Swashbuckler 1700

Having loved some of the earlier games of the series I am looking forward to this. It looks good. some shots However (getting now a bit cheesy with historical accuracy) I am a bit disappointed that there is some absolutely needles anachronisms around from Napoleonic ship to bicorne hats (there should be only tricorns and actual early 18th century vessels... I am sure it wouldn't have taken any more effort)... Also it if funny that the makers have said that they watched "Master and Commader" film to get an early 18th century feeling while the movie actually sets in the early 19th Century and almost hundred years later than the game... also is interesting to note that the Havana has a cathedral (notable in many pictures like picture 4 here and in the trailers) that was not build before 1748-1777 and thus that particular building wouldn't have been there in the game era of 1715.(see http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2013/03/PCG251.feat_ass.grab_1.jpg and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Havana) Of course it is only a game but when the makers advertise that now Golden age of piracy "lives again" in the game I would have hoped a little more accuracy... but well there is Templars and Assassins in any case so... (the cheesy stuff about with historical accuracy ends here ) But all in all the game has a good look that is convincing and quite historical and especially beautiful. New trailers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE4RKLzACrY

About the yellow flags which some pirates used. Yes yellow flags weren't, at least universally, associated with quarantine in Gaop. However the history seems to have more complicated issues http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/xf~q.html A modern site but to me it is reliable looking. Also here is a section that gives some light why the colour yellow was almost as spooky as black "According to Fergusson, the origin of the yellow flag has to be traced back to the Middle Ages, when the heretics had to wear yellow clothes, the yellow colour being considered as the symbol of the hell fire, of betrayal, of jealousy and treachery. This was indeed a negative colour. The meaning of the "Yellow Admiral", known in the 19th century, is probably related. A "Yellow Admiral" was an old or supernumerary Captain who, short before retirement, was appointed Rear Admiral without ever having hoisted their personal flag on a ship of either the red, yellow or blue squadron. The name of "Yellow jack" given by the British seamen to the yellow fever seems to be related, too. During the great plague epidemics, it was common to mark the houses of the infected houses with a yellow cross and to force their inhabitants to wear yellow clothes."

Mission. You can please. It would make sense just more paintings And I almost forget him Sir Cloudesley Shovell, 1650-1707 picture circa 1702-1705The coat here is nearly identical to those used by Vice-Admiral Sir John Leake, Admiral Sir Chaloner Ogle, Vice-Admiral Sir Stafford Fairborne and Captain Robert Harland Here is one red and blue officer 1730-40 Blue and red seemed to be a trend at least in 1725-1740s See also http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/14398.html and http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/14328.html and Fitzroy Henry Lee (below in the earlier post) But for one blue officer there seems to be at least one or two brown and red ones like here (similar coat but with different color)

Some pictures that belong here While the official uniforms were not used until 1748 at least I can see great similarities in British RN officers' appearance in early 1700s For example while the navy blue was not yet the clear sing of the navy, dark blue with gold and white or sometimes with red was seen around quite a lot Perhaps the Britons mimic the French navy which that had had adopted blue outfits to their officer already (at least accordingly this http://www.kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=French_Navy_Officers) All in all it seems that British naval officers from captain to admirals at least favored official army style clothing. Vice-Admiral Fitzroy Henry Lee, 1699-1750 circa 1725 Portrait of a naval officer, circa 1700 Captain Robert Harland, circa 1680-1751 picture circa circa 1707-1711 Vice-Admiral Sir Stafford Fairborne, c. 1666-1742 circa 1703-1708 Admiral Sir Chaloner Ogle (1680/1-1750) Picture should be around 1718 but at least before 1748 Vice-Admiral Sir John Leake (1656-1720) circa 1705-12 Admiral The Honourable Charles Stewart, 1681-1741 circa 1740 But well it is good to remember that many favored other colors like here Commodore the Honourable William Kerr, active 1688–1719 circa 1706

For a long time I haven't posted anything here so I decided to pop up with a few pictures Porto Rico 1671 An English privateer engaging a French privateer the mid 18th C The Attack of Severndroog by Commodore James, 2nd April 1755 Spanish engagement with Barbary pirates (the 17th C) Arches of Westminster Bridge – Samuel Scott 1750

