Red Maria

Oh you'll know from the body count! Or is that bawdy count?

None of us are our age lad! That's why we paly at being pirates ;-) There will be people of all ages there don't you worry. As for shoes there are several ways you can go. If you're really doing Teach aka Blackbeard (if you're just starting you might want to consider someone less known or make-up your won pirate persona. Otherwise you'll spend a large amount of time doing research, you'd have very enormous shoes to fill (pun intended). There are alot of expectations when you call yourself Edward Teach! Also do you really want to wear lighted fuses in your hair? ;-) ) most illustrations I have seen of him show him (18th c. and newer) with standard 18th c. men's shoe (square-toe,silver buckle low heel). This doesn't mean you *can't* wear bucket boots. Many pirates (& other sailors) wore rope sandals. There will be someone at Ojai selling rope sandals cheap. It depends on who you doing and what you are comfortable with. I will be at the faire with the Port Royal peopl. I may do a fight with my fight partner Iron Bess or I might belly dance or do both! But not at the same time I look forward to this year's event!

I wish that were true! Unforutnately I get very sea sick unless I take medication. It's awful when the thing you love makes you ill. I did the math .. so... do you use Reginald as a wind break? ;-)

Mario's in it? I don't recall him mentioning that when he posted about the upcoming Conquests. Such a modest young man. Mario's Asian??? Well he he did say he might make it into the Ninja episode. ;-) I've seen him cast in a wide range of "ehtnic" roles. That's a good thing for casting though. Hell he's a French man in "Farside of the World/Master & Commander"! :)

Darn! I don't get the History Channel I'll have to find a shipmate who dose and get them to tape it. Thanks for the info. I just been informed that a freind of mine who is a historical & theatrical swordsman will be on the show. Look for an olive skinned slightly asian guy, with long black hair, that's Mario. He says he's been in a few of them.

What channel would that be? PBS? TLC? Discovery? I'd like to chart a course for my VRC for it. BTW did my first public sword fight at the Disney employee picnic on July 12th! Did OK only have a VHS, no pics to post. :-( Thanks

Finally! someone shorter that me! I'm 5 ft exactly. Oh to at last be an amazon in comparison! ;-) There maybe some advantages to height but I can hide in smaller spaces. <weg> Petite is sweet!

Hmm Canada... there was someone on Sword Forum International looking for crews in Canada. Are you with a crew? If so where? Taking on new members? BTW Ren. Faires and pirate festivals are good places to find pirate garb. I've peice things from traditional clothing from ethnic neighborhood shops, belly dancing events, costumers yard sales, & pirate swap meets. Just a comment, real pirate captain are unlikely to have eyepatches and hooks. Too disabled to be taken seriously. OTOH a ship's cook...

Hi Scott! Welcome! I would have said hello sooner but I haven't been getting notifications of new posts for this thread even though I am subscribe to it. Scott's right about about SFI it's a great site with fine knowlegable people on it. So check it out. You'll be glad you did.

First Try "Pirate Port the Story of the Sunken City of Port Royal " by Robert Marx. It's about the first excavation of Port Royal and gives info on the city and inhabitants. Also there is The Port Royal Project which is the website for the ongoing excavations there. http://nautarch.tamu.edu/portroyal/index.htm You'll even find the names & adresses of some of the inhabitants. As a Port Royal Privateer I have a special interest in the place. :-) Here's also a list I compiled for a friend READING LIST ON PIRATES & PIRACY Cordingly, David. Under the Black Flag: The Romance & Reality of Life Among the Pirates. (NYC: Random House: 1995) Iron Men, Wooden Women: Gender and Seafaring in the Atlantic World, 1700-1920 edited by Margaret S. Creighton and Lisa Norling (John Hopkins University Press,) Johnson, Charles, Capt. (attributed to Daniel Defoe) A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates edited by Maunel Schonhorn (Dover, 1999) Konstam, Angus The History of Pirates (Lyons Press) Bandits at Sea: A Pirate Reader. C.R. Pennell editor (New York University Press, 2001) Rediker, Marcus Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea Merchant Seamen, Pirates and the Anglo-American Maritime World, 1700-1750 (Cambridge University Press) Ritchie, Robert C. Captain Kidd and the War Against the Pirates .(Harvard University Press) ______________ Pirates: Myths & Realities. (James Ford Bell Lecture no. 23) (University of Minnesota, 1986) Rogozinski, Jan. Honor Among Thieves Captain Kidd, Henry Every, and the Pirate Democracy in the Indian Ocean (Stackpole Books) Bold in Her Breeches: Women Pirates Across the Ages. Jo Stanley editor (Harper Collins) One more thing your character would not own a tavern not a pub. ;-) If I am not mistaken the term pub was not used til the 19th century. As far as taverns are concerned ... there were a lot of them in Port Royal! Good luck!

I think they derived the name from Barbarossa which is Arbic for redbeard. That was the name of a pair of brothers who were Barbary pirates ifrom Lesbos n the 16th century. Remember they're in an English colony. For the most part and depending who England is at war with (Spain or France) at the time you're not bloody likley to see someone of that nationality in Port Royal except maybe as a pirate.

