A General History of the Pirates quotes

But ’twas all in vain, they were now told, it was their business to turn their minds to another world, and sincerely to repent of what wickedness they had done in this.

Yes, answered one of them, I do heartily repent; I repent I had not done more mischief, and that we did not cut the throats of them that took us, and I am extremely sorry that you an’t all hang’d as well as we.

So do I, says another: and I, says a third;

while others were for offering him and his companions an act of grace, and inviting them to England, with all their treasure, lest his growing greatness might hinder the trade of Europe to the East Indies.

Yet all these were no more than false rumours, improved by the credulity of some, and the humour of others who love to tell strange things; for, while it was said, he was aspiring at a crown, he wanted a shilling; and at the same time it was given out he was in possession of such prodigious wealth in Madagascar, he was starving in England.

No doubt, but the reader will have a curiosity of knowing what became of this man, and what were the true grounds of so many false reports concerning him; therefore, I shall, in as brief a manner as I can, give his history.

… made crooked and serpentine, if a man should attempt to come near the hut at night, he would certainly have struck upon these thorns, though he had been provided with that clue which Ariadne gave to Theseus when he entered the cave of the Minotaur.

Thus tyrant like they lived, fearing and feared by all;

and in this situation they were found by Captain Woodes Rogers, when he went to Madagascar, in the Delicia, a ship of forty guns, with a design of buying slaves in order to sell to the Dutch at Batavia or New Holland:

Before he sailed away, and they found that nothing was to be done, they confessed all the designs they had formed against him.

Thus he left them as he found them, in a great deal of dirty state and royalty, but with fewer subjects than they had, having, as we observed, sold many of them;

and if ambition be the darling passion of men, no doubt they were happy.

and, though Teach had never any commission in his life, and the sloop belonging to the English merchants, and taken in time of peace; yet was she condemned as a prize taken from the Spaniards, by the said Teach.

These proceedings show that governors are but men.

Before he sailed upon his adventures, he marry’d a young creature of about sixteen years of age, the Governor performing the ceremony. As it is a custom to marry here by a priest, so it is there by a magistrate;

but Mr. Maynard reply’d thus; I cannot spare my boat, but I will come aboard of you as soon as I can, with my sloop. Upon this, Blackbeard took a glass of liquor, and drank to him with these words:

Damnation seize my soul if I give you quarters, or take any from you.

In answer to which, Mr. Maynard told him, that he expected no quarters from him, nor should he give him any.

The sloop Ranger came up, and attack’d the men that remain’d in Blackbeard’s sloop, with equal bravery, till they likewise cry’d for quarters.

Here was an end of that courageous brute, who might have pass’d in the world for a hero, had he been employ’d in a good cause;

his destruction, which was of such consequence to the plantations, was entirely owing to the conduct and bravery of Lieutenant Maynard and his men, who might have destroy’d him with much less loss, had they had a vessel with great guns;

When the pistols were ready, he blew out the candle, and crossing his hands, discharged them at his company; Hands, the master, was shot thro’ the knee, and lam’d for life; the other pistol did no execution.—

Being asked the meaning of this, he only answered, by damning them, that if he did not now and then kill one of them, they would forget who he was.

Hands being taken, was try’d and condemned, but just as he was about to be executed, a ship arrives at Virginia with a proclamation for prolonging the time of His Majesty’s pardon, to such of the pirates as should surrender by a limited time therein …

we shall relate two or three more of his extravagancies, which we omitted in the body of his history, by which it will appear, to what a pitch of wickedness, human nature may arrive, if it’s passions are not checked.

In the commonwealth of pirates, he who goes the greatest length of wickedness, is looked upon with a kind of envy amongst them, as a person of a more extraordinary gallantry, and is thereby entitled to be distinguished by some post, and if such a one has but courage, he must certainly be a great man.

The hero of whom we are writing, was thoroughly accomplished this way, and some of his frolics of wickedness, were so extravagant, as if he aimed at making his men believe he was a devil incarnate;

one of his men asked him, in case anything should happen to him in the engagement with the sloops, whether his wife knew where he had buried his money?

He answered, that nobody but himself and the devil, knew where it was, and the longest liver should take all.

Those of his crew who were taken alive, told a story which may appear a little incredible; however, we think it will not be fair to omit it, since we had it from their own mouths.

… rum all out:—Our company somewhat sober:—A damn’d confusion amongst us!—rogues a-plotting;—great talk of separation.—So I look’d sharp for a prize;—such a day took one, with a great deal of liquor on board, so kept the company hot, damned hot, then all things went well again.

Thus it was these wretches passed their lives, with very little pleasure or satisfaction, in the possession of what they violently take away from others, and sure to pay for it at last, by an ignominious death.

The names of the pirates killed in the engagement, are as follows

… he was ordered to come on board in his boat, which he did, and the person that he first cast his eye upon, proved to be his old boatswain, who star’d him in the face like his evil genius, and accosted him in this manner.—

Ah, Captain Skinner! Is it you? The only man I wished to see; I am much in your debt, and now I shall pay you all in your own coin.

The poor man trembled every joint, when he found into what company he had fallen, and dreaded the event, as he had reason enough so to do;

The old natives are pagans, but there are a great number of Muhammadans inhabiting among them, who are merchants, and generally rich. On the same coast, but in a province to the northward lies Goa, Surat, Bombay, where the English, Dutch, and Portuguese have settlements.

