Visit a re-print of my original article about Peter Hoof

Part One of my original article, “Peter Cornelius Hoof and Me,” is being re-printed on the It’s History web site.

You may read it here:

 

http://www.historyisnowmagazine.com/blog/2014/7/21/a-personal-journey-with-a-pirate

 Part Two will be featured next week.

 

Correction to Pirate Photos

Well, last week I posted some drawings that were purported to be of the pirate Olivier Levasseur. It turns out the one that has been passed around the Internet as an actual drawing of him is from graphic novels written by the French author Michel Faure.

You can see a copy of the original drawing on the link below:

http://p1.storage.canalblog.com/12/68/386383/24400273.jpg

 

 I found these graphic novels available on Amazon, but they’re in French, and it doesn’t appear that he has any work available in English. I only did a quick search through Amazon and found these two, which appear to have La Buse as a topic:

http://www.amazon.com/buse-vierge-du-cap/dp/2877632415/ref=la_B004MNQTFQ_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406140991&sr=1-7

 

If someone finds some of his work having to do with La Buse in English, please let me know, as I would love to read it!

http://www.amazon.com/fin-buse-Michel-Faur%C3%83%C2%A9/dp/2877632423/ref=la_B004MNQTFQ_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406140991&sr=1-8

 

So everyone got a chance to learn this week! My thanks goes to naval history expert Ed Fox for the corrections and for providing a ink to a copy of Mr. Faure’s original drawing.

The remaining drawings are of course artist’s renderings, as I said before. So while they may not be “authentic” pirate drawings, they are still interesting works of art with their own merit. So please enjoy them as such!

 

 

Pirate pictures

            This first picture is reported to be an actual drawing of Olivier Levasseur. If you look closely, you can see some writing at the bottom. I have never been able to read it myself, nor have I ever seen a translation of what it says. Maybe someone out there who knows what it says can help out so I can include it here? That would be wonderful!

 

This picture has always been intriguing to me. What first drew me to it was when I noticed that his left eye is looking straight ahead, rather than at the artist as the right eye is. I noticed this because I have amblyopia in my left eye. When I was a child, my parents had a series of photos done of me. In one of them, the photographer captured my eye defect, which was that my left eye could move in, but not out. So my right eye (the furthest from the camera in this shot, is looking at the camera, but the left one is looking straight ahead.

 

            Unfortunately, it is impossible to know if Levasseur had amblyopia. Judging from the scars on his face around the eye socket, though, I believe that this defect is the result of an injury of some sort when he was grown. It is a mystery that modern pirate scholars may never be able to solve.

 

            The next picture appears to be the result of a reversal of the picture, as the eye defect has moved to the other eye!

           

            This next photo is of his memorial on Reunion Island. I don’t say grave because if you read the final proclamation detailing that he was found guilty of piracy, it says that after he was hanged his body would be thrown into the sea.

 

            The next couple of photos appear to be artist’s renditions of the original drawing of Levasseur. It is quite good, and really captures the arrogance of the man. In both drawings, his mouth is trying to smile, but the gesture doesn’t come anywhere near his eyes, which are hard and uncompromising. I don't know who did this drawing; I got it off the Internet. If someone knows who drew I would appreciate finding out so I can give them credit for it!

 

 

 

            The last drawing is an artist’s rendering from the game Assassin’s Creed IV. It is really quite good and probably comes pretty close to what Levasseur might have looked like at some time during his piratical career.

           

 

 

 

Colonial Massachusetts policy on handling pirate trials, Part One

"An Act for the more effectuall Suppression of Piracy 11th Gul. III. Chapter VII"] The Statutes of the Realm Printed by Command of His Majesty King George the Third in Pursuance of An Address of the House of Commons of Great Britain from Original Records and Authentic Manuscripts 7:590-594. London. 1963.

 

