William Frogge
"The Pirate"
By Eric D. Ausmus
01/01/08

Introduction
In 1653 Lord Cromwell was proclaimed leader and protector of England. In an effort to improve the trade and the wealth of England, the island of Jamaica was settled. In 1656 approximately 1,600 immigrants arrived and settled around Port Morant. Several years later and as plantations began to produce and word of mouth spread, Jamaica began to prosper. Great wealth was brought to the island by the buccaneers, who operated mainly from Port Royal, by plundering Spanish ships which transported gold and silver from South America [26].

With the Hapsburg dynasty waning with King Philip of Spain spending himself into poverty, the Spanish Main slowly lost its grasp on the West Indies. Making matters worse, English and French privateers and pirates continued to plunder the Spanish ships and trading posts throughout the islands putting a strangle hold on the inflow of silver and gold from Mexico and the West Indies.

Jamaica became Oliver Cromwell's beacon of trade and colonization. His hopes of the Puritan movement and the conversion of non-protestants became dashed as the Jamaica turned into the first "Wild West". Port Royal, the largest port in Jamaica became infested by pirates and became to be known at the most wickedest city in the world. Drunkards, debtors, slaves, indentured servants, prisoners and dissenters were all shipped to the colony in order to rid the Mainland of the downtrodden. However, Jamaica was also made up of hard working, risk taking privateers, merchants and plantation owners. After Cromwell's death he was embalmed. King Charles II dragged his body through the streets amongst parading onlookers then hung his corpse before quartering him.

Prior to 1670, William Frogg "The Plantation Owner" purchased a 90 acre plantation in Clarendon Parish, Jamaica [2] and brought his son, William Frogge "The Pirate" along. William would soon sail with Captain Henry Morgan on some of his many raids on Spanish territories.

Pirates of the Caribbean
William Frogge kept a diary of the chief events of these exploits, and distinctly stated that the Spaniards, and not Morgan, set fire to the city of Panama. But he was greatly enraged against Morgan for cheating the buccaneers out of their plunder, and giving each man only about L10 as his share.

Exquemelin [French Author who accompanied Morgan] accuses Morgan of setting fire to the city
and endeavouring to make the world believe that it was
done by the Spaniards. Wm. Frogge, however, who was
also present, says distinctly that the Spaniards fired the
town, and Sir William Godolphin, in a letter from Madrid
to Secretary Arlington on 2nd June 1671, giving news of
the exploit which must have come from a Spanish source.

The Buccaneers in the West Indies
 By C.h. Haring

Exquemelin [French Author who traveled with Morgan] makes the buccaneers arrive at Venta Cruz on the seventh day. According to Morgan they reached the village on the sixth day, and according to Frogge on the fifth. Morgan reports that two miles from Venta Cruz there was "a very narrow and dangerous passage where the enemy though to put a stop to our futher proceeding but were presently routed by the Forlorn commanded by Capt. Thomas Rogers.

Frogge says that after leaving Venta Cruz they came upon an ambuscade of 1000 Indians, but put them to fight with the loss of only one killed and two wounded, the indians losing their cheif and about thirty men.

Morgan gives the number of Spaniards at 2100 foot and 600 horse, and Frogge reports substantially the same figures. The President of Panama, however, in his letter to the Queen, writes that he had but 1200 men, mostly negroes, mulattos and Indians, besides 200 slaves of Assiento. His followers, he continues, were aremed only with arquebuses and fowling-pieced, and his artillery consisted of three wooden guns bound with a hide.

Abt 1678
William Frogge "The American" is born in Hamilton Parish, Prince William County, VA to William Frogge and Elizabeth Eppes about. Prince William County is now parts of Fauquier and Prince William Counties. [No reference, only one individual entry in LDS website].

