Illustration 017THEHISTORYOF THEPYRATES.

AAS the Pyrates in theWest-Indieshave been so formidable and numerous, that they have interrupted the Trade ofEuropeinto those Parts; and ourEnglishMerchants, in particular, have suffered more by their Depredations, than by the united Force ofFranceandSpain, in the late War: We do not doubt but the World will be curious to know the Original and Progress of these Desperadoes, who were the Terror of the trading Part of the World.

But before we enter upon their particular History, it will not be amiss, by way of Introduction, to shew, by some Examples drawn from History, the great Mischief and Danger which threaten Kingdoms and Commonwealths, from the Increaseof these sort of Robbers; when either by the Troubles of particular Times, or the Neglect of Governments, they are not crush’d before they gather Strength.

It has been the Case heretofore, that when a single Pyrate has been suffered to range the Seas, as not being worth the Notice of a Government, he has by Degrees grown so powerful, as to put them to the Expence of a great deal of Blood and Treasure, before he was suppress’d. We shall not examine how it came to pass, that our Pyrates in theWest-Indieshave continually increased till of late; this is an Enquiry which belongs to the Legislature, or Representatives of the People in Parliament, and to them we shall leave it.

Our Business shall be briefly to shew, what from Beginnings, as inconsiderable as these, other Nations have suffered.

In the Times ofMariusandSylla,Romewas in her greatest Strength, yet she was so torn in Pieces by the Factions of those two great Men, that every Thing which concerned the publick Good was altogether neglected, when certain Pyrates broke out fromCicilia, a Country ofAsia Minor, situate on the Coast of theMediterranean, betwixtSyriaon the East, from whence it is divided by MountTauris, andArmenia Minoron the West. This Beginning was mean and inconsiderable, having but two or three Ships, and a few Men, with which they cruised about theGreekIslands, taking such Ships as were very ill arm’d or weakly defended; however, by the taking of many Prizes, they soon increased in Wealth and Power: The first Action of their’s which made a Noise, was the taking ofJulius Cæsar, who was as yet a Youth, and who being obliged to fly from the Cruelties ofSylla, who sought his Life, went intoBithinia, and sojourned a while withNicomedes, King of that Country; in his Return backby Sea, he was met with, and taken, by some of these Pyrates, near the Island ofPharmacusa: These Pyrates had a barbarous Custom of tying their Prisoners Back to Back and throwing them into the Sea; but, supposingCæsarto be some Person of a high Rank, because of his purple Robes, and the Number of his Attendants, they thought it would be more for their Profit to preserve him, in hopes of receiving a great Sum for his Ransom; therefore they told him he should have his Liberty, provided he would pay them twenty Talents, which they judg’d to be a very high Demand, in our Money, about three thousand six hundred Pounds Sterling; he smiled, and of his own Accord promised them fifty Talents; they were both pleased, and surpriz’d at his Answer, and consented that several of his Attendants should go by his Direction and raise the Money; and he was left among these Ruffians with no more than 3 Attendants. He pass’d eight and thirty Days, and seemed so little concerned or afraid, that often when he went to sleep, he used to charge them not to make a Noise, threatening, if they disturbed him, to hang them all; he also play’d at Dice with them, and sometimes wrote Verses and Dialogues, which he used to repeat, and also cause them to repeat, and if they did not praise and admire them, he would call them Beasts and Barbarians, telling them he would crucify them. They took all these as the Sallies of a juvenile Humour, and were rather diverted, than displeased at them.

At length his Attendants return’d with his Ransom, which he paid, and was discharged; he sail’d for the Port ofMiletum, where, as soon as he was arriv’d, he used all his Art and Industry in fitting out a Squadron of Ships, which he equipp’d and arm’d at his own Charges; and sailing in Quest of the Pyrates, he surpriz’d them as they lay at Anchoramong the Islands, and took those who had taken him before, with some others; the Money he found upon them he made Prize of, to reimburse his Charges, and he carry’d the Men toPergamusorTroy, and there secured them in Prison: In the mean Time, he apply’d himself toJunius, then Governor ofAsia, to whom it belonged to judge and determine of the Punishment of these Men; butJuniusfinding there was no Money to be had, answeredCæsar, that he would think at his Leisure, what was to be done with those Prisoners;Cæsartook his Leave of him, returned back toPergamus, and commanded that the Prisoners should be brought out and executed, according to Law in that Case provided; which is taken Notice of, in a Chapter at the End of this Book, concerning the Laws in Cases of Pyracy: And thus he gave them that Punishment in Earnest, which he had often threatned them with in Jest.

