William May

William Mayes (fl. 1689–1700) was a pirate active in the Indian Ocean, best known for taking over William Kidd's ship Blessed William and sailing with Henry Every. William Mayes was from Rhode Island.

History After a time as a buccaneer and privateer in the Nine Years' War, May joined William Kidd's crew in 1689 aboard the Blessed William. Led by Robert Culliford, the crew mutinied against Kidd and voted May as captain. They took several small Spanish vessels in the Caribbean.

In 1695 May joined Thomas Tew, Richard Want, Joseph Faro, Thomas Wake, and Henry Every in a raid on the Mughal treasure convoys. The convoy almost escaped but the straggler Gunsway and its escort Fateh Mohammed were caught and looted by the pirates, chiefly by Every. Tew was killed early in the battle, while Want and Wake could not keep pace with the others and fell behind; Faro's ship had sufficient speed but was denied a share of the treasure, Every claiming they had never participated.

The Pearl sailed toward Ethiopia, taking vessels near India after its captain Richard Bobbington had been killed raiding ashore in India. Culliford had sailed alongside the Charming Mary for a time, but had departed before May's tenure as captain. May was trying to repeat Every's feat when English pirate hunters were reported en route.

May's name (occasionally Mason or Masson) and exploits may have served as inspiration for Captain Charles Johnson's fictional "Captain Mission" in his A General History of the Pyrates, which was otherwise devoted to historical pirate figures.

Captain William May (Mayes/Mason/etc.) of the Pearl should not be confused with crewman William May who served on Henry Every's ship Fancy, and was one of the few members of that voyage to be executed for piracy.