A General History of the Pirates

The Preface

Having taken more than ordinary pains in collecting the materials which compose the following history, we could not be satisfied with ourselves, if anything were wanting to it, which might render it entirely satisfactory to the public: it is for this reason we have subjoined to the work, a short abstract of the laws now in force against pirates, and made choice of some particular cases, (the most curious we could meet with) which have been heretofore tried, by which it will appear what actions have, and what have not been adjudged piracy.

It is possible this book may fall into the hands of some masters of ships, and other honest mariners, who frequently, by contrary winds or tempests, or other accidents incident to long voyages, find themselves reduced to great distresses, either through scarcity of provisions, or want of stores. I say, it may be a direction to such as those, what lengths they may venture to go, without violating the law of nations, in case they should meet other ships at sea, or be cast on some inhospitable shore, which should refuse to trade with them for such things as are absolutely necessary for the preservation of their lives, or the safety of the ship and cargo.

We have given a few instances in the course of this history of the inducements men have to engage themselves headlong in a life of so much peril to themselves, and so destructive to the navigation of the trading world; to remedy which evil there seems to be but two ways, either to find employment for the great numbers of seamen turn’d adrift at the conclusion of a war, and thereby prevent their running into such undertakings, or to guard sufficiently the coast of Africa, the West Indies, and other places whereto pirates resort.

I cannot but take notice in this place, that during this long peace, I have not so much as heard of a Dutch pirate: it is not that I take them to be honester than their neighbours; but when we account for it, it will, perhaps, be a reproach to ourselves for our want of industry: the reason I take to be, that after a war, when the Dutch ships are laid up, they have a fishery, where their seamen find immediate business, and as comfortable bread as they had before. Had ours the same recourse in their necessities, I’m certain we should find the same effect from it; for a fishery is a trade that cannot be overstock’d; the sea is wide enough for us all, we need not quarrel for elbow room: its stores are infinite, and will ever reward the labourer. Besides, our own coast, for the most part, supply the Dutch, who employ several hundred sail constantly in the trade, and so sell to us our own fish. I call it our own, for the sovereignty of the British seas, are to this day acknowledged us by the Dutch, and all the neighbouring nations; wherefore, if there was a public spirit among us, it would be well worth our while to establish a national fishery, which would be the best means in the world to prevent piracy, employ a number of the poor, and ease the nation of a great burden, by lowering the price of provision in general, as well as of several other commodities.

I need not bring any proofs of what I advance, viz. that there are multitudes of seamen at this day unemploy’d; it is but too evident by their straggling, and begging all over the kingdom. Nor is it so much their inclination to idleness, as their own hard fate, in being cast off after their work is done, to starve or steal. I have not known a man-of-war commission’d for several years past, but three times her complement of men have offer’d themselves in 24 hours; the merchants take their advantage of this, lessen their wages, and those few who are in business are poorly paid, and but poorly fed; such usage breeds discontents amongst them, and makes them eager for any change.

I shall not repeat what I have said in the history concerning the privateers of the West Indies, where I have taken notice they live upon spoil; and as custom is a second nature, it is no wonder that, when an honest livelihood is not easily had, they run into one so like their own; so that it may be said, that privateers in time of war are a nursery for pirates against a peace.

Now we have accounted for their rise and beginning, it will be natural to enquire why they are not taken and destroy’d, before they come to any head, seeing that they are seldom less than twelve men-of-war stationed in our American plantations, even in time of peace; a force sufficient to contend with a powerful enemy. This enquiry, perhaps, will not turn much to the honour of those concern’d in that service; however, I hope I may be excus’d, if what I hint is with a design of serving the public.

I say, ’tis strange that a few pirates should ravage the seas for years, without ever being light upon, by any of our ships of war; when in the meantime, they (the pirates) shall take fleets of ships; it looks as if one was much more diligent in their affairs, than the other. Roberts and his crew, alone, took 400 sail, before he was destroy’d.