1691-1692
English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records, Ships pg 277
Wm. Froke master of the ship "Wellcome" entering and clearing in ye District of Potomack from 17th September 1691 to 17th June 1692. Christopher Wormley Coll'r. [Note Capt. Christopher Wormly can be seen headrighting Thomas Dyer to Virginia in 1638. [Early Virginia Immigrants, 1623-1666; pg 101]

Ship Wellcome
Person Robert Birkett of Workngton
Share 1/16
Value £43.15.00
Date 10 October 1707

References:

1. LDS individual entry batch no. C116859
2. Sainsbury, W. Noel, ed., Calender of State Papers, Colonial Series (Volume 7), America and West Indies, 1669-1674, Preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office (Vaduz: Kraus Reprint Ltd., 1964) First Published London: HMSO, 1889. pp. 496-497
    

Additional Resources

Francis Eppes, first styled captain and afterwards lieutenant-colonel, settled before 1625 in what soon become Charles City county. In the same year he was a member of the house of burgesses, and in Feb. 1631-32, represented in that house "Both Shirley Hundreds, the Farrar's and Chaplayne's." he was appointed a commissioner (justice) for Charles City and Henrio counties in 1631, and in 1639 and 1645, was a burgess from Charles City. It was on April 30, 1652, that Epes was elected a member of the coucil, and he probably died before 1655. On Aug. 26, 1635, he patented 1700 acres of land in Charles City county, on the south side of James river, bounded on the east by Bayly's creed, and on the west by Cosons (Cawson's) creek and the Appomottox river. Some of this land is believed to be owned by his descendants. Col Francis Epes probably married in England, and the arms borne by his descendants in Virginia are the same as those ascribed in English heraldic works to "Epes, of Epps, of Canterbury, Kent."; Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Under the Editorial Supervision of Lyon...edited by Lyon Gardiner Tyler.; pg 115

Captain William Epps, came to Virginia in 1619 and resided on the eastern shore of Virginia in 1624 with Mrs. Epps, and Peter and William Epps. Not long after his arrival, he had a duel with Captain Edward Stalling, whom he killed. In 1633, he appears to have been resident in the Island of St. Christopher's. ;Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Under the Editorial Supervision of Lyon...edited by Lyon Gardiner Tyler.; pg 231

Col. Francis Eppes of Henrico born 1659, died about January 1718-1719, was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Eppes, and grandson of Captain Francis Eppes, of the council [Virginia]. He was justice of Henrico county, Virginia in 1683 and for many other years: sheriff; burgess, 1691, 1693, and 1703-1705, 1705-1706. He married Ann, daughter of Henry and Katherine Isham, of Bermuda Hundred, and his will was proved in June 1720; Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Under the Editorial Supervision of Lyon...edited by Lyon Gardiner Tyler.; pg 230

Circa 1675, the Council was reorganized with nine members: Arthur Annesley, Earl of Anglesey, the Lord Privy Seal; John Egerton, Earl of Bridgewater; Charles Howard, Earl of Carlisle; Willam, Earl of Craven; Thomas Bellasyse, Viscount Fauconberg; Geroge Savile, Viscount Halifax; Lord John Berkeley; Sir George Carteret, the Vice Chamberlain; and Sir John Ernle, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. 

Of the other new appointees at this time, the most capable were Henry Hyde, second Earl of Clarendon, Lord Privy Seal Feb.-Sept. 1685; Lawrence Hyde, Earl of Rochester, Lord President 1684-1685 and Lord Treasurer 1685-1687; Francis North, Lord Guilford, Lord Chief Justice 1675-1682 and Lord Keeper 1682-1685; and Sir Leoline Jenkins, Secretary of State 1680- 1684. The first two were the sons of the first Earl of Clarendon of Restoration fame, one of whom (Rochester) had diplomatic experience. Although their attendance at committee meetings was above the average, it cannot be said that either possessed much of his father's knowledge of colonial control.39 Francis North on the other hand, had been brought into frequent touch with the plantations as Lord Chief Justice, and after becoming a
member of the Lords of Trade in 1680, displayed great activity in colonial administration.40 Lastly, Sir Leoline Jenkins, who was the successor of Coventry as Secretary of State, had a knowledge of diplomacy and naval affairs.

