Interesting Period Descriptions

[Mission]

I just found this interesting, so I thought I'd re-print it. It's not really gross like some of the other stuff, so the squeamish should have no trouble with it. It's another bit from Matthais Purmann's book Chirurgia curiosa.

CHAP XVII.

Nævi, or Natural Marks on Children on the Face, or other Parts of the Body, how they may be extirpated.

Every Body knows, that a sudden Surprise, a Fright, Stupefaction, or any unexpected frightful Accident, or vehement Desire in a Woman great with Child, does commonly so work upon the Imagination, as to Imprint the same Figure, which was the Cause of the Fright or Desire upon the Body of the Fœtis, which being in its Formation and Growth, has a Harmony in every Part with the Mother, and hence it is that the Mother's Imagination, with the help of the Formative Faculty, has a Power upon the Infant, which like Wax, receives any Impression, and there delineates those several Næve in the Shape and Figure that caused them, as of Fruits and other things, and sometimes prodigious and unnatural Representations, which tho' it be wonderful to consider, yet it shews the exact Sympathy between the Mother and the Child insomuch that wheresoever the Mother by chance lays her Hand, in such a Fright, Surprize, or Desire, the Child will certainly be marked in the same place with the Figure of what was in her Imagination.

These Impressions commonly happen, as some affirm, in the Second or Third Month, and afterward in the Eighth and Ninth from the time of Conception; for in those Months they are neither too Strong nor Weak, but liable to such Blemishes, and the other Months the contrary; But who can make such certain Conclusions from such intricate Premises... (Purmann, p. 47)

And I can't resist posting a few of his medicinal cures because they are as absolutely bizarre as his explanation for how birthmarks come to be:

The Cure by Medicines is sometimes effectual, but must be attempted in the first or second Month at farthest. I have cured several Children six Weeks old or thereabouts, with the fresh Blood of an Eele, after the Eele's Head was cut off, and then only rub the Child's Mark with it, three or four times a day, and the Mark suddenly vanished, Wolf's Blood, if it can be had, will do the same, and as some say, the Secundine [afterbirth - ok, that one is a little gross] used in the same manner... (Purmann, p. 48)

[Mission]

This is from Dr. Thomas Sydenham's book, The Whole Works of that Excellent Practical Physician Dr. Thomas Sydenham, 10th Edition. As I read it, I wondered what prompted them to set up shops on the ice. Perhaps because the novelty of the situation caused so many people to go out there?

"...and on this Account we must likewise take notice, that the last two Years of the Constitution* now going off, had two very severe Winters, especially the last save one, viz. the Year 1683; in which the Season was so vehemently cold, that no Man living ever saw the like as to the intense degree of the Cold, and the long Time it held; for the noble River of Thames was so froze, that it easily sustained, like a solid Pavement, Coaches running about upon it, and Shops well furnished in the manner of Streets, and great Crouds of People. Tho the following Year 84 did not equal the preceding, either as to the Extremity of Cold, or obstinate Duration of it, yet it did not come much behind it as to either; but as it thawed in February in the year 85, this Fever began that I now treat of..." (Sydenham, p. 409)

* The precise meaning of 'Constitution' here is not entirely clear to me, but it refers to an epidemic fever. My thought is that he means its composition, although that doesn't seem to quite fit either.

[Daniel]

Novelty may have been one reason for setting up shops on the ice. But you also have to remember how intensely crowded London streets were, and how tough it was to find selling space there. The frozen river would have been a brief opportunity for craftsmen who couldn't afford shop space on regular streets to grab some for nothing.

[Fox]

There were frost fairs intermittently when the Thames froze over. I have a couple of little printed slips with people's names on, the date, and some words like 'Printed on the Ice'. Basically you went to the booth, paid your ha'penny, and got a neat souvenir with your name on to show you'd been. A bit like Disneyland really.

