The Pirates Own Book

TABLE OF CONTENTS


PREFACE

PREFACE TO THIS EDITION

INTRODUCTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE DANISH AND NORMAN PIRATES

ADVENTURES AND EXPLOITS OF CAPTAIN AVERY

HISTORY OF THE JOASSAMEE PIRATES

SKETCH OF THE JOASSAMEE CHIEF--RAHMAH-BEN-JABIR

LIFE OF LAFITTE, THE PIRATE OF THE GULF

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN ROBERTS

THE LIFE OF CHARLES GIBBS

HISTORY AND EXECUTION OF THE SPANISH PIRATES

THE LIFE OF BENITO DE SOTO

THE ADVENTURES OF CAPT. ROBERT KIDD

BLOODY CAREER AND EXECUTION OF VINCENT BENAVIDES

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN DAVIS

AUTHENTIC HISTORY OF THE MALAY PIRATES

THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN CONDENT

THE LIFE OF CAPT. EDWARD LOW

LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF CAPT. EDWARD ENGLAND

ACCOUNT OF THE LYNN PIRATES

HISTORY OF THE LADRONE PIRATES

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN LEWIS

LIFE, CAREER, AND DEATH OF CAPT. THOMAS WHITE

LIFE, ATROCITIES, AND BLOODY DEATH OF BLACK BEARD

EXPLOITS, ARREST, AND EXECUTION OF CAPT. CHARLES VANE

THE WEST INDIA PIRATES

ADVENTURES AND EXECUTION OF CAPT. JOHN RACKAM

LIFE AND EXPLOITS OF ANNE BONNEY

ADVENTURES AND HEROISM OF MARY READ

HISTORY OF THE ALGERINE PIRATES

ADVENTURES, TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF CAPTAIN GOW

THE PIRATE'S SONG



THE DANISH AND NORMAN PIRATES


The Saxons, a people supposed to be derived from the Cimbri, uniting the
occupations of fishing and piracy, commenced at an early period their
ravages in the German Ocean; and the shores of Gaul and Britain were for
ages open to their depredations. About the middle of the fifth century,
the unwarlike Vortigern, then king of Britain, embraced the fatal
resolution of requesting these hardy warriors to deliver him from the
harassing inroads of the Picts and Scots; and the expedition of Hengist
and Horsa was the consequence. Our mention of this memorable epoch is
not for its political importance, great as that is, but for its effects
on piracy; for the success attending such enterprises seems to have
turned the whole of the northern nations towards sea warfare. The Danes,
Norwegians, and Swedes, from their superior knowledge of navigation,
gave into it most; and on whatever coast the winds carried them, they
made free with all that came in their way. Canute the Fourth endeavored
in vain to repress these lawless disorders among his subjects; but they
felt so galled by his restrictions, that they assassinated him. On the
king of Sweden being taken by the Danes, permission was given to such of
his subjects as chose, to arm themselves against the enemy, pillage his
possessions, and sell their prizes at Ribnitz and Golnitz. This proved a
fertile nursery of pirates, who became so formidable under the name of
"Victalien Broders," that several princes were obliged to arm against
them, and hang some of their chiefs.

Even the females of the North caught the epidemic spirit, and proudly
betook themselves to the dangers of sea-life. Saxo-Grammaticus relates
an interesting story of one of them. Alwilda, the daughter of Synardus,
a Gothic king, to deliver herself from the violence imposed on her
inclination, by a marriage with Alf, the son of Sygarus, king of
Denmark, embraced the life of a rover; and attired as a man, she
embarked in a vessel of which the crew was composed of other young women
of tried courage, dressed in the same manner. Among the first of her
cruises, she landed at a place where a company of pirates were bewailing
the loss of their commander; and the strangers were so captivated with
the air and agreeable manners of Alwilda, that they unanimously chose
her for their leader. By this reinforcement she became so formidable,
that Prince Alf was despatched to engage her. She sustained his attacks
with great courage and talent; but during a severe action in the gulf of
Finland, Alf boarded her vessel, and having killed the greatest part of
her crew, seized the captain, namely herself; whom nevertheless he knew
not, because she had a casque which covered her visage. The prince was
agreeably surprised, on removing the helmet, to recognize his beloved
Alwilda; and it seems that his valor had now recommended him to the fair
princess, for he persuaded her to accept his hand, married her on board,
and then led her to partake of his wealth, and share his throne.

Charlemagne, though represented as naturally generous and humane, had
been induced, in his extravagant zeal for the propagation of those
tenets which he had himself adopted, to enforce them throughout Germany
at the point of the sword; and his murders and decimations on that
account disgrace humanity.