Edward Lowe, born at Westminster, very early began the
Trade of Plundering; for if any Child refused him what he had, he must
fight him. When he grew bigger, he took to Gaming among Blackshoe Boys
upon the Parade, with whom he used to play the Whole Game, as they call it; that is, cheat every Body, and if they refused, they
had to fight him.
Ned went to Sea with his eldest Brother, and leaving him in
New-England, he worked in a Rigging House, at Boston, for some
Time, when not liking that, he returned to England to see his
Mother, with whom he did not stay long before he took his Leave of her,
for the last Time, as he said, and returned to Boston, where he
shipped himself in a Sloop that was bound to the Bay of Honduras
; and when he arrived there, he was made Patron of the Boat, to bring
the logwood on board to lade the ship; where he differing with the
Captain about the hurry of taking the logwood on board, Lowe
takes up a loaden Musquet, and fired at him; then putting off the Boat,
he, with twelve of his companions, goes to sea. Next day they met a
small vessel, which they took, made a Black Flag, and declared War
against all the world. From hence they proceed to the Island of the
Grand Caimanes, where they met with George Lowther, who took
him under his protection as an ally, without any formal Treaty; which
Lowe readily agreed to. But parting with Lowther on the 28th
of May, as we have already given in an Account in Lowther's
Life, Lowe took a Vessel belonging to Amboy, which he
plundered, and then stood away to the South East, by which he avoided
two Sloops which the Governor had sent to take him from Rhode
Island.
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July the 12th, he sailed into the Harbour of Port Rosemary, where he found 13 small vessels at anchor, whom he told they would
have no quarters if they resisted; which so frightened the Masters of
the vessels, that they all yielded. Out of them he took whatever he
wanted, keeping for his own Use a Schooner of 80 Tons, on board of
which he put 10 Carriage Guns, and 50 men, and named her the Fancy
making himself Captain, and appointing Charles Harris Captain of
the Brigantine. Making up a complement of 80 men out of the vessels,
some by force, and others by their own inclinations, he sailed away
from Mablehead, and soon after he met two Sloops bound for
Boston, with provisions for the garrison; but there being an
officer and soldiers on board, he thought it the safest way, after some
small resistance, to let them go on about their business.
They then steered for the Leeward Islands; but in their
voyage met with such a hurricane, as had not been known in the memory
of man. After the storm was over, they got safe to one of the small
Islands of the Carribees, and there refitted their vessels as
well as they could. As soon as the Brigantine was ready, they took a
short cruise, leaving the Schooner in the harbour till their return;
which had not been many days at sea, before she met a ship that had
lost all her masts, on board of which they went, and took, in money and
goods, to the value of 1000_l. Upon this success, the Brigantine
returned to the Schooner, which being then ready to sail, they agreed
to go to the Azores, or Western Islands, where Lowe took
a French Ship of 32 Guns, and in St. Michael's Road, he
took several sail that were lying there, without firing a gun. Being in
great want of water, he sent to the Governor of St. Michael's
for a Supply, promising upon that Condition, to release the Ships he
had taken, otherwise to burn them all; which the Governor, for the sake
of the Ships, agreed to. Thereupon he released six, keeping only the
Rose Pink, of which he took the Command.
The Pirates took several of the Guns out of the ships, and mounted
them on board the Rose. Lowe ordered the Schooner to lie
in the Fare between St. Michael's and St. Mary's, where
he met with Captain Carter in the Wright Galley; who,
defending himself, they cut and mangled him and his Men in a barbarous
manner; after which, they were for burning the ship, but contented
themselves with cutting her cable, rigging, and sails to pieces, and so
left her to the mercy of the seas. From hence they sailed to the Island
of Maderas, where they took a fishing boat, with two old men and
a boy in her, one of whom they sent ashore, demanding a boat of water,
otherwise they would kill the old man, which being complied with, the
old man was discharged. From hence they sailed to the Canaries,
and thence continued their course for the Cape de Verde Islands,
where they took a ship called the Liverpool Merchant, from which
they took 300 gallons of brandy, two guns and carriages, besides six of
the men, and then obliged them to go to the Isle of May. They
also took two Portugueze ships bound to Brazil, and three
Sloops from St. Thomas's bound to Curaso: All of which
they plundered, and let them go, except one Sloop, by which they heard
that two Gallies were expected at the Western Islands. Her they manned,
and sent in Quest of these Ships whilst they careened the Rose
at Cape de Verde; but the Sloop missing the prey, was reduced to
great want of water and provisions, so that they ventured to go ashore
St. Michael's, and pass for Traders; where, being suspected by the
Governor, they were conducted into the Castle, and provided for as long
as they lived.
Lowe's ship was overset a-careening, so that he was reduced
to his old Schooner, aboard of which there went about an hundred as
bold rogues as ever was hanged, and sailed to the West-Indies,
where they took a rich Portugueze ship bound Home from Bahia, putting to the torture several of the men, who confest the Captain
flung into the sea a bag of 11000 Moidores. This made Lowe swear
a thousand oaths; and after cutting off his lips, he murdered him and
all his Crew, being 36 men.