If it's 1740's would then it would make the naval and Elizabeth clothing correctly period but the pirate (for the most prt) & the Givnenr out of period. But then again the movie has Port Royal as the governor's seat which I think was moved to Kingston after the earthquake in 1692. But you know what I am not letting these chronological descrepancies spoil my enjoyment of a really great swashbucker. Who care what time it's in so long as we all have a great time watching it!

Ducour Wigs and surcoats were worn from the reign of Charles II (1660-85) on to the end of the 18th century. The wigs used in the movie range from about late William III to early George I (1689-1727). Governor Swann's wig is the most accuarte for the early part of the 18th century. His costume was also pretty accuarte for early 18th century. As far as The military costumes that style wig is more Goerge II after 1727, as are the military costumes. The British military didn't use redcoats till the 1840's. I am going to check a couple of articles to make sure. what naval uniforms (if there were any) were like for the period. The priates were in keeping with the period. Wide brim Resotration style hats (Barbossa) were still around as well as the the high tricorn (Cpt. Sparrow. Melange of dress suited how pirates got thier duds in the first place. ;-) It was Elizabeth's dress that was out of period and class. Early 18th century women's dress up to 1711 had a bustle in the back. After that the hooped shirt appeared with pleated back gown (saque). What Elizabeth was wearing is more towards the 1720's and beyond. Also I thought the dress that Barbossa gave her was way to plain for what a pirate would keep around to tempt a women. As for her other costumes, also way to plain for high born English gentlewoman no matter wear she is. Also wearing a corset should not have been new to hear. She would have worn one since she was 5 years old. Other that that what did I think of the movie? LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT!

It is said that Granuaile N' Mally aka Grace O'Malley, the Irish Pirate Queen, fought off Algerian corsairs one day after giving birth to a child. that was around the 1570's. It is said that she was below decks nursing when the ship attacked. Her men were losing and the captain came down begging her assistance to which she replied, "May you be seven times worse off this day twelve months, who can't do without me for one day" She then took command of the battle and stormed the deck. The Algerian corsairs supposedly were so shocked by this powerful women leading the battle that they were transfixed and Granuaile's men won the battle. ("Bold in Her Breeches" pg. 102) Here stronghold was Clare Island which is on the west coast of Ireland. Baltimore is on south coast I believe. There were raids of Barbary Coast cosairs along the southern coasts of Britain and Ireland in the 16th century (see Bold in Her Breeches" pg. 26-27century.

I know what you mean. A fellow PRP member worked on POTC on the Lady Washington and as a sailing double for Orlando Bloom. At the end of the shoot the Black Pearl was dismantaled and the contents were to be trashed. Luckily Louis was on hand and he saked if could have a *few* things. Bless his soul he brought back belaying pins, winches, even a couple hammocks. No cannons too heavey. Some of the pins were given out as presents and I was fortunate enough to get one. It' has good balnce and does look like something that's been on a ship along time. Yeah movie props are cool! Thanks Louis!

It'll be good to have you aboard Sword Forum Capt. William! I think this makes 3 places that we will have discussions on.

Yes Sword Forum is an excellent resource with many fine people on it. In fact I was with a few of the people that I have met online there just yesterday demonstrating their historical fighting skills at the SoCal Ren. Faire. I was on the sidelines observing since was in 1) a heavily boned bodice, 2) I was sans rapier 3) haven't been able to practice for months since my sparring partner has been too busy. Ineed to find someone to practice with! But it was great to watch and thereby learn. It was great to see some fine very period rapier techinque being done. So if Mario, Luc, Pax, Dave, or anyone from Bankeside is lurking thanks for showing this girl a good time. I wonder what name since it has to be your real one you use on Sword Forum?

Mad Dog It wasn't always over women. There is an account of a man in Port Royal who had to fight a duel because another man wouldn't stop hitting on him! I agree about what what you said regarding safety. As someone who has studied both sport and theatrical fencing, safety is first in both disicplines. Even more so in theatircal fencing when there is little or no protection for the combatants. I also agree about books vs actual physcial study of the art. I have done both. Right now I am trying to track down an Angelo book with 18th cent. cutlass drills in them. As to other books I like are: "Schools & Masters of Fence" by Castle Egerton ; "Three Elzabethan Fencing Manuals" which includes: "His True Arte of Defence" by Giacomo di Grasse ; "His Practice" by Vincento Saviolo ; & "Paradoxes of Defence" & "Bref Instructions Upon My Paradoxes of Defence" by George Silver. Also "Old Swordplay" by Alfred Hutton. I have some late 19th cent. books on fencing & singlestick packed away and in storage whci I like as well. Unfortunately I have been not able to practice much, this past year, as my sparing partner has been busy with film projects. So Iam a bit rusty

Yes and he lost his head in the process. But only after sustaining 20 sword cuts & 5 bullet wounds. He was purported to have said after the first slash to his neck "Well done lad". They didn't make them any ornerier or tougher than Ned Teach! Most of the time Blackbeard didn't fight, he didn't have to. Most ship's surrendered on his rep alone. From my research he wasn't as bad as his rep. made him out to be. He sometimes even paid people to say how bad ass he was. A master of bribery and PR he were. For the talk of fighting I haven't heard were most pirates actually fought. On land in taverns over card game, liquor or sex!

