La Gazette Pirate References - 1722

p. 10:

From London on December 25, 1721

... The vessel La Marguerite arrived from Cadiz on the 15th, with twelve tons of piastres for the part which goes to the merchants of this city of the interests which they had in the last flotilla of Spain. We have received notice that the Hamilton Vessel returning from Jamaica to Bristol, under the command of Captain Smith, had been taken in its route by a Spanish vessel, without any reason being angry; but that both of them having been attacked then by a Pirate, had been burned after a few hours of combat. We have just learned that the Rebecca destined for Petersburg had perished in the Baltic Sea near the Isle of Bornholm.

p. 46:

From London, January 15, 1722

... We have received notice that the Onslow vessel commanded by Captain Gée had it taken by the Pirates on the coast of Guinea: that the Rebecca coming from Bilbao, was lost at the entrance of the English Channel: that the Thomas & Hannah from Maryland had broken in the rocks of the Cape of Virginia: that the Charlotte from Jamaica had failed on the coast of France, & that the Robynson had been taken by the Pirates.

p. 69-70:

From London, January 29, 1722.

... Vice-Admiral Wager received orders to return to the Ports, the warships which were to compose the squadron intended against Portugal, and we received advice from Lisbon that the Sieur Windfîels Negocient Anglois & le Sieur Robert, his partner, had been sentenced to death on the 8th of this month by the Court of Justice, which had been instructed to hear their trial, but that on the 9th the Roy [king] of Portugal had sent them their pardon by the Count of Prado his first Gentleman of the House, & that on the 10th they had been released & in possession of all the effects that had been saved

... We equip a warship to escort the ship which must transport the Duke incessantly of Portland to his Government of Jamaica. The Merchants of this City received notice that the Morning Star vessel belonging to the City of Bristol & which was going from Costes from Guinea to Carolina, had been taken recently by the Pirates, as well as another ship which was heading for New Yorck. The large number of vessels which these Corsairs have taken for some time has compelled the merchants of this Kingdom to submit a request to His Majesty, to beg her to send a greater number of warships to sea, so that the Trade is not interrupted by the races of these Pirates.

p. 127:

From London, February 26, 1722

... We have received notice that the Cassandre vessel belonging to the East India Company, which had been taken some time ago by the Pirates, had just been taken over by the Falkland warship commanded by Captain [Barrows] Harris, after a a very obstinate combat, in which the Pirates had lost more than three hundred men of their crew, & the English one hundred men or about [Is this a false report? The pirate Cassandra is still in the Indian Ocean at this time - possibly a diff. pirate vessel here]. We learned from letters arrived this week from various Ports of this Kingdom, that the Weymouth warship of fifty pieces of cannon, had been taken on the Coast of Guinea by two Pirates, one of forty, & the other of thirty-eight guns: that they had also removed another ship which returned from the slave trade, &. which was destined for Jamaica; & that three vessels loaded with Tobacco, returning from Virginia, were lost in the Rocks, in the West of Ireland.

p. 138:

From London on March 5, 1722

... According to the language of the English vessels that the Pirates have taken, burn or sink to the bottom for five years, both on the African coast, and in America, it seems that England has lost one hundred and thirty-six during this time ; This is what commits his Majesty to arm six warships to chase the pirates, & to restore in these seas the security of commerce interrupted by their races. The East India Company launched the three new Vessels it had built last year. On the 17th of last month, twenty-five Lords, Members of the House of Peers, protested against the decision of the House to admit the Bill which had just been presented there, to enhance the freedom of Elections for Members of a new Parliament; but on the 2nd of this month, their protests having been heard and examined, it was resolved to the plurality of fifty-five votes to twenty-two, that they would strike the registers off, and that there would be no regard for them. The Shares of the South Sea Company today make "ninety-eight."

p. 169:

From London on April 1, 1722.

... On the 19th, the bishop of Salisbury accompanied by several other prelates of this Kingdom, put in the name of Roy [king] the first stone of the Church of Saint Martin des Champs which was rebuilt. We put the same day in commission six warships of the fourth rank, two of which are intended to raise those who serve in the Mediterranean, three to cross on pirates along the coast of Guinea, & the sixth to reinforce the escort vessels that go to the cod fishery.

p. 225-226:

From London, April 23, 1722

... The Merchants of this City have received notice that the Mercy, one of their vessels, had been taken recently by the Pirates, on the Coste de Guinée: that the Pencel had escaped their rot, & that the Neptune loaded for Venice, was lost near Avero (?), The Company of the South Sea, currently makes load the Prince Royal of all strong of goods, whose first purchase amounts to nearly three hundred and thirty thousand pounds sterling.

p. 250:

From London, 7 May 1722

... The Comte de Clancarty, who was exiled outside the Kingdom for the cause of rebellion, obtained his pardon from the King and should arrive here in a few days. Le Guillaume & Elisabeth, arrived at the Dunes of Saint Christophe, having been looted by the Pirates a few days after I left.

p. 256-257:

From Lisbon, April 16, 1722.

From Lisbon -

An Order must be published immediately against those who defraud the rights of the Roy [king], & nineteen traders of this city accuse & convinced of having made further declarations of their goods, were condemned these days proceed to be transported to India , & they have embarked on the ship that left for Goa, from where they will no longer have the freedom to return.
... We have received notice - by a courier of Don Louis d'Acunha Minister of Roy [king] from there Majeste Trés-Chrestienne, that Don Louis L'ouis de Meneses Comte d'Ericeyra, above Viceroy des Indes Orientales, quoting from Goa to return to this Kingdom, embarked on a Portuguese vessel which had the misfortune of being attacked & taken by the Forbans [Pirates], at the height of the Isle of Saint Laurent or of Madagascar: that these Pirates, after having taken all its effects & plundered the Vessel, had put it ashore at the Isle of Bourbon: that it had embarked there a few days later on a Vessel of the Compagnie des Indes from France, & that he had happily arrived at the Port d'Orient in Brittany.

p. 347:

From London, July 2, 1722

... We received advice from Barbados, that the Hyrondelle, warship commanded by Captain Ogle, had surprised on the Coste de Guinee three Forbans [Pirates], one of thirty-eight guns commanded by the famous Robert[;] the Comte de Toulouze, French ship of thirty guns, which a few years ago captured by these Pirates, and a third of lesser consequence, and that he had led them to Cape-Coast, with two hundred crew members who were locked up in the Chasteau [Castle].

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Quest for Blackbeard: The True Story of Edward Thache and His World

2020 Updated 2nd Kindle Edition
by Baylus C. Brooks (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

Price: $19.99

Capture of Le Victorieux or Victory by pirate Jeremiah Cocklyn!

