William Lewis (pirate)

He is likely the fictional creation of "Captain Charles Johnson" who presented his story among those of real historical pirates.

His book A General History of the Pyrates influenced years of pirate researchers, scholars, and writers, though it was later found to have a great many errors.

[6] Lewis sailed as a boy with the crew of pirate Joseph Bannister,[7] who was captured and hanged in Port Royal in 1687.

The ship’s captain convinced Lewis to send his quartermaster John Cornelius ashore for supplies, where he was captured.

[8] Sailing across the Atlantic to the coast of Guinea with 200 men in the newly renamed Morning Star, he captured several more ships, finally spotting a vessel from the Carolinas.

Here the incident occurred for which Lewis would be best known: “While he was in chase of this vessel a circumstance occurred, which made his men believe he dealt with the devil; his fore and main top-mast being carried away, he, Lewis, running up the shrouds to the maintop, tore off a handful of hair, and throwing it into the air used this expression, good devil, take this till I come.