A folklore tale of Sam Bellamy

     Black Sam Bellamy He was a real pirate. Not a one-voyage buccaneer like Captain Kidd. Neither was he a persnickety brigand of the sea such Captain Ben Hornigold who pursued a private vendetta against Spaniards, killing and robbing them without compunction, yet refusing to seize the wealth of French, Dutch, and English shipping.  Yes, sir! Black Sam was an honest-to-goodness villain at all times, ever ready for a fight or frolic. He would slit a throat just as quickly as he would double-cross a comrade.  Gold was his deity.

     Sam was an Englishman, a west countryman, a massive, powerful brute of a man. He was distinguished by a great shock of bushy black hair, a square-cut black beard, and piercing, dark brown eyes which sometimes appeared black as jet. Because of these characteristics, he was known as Black Sam Bellamy.

     One legend claims that Bellamy with the aid of four rascally followers stole a small sloop and sailed her across the broad Atlantic and into Cape Cod Bay. The Bay at that time was a fisherman’s paradise. Here brawny men worked long and hard, catching and salting codfish, a pursuit which was healthy but not very profitable.

     Black Sam worked for a while as a fisherman, but the profits were too small. He was forever dreaming of the pot of gold buried at the end of the rainbow. Gold! Heaps of gold. These dreams were the loadstone of his existence. With his four rascals and an ex-pirate named Paul Williams from Newport, Rhode Island, he began to plan an expedition to the Spanish Main to search for the wrecks of Spanish treasure ships.

     Meanwhile, Sam became infatuated with a Cape Cod girl, the lonely daughter of a farmer. Postponing the treasure voyage, he wooed her. He was a wild, tempestuous devil, the type which seems to appeal to many women. She fell in love with him, and he treated her as if she was a wench of the taverns.

     This interlude did not tarnish Bellamy’s bright dreams of gold. One day he kissed his little sweetheart good-bye, promising to return and marry her. Away sailed the little sloop, leaving behind the empty  dreams of golden adventure driving him on, Black Sam quickly forgot his Cape Cod mistress.

     She, poor girl, waited in hope which, as the months passed by, turned to despair. She was to have a baby, Bellamy’s child. She could not hide her condition. Her neighbors, descendants of the Pilgrim Fathers, labeled her a sinner, cutting her cruelly with their storm. Even her father turned his face from her. In misery and agony of spirits she left her home. In a ramshackle fish shed, hidden among the dunes, her child was born and died – all in the compass of a gray and stormy day. The skies wept; the east wind sang a dirge among the scrub pines, but no human was near to offer her solace.

     Afterward she refused to live near her condemners. She dug a small grave in a pine grove near the fish shanty. Here she buried her child, marking the grave with a rude cross. She continued to live alone amid the dunes, eking out a scanty living by God knows what means. Every day she climbed to the top of the sand hills and gazed out to sea, praying for the return of her lover.

     Meanwhile, Black Sam Bellamy arrived in the Caribbean. For weeks he sailed among jewel-like islands searching for the wreckage of Spanish treasure ships. Sir William Phips had once done the same, with spectacular results. He had found a treasure valued at more than a million pounds. With his share of the gold he had purchased a title and a governorship. Surely Bellamy could do as well.

     The rascals and their black-haired leader searched diligently, but nary a wreck could they find. The weather was hot. The sloop’s bottom became fouled with seaweeds and barnacles. The ship’s stores of pork and beef spoiled. Weevils made their home in the hardtack. Bellamy and his crew grumbled and ate fish. Williams remarked that ‘it would be more seemly to die as a pirate with a full stomach than to starve hunting for wrecks.”

     There came the day when they careened the sloop to scrape the seaweeds and barnacles from the bottom. They selected a small island with a sandy shore. It was a ticklish job to lay a ship on its side without injuring masts, stays, or ribs. This time ill luck attended their effort. Several timbers used to support and distribute the weight of the sloop slipped, and several strakes were broken and the hull was sprung. The little ship would never sail again. 

     Black Bellamy and his rascals, thus marooned on a desert island, ate sea turtles and birds – and waited

     Their enforced patience was finally rewarded. One day, two ships bore down on the island, two pirate ships aprowling. One was the Mary Anne, under the command of Captain Ben Hornigold. The other was the Postillion, commanded by the bloodthirsty brigand Louie Lebous.

---------------------- To be continued-------------------------


"Black Sam Bellamy," Profile of Old New England: Yankee Legends, Tales and Folklore, Lewis A Taft. Dodd, Mead & Company, New York, 1965. Starts on page 201.

