Name the Captain

[William Brand]

Well, since were talking all things Captain Whoever, I say we have him born in Virginia in either Norfolk or Hampton, because of all the history we have access to from the Chesapeake Bay. Then we place his family roots in Southampton, England, since so many people embarked from there to the New World.

EDIT: There is a Thomas Southard who came to the Americas in the early 1600s out of Amsterdam and settled in the Long Island area. There is also a Southard family line that comes from Lancashire.

Damn. Southard is really growing on me.

From the book "The Streets of Key West"

Southard Street was named after Samuel Southard, the Governer and Senator of New Jersey, Secretary of the Navy, and interim secretary of both war and the treasury. Southard Street was called 'Calle Curteles' (Barracks Street) by Spanish-speaking islanders because it ran from Fort Taylor on one side of the island to the army barracks on the other.

[Jas. Hook]

Cap'n Josiah 'Blue Nose' Brant

Jas. Hook

[William Brand]

All kidding aside, we have a strong push for 'Richard' as a first name, so shall we vote between Gunnage and Southard as a surname?

[Captain Jim]

Richard Southard, pronounced "south-erd" as opposed to "suth-erd". Called by his crew, "Cap'n Richard." I think that the title with the first name connects the crew, while Cap'n Southard might be a bit too formal for a pyrate crew. Of course if we are a privateer crew in good standing, then the address would have been more formal. If a privateer crew with "slipped" papers or a couple of sketchy captures it could go either way.

BTW, is our captain elected or appointed by Letter?

[Mission]

I agree with Captain Jim.

[William Brand]

Richard Southard, pronounced "south-erd" as opposed to "suth-erd". Called by his crew, "Cap'n Richard." I think that the title with the first name connects the crew, while Cap'n Southard might be a bit too formal for a pyrate crew. Of course if we are a privateer crew in good standing, then the address would have been more formal. If a privateer crew with "slipped" papers or a couple of sketchy captures it could go either way.

Well, I've been doing some work on the background of Capn' Richard Southard (pronounced South-erd) for the upcoming paperwork and materials to be used at trial. I'm currently making 'bills of lading' and 'letters of marque' for our good captain. Nothing overtly dramatic, but detailed papers that can be used as props for education and dramatic demonstrations. I think Capn' Richard should be a simple man of the sea, firmly set with roots in the working class.

BTW, is our captain elected or appointed by Letter?

I imagine he's elected. The letters I'm making up for him do contain some 'commissions' as the captain of a 'sloop of war', but they are primarily to be used at times of legal consequence like any such letters of marque or privateering that lend an individual or crew the right to take ships. Some of this stuff merely lends the crew of the Mercury right of passage or the limited formality that walks that fine line between pirating and privateering. Of course with the Captain always absent...it's mostly just fun and academic.

[Duchess]

Having no official say of course, but occasionally being only 12 years of age allow me say "Cap'n Dick, may we all hope he isn't spotted!"

[Mission]

Someone smack her. (Gently. )

[madPete]

hey what's obvious to one may not be obvious to another... Smack him back!

fight, Fight, FIGHT!

... jes kidding

might I suggest another strong English name? Henry.

mP

[Duchess]

Once again stepping out of line, I have to say I quite like the idea of a never seen captain who has a name that can be played with.

[Duchess]

And I shall be happy to step into the ring as soon as an appropriate sum of monies has been raised.

[Tartan Jack]

Though I am not actually part of the Mercury goings on, though friends w/ all of them . . .

I HAVE to throw this in:

Hermes McHugh.

Why?

Hermes: the Greek name of the messenger god Mercury (Roman).

McHugh: Derived as a British name inspired by the chemical name of the element mercury Hg. Plus, sometimes McHugh is abbreviated as McHg.

Plus, Hermes McHugh sounds plausible for the period w/o being to bluntly the play on the name "Mercury" that it actually is.

Edited November 20, 2012 by Tartan Jack

[Mission]

I wish I could like posts on the forum. (Duchess would win. She would. Honestly.)

[Captain Jim]

Richard Southard, pronounced "south-erd" as opposed to "suth-erd". Called by his crew, "Cap'n Richard." I think that the title with the first name connects the crew, while Cap'n Southard might be a bit too formal for a pyrate crew. Of course if we are a privateer crew in good standing, then the address would have been more formal. If a privateer crew with "slipped" papers or a couple of sketchy captures it could go either way.