Event(s):
	Birth:	About 1637   Of, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
	Christening:
	Death:
	Burial:

Marriages:
	Spouse:	Alspeth Sinclair	Family
	Marriage:	1672

Event(s):
	Birth:	About 1637   Of, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
	Christening:
	Death:
	Burial:

Marriages:
	Spouse:	Alspeth Sinclair	Family
	Marriage:	1672
	Spouse:	Unavailable	Family

Marriages:
	Spouse:	ALICEA COSSIN	Family
	Marriage:	12 JUN 1637   Bolsover, Derby, England

Messages:
	Extracted marriage record for locality listed in the record. The source records are usually arranged chronologically by the marriage date.

Event(s):
	Birth:
	Christening:	11 FEB 1649   Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
	Death:
	Burial:

Parents:
	Father:	WILLIAME FROG	Family
	Mother:	MAUSE STEVINSONE

Event(s):
	Birth:
	Christening:	15 OCT 1623   Saint Vigor, Fulbourn, Cambridge, England
	Death:
	Burial:

Parents:
	Father:	HENRY FROGE

Edward Darter served on the jury under Governor William Penn for the Quaker witch trial, 12/27/1683, held in Philadelphia.
The jury found the Prisoner guilty of the reputation of being a witch but not guilty of the specific charges (because they were based on hearsay).The transcript of the trial with fifty other names can be found at GenForum on Pennsylvania forum or at the Matson Family Forum along with the history of the ship Wellcome, the Swedes (mostly Finns) at Matson's Ford, now believed to be the Philadelphia Airport

Reconstructing the Welcome Passenger List, August-October 1682 - a Genealogy Project
The Ship Welcome sailed from Deal, England, departing 31 August 1682, and arrived at the mouth of the Delaware River (New Castle) on 27 October 1682, later anchoring at Chester, Pennsylvania (28 October). William Penn and friends then went to Philadelphia. The ship's master was Robert Greenway. A passenger list has not survived, but much research has been done to show who may have been on the ship with William Penn. Here is a list of possible Welcome passengers ("proven" according to the Welcome Claimants - see sources below).

1691-1692
English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records, Ships pg 277
Wm. Froke master of the ship "Wellcome" entering and clearing in ye District of Potomack from 17th September 1691 to 17th June 1692. Christopher Wormley Coll'r. [Note Capt. Christopher Wormly can be seen headrighting Thomas Dyer to Virginia in 1638. [Early Virginia Immigrants, 1623-1666; pg 101]

Ship Wellcome
Person Robert Birkett of Workngton
Share 1/16
Value £43.15.00
Date 10 October 1707

Edward Collier
1668-72. English.  Ships: Satisfaction.   Although nothing is known about his earlier career, Collier was an experienced captain when he took part in Sir Henry Morgan's expeditions.  Many witnesses, both English and Spanish, claimed he tortured prisoners even more cruelly then Morgan and the other buccaneer captains.
Collier commanded a pirate vessel during Morgan's 1668 raid on Portobelo. At the end of 1668, the 34-gun Oxford was sent to defend Jamaica and to put down piracy. The island's governor gave Collier command, when her previous captain killed the ship's master during a quarrel. Collier captured Captain La Veven, a French pirate, whose ship was seized and renamed the Satisfaction.
Soon after, Collier joined Morgan, who was gathering the buccaneers for his raid on Maracaibo and Gibraltar, Venezuela. The drunken pirates blew up the Oxford in January 1669, but Morgan and Collier were among the lucky survivors. Following this disaster, Collier went off on his own, taking the Satisfaction on an 18-month independent cruise to Mexico and possibly to Cuba.
In September 1670, Collier enlisted in Morgan's Panama expedition and was named "vice-admiral." While the pirates were gathering off southwestern Haiti, Collier took six ships to Venezuela to gather food and information. At Rio De La Hacha, he captured the fort and garrison and ferociously tortured his prisoners. He enjoyed his victims' agonies too much for efficient interrogation, for he missed 2000,000 pesos hidden by the fort's commander. After extorting a ransom in salt, corn, and meat, he rejoined Morgan's main fleet early in December. When Morgan routed Panama's defenders in January 1671, Collier commanded the buccaneers' left wing. He and his men chased after and slaughtered the fleeing enemy. After the Spaniards surrendered, Collier killed one of their chaplains, a Franciscan friar.
Collier took ample plunder during his voyages. In 1668, Jamaica's governor gave him a 1,000-acre plantation next to one of Morgan's estates. Plantations of this size were granted only to men with substantial funds to purchase slaves and tools. Collier did not share Morgan's disgrace after the assault on Panama. Although a new governor arrested Morgan, Collier remained in Jamaica and led preparations to defend the island against a possible foreign invasion.