 

 

Some more about Henry Jennings

"Extract of a letter from Don Juan Francisco del Valle to the Marquis de Monteleon" Jamaica. March 18, 1716. Calendar of State Papers, Col. Series (America & W.Indies) 29:#158I.

 

            The writer was sent by the Governor of the Havana to the Governor of Jamaica [Lord Archibald Hamilton] to complain, that he suffered ships to be fitted out in the Island, under pretext of cruising upon pirates, but that instead of that they committed many hostilities on the ships and dominions of the King of Spain.

That some of them had landed near the Havana and committed hostilities there That on the 26th Jan. one of these vessels arriv'd at Jamaica, who in company with another [=Henry Jennings & John Wills] had cast anchor in the Canal of Bahama  on the coast of Florida, near the Spanish camp, under Spanish colours, they laid still till night, and then landed their people, who the next morning march'd to the camp with their arms; upon which the Spanish Commanding Officer ask'd them, if it was war, they answered no, but that they came to fish for the wrecks, to which the Officer said, that there was nothing of theirs there, that the vessels belonged to his Catholick Majesty and that he and his people were looking for the said treasure; but seeing that his insinuations were of no use, he profer'd them 25,000 pieces of eight, which they would not be satisfy'd with, but took all the silver they had and stript the people taking likewise away four small cannon, two of them brass, and nail'd [the touch-holes of] two large ones (all which were to defend a parapet they had thrown up to defend themselves from the Indians). They carried away to the value of 120,000 pieces of eight, besides the wrought silver, this is what the captors own themselves, from whence it is inferr'd, that there was a great deal more. That he demanded of Lord Archibald Hamilton, (l) that he should issue a Proclamation agst. those who should fit out vessels on the like account. (2) That one of the two English men of war [HMS Diamond & HMS Jamaica] that were then in Jamaica should be sent to their camp to order all the privateers to return. (3) That the silver taken by these two vessels should be returned. (4) That the captors should be punish'd.

That the 7th of Feb. another Spanish vessel came into this port from Vera Cruz and was bound for the Havana; a few days after she sail'd from hence she met with bad weather, which oblig'd her to throw overboard her guns and some of her cargo and being come in sight of the Havana she met an English ship [=Bennett,] who was one of them who had been at the Spanish camp [sic.], the English sent on board her, and finding that she was loaded with silver, corn etc. they took her, alledging that this vessel was taken by the Spaniards on the coast of Porto Velo [=Bello?], with several goods on board, and that they would keep her till restitu­tion was made. This vessel was [originally] taken by the Spaniards being [that] she was trading to places where strangers are not suffer'd to trade. That the English Captain [=Francisco Fernando] had told him that the Govr. own'd a fourth part of his vessel. This vessel was worth 150,000 pieces of eight, several Gentlemen of Jamaica say publickly that the Governor is part owner of all the vessels which have been sent to our camp. That the inhabitants of Jamaica still went on to fit out privateers in the most publick manner. That their final answer was that what the two privateers [Henry Jennings & John Wills] had taken should be put into the Royal Treasury, until the Spaniards had made satisfaction to the inhabitants of Jamaica for what they had taken from them.

 

John Shuan

In his interrogation before his trial for piracy in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1717 John Shuan provided this information:

 

John Shuan declares That he was born in Nantes [France], 24 years old, a Mariner. That two months and a half ago he was taken by Bellamy in an English ship coming from Jamaica [=The Tanner Frigate], commanded by a Englishman and a Frenchman, bound from Pettiguavas to Rachel [=Rochelle], with sugar. This Examinate Knows nothing of the Scotch vessel's being sunk. When Crumpste­y's Pink was taken on this coast, He desired Bellamy to give him leave to go on board her, but could not obtain it, by reason he had not taken up arms, Yet afterwards Bellamy let him go. He further declares that he was never upon the list as the rest were; That in the Ship he belonged to the Pirates found 5000 livres and on board of Bellamy's there was a great quantity of silver and gold.

 

Side note: Nantes during this period of time was France’s largest port, and had been built on a trade in rum, sugar, and slaves.

 

During the trial, John had to make the court aware that he did not understand the proceedings:

 

And then all the Prisoners held up their hands again at the Bar, and severally pleaded, Not Guilty, Except John Shuan a French-man, who made known to the Court, That he did not understand English, and therefore was ignorant of what he was charged with in the Indictment. And there upon Mr. Peter Lucy of Boston, Merchant (being a person of good Credit) was Sworn Interpreter between the Court and the said Shuan; and then by the Courts direction the said Lucy informed the said John Shuan in his own Language of the Several Articles Alledged against him in the said Indictment, and then he held up his hand at the Bar and pleaded, Not Guilty.

