These privateers were no sooner sail’d out, but the crews of some of them, who had been pardoned, rose against their commanders, and turned themselves to their old trade: in this number was Mary Read. It is true, she often declared, that the life of a pirate was what she always abhor’d, and went into it only upon compulsion, both this time, and before, intending to quit it, whenever a fair opportunity should offer itself; yet some of the evidence against her, upon her trial, who were forced men, and had sailed with her, deposed upon oath, that in times of action, no person amongst them were more resolute, or ready to board or undertake anything that was hazardous, as she and Anne Bonny; and particularly at the time they were attack’d and taken, when they came to close quarters, none kept the deck except Mary Read and Anne Bonny, and one more; upon which, she, Mary Read, called to those under deck, to come up and fight like men, and finding they did not stir, fired her arms down the hold amongst them, killing one, and wounding others.
This was part of the evidence against her, which she denied; which, whether true or no, thus much is certain, that she did not want bravery, nor indeed was she less remarkable for her modesty, according to her notions of virtue: her sex was not so much as suspected by any person on board, till Anne Bonny, who was not altogether so reserved in point of chastity, took a particular liking to her; in short, Anne Bonny took her for a handsome young fellow, and for some reasons best known to herself, first discovered her sex to Mary Read; Mary Read knowing what she would be at, and being very sensible of her own incapacity that way, was forced to come to a right understanding with her, and so to the great disappointment of Anne Bonny, she let her know she was a woman also; but this intimacy so disturb’d Captain Rackam, who was the lover and gallant of Anne Bonny, that he grew furiously jealous, so that he told Anne Bonny, he would cut her new lover’s throat, therefore, to quiet him, she let him into the secret also.
Captain Rackam, (as he was enjoined,) kept the thing a secret from all the ship’s company, yet, notwithstanding all her cunning and reserve, love found her out in this disguise, and hinder’d her from forgetting her sex. In their cruise they took a great number of ships belonging to Jamaica, and other parts of the West Indies, bound to and from England; and whenever they meet any good artist, or other person that might be of any great use to their company, if he was not willing to enter, it was their custom to keep him by force. Among these was a young fellow of a most engaging behaviour, or, at least, he was so in the eyes of Mary Read, who became so smitten with his person and address, that she could neither rest, night or day; but as there is nothing more ingenious than love, it was no hard matter for her, who had before been practiced in these wiles, to find a way to let him discover her sex: she first insinuated herself into his liking, by talking against the life of a pirate, which he was altogether averse to, so they became messmates and strict companions: when she found he had a friendship for her, as a man, she suffered the discovery to be made, by carelessly showing her breasts, which were very white.
The young fellow, who was made of flesh and blood, had his curiosity and desire so rais’d by this sight, that he never ceased importuning her, till she confessed what she was. Now begins the scene of love; as he had a liking and esteem for her, under her supposed character, it was now turn’d into fondness and desire; her passion was no less violent than his, and perhaps she express’d it, by one of the most generous actions that ever love inspired. It happened this young fellow had a quarrel with one of the pirates, and their ship then lying at an anchor, near one of the islands, they had appointed to go ashore and fight, according to the custom of the pirates: Mary Read, was to the last degree uneasy and anxious, for the fate of her lover; she would not have had him refuse the challenge, because, she could not bear the thoughts of his being branded with cowardice; on the other side, she dreaded the event, and apprehended the fellow might be too hard for him: when love once enters into the breast of one who has any sparks of generosity, it stirs the heart up to the most noble actions; in this dilemma, she show’d, that she fear’d more for his life than she did for her own; for she took a resolution of quarreling with this fellow herself, and having challenged him ashore, she appointed the time two hours sooner than that when he was to meet her lover, where she fought him at sword and pistol, and killed him upon the spot.
It is true, she had fought before, when she had been insulted by some of those fellows, but now it was altogether in her lover’s cause, she stood as it were betwixt him