At this court Mr. Obedyence Robins aged 35 years or there abouts sworn and examined saith that about a year since certain Indians came to the house of Daniell Cugley from the Laughing King with a message and brought a parcel of Roanoke, at which time, the said Cugley sent for me and William Brooks, to interpret this message, which message as then interpreted was that they had brought the aforesaid Roanoke, for some poor Englishman that had been killed, how and where I could not tell, neither could the Interpreter understand there, but that it was for some man or other that was killed, I well understood, and therefore said that for all the world I would not receive it, and so departed and went to my house. Notwithstanding this the said Daniel Cugley not only received the said Roanoke at that time, and a day or two after told me that the Indians stole away and left the Roanoke, but after I had charged to send it back to them again. hath falsely kept the same and further, since a rumor hath been that, that the Indians have aboarded our boats, that they were the men that killed the man and the child at the Isle of Kent, and that they had paid for it to me, and diverse have complained to me and of me for it. I charged the said Cugley that the said Roanoke should be forth comming at all demands he confessing he had the same in his custody, not with standing this being the fifth of this instant month, I charged the said Cugley to be present at the court and to bring the said Roanoke with him which he promised to do, he hath continued the command and falsefied his promise, this is all.

The background to the previous abstract can better be interpolated by the following addtional passage (same reference):

Bill of Sale, 26 March 1637, Phillipp Dodsworth sells George Traveller 2 cows and 2 calves. Witnessed by Thomas Savedge (Savage), Robert Kente (Kent) and John Major.

Bill of Sale, 10 Feb 1636/7. Phillip Dodsworth of Accomacke, merchant, sells leven Denwood a cow. Witnessed by Wm. Mellinge and Rennold Fleete.

John Champion, John Denine, Leonard Lenarde was headrighted by Daniel Cugley of Accomacke, Virginia in 1635

Caveliers and Pioneers, Patent Book 1, Part II; pg 77
Robert Throckmorton [eldest son of Gabriel] 300 acres on Chas. Riv. Co., 24 Aug 1637, p. 508. S upon land of William Clarke, N. into the woods the white marsh being in the midle of same. Due for his own per. adv. & trans. of 5 pers: John Bristoe, Robert Turner, Henry Warren, Thomas Clarke, Richard Bilcliffe. According to Encyclopedia of Virginia biography, Under the Editorial Supervision of Lyon...edited by Lyon Gardiner Tyler.; pg 342, Robert Throckmorton married Alice, daughter of William Bedles, and was born in Ellington, Huntingdonshire, England, about 1608. He cam to Virginia about 1637, when he patened 300 acres in York county. He returned to England and died there in September, 1657, leaving sons, Albion, Robert and John - the last of whom left descendants in Virginia.

"The Parish in North River Precinct" Kingston Parish, Matthew County, originally a parish of Glouchester. Loose leafs of a vestrybook for the year 1677: Mordecai Throckmorton.