The Prisoners having severally pleaded to the Indictment, desired Copies thereof, and a further day to prepare for their Trial.

 

These witnesses testified about John during the course of the trial:

 

            Thomas FitzGyrald late Mate of the Pink Mary Anne of Dublin in Ireland, Testifyeth and saith, That on or about the Twenty-fourth day of April last past, the said Pink left Nantasket in New-England, bound for New York, under Command of Capt. Andrew Crumstey; and on Friday the 26th day of the said Month, between the Hours of Four & Six of the Clock in the Morning, they discovered two Sail a-Stern, viz. a large Ship and a Snow, between Nantucket Shoals & St. Georges Banks, which came up with the Pink in the Morning, with the Kings Ensign and Pendant flying; the large Ship was found to be the Whido, whereof Samuel Bellamy a Pirate was Commander, Who ordered the Pink to strike her Colours, and then hoisted out their Boat, and sent the Seven Prisoners, now at the Bar, on board the said Pink, all Armed with Musquets, Pistols and Cutlasses, except Thomas South and John Shuan. And further the Deponent, Declares & saith, That the said Thomas South, soon after he came on board, Declared to him the Deponent his Intention to make his escape from the Whido, as soon as he could but Shuan was very forward & active on board the Pink, altho' he had no Weapon with him.

 

 

James Dunavan Mariner, late belonging to the Pink Mary Anne, and Brother-in-Law to Captain Crumpstey late Master thereof saith [cf.17/05/06/03], That the said Pink belonged to Ireland, was Owned by the Subjects of the King of Great-Britain, and was Taken on the 26th Day of April last past, under English Colours by Samuel Bellamy Commander of the Pirate Ship Whido, That Simon Van Vorst and the rest of the Prisoners at the Bar came on Board the Pink Armed, and had their Pistols Charged with Powder and Ball, except Thomas South and John Shuan, and Ordered the Captain with Five Hands more to go on Board the Ship with his Papers: And that the Prisoners at the Bar steer'd the Pink after Bellamy's Ship, as he gave Orders. That they drank plentifully of the Wines on Board; That Thomas South's Behaviour in the Pink was civil and peaceable. The Deponent further saith, That he heard John Baker  threaten to shoot Mackcona­chy, Cook of the Pink, thro the head, because he steer'd to the windward of his Course; and said moreover, That he would make no more to shoot him, than he would a Dog; and that he should never go on shoar to tell his Story

 

 

            Alexander Mackconachy, late Cook of the Pink Mary Anne of Dublin, saith, That on the 26th day of April last past, in the course of their Voyage from Nantasket to New York, they were taken by a Pirate Ship called the Whido, Commanded by Capt. Samuel Bellamy, That all the Prisoners at the Bar came on board the said Pink armed, except Thomas South and John Shuan, and made themselves Masters of the Pink; and that Simon Van Vorst ordered the Captain to go on board the Ship Whido, with his Papers and five of his hands. The Deponent further saith, That the Pink was cast away opposite to an Island, called Slutts-bush; and after the Prisoners were carryed to the Main Land they looked very sorrowful, and made all imaginable speed in order to escape from the hands of Justice. That Thomas South behaved himself Civily.  That Thomas Baker cut down the Fore-mast & Mizen-mast of the Pink when she run on shoar.

 

 

            Thomas Checkley Mariner saith, That he knows John Shuan the Prisoner at the Bar, That he belonged to the Tanner Frigot one John Stover Master, and sometime in March last left the said Ship or Frigot was taken in the prosecution of her Voyage from Pettyguavus to Old France, by Capt. Samuel Bellamy and Monsieur Lebous, they pretended to be Robbin Hoods Men. That Shuan declared himself to be now a Pirate, and went up and unrigged the Main-top-mast by order of the Pirates, who at that time forced no Body to go with them; and said they would take no Body against their Wills.

 

 

            John Shuan by his Interpreter saith, That he was sick at the time when Capt. Bellamy took him and went on board the Pirate Vessel at the Instance of Capt. Bellamy's Doctor, who advised him to stay with him till his Cure.  And that when he went on board the Pink Mary Anne he did not carry Arms with him; and that he hoped by going on board the Pink he could the sooner make his escape from the Pirates, for that he had a better way of getting his living than by Pirating.

