Of Mabt Read. i6t 



It happened this Ship was taken by Englljh Py- 

 rates J and Mary Read was the only English Per- 

 fbn on Board, they kept her amongft them, and 

 having plundered the Ship, let it go again • after 

 following this Trade for fome Time, the King's 

 Proclamation came out, and was publifti'd in all 

 Parts of the Weji-Indtesy for pardoning fuch Py- 

 rates, who fliould voluntarily Surrender themfelves 

 by a certain Day therein mentioned. The Crew^ 

 of Aiary Read took the Benefit of this Proclama- 

 tibn, and having fur rendered, livM quietly on Shore ^ 

 but Money beginning to grow fliort, and hearing 

 that Captain Woods Rogers^ Governor of the Ifland 

 of Providence^ was fitting out fome Privateers to 

 cruife againft the Spaniards^ fhe with feveral others 

 embark'd for that Ifland, in order to go upon the 

 privateering Account, being refolved to make her 

 Fortune one vvay or other, 



Thefe Privateers were no fooner faird out, but 

 the Crews of fome of them, who had been pardo- 

 ned, rofe againft their Commanders, and turned 

 themfelves to their old Trade : In this Number 

 was Mary Read. It is true, Ihe often declared, that 

 the Life of a Pyrate was what ftie always abhor'd, 

 and went into it only upon Compulfion, both this • 

 Time, and before, intending to quit it, whenever 

 a fair Opportunity Ihould offer it felf yet fome of 

 the Evidence againft her, upon her Tryal, who 

 were forced Men, and had failed with her, depofed 

 upon Oath, that in Times of Action, no Perfba 

 amongft them were more refblute, or ready to 

 -Board or undertake any Thing that was hazardous, 

 as Ihe TiudAnne Bonny^ and particularly at the Time 

 they were attackM and taken, when they came 

 to clofe Quarters, none kept the Deck except 

 Mary Read and j4me Bonny ^ and one more- up- 

 on which, flie, Mary Read^ called to thofe under 

 Deck, to come up and fight like Men, and finding 



L they 



