A General History of the Pyrates: / from their first rise and settlement in the island of Providence, to the present time

by Daniel Defoe

INTRODUCTION.

THE Danger of Commonwealths from an Increase of Pyrates, [17]. Pyrates in the Times of Marius and Sylla, [18]. Takes Julius Cæsar, [19]. The Barbarity of those Pyrates, ib. They spare Cæsar, and why, ib. His Behaviour amongst them, ib. Cæsar obtains his Liberty for a Ransom, ib. Attacks and takes the Pyrates, [20]. Hangs them at Troy, ib. They increase again to a prodigious Strength, ib. Plunder at the Gates of Rome, [21]. The mock Homage they paid the Romans, ib. Pompey the Great, appointed General against them, [22]. A prodigious Fleet and Army assign’d him, ib. His Conduct and good Fortune, ib, The Gallantry of those Pyracies, [23]. Receive an Overthrow, ib. Barbarouse, a Pyrate, his Beginning, ib. His great Strength, [24]. Selim Eutemi, King of Algiers, courts his Friendship, ib. Makes himself King, and how, ib. The King of Tunis overthrown by him, ib. Leaves the Inheritance to his Brother, ib. The West-Indies commodious for Pyrates, and why, [24], [25]. The Explanation of the Word Keys, [25]. The Pyrates conceal their Booty on them, ib. The Pyrates Security in those Parts, [26]. The Rise of Pyrates since the Peace of Utrecht accounted for, [26], [27]. An Expedition from Jamaica, to plunder the Spaniards, [28]. The Spaniards sue for Justice to the Government of Jamaica, ib. The Plunderers turn Pyrates, [29]. The Spaniards make Reprisals, ib. The Names of Ships taken by them, ib. The plunder’d Seamen join the Pyrates, ib. Providence fixed on as a Place of Retreat by them, [30]. That Island described, ib. The Lords Address to her late Majesty for securing Providence, ib. An Order of Council in this Reign to the same Purpose, [31]. A List of Men of War employ’d for the Defence of the Plantations, [32]. Captain Woods Rogers made Governor of Providence, ib. The King’s Proclamation for suppressing Pyrates, [33], [34]. How the Pyrates used the Proclamation, [34]. Great Divisions amongst them, [35]. How made quiet, ib. Several of the Pyrates surrender to the Governor of Bermudas, ib. The Fate of the rest, ib. Woods Rogers his Arrival at Providence, ib. Vane’s Behaviour, [36]. Woods Rogers employs the pardon’d Pyrates, ib. Their Conduct, ib. Some of them hang’d for new Pyracies, [37]. Their strange Behaviour at the Place of Execution, ib. Some Proceedings betwixt the English and Spaniards, [38]. The Spaniards surprize the Greyhound Man of War, and how, ib. Quit her, [39]. The Crew of a Spanish Guarda del Costa hang’d at Jamaica, and why, ib. Sir Nicholas Laws his Letter to the Alcaldes of Trinidado, [39], [40]. Mr. Joseph Laws, Lieutenant of the Happy Snow his Letter to the Alcaldes of Trinidado, [41]. The Alcaldes Answer to the Lieutenant’s Letter, [41], [42]. The Lieutenant’s Reply to the Alcaldes Answer, [42], [43]. The Alcaldes Answer again, [43]. Some Account of Richard Holland, ib. Prizes taken by him, [44].

CHAP. I.
Of Captain AVERY, and his CREW.

