[Footnote 7: Ilha do Principe. The islands of St. Thome, Principe, and
Annobon are fully described, in their then state, in the second
edition of Johnson, _General History of the Pyrates_, pp. 188-204.]
[Footnote 8: Danish. Fourteen of the Danes joined the pirate crew, so
says Philip Middleton in a narrative not identical with our no. 64,
_post_ (_Cal. St. Pap. Col._, 1696-1697, p. 261); and the Court of the
East India Company, in a letter to the General and Council at Bombay,
Aug. 7, 1696, report that Every's motley company "consisted of 52
French, 14 Danes, the rest {104} English, Scottish, and Irish".
Beckles Willson, _Ledger and Sword_, I. 434.]
[Footnote 9: Perpetuana, a durable woolen fabric.]
[Footnote 10: The island of Annobon, in lat. 1 deg. 24' S.; see note 7.]
[Footnote 11: One of the Comoro group of islands, lying between the
north point of Madagascar and the mainland of Africa. It may be useful
to mention that at this time the East India Company's monopoly of
trade in the Indian Ocean had been broken by a declaration of the
House of Commons, Jan. 11, 1694, that every British subject had the
right to trade with India.]
[Footnote 12: Probably Patta, off British East Africa, but then
Portuguese. Comoro is the principal island in the group of which
Johanna is one. Molila, below, is most likely Mohelli, another of the
group.]
[Footnote 13: Whorekill, _i.e._ Lewes Creek, Delaware.]
[Footnote 14: Perim, in the straits of Bab-el-Mandeb.]
[Footnote 15: See doc. no. 68, paragraph 8, _post_.]
[Footnote 16: Tew appears in Jamaica, Rhode Island, and New York,
everywhere with an ill reputation. Edward Randolph (Toppan, _Edward
Randolph_, V. 158) declares that from this present voyage he brought
L10,000 in gold and silver into Rhode Island. He had gone out with a
privateering commission from Governor Fletcher of New York (_N.Y. Col.
Doc._, IV. 310, etc.), though, according to Bellomont, Fletcher must
have known of his piratical habits. Fletcher in his not too satisfying
"defence" (_ibid._, IV. 447) says: "This Tew appeared to me not only a
man of courage and activity, but of the greatest sence and remembrance
of what he had seen, of any seaman I had mett. He was allso what they
call a very pleasant man; soe that at some times when the labours of
my day were over it was some divertisement as well as information to
me, to heare him talke. I wish'd in my mind to make him a sober man,
and in particular to reclaime him from a vile habit of swearing. I
gave him a booke to that purpose." But it appears from paragraph 9 of
our no. 68 that Tew was killed, in the act of piracy, within the year
of the issue of his commission, and it is impossible to say how far
the reformation of his speech had progressed.]
[Footnote 16a: Mocha lies inside the straits, on the Arabian side of
the Red Sea.]
[Footnote 17: This.]
[Footnote 18: Probably Cape Diu.]
[Footnote 19: Off the northeast coast. A celebrated resort of pirates;
see Capt. Adam Baldridge's deposition, no. 68, _post_.]
[Footnote 20: Cayenne, French Guiana. The editor remembers that old
New England people, in his boyhood, still pronounced the name Ky-ann.]
[Footnote 21: Now Reunion, then called by the French (to whom it
belonged) Bourbon, or Mascaregne, from the Portuguese commander Pedro
Mascarenhas, who discovered it in 1512.]
[Footnote 22: Eleuthera.]
[Footnote 23: Governor of the Bahama Islands from 1693 to 1696, when
he was removed because of his suspicious dealings with the pirates. He
was a cousin of that Chief-Justice Nicholas Trott (1668-1740) who was
so great a power in South Carolina, and who in 1718 sentenced Stede
Bonnet's company with such severity. See the next document.]
