A General History of the Pyrates

by Daniel Defoe

Overview

This classic eighteenth-century work on the Golden Age of Piracy includes stories of Black Bart, Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, and many others.
 
How did we come to picture pirates donning peg legs, wearing eye patches, and burying treasure? This book, dating back to 1724, features biographies of the notorious buccaneers of the Golden Age of Piracy, and the history, stories, and legends that surround them. Published under the name Capt. Charles Johnson, and widely believed to be authored by Robinson Crusoe author Daniel Defoe, A General History of the Pyrates details the lives of Blackbeard, Black Bart, Anne Bonny, Edward Teach, Mary Read, Jolly Roger, Calico Jack, and many more. Not only was this book the source of many of our present-day concepts of pirate culture, it also served as an influence for authors of pirate fiction, including Robert Louis Stevenson and J. M. Barrie.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781504064064
Publisher:	Open Road Media
Publication date:	07/28/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	257
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Daniel Defoe (c. 1660–1731) was an English merchant, author, and political pamphleteer best known for the classic adventure novel Robinson Crusoe.

Table of Contents

Illustrations
Editor's Introduction
A Note on the Text
Sailing Ships
I. A Description of a Ship with all her Tackling
2. Definitions of Old Sea-Craft
Volume I A General History of the Pyrates
The Preface
The Contents of Volumes I and II
The Introduction
Chap. I Of Captain Avery and his Crew
II Of Captain Martel and his Crew
III "Of Captain Teach, alias Black-beard"
IV Of Major Stede Bonnet and his Crew
V Of Captain Edward England and his Crew
VI Of Captain Charles Vane and his Crew
VII Of Captain John Rackam and his Crew
The Life of Mary Read
The Life of Anne Bonny
VIII Of Captain Howel Davis and his Crew
"A Description of the Islands of St. Thome, Del Principe, and Annobono"
IX "Of Captain Bartho, Roberts and his Crew"
"A Description of Brazil, &c."
The Tryals of the Pyrates
X Of Captain Thomas Anstis and his Crew
XI Of Captain Worley and his Crew
XII Of Captain George Lowther and his Crew
XIII Of Captain Edward Low and his Crew
XIV Of Captain John Evans and his Crew
XV Of Captain John Phillips and his Crew
XVI Of Captain Francis Spriggs and his Crew
XVII Of Captain John Smith and his Crew
A Relation of five Men setting up for a Company of Pyrates
"An Account of the Pyracies and Murders committed by Philip Roche, &c."
"An Abstract of the Civil Law and Statute now in Force, in Relation to Pyracy"
Volume II
Chap. I Of Captain Mission
II Of Captain Tew and his Crew
III Of Captain William Kid
IV Of Captain John Bowen
V Of Captain Halsey and his Crew
VI Of Captain Thomas White and his Crew
VII Of Captain Thomas Howard and his Crew
VIII Of Captain David Williams and his Crew
IX Of Captain Samuel Burgess and his Crew
X Of Captain Nathaniel North and his Crew
XI A Description of Magadoxa
XII Of Captain Condent and his Crew
XIII Of Captain Bellamy and his Crew
XIV Of Captain Lewis and his Crew
XV Of Captain Cornelius and his Crew
XVI Of Captain William Fly and his Crew
XVII Appendix to the First Volume
XVIII The Tryal of the Pyrates at Providence
Commentary and Notes
Postscript to the Dover Edition
Indexes

Editorial Reviews

<:st> Cited in An affordable, unabridged version of this classic history. Defoe's lively tales of Blackbeard, Mary Read, and other seafaring rascals are a blend of fact and fiction<-->incorporating journalistic details with those gleaned from interviews with surviving pirates. The editor provides a lengthy introduction as well as a postscript offering insight into the recent popularity of pirates. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)

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