[Mission]

"17. The Sea and Rivers [in the mountains in the Philippines] abound in excellent Fish. That sort is found there which is commonly call'd Piscis Mulier, or Woman-Fish, of the Bones whereof Beads of great value are made, because they have a singular virtue against Defluxions and that which has been try'd is worth much Money.... ]

[Footnote 1: The Dugong, a submarine elephant now rapidly becoming extinct, is possible the origin of Homer's sirens and the mermaid legends; Columbus, for instance, was misled into taking one for a mermaid. It puzzled many travelers....] (Navarrete, p. 81-2)

Nathaniel Uring also talks about a "Woman Fish" in The Voyages and Travels of Captain Nathaniel Uring (1928 reprint, first published in 1726), identifying it as a manatee, which is closely related to the dewgong.

"Throughout all the River of Zair [the Congo], he [Father Francis de Pava] says, the Mermaid is found, which from the Middle upwards has some Resemblance of a Woman; it has Breasts, Nipples, Hands and Arms, but downwards it is altogether Fish; its Head is round, and the Face like that of a Calf, a large ugly Mouth, little Ears, and round full Eyes; that he has eat of them divers Times, and it tastes not unlike Swine's Flesh, and the Entrails resemble that of a Hog, for which Reason the Natives Name it Ngullin a-Masa (the Water Sow but the Portugueze call it Peixe Molker (the Woman Fish although it feeds on

__

Herbs which grow on the River Side, yet it does not go out of the Water, but only holds its Head out when it feeds: they are taken for the most Part in the rainy Times, when the Waters are disturbed and muddy, and cannot discern the Approach of Fishermen; they are caught by striking. This creature that the good Father speaks of as the Mermaid, can be no other than the Manatee, it answering exactly to that Description, only he has made the Finns to be Hands and Arms. (See the Description of the Manatee or Sea-Cow, in the Voyage to Campeachey.)" (Uring, p. 45-6)

[Mission]

Here are a number of interesting things from the book The Voyages and Travels of Captain Nathaniel Uring (1928 reprint, first published in 1726) that don't really fit in another topic perfectly.

First, some period words and phrases I found interesting.

Bomb-Ketches - small craft carrying howitzers

being a-peak of our Anchors - with the cable shortened in

Boar cable - [bower cable], the best cable in the ship

Factory [capitalized] - Usual term for a trading station in the 17th century.

false Keel - a timber secured to the bottom of the keel to pretect it from damage.

fish the Mast - To lash spars to it at a weak spot, similar to splints on a broken arm

a Paper Braul - A blue and white striped cloth manufactured in India.

the People - A term given to the crew in the 18th century. "Ship's company" is a 19th-century expression.

Smart-Money - Money granted for a wound.

Sugar-droghers - small schooners carrying sugar from the West Indies plantations to the shipping ports.

Tierce - a barrel holding 42 gallons

"When the Enemy [The French. Uring was pressed into service as a midshipman aboard the Eagle, a British Navy ship.] saw we had forced their Boom, most of them left their Ships and fled a-shore in their Boats,

__

having first laid Trains of Gun-powder, with lighted Matches, in order to blow them up rather than they should fall into our Hands..." (Uring, p. 56-7)

"Before the Privateer came up with us [uring was in charge of a Packet Boat (small ships which delivered things British colonies) in 1703. Since Packet Boats contained mail and valuable items, French privateers tried to capture them.], I had caused the Ensign to be nailed to the Staff, and that made so fast that none of my People should be able to strike it; and having all I was worth on Board, and not willing to lose it easily, being resolved not to surrender until there was not possibility of keeping her." (Uring, p. 67)

