Edward England | |
|---|---|
 An 18th century woodcut of England | |
| Born | c. 1685 |
| Died | 1720/21 (aged approximately 36) St. Augustine's Bay, Fiherenana,Madagascar |
| Piratical career | |
| Nickname | Ned |
| Type | Pirate Former privateer |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Great Britain (War of the Spanish Succession) |
| Rank | Captain |
| Base of operations | Southern Africa |
| Commands | Several vessels, most famously theRoyal James and theFancy. |
| Battles/wars | Battle with theCassandra that caused his crew to mutiny and maroon him for sparing some captives. |
| Wealth | R 10,000,000 |
Edward England (c. 1685–1721)[1][2] was an Irishpirate. The ships he sailed on included thePearl (which he renamedThe Royal James) and later theFancy, for which England exchanged thePearl in 1720. His flag was the classicJolly Roger — almost exactly as the oneSamuel Bellamy used — with ahuman skull above two crossed bones on a black background. Like Bellamy, England was known for his kindness and compassion as a leader, unlike many other pirates of the time.
He took part inHenry Jennings' expedition for the sunken1715 Treasure Fleet off the coast ofFlorida, and then began sailing withCharles Vane in 1718. Upon Vane and other prominent pirates accepting theKing's Pardon, England and some of his men sailed forAfrica. Along his way he spawned the career ofBartholomew Roberts, among others. In 1720, near the African island ofComoros, England and his men got into a violent conflict withJames Macrae. After 10 days of hiding on an island, England and Macrae agreed to a peace deal, upsetting England's crew; he was subsequently voted out as captain and marooned on the island ofMauritius. After four months, England and the loyal crewman that had been stranded with him managed to build a boat and sail to a pirate safe haven inMadagascar. He died sometime in the winter of 1720–21, possibly fromtropical disease.
Born in Ireland sometime around 1685,[3] he was probably raised a Catholic,[4] and was said to be an educated man.[5] Occasionally referred to in some sources as "Edward Seegar" (or born as Seegar before changing his name to England),[4] other sources and witnesses confirm "Seegar" was not England's name at all, but was instead a separate pirate (Jasper Seagar) who sailed under England.[6][7] England made his way toJamaica and during theWar of the Spanish Succession he served as aprivateer.[8] He was captured by the pirate captainChristopher Winter and forced to join the crew.[9] Winter took England to the pirate base onNassau, Bahamas.[9] England took part inHenry Jennings' assault on the Spanish salvage camp at Palma de Ayz, Florida, stealing £87,000 in gold and silver.[10] England is next reported asCharles Vane'squartermaster, in March 1718. Vane's sloop, theLark, was captured by theRoyal Navy, but England and the rest of the crew were released to induce the other pirates of Nassau to accept the King's pardon.[11]
England was granted captaincy of his own ship in mid-1718. England decided not to accept the pardon along with Vane and a few others, and after the arrival ofWoodes Rogers, they set sail for the coast of Africa.
Along the way, he and the crew took several ships. One of the ships was theCadogan from Bristol, captained by a man named Skinner. Some of England's crew knew Skinner and recognized him instantly because he never paid them for their work previously. According to Charles Johnson, the crew member said:
Ah! Captain Skinner is it you, I am much in your debt, and now I shall pay you in your own coin.
A group of pirates next grabbed the captain, tied him to the windlass and threw empty bottles at him. Next, because he had been a good master to his men they gave him a quick death by simply shooting him in the head with aflintlock pistol. Given the crew of theCadogan was without a captain, England offered them a choice to join his crew. Aboard the crew wasHowell Davis who refused to sign the articles of the pirates. Howell said he would rather die than become a pirate, however, England refused to kill him and instead gave command of the captured ship to Davis. This began the start of Davis' pirate career. Davis would go on to spawn the career ofBartholomew Roberts as well, and the careers of many other pirates.
After some time, England and his crew captured a larger brig or frigate named thePearl. Taking the ship as their own, they renamed it theRoyal James (afterJames Stuart, alluding to theJacobitism of England or his crew[12]) and in the spring of 1719 went off in search of plunder in Africa. Between theGambia River and theCape Coast, the pirates seized and looted ten ships. Two of these they kept as prizes, granting them to CaptainsRobert Lane andRichard Sample, who left England to sail for the Caribbean.[13] After looting the ten ships, England madeJohn Taylor the captain of his next prize, theVictory. After looting two additional ships, England and the crew decided to make port in a small African town. However, the pirates grew increasingly belligerent and conflicts arose with the locals over the treatment of women. Soon a fight broke out, resulting in the pirates burning the entire town and departing.
By 1720, England had reached theIndian Ocean, where he met with fellow pirate CaptainOliver la Buse. England captured a thirty-four gun Dutch ship, which he namedFancy in honour of English pirateHenry Every, and he made theFancy his new flagship. England decided to attack an East Indiaman under the command ofJames Macrae, theCassandra, near the island ofComoros.[14] A long and bloody battle ensued, and both ships ran aground. Macrae and his surviving crew escaped and hid on the island for ten days. Finally Macrae, who was injured, tired, and hungry, went aboard England's consort theVictory, hoping for mercy, and surrendered to the pirates. The cargo of theCassandra was valued at £75,000. Ninety of theFancy's crew died in the attack on theCassandra.[9] England had a good nature and unusual kindness, in that he did not believe in torturing captives unless they could not otherwise be persuaded.[9] England ordered Macrae's life spared, and the pirates kept theCassandra and gave the heavily damagedFancy to Macrae. England's quartermaster,John Taylor, who was now captain of theVictory, resented this choice, and only agreed after England got him drunk.England then captured a small English ship nearCochin, the drunk captain reporting a false rumour that Macrae was preparing a fleet to chase the pirates. This enraged the pirates, particularly Taylor, who had wanted to kill Macrae. Around this time, Taylor organised a vote to remove England from command.[9] The new captain – a former member of theFancy crew namedJasper Seagar –marooned England and three others on the coast of Mauritius, before takingCassandra andVictory north in the hunt for more prizes.[15] Seagar died in 1721, withCassandra eventually passing to Taylor who took her to the Caribbean.[15]
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England and his three companions were put ashore without adequate provisions, and were forced to scavenge.[16] After about four months, the men built a small boat and managed to sail to the pirate haven ofSt. Augustine's Bay inMadagascar.[3]
After arriving at St. Augustine's Bay, England survived for a while on the charity of other pirates,[17] possibly some ofHenry Every's old crew.[18] He died in late 1720 or early 1721, possibly from atropical disease.[19]
England's son John eventually did as his father had wished and named his son John as well. This tradition continued among England's descendants.[citation needed]
Edward England is known today as one of the more humane pirate captains of theGolden Age of Piracy. According to Captain Charles Johnson,
He had a great deal of good Nature, and did not want for Courage; he was not avaritious, and always averse to the ill Usage of Prisoners received : He would have been contented with moderate Plunder, and less mischievous Pranks, could his Companions have been brought to the same Temper, but he was generally over-rul'd, and as he was engaged in that abominable Society, he was obliged to be a Partner in all their vile Actions.[9]