This matter, I may probably set right another time, and only observe for the present, that the pirates at sea, have the same sagacity with robbers at land; as the latter understand what roads are most frequented, and where it is most likely to meet with booty, so the former know what latitude to lie in, in order to intercept ships; and as the pirates happen to be in want of provisions, stores, or any particular lading, they cruise accordingly for such ships, and are morally certain of meeting with them; and by the same reason, if the men-of-war cruise in those latitudes, they might be as sure of finding the pirates, as the pirates are to find the merchant ships; and if the pirates are not to be met with by the men-of-war in such a latitude, then surely down the same latitude may the merchant ships arrive safely to their port.

To make this a little plainer to my country readers, I must observe that all our outward bound ships, sometime after they leave the land, steer into the latitude of the place they are bound to; if to the West India islands, or any part of the main of America, as New York, New England, Virginia, etc. because the latitude is the only certainty in those voyages to be found, and then they sail due west, till they come to their port, without altering their course. In this west way lie the pirates, whether it be to Virginia, etc. or Nevis, St. Christopher’s, Montserrat, Jamaica, etc. so that if the merchant ships bound thither, do not fall a prey to them one day, they must another: therefore I say, if the men-of-war take the same track, the pirates must unavoidably fall into their mouths, or be frighted away, for where the game is, there will the vermin be; if the latter should be the case, the trading ships, as I said before, will pass unmolested and safe, and the pirates be reduced to take refuge in some of their lurking holes about the uninhabited islands, where their fate would be like that of the fox in his den, if they should venture out, they would be hunted and taken, and if they stay within they must starve.

I must observe another thing, that the pirates generally shift their rovings, according to the season of the year; in the summer they cruise mostly along the coast of the continent of America, but the winters there, being a little too cold for them, they follow the sun, and go towards the islands, at the approach of cold weather. Every man who has used the West India trade, knows this to be true; therefore, since we are so well acquainted with all their motions, I cannot see why our men-of-war under a proper regulation, may not go to the southward, instead of lying up all the winter useless: but I shall proceed too far in this enquiry, I shall therefore quit it, and say something of the following sheets, which the author may venture to assure the reader that they have one thing to recommend them, which is truth; those facts which he himself was not an eyewitness of, he had from the authentic relations of the persons concern’d in taking the pirates, as well as from the mouths of the pirates themselves, after they were taken, and he conceives no man can produce better testimonies to support the credit of any history.

It will be observed, that the account of the actions of Roberts runs into a greater length, than that of any other pirate, for which we can assign two reasons, first, because he ravaged the seas longer than the rest, and of consequence there must be a greater scene of business in his life: secondly, being resolved not to weary the reader, with tiresome repetitions: when we found the circumstances in Roberts’ life, and other pirates, either as to piratical articles, or anything else, to be the same, we thought it best to give them but once, and chose Roberts’ life for that purpose, he having made more noise in the world, than some others.

As to the lives of our two female pirates, we must confess they may appear a little extravagant, yet they are nevertheless true for seeming so, but as they were publicly try’d for their piracies, there are living witnesses enough to justify what we have laid down concerning them; it is certain, we have produced some particulars which were not so publicly known, the reason is, we were more inquisitive into the circumstances of their past lives, than other people, who had no other design, than that of gratifying their own private curiosity: if there are some incidents and turns in their stories, which may give them a little the air of a novel, they are not invented or contrived for that purpose, it is a kind of reading this author is but little acquainted with, but as he himself was exceedingly diverted with them, when they were related to him, he thought they might have the same effect upon the reader.

