“At last, after many doubts and disputes among themselves, they resolved to hazard the assault and their lives after a most desperate manner. Thus they advanced towards the castle, with their swords in one hand and fire-balls in the other. The Spaniards defended themselves very briskly, ceasing not to fire at them with their great guns and muskets continually, crying withal: Come on, ye English dogs, enemies to God and our King; let your other companions that are behind come on too; ye shall not go to Panama this bout. …

“One of the Pirates was wounded with an arrow in his back, which pierced his body to the other side. This instantly he pulled out with great valour at the side of his breast; then taking a little cotton that he had about him, he wound it about the said arrow, and putting it into his musket, he shot it back into the castle. But the cotton being kindled by the powder, occasioned two or three houses that were within the castle, being thatched with palm-leaves, to take fire, which the Spaniards perceived not so soon as was necessary. For this fire meeting with a parcel of powder, blew it up, and thereby caused great ruin, and no less consternation to the Spaniards, who were not able to account for this accident, not having seen the beginning thereof.

“Thus the Pirates, perceiving the good effect of the arrow and the beginning of the misfortune of the Spaniards, were infinitely gladdened thereat.”

– The Buccaneers of America (1678), by Alexander O. Exquemelin, who sailed with Henry Morgan. See a virtual copy of this book on the Library of Congress’ website here.

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“And I was going to sea myself, to sea in a schooner, with a piping boatswain and pig-tailed singing seamen, to sea, bound for an unknown island, and to seek for buried treasure!”

– Treasure Island

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“The term ‘arrgh’ ['arr'] — and certainly its notoriety as a term in pirate speech — is almost totally attributable to a single person. Of the 223 instances of ‘arrgh’ in film, television, and literature, all but eight were spoken by characters played by actor Robert Newton. Newton most famously played Long John Silver in Treasure Island (1950), reprising the role in Long John Silver’s Return to Treasure Island (1954) and television’s ‘The Adventures of Long John Silver’ (1955), and moreover starred as Blackbeard in Blackbeard the Pirate (1952).

…

“Of the eight non-Newton instances of the use of ‘arrgh,’ four were spoken by actors during scenes or exchanges with Newton in films or television episodes starring Newton.

“While Newton obviously did not invent the term (which is spoken in both the 1934 film version of Treasure Island and the 1940 book Adam Penfeather, Buccaneer), the actor — and the lasting popularity of the 1950 production of Treasure Island in which he appeared — cemented ‘arrgh’ into the pirate classic it is today. Newton relied heavily on a dark, throaty delivery and also peppered his pirate characters’ speech liberally with ‘arrgh’ and other noise terms to show off that guttural style.

“The frequent use of noise terms by Newton’s pirate characters only accelerated in his later films. While Newton’s 1950 Long John Silver (Treasure Island) used ‘arrgh’ only nine times in that 96-minute film, for instance, his 1954 Long John Silver (Return to Treasure Island) used ‘arrgh’ 27 times in 102 minutes, and his 1952 Blackbeard (Blackbeard the Pirate) used the term 50 times in 98 minutes — an average of more than twice a minute.”

– The Pirate Primer: Mastering the Language of Swashbucklers and Rogues, George Choundas

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Royall Fortune
Sept. 27th, 1720

Gentlemen

This comes expressly from me to lett you know that had you come off as you ought to a done and drank a glass of wine with me and my company I should not a harmed the least vessell in your harbour. Farther, it is not your gunns you fired that afrighted me or hindred our coming on shore but the wind not proving to our expectation that hindred it. The Royall Rover you have already burnt and barbarously used some of our men but we have now a ship as good as her and for revenge you may assure yourselves here and here-after not to expect anything from our hands but what belongs to a pirate. Farther Gentleman, that poor fellow you now have in prison at Sandy Point is entirely ignorant and what he hath was gave him and so pray make conscience for once, let me begg you, and use that man as an honest man and not as a C[riminal?]. If we hear any otherwise you may expect not to have quarters to any of your Island.

Yours

Bartholomew Roberts

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