University of Virginia Library

THE
Translator
TO THE
READER.

THe present Volume, both for it's Curiosity,
and Ingenuity, I dare recommend
unto the perusal of our English Nation,
whose glorious Actions it containeth.
What relateth unto the curiosity hereof, this Piece,
both of Natural and Humane History, was no sooner
published in the Dutch Original, than it was
snatch't up for the most curious Library's of Holland;
it was Translated into Spanish; (two Impressions
thereof being sent into Spain in one year)
it was taken notice of by the learned Academy of
Paris; and finally recommended as worthy our esteem,
by the ingenious Author of the Weekly
Memorials for the Ingenious printed here at London
about two years ago. Neither all this undeservedly,
seeing it enlargeth our acquaintance of Natural
History, so much prized and enquired for, by
the Learned of this present Age, with several observations
not easily to be found in other accounts alrea-

dy received from America: and besides, it informeth
us (with huge novelty) of as great and bold
attempts, in point of Military conduct and valour,
as ever were performed by mankind; without excepting,
here, either Alexander the Great, or Julius
Cæsar, or the rest of the Nine Worthy's of
Fame. Of all which actions, as we cannot but confess
our selves to have been ignorant hitherto, (the
very name of Bucaniers being, as yet, known but
unto few of the Ingenious; as their Lives, Laws,
and Conversation, are in a manner unto none) so
can they not choose but be admired, out of this ingenuous
Author, by whosoever is curious to learn
the various revolutions of humane affairs. But,
more especially, by our English Nation; as unto
whom these things more narrowly do appertain.
We having here more then half the Book filled with
the unparallel'd, if not unimitable, adventures and
Heroick exploits of our own Country-men, and Relations;
whose undaunted, and exemplary courage,
when called upon by our King and Country, we
ought to emulate.

From whence it hath proceeded, that nothing of
this kind was ever, as yet, published in England, I
cannot easily determine; except, as some will say,
from some secret Ragion di Stato. Let the reason
be as t'will; this is certain, so much the more we
are obliged unto this present Author, who though a
Stranger unto our Nation, yet with that candour

and Fidelity hath recorded our Actions, as to render
the Metal of our true English Valour to be the more
believed and feared abroad, than if these things had
been divulged by our selves at home. From hence
peradventure will other Nations learn, that the English
People are of their Genius more inclinable to act
than to write; seeing as well they as we have lived
unacquainted with these actions of our Nation, until
such time as a foreign Author to our Country came to
tell them.

Besides the merit of this Piece for its curiosity, another
point of no less esteem, is the truth and sincerity
wherewith every thing seemeth to be penned. No
greater ornament or dignity can be added unto History,
either humane or natural, than truth. All other
embellishments, if this be failing, are of little or no
esteem; if this be delivered, are either needless or
superfluous. What concerneth this requisite in our
Author, his Lines do every-where declare the faithfulness
and sincerity of his mind. He writeth not by
hearsay, but was an eye-witness, as he somewhere
telleth you, unto all and every one of the bold and hazardous
attempts which he relateth. And these he
delivereth with such candour of stile, such ingenuity
of mind, such plainness of words, such conciseness of
periods, so much devested of Rhetorical Hyberboles,
or the least flourishes of Eloquence, so hugely void
of Passion or national Reflections, as that he strongly
perswadeth all-along to the credit of what he saith;

yea, raiseth the mind of the Reader to believe these
things far greater than what he hath said; and
having read him, leaveth onely this scruple or concern
behind, that you can read him no longer. In a
word, such are his deserts, that some persons peradventure
would not stickle to compare him to the Father
of Historians, Philip de Comines: at least,
thus much may be said, with all truth imaginable,
that he resembleth that great Author in many of his
excellent qualities.