I indeed thought (i really did) that perhaps they should be in those treads but..... Anyway the incident about The King of England was rather interesting. It seems that Russel was a Jacobite. Pages 72-75 http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=fi&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=twopage&q&f=false

No, it probably wasn't. http://tinyurl.com/aqdz43h There were a series of very badly researched attributions to Defoe, especially by J.R.R. Moore whose primary goal seems to have been to make a name for himself by massively expanding and the co-opting the American public library system to accept his various attributions to Defoe in the 1930s. Although the first person to attribute the work to Defoe was the unpublished work of Henry Hutchins, even he admits he's not sure as you see via that link. Moore's attributions (which included The General History of the Pyrates) are not to be trusted. You should post the quotes in the relevant posts you're talking about. Remember not everyone here has read all your posts and they don't know why those things are notable. Indeed it was probably written by someone else than Defoe. I learnt that just after that post... Oh and those quotes are notable because, at least I, was wondering the bad language among pirates alike. Hats and clothing are relevant since there was, previously in this tread, talk about quotes of sailors appearance (with the fur cap and all). I was also thinking merchant captain's appearance and that is why the Robert's morning suit was relevant in my opinion and I saw that someone else might be interested as well, especially since the dialogue between pirates and Roberts was rather funny. Indeed I should be more clear. I want also to say, just in case, that I am not trying to justify any one vision of history but I make notes when the evidence there, like the gold laced hat, is suggesting something that I see notable, interesting or extraordinary.

Interesting book http://openlibrary.org/books/OL7232970M/The_journal_of_Sir_George_Rooke_admiral_of_the_fleet_1700-1702 The journal of Sir George Rooke, admiral of the fleet, 1700-1702 edited by Oscar Browning. Published 1897 but it is the original journal with some additions and explanations. Thus it tells something about Gaop period naval things but it is not too detailed.... At least the lists about the Names of English, Spanish, Swedish etc. ships are nice. The first page of the introductions tells what the book is about: Rooke's missions at the Baltic sea and in Spain. http://ia600304.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/0/items/journalofsirgeor00rookuoft/journalofsirgeor00rookuoft_jp2.zip&file=journalofsirgeor00rookuoft _jp2/journalofsirgeor00rookuoft_0013.jp2&scale=5.727126805778491&rotate=0 Here some English warships names: http://ia600304.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/0/items/journalofsirgeor00rookuoft/journalofsirgeor00rookuoft_jp2.zip&file=journalofsirgeor00rookuoft_jp2/journalofsirgeor00rookuoft_0294.jp2&scale=5.727126805778491&rotate=0

Interesting that it seems that Captain Russel who served pirate Commodore Low was originally a Portuguese, at least George Roberts wrote so in The four years voyages of capt. George Roberts. 1726. Well the real writer was perhaps Defoe's but the book is still quite a good source. Like Foxe said in this tread "Roberts' account shows a number of parallels with other historical sources, suggesting that if it is a work of fiction it's a very well researched one. There is little evidence in support of the otherwise unknown Roberts being the author, but no less evidence than there is for Defoe." Here is the page about Russel http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA29&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U0Ja1mMUhsJCJjDTVaRWK6gYjnmxw&ci=87%2C31%2C803%2C1550&edge=0' Also here there is more evidence to say that Africans worked as regional pilots. It shows also that pirates like Russel sometimes despised the Africans. I can see that equality among pirates abord ships was not so great as often implied. Also perhaps it was the pressure of being one of the few not Englishmen among a group that was formed mostly by English pirates that made Russel or John Lopez to pretend an Englishmen. See his attitude towards the Africans: Russel: "What! Do you think I will let a negro to pilot me! no no..." http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA36&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U32DAY_xFZM6BNYrnMkLPOTlPDScQ&ci=150%2C70%2C809%2C1530&edge=0