Captain Every alias Bridgman and this Informant landed at
Dumfaneky[24] in the North of Ireland towards the latter end of June
last, where this Informant parted with Captain Every and heard he went
over for Donaghedy in Scotland.[25] when this Informant was at Dublin
he heard Every was there, but did not see him. he heard him say he
would goe to Exeter when he came into England, being a Plymouth man.
[Footnote 24: Dunfanaghy, co. Donegal, on the north coast of Ireland.]
[Footnote 25: Probably an error for "from Donaghedy to Scotland".
Dunaghadee is in Ireland, co. Down, at one of the points nearest to
Scotland.]
This Informant says that he parted with Captain Every at Esquire Rays,
within 6 miles of Dumfannaky; That the Land water[26] of that Port,
one Mawrice Cuttle, gave this Informant a Passe to goe to Dublin for
himselfe, 5 men more and 2 boyes, and came along with them to a place
called Lidderkenny,[27] and there he would have detained their money
but this Informant and another of the Company had liberty to goe to
Derry[28] to cleere themselves to Captain Hawkins, but by the way
Cuttle agreed with them to lett them goe for three pounds weight in
Gold, which they gave him at a place called St. Johnstons,[29] and
then they had liberty to goe on to Dublin.
[Footnote 26: Landwaiter.]
[Footnote 27: Letterkenny, co. Donegal.]
[Footnote 28: Londonderry.]
[Footnote 29: St. Johnstown, on the Foyle above Londonderry.]
This Informant heard likewise that the said Cuttle made an agreement
with the other men before he lett them goe but he cannot tell what
they gave him.
This Informant came from Dublin about 3 weekes agoe and landed at
Holyhead and soe to London, where he arrived on Tuesday last. the man
that came over with him was Thomas Johnson, who lives neare Chester,
and there he left him.
This Informant went to Rochester on Thursday last and was seized there
the next morning by meanes of a Maid, who found his Gold Quilted up in
his Jackett hanging with his coate. he was carryed before the Mayor,
who comitted him to Prison and kept his Jackett, in which and in his
pocketts were 1045 l. Zequins[30] and 10 Guineas, which the Mayor now
hath in his Custody.
[Footnote 30: A Venetian or Turkish gold coin, worth about nine
shillings.]
This informant sayes further that the wife of Adams, who was their
Quarter Master, came with them from the Island of Providence, that
shee was with Captain Every at Donoughedee and beleives they went over
together; as this Informant came to London hee saw this woman at St.
Albans, who was goeing into a stage Coach. She told this Informant
that shee was goeing to Captaine Bridgmans but would not tell him
where he was.
This Informant saith that the Sloope they came home in was given to
Joseph Faroe, Comander of the above mencioned _Portsmouth Adventure_,
and that he intended to returne in her to America. the vessell is
called the _Sea Flower_, about 50 Tuns and 4 Guns. This Informant
heard she was at Derry.
This Informant sayes that the other Sloop, which Captaine Richy came
over in, landed somewhere neare Galloway.[31] hee saw some of the men
att Dublin. And this Informant beleives that most of the men which
came with Captaine Every to Ireland are now in Dublin.
[Footnote 31: Galway.]
_64. Affidavit of Philip Middleton. November 11, 1696._[1]
[Footnote 1: Public Record Office, C.O. 5:1257, no. 47 I. Besides this
examination before the London magistrate, Middleton had made a
statement, Aug. 4, 1696, to the lords justices of Ireland, fully
summarized in _Cal. St. Pap. Col._, 1696-1697, pp. 260-262; it nearly
duplicates that of John Dann, our no. 63, _supra_. Note also the
affidavit of John Elston of New Jersey, another of the crew, in _N.J.
Archives_, first series, II. 223-226.]