"[uring is shipwrecked and residing in an English camp amongst the natives off the coast of Honduras in 1711] The manner of their Lodging is thus: They fix several Crutches in the Ground about Four Foot high, and lay Sticks cross, and other Sticks cross them close together; and upon those Sticks they lay a good Quantity of Leaves, and upon them a Piece of old Canvas if they have it; and this is their Bed. There is also at each Corner of the Bed-Place, a tall Pole fixed, to which they fasten their Covering, which is generally made of Ozinbrigs [Footnote 1: A form of 'onsaburg,' a kind of coarse linen named from Onsabruck.]; it is sewed together, and fastened at each Corner to these Poles about Four Foot above the Bed-Place, and is so contriv'd that it falls down on every Side, which tucks close in all round, and serves not only for Curtains, but also keep the Flies from disturbing them. This was the first Contrivance I saw of this sort, and are called by these People Pavilions; nor are there hardly any living without them." (Uring p. 124-5)

"[uring is again off the coast of Honduras, shipwrecked.] These Considerations put me upon drawing a Draught of those Coasts, which will be very useful to Masters of Ships that may, by Accident, be drove into those Seas, or Trade thither, and are unacquainted therewith. Having advised with my Padrone [the man he was staying with while shipwrecked] about it, he encouraged me, and said, he would give me an exact Account of that Part which I had not seen, and supply'd me with Paper for that Purpose. In order to draw the said Draught, I made a wooden pair of Compasses, and a Scale; my Ink was made with Gun-powder, and my Pens with the Feathers of wild Fowl; with these Utensils, I drew the Draught of the Bay of Honduras, describing all the Islands therein, and the Coast of the Muschetos, which, with some Alteration I have made since, is a pretty good one, and is hereunto annexed. [i could not find this map in the book I have, in the original manuscript or on-line. I did find Uring's map of St. Lucia on-line.] The prick'd Line shews the Course of my Travels, both in the Canow and on the Land from the Time I was cast away, to my embarking for Jamaica."

"It may not be improper to relate the Manner of a Round Robin. [This is a way to institute mutiny among the crew.] They take a large Sheet of Paper, an strike two Circles, one a good Distance without the other; in the inner Circle, they write what they have a mind to have done; and between the two Circular Lines, they write their Names, in and out, against the Circles; beginning like the four Cardinal Points of a Compass, right opposite to each other, and the rest as they go on signing one opposite to the other, and so continue till the Paper is filled; which appears in a Circle, and no one can be said to be the first, so that they are all equally guilty; Which I believe to be contrived to keep 'em all firm to their Purpose, when once they have signed it; and if discovered, no one can be excused, by saying, he was the last that signed it, and he had not done it without great Persuasion." (Uring, p. 178)

[pyrat]

An interesting side note related to Saint Augustine and it's "situado" (resupply), Governor Montiano (1737-49) reportedly sent a message to the King shortly after assuming his post in Saint Augustine, stating he was going to engage in trade with the English in order to insure the survival of the colony since the situado was so far in arrears. I just recently heard this tidbit and have not yet verified it, but it coincides with Montiano's personality and known illegal trading activities which occurred with Charles Towne to the north.

[Mission]

Here are some bizarre observations (from a bizarre topic) for you to consider from the English interpretation of the French book A Course of Surgical Operations, Demonstrated in the Royal Garden at Paris, by Monsieur Dionis, (2nd Edition 1733):

"...but when the Wind is lodg'd in the Cavities of the Darius, the Tumor resists the Touch, and the Scrotum is extended as tort [taut] as a Foot-Ball. I have met with rascally Beggars, who by piercing their Scrotum, and blowing it up thro' a Straw, have so fill'd it with Wind, as to swell it to an extraordinary Bulk; Which done, their next Business was to lay themselves at a Church-door, and expose the Scrotum naked to the view of all Persons, by which means exiciting the Pity of those who pass'd by them, they receiv'd their Charity, for which they were bolig'd to this suppos'd Infirmity." (Dionis, p. 201)

That last visual aside... Football!

According to this site, "In 1623, football resurfaced (legally) in England as a soccer-type game played on a field rather than in the town streets. Players were not allowed to touch the ball with anything except their feet. At about the same time, Irish teams took up a form of football that allowed players to hit the ball with their fists."