More similar barge sailor's caps of 18th century (but late: circa 1750) and the caps look like they have white tread in them. I see the thing that the peak is turned up as important. It seems likely that if the RN slop leather caps had peaks they were upturned, otherwise the peak would have been in the way and could prevent men of seeing the sails and rigging. http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/66293.html

Counter commemorating a French treasure ship blown up in Hyères Bay, 1710 http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/38076.html This picture has been posted several times but never with the NMM description "A conversation piece set in the great cabin of the vessel which took Lord Boyne from Venice to Lisbon. Gustavus Hamilton succeeded to the title in 1723 and shortly before coming of age he made the Grand Tour. The original and larger painting, still in the Boyne collection, was probably executed in Venice during this tour, between 1731 and 1732. Although it is a work depicting a group of friends, it may also convey hidden political significance. Lord Boyne is shown as a full-length portrait to left in profile, seated at a table. He sits sideways in the chair, his right arm over the back and his hands clasped. He wears his own red hair and the natural coloured smock and trousers of a sailor, with a red check neckcloth. One of the others in the cabin is believed to be the third Earl of Carlisle, with white hair standing to the left and holding a drinking mug in his left hand. His right hand rests on a volume of 'Don Quixote'. Behind him, pointing at the crown compass hanging from the deckhead is the master of the ship. On the right Sir Francis Dashwood is pointing on a chart to the Straits of Bonifacio, possibly marking a route from Venice to Lisbon on a chart. On his return to London, Sir Francis Dashwood was an influential member of the Hellfire Club. He was also for some time up to his death the administrator of the Irish Customs. Behind him stands another mariner, believed to be Lord Middlesex, who holds a shepherd's pipe. All are dressed in similar fashion to Lord Boyne although the master and Lord Middlesex are wearing caps. They are seated around a table covered with a Turkey cloth on which a large bowl of punch has been placed. In the foreground, Boyne's foot gestures towards a cat coming out from under the table. The presence of the cat in the portrait serves to subvert the image and may invite a particular interpretation of it. The original painting by Nazari, a Venetian painter, was reputedly such a success that subsequently over 30 replicas were made. This particular version is thought to be an early copy. Hogarth, who knew and painted Boyne, was almost certainly influenced by the picture in his commission to paint the conversation piece 'Captain Lord George Graham (1715-47) in his cabin', in about 1742-44." A Danish Timber Bark Getting Under Way 1735 A Man-of-War Flying the Royal Standard, and Other Ships of the Fleet early 18th C Here we have Peter Warren the naval officer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Warren_(Royal_Navy_officer)) no clear date here http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/127523.html Thought it is clear that this amde around the (early)mid 18th century, likely before 1752 when Warren died and this doesn't seem to be an obituary. In particular note I make the quite clear sailors featured in the coat of arms below the main figure. They have swords, pistol belts, neck-cloths, cocked hats, jackets and trousers the latter of those makes it even clearer that they are indeed sailors especially in this context.

From The four years voyages of capt. George Roberts.... 1726 The real writer was really Defoe http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&source=gbs_navlinks_s Google book (so blame them of the bad copying) Pages 30-32 Two notes I make: The cursing! and mentions of clothing especially the gold laced hat. That is odd since it was used by ordinarily pirate gunner. And in this era the most common hat style that would have had a gold lace is the gentleman style tricorn..... http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA30&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U0gZhk0KukmYynTkxR-T2vGH0bfrA&ci=137%2C123%2C760%2C1477&edge=0 http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA31&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U35BdIrCayUCX8NU8daHsrUlirnyg&ci=63%2C117%2C922%2C1529&edge=0 http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA32&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U3VGOBLdo9YVv27RQB04o_SuuU3hQ&ci=130%2C104%2C769%2C1473&edge=0