ROmantick Reports of his Greatness, [45], [46]. His Birth, [46]. Is Mate of a Bristol Man, [47], For what Voyage design’d, ib. Tampers with the Seamen, ib. Forms a Plot for carrying off the Ship, [47], [48]. Executes it, and how, ib. The Pyrates take a rich Ship belonging to the Great Mogul, [50]. The Great Mogul threaten the English Settlements, [51]. The Pyrates steer their Course back for Madagascar, [52]. Call a Council. Put all the Treasure on Board of Avery’s Ship, ib. Avery and his Crew treacherously leaves his Confederates; go to the Isle of Providence in the West-Indies, [53]. Sell the Ship, go to North-America in a Sloop, [54]. They disperse, Avery goes to New-England, ib. From thence to Ireland, ib. Avery afraid to expose his Diamonds to sale. Goes over to England, ib. Puts his Wealth into Merchants Hands, of Bristol, [55]. Changes his Name. Lives at Biddiford, ib. The Merchants send him no Supplies, ib. Importunes them. Goes privately to Bristol, they threaten to discover him, ib. Goes over to Ireland, sollicites them from thence, [56]. Is very poor, works his Passage over to Plymouth, walks to Biddiford. Dies a Beggar, ib. An Account of Avery’s Confederates, ib. Their Settlement at Madagascar, [57]. They meet other Pyrates; an Account of them, ib. The Pyrates arrive to great Power. The Inhabitants described, [58]. Their Policy, Government, &c. Places describ’d, [59]. The Arrival of Captain Woods Rogers at that Part of the Island, [61]. Their Design of surprizing his Ship, [62]. One of these Princes formerly a Waterman on the Thames, [63]. Their Secretaries, Men of no Learning. Could neither write nor read, ib.

CHAP. II.
Of Captain MARTEL, and his CREW.

WAY to suppress Pyrates, [64]. The Increase of Pyrates accounted for, [65]. Where Martel learned his Trade, ib. The Names of several Prizes taken, by him, [65], [66], [67]. His Strength at Sancta Cruz, [67]. His Manner of fortifying himself there, ib. Is attack’d by the Scarborough Man of War, [68]. His defence by Land and Sea, ib. His desperate Escape, [69]. His miserable End, ib.

CHAP. III.
Of Captain TEACH, alias BLACK-BEARD.

HIS Beginning, [70]. His Confederacy with Hornygold, ib. The Confederacy broke, [71]. Takes a large Guiney Man, ib. Engages the Scarborough Man of War, ib. His Alliance with Major Stede Bonnet, ib. Deposes his new Ally, ib. His Advice to the Major, ib. His Progress and Success, [72]. Takes Prizes in Sight of Charles-Town, [73]. Sends Ambassadors to the Governor of Carolina, upon an impudent Demand, ib. Runs his Ship aground designedly, [74]. His Cruelty to some of his own Companions. Surrenders to the King’s Proclamation, [75]. The Governor of North-Carolina’s exceeding Generosity to him, ib. He marries, ib. The Number of his Wives then living, ib. His conjugal Virtues, [75], [76]. Makes a second Excursion in the Way of pyrating, [76]. Some State Legerdemain betwixt him and the Governor, ib. His modest Behaviour in the River, [77]. His Frolicks on Shore, ib. The Merchants apply for a Force against him, and where, [78]. A Proclamation with a Reward for taking or killing of Pyrates, [79], [80]. Lieutenant Maynard sent in pursuit of him, [80]. Black-beard’s good Intelligence, [81]. The Lieutenant engages Black-beard, ib. A most execrable Health drank by Black-beard [82]. The Fight bloody; the Particulars of it, [82], [83], [84]. Black-beard kill’d, [84]. His Sloop taken, ib. The Lieutenant’s Conduct, [84], [85]. A Reflection on the Humours of Seamen, [85]. Black-beard’s Correspondents discover’d by his Papers, ib. Black-beard’s desperate Resolution before the Fight, ib. The Lieutenant and Governor no very good Friends, [86]. The Prisoners hang’d, ib. Samuel Odel saved, and why, ib. The good Luck of Israel Hands, [87]. Black-beard’s mischievous Frolicks, ib. His Beard described, ib. Several Instances if his Wickedness, [88], [89]. Some Memorandums taken from his Journal, [89]. The Names of the Pyrates kill’d in the Engagement, [90]. Of those executed, ib. The Value of the Prize, ib.

CHAP. IV.
Of Major STEDE BONNET, and his CREW.

