Peter Love facts for kids

Peter Love was an English pirate who lived in the late 1500s and early 1600s. He was born in Lewes, Sussex, England. Peter Love was the captain of a ship called the Priam. For a while, he used a secret base on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. There, he made a deal with a local leader named Neil MacLeod.

From his base, Love and his crew captured many ships and stole their valuable goods. However, Neil MacLeod eventually turned against Peter Love. He handed Love and his crew over to the Scottish authorities. In 1610, Peter Love and several of his crew members were found guilty of piracy. They were sentenced to be executed. Neil MacLeod himself was later betrayed and executed three years after Love.

Peter Love's Pirate Life

Peter Love was a well-known pirate during his time. His ship, the Priam, was famous for its daring voyages. He operated in the waters around Ireland and Scotland, looking for ships to capture.

Joining Forces with Neil MacLeod

Location in Scotland

One day, Peter Love and the Priam barely escaped capture near Ireland. They sailed to Loch Roag on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. The Priam was full of stolen goods. These included spices like cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper. There were also valuable items like cochineal (a dye), sugar, animal hides, and silver plates. They even had a box of precious jewels taken from a Dutch ship, plus many muskets.

In this area lived a local leader named Neil MacLeod. He was the son of the former chief of the MacLeods of Lewis. Neil MacLeod had been fighting for years against people trying to take over the island. He and his small group of followers had a strong hideout. It was on a tiny, rocky island called Bearasaigh in Loch Ròg.

Peter Love and Neil MacLeod soon became allies. They set up a pirate base in the area. With MacLeod's help, Love's pirates continued their raids. They captured a Scottish ship and held its owner, Thomas Fleming, captive. They also took a Flemish ship. Five of its crew members were forced to work for the pirates. The Flemish ship later got caught in bad weather and ended up on the coast of Shetland.

Some stories say that Peter Love was even planning to marry a relative of Neil MacLeod. This shows how close their alliance became.

The Betrayal and Capture of Peter Love

Despite their alliance, Neil MacLeod eventually betrayed Peter Love. During a big feast, MacLeod and his men tried to capture the pirates. There was a fierce fight, and some pirates were killed. But in the end, Love and the Priam were captured by MacLeod's forces. The Dutch sailors who had been forced to work for the pirates were freed. A Scotsman who was also held captive was kept by MacLeod.

Legend says there was a lot of money on the Priam. This money was supposedly shared among MacLeod and his followers. However, official records don't mention any money on the ship. The spices and goods were not very useful to MacLeod's men. But money would have been very helpful. Capturing Love also gave MacLeod a way to make peace with the Scottish government.

MacLeod sent a message to the government to tell them about Love's capture. He claimed he wasn't there when Love was seized. This might have been to avoid being blamed if his men took some of the loot. It's likely that by the time the Priam was handed over to the government, anything valuable to MacLeod's men was already gone.

Trial and Execution

Peter Love and nine of his men were taken to Edinburgh for trial. They were tried on December 8, 1610. The crew included men from different countries: Englishmen, Welshmen, and an Irishman. All of them were found guilty of piracy. They were sentenced to be executed by hanging. This took place on the sands of Leith, a port near Edinburgh.

Neil MacLeod, who betrayed Love, did not live much longer. In 1613, he was forced to leave his hideout. He fled to Harris to seek protection from a relative, Rory Mor MacLeod. Neil hoped Rory Mor would take him to London to get a pardon from the king. But when they reached Glasgow, Rory Mor handed Neil and his son over to the authorities. Neil MacLeod was found guilty of high treason and was executed in April 1613. His son was sent away to England.