _who have issued_ Regimen & Domininum + _exclusive of all other Power._ + + “_If Pyracy be committed on the Ocean, and the Pyrates in the + Attempt be overcome, the Captors may, without any Solemnity + of Condemnation, hang them up at the Main-Yard; if they are + brought to the next Port, and the Judge rejects the Tryal, or + the Captors cannot wait for the Judge, without Peril or Loss, + Justice may be done upon them by the Captors._ + + “_If Merchandize be delivered to a Master, to carry to one + Port, and he carries it to another, and sells and disposes of + it, this is not Felony; but if, after unlading it at the first + Port, he retakes it, it is Pyracy._ + + “_If a Pyrate attack a Ship, and the Master for Redemption, + gives his Oath to pay a Sum of Money, tho’ there be nothing + taken, yet it is Pyracy by the Law_ Marine. + + “_If a Ship is riding at Anchor, and the Mariners all ashore, + and a Pyrate attack her, and rob her, this is Pyracy._ + + “_If a Man commit Pyracy upon the Subjects of any Prince, or + Republick, (though in Amity with us), and brings the Goods + into_ England, _and sells them in a Market_ Overt, _the same + shall bind, and the Owners are for ever excluded._ + + “_If a Pyrate enters a Port of this Kingdom, and robs a Ship at + Anchor there, it is not Pyracy, because not done_, super altum + Mare; _but is Robbery at common Law, because_ infra Corpus + Comitatus. _A Pardon of all Felonies does not extend to Pyracy, + but the same ought to be especially named._ + + “_This Act shall not prejudice any Person, or Persons, urged + by Necessity, for taking Victuals, Cables, Ropes, Anchors or + Sails, out of another Ship that may spare them, so as they + either pay ready Money, or Money worth for them, or give a + Bill for the Payment thereof; if on this Side the Straits + of_ Gibraltar, _within four Months; if beyond, within twelve + Months._ + + “_If any natural born Subjects or Denizons of_ England, _commit + Pyracy, or any Act of Hostility, against his Majesty’s Subjects + at Sea, under Colour of a Commission or Authority, from any + foreign Prince or State, or Person whatsoever, such Offenders + shall be adjudged Pyrates._ + + “_If any Commander or Master of a Ship, or Seaman or Mariner, + give up his Ship, &c. to Pyrates, or combine to yield up, or + run away with any Ship, or lay violent Hands on his Commander, + or endeavour to make a Revolt in the Ship, he shall be adjudged + a Pyrate._ + + “_All Persons who after the 29th of_ September, 1720, _shall + set forth any Pyrate (or be aiding and assisting to any such + Pyrate) committing Pyracy on Land or Sea, or shall conceal such + Pyrates, or receive any Vessel or Goods pyratically taken, + shall be adjudged accessary to such Pyracy, and suffer as + Principals._ + + “_All Persons who have committed, or shall commit any Offences, + for which they ought to be adjudged Pyrates, may be tried for + every such Offence, in such Manner as by the Act 28_ Henry + VIII, _chapter 15, is directed for the Tryal of Pyrates; and + shall not have the Benefit of the Clergy._”[180] + +The enforcement of the English statute relating to piracy was variously +interpreted in the colonial courts and local enactments sometimes +superseded it in actual practice. Previous to 1700, the statute +required that men accused of piracy should be sent to England to be +tried before a High Court of Admiralty. Pound, Hawkins, Bradish, Kidd +and other known pirates were accordingly sent in irons to London for +trial. But the difficulties and delays, to say nothing of the expense, +induced Parliament by an Act of 11 and 12 William III, to confer +authority by which trials for piracy might be held by the Courts of +Admiralty sitting in the colonies. On the other hand, the Massachusetts +Court of Assistants, in 1675, found John Rhoades and others, guilty of +piracy and sentenced them to be “hanged presently after the lecture.” +This was in accordance with an order adopted by the Great and General +Court on Oct. 15, 1673. When Robert Munday was tried at Newport, R. +I., in 1703, it was by a jury in the ordinary criminal court, in open +disregard of the King’s commission. + +Governor Bellomont in a letter to the Council of Trade, described the +situation in Massachusetts in 1699, as follows:-- + + “A pirate cannot suffer death in this province, and what to + do with Bradish’s crew and Kidd and his men, I know not, and + therefore desire your orders. The reason why their Act, that + was approved in England, will not reach the life of a pirate is + this: Piracy by the Law of England is felony without benefit + of clergy and punishment with death. Here there’s no such + thing in practice as the benefit of clergy; neither is felony + punishable with death, but by their law the felon is only to + make a three-fold restitution of the value of the offence or + trespass.”[181] + +The Courts of Admiralty held in the colonies were composed of certain +officials designated in the Royal commission, including the Governor, +Lieutenant-Governor, the Judge of the Vice-Admiralty for the Province, +the Chief Justice, the Secretary, Members of the Council and the +Collector of Customs. Counsel was assigned to the accused to advise +and to address the Court “upon any matter of law,” but the practice at +that time was different from the present. Accused persons in criminal +cases were obliged to conduct their own defence and their counsel were +not permitted to cross-examine witnesses, the legal theory at the time +being that the facts in the case would appear without the necessity for +counsel; that the judge could be trusted to see this properly done; and +the jury would give the prisoner the benefit of any reasonable doubt. + +Trials occupied but a short time and executions generally took place +within a few days after the sentence of the Court was pronounced. +During the interval the local clergy labored with the condemned to +induce repentance and all the terrors of Hell were pictured early and +late. Usually, the prisoners were made the principal figures in a +Sunday spectacle and taken through the streets to the meeting-house of +some prominent minister, there to be gazed at by a congregation that +crowded the building, while the reverend divine preached a sermon +suited to the occasion. This discourse was invariably printed and +avidly read by the townsfolk, so that few copies have survived the +wear and tear of the years. From these worn pamphlets may be learned +something of the lives and future of the prisoners as reflected by the +mental attitude of the attending ministers. + +The day of execution having arrived, the condemned prisoners were +marched in procession through the crowded streets safely guarded by +musketeers and constables. The procession included prominent officials +and ministers and was preceded by the Marshal of the Admiralty Court +carrying “the Silver Oar,” his emblem of authority. This was usually +about three feet long and during the trial was also carried by him in +the procession of judges to the court room where it was placed on the +table before the Court during the proceedings.