Pirates are always popular. From children's stories like Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson to classic swashbuckling films with Errol Flynn, or the recent Disney Pirates of the Caribbean movies, pirates fascinate and captivate. They also have their own way of talking, and live in a world very different from our own. That's where this dictionary comes in. Here you'll find all the common words and phrases pirates used, and the stories of many famous pirates too.
half cock
The first position of the cocking mechanism on a flintlock firearm. This position is used to load the weapon, and led to the modern expression “half-cocked” meaning not completely prepared.
haylards
The lines used to raise or lower the sails.
headstay
A line that runs from the top of a mast to the bow of the ship.
helm
The mechanism used to steer a ship, typically a wheel or tiller.
Henry Morgan, Sir
This, the greatest of all the “brethren of the coast,” was a Welshman, born at Llanrhymmy in Monmouthshire in 1635. The son of a well-to-do farmer, Robert Morgan, he early took to the seafaring life. When quite a young man Morgan[Pg 224] went to Barbadoes, but afterwards he settled at Jamaica, which was his home for the rest of his life. In 1665 Morgan, with two other buccaneers, Jackman and Morris, plundered the province of Campeachy, and then, acting as Vice-Admiral to the most famous buccaneer of the day, Captain Mansfield, plundered Cuba, captured Providence Island, sacked Granada, burnt and plundered the coast of Costa Rica, bringing back another booty of almost fabulous wealth to Jamaica. In this year Morgan married a daughter of his uncle, Colonel Morgan. In 1668, when 33 years of age, Morgan was commissioned by the Jamaican Government to collect together the privateers, and by 1669 he was in command of a big fleet, and around this time Morgan calmly took a fine ship, the Cour Volant, from a French pirate, and made her his own flagship, christening her the Satisfaction. In 1670 the greatest event of Morgan's life took place—the sacking of Panama. In March, 1671, Morgan sailed off to Port Royal with a few friends and the greater part of the plunder, leaving his faithful followers behind without ships or provisions, and with but £10 apiece as their share of the spoils. In April, 1672, Morgan was carried to England as a prisoner in the Welcome frigate. But he was too popular to be convicted, and after being acquitted was appointed Deputy Governor of Jamaica, and in November, 1674, he was knighted and returned to the West Indies. Morgan was essentially a man of action, and a regular life on shore proved irksome to him, and so for the remainder of his life he was in trouble with local authorities. He died on August 25, 1688.
House of Lords
A name used by the crew of Black Bart (Bartholomew Roberts) to refer to themselves in order to demonstrate their contempt and rancor for the civilized word. They even referred to themselves as “Your Lordship”.
hull
The wooden frame of the ship, including the keel and bottom, the sides, and the decks.