From the French deposition of the captain of the ship that was chased, captured, and taken by pirates Jeremiah Cocklyn, Olivier LeVassuer, and Richard Taylor off the west coast of Africa before they rounded the Cape of Good Hope for Madagascar!

ACCIM f°169-177(f° 169) Juillet 1720, Prise et abandonnement du vaisseau le Victorieux, capitaine Hais de Nantes. N°22

This is the first half of a long and detailed deposition given by the captain of Le Victorieux, or Victory, used by pirates to take the East Indian Merchant vessel Cassandra just north of Madagascar in 1720. This unfortunate ship was earlier confused by Nathaniel Mist, writing as "Capt. Charles Johnson," with the Petersborough of Bristol. This record has been edited by the author for readability.

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Of the fifth of July, seven thousand and twenty (5/7/1720), the Sir Interested on the body, faction, armament and victualling of the vessel Le Victorieux commanded by the Captain Guillaume Hais of Nantes, who declared that the said ship would have left the the bottom of the river of the said city [Nantes] on 30 December one thousand seven hundred eighteen (30/12/1718) for the coast of Guinea to make the trade of the blacks [slaves], that two days after said departure, he suffered an impetuous and contrary wind to his navigation, which demasted his little mast and his parrot, and after repairs, he made his way and sailed until the twenty-fourth of February, seventeen hundred and nineteen (24/2/1719) that they moored at Mesura [Cape Mesurade], on the Coste de Guinea to make wood and water and rice which they thought they needed. They stayed six days without finding in this place the rice and the water which they needed, from whence they traveled to Jonck to find rice there - they found none; And thence made their way for the same needs to Petit Sestre (Little Seashore), where they anchored and sent their canoe ashore to make proposals for the ordinary trade with the King.

That the negroes of this place came aboard the boat to get what they wanted, that the officer who was on board the boat told [to them] that they came there to trade for rice, that on this answer the said negroes asked a crewman to go with them to make the request to the King, and as is the custom, the officer gave them a man named Pierre Meunier of La Rochelle, but hardly was this sailor ashore, the negro seized him and fired the weapons with which they were armed at the boat and wounded in the thigh a sailor named Jean Moisson de Quiberon, forcing the officer of the said boat to return to the ship to advise his captain, who in the plan of re-acquainting his sailor, took the party of to conceal the insult [to save face?], and sent his canoe and his armed boat, to shoot [at] the negroes. He commanded the crew to keep safe, and fire only for the purpose to impose respect, but the negroes fired on the boat, and as soon as the crew saw them within range of their arms, the crew of the said boats and canoes retired on board, because their number was too few to make shore, the negroes being too numerous, and the landing too difficult because of the "big land."

They set sail and anchored at Grand Sestre seven leagues away where they spent three days making water and rice. The negroes of this place told them that what they had experienced happened because the fact that the English went there every day under the French flag, to make incursions on their coast and take them off under the pretext of trade. Capt. Hais assured them that they would not be harmed by his sailor [Pierre Meunier], that they would withdraw him from their neighbors [at Petit Sestre] to return him to the first French ship [which should arrive], for which the said captain offered them at present some goods in the hope of having his sailor back. But having no appearance of having it, he left only a note for the King of the said Sestre, begging all the French ships to withdraw the said sailor with a promise to repay what had been paid for him. From there [Hais] traveled [sailed] to Judah, the place of their destination, where they arrived on the twenty-second of March following (22/3/1719).

That on the twenty-third of the said month, the said captain went ashore to establish his trade in the ordinary, which they were tranquil in the said ship until the twenty-second of June (22/6/1719), at four or five o'clock in the afternoon, when three rogue ships [LeVasseur in Duke of Ormond and Cocklyn in Speedwell/Windham/Bird (former vessel of William Snelgrave) and Richard Taylor in Comrade] entered the said port under the English flag, and distinguished themselves only when they were near the said vessel Le Victorieux, where the Sieur Edouard Hais [first mate] commanded on board, having recognized them, their being seen firing cannons and flying the black flag, cut two cables on the bitts and set sail, that [First mate Hais] had barely thirty men on board, of which half were sick, and that while fleeing he saw five ships, three of which were Portuguese, one English [Heroine, former master Richard Blincko] and one French from La Rochelle, and that he had only been followed for half an hour by two of the said pirates, and having borne his planks far off, he stood far off and anchored the fifth day after his escape.

[First mate Edourd Hais] had gone twenty-eight leagues west of Judah, whence he wrote to his brother captain [Guillaume Hais] of the said ship, who had been left in Judah [Whydah], to inform him where he was; and that he received a reply from the captain on the tenth of July (10/7/1719) ordering him to return to Judah [since the pirates had moved off], where he went to anchor on the eleventh of that month. For thirty days they could not make shore, the bar being impassable, which caused them considerable trouble and caused sickness to the people who had remained ashore. Of the boat [of Le Victorieux?] which the rogues seized upon, the boat wherein seventy iron bars were and several casks full of water, which said boat was delivered by a sailor named Jacques Carré [James Cary] Irishman who took sides with the said pirates; and that the said pirates were forty, thirty-two, and eight cannon.

And that on the twenty-eighth of the month of July there appeared two ships [LeVasseur in Duke of Ormond and Cocklyn in Speedwell/Windham/Bird], which were still believed to be pirates, information they had learned from the crews that had been ransomed by the above-mentioned pirates, that [the two pirates] went to fetch the said ship Le Victorieux, and when they did not find her, they came back to take [Le Victorieux] in the harbor, which obliged [Capt. Guillaume Hais] to cut a third new cable, and to sail. He fought the sea for five days, at the end of which he returned with the said ship, after having learned by a Portuguese boat that there was nothing to fear for him to enter. [But, the captain lamented] the pitiful condition of his ship and crew, which was fatigued by work, of the little food and heavy weather which they had suffered, and which he believed not that he was in a position to maneuver the said vessel, his people are wracked by fever and scurvy. That on the frequent notices and representations of all the officers, majors, and marines, the said captain determined in concert with the said officers to pass to the island of Sao Tomé, with the captives of two Portuguese ships taken by the pirates and return on the coast of this Harbor of Judah, more in relation to the absolute need of the crew of the two Portuguese ships than of the cargo of their slaves, and also by the hope that the sailors of his boat, which he had long time on land and those of his tent and his store, all of whom were sick, would recover by the air of the sea, and that the others who were on board, attacked by fever and scurvy, could be restored to the place of Saint Thomé by the refreshments that the captains of the said Portuguese were obliged to provide them on land and on board in the hopes the said crews would be restored, to follow the course of their journey, and that they left Judah 15 Sep one thousand seven hundred and nineteen (15/9/1719) with three hundred and sixty negroes, having lost ninety of the number of four hundred and fifty that said Captain Hays had treated before the arrival and departure of the pirates, they did their best to reach Saint Thomé, but the winds having always been contrary, as well as the tides, they were obliged to anchor at Prince's [Isle de Principe] Island.