I know some persons have objected against the
greatness of these prodigious Adventures, intimating
that the resistance our Bucaniers found in America,
was every-where but small. For the Spaniards,
say they, in the West-Indies, are become of late years
nothing less, but rather much more degenerate than
in Europe. The continual Peace they have enjoyed
in those parts, the defect of Military Discipline, and
European Souldiers for their Commanders, much
contributing hereunto. But more especially, and above
all other Reasons, the very Luxury of the Soil
and Riches, the extream heat of those Countries, and
influence of the Stars being such, as totally inclineth
their bodies unto an infinite effeminacy and cowardize
of minds.

Unto these Reasons I shall onely answer in brief,
This History will convince them to be manifestly false.
For as to the continual Peace here alleadged, we
know that no Peace could ever be established beyond

the Line, since the first possession of the West-Indies
by the Spaniards, till the burning of Panama.
At that time, or few months before, Sir William
Godolphin by his prudent negotiation in quality of
Embassadour for our most Gracious Monarch, did
conclude at Madrid a Peace to be observed even beyond
the Line, and through the whole extent of the
Spanish Dominions in the West-Indies. This transaction
gave the Spaniards new causes of complaints
against our proceedings, that no sooner a Peace had
been established for those parts of America, but our
Forces had taken and burnt both Chagre, St. Catharine,
and Panama. But our Reply was convincing,
That whereas eight or ten months had been allowed by
Articles for the publishing of the said Peace through
all the Dominions of both Monarchies in America,
those Hostilities had been committed, not onely without
orders from his Majesty of England, but also
within the space of the said eight or ten months of
time. Until that time the Spanish Inhabitants of
America being, as it were, in a perpetual War with
Europe, certain it is, that no Coasts nor Kingdoms
in the World have been more frequently infested nor
alarm'd with the invasions of several Nations, than
theirs. Thus from the very beginning of their Conquests
in America, both English, French, Dutch,
Portuguese, Swedes, Danes, Curlanders, and all
other Nations that navigate the Ocean, have frequented
the West-Indies, and filled them with their
Robberies and Assaults. From these occasions have
they been in continual watch and ward, and kept
their Militia in constant exercise, as also their Garrisons
pretty well provided and paid; as fearing every
sail they discover'd at Sea, to be Pirats of one
Nation or another. But much more especially, since
that Curasao, Tortuga, and Jamaica have been inhabited
by English, French, and Dutch, and bred
up that Race of Hunts-men, than which, no other
ever was more desperate, nor more mortal Enemies
to the Spaniards, called Bucaniers Now shall we
say, that these People, through too long continuation
of Peace, have utterly abolished the exercises of War,
having been all-along incessantly vexed with the
Tumults and Alarms thereof?

In like manner is it false, to accuse their defect of
Military Discipline for want of European Commanders.
For who knoweth not that all places, both
Military and Civil, through those vast Dominions
of the West-Indies, are provided out of Spain?
And those of the Militia most commonly given unto
expert Commanders trained up from their infancy in
the Wars of Europe, either in Africa, Milan, Sicily,
Naples, or Flanders, fighting against either English,
French, Dutch, Portuguese, or Moors? Yea, their
very Garisons, if you search them in those parts, will
peradventure be found to be stock'd three parts to
four with Souldiers both born and bred in the Kingdom
of Spain.

From these Considerations it may be inferr'd, what
little difference ought to be allowed betwixt the Spanish
Souldiers, Inhabitants of the West-Indies, and
those of Europe. And how little the Soil or Climat
hath influenced or caused their Courage to degenerate
towards cowardize or baseness of mind. As if the
very same Arguments, deduced from the nature of
that Climate, did not equally militate against the valour
of our famous Bucaniers, and represent this to
be of as degenerate Metal as theirs.

