Fitzgerald obtained a commission as a Spanish privateer (guarda costa) out of Havana in 1672. Late that year he captured the English ship Humility under Matthew Fox, abusing the captured crew until several of them died.[1] Fox testified that when Fitzgerald was asked why he was so barbaric to English captives, he exclaimed: “giving no reason but that his countrymen were ill-used by the English 24 years ago, and he should never be satisfied with English blood, but could drink it as freely as water when he was adry; and he had commission to sink or take all ships trading from Jamaica, and kill those.”[2]
Early in 1673 he captured the 130-ton logwood hauler Virgin of Edmund Cooke, putting him and his crew in a longboat with no provisions.[3] Cooke survived, and incensed at losing a second ship to the Spanish some time later, finally turned to piracy against the Spanish.[1] Fitzgerald captured more English ships near Campeche in late 1673 alongside Jelles de Lecat (“Yellows”) and Jan Erasmus Reyning, the three of them accounting for more than 40 captures.[4]
Finally in early 1674 both English officials and King Charles II issued proclamations offering pardons to Lecat and Fitzgerald if they surrendered and abandoned the Spanish, but calling for their death or capture if they refused: “and in regard Captains Yellows and Fitzgerald, two of his Majesty's subjects, appeared to be the chief instruments of said depredations, That a Proclamation be issued for recalling his Majesty's subjects from the service of any foreign Prince between the tropics in America, with promise of pardon if they render themselves within a convenient time; and that the Governor of Jamaica receive speedy order for securing both said persons if found so offending after the time limited within his Government, and cause them to be sent prisoners to England.”[2]
Fitzgerald sailed his 12-gun man-of-war[5] into Havana with yet another captured English prize ship in summer 1674, this time with English prisoners hung from the yardarms.[6] After depositions regarding more of Fitzgerald's crimes came to light, and after Spain refused to compensate some of his English victims, in September 1675 the order was given to hunt him down: "Ordered, that Mr. Attorney-General hasten the Proclamation for bringing in the head of Fitzgerald the Pirate from the Havana."[7] Fitzgerald's ultimate fate is unknown.[1]
In 1687 navigator and explorer William Dampier was in the Luconia Shoals, part of a crew which had mutinied and abandoned buccaneer Charles Swan at Mindanao in the Philippines. He encountered several pirates who had also been part of Swan's crew; they reported meeting "an Irishman who went by the name of John Fitz-Gerald, a person that spoke Spanish very well."[8] This Fitzgerald "had in this time gotten a Spanish Mestiza woman to wife, and a good dowry with her" and "being an Irish Roman Catholic, and having the Spanish language, he had a great advantage of all his consorts; and he alone lived well there of them all." Whether this was a later adventure of Philip Fitzgerald is not certain.[8]
See also
John Bear, another Englishman who sailed for the Spaniards as a guarda costa privateer.
Further reading
King Charles II's royal proclamation for the capture of Fitzgerald, issued October 1675
References
^ abcMarley, David (2010). Pirates of the Americas. Santa Barbara CA: ABC-CLIO. ISBN9781598842012. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
^ abSainsbury, W. Noel (1889). Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies | British History Online (Vol 7 ed.). London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. pp. 552–559. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
^Latimer, Jon (2009). Buccaneers of the Caribbean: How Piracy Forged an Empire. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press. p. 226. ISBN9780674034037. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
^Little, Benerson (2010). Pirate Hunting: The Fight Against Pirates, Privateers, and Sea Raiders from Antiquity to the Present. Washington DC: Potomac Books, Inc. ISBN9781597975889. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
^Haring, Clarence Henry (1910). The Buccaneers in the West Indies in the XVII Century. New York: E. P. Dutton. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
^Little, Benerson (2005). The Sea Rover's Practice: Pirate Tactics and Techniques, 1630-1730. Washington DC: Potomac Books, Inc. ISBN9781574889109. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
^Sainsbury, W. Noel (1893). Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies | British History Online (Vol 9 ed.). London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. pp. 201–222. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
^ abDampier, William (1703). A New Voyage Round the World. London: Printed for James Knapton at the Crown in St. Paul Churchyard. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
January 29, 2023