[Mission]

This may not be news to many of you, but I still found the description sort of amusing and interesting.

"...he [pirate William Phillips, former boatswain of the King Solomon taken by Robert's Crew] had confessed to [George] Fenn [Mate of the King Solomon] that he had been obliged to sign their Articles that Night, (a Pistol being laid on the Table, to signify that he must do it, or be shot,) when the whole appeared to be an Untruth from other Evidence...

The Court observed the Pretences of this, and other of the Pyrates, of a Pistol and their Article, being served up in a Dish together, or of their being misused and forced from an honest Service, was often a Complotment ["A plotting together".- what an awesome word!] of the Parties, to render them less suspected of those they came from and was to answer the End of being put in a NewsPaper or Affidavit, and the Pyrates were so generous as not to refuse a Compliment to a Brother that cost them nothing, and, at the same Time, secured them the best Hands, the best I call them, because such a Dependance made them act more boldly." (Johnson, A general history of the pyrates, 3rd ed., p. 300)

[Swashbuckler 1700]

This may not be news to many of you, but I still found the description sort of amusing and interesting.

"...he [pirate William Phillips, former boatswain of the King Solomon taken by Robert's Crew] had confessed to [George] Fenn [Mate of the King Solomon] that he had been obliged to sign their Articles that Night, (a Pistol being laid on the Table, to signify that he must do it, or be shot,) when the whole appeared to be an Untruth from other Evidence...

The Court observed the Pretences of this, and other of the Pyrates, of a Pistol and their Article, being served up in a Dish together, or of their being misused and forced from an honest Service, was often a Complotment ["A plotting together".- what an awesome word!] of the Parties, to render them less suspected of those they came from and was to answer the End of being put in a NewsPaper or Affidavit, and the Pyrates were so generous as not to refuse a Compliment to a Brother that cost them nothing, and, at the same Time, secured them the best Hands, the best I call them, because such a Dependance made them act more boldly." (Johnson, A general history of the pyrates, 3rd ed., p. 300)

Is that a same man than John Filips?

[Fox]

No, William Philips was a boatswain from London and was executed at Cape Corso in 1722. John Philips was a carpenter from Devon and was killed by forced men from his crew in 1724. Just to confuse the issue, John Philips (before he became a captain) served alongside John Fenn (before he became a captain), who was not the same person as George Fenn.

[Mission]

I just thought this was an interesting detail.

“[bonnet] ...they took a Scooner, coming from North-Carolina, bound to Boston, they had out of her only two Dozen of Calf-Skins, to make Covers for Guns…” (Johnson, General History of the Pyrates 3^rd Edition, p. 96)

[Capt. Sterling]

Shame there isn't more detail on the covers...or is there? In which case pray continue

Edited April 26, 2012 by Capt. Sterling

[Mission]

Shame there isn't more detail on the covers...or is there? In which case pray continue

No, you got everything in there. I would have posted the details had there been more.

This reads like a movie script...

"About 10, [Pirate captain] Cornelius came up with them [an African Company slaving ship containing Robert Williams], and being hailed, answered he was a man of war, in search of pirates, and bid them send their boat on board; but they refusig to trust him, though he had English colours and pendant flying, the pirate fired a broadside, and they began a running fight of about 10 hours, in which time the negroes discharged their arms so smartly, that Cornelius never durst attempt to board. About 8 at night the ship blew up abaft. They immediately cut the lashings of the long-boat, but the ship going down, they had not time to get her out, and barely enough to launch the yawl, which lay on the forecastle. The ship went down on one side, and Robert Williams running on the other, was hooked by the mizen-truss, and was carried down with her; but having his knife in his hand, and a, great presence of mind, he cut the waistband of his trowsers, where he was caught, got clear, and swam after the boat, into which about 16 had gotten, and either knocked those on the head, or cut off their hands, who laid hold on it; however, with much entreaty, he was permitted to lay one hand on to ease him. They made to the pirate, who refused to receive them, without they would enter with him : which, to save their lives, they all agreed to, and were then civilly received, and dry clothes given them. These and one negro were all the souls saved." (Captain Charles Johnson, The History of the Pirates (aka. Vol II of The General History), 1834 Edition, p. 161)

I take it the ship would have blown up because they hit the powder magazine?

