Introduction

The Danger of Commonwealths from an Increase of Pyrates. Pyrates in the Times of Marius and Sylla. Takes Julius Cæsar. The Barbarity of those Pyrates. They spare Cæsar, and why. His Behaviour amongst them. Cæsar obtains his Liberty for a Ransom. Attacks and takes the Pyrates. Hangs them at Troy. They increase again to a prodigious Strength. Plunder at the Gates of Rome. The mock Homage they paid the Romans. Pompey the Great, appointed General against them. A prodigious Fleet and Army assign'd him. His Conduct and good Fortune. The Gallantry of those Pyrates. Receive an Overthrow. Barbarouse, a Pyrate, his Beginning. His great Strength. Selim Eutemi, King of Algiers, courts his Friendship. Makes himself King, and how. The King of Tunis overthrown by him. Leaves the Inheritance to his Brother. The West-Indies commodious for Pyrates, and why. The Explanation of the Word Keys. The Pyrates conceal their Booty on them. The Pyrates Security in those Parts. The Rise of Pyrates since the Peace of Utrecht accounted for. An Expedition from Jamaica, to plunder the Spaniards. The Spaniards sue for Justice to the Government of Jamaica. The Plunderers turn Pyrates. The Spaniards make Reprisals. The Names of Ships taken by them. The plunder'd Seamen join the Pyrates. Providence fixed on as a Place of Retreat by them. That Island described. The Lords Address to her late Majesty for securing Providence. An Order of Council in this Reign to the same Purpose. A List of Men of War employ'd for the Defence of the Plantations. Captain Woods Rogers made Governor of Providence. The King's Proclamation for suppressing Pyrates. How the Pyrates used the Proclamation. Great Divisions amongst them. How made quiet. Several of the Pyrates surrender to the Governor of Bermudas. The Fate of the rest. Woods Rogers his Arrival at Providence. Vane's Behavtour. Woods Rogers employs the pardon'd Pyrates, ib. Their Conduct. Some of them hang'd for new Pyracies. Their strange Behaviour at the Place of Execution. Some Proceedings betwixt the English and Spaniards. The Spaniards surprise the Greyhound Man of War, and how. Quit her. The Crew of a Spanish Guarda del Costa hang'd at Jamaica, and why. Sir Nicholas Laws his Letter to the Alcaldes of Trinidado. Mr. Joseph Laws, Lieutenant of the Happy Snow his Letter to the Alcaldes of Trinidado. The Alcaldes Answer to the Lieutenant's Letter. The Lieutenant's Reply to the Alcaldes Answer. The Alcaldes Answer again. Some Account of Richard Holland. Prizes taken by him.

As the Pyrates in theWest-Indies have been so formidable and numerous, that they have interrupted the Trade ofEurope into those Parts; and ourEnglish Merchants, in particular, have suffered more by their Depredations, than by the united Force ofFrance andSpain, in the late War: We do not doubt but the World will be curious to know the Original and Progress of these Desperadoes, who were the Terror of the trading Part of the World.

But before we enter upon their particular History, it will not be amiss, by way of Introduction, to shew, by some Examples drawn from History, the great Mischief and Danger which threaten Kingdoms and Commonwealths, from the Increase of these sort of Robbers; when either by the Troubles of particular Times, or the Neglect of Governments, they are not crush'd before they gather Strength.

It has been the Case heretofore, that when a single Pyrate has been suffered to range the Seas, as not being worth the Notice of a Government, he has by Degrees grown so powerful, as to put them to the Expence of a great deal of Blood and Treasure, before he was suppress'd. We shall not examine how it came to pass, that our Pyrates in theWest-Indies have continually increased till of late; this is an Enquiry which belongs to the Legislature, or Representatives of the People in Parliament, and to them we shall leave it.

Our Business shall be briefly to shew, what from Beginnings, as inconsiderable as these, other Nations have suffered.

In the Times ofMarius andSylla, Rome was in her greatest Strength, yet she was so torn in Pieces by the Factions of those two gre