Daniel Elfrith
Encyclopedia
Daniel Elfrith was a 17th-century English privateer
, colonist and slave trader. In the service of the Earl of Warwick
, Elfrith was involved in privateering expeditions against the Spanish from his base in Bermuda
. He was particularly known for capturing Spanish slave ships bound for the Spanish Main
and selling the slaves himself to rival colonies in the Caribbean and the American colonies.
He and John Jupe were the first men to arrive in the Colony of Virginia to sell slaves. Arriving only four days ahead his partner, Jupe had sold the first African slaves in the American colonies in exchange for provisions, however Elfrith's arrival sparked considerably more controversy and was turned away by the colony.
He is also one of the earliest Englishmen, along with Sussex Camock, to discover and later take part in the initial settlement of Providence Island
in 1629. A personal friend of the Earl of Warwick, his son-in-law Philip Bell
became the island's first governor while he assumed the position of its admiral.
. They quickly bred and were soon nesting in palm trees as well as the thatched roofs of cottages, churches and storehouses. The rats dug holes in the soft coral, feeding on corn and wheat in storehouses and eating the crops and other plants grown by the colony. Despite the colonists attempts to exterminate them, which included using traps, hunting dogs and setting cats into the wild, the rats plagued the colony for several years before the problem was finally brought under control.
In early 1618, Elfrith was hired by Sir Robert Rich, Lord de la Warr
and others to captain the Treasurer for a privateering expedition to the West Indies. His employers managed to obtain a privateering commission from Charles Emmanuel I through his ambassador to England, Count Scarnafissi. He left England in late April or early May and arrived at the Colony of Virginia shortly after the Neptune under Captain Henry Spelman
. Their arrival was said to have "brought a most pestilent disease (called the bloody flux) which infected almost all the whole colony. That disease, notwithstanding all our former afflictions, was never known before amongst us". Five years later, a lawsuit was brought before the court of admiralty in which the Earl of Warwick was accused by Edward Brewster and other colonists of outfitting the Neptune and the Treasurer with arms and ammunition instead of the badly needed provisions and supplies, such as fishing tackle
, that they were promised.
In mid-July 1619, he and John Jupe of the White Lion captured the Portuguese slaver Sao Joao Bautista carrying around 370 Angolans taken prisoner during Portugal's war in Luanda
. The two privateers intercepted the ship as it sailed towards Veracruz
and escaped with at least 200 slaves, Elfrith taking the majority of them as his ship was larger while Jupe took less than 30 men and women. They both headed towards the Colony of Virginia, a known safe haven for English privateers under Governor Samuel Argall
, with Jupe reaching the colony four days ahead of Elfrith and successfully selling his cargo of slaves. Elfrith's arrival was far less welcoming, learning that Charles Emmanuel I had made peace with Spain (thus invalidating his privateering commission) and that Governor Argall had been replaced by Edwyn Sandys (a rival of the Earl of Warwick), and left the colony almost as soon as he arrived. He instead returned to Bermuda where the slaves were put to work on the estate of his employer the Earl of Warwick
.
However, he did return to Virginia periodically while on privateering voyages against the Spanish during the next year. Acting under orders from Governor Argall, who may have misrepresented the Earl of Warwick to justify his activities, he continued raiding Spanish shipping. Nathaniel Butler
, governor of Bermuda and protege of the Earl of Warwick, wrote to the Earl reporting that Elfrith's vessel was "in an unseaworthy condition and with her a number of negros" when he arrived in the island later that year. He further stated that
While on a privateering expedition with Captain Sussex Camock of the bark Somer Ilands in 1625, Elfrith and Camock discovered two islands off the coast of Nicaragua
, both separated 50 miles apart from each other. Camock stayed with 30 of his men to explore one of the islands, San Andrés
, while Elfrith took the Warwicke back to Bermuda bringing news of Providence Island
. Governor Bell wrote on behalf of Elfrith to Sir Nathaniel Rich, a businessman and cousin of the Earl of Warwick, who presented a proposal for colonizing the island noting its strategic location "lying in the heart of the Indies & the mouth of the Spaniards". Although this also meant the island would be subject to Spanish attacks, Bell assured Rich that the island would become invincible once fortified and make a highly valued base for privateers. Bell also pointed out that San Andreas, lower and more favorable for farming, could never be made "half so strong".
