Kidd, the most famous pirate in American history, was a Scot, born in
Dundee in 1654. In 1689-1690, in command of a captured ship, he took a
creditable part in the attacks on Mariegalante and St. Martin's by
Captain Hewetson, who at Kidd's trial testified to his bravery; but a
few weeks later his men, ex-pirates apparently, ran away with his
ship. _Cal. St. P. Col._, 1689-1692, pp. 122, 226, 227; Hargrave,
_State Trials_, V. 326. In 1689 he settled in New York, where he seems
to have been well regarded; in the record of his marriage license, May
16, 1691 (_N.E. Hist. Gen. Reg._, VI. 63) he is styled "William Kidd,
Gentleman," and two days earlier the New York assembly (_Journal_, ed.
1764, I. 6, 13) voted him a gratuity of L150 for services in
connection with the arrival of Governor Sloughter. In 1695, Kidd being
then in England, Robert Livingston of New York arranged in London with
Lord Bellomont, who had been designated but not yet commissioned as a
governor in America, and with others, for a privateering voyage under
Kidd's command. Other sharetakers were Sir Edward Russell, first lord
of the admiralty, Sir John Somers, lord keeper of the great seal, the
Duke of Shrewsbury, secretary of state, and the Earl of Romney,
master-general of the ordnance; and the king himself was to receive
one-tenth of the profits of the cruise. Kidd's letter of marque, dated
Dec. 11, 1695, is in Hargrave's _State Trials_, V. 307. To it was
added, Jan. 26, 1696, _ibid._, 308, a commission to apprehend pirates.
Kidd sailed from England in April, 1696, in the _Adventure Galley_,
287 tons, 34 guns, 70 men. At New York he increased his crew to 155
men (there is a list of them in _Cal. St. Pap. Col._, 1700, p. 199),
and sailed thence in September for Madagascar and the East Indies.
Whether it was by his fault that the _Adventure Galley_ slipped from
privateering and the search for pirates into acts of piracy, or
whether, as Kidd alleged, his men forced his hand, has been doubted,
but it is probable that he shared the guilt. In the summer of 1698
complaints began to come in from India and from the East India
Company, and in November, 1698, orders were sent to the governors of
colonies in America to apprehend Kidd as a pirate whenever he should
appear. The ensuing papers, especially his own narrative and
Bellomont's letters, tell the story of his arrival and arrest. As
under Massachusetts law he could not be condemned to death for piracy,
he was, probably illegally, carried to England in the spring of 1700,
and there tried at the Old Bailey for the murder of one of his men and
for piracy. After an unfair trial and on insufficient evidence, he was
condemned, and was hanged at Execution Dock May 23, 1701.
As to Benjamin Franks, we learn from a deposition of William Cuthbert
(_Journal of the House of Commons_, XIII. 26) that two of Kidd's men
deserted him at Carwar because of his attempts and designs toward
piracy and his cruel conduct toward his men; Franks, Hebrew jeweller
of New York, was apparently one of the two. Apparently he was a Danish
subject; Westergaard, _Danish West Indies_, p. 110.]
The Deposition of Benjamin Franks aged about 47 years (who came out in
the _Adventure Gally_, a Privateer, Captain William Kid Comander)
Inhabitant of New York.
Declareth That having lived in Barbadoes and Jamaica and traded in
severall parts of the West Indies, meeting of late with great losses
of above L12,000 sterling by the Earthquake and Enemyes and through
misfortune, came to New York and there finding Captain Kid comeing out
with a full Power to the East Indies to take the Pyrates, which he
shewed me by the means of my Friends, so resolved to go with him to
the East Indies and to remain there at Surrat or any other place where
I could best follow my profession, being a Jeweller, for he told me he
would put into some of the said Parts. Wee sailed from New York the
6th September 1696 in Company with a Brigantine belonging to Bermudas,
bound to the Maderaes. there met with a Brigantine from Barbadoes
bound for England who had lost her Mast and Boltsprit, whom Captain
Kid assisted with a Mast, Riggin and Canvas, for which kindness [the]
Master gave him a few flour Barrells with Sugar. the same Brigantine
after she had what she wanted proceeded on her Voyage. And a day or
two after wee espyed a Ship whom Wee gave chase to three days and came
up with her, found her to be a Portuguez from Brazile bound to the
Maderaes. the Captain of the Portuguez pre[sen]ted Captain Kid with a
Roll of Brazile Tobacco and some Sugar, in lieu of which Captain Kid
sent him a Cheshire Cheese and a Barrell of White Bisket, but through
mistake of the Steward the Barrell thought to be Bisket proved to be
Cutt and Dry Tobacca. So Wee proceeded to Maderaes and saw the
Brigantine in safe that came under our Convoy. wee stayed there one
day. before wee departed from thence the Portuguez ship came in.