Well, I've been doing some work on the background of Capn' Richard Southard (pronounced South-erd) for the upcoming paperwork and materials to be used at trial. I'm currently making 'bills of lading' and 'letters of marque' for our good captain. Nothing overtly dramatic, but detailed papers that can be used as props for education and dramatic demonstrations. I think Capn' Richard should be a simple man of the sea, firmly set with roots in the working class.

BTW, is our captain elected or appointed by Letter?

I imagine he's elected. The letters I'm making up for him do contain some 'commissions' as the captain of a 'sloop of war', but they are primarily to be used at times of legal consequence like any such letters of marque or privateering that lend an individual or crew the right to take ships. Some of this stuff merely lends the crew of the Mercury right of passage or the limited formality that walks that fine line between pirating and privateering. Of course with the Captain always absent...it's mostly just fun and academic.

So shall we take it that our ship is a pyrate ship what uses letters of marque when it is convenient, as opposed to a private venture that has crossed the line and gone a'pyratin' by common consent of the crew? Or was there a mutiny and the original captain of a legal privateer deposed, our good Captain elected to command and a'pyratin' they went? If mutiny by common consent and Southard was the original captain, elected to retain the post by the crew, then his name could be on the original documents and he could be an all-out pyrate at the same time, still passing as a legal privateer when it suits their needs and conditions.

[Capt. Sterling]

Any chance this will be done prior to this weekend as mention was made of getting such information to me as soon as possible? I need to write examinations, depositions, etc..etc...

Richard Southard, pronounced "south-erd" as opposed to "suth-erd". Called by his crew, "Cap'n Richard." I think that the title with the first name connects the crew, while Cap'n Southard might be a bit too formal for a pyrate crew. Of course if we are a privateer crew in good standing, then the address would have been more formal. If a privateer crew with "slipped" papers or a couple of sketchy captures it could go either way.

Well, I've been doing some work on the background of Capn' Richard Southard (pronounced South-erd) for the upcoming paperwork and materials to be used at trial. I'm currently making 'bills of lading' and 'letters of marque' for our good captain. Nothing overtly dramatic, but detailed papers that can be used as props for education and dramatic demonstrations. I think Capn' Richard should be a simple man of the sea, firmly set with roots in the working class.

[William Brand]

So shall we take it that our ship is a pyrate ship what uses letters of marque when it is convenient, as opposed to a private venture that has crossed the line and gone a'pyratin' by common consent of the crew? Or was there a mutiny and the original captain of a legal privateer deposed, our good Captain elected to command and a'pyratin' they went? If mutiny by common consent and Southard was the original captain, elected to retain the post by the crew, then his name could be on the original documents and he could be an all-out pyrate at the same time, still passing as a legal privateer when it suits their needs and conditions.

I think that we define ourselves against the situation (like true pirates), sometimes sheltering ourselves for convenience by document, but oft times taking profit wherever it can be had, legally, illegally and sometimes by hybrid or hairsplitting of the two. We have almost always been hunted and done battle with the English at events, but we've also allied ourselves to the French at more than one gathering. Any documents that we'd carry would be from governments that found us as useful or as convenient as we'd find them in any given moment. For example, when we participate at Fort de Chartres we do commerce with the French and trade with the nations of New France such as the Sauk, Foxes, Shawnee, Wyandot and Chickasaw. We would then have some papers to that affect, which give us some rights of trade in otherwise dangerous areas of Illinois. Any of the paperwork is thus created for our use (and usually abuse) of the system, not to define us or paint us into a corner.

And when we are in Spanish waters we take everything that crosses our path. After all, who's going to pass up a galleon?

The Captain would most definitely be so by acclamation. Our crew wouldn't follow anyone of appointment, so papers of commission would be for our benefit and his, not for defining the Captain's role. Papers exist for protection in rare bureaucratic moments where definition is the difference between death and prolonged stays. We vote on Captains. We don't follow appointed ones, so make no mistake, I'm not trying to redefine the Mercury. I'm just creating more talking points about pyracy in all of its facets.

Also, the use of some papers allow us a chance to educate the public and provide us with additional props.

For narration's sake, we could say that our Captain was a 'working man' and still is. When Queen Anne's War dried up, he went where the work was…The Spanish Main. I like the pragmatism you see among so many pirates of the period. "What? You no longer have work for me as a sailor, because your war is over? Fine. I'll go find work elsewhere. You can call it piracy if you'd like. I call it the sweet trade." This avoids some of the over-romanticizing aspects of the hobby and gets down to brass tacks. Spend enough time on the sea, you'll eventually consider options you never would on land. Pyrates are pragmatists. Take what you need and if you can make a lot of money all at once doing it, why the hell not.

