The Pirates' Who's Who Part 7

Bradish sailed the _Adventure_ to Long Island, arriving there on March 19th, 1699. After leaving their money and jewels on Na.s.sau Island, they sank their s.h.i.+p. Most of the crew bought horses at the neighbouring farmhouses and disappeared. Bradish and a few others were rash enough to go to Ma.s.sachusetts, where they were promptly arrested and placed in the Boston Gaol. But the gaolkeeper, one Caleb Ray, was a relation of Bradish, and allowed him to escape. An offer of a reward of 200 brought the escaped prisoner back, and he sailed in irons on H.M.S. _Advice_, with Kidd and other pirates, to England, and was hanged in chains in London at Hope Dock in 1700.

BRADLEY, GEORGE.

Master of Captain Fenn's s.h.i.+p, the _Morning Star_, wrecked on the Grand Caymans in August, 1722. The crew got ash.o.r.e on an island and hid in the woods. Bradley and the other pirates afterwards surrendered themselves to an English sloop, and were carried to Bermuda. Bradley escaped to England, and was last heard of at Bristol.

BREAKES, CAPTAIN HIRAM.

This Dutch pirate was the second son of a well-to-do councillor of the Island of Saba in the West Indies. Hiram was appointed in the year 1764 to a s.h.i.+p which traded between that island and Amsterdam. In the latter port, Hiram, who was now 19 years of age and a handsome fellow standing over six feet in height, fell in love with a certain Mrs. Snyde.

Getting command of a small s.h.i.+p that traded between Schiedam, in Holland, and Lisbon, Breakes for some time sailed between these ports. Returning to Amsterdam, he and Mrs. Snyde murdered that lady's husband, but at the trial managed to get acquitted.

Breakes's next exploit was to steal his employer's s.h.i.+p and cargo and go out as a pirate, naming his vessel the _Adventure_. His first exploit was a daring one. Sailing into Vigo Harbour in full view of the forts, he seized a vessel, the _Acapulco_, lately come from Valparaiso, and took her off. On plundering her they found 200,000 small bars of gold, each about the size of a man's finger. The captain and crew of this Chilian vessel were all murdered. Breakes preferred the _Acapulco_ to his own s.h.i.+p, so he fitted her up and sailed in her to the Mediterranean.

Breakes was one of the religious variety of pirate, for after six days of robbing and throat-slitting he would order his crew to clean themselves on the Sabbath and gather on the quarter-deck, where he would read prayers to them and would often preach a sermon "after the Lutheran style," thus fortifying the brave fellows for another week of toil and bloodshed.

Gifted with unlimited boldness, Breakes called in at Gibraltar and requested the Governor to grant him a British privateer's commission, which the Governor did "for a consideration." Sailing in the neighbourhood of the Balearic Islands, he took a few s.h.i.+ps, when one day, spying a nunnery by the sea-sh.o.r.e in Minorca, he proposed to his crew that they should fit themselves out with a wife apiece.

This generous offer was eagerly accepted, and the crew, headed by Captain Breakes, marched up to the nunnery unopposed, and were welcomed at the door by the lady abbess. Having entered the peaceful cloister, each pirate chose a nun and marched back to the s.h.i.+p with their spoils. Soon after this Breakes decided to retire from piracy, and returned to Amsterdam to claim Mrs. Snyde. But he found that she had but lately been hanged for poisoning her little son, of which the pirate was father. This tragedy so preyed upon the mind of Captain Breakes that he turned "melancholy mad"

and drowned himself in one of the many d.y.k.es with which that city abounds.

BRECK, JOHN.

One of the crew of the brigantine _Charles_ (Captain John Quelch). Tried for piracy at Boston in 1704.

BREHA, CAPTAIN, _alias_ LANDRESSON.

BRENNINGHAM, CAPTAIN.

Of Jamaica and Tortuga.

In 1663 commanded a frigate of six guns and seventy men.

BRIERLY, JOHN, _alias_ TIMBERHEAD.

Of Bath Town in North Carolina.

One of the crew of the _Royal James_. Hanged at Charleston in November, 1718.

BRIGHT, JOHN.

Of St. Margaret's, Westminster.

One of the crew of Captain Charles Harris. Hanged at Newport, Rhode Island, in July, 1723, at the age of 25.

BRINKLEY, JAMES.

Of Suffolk, England.

One of Captain Charles Harris's crew. Hanged for piracy at Newport, Rhode Island, on July 19th, 1723. Age 28.

BRODLEY, CAPTAIN JOSEPH, or BRADLEY, sometimes called "Lieutenant-Colonel." "An ancient and expert pirate."

Appointed Vice-Admiral by Morgan in his expedition up the Chagre River. He was a tough old pirate, and had proved himself a terror to the Spaniards, particularly when Mansvelt took the Isle of St. Catharine. In 1676 Brodley was sent by Morgan to capture the Castle of Chagre, a very strongly garrisoned fort. All day the pirates kept up a furious attack, but were driven back. At last, when it seemed impossible for the pirates ever to succeed in entering the castle, a remarkable accident happened which altered the whole issue. One of the pirates was wounded by an arrow in his back, which pierced his body and came out the opposite side. This he instantly pulled out at the side of his breast; then, taking a little cotton, he wound it about the arrow, and, putting it into his musket, he shot it back into the castle. The cotton, kindled by the powder, set fire to several houses within the castle, which, being thatched with palm-leaves, took fire very easily. This fire at last reached the powder magazine, and a great explosion occurred. Owing to this accident of the arrow the pirates were eventually able to take the Castle of Chagre. This was one of the finest and bravest defences ever made by the Spaniards. Out of 314 Spanish soldiers in the castle, only thirty survived, all the rest, including the Governor, being killed. Brodley was himself severely wounded in this action and died as a consequence ten days later.

BROOKS, JOSEPH (senior).

One of Blackbeard's crew in the _Queen Ann's Revenge_. Killed on November 22nd, 1718, at North Carolina.

BROOKS, JOSEPH (junior).

One of Blackbeard's crew in the _Queen Ann's Revenge_. Taken prisoner by Lieutenant Maynard on November 22nd, 1718. Carried to Virginia, where he was tried and hanged.

BROWN, CAPTAIN.

A notorious latter-day pirate, who "worked" the east coast of Central America in the early part of the nineteenth century.

BROWN, CAPTAIN.

On July 24th, 1702, sailed from Jamaica in command of the _Blessing_--ten guns and crew of seventy-nine men, with the famous Edward Davis on board--to attack the town of Tolu on the Spanish Main. The town was taken and plundered, but Brown was killed, being shot through the head.

BROWN, CAPTAIN NICHOLAS.

Surrendered to the King's pardon for pirates at New Providence, Bahamas, in 1718. Soon afterwards he surrendered to the Spanish Governor of Cuba, embraced the Catholic faith, and turned pirate once more; and was very active in attacking English s.h.i.+ps off the Island of Jamaica.

BROWN, JOHN.

Of Durham, England.

One of Captain Charles Harris's crew. Hanged at the age of 29 years at Newport, Rhode Island, in 1723.

BROWN, JOHN.