(Un) Known pirates and criminals of the seas
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William Markham *1545?? - +September 1578. English officer, shipmaster and pirate.

He was a member of Francis Drake's crew since 1570 and participated in all of his journeys in the Caribbean. Together they pillaged many Spanish ships, towns and settlements. See Francis Drake.

He was an officer on the MARYGOLD ship. With Vice Admiral Drake in 1577, he sailed for an expedition around the world. In the Caribbean and the Atlantic, they pillaged Spanish ships and settlements. In September 1578, after sailing through the Magalhães Strait, the ship sank with full crew in storm. See John Thomas.

Richard Minivy *1545?? - +December 1578. English pirate.

He was a member of the Francis Drake's crew since 1560 and he participated in all his journeys in the Caribbean. Together, they pillaged many Spanish ships, towns and villages.

He was also on the GOLDEN HIND (PELICAN) ship of Vice-Admiral Francis Drake on a journey around the world in 1577 until Chilean Coquimbo, where he was captured by the Spanish in November 1578 and executed in December. See Francis Drake.

Thomas Moone *1545?? - +1595. The English captain and pirate, originally a carpenter.

He was a member of the Francis Drake's crew since 1572 and he participated in all his journeys in the Caribbean. Together, they pillaged many Spanish ships, towns and villages.

He was a captain of a small ship CHRISTOPHER in a fleet of Vice-Admiral Francis Drake on a journey around the world in 1577-80.

From the Magalhães Strait he sailed as an officer on the GOLDEN HIND.

In 1588, he participated on the successful defending of the Spanish Felicissima Armada (Invincible Armada, Grand Armada). See Juan Martínez de Recalde.

In 1589 he took part in the military expedition of Armada (Contra Armada, Invencible Inglesa) to Spain and Portugal under the command of Admiral Francis Drake. The invasion finished as a complete catastrophe. See Maria Mayor Fernández de Cámara y Pita.

On the last unsuccessful Francis Drake's journey to the Caribbean in 1595, when attacking Cartagen, Thomas Moone was killed. See don Pedro de Tello de Guzmán.

William Mason *?? - +1692. English captain and pirate. He operated in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean.

In 1689, he was a member of the crew on the SAINTE ROSE ship. Later under the command of William Kidd there was a rebellion and the ship was renamed to BLESSED WILLIAM. In February 1690, on the island of Antigua, he joined Robert Culliford and stole this ship from William Kidd. They rename it to JACOB, and the crew chose William Mason as captain. In 1691, they stopped in New York at the governor to be forgiven for piracy. They offered bribery to governor and were given the Corsair's right to attack the French ships from Quebec. With the vision of easy prey they attacked English boats as well. They also seized NASSAU and Edward Coates was chosen as a captain. By the end of 1692 Captain Mason was murdered by Edward Coates at a stock stop on an uninhabited island somewhere in the Indian Ocean.

William Moore *1665?? - +30.10.1697. English Pirate, an artillery Officer.

He sailed on the Captain William Kidd's ship ADVENTURE GALLEY in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean. He did not like the arbitrarily of Captain Kidd, and the situation that crew members should become pirates against their will. That is why he caused a rebellion, and on October 30th, 1669, William Kidd shot him during a heavy quarrel.

William Maze also William May *?? - +1700?? English pirate and captain of PEARL also known as PEARL OF RHODE ISLAND. He operated in the Caribbean and on the east coast of South America since 1689. He also attacked the Dutch ships of the Mocha fleet. He also sailed with Henry Every on the FANCY. He was on the list of pirates whom William Kidd wanted to catch or destroy.

John Miller *1670?? - +1710?? The English pirate acted in the Caribbean. He was a member of the captain Daniel Plowman crew of the corsair ship CHARLES.

CHARLES sailed from Boston in July 1703 to a corsair expedition against the French and Spanish ships. Shortly after the departure, the captain Daniel Plowman became ill and because of his quarantine he stayed in his cabin. The crew, led by quartermaster Anthony Holding, however, rebelled and chose Lieutenant John Quelch as their captain. At the end of September, Captain Daniel Plowman died of fever.

Later, on the shores of Brazil, they pillaged nine Portuguese ships and they received valuable cargo of weapons, skins, sugar, cloths, boxes of gold dust and money. At that time, however, an alliance was made between Portugal and England. Therefore, the English Admiralty, following a report from Portugal about the looting of their ships, issued an arrest warrant for the whole crew. In May 1704, the CHARLES ship landed in Marblehead today in the state of Massachusetts where unsuspecting crew broke away with their share of prey. Within a week, most of the crew, including John Miller, were caught and imprisoned.

At the beginning of June, he was brought to Boston for trial. On the basis of testimony of crew members, John Miller was found guilty and sentenced to several years in prison.

Texts: P. Patočka, P. Steinhardt, H. Prien
Proofreading: Ali
Translation: S. Harasimová
Graphic design: M. Gorejová
Updated: September 24, 2020
Sources: see ZDROJE