Cæsarwent strait to Rome, where, being engaged in the Designs of his own private Ambition, as were almost all the leading Men in Rome, the Pyrates who were left, had Time to increase to a prodigious Strength; for while the civil Wars lasted, the Seas were left unguarded, so thatPlutarchtells us, that they erected diverse Arsenals full of all manner of warlike Stores, made commodious Harbours, set up Watch-Towers and Beacons all along the Coasts ofCilicia; that they had a mighty Fleet, well equipp’d and furnish’d, with Galliots of Oars, mann’d, not only with Men of desperate Courage, but also with expert Pilots and Mariners; they had their Ships of Force, and light Pinnaces for cruising and making Discoveries, in all no less than a thousand Sail; so gloriously set out, that they were as much to be envied for their gallant Shew, as fear’d for their Force; having the Stern and Quarters all gilded with Gold and their Oars platedwith Silver, as well as purple Sails; as if their greatest Delight had been to glory in their Iniquity. Nor were they content with committing Pyracies and Insolencies by Sea, they committed as great Depredations by Land, or rather made Conquests; for they took and sack’d no less than four hundred Cities, laid several others under Contributions, plundered the Temples of the Gods, and inriched themselves with the Offerings deposited in them; they often landed Bodies of Men, who not only plundered the Villages along the Sea Coast, but ransacked the fine Houses of the Noblemen along the Tiber. A Body of them once tookSextilliusandBellinus, twoRomanPrætors, in their purple Robes, going from Rome to their Governments, and carried them away with all their Sergeants, Officers and Vergers; they also took the Daughter ofAntoniusa consular Person, and one who had obtained the Honour of a Triumph, as she was going to the Country House of her Father.

But what was most barbarous, was a Custom they had when they took any Ship, of enquiring of the Person on Board, concerning their Names and Country; if any of them said he was aRoman, they fell down upon their Knees, as if in a Fright at the Greatness of that Name, and begg’d Pardon for what they had done, and imploring his Mercy, they used to perform the Offices of Servants about his Person, and when they found they had deceived him into a Belief of their being sincere, they hung out the Ladder of the Ship, and coming with a shew of Courtesy, told him, he had his Liberty, desiring him to walk out of the Ship, and this in the Middle of the Sea, and when they observed him in Surprize, as was natural, they used to throw him overboard with mighty shouts of Laughter; so wanton they were in their Cruelty.

Thus, whileRomewas Mistress oft he World, she suffered Insults and Affronts, almost at her Gates, from these powerful Robbers; but what for a while made Faction cease, and roused the Genius of that People, never used to suffer Wrongs from a fair Enemy, was an excessive Scarcity of Provisions inRome, occasioned by all the Ships loaden with Corn and Provisions fromSicily,Corsica, and other Places, being intercepted and taken by these Pyrates, insomuch that they were almost reduced to a Famine: Upon this,PompeytheGreatwas immediately appointed General to manage this War; five hundered Ships were immediately fitted out, he had fourteen Senators, Men of Experience in the War, for his Vice-Admirals; and so considerable an Enemy, were these Ruffians become, that no less than an Army of a hundred thousand Foot, and five thousand Horse was appointed to invade them by Land; but it happened very luckily forRome, thatPompeysail’d out before the Pyrate had Intelligence of a Design against them, so that their Ships were scattered all over theMediterranean, like Bees gone out from a Hive, some one Way, some another, to bring Home their Lading;Pompeydivided his Fleet into thirteen Squadrons, to whom he appointed their several Stations, so that great Numbers of the Pyrates fell into their Hands, Ship by Ship, without any Loss; forty Days he passed in scouring theMediterranean, some of the Fleet cruizing along the Coast ofAfrick, some about the Islands, and some upon the Italian Coasts, so that often those Pyrates who were flying from one Squadron, fell in with another; however, some of them escaped, and these making directly toCilicia, and acquainting their Confederates on Shore with what had happened, they appointed a Rendezvous of all the Ships that had escaped at the Port ofCoracesium, in the same Country.Pompeyfinding theMediterraneanquite clear, appointed a Meeting of all his Fleet at the Haven ofBrundusium, and from thence sailing round into theAdriatick, he went directly to attack these Pyrates in their Hives; as soon as he came near theCoracesiuminCilicia, where the Remainder of the Pyrates now lay, they had the Hardiness to come and give him Battle, but the Genius of oldRomeprevailed, and the Pyrates received an entire Overthrow, being all either taken or destroyed; but as they made many strong Fortresses upon the Sea Coast, and built Castles and strong Holds up the Country, about the Foot of MountTaurus, he was obliged to besiege them with his Army; some Places he took by Storm, others surrendered to his Mercy, to whom he gave their Lives, and at length he made an entire Conquest.