Yep. Thought the English admiral figure earlier in this page ("Englisch admiral zur See" (English admiral at sea)) tells what he wore at sea (The (1703) book where it is from focused on the clothing of different people so it is a quite good source) . So officers could, at least sometimes wear the tricorns at sea as well as on land. Also it is good to notice that in gaop there were no naval uniforms in RN so back then you could not distinguish the navy and merchants officers from each other too well. To prove this claim I could raise eg. the period pictures or Chinese statues of early 1700s East India company merchant captains which look alike the naval captains of RN. And the fact that merchant captains were quite similarly equipped than the naval officers raises the diabolical question about pirates stealing officers wardrobe. Thought it might be said that merchant captain's wealth varied between different captains and we have good pictures of merchant captains dressed in practical clothing, like fur edged coats and caps of different sorts, for sea voyage. In any case the sailor's Monmouth cap is the most accurate choice for an ordinary sailor or a correct pirate. But the tricorns are there at least for the rich and fashionable merchant captains and navy officers.

Nice. So wiki...... thanks

Yes he was a buccaneer but was't he equipped with a French letters of marque from Tortuga? Going off topic but: I have actually heard two versions of that heart story the most common, and apparently the original which is described there, is that Ollonois made another prisoner to eat the heart. But I have also heard a story where he ate it himself nibbling it lustfully.

Well this is loosely related to the tread as there was talk about colors of flags. So: Can anyone tell what is the meaning of following British flags of the 1707-1801 era? I have never found any explanations. Were they used by certain groups (like red used by merchants or blue by the navy) or was there a regional meaning (like red flags for the Atlantic and blue for the Indian ocean)?

Well Ollonois was a French buccaneer privateer so he would have most likely used French ensign of the time.... Or was he an actual pirate? correct me if needed.

Here is an actual tricorne hat of the Gaop period -yes it is a Russian military hat but looking pictures of hats of the period this seems to epitomize the design of the tricorn hat of the era. And apparently people succeeded to make them without X:s or any visible needlework. http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/fcgi-bin/db2www/descrPage.mac/descrPage?selLang=English&indexClass=SUIT_EN&PID=JRT-16753&numView=1&ID_NUM=11&thumbFile=%2Ftmplobs%2FEVEK2ANVRL9UBRD%246.jpg&embViewVer=last&comeFrom=quick&sorting=no&thumbId=6&numResults=36&tmCond=hat&searchIndex=TAGFILEN&author=

Quite right. The nights might be colder at sea. I think the thrum-caps were used in The Caribbean in Elizabethan era as well. Thrum-cap used by the man in the mock trial was probably an imitation of the judges wig because I think the man had glasses as well and he was presenting the judge. Anyway it proves that pirates had those caps. Some of the Early Johnson's book editions mention that Blackbeard had a fur cap and there is pictures of BB with fur cap. I wonder why the fur cap was taken off both from the text and pictures by the second edition of 1724.

Indeed nice quote. Thought when in Madagascar or the Bahamas people would certainly have left the fur cap out. Living north were people frequently dress with fur caps during the winter and autumn seasons I know that no way you can wear a fur cap when in hotter weather. But in London there is still quite cold in winter. Thinking also that in London there was "considerably" cooler back then where there was "the little ice age" and The Thames froze almost every winter.

John pine by Hogarth made at least before 1765 http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/explorer/index.php?qu=Hogarth%20OR%20Maker:Hogarth%20AND%20Maker:William&oid=157854

Good pictures. Thought that seems to be a form of cloth cap with black fur covering. I have found many pictures of similar hats http://pyracy.com/index.php?/topic/18705-fur-hats/ And well those uniforms are not period images but they have still quite accurate look. Well and some images more Capt. Edward Rigby of Leyton in Lanci-shire in a likely period circa 1702 print. At least there is a date 1702 at the print http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/127437.html Monsieur Le Comte de Tourville Vice-Amiral et Marechal de France. The same man who is the surrendered French admiral in that earlier Dutch print. circa 1696 http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/106823.html

Interesting. That makes sense. And I thought the knife and the broom were there just there to underline the fact that the great French were defeated by rube Dutch sailors. Anyway this all hints that brooms were used, at least, aboard Dutch ships....

Well I posted already to one tread but: Here is the besom I told you about and since the sailor is realistic looking and the picture maker wants people to recognize the sailor there I think it might be said that it is likely that cleaning aboard ship was done with besoms as well. Still the sand stones are a question....