[Mission]

Eventual pirate Captain North's story in the The History of the Pirates (aka. Vol II of The General History) contains all sorts of interesting comments. Here are two. The first is about getting a Letter of the Marque renewed (or extended):

"[North] ...returned to Jamaica, and went on board and cruised in a Spanish barcalonga, of 10 guns, commanded by Capt. Lovering, born at Jamaica. They cruised three months in the West-Indies, and making but a small hand of it, they steered for Newfoundland, to try their fortune on the banks. Here they met a man of war, who renewed their commission for six months longer." (Captain Charles Johnson, The History of the Pirates (aka. Vol II of The General History), 1834 Edition, p. 188)

The second is an interesting comment about water casks. Well, I thought it was kind of interesting.

"They fitted this ship [the Pelican, which the crew had purchased] for a long voyage, out of the joint stock of the company; but iron hoops being scarce in New-England, they were obliged to take casks hooped with wood, which I mention, because it proved the ruin of their voyage to the East-Indies for a whole year." (Johnson, p. 189)

"...they thought of going to sea again [after being stuck ashore in the East-Indies for some period due to sickness], but on examining their water casks, they found the hoops all worm eaten and rotten, so that there was no proceeding; but this defect was repaired by their cooper, who was an ingenious fellow. He went into the woods with the Mayotta slaves, and with withes [willow branches] and other stuff he gathered, fitted them up, and made them tight; in acknowledgment of which service they chose him captain, and North was made quarter-master." (Johnson, p. 191)

[Cuisto Mako]

Very interesting descriptiton I just found today in Jean Doublet journal's.

In 1672, when he was a young sailor/pilot, his ship got captured, they took everything and the crew was sent in prison in Ostend.

They spend 3 days and prison, than are freed and each men is given the equivalent of "15 sol" to pay for their way back to France and the men are left in a very miserable condition:

...je n'avois sur moy qu'un justaucorps sans manches raptassé de pièces de thoille godronnés et une pareille culotte, des vieux bas de deux couleurs et sans pieds, et de misérables souliers qui m'abandonnèrent à la première lieue, et pour bonnet le haut d'un vieux bas attaché avec une ficelle...

...all I had with me was a sleeveless justaucorp patched with some tarred canvas and similar breeches, some olds "feetless" socks of different colours, some crappy shoes that dyed on me at the first mile and for a hat, the top of an old sock tight up with a string...

Now, i'm not saying this is representative of a late 17th c French sailor... but it would make a nice beggar outfit!

Anybody got an old justaucorp they don't need anymore?

[Mission]

Here is some more from North's story in the The History of the Pirates (aka. Vol II of The General History). The first part is about how they dealt with treasure. Sequins have come up in several other accounts from this book, which I find sort of interesting. And, of course, to the re-enactor there is all that stuff about making gold buttons and buckles. (Get your wallet it if you want to be PC in this manner!)

"When they came over against Cachine, some black merchants, goldsmiths, and several Dutchmen,came on board to trade with them, bringing a great many sequins, and other gold coin, to change for Spanish dollars. As many of the pirates designed to knock off and return home, they gave 500 dollars for 200 sequins, for the conveniency of close stowage about them. The goldsmiths set up their forges on board the ship, and were fully employed in making them buttons, buckles, and what else they fancied,so that they had a fair opportunity of putting in what alloy they thought proper." (Johnson, p. 199)

The second bit is about a tribal custom when the pirates were staying in Madagascar. I have come across photos of African tribal scarifying, but hadn't read about it in a period document before this.