I presume we need make no apology for giving the name of a history to the following sheets, though they contain nothing but the actions of a parcel of robbers. It is bravery and stratagem in war which make actions worthy of record; in which sense the adventures, here related will be thought deserving that name. Plutarch is very circumstantial in relating the actions of Spartacus, the slave, and makes the conquest of him, one of the greatest glories of Marcus Crassus; and it is probable, if this slave had liv’d a little longer, Plutarch would have given us his life at large. Rome, the misstress of the world, was no more at first than a refuge for thieves and outlaws; and if the progress of our pirates had been equal to their beginning; had they all united, and settled in some of those islands, they might, by this time, have been honoured with the name of a commonwealth, and no power in those parts of the world could have been able to dispute it with them.

If we have seem’d to glance, with some freedom, at the behaviour of some governors of provinces abroad, it has been with caution; and, perhaps, we have, not declar’d as much as we knew: however, we hope those gentlemen in the same station, who have never given occasion for the like censure, will take no offence, though the word governor is sometimes made use of.

P.S. It will be necessary to add a word or two to this preface, in order to inform the reader, that there are several material additions made to this second impression, which swelling the book in bulk, must of consequence add a small matter to its price.

The first impression having been received with so much success by the public, occasioned a very earnest demand for a second: in the meantime, several persons who had been taken by the pirates, as well as others who had been concerned in taking of them, have been so kind to communicate several facts and circumstances to us, which had escaped us in the first impression. This occasioned some delay, therefore if we have not brought it out, as soon as wish’d, it was to render it the more complete.

We shall not enter into a detail of all the new matter inserted here, but the description of the Islands São Tomé, etc. and that of Brazil are not to be passed by, without a little notice. It must be observed, that our speculative mathematicians and geographers, who are, no doubt, men of the greatest learning, seldom travel farther than their closets for their knowledge, etc. are therefore unqualified to give us a good description of countries: it is for this reason that all our maps and atlasses are so monstrously faulty, for these gentlemen are obliged to take their accounts from the reports of illiterate men.

It must be noted also, that when the masters of ships make discoveries this way, they are not fond of communicating them; a man’s knowing this or that coast, better than others, recommends him in his business, and makes him more useful, and he’ll no more discover it than a tradesman will the mystery of his trade.

The gentleman who has taken the pains to make these observations, is Mr. Atkins, a surgeon, an ingenious man in his own profession, and one who is not ty’d down by any narrow considerations from doing a service to the public, and has been pleased generously to communicate them for the good of others. I don’t doubt, but his observations will be found curious and very serviceable to such as trade to those parts, besides a method of trade is here laid down with the Portuguese, which may prove of great profit to some of our countrymen, if followed according to his plan.

It is hoped these things will satisfy the public, that the author of the following sheets considered nothing so much as making the book useful;—though he has been informed, that some gentlemen have rais’d an objection against the truth of its contents, viz. that it seems calculated to entertain and divert.—If the facts are related with some agreeableness and life, we hope it will not be imputed as a fault; but as to its credit, we can assure them that the seafaring men, that is all that know the nature of these things, have not been able to make the least objection to its credit:—And he will be bold to affirm, that there is not a fact or circumstance in the whole book, but he is able to prove by credible witnesses.

There have been some other pirates, besides those whose history are here related, such as are hereafter named, and their adventures are as extravagant and full of mischief, as those who are the subject of this book.—The author has already begun to digest them into method, and as soon, as he receives some materials to make them complete, (which he shortly expects from the West Indies). If the public gives him encouragement he intends to venture upon a second volume.

Introduction

As the pirates in the West Indies have been so formidable and numerous, that they have interrupted the trade of Europe into those parts; and our English merchants, in particular, have suffered more by their depredations, than by the united force of France and Spain, 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 show, by some examples drawn from history, the great mischief and danger which threaten kingdoms and commonwealths, from the increase of 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 pirate 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 expense of a great deal of blood and treasure, before he was suppress’d. We shall not examine how it came to pass, that our pirates in the West Indies have 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 show, what from beginnings, as inconsiderable as these, other nations have suffered.

