John Nutt facts for kids

John Nutt was an English pirate who lived a long time ago, in the early 1600s. He became quite well-known for his pirate adventures. For about three years, he raided ships near the coasts of southern Canada and western England. He was finally caught in 1623 by a man named Sir John Eliot. However, John Nutt managed to get a special release, called a pardon. He paid Eliot a large sum of money, and a powerful government official, George Calvert, helped him get free. This whole situation caused a big discussion in the English court!

John Nutt's Early Life

John Nutt was born in a place called Lympstone, which is near Exmouth in Devon, England. Around the year 1620, he traveled to Newfoundland, which is now part of Canada. He arrived there as a gunner on a ship from Dartmouth.

John Nutt liked Newfoundland so much that he decided to stay there. He even moved his family to live in a town called Torbay, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Becoming a Pirate Captain

Once settled, John Nutt quickly gathered a small group of sailors. In the summer of 1621, he and his crew captured a small French fishing boat. They also took two other French ships. Some stories say these ships might have been English and Flemish instead. After these first captures, Nutt and his crew sailed back to the western coast of England.

John Nutt was good at finding sailors who didn't have jobs. He even convinced many sailors from the Royal Navy to join his crew. He offered them regular pay and special bonuses. He also offered to protect French and English settlements, including the Colony of Avalon. This colony was led by George Calvert, who would later become important in Nutt's life.

Raids and Capture

For more than three years, John Nutt continued to raid ships. He operated in places like the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Irish Sea. He was very good at avoiding capture by the authorities.

Eventually, John Nutt decided he wanted to stop being a pirate. He asked for a royal pardon from Sir John Eliot. Eliot was a high-ranking official in Devon. Eliot agreed to give Nutt a pardon, but only if Nutt paid him £500.

However, when John Nutt returned to England, Eliot arrested him instead! Nutt was put in prison. He was tried in court and found guilty of piracy. He was about to be hanged, which was a common punishment for pirates.

A Surprising Release

Just when things looked bad for John Nutt, George Calvert stepped in. Calvert was a very important government official, the Secretary of State. He had been a friend of Nutt and his family when they lived in the Avalon Colony.

Thanks to Calvert's help, John Nutt was given his pardon and set free. He even received £100 as payment for what he had gone through. As for Sir John Eliot, he was charged with misusing his power and was sent to prison himself.