But it is probable, that had these Pyrates receiv’d sufficient Notice of theRomanPreparation against them, so as they might have had Time to draw their scattered Strength into a Body, to have metPompeyby Sea, the Advantage appeared greatly on their Side, in Numbers of Shipping, and of Men; nor did they want Courage, as may be seen by their coming out of the Port ofCoracesium, to give theRomansBattle, with a Force much inferior to their’s; I say, had they overthrownPompey, it is likely they would have made greater Attempts, andRome, which had conquer’d the whole World, might have been subdued by a Parcel of Pyrates.

This is a Proof how dangerous it is to Governments to be negligent, and not take an early Care in suppressing these Sea Banditti, before they gather Strength.

The Truth of this Maxim may be better exemplified in the History ofBarbarouse, a Native in the City ofMitylene, in the Island ofLesbos, in theEgeanSea; a Fellow of ordinary Birth, who being bred to the Sea, first set out from thence uponthe pyrating Account with only one small Vessel, but by the Prizes he took, he gain’d immense Riches, so that getting a great Number of large Ships, all the bold and dissolute Fellows of those Islands flock’d to him, and listed in his Service, for the Hopes of Booty; so that his Strength was increased to a formidable Fleet: With these he perform’d such bold and adventurous Actions, that he became the Terror of the Seas. About this Time it happened thatSelim Eutemi, King ofAlgiers, having refused to pay the accustomed Tribute to theSpaniards, was apprehensive of an Invasion from thence; wherefore he treated withBarbarouse, upon the Foot of an Ally, to come and assist him, and deliver him from paying this Tribute;Barbarousereadily came into it, and sailing toAlgierswith a great Fleet, he put part of his Men on Shore, and having laid a Plot to surprize the City, he effected it with great Success, and murder’dSelimin a Bath; soon after which, he was himself crowned King ofAlgiers; after this he made War uponAbdilabde, King ofTunis, and overthrew him in Battle; he extended his Conquests on all Sides; and thus from a Thief became a mighty King: and tho’ he was at last kill’d in Battle, yet he had so well established himself upon that Throne, that, dying without Issue, he left the Inheritance of the Kingdom to his Brother, another Pyrate.

I come now to speak of the Pyrates infesting theWest-Indies, where they are more numerous than in any other Parts of the World, on several Reasons:

First, Because there are so many uninhabited little Islands and Keys, with Harbours convenient and secure for cleaning their Vessels, and abounding with what they often want, Provision; I mean Water, Sea-Fowl, Turtle, Shell, and other Fish; where, if they carry in but strong Liquor, theyindulge a Time, and become ready for new Expeditions before any Intelligence can reach to hurt them.

It may here perhaps be no unnecessary Digression, to explain upon what they call Keys in theWest-Indies: These are small sandy Islands, appearing a little above the Surf of the Water, with only a few Bushes or Weeds upon them, but abound (those most at any Distance from the Main) with Turtle, amphibious Animals, that always chuse the quietest and most unfrequented Place, for laying their Eggs, which are to a vast Number in the Seasons, and would seldom be seen, but for this, (except by Pyrates:) Then Vessels fromJamaicaand the other Governments make Voyages, called Turtling, for supplying the People, a common and approved Food with them. I am apt to think theseKeys, especially those nigh Islands, to have been once contiguous with them, and separated by Earthquakes (frequently there) or Inundations, because some of them that have been within continual View, as those nighJamaica, are observed within our Time, to be entirely wasted away and lost, and others daily wasting. There are not only of the Use above taken Notice of to Pyrates; but it is commonly believed were always in buccaneering pyratical Times, the hiding Places for their Riches, and often Times a Shelter for themselves, till their Friends on the Main, had found Means to obtain Indemnity for their Crimes; for you must understand, when Acts of Grace were more frequent, and the Laws less severe, these Men continually found Favours and Incouragers atJamaica, and perhaps they are not all dead yet; I have been told many of them them still living have been of the same Trade, and left it off only because they can live as well honestly, and gain now at the hazard of others Necks.

