Thomas Paine (privateer)
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Thomas Paine | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1632 |
| Died | 1715 |
| Occupation | Pirate |
| Commands | The Pearl |
Thomas Paine (1632–1715) was a colonial American
In 1682, Paine accepted a
A resident of
As did the others, Paine sailed under a French flag as the fleet arrived off the Florida coast. However, finding the Spanish had prepared for their arrival in advance, they were forced to withdraw, eventually abandoning their raid after looting the surrounding area (although they did release several captive before their departure).
Returning with Bréhal and Markham to New Providence, they were reportedly wanted by governor Robert Lilburne, who wished to detain both Markham and Paine for violating England's peace agreement with Spain; however he was unable to do so "for want of a force", and they eventually left the Bahamas to join Corneliszoon and Woolley in salvaging the wrecked Spanish treasure galleon, the Nuestra Senora de las Maravillas.
Their efforts apparently met little success and he and Bréhal sailed north to resupply at Rhode Island. Although New England was traditionally friendly towards privateers, the two were arrested on orders by visiting governor Edward Cranfield who charged Paine with carrying a counterfeit commission. Paine was eventually cleared and Bréhal allowed to leave.
Paine stayed in Rhode Island and eventually went into semi-retirement, becoming involved in the cargo and resailing for local pirates including Captain William Kidd, who visited Paine in 1699.
References
- ISBN 1-85326-384-2.
Further reading
- Clifford, Barry and Kenneth Kinkor. The Lost Fleet: The Discovery of a Sunken Armada from the Golden Age of Piracy. Harper Paperbacks, 2003. ISBN 0-06-095779-4
- Field, Edward, Henry Perry Smith, Charles Value Chapin, Daniel Goodwin, Robert Grieve, William Eaton Foster, George Grafton Wilson, Howard Kemble Stokes, James Hill Nutting, Clarence Saunders Brigham, Edward C. Stiness and Josiah Browne Bowditch. State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the End of the Century. Mason Publishing and Printing Co., 1902.
- Zacks, Richard. The Pirate Hunter: The True Story of Captain Kidd. New York: Hyperion, 2003. ISBN 0-7868-8451-7
- Chapin, Howard M. Captain Paine of Cajacet. Providence: in Rhode Island Historical Society Collections (page 19-32), 1930.