Thence wee went to Bona Vista,[2] took in some Salt, thence to St.
Jago, tooke in Water and some Provisions; from St. Jago wee steered
our course for Cape Bona Esperanza,[3] but before wee got to the
Latitude thereof Wee met with three English Men of War and a Fireship,
Captain Warren in the _Windso[r]_ Comodore,[4] Captain Acton in the
_Advice_,[5] the _Tyger_ and Fire Ship I do not know the Commanders
names. I was on board the Commodore when he told me that Kids
Commission was firm and good and that he would not molest or hinder
his proceedings for his puting his hands to his Ears, and discoursing
of severall other things of the Voyage amongst the rest the Commodore
told Kid he had lost a great many of his men and asked him to spare
him some, who answered that he would let him have 20 or 30, and about
a day or two after Kid went on board one of the Men of War again and
in the Evening came on board his own ship very much disguised with
drink and left the Men of War without sparing them the men he
promised. Some time after had sight of the Cape, did not put in but
went directly for Madagascar and imported at a place called
Talleer,[6] where took in some Water and provisions. after our being
there some time came a Sail in sight and came to an Anchor in
Augustine Bay, upon which wee weighed Anchor and came to her, the two
Ports being but a little way distant each from other. We found her to
be a Sloop from Barbadoes come to buy Negroes, after which Wee
returned to Talleer, our former Port, and the next day the Master of
the Sloop came on board Us being very ill when he came. a few dayes
after ordered the Sloop to come down to Talleer, and the same day she
came down the Owner and Merchant[7] dyed on board of us, and he that
succeeded him could by no Means agree with the Master of the Sloop but
continually a quarrelling and fighting. Our Captain did what he could
to make up the difference between them but to no purpose. So when wee
had done getting our provisions etc. on board Wee sailed for
Johanna,[8] and the Sloop followed us, and seeing two Ships gave them
Chase, found them to be both East India Men and so went in together in
Company to Johanna and two India Men came in after. Wee took in Some
Water and went to Mohilla[9] to clean our Ship. And this Sloop still
followed Us, but our Captain told him severall times to be gone and
agree amongst themselves, but they took no notice thereof, continuing
with Us all the time of our Stay here, being about 5 weeks, where
buryed severall of our Company but the just number I know not. when
Wee had been there about 5 weeks a Pinnace came on board of Us with
some Men, the quantity I know not, for being mortall sick, the
Merchant of the Sloop dyed there too. Wee returned from this place to
Johanna and the Sloop in our Company. Wee took in some more water and
some French Men, the quantity I know not for I was carryed a shoar
sick and lay a shoar all the time wee lay at Johanna. We sailed
thence, leaving the Sloop behind Us, directly for India and touched at
a place called Motta.[10] there was 5 Junks ashoar and at an Anchor
ditto place. our Captain wanted to take in some water, sending the
Pinnace ashoar for some, which the Natives refused, upon which our
Captain next morning sent both Boats with a matter of 40 Men or
thereabouts with Armes, as I heard lying very Sick of a Feaver, Ague
and Flux, and that he had bought two Cowes and some dates, and 2 dayes
after the People run away into the Mountains, as I heard. after they
run away the People sent a shoar, found India Corn and Garravances[11]
in great holes, and brought off likewise six of the Natives, of whom
four leaped overboard in the Night and swam ashoar. the other two gave
{3} Cowes and 2 sheep for their ransom, as I heard of the Seamen,
lying very ill. from thence wee went to the Babs[12] and there
anchored to wait for the Pyrates, as the Seamen said, but meeting with
none, sending the Pinnace out 3 or 4 times, as I heard of the Seamen,
but at Carwar ashoar I heard of the Seamen that they was to go to
Mocho.[13] after the Pinnace went with the Captain, Quarter-Master
came back and gave an account there was 17 Sail, which I heard of the
Seamen as I lay very ill. our Captain ordered two men ashoar on one of
the Babs. when the Fleet came in sight the Men waved the Jack.[14] the
whole Fleet came by the Babs on a Saturday in the evening in the month
of August, but the day of the month I do not remember. our Captain
weighed and stood amongst the Fleet, as I heard of the Seamen. the
next morning at break of day one of the Fleet began to fire at Us, as
I heard of the Seamen, which alarming the rest they all did the same.
