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138 John Coxon. By 1675 he had left the logwood business. He had gathered together a crew of "Privateers," and had sailed to the island of Tortuga, where, for a sum down, a compliant French Governor gave him a commission to make "war" upon the Spaniards, with the "right" of landing "to hunt" on Spanish territory. With this precious "protection" in his pocket, John Coxon cut himself temporarily adrift from virtuous living. He hoisted the red flag, and set sail.

We do not know how he began his privateering; but we are forced to conclude that he wasted little time. By August 1676, he had been declared a pirate; and the Jamaican Government had offered mercy to all his men if they would deliver up their captain. To their credit, they refused this offer; but Coxon seems to have taken it as a hint to keep clear of Port Royal, and of the windward waters generally, till some other pirate had put him out of mind for the time being. Probably he went to some quiet place like Boca del Toro, off Nicaragua, where he could live upon turtle and manatee, and dice with his officers for tots of rum. He lay low, in this way, for nearly nine months.