Secondly, another Reason why these Seas are chose by Pyrates, is the great Commerce thither byFrench,Spaniards,Dutch, and especiallyEnglishShips: They are sure in the Latitude of these trading Islands, to meet with Prizes, Booties of Provision, Cloathing, and Naval-Stores, and sometimes Money; there being great Sums remitted this Way toEngland; (the Returns of the Affiento, and private Slave-Trade, to theSpanish West-Indies:) And in short, by some one or other, all the Riches ofPotosi.

A third Reason, is the Inconveniency and Difficulty of being pursued by the Men of War, the many small Inlets, Lagoons and Harbours, on these solitary Islands and Keys, is a natural Security.

’Tis generally here that the Pyrates begin their Enterprizes, setting out at first with a very small Force; and by infesting these Seas, and those of the Continent ofNorth-America, in a Year’s Time, if they have good luck on their Sides, they accumulate such Strength, as enables them to make foreign Expeditions: The first, is usually toGuiney, taking theAzoresandCape de VerdIslands in their Way, and then toBraziland theEast-Indies, where if they meet with prosperous Voyages, they set down atMadagascar, or the neighbouring Islands, and enjoy their ill gotten Wealth, among their elder Brethren, with Impunity. But that I may not give too much Encouragement to the Profession, I must inform my maritime Readers, that the far greater Part of these Rovers are cut short in the Pursuit, by a sudden Precipitation into the other World.

The Rise of these Rovers, since the Peace ofUtrecht, or at least, the great Encrease of them, may justly be computed to theSpanishSettlements in theWest Indies; the Governors of which, being often some hungry Courtiers, sent thither to repair ormake a Fortune, generally Countenance all Proceedings that bring in Profit: They grant Commissions to great Numbers of Vessels of War, on Pretence of preventing an interloping Trade, with Orders to seize all Ships or Vessels whatsoever, within five Leagues of their Coasts, which ourEnglishShips cannot well avoid coming, in their Voyage toJamaica. But if theSpanishCaptains chance to exceed this Commission, and rob and plunder at Discretion, the Sufferers are allowed to complain, and exhibit a Process in their Court, and after great Expence of Suit, Delay of Time, and other Inconveniencies, obtain a Decree in their Favour, but then when the Ship and Cargo comes to be claim’d, with Costs of Suit, they find, to their Sorrow, that it has been previously condemn’d, and the Plunder divided among the Crew; the Commander that made the Capture, who alone is responsible, is found to be a poor raskally Fellow, not worth a Groat, and, no doubt, is plac’d in that Station for the like Purposes.

The frequent Losses sustain’d by our Merchants abroad, by these Pyrates, was Provocation enough to attempt something by way of Reprisal; and a fair Opportunity offering it self in the Year 1716, the Traders of theWest-Indies, took Care not to slip it over, but made the best Use of it their Circumstances would permit.

It was about two Years before, that theSpanishGalleons, or Plate Fleet, had been cast away in the Gulf orFlorida; and several Vessels from theHavana, were at work, with diving Engines, to fish up the Silver that was on board the Galleons.

TheSpaniardshad recovered some Millions of Pieces of Eight, and had carried it all to theHavana; but they had at present about 350000 Pieces of Eight in Silver, then upon the Spot, and weredaily taking up more. In the mean time, two Ships, and three Sloops, fitted out fromJamaica,Barbadoes,&c.under CaptainHenry Jennings, sail’d to the Gulf, and found theSpaniardsthere upon the Wreck; the Money before spoken of, was left on Shore, deposited in a Store-House, under the Government of two Commissaries, and a Guard of about 60 Soldiers.

The Rovers came directly upon the Place, bringing their little Fleet to an Anchor, and, in a Word, landing 300 Men, they attack’d the Guard, who immediately ran away; and thus they seized the Treasure, which they carried off, making the best of their Way toJamaica.

In their Way they unhappily met with aSpanishShip, bound fromPorto Belloto theHavana, with a great many rich Goods,viz.Bales of Cochineal, Casks of Indico, and 60000 Pieces of Eight more, which their Hands being in, they took, and having rifled the Vessel, let her go.