[182] + +Time-honored custom and the Act of Parliament, as well, required that +the gallows should be erected “in such place upon the sea, or within +the ebbing or flowing thereof, as the President of the Court ... shall +appoint,”[183] and this necessitated the construction of a scaffold or +platform suspended from the framework of the gallows by means of ropes +and blocks. When an execution took place on land, that is to say, on +solid ground easily approached, it was the custom at that time to carry +the condemned in a cart under the cross-arm of the gallows and after +the hangman’s rope had been adjusted around the neck and the signal +had been given, the cart would be driven away and the condemned person +left dangling in the air. In theory, the proper adjustment of the knot +in the rope and the short fall from the body of the cart when it was +driven away, would be sufficient to break the bones of the neck and +also cause strangulation; but in practice this did not always occur. + +In the winter of 1646, a case of infanticide was discovered in Boston +by a prying mid-wife and when the suspected mother was brought before +a jury and caused to touch the cloth-covered face of the murdered +infant, the covering was instantly stained with fresh blood. Then the +young woman confessed. This was the medieval “ordeal of touch” which +was practiced in Massachusetts as late as 1768. The young mother was +condemned to death and Governor Winthrop relates in his “Journal,” that +“after she was turned off and had hung a space, she spake, and asked +what they did mean to do. Then one stepped up and turned the knot of +the rope backward and then she soon died.” + +When pirates were executed on a gallows placed between “the ebb and +flow of the tide,” the scaffold on which they stood was allowed to +fall by releasing the ropes holding it suspended in mid-air. This was +always the climax of the spectacle for which thousands of spectators +had gathered from far and near. Six pirates were hanged in Boston in +1704 and “when the scaffold was let sink, there was such a Screech of +the women” present that the sound was heard over half a mile away. So +writes Samuel Sewall, one of the judges who had condemned the pirates +to execution. + +Not infrequently the judges of a Court of Admiralty had brought before +them for trial, a pirate whose career had been more infamous than the +rest. A cruel and bloody-minded fellow fit only for a halter,--and +then the sentence to be hanged by the neck until dead would be followed +by another judgment,--dooming the lifeless body of the pirate to be +hanged in chains from a gibbet placed on some island or jutting point +near a ship channel, there to hang “a sun drying” as a warning to other +sailormen of evil intent. In Boston harbor there were formerly two +islands--Bird island and Nix’s Mate--on which pirates were gibbetted. +Bird island long since disappeared and ships now anchor where the +gibbet formerly stood. Nix’s Mate was of such size that early in the +eighteenth century the selectmen of Boston advertised its rental for +the pasturage of cattle. Today, every foot of its soil has washed away +and the point of a granite monument alone marks the site of the island +where formerly a pirate hung in chains beside the swiftly flowing tides. + +[Illustration: NIX’S MATE, BOSTON HARBOR, IN 1775, WHERE CAPTAIN FLY +WAS GIBBETED IN 1726 + +From an engraving in the “Atlantic Neptune,” Part III, London, 1781, in +the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society] + +[Illustration: MONUMENT ON THE SHOAL, FORMERLY NIX’S MATE, IN 1637 AN +ISLAND OF MORE THAN TEN ACRES + +From a photograph made about 1900] + + +FOOTNOTES + +[177] This was the man who enticed Anne Bonny to go to sea with him and +become a female pirate. + +[178] _Advertisement._ John Smith of Boston in New England late Mate +of the Briganteen Rebecca of Charlestown burthen’d about Ninety Tuns +whereof James Flucker was late Commander and Charles Meston of Boston +aforesaid Mariner, late belonging to the said Briganteen, severally +Declare and say, That the said Briganteen in her Voyage from St. +Christophers to Boston, on the Twenty-eighth of May last past, being +in the Latitude of Thirty Eight Degrees and odd Minutes North, the +said Briganteen was taken by a Pirate Sloop, Commanded by one Lowther, +having near one Hundred Men, and Eight Guns mounted. The Day after +the said Briganteen was taken, the said Pirate parted their Company. +Forty of them went on Board the said Brigantine Commanded by Edward +Loe of Boston aforesaid, Mariner; and the rest of the said Pirates +went on board the Sloop, Commanded by the said Lowther. And Declarants +further say, That Joseph Sweetser of Charlestown aforesaid, and Richard +Rich and Robert Willis of London, Mariners, all belonging to the said +Brigantine, were forced and compelled against their Wills to go with +the said Pirates, viz. Joseph Sweetser and Richard Rich on board the +Brigantine, & Robert Willis on Board the Sloop. The said Willis having +broke his Arm by a Fall from the Mast, desired that considering his +Condition they would let him go; but they utterly refused and forced +him away with them. + + _Signum_ JOHN SMITH + CHARLES MESTON + +_Suffolk ss._ Boston, June 12, 1722. + +The abovenamed John Smith and Charles Meston personally appearing, made +Oath to the Truth of the aforewritten Declaration. + + _Coram me_ J. WILLARD, Secr. & J. Pac. + --_New England Courant_, June 18, 1722. + +[179] Johnson, _History of the Pirates_, London, 1726. + +[180] By the old English law the clergy were exempted from trial before +a secular judge. This privilege was afterwards extended, for many +offences, to all laymen who could read. The legal recognition of the +“Benefit of the Clergy” was not wholly repealed until 1827. + +[181] _Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies_, 1699, p. 746. + +[182] The origin of this emblem is not known but it dates back at least +to the fourteenth century. The existing silver oar of the High Court of +Admiralty in England is believed to be of Tudor date, and that of the +Cinque Ports, now preserved at Dover Castle, England, is of an earlier +period. The silver oar had inscribed on its blade, the Royal Arms, an +anchor, or some similar device. Miniature silver oars were also in use +as badges of authority when effecting arrests under the order of an +Admiralty Court. See an article on “The Jurisdiction of the Silver Oar +of the Admiralty,” in the _Nautical Magazine_, Vol. XLVI (1877).--W. G. +PERRIN, _The Library, Admiralty, London_. Admiralty Courts in America +continue to use the oar as an emblem of authority. The oar preserved in +the Federal Building, Boston, is made of wood. + +[183] This was because the Admiralty Courts, in theory and practice, +had authority over acts committed on the sea and that control ceased at +high-water mark. + + + + +APPENDIX + + + + +I + +CAPTAIN PLOUGHMAN’S PRIVATEERING COMMISSION + + =Joseph Dudley=, _Esq; Captain General and Governour in Chief, + in and over Her Majesties Provinces of the_ Massachusetts + Bay, _and_ New-Hampshire _in_ New-England _in_ America, _and + Vice-Admiral of the same. To Capt._ Daniel Plowman, _Commander + of the Briganteen_ Charles _of_ Boston, _Greeting_. + +Whereas Her Sacred Majesty _ANNE_ by the Grace of GOD, of _England_, +_Scotland_, _France_ and _Ireland_, QUEEN, Defender of the Faith, _&c._ +Hath an Open and Declared War against _France_ and _Spain_, their +Vassals and Subjects. AND FORASMUCH as you have made Application unto +Me for Licence to Arm, Furnish and Equip the said Briganteen in Warlike +manner, against Her Majesties said Enemies, I do accordingly Permit +and Allow the same; And, Reposing special Trust and Confidence in your +Loyalty, Courage and good Conduct, Do by these Presents, by Virtue of +the Powers and Authorities contained in Her Majesties Royal Commission +to Me granted, Impower and Commissionate you the said _Daniel Plowman_, +to be Captain or Commander of the said Briganteen _Charles_, Burthen +Eighty Tuns or thereabouts: Hereby Authorizing you in and with the said +Briganteen and Company to her