From the eleventh of September (11/9/1719) they stayed there until the fourth of October. And that during their stay at Isle de Principe, two of these sailors, who had needed to see the [fresh water] ponds to resupply the ship, and who had come down to work in the road [prob. stream], were suddenly smothered by the steam of the waters which were infected. The one named Charles Mandier, and the other Roger, and that six of their comrades remained unconscious and without knowledge, and would have perished if they had not been rescued in the moment, which the said captain and all his officers and the pitiful state where they were, the sick captain, the great number of the dead crew, almost the whole scorbutic or attacked with fevers, and convinced of the sad experience they had just made, that the plague was in their brink; being without cables and anchors, only one left to them. Finally, seeing themselves out of state, they could not continue their voyage without food which the Portuguese masters of the place offered to give them, provided that the said captain would sell them his ship with his captives [slaves] to carry to Brazil, offering in this case to provide him with a crew to make up for the weakness of his own who were not in a state to sail his ship. [Hais] was obliged to accept in the opinion of all his officers majors and mariners because he had to pay in Brazil fifty pounds of gold for the value of the ship, and one hundred and fifty pounds of gold for the value of the slaves. Said Captain Hais running the risks of the ship and the Portuguese of the mortality of the blacks until they made the locality of Brazil, all was contracted in the presence of said officers majors and mariners who signed them. And left this place of the Isle de Principe last October 4 (4/10/1719).

That the ninth of that month [October], thirty leagues windward of said Isle de Principe in the company of a Portuguese ship which had followed them from Judah, They were chased by a pirate ship [Cocklyn in Speedwell/Windham/Bird/Defiance? These pirates seemed to change names often, though Defiance may have been a newer ship], but the night came and they lost sight of it as well as the said Portuguese [consort] vessel, and continued their journey till the following day, four o'clock in the afternoon, that the look-out warned that another ship was taking the opposite course. They thought at first that it was the Portuguese, but seeing him back in their waters they feared he was a pirate. And indeed, at seven o'clock in the evening he approached them, fired a cannon and hoisted the black flag on the mainmast, with command to hove to. they recognized that he was a pirate of thirty-four guns, with two hundred men Captain Carrot [Cocklyn], not being able to resist and fearing the misfortunes that follow a useless resistance with the pirates, Capt. Hais hove to and the pirates seized this ship Le Victorieux, and having sent their boat, twenty five armed men, came on board, together. Said Captain Hais and the first mate his brother [Edourd], were detained on board with five others of their crew, and that two days later the barbarians made them understand that they were leading them to Anabon to give the ship Le Victorieux to another pirate named Labuse [LeVasseur].

On the way to the said Anabon they met an English ship [Petersborough, Capt. William Owen?] from Bristol loaded with two hundred blacks, which to the said pirates they surrendered. And they [carried aboard the Bristol ship] all the Portuguese who were in Le Victorieux, and all the English crew in number of sixteen. [Leaving with] the said pirates, two of the sailors of the said ship Le Victorieux named Jean Detern and (?), and Etienne Bond with a servant named Provost.

[The pirates] having missed Anabon, they made the road to Angola, or in the hunt they gave to English ships, their bowsprit broke, which made them look for a convenient port for the purpose of replacing their bowsprit with that of Le Victorieux [this did not happen]. They could only make Cape Lopez, where the same pirate Labuze was found, who was there to change his ship with the Indian Queen of London, Captain [Thomas] Hill, whom they had taken on the coast of Angola, on which place the said pirates had several disputes, some to give Captain Hais one of their ships in exchange for the ship Le Victorieux, the others to degrade said Hais and his crew. At this place the strongest voice prevailed, which was to give a ship to Captain Hais. During the debates they sent ashore four to five hundred Negroes, those whom they had taken on the said vessels, which were at once picked up and removed by the negroes of the country, and gave to Captain Hill one hundred and forty, a cargo of negroes, negresses, and negroes, with the captain's [Hill's] ship [Indian Queen] which Labuze had exchanged for his own, and to give to Capt. Hais the pirate ship Heroine [taken from Capt. Richard Blinko 22 June 1719 ay Whydah], because all the masts were worth nothing. After beating all the guns and stripping it of all that is useful for navigation, with ninety blacks who were still aboard Le Victorieux from his trade.

That during the overthrow of the buccaneers from one ship to another, Joseph Pascal, sailor of Le Victorieux, voluntarily partook with the said pirates.

That the pirates having left for their voyage [to Madagascar], said Hais made his best with the little rope they had left him, he did spice (sic) [splice?] to firm the masts.

That they were on land making water and finding there some exhausted and moribund negroes, whom the negroes of the country had abandoned; remains of those whom the pirates had left ashore.




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Just published 2nd Electronic Edition of Quest for Blackbeard!

Some of the poorer sort went aboard pirate ships and sloops as crew, certainly, but they usually were not as well educated as those who navigated them. The tale of these early pirate leaders’ gentlemanly demeanor, formerly wealthy privateers, has been confined, narrowed, and almost eradicated by literary rhetoric. Worse still, modern historians attempt to explain them all as an early form of democratic society, confusing some of these gentlemen with the common people and further skewing their reality. The people we call “pirates” today most resemble those found in the Bahamas after 1715, driven out by 1718, scattered refugees of a barren island and rude maritime subsistence, but the real pirate leaders of the Golden Age were wealthy – the 97% were blamed for the crimes of the 3%! This injustice is where we must begin the true Quest for Blackbeard!

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Howell Davis and the Royal African Company

Fort James on Kunta Kinteh Island

Renowned pirate Howell Davis is famous for using trickery to gain access to and burn the Royal African Company's (RAC) slave entrepôt on what was then called "James Island" in the Gambia River on the west coast of Africa - a fortified structure known as "Fort James." The island is now called "Kunta Kinteh Island,"  listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an historical site in the West African slave trade.

A controversial Jacobite newspaper publisher named Nathaniel Mist, writing under the pseudonym "Capt. Charles Johnson," published A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates in 1724. This extravagant, flamboyant, and ultimately popular narrative was literally a "political hit piece" on the "Commonwealth of Pyrates" across the Atlantic Ocean - a wilderness colony of England's, created by the cruder and more conservative Stuart Dynasty. We call it "America." The Stuarts had launched nearly a century of theft, native enslavement, and general mayhem originally intended to allow England's rise to power over their Spanish and French competitors in a land raped of its material wealth by all - America's nominal life of crime or piracy.

