The Buccaneers in the West Indies in the XVII CenturyHaring, Clarence Henry
History
The Buccaneers in the West Indies in the XVII Century
Haring, Clarence Henry
Buccaneers; West Indies -- History
[Footnote 328: Ibid., Nos. 600, 604, 608, 655.]
[Footnote 329: Ibid., Nos. 653, 654.]
[Footnote 330: S.P. Spain, vol. 58, f. 156.]
[Footnote 331: S.P. Spain, vol. 58, f. 156.]
CHAPTER VI
THE GOVERNMENT SUPPRESSES THE BUCCANEERS
The new Lieutenant-Governor of Jamaica, Sir Thomas Lynch, brought with
him instructions to publish and carefully observe the articles of 1670
with Spain, and at the same time to revoke all commissions issued by his
predecessor "to the prejudice of the King of Spain or any of his
subjects." When he proclaimed the peace he was likewise to publish a
general pardon to privateers who came in and submitted within a
reasonable time, of all offences committed since June 1660, assuring to
them the possession of their prize-goods (except the tenths and the
fifteenths which were always reserved to the crown as a condition of
granting commissions), and offering them inducements to take up
planting, trade, or service in the royal navy. But he was not to insist
positively on the payment of the tenths and fifteenths if it discouraged
their submission; and if this course failed to bring in the rovers, he
was to use every means in his power "by force or persuasion" to make
them submit.[332] Lynch immediately set about to secure the good-will of
his Spanish neighbours and to win back the privateers to more peaceful
pursuits. Major Beeston was sent to Cartagena with the articles of
peace, where he was given every satisfaction and secured the release of
thirty-two English prisoners.[333] On the 15th August the proclamation
of pardon to privateers was issued at Port Royal;[334] and those who had
railed against their commanders for cheating them at Panama, were given
an opportunity of resorting to the law-courts.[335] Similar
proclamations were sent by the governor "to all their haunts,"
intimating that he had written to Bermuda, the Caribbees, New England,
New York and Virginia for their apprehension, had sent notices to all
Spanish ports declaring them pirates, and intended to send to Tortuga to
prevent their reception there.[336] However, although the governor wrote
home in the latter part of the month that the privateers were entirely
suppressed, he soon found that the task was by no means a simple one.
Two buccaneers with a commission from Modyford, an Englishman named
Thurston and a mulatto named Diego, flouted his offer of pardon,
continued to prey upon Spanish shipping, and carried their prizes to
Tortuga.[337] A Dutchman named Captain Yallahs (or Yellowes) fled to
Campeache, sold his frigate for 7000 pieces of eight to the Spanish
governor, and entered into Spanish service to cruise against the English
logwood-cutters. The Governor of Jamaica sent Captain Wilgress in
pursuit, but Wilgress devoted his time to chasing a Spanish vessel
ashore, stealing logwood and burning Spanish houses on the coast.[338] A
party of buccaneers, English and French, landed upon the north side of
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