Calico Jack

If you're willing to risk being a wee bit late, there's an excellent collection of greenware from France, dated to 1758 on the nose. The original shipment was on its way to New France, when the Siege of Louisbourg prevented their arrival, with hints of the fall of Quebec coming the next year. The ship was carefully sunk to protect the cargo of earthenware [greenware]. Discovered recently, a potter here in Canada has begun crafting replicas of the verious items. The provenance is impeccable, but is after GAoP by just a bit. Still, check them out:

http://www.geocities.com/greenware.geo/saintonge.html

In particular the http://www.geocities.com/greenware.geo/chope.gif beer mug might suit.

Pirates who were hired by many countries, especially in times of war, were businessmen and capitalists of every background searching for a profit in the Atlantic Ocean. Governments armed pirates' ships and directed the pirates to attack ships of other warring countries. America even hired its own pirates to disrupt British trade ships during the War of Independence

Except that Private Men of War [privateers] and Pirates were not the same thing. Sure, Johnson may try to baldly state that most pirates were privateers who turned to the "only career they knew" after the war was over, but that seem to be very much the exception rather than the rule. That's why "privateer gone bad" stories are so notable. It's the sort of thing the Admiralty Courts recorded, and there really were surprisingly few, even before and after the GAoP.

Privateersmen were contracted "merchant raiders," rather than pirates given some orders, with very rare exceptions. Morgan broke his Letter of Marque and turned pirate, and Easton was declared a pirate in 1603, but even the very famous Kidd it turns out held to the Letter, and never turned pirate at all [he was politically inconvenient, and somewhat incompetent, rather than a criminal, and was hanged for it].

Privateering is a different kettle of fish.

Privateering was legal, and considered an act of warfare. Piracy was illegal, and considered an act of theft. The decency of each will vary, for a given value of decency.

By-the-bye, Mister Mission/Misson, in case it does not get said often enough:

Thank you.

From all those of us who so rarely get to head out and check actual primary sources in the flesh, thank you. Many an author is less willing to share the research until AFTER a book is published, so your gentlemanly willingness to let us all use the bounty of your travels is VERY much appreciated. A knuckled brow to you, sir. Gentleman as well as a scholar.

Hmmm...

pirate=honorless idiots who decided to say screw the government, soap, and rules, and let's go sail the seas robbing ships till we get hanged

Well, in short, pirates = criminals willing to take the possessions of others by threat of force. One's opinion of the "decency" of such behaviour may vary, I suppose. Robbers at sea, yes, but robbers none-the-less. Some 'pressed to the service [like Philip Ashton] true, but still robbers.

That said, most groups of robbers rather than solitary robbers [including pirates] had rules. Some pirates actually cared what flag you sailed under [NOTE: not meaning Privateers here, that's a different kettle of fish, but some pirates hated some flags more than others]. Water not costing pirates more than most other sailors, bathing and shaving was likely done once a week as seemed the fashion in most navies and merchant marines of the time. As for getting hanged, the retirement plan sucked.

Did that help?

Well, the dating of Sea Chanties as a term might hold one thing, and the dating of what are defined as sea chanties quite another. True, written records using the term come from well after the GAoP, but the term was coined to give a common terminology for work songs aboard ship. Did work chants aboard ship exist before the publication of Two Years Before the Mast? Felix Fabri, a Dominican friar, sailed from Germany to Palestine aboard a Venetian galley and he described, "mariners who sing when work is going on -- -- [There is] a concert between one who sings out orders and the laborers who sing in response" in 1493, at least according to research by Howard Hornstein for his book Favorite Sea Songs of the Ancient Mariners Chanteymen, ASIN: B000B73Y9Q. Admittedly, the book by Fabri that he is citing was published in '93, but the events supposedly took place by '83. Still, befoe the end of the GAoP, at any rate [grins].

Ahoy, folks. I've been safe running Firefox with a script wall, but folks running IE have been catching trojans off https://pyracy.com/forums/ - I don't know whether it's been hacked into the page script, or by way of the embedded adverts. Just something to beware and be aware.

I've few details except that the problem has completely shut down the machine, has come via IE, and has made it past Avast virus security; also of course that it came straight off the main page.

Aye, with the reactions I get from the audience at the museum, I want a penile syringe for the next "big purchase" for my personal props collection. The men all wince, the women all giggle, cruelly. The actual mast splinter gets good reactions, too. Better even than the capital saw.

Similarly, spent musket shot, spattered against soft wood or bone. A new and unused ball for "in" and a spent ball for "out." Good visceral reactions, and the splinter and ball at almost no cost.