They went away toJamaicawith their Booty, and were followed in View of the Port, by theSpaniards, who having seen them thither, went back to the Governor of theHavana, with the Account of it, who immediately sent a Vessel to the Governor ofJamaicato complain of this Robbery, and to reclaim the Goods.

As it was in full Peace, and contrary to all Justice and Right, that this Fact was committed, they were soon made sensible that the Government atJamaicawould not suffer them to go unpunished, much less protect them. Therefore they saw a Necessity of shifting for themselves; so, to make bad worse, they went to Sea again, tho’ not without disposing of their Cargo to good Advantage, and furnishing themselves with Ammunition, Provisions,&c.and being thus made desperate, they turn’dPyrates, robbing not theSpaniardsonly, but their own Countrymen, and any Nation they could lay their Hands on.

It happened about this Time, that theSpaniards, with three or four small Men of War, fell upon our Logwood Cutters, in the Bay ofCampeachy, and Bay orHonduras; and after they had made Prizes of the following Ships and Vessels, they gave the Men belonging to them, three Sloops to carry them home, but these Men being made desperate by their Misfortunes, and meeting with the Pyrates, they took on with them, and so encreas’d their Number.

The LIST of Ships and Vessels taken by theSpanishMen of War in the Year1716.

TheStafford, CaptainKnocks, fromNew-England, bound forLondon.

Anne, ———Gernish, for ditto.

Dove, ———Grimstone, forNew-England.

A Sloop, ———Alden, for ditto.

A Brigantine, ———Mosson, for ditto.

A Brigantine, ———Turfield, for ditto.

A Brigantine, ———Tennis, for ditto.

A Ship, ——— ———Porter, for ditto.

Indian Emperor,Wentworth, forNew-England.

A Ship, ———Rich, Master.

Ditto, ———Bay.

Ditto, ———Smith.

Ditto, ———Stockum.

Ditto, ———Satlely.

A Sloop, ——— ———Richards, belonging toNew-England.

Two Sloops, ——— ——— belonging toJamaica.

One Sloop ——— ——— ofBarbadoes.

Two Ships ——— ——— fromScotland.

Two Ships ——— ——— fromHolland.

The Rovers being now pretty strong, they consulted together about getting some Place of Retreat, where they might lodge their Wealth, clean and repair their Ships, and make themselves a kind of Abode. They were not long in resolving, but fixed upon the Island ofProvidence, the most considerable of theBahamaIslands, lying in the Latitude of about 24 Degrees North, and to the Eastward of theSpanish Florida.

This Island is about 28 Miles long, and eleven where broadest, and has a Harbour big enough to hold 500 Sail of Ships; before which lies a small Island, which makes two Inlets to the Harbour; at either Way there is a Bar, over which no Ship of 500 Tun can pass. TheBahamaIslands were possess’d by theEnglishtill the Year 1700, when theFrenchandSpaniardsfromPetit Guavus, invaded them, took the Fort and Governor in the Island ofProvidence, plunder’d and destroy’d the Settlements,&c.carried off half the Blacks, and the rest of the People, who fled to the Woods, retired afterwards toCarolina.

In March 1705-6, the House of Lords did in an Address to her late Majesty, set forth,

‘That theFrenchandSpaniardshad twice, during the Time of the War, over run and plundered theBahamaIslands, that there was no Form of Government there: That the Harbour of the Isle ofProvidence, might be easily put in a Posture of Defence, and that it would be of dangerous Consequence, should those Islands fall into the Hands of the Enemy; wherefore the Lords humbly besought her Majesty to use such Methods as she should think proper for taking the said Island into her Hands, in order to secure the same to the Crown of this Kingdom, and to the Security and Advantage of the Trade thereof.

But, however it happened, no Means were used in compliance to that Address, for securing theBahamaIslands, till theEnglishPyrates had madeProvidencetheir Retreat and general Receptacle; then ’twas found absolutely necessary, in order to dislodge that troublesome Colony; and Information being made by the Merchants to the Government, of the Mischief they did, and were likely to do, his Majesty was pleased to grant the following Order.

Whitehall September15, 1716.‘COmplaint having been made to his Majesty, by great Number of Merchants, Masters of Ships and others, as well as by several Governors of his Majesty’s Islands and Plantations in theWest-Indies; that the Pyrates are grown so numerous, that they infest not only the Seas nearJamaica, but even those of the Northern Continent ofAmerica; and that, unless some effectual Means be used, the whole Trade fromGreat Britainto those Parts, will not be only obstructed, but in imminent Danger of being lost: His Majesty has, upon mature Deliberation in Council, been pleased, in the first Place, to order a proper Force to be employ’d for the suppressing the said Pyrates, which Force so to be employed, is as follows.