[pr.1] Whereas by an Act of Parliament made in the Twenty eighth Yeare of the Reigne of King Henry the Eighth [3.7 1536/00/00/01] it is enacted that Treasons Felonies Robberies Murthers and Confederacies committed on the Sea shall be enquired of tryed and determined according to the common Course of the Laws of this Land used for such Offences upon the Land within this Realme whereupon the Triall of those Offenders before the Admirall or his Lieutenant or his Commissary hath beene altogether disused  And whereas that since the making of the said Act and especially of late Yeares it hath been found by experience That Persons committing Piracies Robberies and Felonies on the Seas in or neare the East and West Indies and in Places very remote cannot be brought to condign [=fitting] Punishment without great Trouble and Charges in sending them into England to be tryed within the Realme as the said Statute directs insomuch that many idle and profligate [3.1] Persons have beene thereby encouraged to turne Pirates and betake themselves to that sort of wicked Life trusting that they shall not or at least cannot easily be questioned for such their Piracies and Robberies by reason of the great Trouble and Expence that will necessarily fall upon such as shall attempt to apprehend and prosecute them for the same  And whereas the Numbers of them are of late very much increased and their Insolencies soe great that unlesse some speedy Remedy be provided to suppresse them by a strict and more easie way for putting the ancient Laws in that behalfe in Execution the Trade and Navigation into remote Parts will very much suffer thereby  Be it therefore declared and enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same   That all Piracies Felonies and Robberies committed in or upon the Sea, or in any Haven River Creeke or Place where the Admirall or Admiralls have Power Authority or Jurisdiction may be examined inquired of tryed heard and determined and adjudged according to the Directions of this Act in any Place at Sea or upon the Land in any of His Majesties Islands Plantations [p.591] Colonies Dominions Forts or Factories [3.1] to be appointed for that Purpose by the Kings Commission or Commissions under the Great Seale of England or the Seale of the Admiralty of England directed to all or any of the Admiralls Vice-Admiralls Reer-Admiralls Judges of Vice-Admiralties or Commanders of any of His Majesties Ships of Warr and alsoe to all or any such Person or Persons Officer or Officers by Name or for the time being as His Majesty shall thinke fitt to appoint which said Commissioners shall have full Power joyntly or severally by Warrant under the Hande and Seale of them or any one of them to committ to safe Custody any Person or Persons against whom Information of Piracy Robbery or Felony upon the Sea shall be given upon Oath (which Oath they or any one of them shall have full Power and are hereby required to administer) and to call and assemble a Court of Admiralty on Shipboard or upon the Land when and as often as occasion shall require, which Court shall consist of Seaven Persons at the least

[pr.2]  And if soe many of the Persons aforesaid cannot conveniently be assembled Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid  That any Three of the aforesaid Persons (whereof the President or Chiefe of some English Factory or the Governour Lieutenant Governour or Member of His Majesties Councills in any of the Plantations or Colonies aforesaid or Commander of one of His Majesties Shipps is alwaies to be one) shall have full Power and Authority by virtue of this Act to call and assemble any other Persons on Shipboard or upon the Land to make up the Number of Seaven

[pr.3]  Provided that no Persons but such as are knowne Merchants Factors or Planters or such as are Captains Lieutenants or Warrant Officers in any of His Majesties Shipps of Warr or Captains Masters or Mates of some English Shipp shall be capable of being soe called and sitting and voting in the said Court

[pr.4]  And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid  That such Persons called and assembled as aforesaid shall have full Power and Authority according to the Course of the Admiralty to issue Warrants for bringing any Persons accused of Piracy or Robbery before them to be tryed heard and adjudged and to summon Witnesses and to take Informations and Examinations of Witnesses upon their Oath and to doe all things necessary for the hearing and finall Determination of any Case of Piracy Robbery and Felony and to give Sentence and Judgment of Death and to award Execution of the Offenders convicted and attainted [3.1] as aforesaid according to the Civill Law and the Methods and Rules of the Admiralty  And that all and every Person and Persons soe convicted and attainted of Piracy or Robbery shall have and suffer such Losses of Lands Goods and Chattells as if they had beene attainted and convicted of any Piracies Felonies and Robberies according to the aforementioned Statute made in the Reigne of King Henry the Eighth

[pr.5]  Provided alwaies and be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That soe soone as any Court shall be assembled as aforesaid either on Shipboard or upon the Land the Kings Commission shall first be openly read and the said Court then and there shall be solemnly and publickly called and proclaimed and then the President of the Court shall in the first Place publickly in open Court take the following Oath. vizt.

[pr.6]  I A.B. doe sweare in the Presence of Almighty God that I will truly and impartially try and adjudge the Prisoner or Prisoners which shall be brought upon his or their Tryalls before this Court and honestly and duely on my Part putt his Majesties Commission for the trying of them in Execution according to the best of my Skill and Knowledge  And that I have no Interest directly or indirectly in any Shipp or Goods for the piratically takeing of which any Person stands accused and is now to be tryed  Soe help me God

