The History of the Pyrates. Vol. II.: Containing the lives of Captain Misson, Captain Bowen, Captain Kidd, Captain Tew, Captain Halsey, Captain White, Captain Condent, Captain Bellamy, Captain Fly, Captain Howard, Captain Lewis, Captain Cornelius, Captain Williams, Captain Burgess, Captain North, and their several crewsDefoe, Daniel
History
The History of the Pyrates. Vol. II.: Containing the lives of Captain Misson, Captain Bowen, Captain Kidd, Captain Tew, Captain Halsey, Captain White, Captain Condent, Captain Bellamy, Captain Fly, Captain Howard, Captain Lewis, Captain Cornelius, Captain Williams, Captain Burgess, Captain North, and their several crews
Defoe, Daniel
Pirates -- Early works to 1800
Some time after, the Prince of the Country, who entertained _Williams_,
had a Quarrel with a neighbouring King, which broke into a War.
_Williams_ took the Field with his Patron, but the Enemy being superior
in Number, got the Victory, and took a great many Prisoners, among whom
was the unfortunate _Welshman_: The King, whose Prisoner he was, treated
him very kindly; and being Master of an old Musket, gave it him, saying,
'such Arms were better in the Hands of a white Man than in those of any
of his Subjects, who were not so much used to them; that he should be
his Friend and Companion, and should fare as well as himself, if he
would assist him in his Wars.'
It will not be amiss here to take Notice, that this Island, on the East
Side, is divided into a great Number of Principalities or Kingdoms,
which are almost in continual War one with another; the Grounds of which
are very trivial, for they will pick a Quarrel with a Neighbour,
especially, if he has a Number of Cattle (in which, and Slaves, consist
their Riches) on the slightest Occasion, that they may have an
Opportunity of Plunder; and when a Battle or two is lost, the conquer'd
makes his Peace, by delivering up such a certain Number of Bullocks and
Slaves as shall be demanded by the victorious Prince. On the West Side
of the Island, the Principalities are mostly reduced under one Prince,
who resides near _Methelage_, and who is, as we have said in the Lives
of other Pyrates, a great Friend to white Men; for his Father, who
founded his Empire by the Assistance of the _Europeans_, left it in
Charge with his Son, to assist them with what Necessaries they should
require, and do them all friendly Offices; but if he disobeyed this
Command, and should ever fall out with the white Men, or spill any of
their Blood, he threaten'd to come again, turn him out of his Kingdom,
and give it to his younger Brother. These Menaces had a very great
Effect upon him, for he firmly believed his Father would, on his
Disobedience, put them in Execution; for there is not on Earth, a Race
of Men equally superstitious.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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