Captain Samuel Burgess was born in New-York, and had a good education.
He sailed some time in a privateer in the West-Indies, and very often,
the gang he was with, when the time of their cruising was expired, would
make no ceremony of prolonging the commission by their own authority.
By his privateering he got together some little money, and returned
home, where the government having no notice, or at least taking none, of
his piratical practice, in staying beyond the date of his commission, he
went out mate of a ship, in the service of Frederick Phillips, bound to
the island of Madagascar, to trade with the pirates, where they had the
misfortune to lose their ship, and lived 18 months at Augustin, when an
English pirate coming in, the king of the country obliged him to go on
board her, though much against his inclination, for he was tired of a
roving life: but their choice was to go or starve, for the king would
keep them no longer.
He went with this freebooter to the East-Indies, where they made several
rich prizes, and returned to St. Mary’s, where they took in provisions,
wood, and water. Several of their gang knocked off here; but the
captain, Burgess, and the remainder, went away for the West-Indies,
disposed of their plunder on the Spanish coast, and then returning to
New-York, purposely knocked the ship on the head at Sandy Hook, after
they had secured their money ashore.
The government not being informed of their piracy, they lived here
without molestation, and, in a short time, Burgess married a relation of
Mr. Phillips, who built a ship, called the Pembroke, and sent him a
second time to Madagascar. In his way to this island, he went into the
river of Dilagou on the African coast, where he took in a quantity of
elephant’s teeth; and thence to Augustin, where he met with several of
his old ship-mates, with whom he traded for money and slaves. Leaving
this place, he went to Methelage, where he also took some money and
negroes; and from thence he shaped his course for St. Mary’s, on the
east side, where he also drove a considerable trade with his old
comrades, took several of them passengers, who paid very generously for
their passage; and taking with him an account of what was proper to
bring in another trip, he returned to New-York, without any sinister
accident. This voyage cleared £5000, ship and charges paid.
His owner, encouraged by this success, bade him choose what cargo he
pleased, and set out again. Accordingly he laded with wine, beer, &c.
and returning to Madagascar, arrived at Maratan, on the east side, where
he disposed of a great part of his cargo at his own rates. At Methelage
he disposed of the rest, and returned, clearing for himself and owner,
£10,000, besides 300 slaves he brought to New-York.
After a short stay at home, he set out again on the old voyage, fell in
first with Methelage, where he victualled and traded, and from thence
went round the south end, and sold part of his cargo at a large profit,
to his old acquaintance. He made a trading voyage round the island, and
at St. Mary’s met another ship belonging to his owner, which had orders
to follow his directions. He remained at this port till he had disposed
of the cargoes of both ships. He then shaped his course homewards, with
about twenty pirate passengers, who had accepted the pardon brought by
Commodore Littleton.
In his way he touched at the Cape of Good Hope, for wood, water, and
fresh provision. While he was here, the Loyal Cook, an East-Indiaman,
came in, who made prize of Burgess, and carried him to the East-Indies.
He there would have delivered Burgess’ ship to the governor of Madras,
but the governor would have no hand in the affair, and told the captain,
he must answer to the East-India company and Burgess’ owner for what he
had done.
Most of the pirate passengers thought themselves cleared by the act of
grace; but some, not willing to trust to it, got off with what gold they
could, in a Dutch boat. They who trusted to the pardon, were clapped in
gaol, and died in their irons. I cannot omit the simplicity of one of
them, who had, however, the wit to get off. When he designed to go away,
he looked for his comrade for the key of his chest, to take his gold
with him, which amounted to seventeen hundred pounds; but this comrade
being ashore, he would not break open the chest, for it was a pity, he
said, to spoil a good new lock; so left his money for the captain of the
East-Indiaman.
The news of this capture came to the owner before the ship returned, and
he sued the Company; but at their request, waited for the arrival of the
Loyal Cook, which brought Burgess prisoner to England soon after. The
Captain finding himself in an error, and that what he had done could not
be justified, absconded; and the Company made good the ship and cargo to
the owner. Burgess was set at liberty, continued some time in London,
was impeached, and piracy sworn against him by Culliford, who,
notwithstanding he came home on the act of grace, was committed to
Newgate, tried, and acquitted, though he was beggared.
Burgess’ owner laboured very hard, and expended great sums of money to
save him. However, though he pleaded the necessity of his going on board
the pirate, he was tried and condemned; but by the intercession of the
bishops of London and Canterbury, was pardoned by the queen.