Hither our pirates came, having made a tour of half the globe, as the psalmist says of the devils, going about like roaring lions, seeking whom they might devour.

They took several country ships, that is, Indian vessels, and one European, a Dutch ship, which they exchanged for one of their own, and then came back to Madagascar.

Which way can I get away? answers Vane. Are there not fishermen’s dories upon the beach? Can’t you take one of them? replies Holford. What, says Vane, would you have me steal a dory then?

Do you make it a matter of conscience? said Holford, to steal a dory, when you have been a common robber and pirate, stealing ships and cargoes, and plundering all mankind that fell in your way?

Stay there, and be d⸺n’d, if you are so squeamish: and so left him.

for nothing is so deplorable as power in mean and ignorant hands, it makes men wanton and giddy, unconcerned at the misfortunes they are imposing on their fellow creatures, and keeps them smiling at the mischiefs, that bring themselves no advantage.

They are like mad men, that cast firebrands, arrows, and death, and say, are not we in sport?

Roberts mann’d the Bristol galley he took in the harbour, and mounted 16 guns on board her, and cruising out upon the banks, he met with nine or ten sail of French ships, all which he destroyed except one of 26 guns, which they seiz’d, …

in their voyage thither, met with a French ship from Martinique, richly laden, and, which was unlucky for the master, had a property of being fitter for their purpose, than the banker.

Exchange was no robbery they said

, and so after a little mock complaisance to Monsieur, for the favour he had done them, they shifted their men, and took leave: this was their first Royal Fortune.

and a detachment being sent in quest of the deserters, they were all three brought back again the next day. This was a capital offence, and for which they were ordered to be brought to an immediate trial.

Here was the form of justice kept up, which is as much as can be said of several other courts, that have more lawful commissions for what they do.

—Here was no feeing of council, and bribing of witnesses was a custom not known among them;

they grew sick, struck their colours, and called out for quarters; having had 10 men killed outright, and 20 wounded, without the loss or hurt of one of the King’s men. She had 32 guns, mann’d with 16 Frenchmen, 20 Negroes, and 77 English.

The colours were thrown overboard, that they might not rise in judgment, nor be display’d in triumph over them.

While the Swallow was sending their boat to fetch the prisoners, a blast and smoke was seen to pour out of the great cabin, and they thought they were blowing up;

in this, plenty and satiety, pleasure and ease, liberty and power; and who would not balance creditor on this side, when all the hazard that is run for it, at worst, is only a sour look or two at choking.

No, a merry life and a short one, shall be my motto.

Thus he preach’d himself into an approbation of what he at first abhorr’d; and being daily regal’d with music, drinking, and the gaiety and diversions of his companions, these deprav’d propensities were quickly edg’d and strengthen’d, to the extinguishing of fear and conscience.

but frankly own’d, it was to get rid of the disagreeable superiority of some masters he was acquainted with, and the love of novelty and change, maritime peregrinations had accustom’d him to.

In an honest service, says he, there is thin commons, low wages, and hard labour; in this, plenty and satiety, pleasure and ease, liberty and power; and who would not balance creditor on this side, when all the hazard that is run for it, at worst, is only a sour look or two at choking.

No, a merry life and a short one, shall be my motto. Thus he preach’d himself into an approbation of what he at first abhorr’d;

… happened to be tried, is among other happinesses, exempted from lawyers, and law-books, so that the office of register, of necessity fell on one, not versed in those affairs, which might justify the court in want of form, more essentially supply’d with integrity and impartiality.

But, perhaps, if there was less law, there might be more justice, than in some other courts

;

… for caps, but when this gentleman press’d them for an answer, they all exclaim’d against the severity of the court, and were so harden’d, as to curse, and wish the same justice might overtake all the members of it, as had been dealt to them.

They were poor rogues, they said, and so hang’d, while others, no less guilty in another way, escaped.

When he endeavoured to compose their minds, exhorting them to die in charity with all the world, and would have diverted them from such vain discourse, by asking them their country, age, and the like;

Consider! ⸻ How dare you talk of considering? ⸻ sirrah, sirrah, I never consider’d in all my life. ⸻

I’ll make it treason to consider.

But, I hope, your lordship will hear some reason.

D’ye hear how the scoundrel prates? ⸻

What have we to do with reason?

⸻ I’d have you to know, rascal, we don’t sit here to hear reason; ⸻ we go according to law. ⸻ Is our dinner ready?

Edward Low was born in Westminster, and had his education there, such as it was, for he could neither write or read.

Nature seem’d to have designed him for a pirate from his childhood

, for very early he began the trade of plundering, and was wont to raise contributions among all the boys of Westminster; and if any were bold enough to refuse it, a battle was the consequence;

but the captain overhearing the matter, put an end to the judicial proceedings, and fell to rummaging the ship, saying to them,

What have we to do to turn reformers, ’tis money we want?

And speaking to the prisoners, he asked them, Does your captain give you victuals enough? And they answering in the affirmative: why then, said he, he ought to give you work enough.

for pretty strong evidence is expected in their favour, to balance that of being taken aboard a vessel which is prov’d to be in actual piracy, and they assisting therein.

Thus was many an honest man’s case made most desperate by the consummate villainy of a few hardened wretches, who fear neither God or devil, as this Phillips us’d often blasphemously to express himself.

On the 25th of March they took two ships from Virginia for London, John Phillips, the pirate captain’s namesake, was master of one, and Captain Robert Mortimer, the other, a brisk young fellow, that deserv’d a better fate than he met with.