PREFACE v✦

TABLE OF CONTENTS vii

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ix

INTRODUCTION BY CAPT. ERNEST H. PENTECOST, R.N.R. xvii✦

I THE BEGINNINGS OF ENGLISH PIRACY 1

II DIXEY BULL, THE FIRST PIRATE IN NEW ENGLAND WATERS AND SOME OTHERS WHO FOLLOWED HIM 20

III JOHN RHODES, PILOT OF THE DUTCH PIRATES ON THE COAST OF MAINE 44

IV THOMAS POUND, PILOT OF THE KING’S FRIGATE, WHO BECAME A PIRATE AND DIED A GENTLEMAN 54

V WILLIAM KIDD, PRIVATEERSMAN AND REPUTED PIRATE 73

VI THOMAS TEW, WHO RETIRED AND LIVED AT NEWPORT 84

VII JOHN QUELCH AND HIS CREW, WHO WERE HANGED AT BOSTON AND THEIR GOLD DISTRIBUTED 99

VIII SAMUEL BELLAMY, WHOSE SHIP WAS WRECKED AT WELLFLEET AND 142 DROWNED 116

IX GEORGE LOWTHER, WHO CAPTURED THIRTY-THREE VESSELS IN SEVENTEEN MONTHS 132

X NED LOW OF BOSTON AND HOW HE BECAME A PIRATE CAPTAIN 141

XI CAPTAIN ROBERTS’ CURIOUS ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED ON LOW’S SHIP 157

XII THE BRUTAL CAREER AND MISERABLE END OF NED LOW 200

XIII THE STRANGE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP ASHTON 218

XIV NICHOLAS MERRITT’S ACCOUNT OF HIS ESCAPE FROM PIRATES 270

XV FRANCIS FARRINGTON SPRIGGS, THE COMPANION OF NED LOW 277

XVI CHARLES HARRIS, WHO WAS HANGED AT NEWPORT WITH TWENTY-FIVE OF HIS CREW 288

XVII JOHN PHILLIPS, WHOSE HEAD WAS CUT OFF AND PICKLED 310

XVIII WILLIAM FLY, WHO WAS HANGED IN CHAINS ON NIX’S MATE 328

XIX PIRATE HAUNTS AND CRUISING GROUNDS 338

XX PIRATE LIFE AND DEATH 353

APPENDIX I CAPTAIN PLOUGHMAN’S COMMISSION 371 II CAPTAIN PLOUGHMAN’S INSTRUCTIONS 373 III DYING SPEECH OF CAPTAIN QUELCH 376 IV JOHN FILLMORE’S NARRATIVE 379 V AN “ACT OF GRACE” 381

INDEX 383

ILLUSTRATIONS

BOSTON HARBOR FROM THE SURVEY IN THE “ENGLISH PILOT,” Part IV. London, 1707 Front end-paper

From an original in the Harvard College Library.

VIEW OF THE HARBOR AND TOWN OF BOSTON IN 1723 Frontispiece

From an engraving in the British Museum after a drawing by William Burgis.

FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF CAPT. CHARLES JOHNSON’S “HISTORY OF THE PIRATES,” London, 1724 1

From an original in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

MAP OF THE WEST INDIES ABOUT 1720, SHOWING “THE TRACTS OF THE SPANISH GALLIONS” 10

From Herman Moll’s “Atlas Minor,” London, 1732, in the Harvard College Library.

CAPT. HENRY MORGAN, THE BUCCANEER, BEFORE PANAMA 14

From an engraving in Johnson’s “General History of the Lives and Adventures of the Most Famous Highwaymen, Murderers, Pyrates,” etc., London, 1734, in the Harry Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard College Library.

FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF REV. COTTON MATHER’S “PILLARS OF SALT, AN HISTORY OF SOME CRIMINALS EXECUTED IN THIS LAND,” Boston, 1699 26

From an original in the Harvard College Library.

RICHARD COOTE, EARL OF BELLOMONT, GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, 1699-1700 42

From a rare engraving in the Harvard College Library.

VIEW OF CASTLE WILLIAM, BOSTON HARBOR, ABOUT 1729, AND A MAN-OF-WAR OF THE PERIOD 54

From the only known copy of an engraving probably by John Harris, after a drawing by William Burgis.

AN ARMED SLOOP NEAR BOSTON LIGHTHOUSE IN 1729 62

From the only known copy of a mezzotint by William Burgis, published Aug. 11, 1729, and now in the possession of the United States Lighthouse Board.

