A general history of the pyrates : $b from their first rise and settlement in the island of Providence, to the present timeJohnson, Charles, active 1724-1731
History
A general history of the pyrates : $b from their first rise and settlement in the island of Providence, to the present time
Johnson, Charles, active 1724-1731
Pirates -- Early works to 1800
They came to _Whydah_ with a St. _George_'s Ensign, a black Silk Flag
flying at their Mizen-Peek, and a Jack and Pendant of the same: The Flag
had a Death in it, with an Hour-Glass in one Hand, and cross Bones in the
other, a Dart by it, and underneath a Heart dropping three Drops of
Blood.--The Jack had a Man pourtray'd in it, with a flaming Sword in his
Hand, and standing on two Skulls, subscribed _A B H_ and _A M H i. e._ a
_Barbadian_'s and a _Martinican_'s Head, as has been before taken Notice
of. Here they found eleven Sail in the Road, _English, French_ and
_Portuguese_; the _French_ were three stout Ships of 30 Guns, and upwards
of 100 Men each, yet when _Roberts_ came to Fire, they, with the other
Ships, immediately struck their Colours and surrendred to his Mercy. One
Reason, it must be confess'd, of his easy Victory, was, the Commanders and
a good Part of the Men being ashore, according to the Custom of the Place,
to receive the Cargoes, and return the Slaves, they being obliged to watch
the Seasons for it, which otherwise, in so dangerous a Sea as here, would
be impracticable. These all, except the _Porcupine_, ransomed with him for
eight Pound of Gold-Dust, a Ship, not without the trouble of some Letters
passing and repassing from the Shore, before they could settle it; and
notwithstanding the Agreement and Payment, they took away one of the
_French_ Ships, tho' with a Promise to return her, if they found she did
not sail well, taking with them several of her Men for that End.
Some of the Foreigners, who never had Dealing this Way before, desired for
Satisfaction to their Owners, that they might have Receipts for their
Money, which were accordingly given, a Copy of one of them, I have here
subjoined, _viz._
* * *
T_HIS is to certify whom it may or doth concern, that we_ GENTLEMEN
OF FORTUNE, _have received eight Pounds of Gold-Dust, for the Ransom of
the_ Hardey, _Captain_ Dittwitt _Commander, so that we Discharge the said
Ship_,
_Witness our Hands, this_ 13_th of_ Jan. 1721-2.
Batt. Roberts, Harry Glasby.
Others were given to the _Portuguese_ Captains, which were in the same
Form, but being sign'd by two waggish Fellows, _viz. Sutton_, and
_Sympson_, they subscribed by the Names of,
_Aaron Whifflingpin_, _Sim. Tugmutton._
But there was something so singularly cruel and barbarous done here to the
_Porcupine_, Captain _Fletcher_, as must not be passed over without special
Remark.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account