The Life of Mary Read,
Now we are to begin a Hiſtory full of ſurprizing Turns and Adventures; I mean, that of Mary Read and Anne Bonny, alias Bonn, which were the true Names of theſe two Pyrates; the odd Incidents of their rambling Lives are ſuch, that ſome may be tempted to think the whole Story no better than a Novel or Romance; but ſince it is ſupported by many thouſand Witneſſes, I mean the People of Jamaica, who were preſent at their Tryals, and heard the Story of their Lives, upon the firſt diſcovery of their Sex; the Truth of it can be no more conteſted, than that there were ſuch Men in the World, as Roberts and Black-beard, who were Pyrates.
Mary Read was born in England, her Mother was married young, to a Man who uſed the Sea, who going a Voyage ſoon after their Marriage, left her with Child, which Child proved to be a Boy. As to the Husband, whether he was caſt away, or died in the Voyage, Mary Read could not tell; but however, he never returned more; nevertheleſs, the Mother, who was young and airy, met with an Accident, which has often happened to Women who are young, and do not take a great deal of Care; which was, ſhe ſoon proved with Child again, without a Husband to Father it, but how, or by whom, none but her ſelf could tell, for ſhe carried a pretty good Reputation among her Neighbours. Finding her Burthen grow, in order to conceal her Shame, ſhe takes a formal Leave of her Husband’s Relations, giving out, that ſhe went to live with ſome Friends of her own, in the Country: Accordingly ſhe went away, and carried with her her young Son, at this Time, not a Year old: Soon