In that respect, a then financially-troubled Mist intended his book to be only partly a "history," while he had also been coerced by the new stabilizing Whig government to write derogatory references to this "Commonwealth" and its nests of maritime criminals known as "pirates" - commissioned to tell little white lies, as it were. England's desire was to use information warfare to end this Stuart menace to their trade in America. As Shakespeare knew all too well, "the evil that men do lives long after them [especially if in print] - the good is oft interred with their bones." Anyone in journalism or politics understands this human truth - including Nathaniel Mist and Lord Sunderland's Whigs. Sunderland intended to stop this century-old trend and bring America back into the fold of civilization by shaming them into giving up their evil ways - it may have only partly worked.

Mist also liked the idea of profiting from his book, which certainly would have effected it's accuracy! His property taxes and number of rental properties increased greatly after 1724!

Mist's tale for Howell Davis told of three similar incidents of his using slight of hand and playacting to fool administrators, governors, and others into believing that he was a gentleman merchant or official... and not a pirate! The last incident at Principe Island killed the amateur actor.

Davis had supposedly become a pirate because he was taken at Sierra Leone by Edward England off a vessel supposedly named Cadogan, Capt. Skinner. Skinner's first mate, Howell Davis (according to Mist), turned pirate a few months after being taken and imprisoned on his return to Barbados. His annoyance at being treated by Barbadian authorities as a pirate caused him to actually turn into one! He then supposedly surrendered at New Providence, the Bahamas, when Capt. Vincent Pearse arrived there late in February 1718. So, the Cadogan was supposedly taken by England at Africa before February 1718 - in other words, probably in 1717.

The problem with Mist's narrative is that the timing on these events does not fit. England probably began his career after capture of Cadogan - a vessel actually called Coulston and captained by Peter Skinner on a voyage to Africa throughout most of 1718, not 1717. The most damning part for Mist's elaborate and "villainous" (Mist's comic-book characterization of Edward England had him being allegedly rather rough with Skinner, killing him in 1718) narrative was the fact that Skinner's 1st mate was not named "Howell Davis," but "Hugh Vaughn," and Vaughn remained master of Coulston for another two years - he did not become a pirate. Oh, and there was the disappointing fact that Skinner died in 1719, not 1718 when Coulston was actually captured, and not in 1717 when England supposedly killed him! Mist apparently manipulated data to fit his literary needs - he wrote historical fiction, not history!

So... the actual history of Howell Davis probably never involved Edward England. The "enhanced" narrative (I'm being kind to Mist) that Mist provides for the events following the spring of 1718, after the pardoning at New Providence, however, could have been true - only the partisan Jacobite journalist Mist (not an historian) probably conflated (or intentionally faked) a great deal of information concerning Howell Davis with a pirate mentioned on Pearse's list of surrendered pirates named Othniel or "Othenias" Davis. This Davis, partner to pirate brothers Thomas and Daniel Porter on New Providence, was one-time master of Moville Trader, a vessel mentioned in Mist's "Howell Davis" narrative as Mumvil Trader, one of the two vessels (including Buck) fitted out by the Bahama's new governor, Woodes Rogers - as alleged by Nathaniel Mist. These events had to have occurred after April 1718 when Rogers arrived at the Bahamas. They are not the same men. The later legitimate anti-Spanish privateer Othniel Davis is discussed in Quest for Blackbeard: The True Story of Edward Thache and His World.

Again, Mist failed as an historian. 

Still, Mist's continued narrative after April 1718 for Howell Davis has him serving as a crewman aboard Buck, consorting with Mumvil Trader on a voyage to Martinique, "where Davis having conspired with some others, rise in the Night, secured the Master and seized the Sloop [Buck]." Davis called to the Mumvil Trader, "among whom they knew there were a great many Hands ripe for Rebellion," joining with them on Buck, and sending Mumvil Trader "to go where they pleased."

Mist then has Davis cleaning Buck, then crewed by 35 hands, at "the East End of the Island of Cuba" and then making sail to the north side of Hispaniola where they captured a French sloop of 12 guns and another of 24 guns and 60 men, keeping them for two days. Presumably, some of the French crewmen joined Davis, but Mist didn't say. He then "steered Northward, in which Course he took a small Spanish Sloop; after this, he made towards the Western Islands, but met with no Booty thereabouts; then he steered for the Cape de Verde Islands," which lay off the coast of Africa not far from the Gambia River and Fort James.

Cape Verde Islands location and detail

Mist then told that Davis cast anchor at the Portuguese island of São Nicolão or St. Nicholas where the inhabitants believed him to be an English privateer - perhaps giving him the idea for his future "piratical acting career." Davis and crew remained there for 5 weeks, "caressed by the Governor and the Inhabitants," exploring to the island's interior and enjoying their fortunate sojourn. Five of his crew remained behind for the "free Conversation of some Women" (leaving 30?); one, "Charles Franklin, a Monmouthshire Man, married and settled himself," supposedly still there in 1724 when Mist published his book. Presumably, these events occurred in late 1718, for by February-March 1719, Davis and his crew raided and burnt the RAC's Fort James.

Coast of modern-day São Nicolão

"From hence they [Davis and crew in Buck] sailed to Bonevista [Boa Vista; to east of São Nicolão], and looked into that Harbour, but finding nothing, they steer’d for the Isle of May [Maio; to south of Boa Vista]." Maio had been a source of salt, especially for the English, who exported it regularly from Porto Inglês (hence the name). There Davis and crew met "a great many Ships and Vessels in the Road" and plundered them. They took on new crew from those vessels, most of whom joined them willingly and "One of the Ships they took to their own Use, mounted her with twenty six Guns, and call’d her the King James (prob. former Loyal Merchant, Mathew Golding, commander)."

Afterward, as Mist wrote, Davis' crew could find no fresh water at the Isle of May and so they sailed for "St. Jago [Santiago]." Mist wrote:

Davis, with a few Hands, going ashore to find the most commodious Place to water at, the Governor, with some Attendants, came himself and examined who they were, and whence they came? And not liking Davis’s Account of himself, the Governor was so plain to tell them, he suspected them to be Pyrates. Davis seemed mightily affronted, standing much upon his Honour, replying to the Governor, he scorn’d his Words; however, as soon as his Back was turn’d, for fear of Accidents, he got on Board again as fast as he could. Davis related what had happened, and his Men seemed to resent the Affront which had been offered him [even though they actually were pirates]. Davis, upon this, told them, he was confident he could surprize the Fort [Forte Real de São Filipe is a 16th century fortress in the city of Cidade Velha in the south of the island] at in the Night; they agreed with him to attempt it, and accordingly, when it grew late, they went ashore well arm’d; and the Guard which was kept, was so negligent, that they got within the Fort before any Alarm was given: When it was too late there was some little Resistance made, and three Men killed on Davis’s Side. Those in the Fort, in their Hurry, run into the Governor’s House to save themselves, which they barricadoed so strongly, that Davis’s Party could not enter it; however, they threw in Granadoe-Shells, which not only ruin’d all the Furniture, but kill’d several Men within. [Oh, no... not the furniture! That was a beautiful Georgian desk! - "Not any more!" (French accent; sarcasm for those who've watched Pink Panther movies)...]

