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Help identifying a pirate


Fox

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Who was hanging around the Virgin Islands in early 1719 with a 30 gun ship and two 8-10 gun consort vessels? (Accepting that the ships were seen from a distance so the tally of guns might not be exactly accurate)

Foxe

"With this Fore-Staff he fansies he does Wonders, when, God knows, it amounts to no more but only to solve that simple Question, Where are we? Which every chi'd in London can tell you." - Ned Ward The Wooden World Dissected, 1707


ETFox.co.uk

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  • 2 weeks later...

Davis was on the other side of the Atlantic at this time, and Vane didn't have a big enough ship.

I've been digging deep and from the letters of Woodes Rogers and a newspaper article or two, I'm 99% sure that it was William Moody in the big ship, possibly with Edward England and Captain Thompson commanding the consorts.

Foxe

"With this Fore-Staff he fansies he does Wonders, when, God knows, it amounts to no more but only to solve that simple Question, Where are we? Which every chi'd in London can tell you." - Ned Ward The Wooden World Dissected, 1707


ETFox.co.uk

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  • 2 weeks later...

Vane , 16th Dec 1718 was around Honduras , then eventually on land till Feb 1719 on the southern shore of Guanija? (Woodard)

Edward England , by April 1719 , was living on shoar , at Sierra Leone , according to William Snelgrave , who spoke with him about parcels given to locals amongst other things. HCA 1/54

Thomas Farrin , on a voyage to South Carolina with Captain Brown was taken by William Moody (C.O.152 , 12 , NO; 151, 151i)

Woodes Rogers letter to secretary Craggs , talks of Moody in 22 gun ship & Edward England in a brigantine , although they suspected condent ( CO 23 , 13 ff30 , 30 v)

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Was pirate Cpt Frowd prominent amongst them all? He was around the area at the time.

Also Deposition of John Brown "JOHN & THOMAS" states William Moody in the RISING SUN took him 5th Nov 1718 off bay Carolina , end nov went to Martinico , Edward England was mentioned. (CO 152 , 12 , nos; 136 , 136 i-vi)

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Tracking Moody at this period:

1718 Nov 5, Carolina

1718 End of Nov, St Thomas, so the Virgin Islands (Sea Haugh, I think you misread it, it was a ship belonging to “Martinico”)

1718 Dec, Saint Cruise (Saint Croix?), again the Virgin Islands

1718 Dec, He fought a dutch ship at latitude 34, which would be back up in Carolina again.

1719 Mar or earlier, he was forced to leave the crew in a small boat somewhere around the Cape Verde.

(From calendar of state papers, except last which is Snelgrave)

To me it sounds pretty possible that Moody was at the Virgin Islands in the beginning of 1719. The Rising Sun was reported to be equipped with 36 guns, which I guess match the 30 well enough too.

By the way, did Moody and England ever sign the 1718 act of grace pardon? I have seen the names James Moodey and Edward Norland..

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One thing that might help is alittle more context on the question. Is there some documentation you were reading that you are unsure about? Letting the community know what inspired you to ask might point us in the right direction. Hoping you find what you are looking for!

-The Scarborough

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Based on what he said on Facebook in the Authentic Pirate Living History group, Ed seems to have already figured out that it is Moody. There he explains that he found this reference in the Calender of State Papers.

Mycroft: "My brother has the brain of a scientist or a philosopher, yet he elects to be a detective. What might we deduce about his heart?"

John: "I don't know."

Mycroft: "Neither do I. But initially he wanted to be a pirate."

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