In the times of Marius and Sulla, Rome was in her greatest strength, yet she was so torn in pieces by the factions of those two great men, that everything which concerned the public good was altogether neglected, when certain pirates broke out from Cilicia, a country of Asia Minor, situate on the coast of the Mediterranean, betwixt Syria on the east, from whence it is divided by Mount Taurus, and Armenia Minor on the west. This beginning was mean and inconsiderable, having but two or three ships, and a few men, with which they cruised about the Greek islands, 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 theirs which made a noise, was the taking of Julius Caesar, who was as yet a youth, and who being obliged to fly from the cruelties of Sulla, who sought his life, went into Bithynia, and sojourned a while with Nicomedes, king of that country; in his return back by sea, he was met with, and taken, by some of these pirates, near the island of Farmakonisi: these pirates had a barbarous custom of tying their prisoners back to back and throwing them into the sea; but, supposing Caesar to 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 of Miletum, 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 pirates, he surpriz’d them as they lay at anchor among 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 to Pergamus or Troy, and there secured them in prison: in the meantime, he apply’d himself to Junius, then Governor of Asia, to whom it belonged to judge and determine of the punishment of these men; but Junius finding there was no money to be had, answered Caesar, that he would think at his leisure, what was to be done with those prisoners; Caesar took his leave of him, returned back to Pergamus, 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 piracy: and thus he gave them that punishment in earnest, which he had often threatened them with in jest.

Caesar went straight to Rome, where, being engaged in the designs of his own private ambition, as were almost all the leading men in Rome, the pirates who were left, had time to increase to a prodigious strength; for while the civil wars lasted, the seas were left unguarded, so that Plutarch tells us, that they erected diverse arsenals full of all manner of warlike stores, made commodious harbours, set up watchtowers and beacons all along the coasts of Cilicia; 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 show, as fear’d for their force; having the stern and quarters all gilded with gold and their oars plated with silver, as well as purple sails; as if their greatest delight had been to glory in their iniquity. Nor were they content with committing piracies 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 enriched 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 took Sextillius and Bellinus, two Roman Praetors, 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 of Antonius a 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 a Roman, 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 show 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 surprise, as was natural, they used to throw him overboard with mighty shouts of laughter; so wanton they were in their cruelty.

Thus, while Rome was mistress of the 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 in Rome, occasioned by all the ships laden with corn and provisions from Sicily, Corsica, and other places, being intercepted and taken by these pirates, insomuch that they were almost reduced to a famine: upon this, Pompey the Great was immediately appointed general to manage this war; five hundred 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 for Rome, that Pompey sail’d out before the pirate had intelligence of a design against them, so that their ships were scattered all over the Mediterranean, like bees gone out from a hive, some one way, some another, to bring home their lading; Pompey divided his fleet into thirteen squadrons, to whom he appointed their several stations, so that great numbers of the pirates fell into their hands, ship by ship, without any loss; forty days he passed in scouring the Mediterranean, some of the fleet cruising along the coast of Africa, some about the islands, and some upon the Italian coasts, so that often those pirates who were flying from one squadron, fell in with another; however, some of them escaped, and these making directly to Cilicia, and acquainting their confederates onshore with what had happened, they appointed a rendezvous of all the ships that had escaped at the Port of Coracesium, in the same country. Pompey finding the Mediterranean quite clear, appointed a meeting of all his fleet at the haven of Brundusium, and from thence sailing round into the Adriatic, he went directly to attack these pirates in their hives; as soon as he came near the Coracesium in Cilicia, where the remainder of the pirates now lay, they had the hardiness to come and give him battle, but the genius of old Rome prevailed, and the pirates 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 strongholds up the country, about the foot of Mount Taurus, 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 pirates receiv’d sufficient notice of the Roman preparation against them, so as they might have had time to draw their scattered strength into a body, to have met Pompey by 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 of Coracesium, to give the Romans battle, with a force much inferior to theirs; I say, had they overthrown Pompey, it is likely they would have made greater attempts, and Rome, which had conquer’d the whole world, might have been subdued by a parcel of pirates.