São Filipe fortress at Cidade Velha, Santiago island, Cape Verde. The fort has been restored in 1999-2001.

Forte de São Filipe: Walls and cistern

Mist told that Davis and crew, in King James and Buck, consisting now of 70-men, left the Island of Santiago, "having dismounted [and taken] the Guns of the Fort." The pirate ships then made for the Gambia River where "Davis, he having been employ’d in that Trade [Atlantic Slave Trade], was acquainted with the Coast." Davis added, in Mist's entertaining words, "a great deal of Money always kept in Gambia Castle [The RAC's Fort James], and that it would be worth their while to make an Attempt upon it."

A list of historic details and data regarding the RAC's Fort James is here: Data about Fort James

Kunta Kinteh Island is suffering heavy erosion, and is now approximately 1/6 of its size during the time when the fort was active.

Mist continued:

Having come within Sight of the Place [Fort James on James Island; today, Kunta Kinteh Island], he ordered all his Men under Deck, except as many as were absolutely necessary for working the Ship, that those from the Fort seeing a Ship with so few Hands, might have no Suspicion of her being any other than a trading Vessel; then he ran close under the Fort, and there cast Anchor; and having ordered out the Boat, he commanded six Men in her, in old ordinary Jackets, while he himself, with the Master and Doctor, dressed themselves like Gentlemen; his Design being, that the Men should look like common Sailors, and they like Merchants. In rowing ashore he gave his Men Instructions what to say in Case any Questions should be asked them.

Being come to the landing Place, he was received by a File of Musqueteers, and conducted into the Fort, where the Governor accosting them civilly, ask’d them who they were, and whence they came? They answered they were of Liverpool, bound for the River of Sinnegal, to trade for Gum [Olibanum; Frankincense] and Elephants Teeth... 

Mist goes on with tremendous detail about how Davis playacted, fooled, and tricked Agent Charles Orfeur, captured him and burnt the Royal African Company's Fort James, "dismounting the Guns, and demolishing the Fortifications."

Ruins on Kunta Kinteh Island (James Island)

An actual primary source document, a deposition from the Island of Barbados, reveals some similarities as to this story told by Nathaniel Mist. They suggest that he used this deposition as a base document on which he abundantly added the greater detail and elaboration, whether true or not. William Slade of Barbados, master of Guinea Hen, formerly in the service of the RAC under Solomon Raynesford and John Gill, had left Bridgetown, Barbados on December 23, 1718 for Gambia River, arriving by February 8, 1719. They had anchored by James Island before Davis entered Gambia River and made his way to raid the fort - thus, they were eyewitnesses to the arrival, deception, and raid by Howell Davis.

----------------------- Detail from Donnan, Documents of the Slave Trade, page 111
James Fort, and Island, in the River Gambia; the island walled round; Out-works, great Guns, small Arms, and Stores; formerly mounted with 90 great Guns; with several Warehouses, Rooms for Factors and Officers; Work-houses for Smiths, and other Artificers; by means whereof, together with the Agreements with the several Kings of that Country, the Company have heretofore enjoyed the Trade of that River upwards of 300 Leagues, with Settlements and Factories at the Places following; viz. Barracunda, Alunjugar, jamassar, Geregia, Tankerwall, Jovy, Sangrigo, Vintan, Gellifree, Barrafatt, Furbrow, Cumbo, and Benyoun, all within that River; and the Factories of Portodella, Joallee, Felan, and Bassally, without the said River; and by Sloops and Vessels, trading from the said James Island to Rio Pungo, Rio Nunez, Bissow, and Catchow, Places adjacent to the said Island; by all which in the time of settled Trade Carried forward £216,194 0 0 ‘This fort the company finally surrendered in 1728. The description of the forts already cited says of this one, the property of Messrs. Richard Oswald and Company: “This Fort has not been any Expence to the Public (notwithstanding it has been kept in better repair, and supplied with every necessary for its defence), than the Forts at Senegambia, and on the Gold Coast, and Whydah have been, where so much Public Money has been expended. . . . Belonging to the Fort 33 Europeans and Mullatoes, 137 Castle Slaves, besides Women and Girls, 10 Sloops, and Schooners, the Fort in Good repair, 28 Cannon”. Eg. MSS. 1162 B, f. 78.
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As William Slade's deposition read:

And these Deponents Memory's a Ship [King James] Came Up the Sd: River, and Came to an Anchor & Saluted the fort and Immediately afterwards the Captain Or Cheif Officer of the Said Shipp (as these Deponents were informed) Went on Shoar and Acquainted the Company's agent [English agent from 1717-1721: Charles Orfeur (b. 1688? - d. 1745)] there, that he with his Said Ship were Drove off the Coast of Barbarry Where he had been trading for Gumm [Gum Olibanum or Frankincense?], and that he Came in there for Wood & Water; That he having told this plausible Story and the Agent belonging to the Said ffort Giving Credit to what was told him, And these Depon:ts at that time Suspecting Nothing he the said Cap:tn Or Cheife Officer of the Said Ship together with his Men Surprized & took ye Said ffort and the Said Agent & these Deponents found & Discovered them to be Pyrates, That the Said Capt:n of the Sd: Pirate Ship with his Company Immediately after they had So Surprized and taken ye Sd: ffort & Sloop, they Plundered & Ransacked the Sd: ffort [Fort James] & Sloop [Guinea Hen] of Every thing they thought fitt for them, and Sett the Said ffort On ffire; thereby burning & Destroying goods & Effects to a Great Value...

Note that the narrative is quite similar, except for one primary detail: the part above in red that reads "that he with his Said Ship were Drove off the Coast of Barbarry [North Africa] Where he had been trading for Gumm [Gum Olibanum or Frankincense?]." Mist's narrative, however, stated "they were of Liverpool, bound for the River of Sinnegal, to trade for Gum [Gum Olibanum; Frankincense]." 