[edit: Added note, a turn-of-the-nineteenth-century chest, for comparison:

http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/740-DOCTO...sspagenameZWDVW ]

Depending upon when in the GAoP you are representing, there are a couple of tunes that might do well for entertainment if not for work. Well, actually, there are lots, but there are a couple that I know off-hand.

In 1706, George Farquhar produced the play "The Recruiting Officer," which was incredibly popular [as a Restoration Comedy] and the popularity remained straight through at least until the 19th century's close. One tune from that play was picked up and ran as a "popular" musical choice for a full century. A variation was included in John Gay's "The Beggar's Opera" in 1728, and most recently, John Tams wrote a variation for use in the Sharpe's series ['though it seems various variations of the song were sung during the Napoleonic Wars, the one heard in Sharpe's is in fact wholly modern, with many elements taken from earlier versions].

Anyhow.

The version from "The Recruiting Officer" was enough of a "pop tune" in 1706 and the years following, that it would well suit sailors and soldiers and merchants from the late GAoP.

A number of broadsheet ballads were released on the death of William Kidd in 1701 [some several sold -at- the hanging]. Many of these are still accessible as well, and sing quite well. One - to the same tune as Sam Hall - properly Jack Hall - dates to 1701 or 1707 [Kidd hanged in 1701, Hall in 1707], and many many variations of it have arisen in the years since.

Both of these [well, all three, including Jack Hall] are near the middle of the GAoP period, so may prove useful. None are, of course, chanties. Good for music, not good for wearing lines or working capstan.

Problem is that most surviving sea chanties seem to date from the 19th century [and more rarely the 18th], at least in English.

Also of note, I picked up the latest(?) copy of Skirmish magazine yesterday (it is a magazine for re-enactors based in the UK for those unfamiliar with it), and there is a three or four page article featuring the Sea Rats in the mag. Not a very detailed article, but a pretty cool sumary of re-neacting the GAoP.

Yeah, 'though I do wish they'd include their sources, and finish their website [which the article implies may list their sources]. Some of their points are still contentious even here [such as the long "shoes or no shoes" thread]. Some of their suggestions I know sources for, others none ["many piratical sailors cut off all their buttons," or "you would know a man was a sailor if he wore a cravat" - but everyone wore cravats; it is HOW one wears one's cravat that shows tha man...]. Particularly liked the knife piercing in the sleeved waistcoat [or was it a jacket - can't remember. Must look again].

wind of the ball

For what use it may be, the debate on wind of the ball goes back a ways, 'though more debate on what causes it, than on whether it happens.

http://books.google.com/books?id=SMaR4oNXb...esult#PPA310,M1

Just as a quick source from google books [since it it a free source][grins]. In the end, if wind of the ball was, internal bleeding and hemorrhage might have been the business.

Oh, and yes, despite what Mythbusters may say, splinters can kill. No, they don't kill instantly, anymore than bullets kill instantly. Death might be quick, but would only in the rarest circumstances be immediate.

As another aside, if anyone finds [somehow] any data regarding the actual number of copies sold or used from any of these texts, it would be immensely useful. As a librarian, and not a historian [as I am the former but not the latter], I can state that in the 1600s, as today, the popularity of a book can be better measured by copies rather than by editions -- those numbers however, can be very difficult to come by.

As an arbitrary example, a volume published in three printings of 75 copies each, and sold out, can be argued to be less influential than a volume published only once, in which 3000 of the 3500 copies sold.

This is especially true prior to the rise of wood pulp paper; rag paper books could survive several owners easily, without "modern" paper's limited lifespan [rag paper really only found consistent substitutes in the mid-1800s].

So if anyone finds "print run" numbers for texts, do share [grins].

How about a free repro?

That, Misson, is the very best kind [grins], and the find of the variety of texts the same, is even more welcome. In your debt, with thanks.

As a note, Geoffrey Keynes [in the Journal of the Royal College of Physicians] also thought Woodall's text was influential beyond the confines of the EIC, and also that it influenced similar texts later [as have others]. That said, things in popular print during your chosen period are the best sources, and thank you again Misson for finding sources equally accessible.

Might trace farther - to harry Cox of Norfolk, who may have sung a similar verse in the 1950s, also calling it "traditional...".

Ahoy, folks.

Tom Lewis in his song "Sailor's Prayer" includes the following chorus:

Oh Lord above, send down a dove

with beak as sharp as razors

to cut the throats of them there blokes

what sells bad beer to sailors.