The Magazine of American History with Notes and Queries - Page 222

MASSACRE AT FALLING CREEK, VIRGINIA
MARCH 22, I62I-22
In the year 1618 the treasury of the London Company was, in the language of its presiding officer " utterly exhaust," and a number of merchants and gentlemen were encouraged to send out colonists at their own expense. Among the first settlements made by private enterprise was Martin's Hundred, seven miles above Jamestown, on the north side of the river, and Southampton Hundred, extending from the mouth of the Chicahominy to Wayonoke,' within the county of Charles City. In 1619 Sir William Throckmorton,' whose sister was the wife of Sir Thomas Dale, late Governor of Virginia, Richard Berkeley, George Thorpe of Wanswell, John Smith of Nibley, all of Gloucestershire, and Captain John WoodlifTe* formed a partnership to establish a plantation in Virginia. The interest of Throckmorton was soon assigned to William Tracy, and Captain Woodliffe was made Agent, who was succeeded by Thorpe and Tracy. It is worthy of note, that on February 2d, 1619-20, O. S., at a meeting of the London Company at the mansion of Sir Edwin Sandys, near Aldersgate, that gentleman alluded to four patents that had been granted to private adventurers, " and now lying all engrossed before them." The third was to William Tracy, Esquire, and his associates, for the transportation of five hundred people, and the fourth to John Peirce* and his associates, their heirs and assigns. It was under the Peirce patent that William Brewster and the Leyden colonists sailed, although they
eventually landed at Plymouth Rock, beyond the limits of the Southern Colony of the Virginia Company, The Tracy Company hired a ship of a Mr. Williams, of Bristol, which sailed in March, 1620, with Tobias Felgate in charge as pilot, who had several times made a voyage as master or mate to Virginia. Among the passengers was George Thorpe, who had been a gentleman of the King's Privy Chamber, and for years an active member of the Virginia Company of London, as well as the Somers Island Company. He was appointed before sailing Deputy Governor of the College lands of the London Company, with a grant of 300 acres perpetually belonging to that place, and ten tenants to be placed upon the lands, and on the 2oth of May, 1620, he and William Tracy were designated as members of the Council in Virginia. Tracy did not, however, leave England until the eighteenth of the following September, when he sailed in a ship commanded by Captain Ewans. There is a letter preserved, written to John Smith of Nibley [Anne Frogg married John Smith in Cambridge, England on 12 Mar 1628, dated December 19, 1620, from Southampton Hundred, in which Thorpe writes, " that the country is very healthy and that they have found a way to make a good drink from Indian corn, which he prefers to good English beer.'" Among those who settled with Thorpe and Tracy in the valley of the James River was Rev. Robert Pawlett, who came out in the threefold capacity of pastor, physician and surgeon, and was made one of the Councillors of the Colony. Thorpe, Richard Berkeley, and Smith of Nibley had been acquainted with the iron works of Gloucestershire. The same year that the patent for Southampton Hundred was taken, one was granted to a Mr. Barkley or Berkeley, who probably gave the name to Berkeley Hundred, above
Westover. The London Company in 1621 determined to establish iron works at Falling Creek, now Richmond, and in the ship George,
which arrived in October, 1621, at Jamestown, with Governor Wyatt and family, also arrived John Berkeley of Beverston Castle, Gloucestershire, a man of an honorable family. The London Company in a letter to the Virginia authorities, wrote : " The advancement of the iron works we esteem to be most necessary, by perfecting whereof we esteem the plantation is gainer, we therefore require all possible assistance to be 'Thorpe, also, on May I7th, 1621, wrote to the London Company: " No man can justly say that this country is not capable of all those good things that you in your wisdom, with great charge, have projected both for her wealth and honor, and also all other good things, that the most opulent parts of Christendom so afford, neither are we hopeless that this, country may also yield things of better value, than any of these."