It was afterwards claimed by the Attorney General of New York in a report to the Earl of Bellomont, the succeeding governor, that it was well-known in New York that Captain Tew had been roving in the Red Sea and had made much money. “He had brought his spoil to Rhode Island and his crew dispersed in Boston where they shewed themselves publicly. In 1694 or 1695 Tew came to New York, where Governor Fletcher entertained him and drove him about in his coach, though Tew publicly declared that he would make another voyage to the Red Sea and make New York his port of return.... He fitted out his sloop in Rhode Island, whence he sailed to the Red Sea and there died or was killed. His crew picked up another ship at Madagascar.”[73]
Governor Bellomont sent numerous dispatches to the Lords of Trade describing in much detail the relations of his predecessor in office with those who had sailed “on the account,” armed with privateering commissions issued by Fletcher. He wrote that many pirates in the Red Sea and elsewhere had been fitted out in New York or Rhode Island. The ships commanded by Mason, Tew, Glover and Hore were commissioned by Governor Fletcher. Everybody knew at the time they were bound for the Red Sea, “being openly declared by the captains so as to enable them to raise men and proceed on their voyage quickly.... Captain Tew, who had before been a notorious pirate, on his return from the East Indies with great riches visited New York, where, although a man of infamous character, he was received and caressed by Governor Fletcher, dined and supped often with him and appeared publicly in his coach. They also exchanged presents, such as gold watches, with each other.”[74]
Governor Fletcher, on the other hand, protested that Captain Tew had produced a commission from the Governor of Bermuda and accordingly he had granted him another to make war against the French. “Captain Tew brought no ship into this port. He came as a stranger and came to my table like other strangers who visit this province. He told me he had a sloop well manned and gave bond to fight the French at the mouth of Canada river, whereupon I gave him a commission and instructions accordingly.... It may be my misfortune, but not my crime, if they turn pirates. I have heard of none yet that have done so.”
“Tew appeared to me,” wrote the disingenuous governor, “not only a man of courage and activity, but of the greatest sense and remembrance of what he had seen of any seaman that I ever met with. He was also what is called a very pleasant man, so that some times after the day’s labour was done, it was divertisement as well as information to me to hear him talk. I wished in my mind to make him a sober man, and in particular to cure him of a vile habit of swearing. I gave him a book for that purpose, and to gain the more upon him I gave him a gun of some value. In return he made me a present which was a curiosity, though in value not much.”[75]
Tew’s commission was signed by Gov. Benjamin Fletcher and countersigned by his private secretary, Daniel Honan, but his bond was signed by Edward Coates, a notorious pirate, so it was said, and by John Feny, “a Popist tailor of this city and a beggar.”[76]
Meanwhile, reasonably certain of securing his commission, Tew had been busily engaged in fitting out his sloop for the new venture. He made no bones about his intentions and such was his sense of security that he talked freely with neighbors and also strangers.
A traveller passing through Newport in October, 1694, records that he then saw three vessels fitting out. One of them, a sloop, was commanded by Thomas Tew or Tue, whom he had known in Jamaica, twelve years before. “He was free in discourse with me and declared that he was last year in the Red Sea; that he had taken a rich ship belonging to the Mogul and had received for his owner’s dividend and his sloop’s twelve thousand odd hundred pounds, while his men had received upwards of a thousand pounds each. When I returned to Boston there was another barque of about thirty tons ready to sail and join Tew in the same account. I was likewise advised of another that had sailed from the Whore Kills in Pennsylvania, and that one or two were since gone on the same account. I understand that two of the four that I saw are returned with great booty.”[77]
“Captain Tew had a commission from the Governor of New York to cruise against the French,” afterwards wrote Governor Bellomont. “He came out on pretence of loading negroes at Madagascar, but his design was always to go into the seas, having about seventy men on his sloop of sixty tons. He made a voyage three years ago in which his share was £8000. Want was then his mate. He then went to New England and the Governor would not receive him; then to New York where Governor Fletcher protected him. Colonel Fletcher told Tew he should not come there again unless he brought store of money, and it is said that Tew gave him £300 for his commission. He is gone to make a voyage in the Red Sea, and if he makes his voyage will be back about this time. This is the third time that Tew has gone out, breaking up for the first time in New England and the second time in New York. The place that receives them is chiefly Madagascar, where they must touch both going and coming. All the ships that are now out are from New England, except Tew from New York and Want from Carolina. They build their ships in New England, but come out under pretence of trading from island to island. The money they bring in is current there and the people know very well where they go. One Captain Gough who keeps a mercer’s shop at Boston got a good estate in this way. On first coming out they generally go first to the Isle of May for salt, then to Fernando for water, then round the Cape of Good Hope to Madagascar to victual and water and so for Batsky [sic] where they wait for the traders between Surat and Mecca and Tuda, who must come at a certain time because of the trade wind. When they come back they have no place to go to but Providence, Carolina, New York, New England and Rhode Island, where they all along have been kindly received.”[78]
Captain Tew sailed from Newport in the sloop “Amity,” in November, 1694, and was joined by Captain Want in a brigantine and Captain Wake[79] in another small vessel that had been fitted out at Boston. Want was Tew’s mate on the first voyage and returned with him and spent his share of the plunder in Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. On the present voyage, Thomas Jones of Newport was also associated with him. One Captain Glover, in a ship owned by New York merchants, is also said to have joined Tew’s fleet and to have remitted to his owners the value of the vessel. Probably Tew’s gold may have made the restitution possible.[80]
In June, 1695, Captain Tew was at Liparau island at the mouth of the Red Sea, where with other English vessels he joined the fleet commanded by Captain Avery. Tew at that time had a crew of about forty men. After lying there some time Avery sent a pinnace to Mocha and took two men who gave them information as to the ships coming down. They then stood out to sea and five or six days later the Moors’ ships, twenty-five in number, passed them in the night. Hearing of this from a captured junk they followed. The “Amity” was a bad sailer and fell astern and never came up. The rest of the fleet overtook one of the Moorish vessels and captured her after having fired three shots and found on board £60,000 in gold and silver. Soon another ship was taken after a fight of three hours. The loot of this vessel was so great that each of the one hundred and eighty men engaged received as his share over £1000. There was a great quantity of jewels and a saddle and bridle set with rubies designed as a present for the Great Mogul.[81]