Lieutenant James Williams, a cruel Welsh pirate.

Sailed as a hand on board the George galley from Amsterdam in 1724. Conspiring with a foremast hand one John Gow to bring about a mutiny, he took an active part in murdering the captain, the chief mate, super cargo, and surgeon, all with a slash to the throat!

Newly elected Captain Gow promoted him to be his mate. James Williams was a violent, brutal man, and a bully, all the pre-requisites needed for piracy!

They renamed the vessel the Revenge, armed her with eighteen guns, and cruised off the coast of Spain, taking an English sloop with a cargo of fish from Newfoundland, commanded by Captain Thomas Wise of Poole. Their second prize was a Glasgow ship loaded with herrings and salmon.

They next sailed to Madeira, where Gow presented the Governor with a box of Scotch herrings. About this time Williams, the first mate, insulted Gow by accusing him of cowardice because he had refused to attack a big French ship, and snapped his pistol at Gow's face, it failed to fire. Two seamen standing near shot Williams, wounding him severely in the arm and gut.

The next day Gow sent away a crew of prisoners in a sloop he had taken and plundered, and Williams, heavily manacled, was cast into the hold of this vessel, with orders that he should be given up as a pirate to the first English man-of-war they should meet with. He was taken to Lisbon and there put on board H.M.S. Argyle, and carried to London.

When Captain Gow and his crew eventually arrived in irons at the Marshalsea Prison, they found Lieutenant James Williams already there awaiting trial. He was hanged at Newgate on June 11th 1725, his body being hanged in chains at Blackwall as a warning to would be pirates.

connection: James Williams was known to be a Welshman.


Related information...
      Henry Morgan, Buccaneers, Freebooters and Pirates.
      David Williams, Buccaneers, Freebooters and Pirates.
      the Hump Murray, Wrong side of the law.
      John Callice, Buccaneers, Freebooters and Pirates.
      Black Bart, Buccaneers, Freebooters and Pirates.
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