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 e...

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...

None of these bold adventurers were ever so much talked of, for a while, as Avery; he made as great a noise in the world as Meriveis does now, and was looked upon to be a person of as great consequenc...

I come now to the pirates that have rose since the Peace of Utrecht; in wartime there is no room for any, because all those of a roving advent’rous disposition find employment in privateers, so there ...

Edward Teach was a Bristol man born, but had sailed some time out of Jamaica in privateers, in the late French war; yet though he had often distinguished himself for his uncommon boldness and personal...

The major was a gentleman of good reputation in the Island of Barbados, was master of a plentiful fortune, and had the advantage of a liberal education. He had the least temptation of any man to follo...

Edward England went mate of a sloop that sail’d out of Jamaica, and was taken by Captain Winter, a pirate, just before their settlement at Providence; from whence England had the command of a sloop in...

Charles Vane was one of those who stole away the silver which the Spaniards had fished up from the wrecks of the galleons, in the Gulf of Florida, and was at Providence (as has been before hinted) whe...

This John Rackam, as has been mentioned in the last chapter, was quartermaster to Vane’s company, till they were divided, and Vane turned out for refusing to board and fight the French man-of-war; the...

Now we are to begin a history full of surprising turns and adventures; I mean, that of Mary Read and Anne Bonny, alias Bonn, which were the true names of these two pirates; the odd incidents of their ...

As we have been more particular in the lives of these two women, than those of other pirates, it is incumbent on us, as a faithful historian, to begin with their birth. Anne Bonny was born at a town n...

Captain Howel Davis was born at Milford, in Monmouthshire, and was from a boy brought up to the sea. The last voyage he made from England, was in the Cadogan snow of Bristol, Captain Skinner Commander...

Bartholomew Roberts sailed in an honest employ, from London aboard of the Princess, Captain Plumb Commander, of which ship he was second mate: he left England, November 1719, and arrived at Guinea abo...

Thomas Anstis ship’d himself at Providence in the year 1718, aboard the Buck sloop, and was one of six that conspired together to go off a-pirating with the vessel; the rest were, Howel Davis, Roberts...

His reign was but short, but his beginning somewhat particular, setting out in a small open boat, with eight others, from New York. This was as resolute a crew as ever went upon this account: they too...

George Lowther sailed out of the river of Thames, in one of the Royal African Company’s ships, call’d the Gambia Castle, of 16 guns and 30 men, Charles Russel Commander; of which ship, the said Lowthe...

Edward Low was born in Westminster, and had his education there, such as it was, for he could neither write or read. Nature seem’d to have designed him for a pirate from his childhood, for very early ...

John Evans was a Welsh man, had been formerly master of a sloop belonging to Nevis, but losing his employ there, he sailed for some time out of Jamaica as mate, till happening in company of three or f...

John Phillips was bred a carpenter, and sailing to Newfoundland in a West Country ship, was taken by Anstis in the Good Fortune brigantine, the next day after he had left his consort and commodore, Ca...

Spriggs sailed with Low for a pretty while, and I believe came away from Lowther, along with him; he was quartermaster to the company, and consequently had a great share in all the barbarities committ...

Philip Roche was born in Ireland, and from his youth had been bred up to the sea; he was a brisk genteel fellow, of 30 years of age at the time of his death; one whose black and savage nature did no w...

A pirate is hostis humanis generis, a common enemy, with whom neither faith nor oath is to be kept, according to Tully. And by the laws of nature, princes and states are responsible for their neglect,...

Term for stealing of men used all over the coast. ↩...