Anstis an Englishman was first mentioned in 1718 when he shipped out of Providence on a sloop called the “Buck”. (although he must have been active before then since at least two other pirates claim to have sailed under him prior to 1713). He and five others, Howell Davis, Denman Topping, Walter Kennedy and two more plotted a mutiny and when they succeed in taking over the ship Howell Davis became the captain. Later while plotting to kidnap the governor of the Portuguese colony of Principe Davis was killed in an ambush and after burning the fort, bombarding the town and killing many of its men in revenge, the crew elected another Welshman, Bartholomew Roberts (Black Bart) as captain in his place.
Roberts who was originally forced into piracy when captured by Howell Davis, became one of the most black hearted and prolific pirates ever to sail the seas, capturing at least 475 ships. In his short piratical career of approximately three years or so, he hung, tortured and mutilated those that attempted to fight back and his reputation was such that many surrendered without firing a shot. This then was the man under whom Anstis sailed, learnt his vicious craft and moved up the ladder to become captain of one of the other ships in Roberts fleet, the “Good Fortune”.
By May 1721 Roberts had become so successful that the shipping in the Spanish Main had come to a virtual standstill and with several naval ships hunting for him, he decided that it would better to set off for the West African Coast. However, Anstis had other ideas and one dark night he turned the “Good Fortune” about, set sail back to the Caribbean and continued with his piracy there.
Anstis proved himself to be as vicious and heartless as Roberts and according to Captain Charles Johnson; When Anstis took an English ship the “Irwin” off Martinique, his crew gang raped, and murdered a female passenger before throwing her body into the sea. In addition they brutally beat and wounded another passenger, Colonel Doyle when he tried come to the woman’s assistance.
Later in the year Anstis captured the “Morning Star” bound from Guinea to Carolina, refitted her with thirty-two cannon, crewed her with one hundred men and promoted John Fenn to be her captain. Traditionally Anstis should have taken the larger “Morning Star” for himself but preferred his own smaller but faster vessel.
Even though they now had two good ships things took a turn for the worse when there was unrest amongst the crews, many of whom had been forced into piracy when their ships were captured. A vote was taken to send a round robin to the king, stating that they had been forced into piracy by Captain Roberts and asking the king for a royal pardon. The message was sent to England via a merchant ship and the pirates retired to an island off Cabo San Antonia in Cuba, where they hid their ships in an inlet amongst the mango swamps and lived, once their stores ran out, on little more than fish, turtles, rice and rum for nine months.
From, The History And Lives Of All The Most Notorious Pirates And Their Crews, Fifth Edition 1735. Some of it written from the recollections of one William Ingram, a pirate who sailed with Anstis, Roberts and others. (Ingram himself was hanged for piracy in 1714).
Thomas Anstis shipped himself at Providence, in the Year 1718, aboard the Buck Sloop, and was one of the six that conspired together to get off with the vessel, along with Howel Davis, Dennis Topping, and Walter Kennedy, etc. I shall only observe, that this combination was the beginning of Captain Roberts’s company, which afterwards proved so formidable, from whom Anstis separated the 18th of April, 1721, leaving his Commodore to pursue his adventures upon the Coasts of Guinea, whilst he returned to the West Indies, upon the same design.
About the middle of June, he met with one Captain Maiston, between Hispaniola and Jamaica, bound to New-York, from which he took all the wearing apparel, liquors and provisions, and six men. Afterwards he met with the Irwin, Captain Ross from Cork, on the Coast of Martinico, which ship had Colonel Doyly of Montserrat on board, and his Family, and 600 barrels of beef.
Afterwards they went into one of the Islands to clean, and thence proceeding towards Bermudas, they met with a stout ship called the Morning Star, bound from Guinea to Carolina, which they kept for their own use. Just after, they took a ship from Barbadoes bound to New England, from whence taking her guns, they mounted the Morning Star with 32 pieces of cannon, and 100 men, appointing John Fenn Captain: For Anstis was so in love with his own vessel, she being a good sailor, he made it his choice to stay in her, and let Fenn have the other ship.