The most authentic pirate sword I have ever come across was one that went up for auction a few years back a Christies. It was part of the Driscoll Pirate Libary auction and was found in a treasre chest purported to be owned by Capt. Tew here's a discription of the sword: Lot # 187 [sWORD] A EUROPEAN SHELL GAURD HANGER PROABLY ENGLISH, FIRST HALF OF 18TH CENTURY Slightly curved, double-fullered blade bearing scroll decorations and inscriptions on both sides (largely indiscernible), iron D-guard and shell form langet, staghorn grip, 24 1/8 in. blade. The present lot was found in the chest believed to have been owned by the Rhode Island pirate Thomas Tew (see lot 156) Estimate: $1,000.00 - $1,500.00 It went for $2,115.00 and here's a description of the chest it was found in: Lot# 156 : A heavily painted iron strong box, probably 17th century, probably German, the exterior decorated with painted florals, birds, and the occasional angel in a Spanish style, the flat recessed hinged lid carrying a large and elaborate internal lock mechanism working independent bolts and covered by a plate engraved with sprays and mermaid[?] figures, operated with a key through a central keyhole at the top, a dummy keyhole on the front panel, twist drop handles on either end, the interior painted orange and a smaller locking compartment along one side. 470x835x460mm Estimate $8,000.00-$12,000.00 Went for get this ..... $63,450.00 Now that's something you can keep booty in! That's the cutlass I want or a reproduction of it! I wouldn't mind the chest either ;-) BTW Who among you use aluminum blades and who uses steel? I know that the fight diretors I know prefer aluminum

I was Wondering if any of you are going to the So. Cal. Ren Faire at all. Although they tends to dislike us piratical sort (they used too!) I know I was a St. Dymphna Sea Dog once!) many of us go to it nonetheless. I am planning to go on Sunday and inteminently through out faire since a boothie gave me a run of Faire pass (I'll help out on occassions at her booth). I'd like to meet up with some of you I don't already know. It's a good faire even though it's not like it was in Agoura or out in Santa Barbara (which isn't happening this year) I hope to see some of you and raise a tankard of ale with ye!

Lorilei Try these: "Piracy, Slavery, & Redemption: Barbary Captive Narratives from Early Modern England" Selected & Edited by Daniel J. Vitkus. Columbia University Press, 2001 ISBN 0231119054 (pbk). "Piracy & Diplomacy in Seventeeth Century North Africa: The Journal of Thomas Baker, English Consul in Tripoli, 1677-1685" Edited & with an Introduction by C.R. Pennell. Associated University Press, 1989 ISBN 083633021 (hbk) One more if you can find it is: " Tangier England's Lost Atlantic Colony, 1661-1684 by E.M.G. Routh John Murray, Albmemarle Street W., 1912 Hope that helps

Angus could you try it in the "quote" mode?

Regarding sharks, I've not encountered any pirate attitudes to sharks. But this was interesting. Where have you found this idea about not eating them? Blackheartedly yrs, --Jamaica Rose "Raise your IQ. Eat gifted children." Jamaica The reference about sharks comes from Pirates: Myths & realities (James Ford Bell Lectures no. 23) by Robert C. Ritchie pg 13: ? The few surviving daily journals kept by men on board pirate ships record frequent deaths and short ceremonies in which bodies went over the side wrapped in sheets with cannonballs at their feet. The sharks followed along, dining at their leisure and were known as ?requiems? to the men, who also avoided shark meat because of this.? My conclusion is that because the pirates saw the sharks eat their comrades it made shark meat less appetizing to them. BTW I put quotation marks around the titles on the list I put up but when the post came through the quotation marks turned into question marks. Why is that? See it just happened again!

I actually don´t like this book at all. When I first heard about it I got really excited cause I thought it would have new angles and theories on the issue. But I was deeply dissappointed when I realized how bad they listed their sources. Whenever they had an interresting thing to tell, anything new, the sources were missing. I agree. Also the recipes included are disconcerting in a work purporting to be a serious work on the subject of piracy. Especially the recipes with shark meat. As I understand it pirates avoid shark meat because sharks ate the dead thrown overboard and one might end up eating a shark that ate a dead comrade. Too much like cannibalism. The recipes make it seem if they publisher didn?t think the book would sell without them. Also I thought translation was awkward. As to what books I like as far as women pirates go is: ?Bold in Her Breeches? edited by Jo Stanley ?She Captains? By Joan Druett For more general information: ?Under the Black Flag: The Romance & the Reality of Life Among the Pirates? by David Cordingly ?Bandits at Sea: A Pirate Reader? edited by C.R. Pennell ?The Pirate Picture? by Rayner Thrower ?The Pirate?s Who?s Who? by Phillip Gosse ?Pirates: Myths & Realities? by Robert C. Ritchie For specific pirates: ?Captain Kidd & the War Against the Pirates? by Robert C. Ritchie ?The Black Ship ?? by Barry Clifford If I think of anymore I?ll post them