Phillip Midleton of London, Mariner, of competent age, deposeth and
saith upon his Corporall Oath That he, this Deponent, did serve on
board the ship _Charles_ alias _Fancy_ under the command of Henry
Every alias Bridgeman in the month of Aprill last, when she arrived at
an Island near Providence in America, from whence a Letter was writ to
Mr. Nicholas Trott, Governour of Providence, which Letter this
Deponent saw and heard it read, and declareth That the Contents were,
That, provided he would give them liberty to come on Shoar and depart
when they pleased (or words to this purpose), they promised to give
the said Governour twenty Peices of Eight and two Peices of Gold a Man
and the said Ship, and all that was in her. But this Deponent
remembers not the least threatning expression in the said Letter nor
did he hear such like words from any of the Ships Crew, onely some of
them said that if they were not admitted to come to Providence they
would go some where else, and further deposeth That Mr. Governour
Trott returned answer to the aforesaid Letter in writeing in very
civill termes, assuring Captain Every That he and his Company should
be wellcome (or words to this purpose), which said assurance was made
good to them by Governour Trott after their arrivall at Providence as
effectually as they could desire.[2] This Deponent likewise deposeth,
That upon receipt of Mr. Governour Trotts Letter, or in a little space
of time after, a Collection was made afore the Mast (at which this
Deponent was present) for him the said Governour Trott, to which
Captain Every contributed 40 Peices of Eight and four Peices of Gold
and every Sailer (being one hundred men besides Boyes) twenty Peices
of Eight and two Peices of Gold a man, which sum being collected were
sent to Mr. Governour Trott by Robert Chinton, Henry Adams, and two
more, whose names this Deponent doth not call to mind, after which the
said Captain Every and his Crew sailed in the said ship _Charles_ for
Providence, where at their arrivall they delivered up the said ship
with what was in her to the said Governour Trott, and accordingly
Major Trott took possession of her in the said Governours name and
afterwards left her in the custody of the Governours Boatswain and a
few Negroes, whose incapacity or number were not sufficient to secure
the ship from hurtfull accidents, as this Deponent believes and also
was informed, the which was made evident by the ships comeing a shoar
about two dayes after Governour Trott was possessed of her, though she
had two Anchors at her Bow and one in the hold, at least she had so
many Anchors when this Deponent and the rest of the Company quitted
the said ship to Mr. Trott. This Deponent also deposeth That so soon
as Mr. Trott was in possession of the said ship he sent Boats to bring
a shoar the Elephants teeth, the sails, Blocks, etc., that was
valuable in the said Ship, And further saith That he saw severall
Boats Land which were filled with the aforesaid Commodityes and
stores, and that he hath heard severall of the Ship _Charles's_ Crew
say and affirm (and which this Deponent also doth believe and partly
know) that at the said Ship's arrivall at Providence she had on board
fifty Tons of Elephants teeth, forty six Guns mounted, one hundred
Barrells of Gunpowder or thereabouts, severall Chests of Buccanneer
Guns, besides the small Armes which were for the Ships use, the number
of which doth not occur to his mind. He further deposeth to the best
of his knowledge and Information the said ship was firm and tight, for
whereas he went down into her Hold the same day she arrived at
Providence he then could not perceive she made the least water. And
further saith that the said Ship came a shoar as aforesaid two dayes
after Mr. Trott was possessed of her, he first having taken out of her
what was most considerable. this misfortune of the ship happened about
noon in the said Governour's sight, as this Deponent (who was an Eye
Witness) well knowes. he likewise declares That one named James
Browne, with severall others of Providence and also severall that had
been of the Ships Crew, upon this occasion profered themselves to
undertake weighing her with Casks, But this Deponent never heard that
the offers aforesaid were accepted, nor that any means was used to get
her off, nor that Governour Trott had any consideration besides that
of getting on Shoar what still remained on board. This Deponent also
saith That it was generally reported at Providence the Ship was run on
Shoar designedly. And this Deponent saith That he left Providence when
Captain Every did and that the Sloop in which they went was the last
Vessell that carryed from Providence any considerable number of the
ship _Charles's_ men and that this Deponent was informed a Packet was
sent by Hollandsworths Sloop, which sailed before that in which this
Deponent was, in which also he knowes there was another Packet sent,
which this Deponent saw and believes 't was from Governour Trott but
knowes not to whom they were directed. He further deposeth That
neither while he was at Providence nor afterwards he knew or heard
that the said ship _Charles_ was bilged, but he remembers that Joseph
Dawson, who had been Quarter-Master by Captain Every, was sent on
board her just before his departure to fetch some Cask for the use of
his Sloop, which Dawson brought on Shoar and then in this Deponents
hearing declared That the said ship was not bilged, the water in her
being black and stinking and the Cask being wedged in the Ballast. if
the Ship had been bilged she would have been full of water whereby he
could not have gotten the Cask out. And this Deponent alwaies
understood That Sir James Houblon and Company of London owned the said
Ship and verily believes Governour Trott knew as much. The said
Deponent further deposeth That John Dan, John Sparks and Joseph Dawson
arrived in Ireland in Captain Everys Sloop in the Company of this
Deponent, which said Sloop departed from Providence about the
beginning of last June, and Hollandsworths Sloop about fourteen dayes
or three weeks before.