belonging, to War, Fight, Take, Kill, +Suppress and Destroy, any Pirates, Privateers, or other the Subjects +and Vassals of _France_, or _Spain_, the Declared Enemies of the Crown +of _England_, in what Place soever you shall happen to meet them; +Their Ships, Vessels and Goods, to take and make Prize of. And your +said Briganteens Company are Commanded to Obey you as their Captain: +And your self in the Execution of this Commission, to Observe and +Follow the Orders and Instructions herewith given you. And I do hereby +Request all Governors and Commanders in Chief, of any of Her Majesties +Territories, Islands, Provinces or Plantations, where the said Captain +or Commander shall arrive with his said Vessel and Men: And all +Admirals, Vice-Admirals and Commanders of Her Majesties Ships of War, +and others, that may happen to meet him at Sea; Also all Officers and +Subjects of the Friends or Allies of Her said Sacred Majesty, to permit +him the said Captain or Commander with his said Vessel, Men, and the +Prizes that he may have taken, freely and quietly to pass and repass, +without giving or suffering him to receive any Trouble or Hindrance, +but on the contrary all Succour and Assistance needful. And this +Commission is to continue in Force for the Space of Six Months next +ensuing (if the War so long last) and not afterwards. _Given under my +Hand and Seal at Arms at_ Boston _the Thirteenth Day of_ July: _In the +Second Year of Her said Majesties Reign_, Annoque Domini, 1703. + + _By His Excellencies Command_, + =Isaac Addington=, Secr. + + + + +II + +CAPTAIN PLOUGHMAN’S INSTRUCTIONS + + + _Province of the_ Massachusetts + Bay _in_ New-England. + + _By His Excellency_ =Joseph Dudley=, Esq; _Captain-General + and Governour in Chief_, &c. + +_Instructions to be Observed by Capt._ Daniel Plowman, _Commander of +the Briganteen_ Charles _of_ Boston, _In Pursuance of the Commission +herewith given him._ + +_First_, You are to keep such good Orders among your said Briganteen’s +Company, that Swearing Drunkenness and Prophaneness be avoided, or duly +Punished; And that GOD be duly worshipped. + +_2dly_, You are upon all Occasions to Endeavour the maintaining of +Her Majesties Honour, and to give Protection to Her Subjects, by +endeavouring to secure them in their Trade, and in no wise to hurt or +injure any of Her Majesties Subjects, Friends or Allies. + +_3dly._ You are to take, seize, sink, or destroy any of the Ships, +Vessels or Goods belonging to _France_ or _Spain_, their Vassals or +Subjects, the Declared Enemies of the Crown of _England_. And all such +Ships and Vessels with their Lading, Goods, and Merchandizes, which you +shall happen to seize or take, you are to carry or send into some Port +or Ports within Her Majesties Kingdom or Dominions, to be proceeded +against and adjudged: And if near this Coast, then to bring or send +them to _Boston_, your Commission Port. + +_4thly._ You are to take effectual Care, That no Money, Goods, +Merchandizes, or what else shall be taken by you in any Ship, Vessel, +or otherwise, be Imbezelled, Purloyned, Concealed, or Conveyed away. +And that Bulk be not broken until the same be first adjudged to be +Lawful Prize: And Order given for the landing and securing thereof, +as by Law is directed. And likewise you are carefully to preserve all +Books, Papers, Letters and Writings which shall be found in any Ship +or Vessel to be by you taken, to the intent a more clear Evidence and +Discovery may be made to what Persons such Ship or Vessel and her +Lading did belong. + +_5thly._ You are to take care, That no Person or Persons taken or +surprized by you in any Ship or Vessel as aforesaid, though known to +be of the Enemies side, be in cold Blood killed, maimed, or by Torture +or Cruelty inhumanly treated contrary to the Common Usage or Just +Permission of War. + +_6thly._ You are to keep a fair Journal of all your Proceedings, That +so you may be the better enabled to give a Copy thereof when you shall +be thereunto duly required. + +_7thly._ You may not at any time wear on Board your said Briganteen, +by Virtue of the said Commission, any other Jack than that Ordered by +Her Majesties Royal Proclamation, of the Eighteenth of _December_ 1702, +to be worn by such Ships as have Commission of Mart or Reprizal; and +upon meeting with any of Her Majesties Ships of War, you are to pay all +Customary Respect unto them, according to the Laws and Orders of the +Sea. + +_8thly._ You may not enter or retain on Board your said Briganteen any +Mens Sons under Age, or Servants, contrary to the Law of this Province: +And before you depart with your said Briganteen from the same, you are +to deliver into the Secretaries Office a List by you signed, of the +Names of the Company belonging to your said Briganteen with the Place +of their Respective Dwellings, or Aboad, as near as you can learn; and +such of them as are Inhabitants, or belonging to this Province, you are +to bring back with you to the same, or use your best Endeavours so to +do, not willingly leaving any of them behind in other Parts. + +_9thly._ You are to take care, That the Prisoners which you shall take +in any Prize Ship or Vessel, or so many of them as you may be able to +keep under Command (especially the Officers or more Principal of them) +be brought or sent into your Commission Port, or where else within Her +Majesties Dominions you send your Prizes: To the intent there may be +the more full Evidences for Condemning the same, and also an advantage +for the Exchange of Prisoners. + +_Lastly._ You are carefully to observe and keep all the foregoing +Articles and Instructions, and not to make any breach thereof, or of +Her Majesties Laws, respecting Letters of Reprisal, and Prize Ships and +Goods; and to see that the full and just Parts and Shares of all such +Vessels and Goods as shall be taken and seized by you, by Law accruing +unto Her Majesty, and the Lord High Admiral, be duly and truly answered +and paid. + +_Given under my Hand at_ Boston, _the Thirteenth Day of_ July, _in the +Second Year of Her Majesties Reign_, Annoque Domini, 1603. + + _Copy of the Instructions given unto me_ J. DUDLEY. + Daniel Plowman. + + _Register._ + + + + +III + +THE DYING SPEECHES OF CAPTAIN QUELCH AND HIS COMPANIONS + +An Account of the Behaviour and last Dying + +SPEECHES + +Of the Six Pirates, that were Executed on _Charles River, Boston_ side, +on Fryday _June_ 30th. 1704. _Viz._ + +_Capt._ John Quelch, John Lambert, Christopher Scudamore, John Miller, +Erasmus Peterson _and_ Peter Roach. + + +The Ministers of the Town, had used more than ordinary Endeavours, +to Instruct the Prisoners, and bring them to Repentance. There were +Sermons Preached in their hearing, Every Day: And Prayers daily made +with them. And they were Catechised; and they had many occasional +Exhortations. And nothing was left, that could be done for their Good. + +On Fryday the _30th. of June_ 1704. Pursuant to Orders in the Dead +Warrant, the aforesaid Pirates were guarded from the Prison in +_Boston_, by Forty Musketeers, Constables of the Town, the Provost +Marshal and his Officers, _&c._ with Two Ministers, who took great +pains to prepare them for the last Article of their Lives. Being +allowed to walk on Foot through the Town, to Scarlets Wharff; where the +Silver Oar being carried before them; they went by Water to the Place +of Execution, being Crowded and thronged on all sides with Multitudes +of Spectators. The Ministers then Spoke to the Malefactors, to this +Effect. + +“We have told you often, ye we have told you Weeping, That you have by +Sin undone your selves; That you were born Sinners, That you have lived +Sinners, That your Sins have been many and mighty; and that the Sins +for which you are now to Dy, are of no common aggravation. We have told +you, That there is a Saviour for Sinners, and we have shewn you, how to +commit your selves into His Saving and Healing Hands. We have told you, +That if He Save you, He will give you an hearty Repentance for all your +Sins, and we have shown you how to Express that Repentance. We have +told you, What Marks of Life, must be desired for your Souls, that you +may Safely appear before the Judgment Seat of God. Oh! That the means +used for your Good, may by the Grace of God be made Effectual. We can +do no more, but leave you in His Merciful Hands! + +“When they were gone up upon the Stage, and Silence was Commanded, One +of the Ministers Prayed.”