Though they were not sufficiently strong, yet being most new men, they could not agree, but resolving to break up company, sent a Petition to His Majesty by a Merchant Ship, expecting her Return at Cuba.
Here they staid about nine months; but not having provisions for above two, they were obliged to take what the Island afforded; which is many sorts of fish, particularly turtle; though they eat not a bit of bread, nor flesh meat, during their being on the Island.
They passed their time here in dancing, and other diversions, agreeable to these sort of folks. Among the rest, they appointed a mock Court of Judicature, to try one another for Piracy, and he that was a Criminal one day, was made a Judge another. I shall never forget one of their Trials, which for the curiosity of it, I shall relate. The Judge got up into a tree, having a dirty tarpaulin over his shoulders for a robe, and a Thrum Cap upon his head, with a large pair of spectacles upon his nose, and a monkey bearing up his train, with abundance of Officers attending him, with crows and hand-spikes instead of wands and tip-staves in their hands. Before whom the Criminals were brought out, making 1000 wry Faces; when the Attorney-General moved the Court, and said, An’t please your Lordship, and you Gentlemen of the Jury, this fellow before you is a sad dog, a sad, a sad dog, and I hope your Lordship will order him to be hanged out of the way; he has committed Piracy upon the High Seas; nay, my Lord, that’s not all; this fellow, this sad dog before you, has out-rid a hundred storms, and you know, my Lord, He that’s born to be hanged, will never be drowned. Nor is this all, he has been guilty of worse villany than this, and that is of drinking of small beer; and your Lordship knows, there was never a sober fellow but what was a rogue—My Lord, I should have said more, but your Lordship knows our rum is out, and how should a Man speak that has drunk a dram to-day.
Judge. Harkee me, Sirrah—you ill-looked dog. What have you to say why you may not be tucked up, and set a-sun-drying like a scare-crow?—Are you Guilty, or not?
Prisoner. Not Guilty, an’t please your Worship.
Judge. Not Guilty! say so again, and I will have you hanged without any Trial.
Prisoner. An’t please your Worship’s Honour, my Lord, I am as honest a fellow as ever went between stem and stern of a ship, and can hand, reef, steer, and clap two ends of a rope together, as well as e’er a He that ever crossed Salt-water; but I was taken by one George Bradley (the name of the Judge) a notorious Pirate, and a sad rogue as ever was hanged, and he forced me, an’t please your Honour.
Judge. Answer me, Sirrah—how will you be tried?
Prisoner. By God and my country.
Judge. The Devil you will.... Then, Gentlemen of the Jury, we have nothing to do but to proceed to Judgment.
Attorney-Gen. Right, my Lord; for if the fellow should be suffered to speak, he might clear himself; and that, you know, is an affront to the Court.
Prisoner. Pray, my Lord, I hope your Lordship will consider.
Judge. Consider!—How dare you talk of considering!—Sirrah, Sirrah, I have never considered in all my life.—I’ll make it Treason to consider.
Pris. But I hope your Lordship will hear reason.
Judge. What have we to do with Reason?—I would have you to know, Sirrah, we do not sit here to hear Reason—we go according to Law.—Is our dinner ready?Attorney-General. Yes, my Lord.
Judge. Then harkee you rascal at the Bar, hear me, Sirrah, hear me.—You must be hanged for three reasons: First, because it is not fit that I should sit as Judge, and no-body to be hang’d: Secondly, You must be hang’d because you have a damn’d hanging Look: Thirdly, You must be hanged, because I am hungry. There’s Law for you, ye dog; take him away, Gaoler.
By this we may see how these fellows can jest upon things, the thoughts of which should make them tremble.
“Buck”. (although he must have been active before then since at least two other pirates claim to have sailed under him prior to 1713). He and five others, Howell Davis, Denman Topping,