[Footnote 2: In his defence, _Cal. St. Pap. Col._, 1697-1698, p. 506,
Governor Trott declares that there were but 60 men resident at New
Providence (Nassau) as against 113 (whites) of Every's men. See also
_Acts of the Privy Council, Colonial_, VI. 3.]
A copy of Phillip Middleton's Affidavit made before Sir John Houblon,
Knight,[3] the 11th of November last, examined in London this 30th day
of January anno 1696/7.
[Footnote 3: Governor of the Bank of England, and lord mayor of London
in the earlier part of that year. The owner of the _Charles_ was his
brother.]
_65. Deposition of Samuel Perkins. August 25, 1698._[1]
[Footnote 1: Public Record Office, C.O. 323:2, no. 131. It is endorsed
"Copy of a Deposition of Samuel Perkins relating to Pirates in the
East Indies Communicated to the Board [of Trade] by Mr. Secretary
Vernon" (secretary of state). Samuel Perkins of Ipswich,
Massachusetts, had been one of that town's contingent in King Philip's
War, and died in Ipswich, an old man, in 1738.]
The Examination of Samuel Perkins, of Ipswich in New England, taken
upon oath before me Ralph Marshall Esquire, one of his Majesties
Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex and Citty and
Liberty of Westminster, this 25th day of August Anno Domini 1698.
This Informant upon his Oath saith, That about 5 years since he went
aboard the ship _Resolution_, Captain Robert Glover an Irishman
Commander, (who had 18 Guns and 60 men), to see his Uncle Elisha
Skilling, who was Boatswain of the said Ship but is since Dead, who
detained him in the said Ship together with a French Maletto[2] Boy,
which ship sailed from New England in the night to the Isle of May,
where they took in Salt, and thence sailed to Cape Coast in
Guinnea,[3] where a Dutch man of War took 11 men from them, but
returned 9 of them again, keeping the other two as Hostages, in case
they meddled with any Dutchmen. From thence they sailed to Cape Lopaz
and so to Madagascar, where they victualled and cleaned, and thence
sailed into the Red Sea, where they lay waiting for some India ships,
but missing them went to an Island called Succatore[4] in the Mouth of
the red Sea, where they bought Provisions and so went to Rajapore,[5]
where they took a small Muscat man with 12 Guns laden with Dates and
Rice, in the Harbour; in taking whereof they killed some of her men,
and sent the Muscatt man by Captain Glover (with whom the rest of the
_Resolutions_ Crew had a quarrell)[6] to Madagascar, and then chose
one Richard Shivers a Dutchman for their Commander, and then sailed to
Mangelore,[7] where they took a small ship belonging to the Moors,
laden with Rice and Fish, some of which they Plundered and then let
her goe. from thence they went to Callicut,[8] where they took 4 ships
belonging to the Moors at Anchor in the Road, and sent ashore to know
if the Country would Ransome them. But there being a design among the
Countrey people to retake their own ship and the said ship
_Resolution_, with some Grabbs[9] or Boats sent off, They fired two of
the said Prizes and run away and left them. Thence they went to Cape
Comarine, to cruise for Malocca[10] men, but mist them, and took a
Danish ship, out of which they took two men by force and five more
came voluntarily aboard, and left the rest aboard the sloop, having
first taken severall Piggs of Lead, fire arms, and Gun Powder out of
her. from thence they went to the Island Mauretious,[11] where they
took in Provisions and so to St. Marys Island near Madagascar, where
they met with Captain Hoare an Irishman (since Dead) who was commander
of the _John and Rebecca_,[12] a Pyrate of about 200 Tuns, 14 Guns,
belonging to the Road Island, who had with her a Prize (a pritty large
ship) belonging to the Mogulls subjects at Suratt, which he had taken
at the Gulph of Persia, laden with Bale Goods. there was there also a
Brigantine belonging to New York, which came to fetch Negroes, and the
hulk of the said ship which Captain Glover carried thither.
