Pirate Captain Edward Low Last update 28th August 2001

Low, Edward (also known as Ned) - English pirate. Born in Westminster, England, where he worked as a ship rigger. He travelled at sea with his brother, ending up in Boston, where he met a pertty girl named Eliza Marble, well respected, whom he married. They had a son, who died an infant, and a daughter Elizabeth. Eliza died in labour, leaving Low with his daughter.

Initially he used the same 'pirate' flag as Teach, with a red flag run up if a fight ensued. Late in his career, in July 1723, he flew a black flag with a red skeleton. Mention is made of a flag in his early career called the Green Trumpeter, which is a geen silk flag with a yellow figure of a man blowing a trumpet on it, used to signal his other ships that the captains of the pirate fleet were to meet on his ship. It was hoisted on the mizzen peak.

Ships Sailed

• Log Cutting boat stolen from a sloop he was working on
• Small vessel he seized and sailed to the Grand Caymens, where he sank it and joined George Lowther
• Happy Delivery, George Lowther's ship, Low sailing as the Lieutenant
• A Rhode Island sloop of 100 tons. It had a new hull and was a good sailor. It was fitted with 8 cannon and 10 swivel guns. When Lowther's ship was destoryed by indians, they all rejoined on a sloop renamed to Ranger, abandoning all other ships.
• A captured brigantine, Rebecca, given him by George Lowther. She had 44 crew, 2 cannon, four swivel guns. Given back to its captain, Flunker, who sailed it home
• A Rhode Island schooner captured early June 1722
• Captured a schooner at Port Roseway, of 80 tons, renaming her Fancy, transfering his command and ordinance to her, abandoning the old vessel
• Captured a French banker, with 2 cannon.
• Ran into a hurricane on the way to the Leeward Islands, throwing 6 cannon overboard to lighten the load, then putting to shore to repair as best as possible
• Captured the Rose pink, former man o war, and took her over, burning the French Banker. She was mounted with 14 cannon and captained by low, the Fancy given to Charles Harris
• Ships careened early September 1722.
• He took a small sloop, and placed her under John Russell, the Schooner under Francis Spriggs
• Careening at the Triangles, the Rose pink rolled over and was lost.
• Captured a French sloop in Grand Grenada, calling her Ranger, giving command of the schooner to Francis Spriggs
• Captured snow Unity used as a tender, but abandoned when they encountered the man o war Mermaid
• 10th June 1723, the warhsip Greyhound captures the Ranger, Low escaping
• Late June he captures a 22 gun French ship, adding her to his fleet of now 2 ships
• Captures a large merchant vessel, the Merry Christmas, late June 1723, cutting new gun ports for 34 cannon, and hoisting his new flag, the red skeleton on black
• Joined up with George Lowther July 1723
• Fall 1723, and they capture the Delight, mounting 14 guns on her, under captain Spriggs. He deserts, and Lowther also disappears. Low is left with the Merry Christmas with 34 guns
• Low is deposed, and the Merry Christmas is said to be burned

 

