Mary Read

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Retired Pirate, Mary Read

Click on image above to hear a Sound sample from Salt Sea and Piracy...

Norah Dooley is willing to sign on as Mary Read, retired pirate, at your events - historical, piratical or otherwise. Email for dates and rates.Salt, Sea and Piracy with Mary Read

PROGRAM

Dressed as pirate Mary Read, Norah Dooley tells tales about the people who sailed in the Golden Age of Piracy, and the wonders of the 7 seas. In the early 1700s Mary Read disguised herself as a sailor to survive in the harsh world and became a pirate by accident when her ship was captured by Captain "Calico Jack" Rackham. Norah tells Mary's story in the first person brandishing pistol and sword and sharing secrets and multicultural stories from her sea bag. Some of her favorites are Maury O'Connor and the Mermaid ( Ireland), Arion and the Dolphins (Greek), Ocean Born Mary (New England legend), Mitsue and the Pirates (Japan). Norah plays pennywhistle and leads songs and sea chanties, including : John Kanaka, The Mermaid, & Run the Riggin' Again . While in port, Mary provides 45 minutes to an hour, of historically accurate and engaging fun for families with children 5 years old and older.

"Norah Dooley is an entrancing storyteller" - Scott Alarik, Boston Globe

The Testimony

Ann Bonny and Mary Read's Trial

November 17, 1721

"...the two women, prisoners at the bar, were then on board the said sloop, and wore men's jackets, and long trousers, and handkerchiefs tied about their heads; and that each of them had a machete and pistol in their hands, and cursed and swore at the men, to murder the deponent; and that they should kill her, to prevent her coming against them;...an other witness stated the women were very active on board, and that Ann Bonny handed gunpowder to the men; also, "that when they saw any vessel, gave chase, or attacked, they wore men's clothes; and at other times, they wore woman's clothes."

The Verdict:

"You, Mary Read, and Ann Bonny, alias Bonn, are to go from hence to the place from whence you came, and from thence to the place of execution; where you shall be severally hanged by the neck till you are severally dead. And god of his infinite mercy be merciful to both your souls."

Charges of Piracy against Calico Jack and his Crew

The Prisoners that are charged are as follows:

The Captain of the pirate ship is John Rackman alias "Calico Jack."

The crew of the same pirate ship are George Featherston, John Davies, Thomas Bourn, James Dobbins, Thomas Earl, Richard Corner, John Howell, Noah Harwood, Patrick Carty, and John Fenwick.

The four charges against the prisioners are as follows:

1. That they "did piratically, feloniously, and in an hostile manner, attack, engage, and take, seven certain fishing boats" and that they assulted the fisherman and stole their fishing boats" and that they assulted the fisherman and stole their fish and fishing tackle.

2. That they did "upon the high seas, in a certain place, distance about three leagues from the island of Hispaniola...set upon, shoot at, and take, two certain merchant sloops," and did assault James Dobbin and other mariners.

3. That on the high sea about five leagues from Port Maria Bay in the island of Jamaica they did shoot at and take a schooner commanded by Thomas Spenlow and put Spenlow and other mariners "in corporeal fear of their lives."

4. That about one league from Dry Harbour Bay, Jamaica, they did board and enter a merchant sloop called Mary, commanded by Thomas Dillon, and did steal and carry away the sloop and her tackle.

November 16, 1721 in Spanish Town, Jamaica

Some parting words:

As Jack Rackman was going to be hanged Ann Bonny gave him a scornful look and spat out that, "Had you fought like a man, you need not have been hang'd like a dog."

November 17, 1721

Pirate links...coming soon

Pirate Vocabulary...

Ahoy Used to hail a ship or a person or to attract attention.

Avast! Used as a command to stop or desist.

Belay Used in the imperative as an order to stop.Belay there!

Bucko A friend.

Gangway! Used to clear a passage through a crowded area.

Hang the jib To look ill-tempered or annoyed. To pout.

He's gone to Davy Jones's locker He is dead. (Davy Jones's locker is also the bottom of the sea)

Sink me! An expression of surprise.

Smartly Quickly.

Splice the Mainbrace! To have a Drink, or perhaps several.

shipmates must know when to say these things...

Aye Yes. Aye, aye captain!