Why the change in location? If Mist used this document on which to base his tale, which he apparently did, why did he change the location from which Davis claimed to have been before arriving at James Island? Yes, Slade could have gotten the details wrong but, if he did, then how did Mist know any location at all if not from Slade's deposition? Hearsay? The trade item "Gum" mentioned by both at exactly this point in the narrative is quite interesting, wouldn't you say?

Another primary source document came from Richard Luntley, a crewman aboard Guinea Hen. He tended to verify William Slade's testimony. His narrative agrees well with his captain's, but was curt on this event and did not mention details such as this Barbery-Liverpool discrepancy.

William Slade and Richard Luntley both mention that the pirate sloop Buck came up to the fort on 27 February, after Howell Davis and his crew seized the fort. They also both mention a surprise visitor, Olivier LeVasseur de la Buse, the famed "Buzzard," on the 8th of March, who "Arrived at the Mouth of the River in a Briganteen [Murrane],"  or, as Mist wrote. "a French Pyrate of fourteen Guns and sixty four Hands, half French, half Negroes; the Captain’s Name was La Bouse."

Mist wrote, "La Bouse desired Davis, that they might sail down the Coast together, that he (La Bouse) might get a better Ship." By coincidence (perhaps), William Slade deposed "Which Ship [King James] and Briganteen [Murrane] Consorted together, and on the Tenth of that Instant [March] went to Sea, having Obliged the Deponent William Slade at the perill of his life to Pilott out the great Ship [King James]," obviously accompanied by their prize, Slade's Guinea Hen. 

Mist next wrote:

The first Place they touch’d at, was Sierraleon, where at first going in, they spied a tall Ship at Anchor; Davis being the best Sailor first came up with her, and wondering that she did not try to make off, suspected her to be a Ship of Force. As soon as he came along Side of her, she brought a Spring upon her Cable, and fired a whole Broadside upon Davis, at the same Time hoisted a black Flag; Davis hoisted his black Flag in like Manner, and fired one Gun to Leeward.

In fine, she proved to be a Pyrate Ship of twenty four Guns, commanded by one Cocklyn.

Slade's deposition reads:

And these Depon:ts further Say, that about the 19th of ye Sd: Month of March as they were a going into the Said Port of Serraleon, they mett with Two Ships a Working out [transferring cargo?] the One proved to be another Pyrate [Jeremiah Cocklyn in Rising Sun], and the Other Ship that Pyrates Prize, being a Ship belonging to this Island Named the Two ffriends Commanded by Capt:n William Elliot, Which two Ships Commanded these Depon:ts to bring their Sloop [Guinea Hen] to an Anchor, and the Day following in the Morning the Said Pyrates Seized the Said Sloop [Guinea Hen] for the Use of an hospital Ship, they putting their Sick People On board of ye Sd. Sloop.

Mist further stated that:

... the third Day [22nd March] Davis and Cocklyn, agreed to go in La Bouse’s Brigantine [Murrane] and attack the Fort [RAC fort on Bunce or Bence Island]

They took Possession of it, and continued there near seven Weeks, in which Time they all cleaned their Ships. We should have observed, that a Galley came into the Road while they were there, which Davis insisted should be yielded to La Bouse, according to his Word of Honour before given; Cocklyn did not oppose it, so La Bouse went into her, with his Crew, and cutting away her half Deck, mounted her with twenty four Guns.

Photo from page 56 of the recently-published Sailing East: West-Indian Pirates in Madagascar by Baylus C. Brooks

"Artist's impression of Bunce Island c.1727 from the north-west" (circa 1727)

... ; they contrived it so, as to get up thither by high Water; those in the Fort suspected them to be what they really were, and therefore stood upon their Defence; when the Brigantine came within Musket-Shot, the Fort fired all their Guns upon her, the Brigantine did the like upon the Fort, and so held each other in Play for several Hours, when the two confederate Ships were come up to the Assistance of the Brigantine; those who defended the Fort, seeing such a Number of Hands on Board these Ships, had not the Courage to stand it any longer, but abandoning the Fort, left it to the Mercy of the Pyrates.

Slade went into more detail on this point regarding the RAC fort on Bunce or Bence Island in the Sierra Leone River and the many ships taken by these pirates, which compared well with the narrative of William Snelgrave (whose name shows up soon):

After Which they Immediately Weighed Anchor Carrying these Depon:ts Up the River with them to Bence Island, to Assist the Pyrate Brigantine [Murrane] their Consort, Which had Chased Up that River Seven Saile of Trading Ships & Vessels, Vizt: One Briganteen [Robert & Jane] belonging to Antigua Commanded by One Capt:n [John] Bennett, two Ships [Nightengall & Queen Elizabeth] Commanded by two Masters Named Cradons [James & David Creighton], the One belonging to London, the Other to Bristoll, One Snow [Parnall] Commanded by Capt:n [Henry] Morris belonging to Bristoll, One Other Ship [Jacob & Jael] belonging to London Commanded by Capt:n [John] Thompson, One Other Ship [Saint Antoine] belonging to London Commanded by a french Man [Clinet de Vitry], And One Other Ship belonging to London Named the Sarah Gally Commanded by Capt:n [Jonathan] Lamb. That these trading Ships having Run Up the River to Escape the Pyrates, The Pyrates Made after them in the aforesaid Ship [King James] & Briganteen [Murrane], and Coming Up with them the Commanders of these Trading Ships with Most of their People Quitted their Ships & Went on Shoar, And they together with the Company's Agent [Robert Plunkett] fled from the Fort, and Run into the Countrey to Save themselves, that the Pyrates Officers Coming to the ffort & finding but One Man there, they Writt a Letter to the afores:d Merch:ts and Agent to Come Down and take possession of their Ships and ffort, But two of the Master's (Vizt.) Capt. Bennett and Capt. Thompson Refusing to Come Down at the Pyrates Call[.] The Pyrates Sett their Vessells on fire And Burnt them, That the Pyrates after they had fitted their Ships & put the Briganteen's Company On board of the London Ship Called the Sarah Galley & Quitted the Briganteen they went Down the River where they Stayed Sometime, and took three Ships More Viz:t The Bird Gally Capt. [William] Snelgrave Commander[,] a french Ship bound for Widdah & a Company's [RAC's] Ship named the Dispatch Capt. Wilson Commander.