[Footnote 2: Mulatto.]
[Footnote 3: Cape Coast Castle, on the Gold Coast.]
[Footnote 4: Sokotra.]
[Footnote 5: Rajpur, a few miles south of Bombay.]
[Footnote 6: See paragraph 10 in Capt. Adam Baldridge's deposition,
no. 68, _infra_.]
[Footnote 7: Further south, on the Canara coast.]
[Footnote 8: Still further south, on the Malabar coast; still on the
west coast of Hindustan, of which Cape Comorin, below, is the
southernmost point.]
[Footnote 9: Arabic _gurab_, a large coasting-vessel.]
[Footnote 10: Malacca.]
[Footnote 11: Mauritius, then a Dutch island.]
[Footnote 12: See paragraphs 12, 13, in Capt. Adam Baldridge's
deposition, no. 68, _infra_. Governor Fletcher of New York, July 16,
1695, had given Hoar a commission as a privateer to cruise against the
French in the _John and Rebecca_. Glover and Hoar were brothers-in-law.
_Cal. St. P. Col._, 1697-1698, p. 108.]
The Island St. Maries is a pritty large Island, well inhabited by
black people, where one Captain Baldridge[13] (who, as he was
informed, had formerly killed a man in Jamaica, and thereupon turned
Pirate about 13 years agoe) had built a platforme of a Fort with 22
Guns, which was destroyed, together with Captain Glover and the rest
of the Pyrats there, whilst this Informant was at Madagascar about
nine months agoe, by the Blacks, who also killed 7 English men and 4
French men in the house where this Informant was at Madagascar,
sparing only himself.
[Footnote 13: See document no. 68, _post_.]
There was then also a party of English in another part of the Island
of Madagascar, who defended themselves against the Blacks on an Island
in a River there, having some of the blacks on their side, till
Captain Baldredge, who was then absent with the said Brigantine (which
he had bought and sailed in her to Mascarine,[14] an Island belonging
to the French, where he went to sell Prize Goods) returned, and took
them off, carryed them to St. Augustines Bay,[15] they paying
considerably for their Transportation. This Informant further saith
that, before this happened, he run away from the _Resolution_ and
remained on the Island of Madagascar as aforesaid, the said ship being
gone, as he was told, to the Streights of Mallacca, which is about
Tenn months since; That he this Informant was redeemed for a parcell
of Gun Powder by those who defended themselves as aforesaid, and went
with them aboard the Briggantine, who went first to St. Augustines Bay
to putt some men ashore (who had not money to pay for their further
passage) and thence sailed to St. Helena, where they arrived about six
months agoe, pretending there to be a trading ship belonging to New
York, upon which they got water and Provisions.[16] But this Informant
run away from the said ship at St. Hellena and concealed himself in
the Island till she was gone (who stayed there about 7 or 8 days) and
continued there about 3 months till the arrivall of the _Sampson_
there from the East Indies, aboard of which ship he came for England
with the consent of the Governor of St. Helena.