Ships captured

• He started with a log cutting boat
• Caught a small vessel in the Bay of Honduras, and sailed to the Grand Caymans where he met up with George Lowther. They joined forces and the small vessel was sunk.
• From the vessels captured by Lowther, he was given a sloop from Newport, Rhode Island. It had a new hull and a good sailor. It was fitted with 8 cannon and 10 swivel guns.
• A captured brigantine, Rebecca, given him by George Lowther. She had 40 crew, 2 cannon, four swivel guns. 28th May 1722
• Within a week he captured a sloop belonging to Amboy, New Jersey, near Rhode Island
• Same day captured a sloop under James Cahoon, out of Newport, crippling her
• Early June, Captured a Mablehead schooner,transfering his command to it, and giving the Rebecca back to its captain, who he kept with him
• Unknown sloop, which washed up at Martha's Vineyard
• Plundered several whale boats at Buzzard's Bay
• 13 fishing vessels plundered at Port Roseway. One was a newly built schooner of Jospeh Dolliber from Marblehead, the Mary, about 80 tons. He took her, and renamed her fancy, abandoning his old ship
• 2nd July 1722 almost accidentally attacked the warship Solebay in St John's harbour
• Plundered the port of Carbonear
• Plundered 7 or 8 vessels at the Grand Banks, including a French Banker, 200 tons with 2 cannon which he kept
• Assaulted two sloops from Canso bound for Annapolis-Royal. They had marines on board, and forced Low off.
• Ran into a hurricane, throwing 6 cannon overboard to lighten the load.
• Ran into a dismasted merchant ship heading to Barbados for a refit, and plundered her
• At St Michael's Rd, they captured a French ship of 34 cannon, the Nostra Dame, the Mere de Dieu under captain Roach, the Dove under Captain Cox, the Rose pink, formerly a man of war under Captain Thompson, an English ship under Captain Chandler, and 3 other vessels, all surrendering without a fight. The Rose pink was a former Portugese vessel, carrying wheat.
• Wright galley, under Captain Carter captured in St Michael's harbour, 20th August 1722. She fought back, but lost. She was cut to pieces and set adrift
• Captured a fishing vessel at Madeira, bargaining for water
• Captured an English ship, Liverpool Merchant, under captain Goulding, near Bonavista, forcing 6 crew, late August 1722
• Captured the King Sagamore under Andrew Scot in the Cape verdes Isalnds. She was burned
• Two portugese sloops, and 3 sloops from St Thomas , captained by Lilly, Staples and Simpkins
• A small english trading sloop captured and used as a tender, but the crew placed on it deserted 5th September 1722
• Captured the Margaret from Barbados, of 60 tons, under captain George Roberts, who they let go after long debate
• Lost the Rose pink in a careenign accident
• In Gran Grenada he captured a French sloop of 4 guns sent to catch him. He kept the ship for himself.
• Captured 7 or 8 sloops and the rich Portugese ship Nostra Signiora de Victoria, the crew murdered
• Captured the snow Unity from New York, under Robert Leonard. 25th Jan 1723
• Captured a snow bound for Jamaica
• Captured a sloop under captain Craig
• Captured a sloop bound for Curacao under captain Simpkins.
• Captured pink Stanthorpe under Andrew Delbridge, and burnt
• Captured 2 French sloops off Santa Cruz.
• Sailing to Curacao, two sloops outpaced him
• Ran into the man o war Mermaid, and a large guinea man. He sailed up to them unaware until too late, and then ran. He ditched the snow Unity, with the ureliable forced crewmen on it. Spriggs and Low split up, the man o war following Low. It struck a hiddenshoal, and Low escaped.
• Five weeks later, Low found Spriggs, and a misunderstanding ensued, Spriggs fearing it was a Spanish privateer, ran. Low, recognising the ship, thought it running awaymeant it had been captured, so he opened for on it, hoisting his flag. The mistake was immediately fixed.
• The joined pair then came upon a Spanish privateer who had just plundered several logwood ships, plus an assortment of brigantines, sloops and snows. They overran the Spanish, burning the ship. March 1723. They also burned the King George, a snow of New York, and a New England ship, before setting the rest free.
• Next recorded in May, Low and Harris, in the Ranger, and the Fortune, took the Crown under Captain Lovering, King William, and the Carteret and a brigantine.
• Captured the Amsterdam Merchant under captain John Welland from Jamaica. She was plundered and sunk
• Captured a pink under Captain Pitman
• Captured the Hopeful Betty under Captain Greenman off Delaware in early June
• Ran into the warship Greyhound, under Peter Solgard, 20 guns and 120 men on 10th June 1723. They gave chase, unaware until they were in cannon range. The Revenge under Harris was captured, but Low escaped.
• 12th June he ran into a sloop out of Nantucket that was whale fishing. They sunk her
• 14th June, captured a fishing boat, then two whale boats
• 14th June, another unknown victom of Low is found adrift, formerly captained by William Clark of Boston
• Off Newfoundland, he captired 23 French fishing vessels, including a 22 gun ship, which he kept
• Captured 18 more vessels, 2 of which were sunk
• Jpined up with George Lowther in July
• At the end of July, he captured a large ship from Virgina, called the Merry Christmas.
• Reaching Fayal, he captured an English brigantine recently bought by a Portugese man. It was set on fire
• Details follow are varied and contradictory.
• At St Michaels, they captured a 14 gun ship from London under captain Thompson
• Off the Guinea Coast in fall 1723, they captured a schooner, then the Delight under captain Hunt, a former man o war with 12 guns. They fitted 4 more cannon and gave her to Francis Spriggs. Spriggs deserted 2 days later, Lowther disappearing thereabouts as well
• January 1724, he captures the Squirrel under Captain Stephenson
• Next reported capturing a sloop out of Barbados. He was said to have 30 men with him.
• Could have captured a French sloop from Martinique, which was said to spark a mutiny. Some reports then say he lost the mutiny, and was set adrift, captured by a French vessel, then hung
• The Merry Christmas was sailed on under a Captain Shipton, who met up with Spriggs, taking a new ship and burning the Christmas. Shipping in the Caribbean sighed a huge sigh of relief.