The RAC agent Robert Plunkett mentioned above also wrote to his superiors on April 16, 1719 telling them of the destruction of their "Factory at Bense Island" on March 22 or 23, 1719 by "the Pyrates from Gambia [Davis w/LeVasseur]." "That your Ship ye. Dispatch [Capt. Wilson] meet with the same Fate as did the Experimt. last Yeare." Plunkett took this opportunity to damn the European merchants, "so many Rascalls on Shore that Assist [pirates] wth Boats & Canoes to bring their goods on Shore" at the "Privateer Town [aka "Pirate Town" near modern Freetown at the mouth of Sierra Leone River]" as "All who live ashore except Capt. [Henry] Glynn & his Nephew [Robert Glynn?] ought to be tryd for being accessories to the Pyrates, who in 7 weeks had taken & ransacked 12 Ships [all listed in Sailing East: West-Indian Pirates in Madagascar], & no Sooner taken but his boats & Canoes were Sent from Shore on board the Prizes & plund loaden with goods & Liquors &c." Now, who doesn't love discount prices!?? ;)

BAIE DE SAWPIT, près de FREETOWN, location of the "Privateer Village" or "Pirate's Village" occupied by about 30 European merchants of ill-repute, including the ex-pirate Henry Glynn (see pic below), the only one who ironically had a good reputation with Agent Robert Plunkett at the RAC fort on Bence Island.

Capt. Vincent Pearse's List of Surrendered Pirates at New Providence (3 Jun 1718) - from the same Pearce's list showing Othenias Davis - here it shows "Henry Glinn[/Glynn]" and "Le[i]gh Ashworth." Glynn later serves as governor of the RAC Fort James in Gambia River from 6 Oct 1721 - 13 Apr 1723 as did Robert Plunkett from 28 Oct 1713 -  2 Nov 1725.

Note that this detail related on the RAC fort on Bence Island involving Capts. Bennett and Thompson was also commented upon in some detail and related in my new book Sailing East: West-Indian Pirates in Madagascar This detail came from the deposition, letter, and book of Capt. William Snelgrave, master of Bird Galley mentioned above in Slade's deposition. Pages 54-55 paraphrases and concatenates Snelgrave's various sources:

Robert and Jane, Capt. John Bennet, bound from Antigua to the coast of Guinea, was taken February 1719 at Cape Verde Islands by Howell Davis. Davis restored Bennet’s ship which unfortunately for Bennet then came into the Sierra Leone River about early March, where Capt. John Thompson of Jacob and Jael of London had arrived before him.  They carried their ships up river to “Brent’s Island” (Bunce Island; the fortified settlement of the Royal African Company) perhaps to see Gov. Robert Plunkett about slaves for their cargo. When [Davis again] approached them sometime in March, flying the “Jolly Roger,” they brought their ships very near the shore, entrenched under the fort’s guns, and having landed ammunition, resolved to defend them against the [two] pirate[s] who they saw coming after them.

LeVasseur in brigantine Murrane joined [Davis] in his March attack on these two vessels at the RAC fort. LeVasseur desperately wanted to be rid of William Moody’s old ship since before he met Davis at Gambia. He had hoped Bennet or Thompson’s vessel might suit him better. Robert Plunkett’s forces at the fort began firing at the pirates to protect the two ships under their walls. The pirates together took the day. Seeing the futility of the fight, Bennet and Thompson fled into the woods (presumably on the mainland) with the aid of Gov. Plunkett. These two captains hid from the pirates there, with only rice and oysters to sustain them.

Out of anger, Levasseur and [Davis] burned both captain’s vessels. They also kidnapped Gov. Plunkett, who would endure the same treatment under Bartholomew Roberts two years later. LeVasseur did not get a new ship that day, but soon found another to his liking, Sarah of London, Capt. Jonathan Lambert, a vessel captured by them shortly afterward. This vessel LeVasseur took and named Duke of Ormond, thereby happily scrapping his distasteful old Murrane. Snelgrave occasionally makes such diversions rich in detail.

Mist wrote about "La Bouse's" new vessel, saying "We should have observed, that a Galley came into the Road while they were there [Sierra Leone], which Davis insisted should be yielded to La Bouse, according to his Word of Honour before given; Cocklyn did not oppose it, so La Bouse went into her, with his Crew, and cutting away her half Deck, mounted her with twenty four Guns."

"A view of the new settlement in the river at Sierra Leone" (London: 1790) from the British Library

A modern view of the Sierra Leone River

"A View of the Entrance to Sierra-leone River" unknown origin

The pirates Jeremiah Cocklyn and Olivier LeVasseur left Sierra Leone on the 25th of April. Howell Davis soon followed them to Ouidah, Whydah or Judah on the coast of Benin. They caused great havoc to various French, Portuguese, Dutch, French, and English ships in that harbor. Howell Davis soon met his death on Principe Island, using the same dangerous tactics of slight-of-hand and playacting that served him so well at São Filipe and the RAC's Fort James. 

The Royal African Company suffered greatly... two forts burned within a month's time of each other! Was Davis making a statement against corporate monopolies on the African Slave Trade - a statement which favored private individual traders? Was Davis an early American Republican voter, favoring free-trade above all else? Was he yet another founding father of the "Commonwealth of Pyrates"? ;)

One thing that becomes clear in this study of documents on Howell Davis and his pirate companions, primary source data is a great deal more reliable, even if Nathaniel Mist elaborated a great deal more. A story isn't a story without the adventurous detail. Still, this is precisely why historians like myself simply cannot rely on "Capt. Charles Johnson" and his "alternate facts" or "fake news." He used sources available to him, but then inexplicably changed detail, like the "Barbery-Liverpool" quandary mentioned earlier. He appears to be bad actor in the annals of pirate history. But, then the king and Lord Sunderland's Whig ministry thought so as well - when writing under his real name: Nathaniel Mist! 





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This exciting new detail, including information from French and English depositions, appears in a new book, Sailing East: West-Indian Pirates in Madagascar, now available! 

Find further details at baylusbrooks.com
Author's Bookstore
Author's Amazon.com  page









My thanks to Dr. Jacques Gasser, author of :

Dictionnaire des flibustiers des Caraïbes

for his late 17th-century tales of the "Flying Gang of Toruga," or French buccaneers of the Caribbean!

Dr. Gasser was instrumental in my acquisition of these French depositions from l'Amiraute de Nantes.  

Time and Tide Make Us Mercenaries All!

As pirate victims go, they are generally concerned with reporting their losses and hurt feelings to the Admiralty. Their depositions are usually filled with details of how pirates rifled their goods, threatened and sometimes tortured them to learn the whereabouts of any gold, silver, rum, or other valuables they had on board. What they generally don't report are the illegal goods that they often willingly accept from the pirates... goods that they later try to sell for profit at their next ports of call. 

There are no heroes in pirate stories!

