A General History of the Pirates

of these rovers, since the Peace of Utrecht, or at least, the great increase of them, may justly be computed to the Spanish settlements in the West Indies; the governors of which, being often some hungry courtiers, sent thither to repair or make a fortune, generally countenance all proceedings that bring in profit: they grant commissions to great numbers of vessels of war, on pretence of preventing an interloping trade, with orders to seize all ships or vessels whatsoever, within five leagues of their coasts, which our English ships cannot well avoid coming, in their voyage to Jamaica. But if the Spanish captains chance to exceed this commission, and rob and plunder at discretion, the sufferers are allowed to complain, and exhibit a process in their court, and after great expense of suit, delay of time, and other inconveniencies, obtain a decree in their favour, but then when the ship and cargo comes to be claim’d, with costs of suit, they find, to their sorrow, that it has been previously condemn’d, and the plunder divided among the crew; the commander that made the capture, who alone is responsible, is found to be a poor rascally fellow, not worth a groat, and, no doubt, is plac’d in that station for the like purposes.

The frequent losses sustain’d by our merchants abroad, by these pirates, was provocation enough to attempt something by way of reprisal; and a fair opportunity offering itself in the year 1716, the traders of the West Indies, took care not to slip it over, but made the best use of it their circumstances would permit.

It was about two years before, that the Spanish galleons, or plate fleet, had been cast away in the Gulf or Florida; and several vessels from the Havana, were at work, with diving engines, to fish up the silver that was on board the galleons.

The Spaniards had recovered some millions of pieces of eight, and had carried it all to the Havana; but they had at present about 350,000 pieces of eight in silver, then upon the spot, and were daily taking up more. In the meantime, two ships, and three sloops, fitted out from Jamaica, Barbados, etc. under Captain Henry Jennings, sail’d to the gulf, and found the Spaniards there upon the wreck; the money before spoken of, was left onshore, deposited in a storehouse, under the government of two commissaries, and a guard of about 60 soldiers.

The rovers came directly upon the place, bringing their little fleet to an anchor, and, in a word, landing 300 men, they attack’d the guard, who immediately ran away; and thus they seized the treasure, which they carried off, making the best of their way to Jamaica.

In their way they unhappily met with a Spanish ship, bound from Porto Bello to the Havana, with a great many rich goods, viz. bales of cochineal, casks of indigo, and 60,000 pieces of eight more, which their hands being in, they took, and having rifled the vessel, let her go.

They went away to Jamaica with their booty, and were followed in view of the port, by the Spaniards, who having seen them thither, went back to the Governor of the Havana, with the account of it, who immediately sent a vessel to the Governor of Jamaica to complain of this robbery, and to reclaim the goods.

As it was in full peace, and contrary to all justice and right, that this fact was committed, they were soon made sensible that the government at Jamaica would not suffer them to go unpunished, much less protect them. Therefore they saw a necessity of shifting for themselves; so, to make bad worse, they went to sea again, though not without disposing of their cargo to good advantage, and furnishing themselves with ammunition, provisions, etc. and being thus made desperate, they turn’d pirates, robbing not the Spaniards only, but their own countrymen, and any nation they could lay their hands on.

It happened about this time, that the Spaniards, with three or four small men-of-war, fell upon our logwood cutters, in the Bay of Campeche, and Bay of Honduras; and after they had made prizes of the following ships and vessels, they gave the men belonging to them, three sloops to carry them home, but these men being made desperate by their misfortunes, and meeting with the pirates, they took on with them, and so increas’d their number.

The List of Ships and Vessels Taken by the Spanish Men-of-War in the Year 1716

The Stafford	Captain Knocks	From New England, bound for London
Anne	— Gernish	For ditto
Dove	— Grimstone	For New England
A Sloop	— Alden	For ditto
A Brigantine	— Mosson	For ditto
A Brigantine	— Turfield	For ditto
A Brigantine	— Tennis	For ditto
A Ship	— Porter	For ditto
Indian Emperor	— Wentworth	For New England
A Ship	— Rich, Master
Ditto	— Bay
Ditto	— Smith
Ditto	— Stockum
Ditto	— Satlely
A Sloop	— Richards	Belonging to New England
Two Sloops	— —	Belonging to Jamaica
One Sloop	— —	Of Barbados
Two Ships	— —	From Scotland
Two Ships	— —	From Holland

The rovers being now pretty strong, they consulted together about getting some place of retreat, where they might lodge their wealth, clean and repair their ships, and make themselves a kind of abode. They were not long in resolving, but fixed upon the island of Providence, the most considerable of the Bahama Islands, lying in the latitude of about 24 degrees north, and to the eastward of the Spanish Florida.

This Island is about 28 miles long, and eleven where broadest, and has a harbour big enough to hold 500 sail of ships; before which lies a small island, which makes two inlets to the harbour; at either way there is a bar, over which no ship of 500 ton can pass. The Bahama Islands were possess’d by the English till the year 1700, when the French and Spaniards from Petit Guavus, invaded them, took the fort and governor in the island of Providence, plunder’d and destroy’d the settlements, etc. carried off half the blacks, and the rest of the people, who fled to the woods, retired afterwards to Carolina.

In March 1705⁠–⁠6, the House of Lords did in an address to