... + + _They then severally Spoke_, Viz. + +I. Capt. _John Quelch_. The last Words he spake to One of the Ministers +at his going up the Stage, were, _I am not afraid of Death, I am not +afraid of the Gallows, but I am afraid of what follows; I am afraid +of a Great God, and a Judgment to Come_. But he afterwards seem’d to +brave it out too much against that fear: also when on the Stage first +he pulled off his Hat, and bowed to the Spectators, and not Concerned, +nor behaving himself so much like a Dying man as some would have done. +The Ministers had in the Way to his Execution, much desired him to +Glorify God at his Death, by bearing a due Testimony against the Sins +that had ruined him, and for the ways of Religion which he had much +neglected: yet now being called upon to speak what he had to say, it +was but thus much; _Gentlemen, ’Tis but little I have to speak: What I +have to say is this, I desire to be informed for what I am here, I am +Condemned only upon Circumstances. I forgive all the World: So the Lord +be Merciful to my Soul._ When _Lambert_ was Warning the Spectators to +beware of _Bad-Company_, _Quelch_ joyning, _They should also take care +how they brought Money into New-England, to be Hanged for it!_ + +II. _John Lambert._ He appeared much hardened, and pleaded much on +his Innocency: He desired all men to beware of Bad Company; he seem’d +in a great Agony near his Execution: he called much and frequently on +Christ, for Pardon of Sin, that God Almighty would Save his innocent +Soul: he desired to forgive all the World: his last words were, _Lord, +forgive my Soul! Oh, receive me into Eternity! blessed Name of Christ +receive my Soul._---- + +III. _Christopher Scudamore._ He appeared very Penitent since his +Condemnation, was very diligent to improve his time going to, and at +the place of Execution. + +IV. _John Miller._ He seem’d much concerned, and complained of a great +Burden of Sins to answer for; Expressing often, _Lord! What shall I do +to be Saved!_ + +V. _Erasmus Peterson._ He cryed of injustice done him; and said, it is +very hard for so many mens Lives to be taken away for a little Gold. He +often said, _his Peace was made with God; and his Soul would be with +God_: yet extream hard to forgive those he said wronged him: He told +the Executioner, _he was a strong man, and Prayed to be put out of +misery as soon as possible_. + +VI. _Peter Roach._ He seem’d little concerned, and said but little or +nothing at all. + +_Francis King_ was also Brought to the place of Execution, but +Repriev’d. + + * * * * * + +_Printed for and Sold by_ Nicholas Boone, _at his Shop near the Old +Meeting-House in_ Boston, 1704. + + + + +IV + +JOHN FILLMORE’S NARRATIVE + + +In 1802, there was published at Suffield, Conn., a pamphlet of twelve +pages with the following title, viz:-- + + “_Narrative of the Singular Sufferings of John Fillmore and + others on board the noted Pirate Vessel Commanded by Captain + Phillips_”.... + +This pamphlet was reprinted at Johnstown in 1809 and at Aurora, N. Y. +in 1837, and again, in the “Publications of the Buffalo Historical +Society,” Volume X. It was written when John Fillmore was an old man +and the testimony given at the trial of the pirates shows it to be +inaccurate in some particulars. It preserves, however, biographical +details which are probably correct. + +Fillmore relates that his father was a sailor who was taken into +Martinico by a French frigate where he was imprisoned and suffered +many hardships so that when sent home in a French cartel he died on +the voyage. Young Fillmore was apprenticed to a carpenter and across +the road from where he lived was a tailor who had an apprentice named +William White who afterwards went to sea. When young Fillmore met him +again it was on board Phillips’ pirate vessel off the Newfoundland +coast. + +When seventeen years old Fillmore went to sea in the sloop “Dolphin,” +Captain Haskell, and was taken by Phillips soon after reaching the +fishing grounds. “Having heard of the cruelties committed by Phillips,” +he refused to go on board his vessel until White came back with an +order to bring him on board “dead or alive.” He states that while +with Phillips he was assigned the helm for much of the time, and on +one occasion when a fine merchant ship was sighted, Captain Phillips +“walked the deck with his glass in his hand” and damned young Fillmore +for not steering as well as he thought he should and at last struck him +over the head with his broadsword, cutting his hat. The merchant was +light and a better sailer and so got away. + +When Fern, the carpenter, attempted to get away the second time, +Phillips ran his sword through his body and then blew out his brains +with a pistol. Phillips also killed a young friend of Fillmore’s in the +same manner. + +Fillmore represents that he played a very active part in the overthrow +of the pirates, which he initiated the evening before by burning the +soles of the feet of White and Archer, as they lay dead drunk below +deck, so that they were unable to come on deck the next day. At the +time of the attack the master was preparing to take an observation and +“the quartermaster was in the cabin drawing out some leaden slugs for a +musket.” Fillmore relates that he split open the head of the boatswain +with a broadax, hit the captain on the head and stunned him and when +the quartermaster, hearing the noise, came running out of the cabin +with a hammer in his hand he “gave him a blow on the back of his head +cutting his wig and neck almost off so that his head hung down before +him.” As Archer was the quartermaster of the vessel and was supposed +to be suffering with burned feet and unable to come on deck, Fillmore +at this point seems to add embroidery to his narrative. He also states +that three of the pirates were sent to England for trial and hanged +there. + +James Cheeseman returned to England where he was rewarded by the +Government, says Fillmore, and enjoyed until his death the office of +quartermaster in the dockyard at Portsmouth. + + + + +V + +AN “ACT OF GRACE” + + +From time to time proclamations were published granting a gracious +pardon to those guilty of acts of piracy who would surrender themselves +to the authorities on or before a certain date. These offers of pardon +were known as “Acts of Grace.” The proclamation made in 1717, which +brought about the great surrender of pirates in the Bahamas, is here +reprinted. + + + By the King + A PROCLAMATION for Suppressing of PYRATES + + “Whereas we have received information, that several Persons, + Subjects of Great Britain, have, since the 24th Day of June, + in the Year of our Lord, 1715, committed divers Pyracies and + Robberies upon the High-Seas, in the West-Indies, or adjoyning + to our Plantations, which hath and may Occasion great Damage + to the Merchants of Great Britain, and others trading into + those Parts; and tho’ we have appointed such a Force as we + judge sufficient for suppressing the said Pyrates, yet the more + effectually to put an End to the same, we have thought fit, by + and with the Advice of our Privy Council, to Issue this our + Royal Proclamation; and we do hereby promise, and declare, that + in Case any of the said Pyrates, shall on, or before, the 5th + of September, in the Year of our Lord 1718, surrender him or + themselves, to one of our Principal Secretaries of State in + Great Britain or Ireland, or to any Governor or Deputy Governor + of any of our Plantations beyond the Seas; every such Pyrate + and Pyrates so surrendering him, or themselves, as aforesaid, + shall have our gracious Pardon, of, and for such, his or their + Pyracy, or Piracies, by him or them committed, before the fifth + of January next ensuing. And we do hereby strictly charge and + command all our Admirals, Captains, and other Officers at Sea, + and all our Governors and Commanders of any Forts, Castles, or + other Places in our Plantations, and all other our Officers + Civil and Military, to seize and take such of the Pyrates, who + shall refuse or neglect to surrender themselves accordingly. + And we do hereby further declare, that in Case any Person or + Persons, on, or after, the 6th Day of September, 1718, shall + discover or seize, or cause or procure to be discovered or + seized, any one or more of the said Pyrates, so refusing or + neglecting to surrender themselves as aforesaid, so as they + may be brought to Justice, and convicted of the said Offence, + such Person or Persons, so making such Discovery or Seizure, + or causing or procuring such Discovery or Seizure to be made, + shall have and receive as a Reward for the same, viz. for every + Commander of any private Ship or Vessel, the Sum of 100 l. for + every Lieutenant, Master, Boatswain, Carpenter, and Gunner, + the Sum of 40 l. for every inferior Officer, the Sum of 30 l. + and for every private Man, the Sum of 20 l. And if any Person + or Persons, belonging to, and being Part of the Crew, of any + Pyrate Ship and Vessel, shall, on or after the said sixth Day + of September, 1718, seize and deliver, or cause to be seized + or delivered, any Commander or Commanders, of such Pyrat Ship + or Vessel, so as that he or they be brought to Justice, and + convicted of the said Offence, such Person or Persons, as a + Reward for the same, shall receive for every such Commander, + the Sum of 200 l. which said Sums, the Lord Treasurer, or the + Commissioners of our Treasury for the time being, are hereby + required, and desired to pay accordingly. + + “Given at our Court, at Hampton-Court, the fifth Day of + September, 1717, in the fourth Year of our Reign. + + GEORGE R. + + “God save the KING.” + + + + +[Illustration: BOSTON HARBOR FROM THE SURVEY IN THE “ENGLISH PILOT,” +Part IV. London, 1707 + +From an original in the Harvard College Library.] + +[Illustration: MAP OF CAPE COD IN 1717, SHOWING THE LOCATION OF THE +PIRATE WRECK + +From a chart surveyed and published by Capt. Cyprian Southack of +Boston, now in possession of John W. Farwell.] + + + + +INDEX + + + Acadie, 45. + + Acapulco, 15. + + Ackin, John, 303. + + Act of Grace, 344, 361, 381. + + Addington, Isaac, 67, 107. + + Aernouts, Jurriaen, 44, 45. + + Aix-la-Chapelle, Treaty of, 10. + + Allen, Rev. John, 68. + + Alsop, ----, 61. + + Andreson, Cornelius, 45-51. + + Andros, Gov. Edmund, 54, 69. + + Angola, 87. + + Annisquam, 310, 313. + + Anstis, Captain, 314, 318. + + Apthorp, Edward, 335. + + Archer, John Rose, 312, 316, 323-325, 380. + + Arnold, Sion, 38. + + Ashton, Benjamin, 229. + Philip, 142, 150, 204, 218-270, 281. + Sarah (Hendly), 221. + + Atkins, John, xxii. + + Atkinson, William, 331-335. + + Atwell, Christopher, 144, 289. + + Austin, James, 102, 103. + + Avery, “Long Ben,” xviii, 76, 92, 97. + John, 346-348, 350. + + Ayres, Captain, 144. + + Azores, 152, 155, 233, 271, 340. + + + Babson, James, 322. + + Bahama Islands, 344. + + Baker, Thomas, 123, 130, 131. + + Baptis, John, 317, 322, 324. + + Barbary Coast, 3, 5, 23. + + Barlow, Jonathan, 217, 285, 286. + + Barnard, Rev. John, 221, 222. + + Barnes, Henry, 294, 298, 300. + + Barney, Jonathan, 217, 284. + + Barrows, George, 317. + + Bartlett, Sarah, 221. + + Bass, Rev. ----, 308. + + Basse, Governor, 38. + Jeremiah, 96. + + Beal, Obadiah, 322. + + Beer, Captain, 121, 122. + + Belcher, Andrew, 9. + + Bell, John, 236. + + Bellamy, Samuel, 116-131. + + Bellomont, Governor, 17, 34, 42, 73-80, 365. + + Benbrook, James, 333-335. + + Bennett, William, 58, 71. + + Bermuda, 84. + + Bernard, Thomas, 114. + + Bevins, Benjamin, 79. + + Bishop, ----, 5. + + Blades, William, 294, 300, 301. + + Blair, James, 335. + + Blake, Benjamin, 70. + + Blaney, ----, 61. + + Blaze, John, 241. + + Block Island, 24, 41, 209. + + Bluefield, ----, 17. + + Bonnet, Stede, 360. + + Bonny, Anne, 354. + + Bootman, John, 323. + + Borneo, 40. + + Boston, 19, 24, 25, 28, 34, 39, 41, 45, 54, 73, 96, 103, 130, 141, 322, + 335, 368. + + Bouche, Oliver la, 345. + + Bovewe, John, 282. + + Bradish, Joseph, 34, 40-43, 350. + + Bradstreet, Governor, 18, 31, 66. + + Brazil, 100. + + Breck, John, 102. + + Bredcake, Thomas, 23. + + Brenton, ----, 39. + Jahlael, 107. + + Brethren of the Coast, 13. + + Bridgman, ----, 346. + + Bright, John, 295, 306. + + Brinkley, James, 294. + + Brisco, Lieutenant, 105. + + Broadhaven, Ireland, 3. + + Brown, Captain, 104. + John, 123, 130, 131, 294, 300-302, 306. + John, Jr., 148. + Nicholas, 345. + + Browne, Edward, 60, 66, 71. + John, 335. + + Buccaneers, 10-15. + + Buck, Eleazer, 66, 67-70. + + Bull, Dixey, 20-22. + + Bumstead, Jeremiah, 313, 326. + + Burgess, ----, 76. + T., 345. + William, 345, 349. + + Burk, ----, 39. + + Burlington, Captain, 205. + + Burrage, ----, 279, 280. + + Burrill, ----, 313. + + Byfield, Nathaniel, 103, 105, 107. + + + Cahoon, James, 147. + + Calder, Thomas, 210. + + Calley, Edward, 31. + + Campbell, Duncan, 78. + + Campeachy, 13, 14. + + Candor, Ralph, 140. + + Cape Ann, 104. + + Cape Cod, 33. + + Cape Verde Islands, 154, 234, 340. + + Carr, John, 38. + + Carracioli, ----, 349. + + Carter, Captain, 152. + Denis, 102. + John, 102. + + Cary, Captain, 114, 361. + + Casco Bay, Me., 31. + + Casey, Captain, 287. + + Cass, John, 283. + + Castine, Me., 44-46. + + Caymans Islands, 143. + + Chadwell, Benjamin, 321. + + Chambly, ---- de, 45. + + Chandler, Captain, 152. + + Chard, Allen, 56. + + Cheeseman, Edward, 311-313, 321-323, 380. + + Cheever, ----, 105. + + Chevalle, Daniel, 102. + + Child, Thomas, 295, 306. + + Chuley, Daniel, 102. + + Church, Charles, 295, 302. + + Churchill, John, 140. + + Clap, Rev. ----, 308. + Roger, 22. + + Clark, Jeremiah, 204. + William, 210. + + Clarke, Jeremiah, 284, 300. + William, 99, 101. + + Clayton, ----, 349. + + Clifford, John, 102, 103, 108, 109. + + Coates, Edward, 94. + + Cocklyn, Thomas, 345. + + Coddington, Capt., 37, 38. + + Codin, James, 138. + + Codman, John, 113. + + Cole, John, 124, 335. + Joseph, 282. + Samuel, 329, 334, 335. + Thomas, 47. + + Collins, Daniel, 130. + Thomas, 351. + + Collyer, John, 219, 220. + + Colman, John, 99, 101. + + Combs, Captain, 322. + + Condick, George, 336. + + Congdon, ----, 349. + + Coombs, John, 323. + + Cooper, Joseph, 279. + + Cooper, Thomas, 32. + + Coote, Richard, _see_ Bellomont. + + Coward, William, 33. + + Cox, Captain, 152. + + Craig, Captain, 202, 204. + + Cranston, Governor, 37, 295. + + Cromwell, Thomas, 23. + + Cross, William, 216. + + Crumpstey, Andrew, 122, 125, 126. + + Cues, Peter, 301. + + Cundon, Morice, 