there was one Ship which the Captain said was a Mallabar, pretty near
Us, as I heard of the Seamen. then our Captain ordered the People to
row up to him, being but little Wind, then the Mallabar fired at Us
and our Captain at him severall Guns. at last our Captain perceiving
an English and Dutch Colours did all he could to get away. the Captain
designed to go to the high Land off St. Johns.[15] meeting with a
small Vessell under English Colours he chased her and comanded the
Master to come on board and plundered the Ship. I hearing a great
noise asked what it was. they told me that our Folks beat the People
aboard of the little ship and against night I heard there was a
Portuguez. so doing my endeavour to creep up to speak to the Portuguez
and asked him what was the best news, he told me that he and the
Master was forced to stay on board of our Ship, and that he did belong
to Bombay, and that our Captain had taken out some Rice, Raisons and
old Cloths and some Money. I heard of the Seamen that our Captain had
Information of three ships that had gone out of Aden bound for
Callicut being off Carwar, and being in necessity for Wood and Water
put in there, at which time I made great intercession to the Captain
for leave to go ashoar, which at last I obtained by giving him a
Beaver Hat, for he was unwilling to let any go ashoar but whom he
thought he could trust, for fear they should run away for most of his
people seemed dissatisfyed and would I believe do as I have done in
making their Escape if had opportunity, for the Carpenter and his mate
with severall others does design to run away with the Pinnace. This I
do swear by the old Testament to the best of my knowledge and what I
have heard of the Seamen that all the above written is true.
BENJAMIN FRANKS.
Bombay the 20th October 1697.
Sworn before me:
[Footnote 2: One of the Cape Verde Islands; Santiago is a larger
island of the same group, farther south.]
[Footnote 3: The Cape of Good Hope.]
[Footnote 4: Capt. Thomas Warren, R.N.]
[Footnote 5: Capt. Edward Acton, R.N.]
[Footnote 6: Tullear, near St. Augustine's Bay, on the southwest coast
of Madagascar.]
[Footnote 7: Supercargo.]
[Footnote 8: See document no. 63, note 11.]
[Footnote 9: Mohelli, another of the Comoro group.]
[Footnote 10: "Matta in the Red Sea," says William Jinkins of Bow, in
his deposition in _Commons Journal_, XIII. 24.]
[Footnote 11: Chick-peas.]
[Footnote 12: The straits of Bab-el-Mandeb.]
[Footnote 13: Mocha; see document no. 63, note 16a. Carwar is on the
west coast of Hindustan, some 350 miles south of Bombay.]
[Footnote 14: See document no. 33, note 15.]
[Footnote 15: Probably Diu, in northwest India.]
_72. The President and Council of the Leeward Islands to Secretary
Vernon. May 18, 1699._[1]
[Footnote 1: Public Record Office, C.O. 152:3, no. 21. This letter
conveyed to the British government its first knowledge of the return
of Captain Kidd to the western hemisphere. The Leeward Islands--Antigua,
Montserrat, Nevis, St. Christopher, the most important being
Nevis--constituted at this time one government, though with
subordinate administration in the several islands. The governor having
died, the council, of which William Burt was president, was acting as
governor till a new governor should arrive. Burt and the other signers
of this letter were all of Nevis. James Vernon, to whom the letter is
addressed, was secretary of state; he was the father of Admiral
Vernon, for whom Mount Vernon was named.]
_Right Honourable Sir_
Your Letter of the 23d of November last[2] in relacion to that
notorious Pirate Captain Kidd came safe to our hands, and shall take
particular care to put the same in execucion, and in order thereto
have sent copies thereof to the Lieutenant or Deputy Governor of each
respective Island under this Government; since which wee have had this
following account of the said Kidd (vizt.) That he lately came from
Mallagascoe in a large Gennouese vessell of about Foure hundred Tonns,
Thirty Guns mounted, and eighty men,[3] and in his way for these
partes his men mutinyed, and thirty of them lost theire Lives; That
his vessell is very Leaky; and that they are very much in want of
Provisions; And that severall of his men have deserted him soe that he
has not above five and twenty or thirty hands on board; about twenty
dayes since he touched at Anguilla, a small Island under this
Government, where he Tarryed about foure houres; but being refused
succour Sailed thence for the Island of St. Thomas (an Island
belonging to the Crowne of Denmarke)[4] and Anchored off that Harbour
three dayes, in which time he treated with them alsoe for releife; but
the Governor absolutely Denying him, he bore away farther to Leeward
(as it is beleived) for Porto Rico or Crabb Island;[5] upon which
advice wee forthwith ordered his Majesties Shipp _Queeneburrough_, now
attending this Government, Captain Rupert Billingsly Commander, to
make the best of his way after him; and in case he mett with him to
secure him with his men, vessell and effects, and bring them upp
hither, That no Imbezlement may be made, but that they may be secured
till wee have given you advice thereof, and his majesties pleasure
relateing thereto can be knowne. Wee shall by the first conveniencie
transmitt the like account of him to the Governor of Jamaica, soe that
if he goes farther to Leeward Due care may be taken to secure him
there; As for those men who have deserted him, wee have taken all
possible care to apprehend them, especially if they come within the
districts of this Government, and hope on returne of his majesties
Friggatt shall be able to give you a more ample account hereof.
