46 Of Captain Av ERT. 



Greatnefs might hinder the Trade of Eurofe to the 

 Eaft-Indies. -I 



Yet all thefe were no more than falfe Rumours, 

 improved by the Credulity of fome, and the Hu- 

 mour of others who love to tellft range Things \ 

 while it was faid, he was afpiring at a Crown, he 

 wanted a Shilling ^ and at the fame Time it was 

 given out he was in PofleHion of fuch prodigious 

 Wealth in Madagajcarj he was ftarving in England. 



No doubt, but the Reader will have a Curiofity 

 of knowing what became of this Man, and ^vhat 

 were the true Grounds of fo itiany falfe Reports 

 concerning him \ therefore, i ftiall, in as brief aMan^ 

 ner as I can, give his Hiftbry. 



He was born in the Weft of England near P/y- 

 motith in Devonjhlre^ being bred to the. Sea, he 

 lerved as a Mate of a Merchant-Man, in ieveral 

 trading Voyages : It happened before the Peace of 

 jRyfw'ciy when there was an Alliance betwixt Spaln^ 

 England^ Holland^ &c. againft ErancCy that the French 

 in Martinkoy carried on a fmugling Trade with the 

 Spaniards on the Continent of Peru^ which by the 

 Laws of Spainy is not allowed to Friends in Time 

 of Peacej for none but native Spaniards are permit- 

 ted to Traffick in thofe Parts, or fet their Feet on- 

 shore, unlefs at any Time they are brought as Prifb- 

 ners wherefore they conftantly keep certain Ships 

 cruifing along the Coaft, whom they call Gnarda del 

 Cofiay who have the Orders to make Prizes of 

 ali Ships they can light of within five Leagues of 

 Land. Now the French growing very bold in Trade, 

 and the Spaniards being poorly provided with Sliips^ 

 and thole they had being ot no Force, it often fell 

 out, that when they light of the French Smuglers, 

 they were not ftroag enough to attack them, there- 

 fore it was refolvM in Spainy to hire two or three 

 flout foreign Ships for their Service, which being 

 khoi^ai at Brifiolj fome Merchants of that City, 



fitted 