328, 330, 335. + + Cunningham, Patrick, 295, 305. + + Cuthbert, William, 36. + + Curacao, 44, 63. + + Curre, John, 272. + + + Danforth, Thomas, 66. + + Daniels, James, 58, 71. + + Danson, John, 29-31. + + Darby, John, 57, 71. + + Dauling, Robert, 335. + + Davies, Capt., 36. + + Davis, ----, 14. + Gabriel, 102. + Howel, 132, 360. + Silvanus, 57, 58. + Thomas, 117, 118, 125, 127, 130. + + Daw, John, 335. + + De Haws, Captain, 279. + + Delbridge, Andrew, 202. + + Deloe, Jonathan, 137. + + Dew, Capt., 31. + + Dickenson, John, 84. + + Dicks, Anthony, 21. + + Dipper, Henry, 71. + + Doane, Joseph, 124, 127. + + Doggett, Samuel, 129. + + Dole, Francis, 34. + + Dolliber, Joseph, 150, 229. + + Dorothy, John, 102, 103. + + Douglass, James, 132. + William, 31. + + Dove, Captain, 221, 268. + + Doyly, Colonel, 314. + + Drew, George, 85. + + Drury, Robert, 351. + + Dudley, Gov. Joseph, 18, 39, 103, 107, 115, 371, 373. + Paul, 102, 103, 105, 114. + + Dummer, ----, 37. + Jeremiah, 114. + William, 130, 295, 300, 322, 335. + + Dunavan, James, 122. + + Dunbar, Captain, 60. + Nicholas, 102. + + Dunn, William, 67, 71. + + Dunston, Thomas, 31. + + Dunwell, ----, 304. + + Durffie, Richard, 284. + + Durell, Captain, 211, 281. + + Dyer, ----, 114. + + + Easton, Peter, 2, 5. + + Eastwick, Captain, 205, 207. + + Eaton, Edward, 294, 301. + + Edgecomb, Capt., 34, 36. + + Edwards, Benjamin, 144, 288, 289, 301. + + Eldridge, Webster, 126. + + Eleuthera, W. I., 29. + + Ellery, Dependence, 322. + + Ellicot, Captain, 206. + + Elwell, Joshua, 322. + Samuel, 322. + + Emmot, Joseph, 73, 76-79. + + England, Edward, 345, 349. + + English, Philip, 56. + + Erickson, Erick, 322. + + Esquemeling, John, 12. + + Ester, Captain, 301. + + Estwick, Captain, 291, 298. + + + Fabens, James, 226. + Lawrence, 150, 219, 226, 234. + + Faro, Captain, 346. + + Falmouth, Me., 57. + + Farrington, Thomas, 102. + + Feake, John, 46, 48, 49. + + Feny, John, 94. + + Ferguson, William, 335. + + Fern, Thomas, 315, 316, 318, 319-321, 380. + + Fife, James, 345. + + Filmore, John, 311-313, 317, 321-324, 379. + + Fillmore, Millard, 311. + + Fisher, Dr. Archibald, 298, 303, 309. + + Fitz-Gerald, John, 294, 298, 307. + + Fitzgerald, Thomas, 122-124. + + Fitzherbert, John, 330. + + Flags, _see_ Pirate flags. + + Fletcher, Gov. Benjamin, 17,84,92-95. + John, 295, 306. + + Flucker, James, 145, 148, 150, 219, 359. + + Fly, William, 328-337. + + Folger, Abissai, 305. + + Forcing men, 359. + + Ford, John, 260. + + Forrest, William, 25. + + Foster, John, 68. + William, 23. + + Franklin, Benjamin, 294. + + Fraser, William, 205, 206. + + Frontenac, Governor, 18. + + Freeborn, Matthew, 140. + + Freeman, Edward, 322. + + Fulker, John, 331, 332. + + Fulmore, Simon, 280. + + Furber, Captain, 317. + + + Gale, John, 331. + + Gallison, Jane, 221. + + Gallop, Benjamin, 63, 99. + + Gardiner, ----, 38. + John, 79. + + Gardiner’s Island, N. Y., 30, 37, 41, 79. + + George, John, 68, 69. + + Gibbetting, 83, 113, 326, 327, 336, 340, 369. + + Giddings, John, 60, 66, 71. + + Giddins, Paul, 102. + + Gifford, Jane, 270. + Robert, 218-220, 270. + + Gilbert, Mrs. Mary, 327. + Richard, 84. + + Giles, Harry, 312, 320, 323. + + Gillam, James, 34-38. + + Girdler, George, 333. + + Glen, Thomas, 285. + + Gloucester, Mass., 18, 105. + + Glover, ----, 93, 96. + + Goffe, Christopher, 30-32. + + Gorges, Sir Ferdinando, 20. + + Gough, Captain, 96, 350. + + Gould, ----, 272. + + Goulden, Penelope, 92. + + Goulding, Captain, 154. + + Gourdon, Zana, 236. + + Graham, ----, 28. + + Grande, Thomas, 264. + + Granger, Roger, 140. + + Grant, Peter, 50. + + Graves, Captain, 214. + + Green, John, 328, 329. + + Greenman, Captain, 207. + + Greenville, Henry, 334, 336. + + Grenada, W. I., 201. + + Griffin, Richard, 55, 66, 67, 70. + Thomas, 31. + + Gross, Dixey, 279, 280. + + Gulleck, Thomas, 40. + + Gullock, Capt., 38. + + Gwatkins, Captain, 136. + + + Hains, Richard, 215. + + Hall, Nathaniel, 149. + Thomas, 84. + + Hallam, Nicholas, 28. + + Halsey, Dinah, 39. + James, 39. + John, 39, 40. + + Hamilton, Captain, 144. + + Haraden, Andrew, 310-323. + + Harding, Samuel, 127, 128. + Thomas, 9. + + Hargrave, ----, 136. + + Harvey, ----, 27. + + Harris, Charles, 5, 135, 144, 145, 153, 154, 206, 208, 212, 226, 282, + 288-309. + Samuel, 333. + + Harwood, John, 102. + + Haskell, Captain, 322, 379. + + Hawkins, Abigail, 68. + Hannah, 68. + Thomas, 23, 33, 55-70, 279-281. + + Hazell, Thomas, 295, 306. + + Headland, John, 148. + + Heath, Peleg, 33. + + Heed, Captain, 138. + + Henley, ----, 30. + + Herrick, Captain, 105. + + Hesh, George, 58. + + Hester, ----, 306. + + Higginson, Rev. John, 89, 350. + Nathaniel, 89. + Thomas, 350. + + Hill, Henry, 329. + John, 58, 71. + + Hilliard, Edward, 46. + + Hinchard, Dr. John, 295. + + Hobby, Charles, 99, 110. + + Holding, Anthony, 102, 109. + + Holloway, Henry, 31. + + Holman, John, 229. + + Honan, Daniel, 94. + + Honduras, Bay of, 142, 203, 288, 341-344. + + Hood, Captain, 211. + John, 137. + + Hoof, Peter Cornelius, 130, 131. + + Hope, John, 260, 264, 265. + + Hopkins, Caleb, 128. + John, 282. + + Hore, ----, 17, 34, 38, 93. + + Hornygold, Benjamin, 116, 345. + + Hubbard, Captain, 9. + + Huggit, Thomas, 294, 301. + + Hull, Edward, 24. + John, 23, 24. + + Hunt, Captain, 216. + + Hunter, Andrew, 137, 140. + Henry, 137, 140. + + Hussam, Captain, 320. + + Hutchinson, ----, 9. + Elisha, 68. + + Hutnot, Joseph, 102. + + Hyde, Daniel, 149, 294, 298. + + + Ireland, John, 74. + + Isles of Shoals, 31, 106. + + Ivemay, Charles, 312, 321, 323. + + + Jacob, ----, 270. + + Jamaica Discipline, 356. + + James, Charles, 102. + + Jenkins, Thomas, 329. + + Jennings, ----, 5. + Henry, 343-345. + + Johnson, Charles, v, xviii. + + Johnson, Isaac, 102. + Thomas, 33, 56-70. + + Jones, Captain, 281. + Thomas, 92, 96, 294, 301, 302, 304. + William, 102, 106, 295, 301. + + Judson, Randall, 47, 50. + + Julian, John, 122, 125, 130. + + + Kelly, James, 35. + + Kelsey, Captain, 285. + + Kencate, Dr. John, 302, 304. + + Kendale, Ralph, 137. + + Kent, Ebenezer, 285. + John, 59. + + Kewes, Peter, 294. + + Kidd, Robert, 83. + Rev. John, 74. + Mrs. Sarah, 79, 80. + William, 35, 36, 42, 43, 73-83, 350. + + King, Charles, 102. + + King, Francis, 111, 113, 378. + John, 102. + Peter, 135. + + Knight, Christopher, 33. + + Knot, Captain, 35, 36, 39. + + + La Bouche, Oliver, 345, 360. + + Lacey, Abraham, 294. + + Lakin, Thomas, 66. + + Lambert, ----, 122. + John, 102, 103, 110-113, 376, 378. + + Lancy, William, 321-323. + + Lander, Daniel, 66, 67, 70. + + Lansley, Captain, 322. + + Larkin, David, 58. + George, 88. + + Larramore, Captain, 104-106, 114. + + Lassen, Isaac (indian), 317, 323. + + Laughton, Francis, 298. + + Lawrence, Edward, 335. + Richard, 102, 103. + + Laws, Captain, 319. + + Lawson, Edward, 294, 298. + Nicholas, 102. + + Layal, Captain, 301. + + Layton, Francis, 295. + + Lebous, Louis, 116, 117. + + Legg, Colonel, 104, 105. + + Leonard, Robert, 201, 203. + + Leverett, Governor, 45. + + Levercott, Samuel, 140. + + Lewis, Nicholas, 140. + + Libbie, Joseph, 150, 219, 226, 236, 295, 303-305. + + Libertatia, Madagascar, 86, 89, 349. + + Lilly, Captain, 155. + + Lindsay, David, 144, 289. + + Linisker, Thomas, 295. + + Littleton, Captain, 273. + + Livingston, Robert, 74, 75. + + Logwood, 341. + + L’Olonnais, ----, 14. + + Long, Captain, 149. + + Long Island, N. Y., 17. + + Loper, Jacobus, 61. + + Lopez, Jacob, 309. + + Lord, John, 58, 71. + William, 60. + + Lovering, Captain, 206. + + Low, Edward, 132, 134, 135, 138, 139, 141-242, 270, 277, 279, 286, 290, + 293, 304, 322, 339, 359. + Elizabeth, 142. + + Lowther, George, 132-140, 143-146, 213-216, 277, 281, 289, 290, 