Aft Short for "after." Toward the rear of the ship.

Bilge That part of a ship's hull or bottom which is broadest and most nearly flat, and on which she would rest if aground. Also - Stupid talk or writing; nonsense.

Bilge Pump A pump to draw the bilge water from the hold of a ship.

Bilge Water Water which collects in the bilge or bottom of a ship or other vessel. It is often allowed to remain till it becomes very offensive.

Clap of Thunder A strong drink.

Fore Short for "forward". Toward the front end of the ship.

Mast A tall vertical spar, sometimes sectioned, that rises from the keel or deck of a sailing vessel to support the sails and the standing and running rigging.

Mizzenmast The hindmost mast of a three-masted vessel.

Poop deck The deck forming the roof of a poop or poop cabin, built on the upper deck and extending from the mizzenmast aft.

Port A seaport or the left side of the ship when you are facing toward her prow.

Prow The "nose" of the ship.

Rigging The arrangement of masts, spars, and sails on a sailing vessel.

Spars A wooden or metal pole used to support sails and rigging.

Starboard The right side of the ship when you are facing toward her prow.

Buccaneer A robber upon the sea in 17th and 18th centuries (Caribbean Pirates).

Corsair A pirate; one who cruises about without authorization from any government, to seize booty on sea or land (Mediterranean Pirates).

Deadlights Yer eyes, lad!

Hand One who is part of a group or crew.

Jack A flag or a sailor; showing how sailors would refer to thier ship's colors as one of the crew

Jack o' Coins The paymaster or Quartermaster.

Jack o' Cups The First Mate.

Jack o' Staves The First Lieutenant.

Jack o' Swords The Bosun.

Jack Ketch A public executioner or hangman. To Dance with Jack Ketch is to hang.

Jack Tar A popular colloquial name for a sailor (also called Jack Afloat).

Lad A young man.

Landlubber or lubber A person who lives and works on land or an inexperienced sailor; a sailor on the first voyage.

Lass A girl or young woman.

Matey Sociable; friendly. A way to address another pirate you are familiar with.

Messdeck lawyer A know-it-all.

On the Account Living the life of a pirate. If you are Going On The Account, you are becoming a pirate.

Privateers A ship privately owned and crewed but authorized by a government during wartime to attack and capture enemy vessels.

Scallywag A deceitful and unreliable scoundrel.

Scurvy Vile; mean; low; vulgar; contemptible.

Sprogs Raw, untrained recruits or children.

Squiffy A buffoon.

Swab A sailor, often a lout.

Stuff and goods...

Booty Goods or property seized by force

Cat O'Nine Tails An instrument of punishment with nine pieces of knotted line or cord fastened to a handle used to flog offenders on the bare back.

Chantey, Shantey, Shanty A song sung by sailors to the rhythm of their movements while working.

Cutlass A short heavy sword with a curved single-edged blade

Doubloons A gold coin formerly used in Spain and Spanish America.

Grog An alcoholic liquor, especially rum diluted with water.

Hempen Halter The hangman's noose.

Jolly Roger A black flag bearing a white skull and crossbones; indicates a pirate ship.

Letter of Marque A license to a private citizen to seize property of another nation.

Pieces of Eight An old Spanish silver coin.

Six Pounders Cannons.

The Hulks Old or dismasted ships, formerly used as prisons.

Careen leaning (a ship) on one side for cleaning, or repair.

Chain Shot Two cannon balls united by a shot chain, formerly used in naval warfare on account of their destructive effect on a ship's rigging.

Heave To turning a sailing ship so that its bow heads into the wind and the ship lies motionless except for drifting, in order to meet a storm.

Hornswaggle To cheat.

Keelhaul punishment where one is hauled under the keel of a ship, by ropes attached to the yardarms on each side

Marooned To put ashore;to intentionally abandon.

Overhaul To gain upon in a chase; to overtake.

Scuttle To cut or open a hole or holes in a ship's hull or to sink a ship by this means.

"To Be Three Sheets in the Wind" Casting out all three sails, causing the ship to shudder and stagger like a drunken sailor.

Walk the plank To be forced to walk off a plank extended over the side of a ship so as to drown.

Weigh anchor Heave up an anchor in preparation for sailing (can be used for to leave port).