Wee are with all due Respects
Right Honorable
Your most obedient humble servants
WM. BURT.
JNO. SMARGIN. MICH. SMITH.
RICHD. ABBOTT. DAN. SMITH.
NEVIS the 18th May 1699
[Footnote 2: Printed in the _Commons Journal_, XIII. 16. It was the
circular letter to colonial governors ordering them to apprehend
Kidd.]
[Footnote 3: The _Quedah Merchant_; see _post_. She is here spoken of
as Genoese, but other documents of the time speak of her as "Moorish
built."]
[Footnote 4: And now belonging to the United States. On Kidd at St.
Thomas, see document no. 83, _post._]
[Footnote 5: Now commonly called Vieques, a small island lying a few
miles east of Puerto Rico, and also now belonging to the United
States.]
_73. Examination of Edward Buckmaster. June 6, 1699._[1]
[Footnote 1: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Rawlinson MSS., A. 272, fol.
48; also in the Public Record Office, C.O. 5:1042, no. 40 XI. Edward
Buckmaster, "one of Shelley's men", was committed June 7, and broke
prison Aug. 25. _Cal. St. P. Col._, 1699, pp. 278, 401. A year later,
though he was supposed to be still alive, a rascally chaplain of the
fort at New York married his wife to Capt. Adam Baldridge of document
no. 68, obtaining a marriage license for "Adam Ball" and adding
"-dridge" afterward. _N.Y. Col. Doc._, IV. 333, 413, 766.]
Taken this 6 June 1699.
The Answer of Edward Buckmaster to severall questions put to him by
the Honorable John Nanfan, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor of this
province,[2] the said Buckmaster being sworne to answer all such
Questions as should be demanded of him.
[Footnote 2: Capt. John Nanfan, a cousin of Bellomont's wife, was
lieutenant-governor of New York under him, and administered the
province during Bellomont's absence in Massachusetts.]
Impr[imi]s. That the first land they made after they parted from this
port in the _Adventure Galley_, Capt. William Kidd Commander, was the
Island of Maderas, from whence they went directly to Madagascar, where
they staid about A month to victual and careen. That there were no
vessels at Madagascar when they came there. That they sailed from
thence to a small Island called Johanna, lying in the Latitude of 12
degrees south, and from thence to Mahela, Lying in the Latitude of 11
degrees south; that they staid at the said Johanna and Mahela two
Months where the Natives supplyed them with provisions. That there
were four East India ships belonging to the Company at the Island
Johanna at the same time they were there, the one called the _East
India Merchant_ the second the _Maderasse_, the third was a fly boat,
and the fourth he knows not the name of.
_Item._ That from thence they sailed along the shore of Magellona[3]
in the redd sea but saw no vessels till they came into the Latitude of
12 degrees north. That there they Met with several ships, some with
English, some with Dutch, and some with Moors Colours, with whom they
sailed in Company for Twenty five dayes but were not on board any of
them. That the name of the one was the _Scepter_,[4] which ship fired
a Gunn or Two At Capt. Kidds Galley.
[Footnote 3: Somaliland, probably.]
[Footnote 4: An English frigate. The events that follow are more fully
detailed in Kidd's narrative, document no. 76, _post_.]
_Item._ That they tooke a ship on the coast of Mallabar that had a
french pass, and French Master on board, with two Other white men, he
believes them Dutch men, the rest all Moors; she was about 200 Tuns,
made no resistance, and that they shared out of her four Bailes of
Callicoes each Man. That afterwards the _Adventure Galley_ sunck at
Saint Maries, and Kidd and Company went on board the prize.
