Bucaniers of America: Or, a true Account of the most remarkable Assaults Committed of late Years upon the Coasts of the West-Indies, By the Bucaniers of Jamaica and Tortuga, both English and French. W

£12,500 · Offered by Maggs Bros Ltd

“Frequently described as the greatest early book on piracy” (NMM). First editions of all four parts, including the second volume, published separately the year after the first. This fourth part contains Basil Ringrose’s account of the voyage of Bartholomew Sharp, and the set is seldom found complete. The barber-surgeon Exquemeling originally wrote in his native Dutch and this work appeared in Amsterdam in 1678. A Spanish doctor, Alonso de Bueno Maison, translated the book into Spanish and published it at Cologne in 1681, and from this Is Steve aware of the Jim McC books? it was anonymously translated into English and published by Crooke in 1684. The following year Crooke issued part four (ie vol 2) and re-issued the first three parts with additions. Part four tells Ringrose’s account of the Sharp expedition; it is illustrated with a splendid map of Latin America, with many cartographic plates within the text. The publisher, William Crooke, was sued for libel by Sir Henry Morgan, on account of the description of him as a pirate. In the London Gazette , June 8, 1685, the following public apology was issued: “Westminster, June 1. There have been lately Printed and Published two Books, one by Will. Crook, the other by Tho. Malthus, both Intitiled The History of the Bucaniers: both which Books contained many False, Scandalous and Malitious Reflection on the Life and Actions of Sir Henry Morgan, of Jamaica, Kt. The said Sir Henry Morgan hath by Judgment had in the Kingsbaench-Court

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