philip, fitzgerald, pirate, scottish, rugby, union, player, philip, fitzgerald, philip, fitzgerald, 1672, 1675, alias, felipe, geraldino, philip, hellen, irish, pirate, privateer, served, spanish, caribbean, philip, fitzgeraldnationalityirishother, namesfelipe. For the Scottish rugby union player see Philip Fitzgerald Philip Fitzgerald fl 1672 1675 alias Felipe Geraldino or Philip Hellen was an Irish pirate and privateer who served the Spanish in the Caribbean Philip FitzgeraldNationalityIrishOther namesFelipe GeraldinoOccupation s Pirate and privateerYears active1672 1675Piratical careerAllegianceSpanishBase of operationsCaribbean Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 Further reading 4 ReferencesHistory EditFitzgerald obtained a commission as a Spanish privateer guarda costa out of Havana in 1672 Late that year he captured the English ship Humility under Matthew Fox abusing the captured crew until several of them died 1 Fox testified that when Fitzgerald was asked why he was so barbaric to English captives he exclaimed giving no reason but that his countrymen were ill used by the English 24 years ago and he should never be satisfied with English blood but could drink it as freely as water when he was adry and he had commission to sink or take all ships trading from Jamaica and kill those 2 Early in 1673 he captured the 130 ton logwood hauler Virgin of Edmund Cooke putting him and his crew in a longboat with no provisions 3 Cooke survived and incensed at losing a second ship to the Spanish some time later finally turned to piracy against the Spanish 1 Fitzgerald captured more English ships near Campeche in late 1673 alongside Jelles de Lecat Yellows and Jan Erasmus Reyning the three of them accounting for more than 40 captures 4 Finally in early 1674 both English officials and King Charles II issued proclamations offering pardons to Lecat and Fitzgerald if they surrendered and abandoned the Spanish but calling for their death or capture if they refused and in regard Captains Yellows and Fitzgerald two of his Majesty s subjects appeared to be the chief instruments of said depredations That a Proclamation be issued for recalling his Majesty s subjects from the service of any foreign Prince between the tropics in America with promise of pardon if they render themselves within a convenient time and that the Governor of Jamaica receive speedy order for securing both said persons if found so offending after the time limited within his Government and cause them to be sent prisoners to England 2 Fitzgerald sailed his 12 gun man of war 5 into Havana with yet another captured English prize ship in summer 1674 this time with English prisoners hung from the yardarms 6 After depositions regarding more of Fitzgerald s crimes came to light and after Spain refused to compensate some of his English victims in September 1675 the order was given to hunt him down Ordered that Mr Attorney General hasten the Proclamation for bringing in the head of Fitzgerald the Pirate from the Havana 7 Fitzgerald s ultimate fate is unknown 1 In 1687 navigator and explorer William Dampier was in the Luconia Shoals part of a crew which had mutinied and abandoned buccaneer Charles Swan at Mindanao in the Philippines He encountered several pirates who had also been part of Swan s crew they reported meeting an Irishman who went by the name of John Fitz Gerald a person that spoke Spanish very well 8 This Fitzgerald had in this time gotten a Spanish Mestiza woman to wife and a good dowry with her and being an Irish Roman Catholic and having the Spanish language he had a great advantage of all his consorts and he alone lived well there of them all Whether this was a later adventure of Philip Fitzgerald is not certain 8 See also EditJohn Bear another Englishman who sailed for the Spaniards as a guarda costa privateer Further reading EditKing Charles II s royal proclamation for the capture of Fitzgerald issued October 1675References Edit a b c Marley David 2010 Pirates of the Americas Santa Barbara CA ABC CLIO ISBN 9781598842012 Retrieved 25 August 2017 a b Sainsbury W Noel 1889 Calendar of State Papers Colonial America and West Indies British History Online Vol 7 ed London Her Majesty s Stationery Office pp 552 559 Retrieved 25 August 2017 Latimer Jon 2009 Buccaneers of the Caribbean How Piracy Forged an Empire Cambridge MA Harvard University Press p 226 ISBN 9780674034037 Retrieved 25 August 2017 Little Benerson 2010 Pirate Hunting The Fight Against Pirates Privateers and Sea Raiders from Antiquity to the Present Washington DC Potomac Books Inc ISBN 9781597975889 Retrieved 25 August 2017 Haring Clarence Henry 1910 The Buccaneers in the West Indies in the XVII Century New York E P Dutton Retrieved 25 August 2017 Little Benerson 2005 The Sea Rover s Practice Pirate Tactics and Techniques 1630 1730 Washington DC Potomac Books Inc ISBN 9781574889109 Retrieved 25 August 2017 Sainsbury W Noel 1893 Calendar of State Papers Colonial America and West Indies British History Online Vol 9 ed London Her Majesty s Stationery Office pp 201 222 Retrieved 25 August 2017 a b Dampier William 1703 A New Voyage Round the World London Printed for James Knapton at the Crown in St Paul Churchyard Retrieved 19 July 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Philip Fitzgerald pirate amp oldid 1082198694, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
