▁of ▁Venezuela . ▁In ▁early ▁ 1 6 7 0 , ▁he ▁set ▁out ▁from ▁Port ▁Royal ▁with ▁letters ▁from ▁Governor ▁Thomas ▁M ody ford ▁to ▁the ▁Governor ▁of ▁Cuba ▁" sign ifying ▁peace ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁nations ". ▁As ▁a ▁further ▁show ▁of ▁good will , ▁several ▁Spanish ▁prisoners ▁being ▁held ▁in ▁J ama ica ▁were ▁also ▁returned . ▁ ▁However , ▁the ▁Governor ▁of ▁Bay amo ▁was ▁susp icious ▁of ▁his ▁intent ions ▁and ▁had ▁an ▁officer ▁search ▁his ▁ship ▁three ▁times ▁looking ▁for ▁evidence ▁of ▁private ering . ▁Having ▁brought ▁a ▁full ▁cargo ▁of ▁European ▁lux ury ▁goods , ▁which ▁were ▁in ▁short ▁supply ▁among ▁the ▁local ▁town spe ople , ▁Spe ird y ke ▁soon ▁sold ▁his ▁entire ▁stock . ▁Despite ▁this ▁bre ach ▁of ▁Spanish ▁law , ▁the ▁governor ▁chose ▁to ▁turn ▁a ▁blind ▁eye . ▁ ▁Setting ▁sail ▁for ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁J ama ica , ▁it ▁was ▁shortly ▁after ▁leaving ▁the ▁har bor ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁ha iled ▁by ▁an ▁English ▁ship ▁and ▁asked ▁where ▁they ▁ha iled ▁from . ▁When ▁Spe ird y ke ▁answered ▁J ama ica , ▁the ▁captain ▁revealed ▁himself ▁as ▁Manuel ▁R ibe iro ▁P ard al , ▁a ▁former ▁Portuguese ▁private er ▁turned ▁pir ate ▁h unter , ▁and ▁called ▁upon ▁the ▁elder ly ▁Dutch man ▁to ▁defend ▁himself . ▁P ard al ▁opened ▁fire ▁and ▁the ▁two ▁ships ▁began ▁a ▁battle ▁last ing ▁until ▁the ▁evening ▁when ▁it ▁became ▁to ▁dark ▁to ▁see . ▁Spe ird y ke ▁was