Any chance this will be done prior to this weekend as mention was made of getting such information to me as soon as possible? I need to write examinations, depositions, etc..etc...

I'm doing what I can in the face of this dialogue and pressing family matters, but yes.

[Mission]

I thought we had sort of decided the name. (The last two people who responded aren't even Mercury crew members. And, no offense to anyone, but Hermes sounds like a poncey name. If a pirate captain was given the name Hermes, I think he'd start referring to himself as 'Mad' McHugh. or Fierce Beard or hmm... never mind. Those are poncey too...)

[William Brand]

I'm still for Captain Richard Southard.

[Capt. Sterling]

I am sure everyone is doing what they can.

[Captain Jim]

I'm still for Captain Richard Southard.

Quite. Shall we consider the matter of the name closed?

So, where did we aquire the ship? Or did we discuss that and I missed it somewhere?

[William Brand]

Quite. Shall we consider the matter of the name closed?

Since no one had offered another name since October, I thought that it was closed, so I say yes.

So, where did we aquire the ship? Or did we discuss that and I missed it somewhere?

The proposed sight for the discovery of the Mercury is St. Joseph's Bay in the Pensacola area as mentioned here...

[silas thatcher]

huh !! how'd i miss this thread ?? richard southard sounds good to me also ( my 2 cents ) ...only sutherd... would have probably been misspelled that way also...

will capt. jim still be our "unofficial" capt. ??? kinda like the idea of him staying the captain...

[Mission]

St. Jofeph's Bay

William is our secret, double ought spy captain.

[William Brand]

huh !! how'd i miss this thread ??

You were busy attending too many events in the Midwest without me.

richard southard sounds good to me also ( my 2 cents ) ...only sutherd... would have probably been misspelled that way also...

Actually, I checked that. In many of the examples I've found the last part of the name seems to change the most. Examples of early English spellings included Southword, Southward, Southworth, Southwoth, Southerd and so forth.

will capt. jim still be our "unofficial" capt. ??? kinda like the idea of him staying the captain...

No, but Jim will be the one the crew is always trying to replace poor Richard with, due to some failing in our current captain. Maybe Richard is too absent.

St. Jofeph's Bay

Nice.

[William Brand]

The Archangel Crew will be serving as King's Men and trying members of the Mercury at FTPI next week, so I'm also compiling lists of 'ships taken' by the Mercury. To make matters easy I've been drawing on the names list we originally drew from when coming up for a name for the brig-sloop. This is a list of some of the Spanish Galleons (and names of crew) we've taken over the years...

Spanish Galleon - Centurión

Bortolo Abascal, Capitán

Philip Lantigua, Maestre

Antonio Martinez, Contramestre

Gabriel Adame, Dispensero

Spanish Galleon - Nuestra Señora del Buen Consejo (Our Lady of Good Counsel)

Agustín Martinez, Guardian

Alonso Trujillo, Armero

Spanish Galleon - Delfín (Dolphin)

Giulio Guartem, Capitán

Juan Garcia, Piloto

Juan Olivares, Dispensero

Spanish Argosy - Cuatro Hermanas (Four Sisters)

Alonso Cardona, Capitán

Rocco Bonito, Maestre

Spanish Galleon - Peregrino (Peregrine)

Alessandro Gaspar, Capitán

Pedro el Cano, Escribano

Giraldo Sena, Marienero

Blas Valdez, Page

Spanish Galleon - Galeon Próspero (Prosperous)

Marco do Soto, Capitán

Juan Ballesteros, Companero de Pilot

Hernán Fuentes, Codestable

Luis Vicini, Capellan

Hernán Rosario, Marienero

Carlos Mejia, Marienero

Francisco Brugal, Marienero

Benito Hache, Marienero

Bernadino Ramos, Marienero

There are many more, but I'm still compiling. It's given me a rare opportunity to research given names and surnames of Spain for the period. I'm also going to throw in a few daring escapes and stalemates, so that our history has some variety, such as being run off by a third rate English warship 'Adamant' while taking an English Cutter that was just taken by the Spanish two days before that. I'll also include being attacked by pirates, since pirates attacked other pirates. I'll add some stalemated battle with pirates out of the Isthmus of Panama.