Though the pirates I have told you about have been wonderful additions to the history of our legendary lifestyle, there is one pirate whose reputation far outweighs those of any of the men I have mentioned thus far.  The Great Pirate Roberts is an example of who all us pirates strive to become.  With his numerous successes and overwhelming courage, he remains the most memorable of our kind.  And though our time together is almost up, I could not allow you to leave without hearing of his amazing accomplishments, even though what I have to say could never adequately give him the credit he deserves...

Bartholomew Roberts, né John Roberts was born in 1682 in a tiny village in Wales.  Not much is known about his days as a youth, but most can never forget the man he became.  He was  said to be roughly six feet tall with long dark hair, which was a trade mark for handsomeness in those days.  Unlike most legendary pirates, Roberts was not only educated, he was considered to be a true gentleman.  He enjoyed wearing fine apparel and his look was notorious.  It consisted of a red damask jacket, breeches, a hat with a red feather and a diamond studded cross.  There were some who took offense to his aristocratic demeanor, but none challenged his fearless character and valor.  Like Sir Francis Drake, Roberts was strict in keeping up with religious practices and was known to not allow gambling or prostitution aboard his ships.

Gaining respect from his crew came easily for Captain Roberts and he was instantly noted for his command ability and intuitive intelligence.  He never waited for a ship to pass in order to attack it.  He was known to go in search of lonely vessels, in order to take what he could.  Perhaps this aggressive nature led to him becoming the wealthiest pirate ever known.  His career as a pirate lasted only four years, yet during that time he managed to capture more treasure than some would take a lifetime to attain.  By the end of his first several battles, Captain Roberts' reputation had grown so greatly that guard ships stationed in the West Indies were reluctant to get involved with him and even sailed out of his way in order to avoid confrontation. 

Determinedly sailing his way south, Captain Roberts left a burning path in his wake. By the Spring of 1721 Captain Roberts, single-handedly, had brought shipping to and from the Spanish Main to a halt, having survived over a year in the guarded waters of the Caribbean.  After this, he returned across the Atlantic to sell his stolen treasure, and to plunder the African Coast.  Roberts never failed in his missions to destroy and he always left behind a sea of enemies that would make it their life's mission to hunt him down and destroy him.  This didn't phase Captain Roberts at all.  In fact, he expected it.  While on the coast of Africa, his past finally caught up with him.  While relaxing on his ship, he noted a vessel approaching him for battle.  He gathered his crew and adorned himself in his typical battle gear.  When he got on deck, he recognized the British ship, the Swallow, and knew the situation was bleak.    Captain Roberts was killed by the Swallow's only barrage and when his body was found by his crew, they burst into tears at the loss of such a great and honorable man.  In order to show loyalty to their Captain, they honored Roberts' request that, should he be killed, he wanted his body thrown overboard, dressed in his finery.  The crew ended up surrendering to the Swallow, whose crew did not suffer a single casualty.


I can smell the strength of this man in the salt of the sea.  His spirit glides over these waves and calls out to us.  To be so great is the dream of every man, so in that way I am not unlike you.  I will leave you with this quote from the greatest of pirates, Captain Bartholomew Roberts. 

"That since hath dipp'd my Hands in muddy Water, and must be a Pyrate, it is better being a Commander than a common Man.  In an honest Service there is thin Commons, low Wages, and hard labour; in this, Plenty and Society, Pleasure and Ease, Liberty and Power...A merry Life and a short one, shall be my Motto."   - Bartholomew Roberts






Bibliography

1.   "Captain Bartholomew Roberts", written and created by V'le Onica, Copyrighted © 2000-2003 by Castlebound Enterprises.  I used this site for my information and retold, in my own words, what I learned here.
Web source:   http://www.bartholomewroberts.com/

Images:

1.   All images on this web page can be found at Beej's Pirate Image Archive.  The headings underneath the pictures are the original titles provided in the image gallery.
Web source:   http://www.piratehaven.org/~beej/pirates/#pirates