339, + 359. + + Lyde, Edward, 204. + + Lyne, Philip, 287. + + + Machias, Me., 47. + + MacKarty, Captain, 286. + + Mackconachy, Alexander, 122, 124. + + Mackdonald, Edward, 140. + + Madagascar, 19, 40, 42, 86, 87, 92, 95, 346-352. + + Madbury, John, 204. + + Main, Paul, 69. + + Maine coast, 20. + + Mainwaring, Henry, 2-4. + + Maise, ----, 42. + + Manning, George, 46, 48. + + Marble, Eliza, 141. + + Marblehead, 99, 101, 103, 150, 270. + + Marooning, 13, 356. + + Marsh, William, 298-300. + + Marshall, Joseph, 335. + + Martel, John, 345. + + Mason, ----, 93. + + Masters, John, 317, 323. + + Mather, Rev. Cotton, 9, 25, 66, 112, 115, 125, 131, 328, 336, 337. + Rev. Increase, 49. + + Maverick, Samuel, 22. + + May, George, 327. + + Mayhew, Matthew, 63. + + Maze, William, 74. + + Meinzies, James, 108, 114. + + Mercy, Captain, 301. + + Merritt, Nicholas, 150, 155, 218, 219, 222, 224, 226, 229, 234, + 270-276. + + Meston, Charles, 359. + + Miller, John, 102, 103, 110, 111, 376, 378. + + Mills, William, 313. + + Minott, William, 315, 324. + + Mission, Captain, 86, 90, 91, 349. + + Mitchell, Alexander, 329, 333. + George, 129. + Thomas, 50, 51. + + Mixture, Sam, 69. + + Montgomery, ----, 119. + + Moore, Captain, 281, 317. + Walter, 139, 140. + William, 82, 83. + + Morris, Thomas, 280. + + Morgan, Henry, 14, 15. + + Mortimer, Robert, 321. + + Mosely, Samuel, 48, 50. + + Mountjoy, George, 50, 51. + + Mudd, John, 300, 303. + + Mues, William, 346. + + Mumford, Thomas (indian), 300, 302, 305. + + Munday, Robert, 365. + + Mundon, Stephen, 294. + + + Nantucket, 209. + + Narramore, Richard, 29-31. + + Nauset, Mass., 61. + + Navigation Acts, 16. + + Neff, William, 58, 71. + + Nelley, James, 280. + + Newfoundland, 2, 39, 150, 210, 315, 339, 361. + + New London, Conn., 27. + + Newport, R. I., 9, 17, 30, 87, 92, 94, 103, 148, 295-307, 346, 365. + + New Providence, W. I., 344. + + New York, N. Y., 349. + + Nichols, William, 218, 219. + + Norton, Benjamin, 204. + George, 102. + + Noxon, Thomas, 135. + + Nutt, John, 311, 312, 315, 324. + + + Oort, John, 79. + + Orford, Earl of, 74. + + Orleans, Mass., 124, 128. + + Orne, ----, 225. + + Otley, Colonel, 139. + + Outerbridge, William, 84, 88. + + Owen, Richard, 202. + + + Paige, Nicholas, 29, 99. + + Pain, Thomas, 36. + + Panama, 14. + + Papillion, Peter, 148. + + Pare, ----, 234. + + Parrot, James, 102, 103, 108. + + Parsons, John, 317. + Joseph, 327. + + Patteshall, Richard, 28. + + Pattison, James, 102. + + Payne, ----, 145. + Henry, 323. + + Pearce, Richard, 51. + + Pease, James, 155. + Samuel, 63-66. + + Peirse, George, 102. + + Pemaquid, Me., 21, 22. + + Penner, Major, 345. + + Perkins, Benjamin, 102, 106. + + Perrin, W. G., 367. + + Perry, Matthew, 285. + + Peterson, ----, 9. + Erasmus, 102, 110, 111, 113, 376, 378. + + Phillips, Frederick, 42, 89, 350. + John, 310-324, 339, 379, 380. + Thomas, xvii. + William, 319, 320, 323. + + Phips, Richard, 58, 66, 71. + + Picket, John, 62. + + Pier, ----, 270. + + Pierson, Henry, 41. + + Pike, Samuel, Jr., 279, 280. + + Pimer, Matthew, 102, 103, 108, 109. + + Piracy, executions for, 25, 33, 43, 67, 83, 112, 131, 140, 287, 307, + 324, 337, 367, 376. + Laws against, 25, 100, 362. + Trials for, 25, 33, 43, 49, 66, 82, 107, 113, 130, 296, 322, 335, + 365. + + Pirate articles, 21, 122, 146, 314, 315, 320, 356. + Pirate flags, 59, 64, 116, 164, 208, 278, 288, 292, 308, 324, 359. + + Pirate vessel, life on a, 157-199, 353-358. + + Pitman, Captain, 207. + John, 102. + + Plantain, ----, 349. + + Ploughman, Daniel, 371-375. + + Plowman, Daniel, 99, 101, 109. + + Plymouth, Mass., 23, 209. + + Port Mayo, 145. + + Port Royal, Jamaica, 14, 15, 152. + + Porto Bello, 11. + + Portsmouth, N. H., 31. + + Pound, Thomas, 33, 54-70. + + Povey, Thomas, 102, 103, 107. + + Powel, Thomas, 294. + + Pownall, Thomas, 303-305. + + Prentice, John, 27. + + Prince, Isaac, 55. + Job, 211. + Lawrence, 118. + + Privateering, 9, 18, 22, 23, 84. + Commission, 371. + Instructions, 373. + + Pro, John, 351. + + Puerto Velo, 14. + + + Quelch, John, 9, 18, 99-115. + John, Dying speech of, 376, 377. + + Quintor, Hendrick, 130. + + Quittance, John, 102. + + + Rackham, John, 354. + + Randolph, Edward, 19, 31. + + Ray, Caleb, 41, 42. + + Rayner, William, 102. + + Rea, Captain, 138. + Dr. Caleb, 113. + + Read, Mary, xviii. + William, 294. + + Red Sea, 17, 30, 34, 85, 89, 96, 346. + + Reed, Captain, 317. + + Reeve, Thomas, 295. + + Rhoades, John, 365. + + Rhode, John, 44-53, 271. + + Rhode Island, 17, 19, 36, 37, 42, 92. + + Rice, Owen, 294. + + Rich, Richard, 359. + Robert, 146. + + Richards, Captain, 117. + John, 68. + + Richardson, Nicholas, 102. + William, 281. + + Roach, Captain, 152. + Peter, 106, 110, 111, 376, 378. + + Roatan, W. I., 220, 241, 280. + + Roberts, Bart., 43. + Bartholomew, 314, 339, 340, 353, 360, 361. + George, 156-199. + + Robinson, Captain, 211. + Abraham, 18. + + Roderigo, Peter, 45-51. + + Rogers, Woods, 344, 345, 347, 354. + + Romney, Earl of, 74. + + Roseway, N. S., 149, 218-220, 224-231. + + Ross, Captain, 314. + + Rush, James, 279. + + Russell, Charles, 132. + John, 156, 163, 169-198, 225, 230. + + Ruth, Richard, 331, 332. + + Ryswick, Peace of, 10, 15. + + + Salem, Mass., 111. + + Sallee, Morocco, 5. + + Salter, John, 321. + Thomas, 218, 219. + + Sample, R., 345. + + Sandison, Captain, 205. + + Sanford, Colonel, 34, 35. + + Sargent, Epes, 313. + + Scarlett, Captain, 49. + + Scot, Andrew, 155, 157, 302. + Lewis, 14. + + Scottow, Joshua, 50. + + Scudamore, Christopher, 102, 109, 110, 376, 378. + + Scudder, Thomas, 30. + + Sebada, Kempo, 24. + + Sergeant, Peter, 73, 76, 80. + + Sewall, Samuel, 66, 67, 102-107, 112, 114, 335, 368. + Stephen, 104-107, 220. + + Shapleigh, Major, 47. + Nicholas, 25. + + Sharp, Bart., xviii. + + Shaw, John, 140. + + Sheehan, John, 130. + + Shelley, ----, 38. + + Shipton, Captain, 217, 283-287. + + Shortrigs, William, 32. + + Shrewsbury, Duke of, 74. + + Shrimpton, Epaphras, 68. + Samuel, 67. + + Shute, Gov. Samuel, 127, 130. + + Shutfield, William, 294. + + Siccadam, John, 66, 67, 70. + + Silver oar, 367, 376. + + Simons, Nicholas, 285, 286. + + Simpkins, Captain, 155, 202. + + Skiff, Nathan, 209. + + Skillegorne, Captain, 276. + + Slyfield, George, 138. + + Smart, John, 58. + + Smith, Edward, 298. + Henry, 144, 289. + John, 1, 4, 7, 25, 359. + William, 124. + + Sole, John, 127. + + Solgard, Peter, 207, 208, 212, 282, 292-309. + + Somers, Lord, 74, 81. + + Sound, Joseph, 294, 300, 302. + + South, Thomas, 117, 130, 131. + + Southack, Cyprian, 127-129. + + Spafforth, Captain, 204. + + Sparks, James, 312, 315, 324. + + Spiller, Mary, 311. + + Spriggs, Francis Farrington, 156, 184, 185, 189, 193, 201, 203, 206, + 216, 217, 220, 238, 264, 277-287, 290, 339. + + Sprinkly, James, 302. + + Stamford, Conn., 17. + + Stanbridge, Edward, 327. + + Stanny, Richard, 137. + + Staples, Captain, 155. + + Start, Captain, 322. + + Staunton, Daniel, 27. + + Stephens, ----, 279. + Richard, 161. + + Stephenson, Captain, 216. + + Stone, Captain, 88. + + Storey, Thomas, 33. + + Storms, severe, 151, 234. + + Streator, Thomas, 330, 334. + + Sweating, 278. + + Sweet, Dr. James, 129. + + Sweetser, Joseph, 146, 294, 295, 303-305, 359. + + Symonds, John, 265-268. + + + Taffery, Peter, 317, 324. + + Tasker, George, 334. + + Taylor, ----, 349. + William, 317, 319, 323, 324. + + Teach, Captain, 316. + Edward, 345, 360. + + Templeton, John, 102, 106. + + Tew, Richard, 84. + Thomas, 17, 74, 84-98, 347. + + Thaxter, Joseph, 59. + + Thomas, James, 32. + + Thomas, John, 50. + + Thompson, ----, 5. + Captain, 152, 214. + + Thorogood, Samuel, 287. + + Thurbar, Richard, 102. + + Tillinghast, Peter, 215. + + Tomkins, John, 