After this, he made a broken voyage to the South Sea, lieutenant of a
privateer, and returning to London, was out of business a whole year. He
then shipped himself as mate on board the Hannah, afterwards called the
Neptune, and went to Scotland to take in her cargo, the owner being of
that country; but before she got thither, he broke, the ship was
stopped, and lay eighteen months before she was disposed of. At length,
being set to sale, six Scotch gentlemen bought her, the old officers
were continued, and she proceeded on her first designed voyage to
Madagascar, in which the captain and Burgess quarrelling, caused the
loss of the ship; for the latter, who was acquainted with the pirates,
when they arrived at Madagascar, instigated them to surprise her. The
manner how, being already set down in Halsey’s life, I need not repeat.
I shall only take notice, that Capt. Miller being decoyed ashore, under
pretence of being shown some trees, fit for masting, Halsey invited him
to a surloin of beef, and a bowl of arrack punch; he accepted the
invitation, with about twenty pirates. One Emmy, who had been a waterman
on the Thames, did not come to table, but sat by, muffled up in a great
coat, pretending he was attacked by the ague, though he had put it on to
conceal his pistols only. After dinner, when Halsey went out, as for
something to entertain his guests, (Miller and his supercargo,) Emmy
clapped a pistol to the captain’s breast, and told him he was his
prisoner. At the same instant, two other pirates entered the room, with
each a blunderbuss in his hand, and told the captain and his supercargo,
that no harm should come to either, if they did not bring it upon
themselves by an useless resistance. While this passed within doors, the
wood being lined with pirates, all Miller’s men, whom he had brought
ashore to fall timber, were secured, but none hurt, and all civilly
treated. When they had afterwards got possession of the ship, in the
manner mentioned before, they set all their prisoners at liberty.
Miller with eleven of his men, was sent off, as is said in Halsey’s
life. The company chose Burgess quarter-master, and shared the booty
they had made out of the Scotch ship, and the Greyhound.
Soon after happened Halsey’s death, who left Burgess executor in trust
for his widow and children, with a considerable legacy for himself; and
the other pirates grumbling at a new comer’s being preferred to all of
them, took from Burgess £3000 of Halsey’s money, and £1200 of his own,
which was his share of the two prizes. Though he had been treated in
this manner, they were idle enough, to give him the command of the
Scotch ship, and ordered him to fit her out with all expedition, and to
take on board some men and goods left in the brigantine. He set to work
on the ship, with full design to run away with her; but some pirates,
who were in another part of the island, being informed of these
proceedings, thought it not prudent to trust him, so he left the ship,
and getting among his old comrades, by their interposition had all his
money returned.
After this he lived five months on the island of St. Mary’s, where his
house was, by accident, burnt down, out of which he saved nothing but
his money. He then went on board David Williams, when he missed the
island of Mascarenhas, and returned to Methelage, where he tarried with
the king, and was one of the men among whom he divided Williams’
effects.
From Methelage he went with a parcel of samsams to Augustin, with which
he bought fifty slaves, whom he sold to the Arabians. In his return to
Methelage, he met Capt. North, in a sloop, with 30 of Miller’s men on
board. These men proposed taking Burgess, who had, as they said,
betrayed, ruined, and banished them their country, by forcing them to
turn pirates; but North would not consent: upon which they confined him,
took Burgess and stripped him of all the money, and then releasing their
captain, gave him £300 as his share, which he returned to Burgess on his
arrival at Methelage.
Burgess lived here two or three years, till he was carried off by some
Dutchmen. They belonged to an East-Indiaman, and were taken by two
French ships, which being bound for Mocha, and short of provisions, came
into Methelage to victual, where they set 80 of their prisoners ashore.
When they parted from this port, they sailed for Johanna, where they
left the Dutch officers, who built a ship, and came back for their men.
Burgess being of great use to them, they took him on board, and steered
for a port, where some Dutch, taken in another ship, were marooned; but
they were wrecked at Youngoul, where Burgess continued 18 months. After
this time was expired, he was desirous of leaving the place, and
addressed himself to the king, who was uncle to the king of Methelage,
he requested his black majesty to send him back to that port, which he
readily complied with, where Burgess continued almost five years,
afflicted with sickness, in which he lost one eye. While he was here,
the Drake pink, of London, came in for slaves. He took Burgess, with
design to carry him home; but Capt. Harvey, in the Henry, which belonged
to the same owners, arriving, and being a stranger to the trade, at the
request of Capt. Maggot, commander of the Drake, and on promise of a
ship when in the West-Indies, he entered as third mate, and continued
with him. Captain Harvey carrying it pretty high, and disagreeing with
the king, lay here nine months before he could slave. Burgess was sent
up to tell the king he had not fulfilled his agreement with Capt.
Harvey. The king resented being reproached by a man whom he had
entertained so many years, and reviled him. He was, however, carried to
dinner with some of the principal blacks, and drank very plentifully
with them of toke, in which it is supposed he was poisoned, for he fell
ill and died soon after, leaving what he had to the care of the chief
mate, for the use of his wife and children.