But nothing can be more clearly evinced, than is
the Valour of the American Spaniards, either Souldiers
or Officers, by the sequel of this History. What
men ever fought more desperately than the Garrison
of Chagre? Their number being 314, and of all
these, only thirty remaining; of which number scarce
ten were unwounded; and among them, not one Officer
found alive? Were not 600 killed upon the spot at
Panama, 500 at Gibraltar, almost as many more at
Puerto del Principe, all dying with their Arms in
their hands, and facing bravely the Enemy for the
defence of their Country and private Concerns? Did
not those of the Town of San Pedro both fortifie
themselves, lay several Ambuscades, and lastly sell
their lives as dear as ever any European Souldier
could do; Lolonois being forced to gain step by step
his advance unto the Town, with huge loss both of
bloud and men? Many other instances might be produced
out of this compendious Volume, of the generous

resistance the Spaniards made in several places, though
Fortune favoured not their Arms.

Next, as to the personal Valour of many of their
Commanders, what man ever behaved himself more
briskly than the Governour of Gibraltar, than the
Governour of Puerto del Principe, both dying for
the defence of their Towns; than Don Alonso del
Campo, and others? Or what Examples can easily
parallel the desperate courage of the Governour of
Chagre? who, though the Palizada's were fired, the
Terraplens were sunk into the Ditch, the Breaches
were entred, the Houses all burnt about him, the
whole Castle taken, his Men all killed; yet would not
admit of any quarter, but chose rather to die under
his Arms, being shot into the brain, than surrender
himself as a Prisoner unto the Bucaniers. What
Lion ever fought to the last gasp more obstinately
than the Governour of Puerto Velo? who seeing
the Town enter'd by surprizal in the night, one chief
Castle blown up into the Air, all the other Forts and
Castles taken, his own assaulted several ways, both
Religious men and women placed at the front of the
Enemy to fix the Ladders against the Walls; yet
spared not to kill as many of the said Religious persons
as he could. And at last, the Walls being scaled,
the Castle enter'd and taken, all his own men overcome
by fire and sword, who had cast down their
Arms, and begged mercy from the Enemy; yet would
admit of none for his own life. Yea, with his own

hands killed several of his Souldiers, to force them to
stand to their Arms, though all were lost. Yea,
though his own Wife and Daughter begged of him
upon their knees that he would save his life by craving
quarter, though the Enemy desired of him the
same thing; yet would hearken to no cries nor perswasions,
but they were forced to kill him, combating
with his Arms in his hands, being not otherwise able
to take him Prisoner, as they were desirous to do.
Shall these men be said to be influenced with Cowardize,
who thus acted to the very last Scene of their
own Tragedies? Or shall we rather say, that they
wanted not Courage, but Fortune? It being certainly
true, that he who is killed in a Battel, may be
equally couragious with him that killeth. And that
whosoever derogateth from the Valour of the Spaniards
in the West-Indies, diminisheth in like manner
the Courage of the Bucaniers, his own Country-men,
who have seemed to act beyond mortal men in America.

Now, to say something concerning John Esquemeling,
the first Author of this History. I take him to
be a Dutch-man, or at least born in Flanders, notwithstanding
that the Spanish Translation representeth
him to be Native of the Kingdom of France.
His printing this History originally in Dutch, which
doubtless must be his native Tongue, who otherwise
was but an illiterate man, together with the very
sound of his name, convincing me thereunto. True it

is, he set sail from France, and was some years at
Tortuga; but neither of these two Arguments,
drawn from the History, are prevalent. For were
he a French-man born, how came he to learn the
Dutch Language so perfectly as to prefer it to his
own? Especially that not being spoken at Tortuga
nor Jamaica, where he resided all the while.

I hope I have made this English Translation
something more plain and correct, than the Spanish.
Some few notorious Faults either of the Printer or
of the Interpreter, I am sure I have redressed. But
the Spanish Translator complaining much of the intricacy
of Stile in the Original (as flowing from a
person who, as hath been said, was no Scholar) as
he was pardonable, being in great haste, for not rendring
his own Version so distinct and elaborate as he
could desire; so must I be excused from the one, that
is to say, Elegancy, if I have cautiously declined the
other, I mean Confufion.