Elfrith was appointed admiral of the colony's military forces in 1631, and Black Rock Fort the following year, remaining the overall military commander for over seven years. During this time, Elfrith served as a guide to other privateers and sea captains arriving in the Caribbean. As early as 1631, he warned of places where English ships might be attacked by natives or escaped slaves including the areas of Dominica
and Trujilo.
That same year, he left on an unauthorized expedition to Central America
where he attacked and captured a Spanish frigate in Cape Gracias a Dios although he was forced to leave behind a pinnace before returning to Providence Island. This attack was considered an act of piracy as he did not have a letter of marque
from the Providence Island Company
. The incident was also condemned by the colonists, concerned that the colony might be seen as a base for privateering, and wrote to friends and family in England believing Elfrith's reckless behavior was endangering the colony. Elfrith's raid not only revealed the colony's presence to the Spaniards but left the colony open to attack before adequate fortifications could be built. It is speculated that Elfrith may have tried to intentionally provoke the Spaniards to attack the colony believing the privateering commissions would be granted in order to retaliate. Later that year, Elfrith entertained the Dutch privateer Diego El Mulato in the colony further angering the residents and the PIC. Although an enemy of the Spanish and a well-known officer under Piet Hein
, it was thought dangerous to invite any privateer into the colony to see its defenses.
In an effort to make peace with the company, he gave them his Logbook
which contained an elaborate manuscript describing the coastlines and the navigation directions of the Caribbean. Considered by modern editors and cartographers as "remarkably accurate", Elfrith wrote that he had compiled this information during his exploration and privateering voyages for his own use and felt that he should make it available to English captains as many of the other "ancient seamen" who also knew these charts were now dead and that the "drafts and platts made in England were very false". Also included were details for the approaches of the Mosquito Coast
and the Bay of Trujilo as well as Providence Island itself.
In 1632, he and Samuel Axe
, the other principal military commander, became involved in an argument resulting in Axe leaving the colony and the PIC. A dispute between the two first arose at the first harvest of the island's first tobacco crop. The PIC had made a vague mention of Elfrith, Axe and Bell receiving a portion for their efforts in establishing the colony with Elfrith and Axe arguing over their shares. The two also disagreed of the strategic value of Warwick Fort. Axe ultimately decided to leave the colony because of this dispute.
In 1636, Elfrith resumed privateering upon receiving a letter of marque from the PIC. He was replaced by Governor Robert Hunt
in April 1638, however he continued as a privateer until 1641.
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
, colonist and slave trader. In the service of the Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick is a title that has been created four times in British history and is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the British Isles.-1088 creation:...
, Elfrith was involved in privateering expeditions against the Spanish from his base in Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. He was particularly known for capturing Spanish slave ships bound for the Spanish Main
Spanish Main
In the days of the Spanish New World Empire, the mainland of the American continent enclosing the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico was referred to as the Spanish Main. It included present-day Florida, the east shore of the Gulf of Mexico in Texas, Mexico, Central America and the north coast of...
and selling the slaves himself to rival colonies in the Caribbean and the American colonies.
He and John Jupe were the first men to arrive in the Colony of Virginia to sell slaves. Arriving only four days ahead his partner, Jupe had sold the first African slaves in the American colonies in exchange for provisions, however Elfrith's arrival sparked considerably more controversy and was turned away by the colony.
He is also one of the earliest Englishmen, along with Sussex Camock, to discover and later take part in the initial settlement of Providence Island
Providencia Island
Isla de Providencia or Old Providence is a mountainous Caribbean island. Though it is closer to Nicaragua, it is part of the Archipelago of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina, a department of Colombia, lying midway between Costa Rica and Jamaica...
in 1629. A personal friend of the Earl of Warwick, his son-in-law Philip Bell
Philip Bell
Philip Ingress Bell, TD, QC was a British barrister and judge, who also had a political career.-Early life:...
became the island's first governor while he assumed the position of its admiral.
Biography
An active privateer in the West Indies as early as 1607, Elfrith commanded the Treasurer (owned by the Earl of Warwick) for several years. In mid-1613, Elfrith arrived in Bermuda with a Spanish caravel full of grain for the starving island colonists. As England and Spain were not at war, this was technically considered an act of piracy although this fact went unnoticed by the colony. However, the ship also contained black rats which escaped from the ship as the grain was being unloaded in a harbor off St. George'sSt. George's, Bermuda
St. George's , located on the island and within the parish of the same names, was the first permanent settlement on the islands of Bermuda, and is often described as the third successful English settlement in the Americas, after St. John's, Newfoundland, and Jamestown, Virginia. However, St...
. They quickly bred and were soon nesting in palm trees as well as the thatched roofs of cottages, churches and storehouses. The rats dug holes in the soft coral, feeding on corn and wheat in storehouses and eating the crops and other plants grown by the colony. Despite the colonists attempts to exterminate them, which included using traps, hunting dogs and setting cats into the wild, the rats plagued the colony for several years before the problem was finally brought under control.
In early 1618, Elfrith was hired by Sir Robert Rich, Lord de la Warr
Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr
Thomas West, 3rd and 12th Baron De La Warr was the Englishman after whom the bay, the river, and, consequently, an American Indian people and U.S. state, all later called "Delaware", were named....
and others to captain the Treasurer for a privateering expedition to the West Indies. His employers managed to obtain a privateering commission from Charles Emmanuel I through his ambassador to England, Count Scarnafissi. He left England in late April or early May and arrived at the Colony of Virginia shortly after the Neptune under Captain Henry Spelman
Henry Spelman
Sir Henry Spelman was an English antiquary, noted for his detailed collections of medieval records, in particular of church councils.-Life:...
. Their arrival was said to have "brought a most pestilent disease (called the bloody flux) which infected almost all the whole colony. That disease, notwithstanding all our former afflictions, was never known before amongst us". Five years later, a lawsuit was brought before the court of admiralty in which the Earl of Warwick was accused by Edward Brewster and other colonists of outfitting the Neptune and the Treasurer with arms and ammunition instead of the badly needed provisions and supplies, such as fishing tackle
Fishing tackle
Fishing tackle, is a general term that refers to the equipment used by fishermen when fishing. Almost any equipment or gear used for fishing can be called fishing tackle. Some examples are hooks, lines, sinkers, floats, rods, reels, baits, lures, spears, nets, gaffs, traps, waders and tackle...
, that they were promised.
In mid-July 1619, he and John Jupe of the White Lion captured the Portuguese slaver Sao Joao Bautista carrying around 370 Angolans taken prisoner during Portugal's war in Luanda
Luanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
. The two privateers intercepted the ship as it sailed towards Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
and escaped with at least 200 slaves, Elfrith taking the majority of them as his ship was larger while Jupe took less than 30 men and women. They both headed towards the Colony of Virginia, a known safe haven for English privateers under Governor Samuel Argall
Samuel Argall
Sir Samuel Argall was an English adventurer and naval officer.As a sea captain, in 1609, Argall was the first to determine a shorter northern route from England across the Atlantic Ocean to the new English colony of Virginia, based at Jamestown, and made numerous voyages to the New World...
, with Jupe reaching the colony four days ahead of Elfrith and successfully selling his cargo of slaves. Elfrith's arrival was far less welcoming, learning that Charles Emmanuel I had made peace with Spain (thus invalidating his privateering commission) and that Governor Argall had been replaced by Edwyn Sandys (a rival of the Earl of Warwick), and left the colony almost as soon as he arrived. He instead returned to Bermuda where the slaves were put to work on the estate of his employer the Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick is a title that has been created four times in British history and is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the British Isles.-1088 creation:...
.
However, he did return to Virginia periodically while on privateering voyages against the Spanish during the next year. Acting under orders from Governor Argall, who may have misrepresented the Earl of Warwick to justify his activities, he continued raiding Spanish shipping. Nathaniel Butler
Nathaniel Butler
Nathaniel Butler was an English privateer who later served as the colonial governor of Bermuda during the early 17th century. He had built many structures still seen in Bermuda today including many of the island's coastal fortresses and the State House, in St...
, governor of Bermuda and protege of the Earl of Warwick, wrote to the Earl reporting that Elfrith's vessel was "in an unseaworthy condition and with her a number of negros" when he arrived in the island later that year. He further stated that
While on a privateering expedition with Captain Sussex Camock of the bark Somer Ilands in 1625, Elfrith and Camock discovered two islands off the coast of Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, both separated 50 miles apart from each other. Camock stayed with 30 of his men to explore one of the islands, San Andrés
San Andrés (island)
San Andrés is a coral island among the Colombian islands in the Caribbean Sea; it is the largest island of the southern group of islands. Together with the nearby island of Providencia and some smaller islands of the southern group of the Colombian archipelago, San Andrés forms the department of...
, while Elfrith took the Warwicke back to Bermuda bringing news of Providence Island
Providencia Island
Isla de Providencia or Old Providence is a mountainous Caribbean island. Though it is closer to Nicaragua, it is part of the Archipelago of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina, a department of Colombia, lying midway between Costa Rica and Jamaica...
. Governor Bell wrote on behalf of Elfrith to Sir Nathaniel Rich, a businessman and cousin of the Earl of Warwick, who presented a proposal for colonizing the island noting its strategic location "lying in the heart of the Indies & the mouth of the Spaniards". Although this also meant the island would be subject to Spanish attacks, Bell assured Rich that the island would become invincible once fortified and make a highly valued base for privateers. Bell also pointed out that San Andreas, lower and more favorable for farming, could never be made "half so strong".
Elfrith was appointed admiral of the colony's military forces in 1631, and Black Rock Fort the following year, remaining the overall military commander for over seven years. During this time, Elfrith served as a guide to other privateers and sea captains arriving in the Caribbean. As early as 1631, he warned of places where English ships might be attacked by natives or escaped slaves including the areas of Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
and Trujilo.
That same year, he left on an unauthorized expedition to Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
where he attacked and captured a Spanish frigate in Cape Gracias a Dios although he was forced to leave behind a pinnace before returning to Providence Island. This attack was considered an act of piracy as he did not have a letter of marque
Letter of marque
In the days of fighting sail, a Letter of Marque and Reprisal was a government licence authorizing a person to attack and capture enemy vessels, and bring them before admiralty courts for condemnation and sale...
from the Providence Island Company
Providence Island Company
The Providence Company or Providence Island Company was an English chartered company founded in 1629 by a group of Puritans including Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick in order to settle Providence Island, off the Spanish Mosquito Coast of what became Nicaragua.Besides Lord Warwick, among the twenty...
. The incident was also condemned by the colonists, concerned that the colony might be seen as a base for privateering, and wrote to friends and family in England believing Elfrith's reckless behavior was endangering the colony. Elfrith's raid not only revealed the colony's presence to the Spaniards but left the colony open to attack before adequate fortifications could be built. It is speculated that Elfrith may have tried to intentionally provoke the Spaniards to attack the colony believing the privateering commissions would be granted in order to retaliate. Later that year, Elfrith entertained the Dutch privateer Diego El Mulato in the colony further angering the residents and the PIC. Although an enemy of the Spanish and a well-known officer under Piet Hein
Piet Pieterszoon Hein
Pieter Pietersen Heyn was a Dutch naval officer and folk hero during the Eighty Years' War between the United Provinces and Spain.-Early life:...
, it was thought dangerous to invite any privateer into the colony to see its defenses.
In an effort to make peace with the company, he gave them his Logbook
Logbook
A logbook was originally a book for recording readings from the chip log, and is used to determine the distance a ship traveled within a certain amount of time...
which contained an elaborate manuscript describing the coastlines and the navigation directions of the Caribbean. Considered by modern editors and cartographers as "remarkably accurate", Elfrith wrote that he had compiled this information during his exploration and privateering voyages for his own use and felt that he should make it available to English captains as many of the other "ancient seamen" who also knew these charts were now dead and that the "drafts and platts made in England were very false". Also included were details for the approaches of the Mosquito Coast
Mosquito Coast
The Caribbean Mosquito Coast historically consisted of an area along the Atlantic coast of present-day Nicaragua and Honduras, and part of the Western Caribbean Zone. It was named after the local Miskito Indians and long dominated by British interests...
and the Bay of Trujilo as well as Providence Island itself.
In 1632, he and Samuel Axe
Samuel Axe
Samuel Axe was an English privateer in Dutch service during the early 17th century.Serving with English forces in the Netherlands during the Dutch War of Independence, Axe traveled to the British colony of Providence Island, in the western Caribbean Sea, where he assisted in the construction of its...
, the other principal military commander, became involved in an argument resulting in Axe leaving the colony and the PIC. A dispute between the two first arose at the first harvest of the island's first tobacco crop. The PIC had made a vague mention of Elfrith, Axe and Bell receiving a portion for their efforts in establishing the colony with Elfrith and Axe arguing over their shares. The two also disagreed of the strategic value of Warwick Fort. Axe ultimately decided to leave the colony because of this dispute.
In 1636, Elfrith resumed privateering upon receiving a letter of marque from the PIC. He was replaced by Governor Robert Hunt
Robert Hunt
Robert Hunt may refer to:* Robert Hunt , chaplain of the English expedition that founded Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607* Robert Hunt , English scientist in mineralogy and mining...
in April 1638, however he continued as a privateer until 1641.