[Footnote 14: See document no. 63, note 21.]
[Footnote 15: On the southwest coast of Madagascar.]
[Footnote 16: St. Helena was then already an English island, with
about a thousand inhabitants.]
This informant farther saith That he had heard upon Madagascar, That a
little before his arrivall there That 14 of the Pyrates (belonging to
Captain Tew, Captain Rayner, and Captain Mason and Captain Coats or
some of them)[17] had by consent divided themselves into two sevens,
to fight for what they had (thinking they had not made a voyage
sufficient for so many) and that one of the said Sevens were all
killed, and five of the other, so that the two which survived enjoyed
the whole Booty. And this Informant further saith, that he hath heard
and believeth, that not only the ship _Resolution_ to which he
formerly belonged, but also the _Mocha_ Friggat,[18] which run away
out of the service of the East India Company, the _Charles and Mary_,
and severall other ships manned by English and other European Nations,
were about nine months since, when he came from Madagascar, and still
are playing the Pyrates in the Streights of Mallaca, in the Red Sea
and other Parts in the East Indies.
SAMUELL PERKINS.
Juratus coram me[19]
RA. MARSHALL.
[Footnote 17: All these figure in the accusations against Fletcher in
_N.Y. Col. Doc._, IV.]
[Footnote 18: The _Mocha_ appears also in the Kidd narratives, and
continued her career of piracy till 1699, at least.]
[Footnote 19: _I.e._, sworn before me.]
_66. Certificate for John Devin (Bahamas). September (?) 20, 1698._[1]
[Footnote 1: Suffolk Court Files, Boston, no. 3765, paper 2. We find
John Devine settled as a chirurgeon in Boston in 1704. _N.E. Hist.
Gen. Reg._, XXXVI. 309.]
New Providence SS.
Whereas in the month of Aprill in the year of our Lord God one
Thousand Six hundred and ninety six Capt. Henry Every als Bridgeman
came into the Harbor of new Providence with the Shipp _Charles_ als
_Fancy_, which said Capt. Every and his Shipps Crew were few days
after their arrivall thought and supposed to be by the Major Part of
the Island of Providence to be guilty of piracy upon the open Seas,
And that the with in mentioned John Devin was one of the Ships
Company, and was lately apprehended and taken as one of the said
Pirates in order to be brought to his Tryall, which was accordingly
done the 22d of this Instant August, and the Bill being presented
against the within mentioned John Devin to the Gran Jury, which sd
Grand Jury found the Bill, and afterwards the sd John Devin was
brought to the Court, and holding up his hand was arraigned; The Petty
Jury being sworne, the Attorney Gen'll opening the matter to the Court
and Jury against the sd John Devin, The Petty Jury returning to the
Court found the within mentioned John Devin not Guilty, upon which the
sd John Devin was cleared by proclomation, as by the publick Entrys
doth and may more at large appear:
Whereupon and upon the humble Requestt to me made by the sd John
Devin, I, Ellis Lightwood Esq., Chief Judge, have thought fitt to
certifie this under my hand, and ordered the publick Seale of this
Goverment to be hereunto affixed as a Testimony of his the sd John
Devins Innocency relating to the supposed piracy of Capt. Every als
Bridgeman in the ship _Charles_ als _Fancy_.
ELLIS LIGHTWOOD
[September (?)] the 20th Anno Dom 1698
[ _blank_ ] LEIGHTON per Dom. Regem.
Coppy examined by ELISHA COOKE, Clerk.[2]
[Footnote 2: Elisha Cooke the younger, clerk of the superior court of
Massachusetts from 1702 to 1718.]
_67. Certificate for John Devin (Massachusetts). October 25, 1698._[1]