A General History of the Lives and Adventures of the Most Famous Highwaymen, Murders, Street-Robbers, To which is added A Genuine Account of the VOYAGES and PLUNDERS of the most Notorious PYRATES

FIRST EDITION, engraved frontispiece and 25 engraved plates, most by J. Basire after W. Jett and J. Nicholls., title in red and black, woodcut device, contemporary speckled calf, twice ruled in gilt, spine gilt with fleurons, red morocco label, hinges and corners expertly repaired, last two leaves repaired, folio, London, for J. Janeway, 1734

FIRST EDITION OF THIS FAMOUS COMPILATION, uniting the most notorious names in the early eighteenth-century underworld. It consists of selections from two works, Alexander Smith’s History of the Lives of the Most Noted Highway-men and Captain Charles Johnson’s own General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates. Captain Johnson is attributed with creating the modern conception of pirates. He provided a sweeping account of what came to be called the Golden Age of Piracy. He gave an almost mythical status to the more colourful pirates such as Edward ‘Blackbeard’ Teach, ‘Calico’ Jack Rackham, and the female pirates Mary Read and Anne Bonny.

So little is known about the life of Captain Johnson, it has been presumed that the name is a pseudonym. In 1932, it was suggested by John Robert Moore that the author was Daniel Defoe (c.1660-1731). It is known that Defoe often wrote under pseudonyms and had written earlier works on piracy. However, recently there have been doubts as to the validity of this claim. The work, although it has similarities to Defoe’s writing, also has some notable differences. Most apparent is the excellent knowledge of sea language and of the pirate code, the system by which all pirates are known to have adhered to.

Whoever Captain Johnson was, this book, and its first edition, A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates, provides the best information of the lives and careers of some of the most famous pirates of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, while its companion, Smith’s Highwaymen provides similar, though much more romanticised, information about some of the most significant highwaymen of the same period. Johnson inspired later generations of writers and film-makers who adapted elements of his stories and gave us the image of the pirate which has become so familiar.

‘Best edition of this singular work, seldom found in good condition’ according to Lowndes who states that it ‘appeared originally in 73 weekly numbers at twopence each, or 20 monthly parts at eightpence’. The present copy is made up of weekly numbers, and the imprint is one of two recorded variants. Lowndes III, 1214.