294. + + Tortuga, 11-15. + + Tosh, William, 129. + + Tozer, Captain, 117. + Elias, 282. + + Trefry, Thomas, 218-220. + + Triangles, W. I., 200, 235. + + Tricker, Israel, 313. + + Trot, Nicholas, 282. + + Tulford, Richard, 50. + + Turner, Captain, 105, 107. + + + Umper, Tom (indian), 295. + + Uran, Edward, 51. + + Uring, Nathaniel, 342. + + + Valentine, John, 108, 296. + + Van der Scure, Frederick, 202. + + Van Vorst, Simon, 123, 130, 131. + + Vane, Charles, 345, 354. + + Veale, Captain, 27. + + Vessels. + Abraham Fisher (privateer), 62. + Adventure (hakeboat), 40, 41. + Adventure (sloop), 39. + Adventure Galley (ship), 75. + Advice (man-of-war), 43, 80. + Albemarle (East Indiaman), 40. + America (ship), 38. + Amity (ship), 346. + Amity (sloop), 84, 87, 96, 97. + Amsterdam Merchant (ship), 207, 291, 296, 298. + Amy (ship), 136. + Antonio (ship), 25. + Batchelor’s Delight (ship), 283. + Bijoux (ship), 91. + Boneta (brigantine), 331. + Brothers Adventure (sloop), 62. + Carteret (ship), 207. + Charles (brigantine), 39, 99-102, 107, 134. + Childhood (sloop), 87. + Content (sloop), 317. + Crown (ship), 206. + Daniel (brigantine), 282. + Delight (ship), 216, 278. + Diamond (man-of-war), 215, 217, 268, 283, 284. + Dolphin (sloop), 379. + Dolphin (vessel), 346. + Dove (ship), 152. + Eagle (sloop), 139, 140. + Edward and Thomas (barque), 46. + Elinor (ketch), 32. + Elizabeth (shallop), 218. + Elizabeth (snow), 328. + Endeavor (sloop), 279. + Fame’s Revenge (snow), 330, 334. + Fancy (schooner), 203, 218, 220, 226, 277, 290. + Fanny (vessel), 346. + Farley (sloop), 210. + Feversham (man-of-war), 134. + Flying Horse (privateer), 44, 45. + Fortune (ship), 63. + Fortune (sloop), 206, 291. + Frederick (ship), 89. + Gambia Castle (ship), 132, 277. + Glasgow (sloop), 320, 323. + Good Fortune (ship), 314. + Good Speed (sloop), 58, 59. + Good-Will (schooner), 321. + Greyhound (man-of-war), 207, 208, 212, 292, 296, 308. + Greyhound (ship), 144, 145, 288, 289. + Guernsey (man-of-war), 115. + Happy Delivery (ship), 132, 135, 139, 140, 144. + Happy Delivery (sloop), 216, 289, 290. + Hopefull Betty (sloop), 207. + Irwin (ship), 314. + James (schooner), 333. + Jane (shallop), 218, 219, 270. + John and Betty (ship), 331, 335. + John and Elizabeth (brigantine), 137. + John and Hannah (sloop), 331. + Jolly Batchelor (vessel), 279. + King George (vessel), 206. + King Sagamore (ship), 155, 157. + King William (ship), 206. + Larramore Galley, 104, 106. + Liberty (sloop), 87. + Lincolnshire (sloop), 138. + Little Joseph (sloop), 136. + Liverpool Merchant (ship), 154, 301. + Margaret (sloop), 156-199. + Mary (brigantine), 317. + Mary (ketch), 56, 71. + Mary (schooner), 150, 218, 219. + Mary (sloop), 63. + Mary and John (ship), 285. + Mary Ann (pink), 122, 131. + Mary Ann (sloop), 116. + Mary Galley (ship), 135. + Mere de Dieu (ship), 152. + Mermaid (man-of-war), 202, 203, 238, 277. + Merriam (sloop), 281. + Merrimack (brigantine), 59. + Merry Christmas (ship), 213, 216, 217. + Milton (schooner), 218, 219, 224. + Mocha (frigate), 34. + Nathaniel (sloop), 127. + Nostra Dame (ship), 152. + Nostra Signiora de Victoria (ship), 201. + Pearl (vessel), 346. + Penobscot (shallop), 46. + Philip (shallop), 46. + Pompey (ship), 330. + Portsmouth Adventure (vessel), 346. + Postillion (sloop), 116. + Princess (vessel), 139. + Province Galley, 127. + Quidah Merchant (ship), 42. + Rachel (sloop), 333. + Ranger (sloop), 145, 206, 208, 226, 277, 278, 291, 300, 303, 308. + Rebecca (brigantine), 145, 148, 149, 218, 219, 277, 359. + Rebeckah (schooner), 218, 219. + Resolution (sloop), 59. + Revenge (schooner), 315-324. + Rose (frigate), 54, 68. + Rose (pink), 152-155, 200, 220, 233, 270. + St. Michael (ship), 117. + Sally Rose (frigate), 69. + Samuel (schooner), 218. + Samuel (ship), 361. + Sea Flower (sloop), 114. + Seafort (ship), 23. + Sea Horse (man-of-war), 212, 281. + Separation (ship), 23. + Solebay (man-of-war), 150, 151. + Sparrow (ketch), 29. + Squirrel (ship), 216. + Squirrel (sloop), 310-313. + Stanhope (pink), 202. + Sultana (ship), 117, 118. + Susannah (ship), 160. + Swallow frigott (barque), 24. + Swallow (man-of-war), xxii. + Swan (ship), 9, 31. + Swan (sloop), 129. + Swift (schooner), 137. + Sycamore (galley), 302, 303, 306. + Thomasine (ship), 287. + Trial (shallop), 104. + Unity (snow), 201, 203. + Victoire (ship), 90, 91. + Whidaw (galley), 117-130. + William (sloop), 205. + Wright (galley), 153. + + Vyall, John, 28. + + + Wadham, Captain, 315. + + Wainwright, Colonel, 104. + + Wake, Captain, 96. + Thomas, 74. + + Wakefield, Samuel, 104. + + Waldron, Captain, 309. + Jacob, 210. + William, 46, 48. + + Walker, Samuel, 331, 334. + + Walking the plank, 361. + + Wall, John, 149. + + Walters, John, 295. + + Want, Captain, 95, 96, 346. + + Wappen, Rupert, 138. + + Wapping, Eng., 5, 83. + + Ward, ----, 5. + + Warden, William, 320. + + Warren, William, 66, 67, 70. + + Waters, John, 300, 302. + Sampson, 28. + + Watkins, John, 58, 71. + + Watson, Harry, 137, 140. + + Watts, Samuel, 71. + + Way, John, 102. + + Weaver, ----, 84. + + Webb, Rev. ----, 326. + + Weekham, Benjamin, 300. + + Welch, John, 276. + + Welland, John, 207, 291, 296, 298-300, 303. + + Wellfleet, Mass., 125. + + Wells, ----, 114. + + West Indies, 10-15, 341, 342, 348. + + West, Richard, 140. + + Wetherley, Tee, 34, 42. + + Wharton, ----, 19. + + Wheeler, Benjamin, 282, 322. + John, 28. + Thomas, 50. + + White, ----, 105. + Anthony, 84, 88. + Robert, 140. + William, 315, 320, 322-325, 379. + + Whiting, William, 102, 103. + + Wickstead, Captain, 139. + + Wiggoner, ----, 69. + + Wild, Elias, 213. + + Wiles, William, 102, 103, 111. + + Wilkinson, Thomas, 31. + + Williams, James, 117, 131. + John, 45, 51. + Paul, 116, 117, 119, 121, 129, 345. + Paulsgrave, 116. + + Williard, John, 207. + + Willing, Captain, 205. + + Willis, Joseph, 144, 289. + Robert, 140, 146, 359. + + Wilson, Alexander, 25. + John, 294, 300, 305. + + Winter, Christopher, 345. + + Winthrop, Adam, 68. + John, 24. + Thomas, 329, 330. + Waitstill, 67, 68. + + Wollery, William, 30. + + Wood, James, 319. + William, 280. + + Woodbury, John, 57. + + Worley, Captain, 360. + + Wyndham, James, 215, 283. + + + Yaw, David, 322. + + + + + PUBLICATIONS OF THE + MARINE RESEARCH SOCIETY + + SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS + + + I. THE SAILING SHIPS OF NEW ENGLAND, 1607-1907, by JOHN + ROBINSON and GEORGE FRANCIS DOW. Large 8vo. (7 x 10), + 320 illustrations, 430 pages, blue buckram binding. + + Sixty copies were printed on large paper. + + II. THE PIRATES OF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST, 1630-1730, by + GEORGE FRANCIS DOW and JOHN HENRY EDMONDS, WITH AN + INTRODUCTION BY CAPT. ERNEST H. PENTECOST, R. N. R. + Large 8vo. (7 x 10), 47 illustrations, 416 pages, red + buckram binding. + + Eighty-five copies were printed on large paper. + + III. WRECKED AMONG CANNIBALS IN THE FIJIIS, by WILLIAM + ENDICOTT, WITH NOTES BY LAWRENCE WATERS JENKINS, 8vo. + (6¼ x 9½), 13 illustrations, 82 pages, Fabriano paper + boards, linen back. + + + + +Transcriber’s Notes + + + • New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the + public domain. + • Images have been relocated close to related content. + • Endpaper map illustrations have been relocated to end of text, + before index. + • Footnotes have been renumbered consecutively and relocated at the end + of the related chapters. + • Perceived typographical errors have been silently corrected. + • Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved. + • Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. + + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75282 *** |