To Mr. William Foster, of the India Office, I am especially indebted for aid in directing my attention to old documents that would otherwise have escaped notice, and who has generously placed at my disposal some of the results of his own researches into the history of the Company in the seventeenth century, as yet unpublished. My thanks are also due to Sir Ernest Robinson for permitting me to use his picture of an engagement with Mahratta ships, as a frontispiece. J.B. CONTENTS CHAPTER I RISE OF EUROPEAN PIRACY IN THE EAST Portuguese pirates--Vincente Sodre--Dutch pirates--Royal filibustering--Endymion Porter's venture--The Courten Association--The Indian Red Sea fleet--John Hand--Odium excited against the English in Surat--The _Caesar_ attacked by French pirates--Danish depredations--West Indian pirates--Ovington's narrative--Interlopers and permission ships--Embargo placed on English trade--Rovers trapped at Mungrole--John Steel--Every seizes the _Charles the Second_ and turns pirate--His letter to English commanders--The Madagascar settlements--Libertatia--Fate of Sawbridge--Capture of the _Gunj Suwaie_--Immense booty--Danger of the English at Surat--Bombay threatened--Friendly behaviour of the Surat Governor--Embargo on European trade--Every sails for America--His reputed end--Great increase of piracy--Mutiny of the _Mocha_ and _Josiah_ crews--Culliford in the _Resolution_--The _London_ seized by Imaum of Muscat. CHAPTER II CAPTAIN KIDD Measures to suppress piracy--The _Adventure_ fitted out--Warren's squadron meets with Kidd--His suspicious behaviour--He threatens the _Sidney_--Waylays the Red Sea fleet--Captures the _Mary_--Visits Carwar and Calicut--His letter to the factory--Chased by Portuguese men-of-war--Chases the _Sedgwick_--Chivers--Action between _Dorrill_ and _Resolution_--Kidd captures the _Quedah Merchant_--Dilemma of European traders at Surat--Their agreements with the authorities--Experience of the _Benjamin_--News of Kidd's piracies reaches England--Despatch of squadron under Warren--Littleton at Madagascar--Kidd sails for New York--Arrested and tried--His defence and execution--Justice of his sentence--His character--Diminution of piracy--Lowth in the _Loyal Merchant_--Act for suppression of piracy--Captain Millar ... CHAPTER III THE RISE OF CONAJEE ANGRIA Native piracy hereditary on the Malabar coast--Marco Polo's account--Fryer's narrative--The Kempsant--Arab and Sanganian pirates--Attack on the _President_--Loss of the _Josiah_--Attack on the _Phoenix_--The _Thomas_ captured--Depredations of the Gulf pirates--Directors' views--Conajee Angria--Attacks English ships--Destroys the _Bombay_--Fortifies Kennery--Becomes independent--Captures the Governor's yacht--Attacks the _Somers_ and _Grantham_--Makes peace with Bombay--His navy--Great increase of European and native piracy ... CHAPTER IV AN ACTIVE GOVERNOR