BRED a Gentleman, [91]. Supposed to be disorder’d in his Senses, ib. His Beginning as a Pyrate, ib. Takes Prizes, [92]. Divisions in his Crew, ib. Meets Black-beard, ib. Is deposed from his Command, [93]. His melancholy Reflections, ib. Surrenders to the King’s Proclamation, ib. His new Project, ib. Saves some Pyrates marroon’d, [94]. Begins the old Trade again, [95]. An Account of Prizes taken by him, [95], [96]. Colonel Rhet goes in Quest of Pyrates, [97]. Yates the Pyrate surrenders, [98]. An Engagement betwixt Colonel Rhet and Major Bonnet, [100]. An Account of the kill’d and wounded, ib. The Prisoners carried to Charles-Town, ib. The Major and the Master Escape, ib. Taken again by Colonel Rhet, [101]. A Court of Vice-Admiralty held, ib. The Names of those arraign’d, [102], [103]. The Form of their Indictment, [104]. Their Defence, [105]. The Names of those who received Sentence, [106]. An excellent Speech made by the Lord Chief Justice on pronouncing Sentence on the Major, [107] to [112].

CHAP. V.
Of Capt. EDW. ENGLAND, and his CREW.

HIS Beginning and Character, [113], [114]. A most barbarous Action of his Crew, [114], [115]. The Names of Prizes taken by him, [115], [116]. The Misfortunes of his Confederates, [116], [117]. England’s Progress half round the Globe, [117], [118]. A short Description of the Coast of Malabar, ib. What they did at Madagascar, [118]. Takes an East-India Man, ib. The Particulars of the Action in Captain Mackra’s Letter, [119] to [122]. Captain Mackra ventures on Board the Pyrate, [122]. Is in Danger of being murder’d; [123]. Preserv’d by a pleasant Incident, ib. The Pyrates Generosity to him, ib. Captain England deposed, and why, [124]. Maroon’d on the Island Mauritius, ib. Some Account of that Island, ib. The Adventures of the Company continued, [124] to [126]. Angria, an Indian Pyrate, [127]. his Strength by Land and Sea, ib. The East-India Company’s Wars with him, [127], [128]. The Pyrates go to the Island of Melinda, [129]. Their barbarous Behaviour there, ib. Hear of Captain Mackra’s Designs against them, ib. Their Reflections thereupon, [130]. Sail for Cochin, a Dutch Settlement, ib. The Pyrates and the Dutch very good Friends, [131]. Mutual Presents made betwixt the Pyrates and the Governor, ib. The Pyrates in a Fright, [133]. Almost starv’d, ib. Take a Prize of an immense Value, [134]. Take an Ostend East-India Man, ib. A short Description of Madagascar, [135], [136]. A prodigious Dividend made by the Pyrates, [136]. A Fellow’s Way of increasing his Diamonds, ib. Some of the Pyrates quit, and join the Remains of Avery, ib. The Proceedings of the Men of War in those Parts, [137], [138]. Some Dutch Men petition to be among the Pyrates, [138]. The Pyrates divided in their Measures, [139]. Break up, ib. What became of them, [139], [140].

CHAP. VI.
Of Capt. CHARLES VANE, and his CREW.

VANE’s Behaviour at Providence, [141]. The Names of Prizes taken by him, [141], [142]. Is deserted by his Consort Yates, [143]. Yates surrenders at Charles-Town, ib. A Stratagem of Vane’s, [144]. Black-beard and Vane meet, [145]. They salute after the Pyrates Manner, ib. Vane deposed from his Command, and why, [146]. 15 Hands degraded, and turned out with him, ib. A Sloop given them, [147]. They sail in Quest of Adventures, and take Prizes, ib. Vane cast away upon an uninhabited Island, ib. Meets with an old Acquaintance, [148]. Vane seiz’d with a Qualm of Honour, ib. Ships himself on Board a Vessel, passing for another Man, ib. Is discover’d, with the Manner how, [149]. Carried to Jamaica, and hang’d, ib.

CHAP. VII.
Of Capt. RACKAM, and his CREW.

RACKAM’s beginning as a Pyrate, [150], [151]. An Account of Prizes taken by him, [151]. Is attack’d by a Spanish Guard Ship, ib. His Stratagem to escape, [152]. More Prizes taken by him, [153]. Is taken, and how, [154]. Tried, condemned, and executed at Jamaica, ib. The Names of his Crew condemn’d with him, [154]. An extraordinary Case of nine taken with him, ib. Some Account of the Proceedings against them, [154], [155].