was resolv’d to People the whole Island of Madagascar with Europeans, and to get Women from Jamaica and the Leeward Islands; and that it was not doubted but he would subdue, and make himself King of that Country, if he was let alone a little longer.
I had enjoin’d my Men, in the first Place, not to let him know that I was Avery, but that I was one of his Captains; and in the next Place, not to say a Word but just Ay, and No, as Things occurr’d, and leave the rest to me. I heard him patiently out in all the Particulars above, and when he had done, I told him it was true, Captain Avery was in the Island of Madagascar, and that several other Societies of Buccaneers and Freebooters were join’d him from the Spanish West-Indies; for, said I, the Plenty and Ease of our living here is such, and we are so safe from all the World, that we do not doubt but we shall be twenty thousand Men in a very little Time, when two Ships which we have sent to the West-Indies shall come back, and shall have told the Buccaneers at the Bay of Campeachy, how we live here.
But, said I, you in England greatly wrong Captain Avery, our General, (so I call’d myself, to advance our Credit) for I can assure you, that except plundering the Ship, and taking that immense Booty which he got in the great Ship where the Great Mogul’s Daughter was, there was not the least Injury done to the Lady, no Ravishing or Violence to her, or any of her Attendance; and this, said I, you may take of my certain Knowledge; for, said I, I was on Board the Ship with our General all the while: And if any of the Princess’s Women were lain with, said I, on Board the other Ship, as I believe most of them were, yet it was done with their own Consent and
good Will, and no otherwise; and they were all dismiss’d afterwards, without so much as being put in Fear or Apprehensions of Life or Honour.
This I assur’d him, (as indeed it was just) and told him, I hop’d, if ever he came safe to England, he would do Captain Avery, and all of us, Justice in that particular Case.
As to our being well fortify’d on the Island, and our Numbers, I assur’d them all they were far from thinking too much of us; that we had a very good Fleet, and a very good Harbour for them; that we were not afraid of any Force from Europe, either by Land or Water; that it was, indeed, in vain to pretend to attack us by Force; that the only Way for the Government of England to bring us back to our Duty, would be to send a Proclamation from England with the Queen’s Pardon for our General and all his People, if they came in by a certain Time: And, added I, we know you want Money in England, I dare say, said I, our General, Captain Avery, and his particular Gang, who have the main Riches, would not grudge to advance five or six Millions of Ducats to the Government, to give them Leave to return in Peace to England, and sit down quietly with the rest.
This Discourse, I suppose, was the Ground of the Rumour you have had in England, That Avery had offer’d to come in and submit, and would give six Millions for his Pardon: For as these Men were soon after this dismiss’d, and went back to England, there is no Doubt but they gave a particular Account of the Conference they had with me, who they call’d one of Captain Avery’s Captains.
We kept these five Men six or seven Days, and we pretended to show them the Country from some of the Hills, calling it all our own, and
pointing every Way how many Miles we extended ourselves; we made them believe also that all the rest of the Country was at our Disposal, that the whole Island was at our Beck; we told them we had Treasure enough to enrich the whole Kingdom of England; that our General had several Millions in Diamonds, and we had many Tuns of Silver and Gold; that we had fifty large Barns full of all Sorts of Goods, as well European as Indian; and that it would be truly the best Way for England to do as they said, namely, to invite us all Home by a Proclamation with a Pardon: And if they would do this, said I, they can ask no reasonable Sum, but our General might advance it; besides, getting Home such a Body of stout able Seamen as we were, such a Number of Ships, and such a Quantity of rich Goods.
We had several long Discourses with them upon these Heads, and our frequent offering this Part to them with a Kind of feeling Warmth, (for it was what we all desir’d) has caus’d, I doubt not, the Rumour of such great Offers made by us, and of a Letter sent by me to the Queen, to beg her Majesty’s Pardon for myself and my Company, and offering ten Millions of Money Advance to the Queen for the publick Service: All which is a meer Fiction of the Brain of those which have publish’d it; neither were we in any Condition to make such an Offer; neither did I, or any of my Crew or Company, ever write a Letter or Petition to the Queen, or to any one in the Government, or make any Application in the Case other than as above, which was only Matter of Conversation or private Discourse.