"As the whites were returning home with their company, they fell in with another nation, the Timouses, whose prince joined North, with 500 men, and swore a strict amity with him and his crew.

The ceremony used among the natives, as it is uncommon, so an account of it may, perhaps, be agreeable. The parties who swear to each other, interweave their toes and fingers, so that they must necessarily sit very close to each other. When they have thus knit their hands and feet, they reciprocally swear to do each other all friendly offices, to be a friend or enemy to the friend or enemy of the party to whom they swear; and if they falsify the oath they make, they imprecate several curses on themselves, as may they fall by the lance, be devoured by the alligator, or struck dead by the hand of God. Then an assistant scarifies each of the contracting parties on the chest, and wiping up the blood with a piece of bread, gives this bloody bread to each of them to cat, that Is, each eats the blood of the other; and this oath, whether it be with equal parties, or with a prince and his subject, where the one promises protection and the other obedience, (which was the nature of that taken between North and this prince) is looked upon inviolable, and they have few examples of its being broken; but where any has been wicked enough to violate this solemn oath, they say, they have been ever punished according to their imprecations." (Johnson, p. 211)

[William Brand]

On the 9th of February, 1718, there arrived at Mobile, by ship, from France, Pierre Duqué Boisbriant, a Canadian gentleman, with the commission of Commandant at the Illinois. He was a cousin of Bienville, then Governor of Louisiana, and had already served under him in that province. In October, of the same year, accompanied by several officers and a detachment of troops, he departed for the Illinois country, where he was ordered to construct a fort. The little flotilla, stemming the swift current of the Mississippi, moved slowly on its way, encountering no enemies more troublesome than "the mosquitoes, which," says the worthy priest Poisson, who took the same journey shortly after, "have caused more swearing since the French have been here, than had previously taken place in all the rest of the world."

That line (especially coming from a priest) always makes me laugh.

[Mission]

Below are some interesting bits about setting up tents for influx of pirates into Nassau, Bahamas after the Rogers brought the King's pardon. This is from The History of the Pirates (aka. Vol II of The General History) and it also includes some interesting details about the construction of houses.

"The governor, with some soldiers, guarded the fort, and the inhabitants, who were formed into trained bands, took care of the town ; but as there was no sort of accommodation to lodge such a number of people, they were forced to unbend the sails, and bring them on shore, in order to make tents, tilt they had time to build houses, which was done with all possible expedition, by a kind of architecture altogether new.

Those that were built in the fort were done by making six little holes in the rock, at convenient distances, in each of which was stuck a forked pole; on these, from one to the other, were placed cross poles or rafters, which being lathed at top, and on the sides, with small sticks, were afterwards covered with Palmata leaves, and then the house was finished ; for they did not much trouble themselves about the ornaments of doors and windows." (Johnson, p. 220)

[Swashbuckler 1700]

The modern source is " Scourge of the Seas - Buccaneers, Pirates and Privateers" but this is originally from old account.

In an account of the engagement between the English East India Company

ship Cassandra and the pirate Edward England in july 1720, Captain James McRae

described how his opponent attacked with two vessels, one of 30 guns and the

Fancy of 34 guns. The Scottish captain was deserted by the English East Indiaman

Greenwich and the Dutch East India Company ship that sailed with her, and she

was left alone to face the pirates:

" For though we did not doubt that he [the Greenwich] would join us, because

when he got about a league from us, he brought his ship to, and look'd on, yet

both he and the Osunder basely deserted us, and left us engaged with barbarous

and inhuman enemies, with their black and bloody flags hanging over us, without

the least appearance of escaping being cut to pieces. But God, in his good

Providence determined otherwise, for notwithstanding their Superiority, we

engaged them both about three hours, during which the biggest received some

shot betwixt wind & water, which made them keep off a little to stop their leaks.

