{MN} After the death of our most Gracious Queen Elizabeth of Blessed Memory, our Royal King _James,_ who from his Infancy had Reigned in Peace with all Nations; had no imployment for those Men of Warr, so that those that were Rich relied with that they had; those that were poor and had nothing but from hand to Mouth, turned Pirates; some, because they became slighted of those for whom they had got much Wealth; some for that they could not get their Due; some that had lived bravely, would not abase themselves to Poverty; some vainly, only to get a name; others for Revenge, Covetousness, or as ill; and as they found themselves more and more oppressed, their Passions increasing with discontent, made them turn Pirates. * * * * * {MN} _What occasioneth Pirates._ {MN} Now because they grew hatefull to all _Christian_ Princes, they retired to Barbary, where altho' there be not many good Harbours, but _Tunis, Argier, Sally, Mamora,_ and _Tituane,_ there are many convenient Rodes, or the open Sea, which is their chief Lordship: For their best Harbours _Massalqueber,_ the Towns of _Oran, Mellila, Tangier,_ and _Ceuta,_ within the Streights, are possessed by the _Spaniards;_ without the Streights they have also _Arzella_ and _Mazagan; Mamora_ they have likewise lately taken, and Fortified. _Ward_ a poor _English_ Sailer, and _Dansker_ a _Dutchman,_ made first here their Marts; when the _Moors_ knew scarce how to sail a Ship; _Bishop_ was Ancient and did little hurt; but _Easton_ got so much as made himself a Marquess in _Savoy;_ and _Ward_ lived like a Bashay in _Barbary;_ those were the first that taught the _Moors_ to be Men of War. _Gennings, Harris, Tompson,_ and divers others were taken in Ireland, a Coast they much frequented, and died at _Wapping. Haws, Bough, Smith, Walsingham, Ellis, Collins, Sawkwel, Wollingstone, Barrow, Wilson, Sayres,_ and divers others, all these were Captains amongst the Pirates, whom King _James_ Mercifully Pardon'd; and was it not strange, a few of those should command the Seas. Notwithstanding the _Malteses,_ the Pope, _Florentines, Genoeses, French, Dutch_ and _Engish,_ Gallies and Men of War, they Would rob before their Faces, and even at their own Ports, yet seldom more than three, four, five, or six in a Fleet: many times they had very good Ships, and well Man'd, but commonly in such Factions amongst themselves, and so Riotous, Quarrellous, Treacherous, Blasphemous and Villainous, it is more than a wonder they could so long continue, to do so much Mischief; and all they got, they basely consumed it amongst _Jews, Turks, Moors,_ and Whores. * * * * * {MN} _Their chief Rendezvous._