Skip to Letter: Sir Michael Geare Active late 1500's Geare's
first voyages were under Captain Sir George Carey. He then
worked for John Watts from 1588 through 1591. In 1591 he was
made captain of the Little John, which was one of five ships
under the command of William Lane. According to Lane's accounts,
Captain Geare was in the forefront of most of the fighting,
gaining for himself a rather large booty plus extra loot by
smuggling goods into England. Captain Geare bought a share in
the Little John and renamed her the Michael and John. From 1592
to 1595, Captain Geare had four successful versions in the ship.
In 1595, Captain Geare encountered a Spanish warship near
Havana. The battle cost the lives of 50 of his crew as well as a
pinnace, the Spanish prize he had captured. Captain Geare fled
the action in the Michael and John and was able to recoup some
of his losses by taking of another Spanish prize, after which he
returned to England. In 1596 Captain Geare commanded the Neptune
and its pinnace with John R