After this, they cruised to the Northward, and took several Vessels
and then steered for the Bay of Honduras, where they took Five
English Sloops, and a Pink, and a Spaniard of 6 Guns and 70
men, whom they killed every man; which being done they rummaged the
Spanish Ship, bringing all the booty on board their own vessel.
In the next cruise, between the Leeward Islands and the Main,
they took two Snows from Jamaica to Liverpool, and just after a Ship
called the Amsterdam Merchant, the Captain thereof he slit his
Nose, cut his Ears off, and then plundered the ship and let her go.
Afterwards he took a Sloop bound to Amboy, of whose Men he tied
lighted matches between the fingers, which burnt the flesh off the
bones, and afterwards set them ashore in an uninhabited part of the
country, as also other ships which fell a prey to those villains.
One of His Majesty's Men-of-War called the Greyhound, of 20
guns and 120 men, hearing of their barbarous actions, went in search of
them and, seeing the Pirates, allowed Lowe to chase them at
first, till they were in readiness to engage him, and when he was
within gunshot, tacked about and stood towards him. The Pirates edged
away under the Man-of-War's stern, making a running fight for about two
hours. But little wind happening, the Pirates gained from her;
thereupon the Greyhound left off firing, and turned all her
hands to her oars, and came up with them, when the fight was renewed
with a brisk fire on both sides, till the Ranger's main-yard was
shot down; upon which, the Greyhound pressing close, Lowe
bore away and left his consort, who seeing the cowardice of his
Commadore, and that there was no possibility of escaping, called out
for quarters.
Lowe's conduct in this engagement shewed him to be a cowardly
villain; for had he fought half as briskly as Harris, the
Man-of-War could never have taken either of them. The Greyhound
carried her Prize to Rhode-Island, which was looked upon to be
of such signal Service to the Colony, that in Council they resolved to
compliment Peter Sulgard Captain, with the Freedom of their
Corporation. They secured the prisoners under a strong guard in Jail,
till a Court of Vice-Admiralty could be held for their Trials, which
was on the 10th of July at Newport, lasting three Days.
The Judges were William Dummer, Esq; Lieutenant Governor of the
Massachusets, President; Nathaniel Payne, Esq; John
Lechmore, Esq; Surveyor General; John Valentine, Esq;
Advocate General; Samuel Cranston, Governor of Rhode Island
; John Menzies, Esq; Judge of the Admiralty; Richard Ward,
Esq; Registrar; and Mr. Jahleet Brinton, Provost Marshal.
Robert Auchmuta, Esq, was appointed by the Court, Counsel for the
prisoners here under mentioned.
Charles Harris, Captain, William Blads, Daniel Hyde, Thomas Powel, jun., Stephen Munden, Thomas Hugget, William Read, Peter Kneeves, James Brinkley,
Joseph Sound, William Shutfield, Edward Eaton,
John Brown, Edward Lawson, Owen Rice, John Tomkins, John Fitzgerald, Abraham Lacy, Thomas Linester,
Francis Leyton, John Walters, Quarter-master, William
Jones, Charles Church, Thomas Hazel, and John
Bright, who were all executed the 19th of July, 1723, near
Newport in Rhode Island; but John Brown and
Patrick Cunningham were recommended to Mercy.
The eight following were found Not Guilty; John Wilson,
Henry Barnes, Thomas Jones, Joseph Switzer, Thomas
Mumper, Indian, John Hencher, Doctor, John Fletcher,
and Thomas Child.
Instead of working repentance in Lowe, this deliverance made
him ten times worse, vowing revenge upon all they should meet with for
the future, which they executed upon Nathan Skiff, Master of a
Whale-fishing Sloop, whom they whipt naked about the deck, and then
cut off his ears, making his torture their sport. At length being weary
thereof, they shot him through the head, and sunk his vessel. Some days
after, he took a fishing boat off of Black Island, and only cut
off the master's head; but next day taking two Whale Boats near
Rhode Island, he brutally killed one of the masters and cut off the
ears of the other. From hence he went to Newfoundland, where he
took 23 French Vessels, and mann'd one of them of 22 Guns with
pirates; after which, they took and plundered 18 ships, some of which
they destroyed.
The latter end of July, Lowe took a large ship called
the Merry Christmas, and mounted her with 34 Guns, on which he
goes aboard, taking the title of Admiral, and sails to the Western
Islands, where he took a Brigantine manned with English and
Portugueze, the Latter of whom he hanged.
Afterwards Lowe went to the Coast of Guinea, but
nothing happened till he came to Sierra Leon, in Africa,
when he met with the Delight, which he took, mounting her with
16 Guns, and 60 men, appointing Spriggs Captain, and from whom
two days after he separated.
In January after, he took a Ship called Squirrel, but
what came of him afterwards we cannot tell.
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