_Item._ That Capt. Kidd had made no good voyage, having no money and
only 160 Bailes of Callicoes on board.
_Item._ That he the said Buckmaster Left the said Capt. Kidd the last
day of May 1698 and went on board the ship _Resolution_, Capt. Robert
Culliford Comander,[5] as a volunteer before the Mast, and went out
Cruising with him but tooke no vessel dureing the voyage though they
Continued Cruising from May to December. the said Culliford had forty
Gunns mounted and 120 men. he had been in those parts seven yeares on
the account.
[Footnote 5: Culliford was a noted pirate, who for a time commanded
the _Mocha_ frigate, which had been stolen from the East India
Company; and this _Resolution_ was the _Mocha_ renamed, not the
_Resolution_ of document no. 68, par. 13.]
_Item._ That he quitted the said Culliford the Middle of December last
and went on board the ship _Nasaw_, Giles Shelley Master,[6] that went
from New yorke to Madagascar to trade there (the said Buckmaster being
willing to come home to his family, the said Shelley being bound back
to New Yorke), that he gave the said Shelley 100 pieces of Eight for
his passage, which was the Comon rate and which sume he believes Fifty
more passengers that came from on board pyrate ships at Madagascar and
Saint Maries gave to the said Shelley, the said Shelley as he
believes well knowing what ships they had been in and what designe
they came from.
[Footnote 6: Shelley, fitted out from New York in 1698 by Stephen
Delancey and others, was suspected of piracy. In a letter of May 27,
1699, to Delancey, from Cape May, he speaks of bringing in 15,000
dollars of passage money. _Cal. St. P. Col._, 1699, p. 281. He had
lived in New York since 1688. See also doc. no. 85, note 17.]
_Item._ That the said Shelley sailed from the Island Saint Maries in
the East Indies to Chyan[7] where he stayd three or four dayes.
[Footnote 7: Cayenne, probably.]
_Item._ That five or six of the persons that belonged to Capt.
Culliford in the East Indies went on board Capt. Gravenreadt[8] out of
Shelleys ship, when she came on this coast at Cape May, which Cape
they made on Friday sevennight last.[9] Gravenreadts vessel lay about
two miles from Shelleys ship, but the said Gravenreadts came on board
shelleys ship, and believes made an agreemt. with the several men he
took on board with him for their passages to [_blank_]: Vizt. Robert
English, Jan Spons, Theophilus [_blank_][10] and two or three Others.
That John Elderige, ---- Stanton, and Doctor ---- Badwain[11] went on
shore at Cape May: they also came from on board Culliford.
[Footnote 8: Andreas Gravenraedt of New York. On this very day, June
6, Governor Blakiston of Maryland was seizing him and his ship in the
Severn River. _Cal. St. P. Col._, 1699, p. 287.]
[Footnote 9: May 26.]
[Footnote 10: Turner. He turned king's evidence. See the next
document.]
[Footnote 11: Kidd's physician was Robert Bradinham; he also turned
king's evidence.]
_Item._ That they came to Sandy Hook on Fryday last in the Evening,
that the said Edward Buckmaster, Paul Swan, Jonathan Evans and Otto
van Toyle went on shore at the west end of long Island on Saturday
last at seven of the Clock in the Evening, they also belonged to
Culliford; that he was at New Utrecht yesterday and came to New Yorke
last night. That he has been often in the hold of Shelleys ship
dureing the voyage but saw nothing but water Casks, and that he never
saw but four Gunns on the Deck since he was on board.
That one Capt. Shivers[12] came to saint Marys with a ship called the
_soldado_ of 40 Gunns while Shelley was there, which ship is run
ashore.
[Footnote 12: See document no. 68, par. 13.]
That he did not see the _Quedaw Merchant_ nor Capt. Wright.
That he was at Callicut and Carresaw[13] in Kidds ship.
[Footnote 13: Carwar?]
A True Copy.
BELLOMONT.
_74. Deposition of Theophilus Turner. June 8, 1699._[1]
[Footnote 1: Public Record Office, C.O. 5:714, no. 70 VI. Original; a
copy (no. 70 II.) is marked as sworn to before Colonel Blakiston,
governor of Maryland, on June 8, 1699.]
Maryland scilicet
Came Theophilus Turner, Borne at Heckfield near Hartley roade in
Hampshire, Aged about thirty years, and being sworne upon the Holy
Evangelists to declare the truth of what he knows concerning any Acts
of Pyracy comitted by him or any others, saith: