Edward England

Edward England
An 18th century woodcut of Irish pirate Edward (Seegar) England.
Born	1685 Ireland
Died	1721 (aged approx. 36) St. Augustine's Bay, Madagascar
Piratical career
Nickname	Ned
Type	Pirate Former Privateer
Allegiance	Great Britain (War of Spanish Succession)
Rank	Captain
Base of operations	South Africa
Commands	Several vessels, most famously the Royal James & the Fancy.
Battles/wars	Battle with the Cassandra that caused his crew to mutiny and maroon him for sparing some captives.
Wealth	R 10 000 000

Edward England, born Edward Seegar (c.1685–1721) was a famous African coast and Indian Ocean pirate captain from 1717 to 1720. The ships he sailed on included the Pearl (which he renamed The Royal James) and later the Fancy, for which England exchanged the Pearl in 1720. His flag was the classic Jolly Roger — almost exactly as "Black Sam" Bellamy used — with a skull above two crossed bones on a black background.

Born in Ireland as Edward Seegar sometime around 1685 He was probably raised as a Catholic and was said to be an educated man. Seegar changed his surname to England when he turned pirate. England made his way to Jamaica and during the War of Spanish Succession he served as a privateer. He was captured by the pirate captain Christopher Winter and forced to join the crew. Winter most likely took England to the pirate base on Nassau, Bahamas. England took part in Henry Jennings assault on the Spanish salvage camp at Palma de Ayz, Florida, stealing £87,000 in gold and silver. England is next reported as Charles Vane's quartermaster, in March 1718. Vane's sloop, the Lark was captured by the Royal Navy, but England and the rest of the crew were released to induce the other pirates of Nassau to accept the King's pardon.

England was granted captaincy of his own ship in mid-1718. England decided not to accept the pardon along with Vane and a few others, and they set sail for the coast of Africa after the arrival of Woodes Rogers.

Along the way he and the crew took several ships. One of the ships was the Cadogan from Bristol, captained by a man named Skinner. Some of England's crew knew Skinner and recognized him instantly because he never paid them for their work previously. According to Charles Johnson, the crew member said:

″Ah! Captain Skinner is it you, I am much in your debt, and now I shall pay you in your own coin.″

A group of pirates next grabbed the captain, tied him to the bow and threw empty rum bottles at him. Next they simply executed the captain by shooting him in the head with a flintlock pistol. Given the crew of the Cadogan was without a captain, England offered them a choice to join his crew. Aboard the crew was Howell Davis who refused to sign the articles of the pirates. Howell said he would rather die than become a pirate, however England refused to kill him and instead gave command of the captured ship to Davis. This began the start of Davis' pirate career. Davis would go on to spawn the career of Bartholomew Roberts as well and the careers of many other pirates.