The other endeavoured all she could to board us, by rowing with her oars,

being with half a ship's length of us above an Hour, but by good Fortune we shot

all her oars to pieces, which prevented them, and by consequence, saved our lives

Here we had a more violent engagement than before. All my Officers, and

most of my men behav'd with unexpected Courage, & as we had considerable

advantage by having a broadside to his bow, we did him great damage, so that

had Captain Kirby come in then, I believe we should have taken both, for we

had one of them for sure, but the other pyrate (who was still firing at us) seeing

the Greenwich did not offer to assist us. He supplied his Consort with three

boats full of fresh men. About 5 in the evening, the Greenwich stood clear away

to Sea, leaving us struggling hard for life in the very jaws of death, which the

other pyrate, that was now afloat, seeing this, got a warp out, and was hauling

under our Stern, by which time many of my men were killed or wounded, and

no hopes left of us from being all murdered by enraged barbarous Conquerors,

I order'd all that could, to get into the longboat under the cover of the smoke of

our guns, so that with what some did in boats, & others by swimming, most of

us that were able reached ashoar by 7 0' clock. When the Pyrates came aboard,

they cut three of our wounded men to pieces. I, with a few of my people, made

what haste I could to the Kingstown, 25 miles from us, where I arrived next day,

almost dead with fatigue and loss of blood, having been sorely wounded in the

Head by a musket ball."

Edited May 17, 2012 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Mission]

Belly-timber!

“[Roberts] They seiz'd in this River a Sloop, and by her gained Intelligence, that a Brigantine had also sailed in Company with her, from Rhode-Island, laden with Provisions for the Coast. A Welcome Cargo! They growing short in the Sea Store, and as Sancho says, No Adventures to he made without Belly-Timber.” (Johnson, 3^rd, p. 223)

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Some pirate democracy in horrible way... they sometimes shared quite many things with eachother even wifes...

From GHoP (1724 version)

Some (was it Foxe?) has call into question the story about BB's wife but we may never know what was the truth (Mission yes history is messy indeed)

" Before he sailed upon his Adventures, he (Teach) marry'd a young Creature of about sixteen Years of Age, the Governor performing the Ceremony. As it is a Custom to marry here by a Priest, so it is there by a Magistrate; and this, I have been informed, made Teach's fourteenth Wife, whereof, about a dozen might be still living. His Behaviour in this State, was something extraordinary; for while his Sloop lay in Okerecock Inlet, and he ashore at a Plantation, where his Wife lived, with whom after he had lain all Night, it was his Custom to invite five or six of his brutal Companions to come ashore, and he would force her to prostitute her self to them all, one after another, before his Face."

the 14 wifes is propably not true...

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I have found this a little time ago in some history forum but I cannot tell where . However I think this was written by Privateer Shelvocke after a shipwreck.

"In two months we made a tolerable shew, owing in a great measure to the ingenuity of Poppleston, our armourer, who never lost a minute in working with his hands, or contriving in his head. He made us a small double-headed maul, hammers, chisels, and a sort of gimblets or wimbles, which performed very well. He even made a bullet-mould, and an instrument to bore cartouch-boxes, which he made from the trucks of our gun-carriages, covering them with seal-skins, and contrived to make them not only convenient, but neat."

I found this when I wanted, just for fun, to find out how popular cartouche-boxes were. (and after looking period pictures and reading some quotes, like the blackbeard battle thing from 1719 newpaper quote, I think that those boxes were, if not popular, used at least in some numbers by fighting sailors and pirates alike.)

[Mission]

Now I want to get some gimblets and wimbles just so I can say that during presentations.. (Actually, I have two wimbles... sort of...)

[William Brand]

Now I want to get some gimblets and wimbles just so I can say that during presentations.. (Actually, I have two wimbles... sort of...)

You should refer to them as your skull gimlets and dental wimbles, making them sound whimsical and disturbing.