I shall not trouble the patience of my reader any longer with relations of this
     kind, as belonging to another subject, different from what I have proposed to my-
     self in this history. Whereupon I shall take my beginning hence to describe the fa-
     mous actions and exploits of the greatest Pirates of my time, during my residence
     in those parts. These I shall endeavour to relate without the least note of pas-
     sion or partiality; yea, with that candour which is peculiar both to my mind and
     style: withal assuring my reader I shall give him no stories taken from others u-
     pon trust or hearsay, but only those enterprizes to which I was myself an eye-wit-
     ness.

     Of the origin of the most famous Pirates of the coasts of America. A notable ex-
     ploit of Pierre le Grand. I have told you in the preceding chapters of this
     book, after what manner I was compelled to adventure my life among the Pirates of
     America - to which sort of men I think myself obliged to give his name, for no o-
     ther reason than that they are not maintained or upheld in their actions by any
     Sovereign Prince. For this is certain, that the Kings of Spain have upon several
     occasions sent, by their Ambassadors, to the Kings of France and England, complai-
     ning of the molestations and troubles those Pirates often caused upon the coasts of
     America, even in the calm of peace. To whose Ambassadors it has always been answe-
     red: that such men did not commit those acts of hostility and piracy as subjects
     of their Majesties; and therefore his Catholic Majesty might proceed against them
     according as he should find fit. The King of France, besides what has been said,
     added to this answer: That he had no fortress nor castle upon the Isle of Hispanio-
     la, neither did he receive one farthing of tribute thence. Moreover, the King of
     England adjoined: That he had never given any patents or commissions to those of Ja-
     maica, for committing any hostility against the subjects of his Catholic Majesty.
     Neither did he only  give this bare answer, but also, out of his Royal desire to
     pleasure the Court of Spain, recalled the Governor of Jamaica, placing another in
     his room. All this was not sufficient to prevent the Pirates of those parts from
     acting what mischief they could to the contrary. But before I commence the rela-
     tion of their bold and insolent actions, I shall say something of their origin and
     most common exercises, as also of the chief among them, and their manner of arming
     before they go out to sea.
     The first Pirate that was known upon the Island of Tortuga was named Pierre le
     Grand, or Peter the Great. He was born at the town of Dieppe, in Normandy. The ca-
     tion which rendered him famous was his taking of the Vice-Admiral of the Spanish
     flota, near the Cape of Tiburon, upon the Western side of the Island of Hispanio-
     la. This bold exploit he performed alone with only one boat, wherein he had eight
     and twenty persons, no more, to help him.