The credits list written by Tom Lewis, chorus (trad.).

So how traditional is traditional? Lewis himself purports to have found the chorus listed in a book, which itself called the verse "traditional." The book was published in 1968, and was by Charles MacHardy, titled Send down a dove. The book does in fact include the verse, and does call it traditional [although the wings, not beak, were sharp as razors].

But there the trail seem - for me so far - to stop.

So how far back does the verse go? 1968? Earlier? Can anyone find evidence of the verse from before 1968, and if so, how far back? It's a fun bit of verse, and we may use it for "Sunday Service" at some re-enactments, but must of course be able to provide attribution for the actual year of the song.

Hoping some folk here might be able to help trace the verse.

Naval records from the 18th century suggest a better than 50% survival rate for amputations, which is the more remarkable when you learn about the role and importance of "laudable pus."

I am envious. I hardly even get to go to a local event for more than an hour or two. Then have to wait for a year for the next one.

You lot try living in Canada, where folks need drive across the country - one end to other - to get together. We're all spread along the continent from one end to the other [and Canada is .. big].

That said, Quebec. Louisbourg. Mmm. Some nice events coming up over these next two summers...

Maddogge hangs his at every event and uses it...   via his tent poles in his lean to...

Have done similar, and can vouch that if your lean-to is long enough [ours was a spar across - about three-and-a-bit-fathoms total], and sturdy enough, it can hang a hammock nicely.

This held a hammock, and quite solidly, once she was raised [she's in a bit of disrepair in the photo, being half way to "reef sheets" thanks to a storm].

I have a red felted Manmouth cap..... the sucker is really warm....

Nice hat! [grins] I have a natural wool Monmouth, with the lannalin still in which works for me brilliantly without felting. You can see some shots of it in the photos that AnnaMarie has posted in various threads here. Just don't tell the British. Apparently the pattern is still officially "controlled." In practical fact, as has been pointed out, there are any number of variations on the Monmouth Cap pattern available off the internet. Of course, that would be intellectual piracy ...

I'd start with learning how to sew....... then you can make all of you own stuff......

(Yah... I know it's not a top ten list....... sometimes I just don't follow instructions at all........

)

Largely have to agree with Mister hand, here. Shoes vary in importance, depending upon environment. Generally socks and shoes are a must, when ashore; evidence seems to be equally weighted about shoes or barefoot on deck ["experimental archaeology" folks on the forum suggest that shoes are a must in rigging], so barefoot is excuseable in the right environment.

Starting with "almost right" is a good way to get involved whilst you settle on your period and persona and acquire your knowledge. The first post's suggestions are, of course, assuming GAoP ["Great Age of Piracy"] from around 1690 to around 1720, give or take. I'd recommend the knitted cap [Monmouth if possible] in an appropriate colour over a head-scarf, plus it is a chance to learn to knit [Heh!]. Manly arts, knitting and sewing are - or at least were.

Once you have "almost right" you can settle on specifics whilst "in traces," and thus won't be spending lots of money on, say, 1680 clothes when you're hoping to do 1725. This is especially true for the ladies, if they are not "being men." Even the oh-so-famous Anne and Mary were reported at trial of having been dressed as ladies except when in action. They dressed as men for combat, say those that were there, no matter the pictures in Johnson's book. So, "almost right" whilst you figure out what is "right," at which point you can exchange parts of your costume as you acquire, becoming more accurate [or more cinematic] as you afford.

History is, after all, for everyone, not only the wealthy.

it seems many try to gear the Pub and piracy in general to the GAoP

John Paul Jones was a pirate in that he served the American Navy, capturing vessels along the Nova Scotian coast and in the Indies, but he did so in early 1776, before the American revolutionary congress declared either independance or war. As such, even had he a letter of marque, since the "nations" were not yet at war, he could not be a privateer. Without a declared independance, he was a British subject, aboard a ship from the Colonies, capturing British merchant vessels for profit.

Hero to the upcoming Americans [who declared independance in July 1776, some 5 months after Jones' depradations began] or no, Jones was in fact, a pirate.

That said, piracy does have folk on these forums who regard it as larger than the GAoP. Last pirates hanged here in Halifax was 1844. Last recorded incident of piracy that touched home here was 1863, where some Confederates with forged Letter mutinied and captured a Union steamer Chesapeake and sailed her to Halifax to try to avoid the Union. [Aside note: Harper's Weekly of the day called them "British Pirates!"] The Union then sailed naval vessels into British waters, instead of requesting extradition, and attempted to sieze the pirates in British waters, by force. It led to some poor politics, and to Confederate sympathy, that the Union which was declaring about sovereignty did not respect the sovereign territories of others... Very interesting incident.