 

Crewmen

• Ashton, Phillip. Forced 17th June 1722
• Child, Thomas. At the age of 15, he was tried for piracy at Newport, Rhode Island in July 1723, but was found not guilty
• Fabens, Lawrence. Forced 17th June 1722
• Hains, Richard, deserted at St Michaels
• Hincher, John (Doctor), from Edinborough, Scotland. At the age of 22 he was tried for piracy at Newport, Rhode Island in July 1723, but was able to prove he was forced into service
• Libbie, Joseph. Forced 17th June 1722
• Merritt, Nicholas. Forced 17th June 1722
• Owen, Richard. Forced from the snow Unity 25th Jan 1723
• Rich, Robert, from London, forced to join Low on the Rebecca
• Spriggs, Francis Farrington. Serving initially under George Lowther, he joined Low's band and made captain of a captured vessel called the Delight in 1720. He proved a cruel and bloodthirsty pirate and abandoned Low. His ship ran aground in the bay of Honduras when chased by a warship, the crew dispersing never to be heard from again.
• Sweetser, Joseph, of Charlestown, forced to serve when Low was given the Rebecca
• Van der Scure, Frederick. Forced from the snow Unity 25th Jan 1723
• Willis, Robert, from London. Broke his arm in a fall, and forced to sail with Low on the Rebecca
• Two unnamed men from Marblehead forced 17th June 1722
• Four unnamed me from the Island of Shoals forced 17th June 1722
• A number of unnamed fishermen forced at Grand Banks mid June 1722
• Forced 4 crew from the Liverpool Merchant, Late August 1722
• A number of the crew from the King Sagamore joined late August 1722

  Ranger's Crew at capture

Name	Age	Home
Charles Harris (Captain)	25	London
William Blads	28	Rhode Island
Daniel Hide	23	Virginia
Thomas Powel junior	21	Connecticut
Stephen Mundon	20	London
Thomas Huggit	30	London
William Read	35	Londonderry Ireland
Peter Kneeves	32	Exeter
James Brinkly	28	Suffolk
Joseph Sound	28	Westminster
William Shutfield	40	Lancaster
Edward Eaton	38	Wrexham, Wales
John Brown	29	County of Durham
Edward Lawson	20	Isle of Man
Owen Rice	27	South Wales
John Tompkins	23	Gloucestershire
John Fitzgerald	21	Limerick, Ireland
Abraham Lacy	21	Devonshire
Thomas Linister	21	Lancashire
Francis Leyton	39	New York
John Waters (QuarterMaster)	35	County of Devon
William Jones	28	London
Charles Church	21	St Margaret's, Westminster
Thomas Hazel	50
John Bright	25
All Above were found guilty and executed 19th July 1723
John Brown	17	Liverpool
Patrick Cunningham	25
Above 2 were found guilty, but were reprieved after a year
John Wilson	23	New London County
Henry Barnes	22	Barbados
Thomas Jones	17	Flur in Wales
Joseph Switzer	24	Boston
Thomas Mumper (Indian)		Mather's Vineyard
John Hincher (Doctor)	22	Edinburgh, Scotland
John Fletcher	17
Thomas Child	15
Above 8 were found not guilty
Total 35, average age 26.18yrs. 10 to 12 others were killed in action prior to capture

 

Ships Articles

1. Every sailor captured be given ample chance and encouragement to join the company and so grow their number
2. No married man be forced to join their company
3. Prisoners were not to be killed in cold blood
4. No one to talk in secret with prisoners
5. Ships of England were not to be taken (unless fate decreed otherwise, and they captured one in innocence)
6. No boats were to be sent between ships after 8PM until morning light
7. That if any of the Company shall advise, or speak any thing tending to the separating or breaking of the Company, or shall by any Means offer or endeavour to desert or quit the Company, that person shall be shot to Death by the Quarter Master's Order, without the sentence of a Court Martial.

   A copy of his articles printed on 8th Aug 1723 listed

8. The captain is to have two full shares, the master is to have one share and a half, the doctor, mate, gunner and botswaine, one share and a quarter.
9. He that shall be found guilty of taking up any unlawful weapon on board the privateer or any other prize by us taken, so as to strike or abuse one another in any regard, shall suffer what punishment the captain and majority of the company shall see fit.
10. He that shall eb found guilty of cowardice in the time of engagements, shall suffer what punishment the captain and majority of the company shall think fit.
11. If any gold, jewels, silver etc be found on board any prize or prizes to the valu eof a piece of eight, and the finder does not deliver it unto the quarter master in the space of 24 hours, she shall suffer what punishment the captain and majority of the company shall think fit.
12. He that is found guilty of gaming, or defrauding one anotehr to the value of a royal plate, shall suffer what punishment the captain and majority of the company shall think fit.
13. He that shall have the misfortune to loose a limb in time of engagement shall have the sum of 600 pieces of eight, and remain aboard as long as he sees fit
14. Good quarters to be given when craved
15. He that sees a sail first shall have the best pistol or small arm aboard her
16. He that shall be guilty of drunkenness in time of engagement shall suffer what punishment the captain and company shall think fit
17. No snapping of guns in the hold

Died by

• It is guessed he was hanged by the French in Spring 1724, after he was deposed by his crew.

  History