Whitehall September15, 1716.

‘COmplaint having been made to his Majesty, by great Number of Merchants, Masters of Ships and others, as well as by several Governors of his Majesty’s Islands and Plantations in theWest-Indies; that the Pyrates are grown so numerous, that they infest not only the Seas nearJamaica, but even those of the Northern Continent ofAmerica; and that, unless some effectual Means be used, the whole Trade fromGreat Britainto those Parts, will not be only obstructed, but in imminent Danger of being lost: His Majesty has, upon mature Deliberation in Council, been pleased, in the first Place, to order a proper Force to be employ’d for the suppressing the said Pyrates, which Force so to be employed, is as follows.

‘A List of his Majesty’s Ships and Vessels employed, and to be employed, at the British Governments and Plantations in theWest-Indies.

Place where.Rates,Ships,Guns.Jamaica,5Adventure,40Now there.Diamond,40Sail'd from hence thither 5th of last Month.Ludlow Castle,40To carry the Governor.SwiftSloop,Now there.6Winchelsea,20Surveying the Coast of the West-Indies, and then to return Home; but, during her being at Jamaica, is to join the others, for Security of the Trade, and intercepting Pyrates.Barbadoes,5Scarborough,30Now there.Leeward Islands,6Seaford,Now there.TryalSloop,6Virginia,6Lime,20Now there.5Shoreham,30Order'd Home.Pearl,40Sailed thither from Home the 7th of last Month, and is to cruise about the Capes.New-York,6Phoenix,30Now there.New-England,Squirrel,20Rose,20Order'd Home.

Place where.

Rates,

Ships,

Guns.

Jamaica,

Adventure,

Now there.

Diamond,

Sail'd from hence thither 5th of last Month.

Ludlow Castle,

To carry the Governor.

SwiftSloop,

Now there.

Winchelsea,

Surveying the Coast of the West-Indies, and then to return Home; but, during her being at Jamaica, is to join the others, for Security of the Trade, and intercepting Pyrates.

Barbadoes,

Scarborough,

Now there.

Leeward Islands,

Seaford,

Now there.

TryalSloop,

Virginia,

Lime,

Now there.

Shoreham,

Order'd Home.

Pearl,

Sailed thither from Home the 7th of last Month, and is to cruise about the Capes.

New-York,

Phoenix,

Now there.

New-England,

Squirrel,

Rose,

Order'd Home.

‘Those atJamaica,Barbadoesand the Leeward Islands, are to join upon Occasion, for annoying the Pyrates, and the Security of the Trade: And those atNew-England,VirginiaandNew-York, are to do the like.

Besides these Frigots, two Men of War were ordered to attend CaptainRogers, late Commander of the twoBristolShips, called theDukeandDutchess, that took the richAcapulcaShip, and made a Tour round the Globe. This Gentleman received a Commission from his Majesty, to be Governor of the Island ofProvidence, and was vested with Power to make Use of all possible Methods for reducingthe Pyrates; and that nothing might be wanting, he carried with him, the King’s Proclamation of Pardon, to those who should return to their Duty by a certain Time; the Proclamation is as follows;

GEORGE R.

WHereas we have received Information, that several Persons, Subjects ofGreat Britain, have since the24th Day ofJune, in the Year of our Lord1715, committed divers Pyracies and Robberies upon the High-Seas, in theWest-Indies, or adjoyning to our Plantations, which hath and may Occasion great Damage to the Merchants ofGreat 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 the5th ofSeptember, in the Year of our Lord1718, surrender him or themselves, to one of our Principal Secretaries of State inGreat BritainorIreland, 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 Pyracies, by him or them committed before the fifth ofJanuarynext 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 takesuch 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, the6th Day ofSeptember 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 of100l. for every Lieutenant, Master, Boatswain, Carpenter, and Gunner, the Sum of40l; for every inferior Officer, the Sum of30l. and for every private Man, the Sum of20l. And if any Person or Persons, belonging to and being Part of the Crew of any such Pyrate Ship or Vessel, shall on or after the said sixth Day ofSeptember 1718, seize and deliver, or cause to be seized or delivered, any Commander or Commanders, of such Pyrate 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 of200l. 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, atHampton-Court, thefifth Day ofSeptember, 1717, in thefourth Year of our Regin.