Anyhow, piracy goes back to at least Julius, before becoming Emperor, who was captured by pirates [that one has been recorded for history]; and it goes until at least 23 August, 2007. There has not been a reported incident of piracy since, as of the date of this post.

Name a Historical Male Pyrate that was not a Captain.....Just part of someone's crew......

Philip Ashton. Esquemeling. James Ferguson. Maggie Jordan. Jones, Hazelton, Anderson and Tevaskiss from the Saladin. Moore was a mutineer, but not a pirate, as it turns out that Kidd wasn't a pirate either. The man did have those French papers to prove them legitimate capture. They turned up in a desk, hundreds of years later... Still, should I keep going? There are quite a few. I have not even started on the surgeons, or those fellows from "the Chesapeake Incident" during the American Civil War [who, it turns out, did NOT have papers, and thus were NOT privateers], or any of Ned Low's crew... The hard one is to name a Ren-Faire pirate that is not a captain [grins].

Crown and anchor does go back a ways, but only a little ways. Early 18th century, popular amongst British, American, Australian sailors. A better choice would actually be Liar Dice [Disney almost got something right!], 'though it is not played as it was in the movie.

Also called "Perudo" by the Spaniards, Liar Dice is still played today, and dates back to the mid 16th. There are a number of modern variations, but differences are thankfully few. The core of the game remains the same, and remains simple. As good a source as any:

http://www.perudo.com/perudo-rules.html

http://www.costumes.org/history/leloir/jus...orpspattern.jpg - a 1705 justaucorps pattern from Leloir. In fact, doing a google image search for "justaucorps pattern" turns up a good number of "period" patterns [for justaucorps, and sleeved waistcoats].

http://www.costumes.org/history/100pages/1...8thpatterns.htm is where the above comes from, specifically, and they have a number taken from period texts. Their page at http://www.costumes.org/history/100pages/LELOIR.HTM looks at the end of the 17th century, as well. [Mostly from Leloir, Maurice, Histoire du Costume, although Leloir did not write the book itself until the late 1800s, as an academic guide for historical costumes...]

I'm sure that the crowded conditions on a ship made the spread of lice and fleas inevitable, carrying with them typhus, etc.

Ah, the Jail Fever. Remained a problem 'til well after the GAoP. Outbreaks often occured in the navy after bringing new crew aboard, so may well have happened for yer pirates two, under similar conditions [new crew]. The "close quarters" were an excellent environment for any disease spread by fleas or lice or bodily fluids. That much we have for certain, from the writings of assorted Ship's Surgeons ['though they most often did not realize that was what they were describing; we've a better theory today as to how the Jail Fever and the Malaria are spread...].

WOODALL, JOHN. The surgeon's mate, or military & domestique surgery... London: Printed by Rob. Young, for Nicholas Bourne, 1639

This book is your first and foremost, I think, and is so whether doing GAoP, Rev War, or even 1805 [it is a classic!].

Trouble is, a cheap repro is a hard thing to find [if you find one, do let me know!]. Even other forums bemoan that the Surgeon's Mate has yet to make it into Project Gutenberg.

http://www.piratebrethren.com/forum/viewto...topic.php?t=434

Reconstructing History have suggested that they're hoping to produce an affordable, if not actually cheap, edition in repro, but no sign yet. [alas]

[EDIT: a more comprehensive bibliography on the subject has already been made by someone else, and can be found here:

http://www.cindyvallar.com/surgeonresources.html

- You'll note there are a few issues of No Quarter Given that are of interest, and they include bibliographies themselves. Most books and articles will be looking either early or late for this period, but you should be able to cobble some good research together. I do recommend Brown, Stephen R. Scurvy: How a Surgeon, a Mariner, and a Gentleman Solved the Greatest Medical Mystery of the Age of Sail. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2003; although Lind does not perform his experiment for a couple of decades past the GAoP, it is a good overview book of Scurvy, what it is, the many treatment theories, and such. Plus it is quite readable. Little, Benerson. The Sea Rover’s Practice. Washington, DC: Potomac Books, 2005, is an ex-navy seal and reenactor; text must be taken with a grain of salt as "experimental recreation," but it is also a good read. The medical information is a small fragment however. The Mary Rose museum's "Barber Surgeon" pages are of interest, 'though Tudor in focus.