Peter Easton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peter Easton
Peter Eston
Born	c. 1570 Scotland
Died	c. 1620 Savoy
Nationality	English
Occupation	Pirate
Years active	1602-1620
Piratical career
Allegiance	Kingdom of England Duchy of Savoy
Rank	Captain
Base of operations	Newfoundland, Caribbean
Commands	Happy Adventure

Peter Easton (born around 1570 – died around 1620) was a famous Scottish privateer and later a pirate in the early 1600s. A privateer was like a legal pirate, hired by the government to attack enemy ships.

Easton became a very successful privateer by 1602. He was hired to protect English ships and interests in Newfoundland. He was known as one of the most famous English pirates of his time. His adventures took him from Ireland to Africa and all the way to Newfoundland.

He is especially remembered for his role in the early English settlements in Newfoundland. These included places like Harbour Grace and Ferryland between 1611 and 1614. Peter Easton was so powerful that no country could ignore him. He was never caught by any fleet sent to hunt him down.

Serving the Crown

Peter Easton, also known as Eston, was a loyal servant to the English king and queen. His family had a history of serving England, even fighting in the Crusades. They also bravely fought against the Spanish Armada.

The Historic Rose Manor in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland and Labrador, is very close to where Peter Easton and his crew once had a fort.

In 1602, Easton was in charge of a group of ships as a privateer. He had special permission from Elizabeth I of England to protect the English fishing fleet in Newfoundland. Back then, fishing boats carried weapons and small cannons. This was to protect their valuable fish from pirates and ships from other countries.

With his special permission, Easton could legally force local fishermen to join his crew. He could also attack enemy ships and docks as much as he wanted, especially those belonging to the Spanish. Easton's main ship was called Happy Adventure. It proudly flew the Saint George's Cross flag.

Becoming a Pirate Captain

On June 23, 1604, Queen Elizabeth I died. The new king, James I, made peace with Spain. He also cancelled all the special permissions given to privateers.

When Easton heard this news, he kept attacking ships as if nothing had changed. By doing this, he crossed the line and became a pirate.

On his ship, Happy Adventure, Easton continued to fly the St. George’s Cross. He attacked Spanish ships in the West Indies and the Mediterranean Sea to steal their gold. At the same time, he demanded and received money from English ships for "protection."

In 1610, he blocked the Bristol Channel, which meant he controlled ships going in and out of western English ports. He often worked for the powerful Killigrew family from Falmouth, Cornwall. They helped pay for his trips and shared in his profits.

Easton arrived in the colony of Newfoundland in 1612 with ten pirate ships. He set up his main base at Harbour Grace. He raided and stole from both English and foreign ships. He also attacked harbours in Newfoundland, forcing many fishermen to join his crew.

During one trip, he robbed thirty ships in St. John's. He even held Sir Richard Whitbourne as a prisoner. Easton released him only if Whitbourne would go to England and get a pardon for him. A pardon means being forgiven for a crime.

Easton did get the pardon, but by then, he had moved on. He sailed to the Barbary Coast in North Africa to bother the Spanish there.

While in Newfoundland, Easton is thought to have taken about 1,500 fishermen for his ships. Most of them joined him willingly. Easton continued to protect John Guy's settlement at Cuper's Cove. However, he did not let Guy start another settlement at Renews.

On one of his raids, Easton sailed to the Azores islands. He placed his fleet of ships southwest of the islands. His plan was to stop the Spanish silver fleet, which carried valuable treasure. We don't know many details about the battle. However, a few days later, Easton arrived in Tunis with lots of treasure and four Spanish ships he had captured.

Life in Retirement

In early 1613, the Duke of Savoy made Nice and Villefranche free ports. This meant they offered a safe place for all pirates. On February 20, 1613, Easton sailed into Villefranche with four ships and 900 soldiers. He left eight more ships outside the Strait of Gibraltar.

Easton met with the Duke of Savoy. He agreed to invest a large amount of money (100,000 crowns) in Savoy. In return, he would get a yearly income and a percentage of the profits. An English agent in Savoy, William Parkhurst, wrote about him:

"This Easton has since been with me: he seems to be 40 years old: his face is rough and wild (which the Duke noticed), his speech and way of acting are slow, clever, and secretive..."

Easton made friends with the Duke of Savoy by helping him in a raid against the Duchy of Mantua. Easton was given a yearly payment of £4000. He promised to be loyal and became a Catholic. He married a rich woman and was made a Marquess (a type of noble) in the Duchy of Savoy. Even with all this, people at court still called him 'Il cosaro Inglese' (the English corsair).

Within a month of arriving in Savoy, Easton sent most of his crew away. He did take part in a naval attack by Savoy against Venice later in 1613. However, he commanded French crews and ships for that trip. The attack was not successful. After this, Easton did not do much more with ships or the sea. Still, he continued to work for the Duke until at least 1620.