[pr.7]  And he haveing taken the Oath in manner aforesaid shall immediately administer the same Oath to every Person who shall sitt and have and give a Voice in the said Court upon the Tryall of such Prisoner or Prisoners as aforesaid and immediately thereupon the said Prisoner or Prisoners shall be formally brought before them and then the Register of the said Court shall openly and distinctly read the Articles against such Prisoner or Prisoners upon which they or any of them is or are to be tryed wherein shall be sett forth the particuler Fact or Facts of Piracy Robbery and Felony with the Time and Place when and where and in what manner it was committed And then each prisoner shall be asked whether he be guilty of the said Piracy and Robbery or Felony or not Guilty whereupon every such Prisoner shall immediately plead thereunto guilty or not guilty or else it shall be taken as confessed and he shall suffer such Pains of Death Losses of Lands Goods and Chattells and in like manner as if he or they had beene attainted or convicted upon the Oath of Witnesses or his owne Confession but if any Prisoner shall plead not guilty Witnesses shall be produced by the Register and duely sworne and examined openly viva voce in the Prisoners presence  And after a Witnesse hath answered all the Questions proposed by the President of the Court and given his Evidence it shall and may be lawfull for the Prisoner to have the Witnesse crosse-examined by first declaring to the Court what Questions he would have asked and thereupon the President of the Court shall interrogate the Witnesse accordingly and every Prisoner shall have liberty to bring Witnesses for his Defence who shall be sworne and examined upon Oath as the Witnesses were that testified against him and afterwards the Prisoner shall be fairly heard what he can say for himselfe  all which being done the Prisoner shall be taken away and kept in safe Custody and all other Persons except the Register shall withdraw from the said Court and then the Court shall consider of the Evidence which hath been given and debate the Matters and Circumstances of the Prisoners Case and the President of the Court shall collect all the Votes of the Persons who doe sit and have Voices in the said Court beginning at the junior first and ending with himselfe and according to the Plurality of Voices Sentences and Judgment shall be then given and pronounced publickly in the [p.592] presence of the Prisoner or Prisoners being called in againe and according to Sentence and Judgment the Person or Persons attainted shall be executed and put to Death at such time in such manner and in such place upon the Sea or within the ebbing or Flowing thereof ["Execution Dock" 3.1] as the President or the major part of the Court by Warrant directed to a Provost Marshall (which the President or said major part shall have Power to constitute) shall appoint

 

 

To be continued…

A Story of Taylor, Cocklyn, and Levasseur

From Snelgrave:

...Amongst my Adventure of Goods, I had in a Box three second-hand embroidered Coats. One day the three Pirate Captains, coming on board the Prize together, enquired for them, saying, "They under­stood by my Book such clothes were in my Ship". I told them "They were in a Box under the bed place in the Stateroom". So they ordered them to be taken out, and immediately put them on. But the longest Coat falling to Cocklyn's Share, who was a very Short Man, it almost reached as low as his Ancles. This very much displeased him, and he would fain have changed with Le Boose, or Davis: But they refused, telling him "As they were going on Shore amongst the Negroe-Ladies, who did not know the white Men's fash­ions, it was no matter. Moreover, as his Coat was Scarlet em­broidered with Silver, they believed he would have the preference of them, (whose coats were not so showy) in the opinion of their Mistresses". This making him easy, they all went on Shore to­gether.

            It is a Rule amongst the Pirates, not to allow Women to be on board their Ships, when in the Harbour. And if they should take a Prize at Sea that has any Women on board, no one dares, on pain of death to force them against their Inclinations. This being a good political Rule to prevent disturbances amongst them, it is strictly observed. So now being in a Harbour, they went on Shore to the Negroe-women, who were very fond of their Company, for the sake of the great Presents they gave them. Nay, some white Men that lived there did not scruple to lend their black Wives to the Pirates, purely on account of the great Rewards they gave.

            The Pirate Captains having taken these Cloaths without leave from the Quartermaster, it gave great Offence to all the Crew, who alledg'd "If they suffered such things, the Captains would for the future assume a Power, to take whatever they liked for themselves". So, upon their returning on board next Morning, the Coats were taken from them, and put into the common Chest 3.1], to be sold at the Mast. And it having been reported "That I had a hand in advising the Captains to put on these Coats" it gained me the ill-will in particular of One [Palgrave] Williams who was Quarter-master of Le Boose's Ship. He seeing me in the Tender's Boat, going on board a French Ship lately taken, where he then was, he swore "That if I came there, he would cut me to pieces, for the advice I had given the Captains” But Captain Elliot, who was then in the Boat whispered to me, saying, "Don't be afraid of him, for it is his usual way of talking. But be sure to call him Captain, as soon as you get on Board". It seems this Villain had been Com­mander of a Pirate Sloop [the Marianne]; who, with a Brigantine [=The Sultana], two years be­fore, took Captain Laurence Prince in the Whidaw Galley near Jamaica; and being now Quarter-master, which he did not like, he loved to have the Title of Captain given him. So when I came into the French Ship, I addressed myself to him, saying, "Captain Williams, pray hear me upon the Point you are so offended at." Upon that he gave me a slight Blow on the Shoulder with the flat of his Cutlace, swearing at the same time, "he had not the heart to hurt me"; when I had told him how the affair had really happe­n'd which he had been so angry about, he gave me a Keg of Wine, and was my Friend ever after.

Snelgrave, William, A New Account of Some Parts of Guinea, III. A relation of the author's being taken by pirates, Eighteenth Century Collection Online Print Edition. London: printed for James, John, and Paul Knapton, 1734,  pp.255-259.