THE PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEAS – Know Your Infamous Buccaneers, Their Exploits & Their Real Histories (9 Books in One Edition). Даниэль Дефо
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A Letter from Mr. Joseph Laws, Lieutenant of his Majesty's Ship, Happy Snow, to the Alcaldes of Trinidado.
Genlemen,
‘I Am sent by Commadore Vernon, Commander in Chief of all his Majesty's Ships in the West-Indies, to demand in the King our Master's Name, all the Vessels, with their Effects, &c. and also the Negroes taken from Jamaica since the Cessation of Arms; likewise all Englishmen now detained, or otherwise remaining in your Port of Trinidado, particularly Nicholas Brown and Christopher Winter, both of them being Traytors, Pyrates and common Enemies to all Nations: And the said Commadore hath ordered me to acquaint you, that he is surprized that the Subjects of a Prince in Amity and Friendship with another, should give Countenance to such notorious Villains. In Expectation of your immediate Compliance, I am, Gentlemen,
Off the River Trinidado, Feb. 8. 1720.
Your humble Servant, Joseph Laws.
The Answer of the Alcaldes of Trinidado, to Mr. Laws's Letter
Capt. Laws,
‘IN Answer to yours, this serves to acquaint you, that neither in this City, nor Port, are there any Negroes or Vessels which have been taken at your Island of Jamaica, nor on that Coast, since the Cessation of Arms; and what Vessels have been taken since that Time, have been for trading in an unlawful Commerce on this Coast; and as for those English Fugitives you mention, they are here as other Subjects of our Lord the King, being brought voluntarily to our holy Catholick Faith, and have received the Water of Baptism; but if they should prove Rogues, and should not comply with their Duty, in which they are bound at present, then they shall be chastized according to the Ordinances of our King, whom God preserve. And we beg you will weigh Anchor as soon as possible, and leave this Port and its Coasts, because upon no Account you shall be suffered to trade, or any Thing else; for we are resolved not to admit thereof. God preserve you. We kiss your Hand.
Trinidada, Feb. 8, 1722.
Signed, Hieronimo de Fuentes, Benette Alfonso del Manzano.
Mr. Laws's Reply to the Alcaldes Letter
Gentlmen,
‘YOUR refusing to deliver up the Subjects of the King my Master, is somewhat surprizing, it being in a Time of Peace, and the detaining them consequently against the Law of Nations. Notwithstanding your trifling Pretence (for which you have no Foundation but to forge an Excuse) to prevent my making any Enquiry into the Truth of the Facts I have alledged in my former, I must tell you my Resolutions are, to stay on the Coast till I have made Reprizals; and should I meet any Vessels belonging to your Port, I shall not treat them as the Subjects of the Crown of Spain, but as Pyrates, finding it a Part of your Religion in this Place to protect such Villains.
Off the River Trinidado, Feb. 8. 1720.
Your humble Servant, Joseph Laws.
The Answer of one of the Alcaldes to Mr. Laws's Reply
Captain Laws,
‘YOU may assure your self, I will never be wanting in the Duty of my Post. The Prisoners that are here are not in Prison, but only kept here to be sent to the Governor of the Havana: If you (as you say) command at Sea, I command on Shoar: If you treat the Spaniards, you should happen to take, as Pyrates, I will do the same by every one of your People I can take up: I will not be wanting to good Manners, if you will do the same. I can likewise act the Soldier, if any Occasion should offer that way, for I have very good People here for that purpose. If you pretend any Thing else, you may execute it on this Coast. God preserve you. I kiss your Hand.
Trinidado, Feb. 20. 1720.
Signed, Bennette Alfonso del Menzano.
The last Advices we have received from our Plantations in America, dated June 9th, 1724, gives us the following Account, viz. That Captain Jones in the Ship John and Mary, on the 5th of the said Month, met with, near the Capes of Virginia, a Spanish Guard del Coast, commanded by one Don Benito, said to be commissioned by the Governor of Cuba: ‘She was manned with 60 Spaniards, 18 French Men and 18 English, and had an English Captain as well as Spanish, one Richard Holland, who formerly belonged to the Suffolk Man of War, which he deserted at Naples, and took Shelter in a Convent. He served on Board the Spanish Fleet under Admiral Cammock, in the War in the Mediterranean; and after the Cessation of Arms with Spain, settled with several of his Countrymen (Irish) in the Spanish West-Indies. This Guard del Coast made Prize of Captain Jones's Ship, and kept Possession of her from 5th to the 8th, during which Time she took also the Prudent Hannah of Boston, Thomas Mousell Master, and the Dolphin of Topsham, Theodore Bare Master, both laden and bound for Virginia: The former they sent away together with three Men and the Mate, under the Command of a Spanish Officer and Crew, the same Day she was taken; the latter they carried off with them, putting the Master and all the Crew aboard Captain Jones's Ship. They plundered Captain Jones of thirty six Men Slaves, some Gold-Dust, all his Cloaths, four great Guns and small Arms, and about four hundred Gallons of Rum, besides his Provisions and Stores, computed in all to 1500 l. Sterling.
Chapter I.
Of Captain Avery, And his Crew
Romantic Reports of his Greatness. His Birth. Is Mate of a Bristol Man. For what Voyage design'd. Tampers with the Seamen. Forms a Plot for carrying off the Ship. Executes it, and how. The Pyrates take a rich Ship belonging to the Great Mogul. The Great Mogul threaten the English Settlements. The Pyrates steer their Course back for Madagascar. Call a Council. Put all the Treasure on Board of Avery's Ship. Avery and his Crew treacherously leaves his Confederates; go to the Isle of Providence in the West-Indies. Sell the Ship, go to North-America in a Sloop. They disperse, Avery goes to New-England. From thence to Ireland. Avery afraid to expose his Diamonds to sale. Goes over to England. Puts his Wealth into Merchants Hands, of Bristol. Changes his Name. Lives at Biddiford. The Merchants send him no Supplies. Importunes them. Goes privately to Bristol, they threaten to discover him. Goes over to Ireland, sollicites them from thence. Is very poor, works his Passage over to Plymouth, walks to Biddiford. Dies a Beggar. An Account of Avery's Confederates. Their Settlement at Madagascar. They meet other Pyrates; an Account of them, ib. The Pyrates arrive to great Power. The Inhabitants described. Their Policy, Government, &c. Places describ'd. The Arrival of Captain Woods Rogers at that Part of the Island. Their Design of surprizing his Ship. One of these Princes formerly a Waterman on the Thames. Their Secretaries, Men of no Learning. Could neither write nor read.
None of these bold Adventurers were ever so much talked of, for a while, as Avery; he made as great a Noise in the World as Meriveis does now, and was looked upon to be a Person of as great Consequence; he was represented in Europe, as one that had raised himself to the Dignity of a King, and was likely to be the Founder of a new Monarchy; having, as it was said, taken immense Riches, and married the Great Mogul's Daughter, who was taken in an Indian Ship, which fell into his Hands; and that he had by her many Children, living in great Royalty and State; that he had built Forts, erected Magazines, and was Master of a stout Squadron of Ships, mann'd with able and desperate Fellows of all Nations; that he gave Commissions out in his own Name to the Captains of his Ships, and to the Commanders of his Forts, and was acknowledged by them as their Prince. A Play was writ upon him, called, the Successful Pyrate; and, these Accounts obtained such Belief, that several Schemes were offered to the Council for fitting out a Squadron to take him; while others were for offering him and his Companions an Act of Grace, and inviting them to England, with all their Treasure, least his growing Greatness might hinder the Trade of Europe to the East-Indies.