God save the KING.

Before GovernorRogerswent over, the Proclamation was sent to them, which they took asTeaguetook the Covenant, that is, they made Prize of the Ship and Proclamation too; however, they sent for those who were out a Cruising, and called a general Council, but there was so much Noise and Glamour, that nothing could be agreed on; somewere 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 neighbouringBritishPlantations.

But CaptainJennings, who was their Commadore, and who always bore a great Sway among them, being a Man of good Understanding, and 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 theCongressbroke up very abruptly without doing any Thing; and presentlyJennings, and by his Example, about 150 more, came in to the Governor ofBermudas, 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 CaptainJenningsabovementioned, I think were these,Benjamin Hornigold, Edward Teach, John Martel, James Fife, Christopher Winter, Nicholas Brown, Paul Williams, Charles Bellamy, Oliver la Bouche,MajorPenner, Ed. England, T. Burgess, Tho. Cocklyn, R. Sample, Charles Vane, and two or three others:Hornigold, Williams, Burgessandla Bouchewere afterwards cast away;TeachandPennerkilled, and their Crews taken;James Fifekilled by his own Men;Martel’s Crew destroyed, and he forced on an uninhabited Island;Cocklyn, SampleandVanehanged;WinterandBrownsurrendered to theSpaniardsatCuba, andEnglandlives now atMadagascar.

In the Month ofMayorJune1718, CaptainRogersarrived at his Government, with two of his Majesty’s Ships, and found several of the abovesaidPyrates there, who upon the coming of the Men of War, all surrendered to the Pardon, exceptCharles Vaneand his Crew, which happened after this Manner.

I have before described the Harbour to have two Inlets, by Means of a small Island lying at the Mouth of it; at one of which, both the Men of War entered, and left the other open, so thatVaneslip’d his Cable, set Fire to a large Prize they had there, and resolutely put out, firing at the Man of War as he went off.

As soon as CaptainRogershad settled himself in his Government, he built a Fort for his Defence, and garrisoned it with the People he found upon the Island; thequondamPyrates, to the Number of 400, he formed into Companies, appointed Officers of those whom he most confided in, and then set about to settle a Trade with theSpaniards, in the Gulf ofMexico; in one of which Voyages, CaptainBurgessabovementioned, died, and CaptainHornigold, another of the famous Pyrates, was cast away upon Rocks, a great Way from Land, and perished, but five of his Men got into a Canoe and were saved.

CaptainRogerssent out a Sloop to get Provisions, and gave the Command to oneJohn Augur, one of the Pyrates, who had accepted of the Act of Grace; in their Voyage they met with two Sloops, andJohnand his Comrades not yet forgetting their former Business, made Use of their old Freedom, and took out of them in Money and Goods, to the Value of about 500l.after this they steered away forHispaniola, not being satisfy’d whether the Governor would admit them to carry on two Trades at once, and so thought to have bidden Farewel to theBahamaIslands; but as ill Luck would have it, they met with a violent Turnado, wherein they lost their Mast, and were drove back to one ofthe uninhabitedBahama’s, and lost their Sloop; the Men got all ashore, and lived up and down in the Wood, for a little Time, till GovernorRogershappening to hear of their Expedition, and where they had got to, sent out an armed Sloop to the aforesaid Island; the Master of which, with good Words and fair Promises, got them on Board, and brought them all toProvidence, being a eleven Persons, ten of which were try’d at a Court of Admiralty, convicted, and hanged by the other’s Evidence, in the Sight of all their former Companions and fellow Thieves. The Criminals would fain have spirited up the pardoned Pyrates, to rescue them out of the Hands of the Officers of Justice, telling them from the Gallows, that,They never thought to have seen the Time, when ten such Men as they should be ty’d up and hanged like Dogs, and four hundered of their sworn Friends and Companions quietly standing by to behold the Spectacle.OneHamphrey Morriceurged the Matter further than the rest, taxing them with Pusilanimity and Cowardice, as if it were a Breach of Honour in them not to rise and save them from the ignominious Death they were going to suffer. But ’twas all in vain, they were now told, it was their Business to turn their Minds to another World, and sincerely to repent of what Wickedness they had done in this.Yes, answered one of them,I do heartily repent; I repent I had not done more Mischief, and that we did not cut the Throats of them that took us, and I am extremely sorry that you an’t all hang’d as well as we. So do I, says another:And I, says a third; and then they were all turned off, without making any other dying Speeches, except oneDennis Macarty, who told the People,That some Friends of his had often said he should die in his Shoes, but that he would make them Lyars, and so kicked them off. And thus ended the Lives, with their Adventures, of those miserable Wretches,who may serve as sad Examples of the little Effect Mercy has upon Men once abandoned to an evil Course of Life.

Least I be thought severe in my Animadversions upon theSpanishProceedings in theWest-Indies, in respect to their Dealings with us; I shall mention an Instance or two, wherein I’ll be as concise as possible, and then transcribe some original Letters from the Governor ofJamaica, and an Officer of a Man of War, to theAlcaldeesofTrinidado, on the Island ofCuba, with their Answers, translated intoEnglish, and then proceed to the particular Histories of the Pyrates and their Crews, that have made most Noise in the World inour own Times.

AboutMarch1722, one of our Men of War trading upon the Coast,viz.theGreyhoundGalley, CaptainWalron, the said Captain 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 were waiting on the Deck. While the Captain and his Guests were at Dinner, the Boatswain Pipes for the Ship’s Company to dine; accordingly the Men take their Platters, receive their Provisions, and down they go between Decks, leaving only 4 or 5 Hands besides theSpaniards, 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 pulled out their Pistols and shot the Captain, Surgeon and another 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 CaptainWalronhaving mann’d a Sloop with 30 Hands out of his Ship’s Company, had senther to Windward some Days before, also for Trade, which theSpaniardsknew very well; and just as the Action was over they saw this Sloop coming down, before the Wind, towards their Ship; upon which theSpaniardstook about 10000l.in Specie, as I am informed, quitted the Ship, and went off in their Launch unmolested.

About the same Time, aGuard le Coast, ofPorto Rico, commanded by oneMatthew Luke, an Italian, took fourEnglishVessels, and murthered all the Crews: He was taken by theLancestonMan of War, inMay1722, and brought toJamaica, were they were all but seven deservedly hanged. It is likely the Man of War might not have meddled with her, but that she blindly laid theLancestonon Board, thinking she had been a Merchant Ship, who thereupon catched a Tartar. Afterwards in rummaging there was found a Cartridge of Powder made up with a Piece of anEnglishJournal, belonging, I believe, to theCreanSnow; and upon Examination, at last, it was discovered that they had taken this Vessel and murthered the Crew; and one of theSpaniards, when he came to die, confessed that he had killed twentyEnglishMen with his own Hands.

Gentlemen,

‘THE frequent Depredations, Robberies, and other Acts of Hostility, which have been committed on the King my Royal Master’s Subjects, by a Parcel of Banditti, who pretend tohave Commissions from you, and in Reality are sheltered under your Government, is the Occasion of my sending the Bearer CaptainChamberlain, Commander of his Majesty’s SnowHappy, to demand Satisfaction of you for so many notorious Robberies which your People have lately committed on the King’s Subjects of this Island; particularly by those Traytors,Nicolas BrownandChristopher Winter, to whom you have given Protection. Such Proceedings as these are not only a Breach of the Law of Nations, but must appear to the World of a very extraordinary Nature, when considered that the Subjects of a Prince in Amity and Friendship with another, should give Countenance and encourage such vile Practices. I confess I have had long Patience, and declined using any violent Measures to obtain Satisfaction, hoping the Cessation of Arms, so happily concluded upon between our respective Sovereigns, would have put an effectual Stop to those Disorders; but on the contrary, I now find the Port ofTrinidadoa Receptacle to Villains of all Nations. I do therefore think fit to acquaint you, and assure you in the King my Master’s Name, that if I do meet with any of your Rogues for the future upon the Coast of this Island, I will order them to be hanged directly without Mercy; and I expect and demand of you to make ample Restitution to CaptainChamberlainor all the Negroes which the saidBrownand Winter have lately taken off from the North-Side of this Island, and also of such Sloops and other Effects as they have been taken and robbed of, since the Cessation of Arms, and that you will deliver up to the Bearer suchEnglishMen as are now detained, or otherwise remain atTrinidado; and also expect you will hereafter forbear granting any Commissions, or suffer any suchnotorious Villains to be equipp’d and fitted out from your Port: otherwise you may depend upon it, those that I can meet with, shall be esteemed Pyrates, and treated as such; of which I thought proper to give you Notice, and am,&c.

Genlemen,

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