36-year old Capt. Thomas Creed (d. 1721) of Coward was captured 17 June 1719 by Edward England. He testified that another victim, like himself, had joined with England's crew and had directed a small pirate sloop, Buck, to take his vessel in only "two fathoms of water." He argued that if Capt. Henry Hunt of Sarah galley had not piloted this pirate, his vessel would not have been taken, his goods stolen, and his ship burnt! Furthermore, he charged Hunt with sailing away 5th July after helping pirates to rifle his sloop and that of Capt. Thomas Lynch's Carteret, stealing "several brass Panns & bottles" from him and an unknown quantity from Lynch. 

Creed may have been the only honest one in the bunch, but it didn't pay!

Weekly Packet of 24 October 1719 provided a long list of vessels said to have been taken by pirate Edward England in his ship 30-gun, 160-man Royal James, also said to have been former Capt. Edward Tyzard or Tyzach's Pearl of Bristol. The pink Eagle was probably captured by Howell Davis, on the Gambia River in March, but not during the period May-July when the rest of these ships were taken. The rest, however, probably were the prizes of Edward England.

Newspapers often misquote or get some facts wrong, but are usually fairly reliable. Certain details of this article, however, had been skewed. Charlotte listed in the article was actually commanded by Capt. Branson Oulson, not Oldson, but this was a minor mistake, especially at a time when spelling was phonetic and not yet standardized. Another simple misspelling appears with Sarah, Capt. "Stunt." His name was actually Capt. Henry Hunt, a defendant in this criminal case at the Old Bailey. Another huge error, though, was Carteret, Capt. Snow. While Carteret was a snow-rigged vessel, the captain's name was actually Thomas Lynch. 

The error-filled article above did actually get the date of Capt. Thomas Creed's Coward correct as 17th of June 1719. This assumes that Thomas Creed's deposition of 27 September 1720 gave the correct date. Presumably, Weekly Packet obtained this news from the deposition. It's actually common practice even today for journalists to obtain their information from police reports and depositions.

 
As Creed stated in his deposition,  he was captured by pirates in "Buck Sloop," probably the vessel shown as "Bank" in the Weekly Packet, a vessel of Capt. Sylvester originally used as a packet boat in the Gambia River. This should not be confused with Buck sloop on which Howell Davis mutinied on his way to the Cape Verde Islands from New Providence earlier. Davis was hundreds of miles too far south at Principe Island in King James at this time, most likely accompanied by his old Buck sloop.  

Trade winds ran north to south down the African Coast and northward travel was more difficult. That's why ships usually entered at the Cape Verde Islands in the northern latitudes adjacent Gambia River before sailing south to Sierra Leone, Whydah, Old Calabar, and Cape Lopez, off Angola. 

The pirates aboard Buck included, as Creed observed, 25-year-old Henry Hunt, "then on board the sd pirate Vessel & piloted her at the time." Creed believed that "if the sd Henry Hunt had not piloted the sd Sloop and directed her Company... she would have escaped." 


There is logical merit to his argument. River topography is such that dangerous shoals develop in rather shallow waters, drastically varying the depth of the water where only a few feet could mean you run aground. Without a pilot familiar with those particular waters, a vessel, even a sloop. might easily founder near two fathoms of water, or only twelve feet - possibly shifting quickly to only a few feet. The younger Hunt must have been in Gambia River before. perhaps with his brother Thomas in Saint Quintine the year before. This is why pirate Capt. Edward England would have desired him to pilot one of his vessels - in this case, Buck. It might easily appear to Creed, arriving later, that Hunt had indeed, joined the pirates!

An unmarried Henry Hunt (d.1739), later of Poplar, but then also of the parish of Stepney, Middlesex where mariner Thomas Creed lived with his wife Sarah and their son, Thomas, testified as well on the same day. He stated that he had been captured on 27 May 1719 by Edward England in Royal James already accompanied by two former prizes, Charlotte or Charlot, Capt. Branson Oulson, and probably the snow Carteret, Capt. Thomas Lynch.  

According to Hunt,  the pirates "forced [him] into their Service" on the pirate sloop when Coward was taken. He said that he knew nothing about any stolen goods or the burning of Creed's vessel. 

The Political State of Great Britain, a monthly news digest, for October 1720 shows that Capt. Hunt and Oldson (or Oulson) were tried and acquitted for piracy. 

As Creed said that he saw, the stolen goods were placed on Sarah, Hunt's vessel before it was released (Delight was Creed's most recent command). Hunt visited the Admiralty Office in late summer of 1720 to obtain a Mediterranean pass and was arrested for piracy. He was then incarcerated in Marshalsea Prison, awaiting trial, the results of which you can read in the Political State of Great Britain. The owners of Sarah and Charlotte appeared for them, vouched for their conduct, demeaned Creed's accusations, and obtained an acquittal. Still, Hunt probably did take advantage of the pirates' generosity. It appears that Oulson did also.

Capt. Branson Oulson, a mariner of Swedish descent, was also brought up on charges of piracy with Hunt, apparently also because of Thomas Creed's testimony. It should be noted that the wording of his deposition, however, did not accuse Oulson. He may have indicated to the Admiralty earlier that Branson was also involved. Any deposition that he gave against Oulson no longer survives. 
 
Primary sources of genealogical content make exploring these early mariner's lives quite possible now. Unlike the singly-married Creed and the bachelor Hunt, Branson Oulson had been married three times: to Mary Cable in 1710 while living in Woolwich, Kent; after Mary's death, to Elizabeth Woodard in London in 1716; and upon her death to Dorcus Berry in the same place on 9 February 1721, just after settlement of this court issue. He and Dorcus had two daughters, Rebecca and Margaret. Dorcus also died in 1727, followed closely by her husband, Capt. Branson Oulson in 1731. 

 Branson Oulson had also been released by the pirates, but with some "added extras" for his cargo. He proceeded to Barbados after his release and attempted to sell his "piraiticall slaves" merchandise there in September 1719. Henry Lascelles, who famously arranged for the disposal of French pirate Olivier LeVasseur de la Buse's vessel Blanco in 1717, denied that he knew anything of this illegal cargo of Charlotte: "I never understood that they belonged to any particular person," as he described to a very interested Board of Trade and Plantations. 
  

Another interesting detail is that Thomas Creed, Henry Hunt, and Branson Oulson were all residents of Stepney Parish, Middlesex County in 1720. Creed, the accuser, at age 37, died in April 1721, just a few months after this trial of Hunt and Oulson at the Old Bailey. 

The cynic in me wonders... lol. 

“Looters become looted while time and tide make us mercenaries all.”
~ Patrick Rothfuss in The Wise Man’s Fear

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Look for the new booklet for the Blackbeard 300 Tri-Centennial festivities, Murder at Ocracoke: Power and Profit in the Killing of Edward "Blackbeard" Thache, available now at Lulu Publishing!