SAMUEL SEWALL, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT IN MASSACHUSETTS, 1718-1728 66

From an original painting in possession of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF “A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE PROCEEDINGS IN RELATION TO CAPT. KIDD,” London, 1701 82

From an original in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

JOSEPH DUDLEY, GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, WHO PRESIDED AT THE TRIAL OF CAPTAIN QUELCH 102

From an original painting in possession of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF “THE TRIAL OF CAPT. JOHN QUELCH FOR PIRACY,” London, 1704 106

From an original in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF REV. COTTON MATHER’S “FAITHFUL WARNINGS TO PREVENT FEARFUL JUDGMENTS,” Boston, 1704 112

From an original in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

REV. COTTON MATHER, PASTOR OF THE SECOND (NORTH) CHURCH, Boston, 1685-1728 114

From a mezzotint by Peter Pelham after a portrait painted in 1728.

FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF “THE TRIAL OF EIGHT PERSONS INDITED FOR PIRACY,” Boston, 1717 116

From an original in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

SPANISH DOUBLOON 126

From the original gold coin, found on the beach at Wellfleet, Mass., where Bellamy’s pirate ship was wrecked in 1717 and now in the possession of Charles H. Taylor.

SPANISH PIECE OF EIGHT 126

From the original eight real piece in the cabinet of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF REV. COTTON MATHER’S “INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LIVING FROM THE CONDITION OF THE DEAD,” Boston, 1717 130

From an original in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

CAPT. GEORGE LOWTHER AT PORT MAYO 138

From an engraving in Johnson’s “General History of the Lives and Adventures of the Most Famous Highwaymen, Murderers, Pyrates,” etc., London, 1734, in the Harry Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard College Library.

THE IDLE APPRENTICE SENT TO SEA 142

From an engraving by William Hogarth in the “Industry and Idleness” series, published in 1747. The young reprobate is being rowed past Cuckold’s Point on the Thames where may be seen a pirate hanging from a gibbet.

A BARQUE IN THE WEST INDIES ABOUT 1720 146

From an engraving in Lobat’s “Nouveau Voyage,” Vol. II, Paris, 1722, in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

A BRIGANTINE IN THE WEST INDIES ABOUT 1720 146

From an engraving in Lobat’s “Nouveau Voyage,” Vol. II, Paris, 1722, in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

CAPT. EDWARD LOW IN A HURRICANE 152

From an engraving in Johnson’s “General History of the Lives and Adventures of the Most Famous Highwaymen, Murderers, Pyrates,” etc., London, 1734, in the Harry Elkins Widener Collection, Harvard College Library.

ONE OF LOW’S CREW KILLING A WOUNDED SPANIARD 204

From an engraving in Johnson’s “Historie der Engelsche Zee-roovers,” Amsterdam, 1725, in the Harvard College Library.

FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF “ASHTON’S MEMORIAL: THE STRANGE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP ASHTON,” Boston, 1725 222

From an original in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

PIRATES BOARDING A SPANISH VESSEL IN THE WEST INDIES 238

From an engraving in “The History and Lives of the most Notorious Pirates,” by an old Seaman, London, n.d., in possession of Capt. Ernest H. Pentecost, R.N.R.

MAP OF THE BAY OF HONDURAS SHOWING RATTAN ISLAND AND PORT MAYO 242

From the map in “Voyages and Travels of Capt. Nathaniel Uring,” London, 1726, in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

MAP SHOWING RUATAN ISLAND IN THE BAY OF HONDURAS WHERE PHILIP ASHTON ESCAPED FROM PIRATES 256

From a map in the “American Atlas,” by Thomas Jefferys, London, 1776, in the possession of John W. Farwell.

“SWEATING” ON CAPTAIN SPRIGG’S PIRATE VESSEL 278

From an engraving in “The History and Lives of the most Notorious Pirates,” by an old Seaman, London, n.d., in possession of Capt. Ernest H. Pentecost, R.N.R.

PIRATES KILLING A CAPTURED MAN 284

From an engraving in “The History and Lives of the Most Notorious Pirates,” by an old Seaman, London, n.d., in possession of Capt. Ernest H. Pentecost, R.N.R.

FIGHT ON A PIRATE SHIP 284

From an engraving in “The History and Lives of the Most Notorious Pirates,” by an old Seaman, London, n.d., in possession of Capt. Ernest H. Pentecost, R.N.R.

WILLIAM DUMMER, LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, WHO PRESIDED AT THE TRIAL OF CAPT. CHARLES HARRIS FOR PIRACY 296