 

The Reverend Cotton Mather spoke with the pirates as they walked to the gallows. He recorded his conversations with them afterwards. Since there is no evidence that he had any sort of scribe or other type of secretary with him, these conversations must be filled through the filter of his memory.

 

            The Last among the Sons of Death, was a poor Frenchman (called John Shuan,) to whom inasmuch as he understood not English and had been a Roman Catholick, the Minister thus applied himself.

CM:  O Pecheur tres-miserable. Vous estes un Prisonnier de la Justice; Mais Vous estes a Prisonnier de L'Esperance.

            Notre Seigneur et Sauveur JESUS CHRIST, est
L'Esperance des Pecheurs; Et il ny a point de salut en aucun autre.

            Cette parole est certaine, et digne d'etre 'Entierement receue; C'est que JESUS CHRIST est venu au monde, pour Sauver les pecheurs. Mais il est fort necessaire, d'invoqeur votre Saveur. Yous pleurez d'une manieve Lamentable; Las! Miserable Ie fuis; qui me delivra?

            JESUS CHRIST Le Grand Saveur du Monde, respond, Regardez vers moi et foyez Sauvez. Entendez vous!

JS: Ouy, Monsieur. Ie l'entende bien.

CM: Ah, Mon Frere! Les Cordeaux de la Mort vous avoient Environnez; Et Les destresses d'Enfer vous aveient rencontrez. Mais, Invoques Le Nom de l'Eternal, disant, Ie te prie, Eternal, Delivre mon Ame.

            O Meschant, Retourntz a L'eternal, et [P.32] il aura pitie du vous, et il pardonner a tant et plus Entendez vous?

JS:  Ouy! Monsieur; le vous remercy.

CM: Mais il faut que vous vous contentions du soul sacrifice, et de L'Intorcession de JESUS CHRIST. Nul n'obtient pardon de fes pechez, par fa propres merites, ou par la Mediation de quelque creature. Il faut, que votre prieve fost, O L'Obeissance de JESUS CHRIST a ta loy, O mon Dieu, est ma seule Justice. En consider­ation de cette seule Justice, fai que l'Obtienne pardon et Faveur aupres de Toi, Ie Renonce, Ie Renonce a tous autres Mediateurs.

            Que dites Vous!  Renouncez vous tous autre Mediuateurs!

JS: Ie ne scay pas ce quele diray.

CM: Ie remets votre spirit en la main de votre Redempteur JESUS CHRIST.

           

Translated into English, at the Desire of the Bookseller.

CM: Most Miserable Sinner; You are a Prisoner of Justice, but you are yet a Prisoner of Hope.  Our Lord and Savious JESUS CHRIST is the Hope of Sinners; and indeed there is not Salvation in any other.

            This is a Saying most certain, and worthy to be of all Entirely received; That JESUS CHRIST is come into the World, for to save Sinners.

            But it is most Necessary, that you call upon your Saviour.

            You make this Lamentable Outcry; O wretched man that I am; who shall deliver me!

            JESUS CHRIST, the Great SAVIOUR of the World, gives this Answer, Look unto me, and be saved. Understand you what I say?

JS:  Yes, Syr: I understand you very well.

CM: Ah, My Brother; The Cords of Death compass you, the Anguishes of Hell come upon you. But now, Call on the Name of the LORD, and say, O Lord, I beseech thee, Deliver my Soul.

            Sinful Man, Return to the Lord and He will have pity on you; and He will abundantly pardon you. Do you understand me?

JS:  Yes syr; and I thank you.

CM: But you must then take up with the only Sacrifice and Intercession of JESUS CHRIST. No one comes at the Pardon of his Sins, on the account of his own Deserts, or thro' the Mediation of any Creature. Your Prayer must be this: O my GOD, The Obedience of JESUS CHRIST unto thy Law is my only Righteousness. For the sake of that Righteousness only grant that I may find pardon and mercy with thee! I Renounce, I Renounce all other Mediators? What do you say to This? Do you Renounce all other Mediators?

JS:  I can't well tell, what to say to it?

CM:  I commit your Spirit into the Hand of JESUS CHRIST, your Redeemer.

At the Place of Execution, a Prayer was made by a Minister of the City; The Chief Heads whereof were

 

 

Sources

 

“The Trials of Eight Persons Indited [sic] for Piracy,” in British Piracy in the Golden Age, edited by Joel H. Baer. Pickering & Chatto, 2007, 2: 289-319.

Mather, Cotton. "Instructions to the Living, from the Condition of the Dead" in British Piracy in the Golden Age, edited by Joel H. Baer. Pickering & Chatto, 2007, 4: 129-144.