CAPTAIN EDWARD ENGLAND, AND HIS CREW
Edward England went Mate of a Sloop that sailed out of Jamaica, and was taken by Winter, a Pirate, from whom he had the Command of a Sloop just before their Settlement at Providence. The man was brave and good natured, and far from being cruel, as most of them are; and would not have committed such barbarous actions as he did, had not his comrades compelled him to it.
He sailed to the Coast of Africa, after the Island of Providence was inhabited by the English. In his Passage he took several Ships, particularly the Cadogan Snow belonging to Bristol, one Skinner Master, who was murdered by those very men who had formerly served under him, upon a quarrel that happened between Skinner and them, about their wages: He shipped them on board a Man-of-War, from whence they deserted, and went on board a ship in the West-Indies, where they were taken by a pirate, and brought to Providence, and then they sailed with Captain England a-Pirating.
As soon as Skinner came on board, he saw his old Boatswain, who said, Ah! Captain Skinner is it you, I am much in your Debt, and now I shall pay you in your own Coin. These words put the Captain in a panic Fear: And indeed he had Reason enough to be afraid, for they immediately seized him, bound him to the Windlass, pelted him with Glass Bottles, afterwards whipt him about the Deck, and then said, because he had been a good Master, he should have an easy Death, and so shot him through the Head; the vessel and her Cargoe being given to Howel Davis.
After this England went into an Harbour to clean his Ship, and also fitted up the Peterborough, which he called the Victory. Then putting out to sea, they sailed for the East-Indies, and took Madagascar, by the Way. From thence, after taking in water and provisions, they went for Malabar, in the Empire of the Mogul. Here they took several Indian Vessels, and one European, a Dutch Ship, which they exchanged for one of their own, and then came back to Madagascar, where they sent several Hands on shore to kill venison, and then resolved to seek out for the remains of Avery’s Crew; but returning without success, they being settled on the other side, they stay’d no longer than till they had cleaned their ships, and then sailed to Juanna.
In the Year 1720, the Bombay Fleet, consisting of four Grabs, the London Chandois, and some other ships, carried 1000 Men to bombard and batter Gapra, a fort belonging to Angria, on the Malabar Coast; which they not being able to do, fell in with the Pirates, in their return to Bombay: But Captain Upton the Commodore, having no orders, would not engage them; which so provoked the Governor, for missing so favourable an opportunity of cutting the Pirates all off, that he gave the command to Captain Mackra, with orders to fight them wherever he met with them.
But the Pirates proceeded to the southward, and took a small ship out of Orincro Road, with a Dutch and two Portugueze Men on board, one of which they sent to the Captain, to inform him, that if he would supply them with provisions and water he should have his ship again. But the Master would not agree to it; thereupon they sent other persons ashore, and swore he should be the last man they would give quarter to, and so put directly for Laccadeva Island, and arrived there in three days. But being informed by a Menchew, there was no anchor-ground there, they went to the next Island, called Melincha, whence they were driven by a storm, leaving behind them a hundred people, and all their water-casks: But in a week’s time, they regained the island, took their people on board, and filled the water-casks. Provisions being scarce, they resolved to visit the Dutch at Cochin, and after three days sail, arrived off of Tellechery, where they took a small Vessel belonging to Governor Adams; who giving an account of Captain Mackra’s fitting out against them, put them into a grievous passion.
Afterward they arrived at Mauritius, where they refitted the Victory, and then sailed the 5th of April for Madagascar, but called first at the Island Mascarine, at which they found a Portugueze ship of seventy guns at anchor, disabled by a violent storm, so that they easily became a Prize to the Pirates. She had on board the Conde Ereceira Vice-Roy of Goa, also they found on board her, in diamonds only, to the value of four millions of Dollars. They made the Vice-Roy a prisoner; but in consideration of his losses, accepted of a ransom of 2000 dollars and then set him and his followers ashore. Learning that an Ostender was on the leeward of that Island, they sailed and took her, and sent her to Madagascar with news of their success, where they followed themselves soon after, with two hundred Mozambique Negroes in the Portugueze Ship.