The military and naval adventures seemed to hold a fascination for Mary
Read. She chose to
serve as a "Foot-boy" aboard a man-of-war until becoming a cadet in a regiment
of foot.
This, of course, she did dressed up in men's clothing as a disguise. She
fell in love, and married one of
her mess mates whom she had informed of her secret female identity earlier.
Together the two
opened up a tavern, "The Three Horseshoes" near Breda Holland.
Her husband's early death, and waning prosperity of the tavern, saw the
young widow once
again acquiring a male persona, and joining another regiment of foot.
Eventually, she
made a resolution of seeking her fortune another way, and shipped out as
a sailor aboard a
Dutch vessel bound for the West Indies. The ship was stopped by pirates,
and she being the
only English ‘seaman’ on board, was allowed to travel with them. Soon after,
she heard of a
commission for privateers against the Spanish. Once aboard a privateer,
Mary joined others
of the crew in a rising against the ship's captain.
Eventually she found herself under the command of Captain Calico Jack Rackham
(thus
called because of the striped material he used for his trousers). She held
herself somewhat
aloof from the rest of the Company, and was pretty much accepted as a man.
It was on this ship that she met Anne Bonny, Jack Rackham’s mistress, who
was also
disguised as a man. The two quickly became good friends, and continued
pirating together.