Indian Antiquary Vol 48

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 229

DECEBER, 1919 ]
EPISODES OF PIRACY IN THE EASTERN SEAS
225
The damage done to trade by Every and other pirates with whom he associated was so great that it caused a serious quarrel between the Agents of the East India Company and the Mughal Government, tho latter holding them responsible for the misdeeds of their countrymen. This made it nooossary for the English Government to come to the assistance of the Company, which was unable by itself to free the sous from these dangerous pests.
Narrative of Philip Middleton, a youth belonging to the ship "Charles," alias " Fancy," which
was delivered to the Lords Justices, the 4th August 1696. “The ship Charles, Henry. Every (Commander), first plundered three English vessels at the Isle of May of provisions only, and nine of their men went on board the said Charles, most West Countrymon, vict. James Gray, Thomas Summerton, Edward Kerwood, William Downe, John Redy, &o.
"Thence to the Coast of Guinea, where took two Danes, 7 out of which they had & quantity of elephants teeth and divided about eight.or pine ounces of gold a man. Fourteen of the Danish crew came aboard them. .
Thence they sailed to Madagascar and to Johanna, where twelve French pirates came aboard them and afterwards took a French pirating junk with about forty men, who had good booty with them. They also joined them, being in all about 170 men, with 14 Danes, 52 French and 104 English.
From Johanna they sailed into the Red Seas and got intelligence of two rich ships that were at Mooha bound for Surat, but they passed them in the night, of which they had notice by a small junk they took the next day and made after them. They came up with the smaller first, who inade little or no resistance. The same day they took the great ship who fought for about two hours and many of their men were killed, being about 1,300 persons aboard and on the other ship about 700. They kept both ships in their possession two days and all the Charles's men, except Every, boarded them by turns, taking out of the said ships only provisions and other necessaries besides treasure, which was very great, though little in comparison to what was on board, for, though they put several to the torture, they would not confess where the rest of their treasure lay. They took great quantities of jewels anal a suddle and bridle sat with rubies, designed for a present for the Great Mogul. The men lay with the Indian women aboard those ships, and there were several of them. by their habits and riches in jewels appeared of better quality than the rest. The great ship was called the Gonnay.
“ After they had taken these prizes they went to Rajapore to water and so to
John Dan, in his ovidence at the trial of certain of Every's crow at the Old Bailey, says they took the two Danes after a fight at the Isle of Princes. One whey took with them and one they burned. (Star Trials, Vol. 13, p. 451).
• Whers, according to Dan, they burnt the town of Moat, because the people would not trade. Later they were joined by two English privateers and later still by three from Amerion. Middleton iu his ovidange givor the namus of the Captains a May, Farrel and Wako.