NPAT — Episode 3 — ‘C’ — Transcript
This is a transcript of an episode of a podcast that I run called NPAT. I run down the English alphabet and tell stories about names…
This is a transcript of an episode of a podcast that I run called NPAT. I run down the English alphabet and tell stories about names, places, animals, and things (NPAT). linktr.ee/npat
Chintz fragment with tulips and insects (reportedly found in Japan), Coromandel Coast, India, ca.1700–30.
Today’s episode is the first episode I wrote down. In fact, this story was the impetus for the entire project. Unlike the previous episodes, all four elements we will discuss today are the same word.
What do you think when I say the word — ‘pirate’? You probably think of the popular books, movies and amusement park ride franchise — Pirates of the Caribbean. But you may also think of a black flag with skulls and bones. Well, that imagery is often attributed to an English Pirate named Jack Rackham.
Today’s episode will take us through a journey of a newly globalized world and the treacherous back alleys of 18th century English Law and finally to Jack Rackham. But first, let us travel in space AND time to the coastal villages of South India in the 11th century. Calicut — or Kozhikode as it is also known — was even then, an important trade center. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed here in 1498, which first opened up the spice trade with Europe. But I would like to draw your attention to the name — Calicut. This is where we get the name ‘CALICO’ from. Traditionally, members of the Challiyan cast were involved in the weaving of Calico- a coarse cloth made from cotton.
The English only wore worsted cloth — which is made from wool- until the British East India Company flooded the markets with colorful Calico Prints sourced from India. They were coarser than wool — but cheaper and hence became exceedingly popular to the detriment of English enterprises. To save the woolen industry, a Protectionist Act — the first of two Calico Acts — was passed in the Parliament. This led to an increased demand for a heavier- undyed variety of cotton known as Fustian.
aside: Hopefully, you haven’t found this digression to be fustian.
In 1720 restrictions were once again placed on the import of finished cloth. These events forced the Indian economy to move from sophisticated textile and finished cloth production to exporting raw materials. This is often seen as the first step in a long drawn out process dubbed — ‘deindustrialization’.
This cloth traveled through Lancashire-an mills to N. America, where, through an oft-seen linguistic divergence from European use of English, the word Calico was used to refer to the prints and not the fabric itself.
Which is why Calico Cats are cats with a patchy orange and black coat, Calico crabs have leopard type patterns, and Calico goldfish are any goldfish species with multi-colored scales.
Anyways coming back to our friend — Jack Rackham — he wore calico clothing and hence the nickname — CALICO JACK.
Jack or sometimes John pirated towards the end of the eight decades long Golden Age of Piracy, after the end of the War of the Spanish Succession (1718) when a lot of sailors were out of work and hence turned to piracy. The first record of Jack was of him working as a quartermaster with Charles Vane-a pirate Captain. A quartermaster has enough powers to act as a counterbalance to the Captain of the Ship. Charles Vane was also an interesting character — known for his cruelty. In 1718, George I — King of Britain offers to pardon all pirates who surrender — Vane does not surrender — is captured — is pardoned nevertheless — but starts privateering again — this time with Calico Jack. They are based at the infamous island — Republic of Pirates — in what is now Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas. That same year — off the coast of New York City, they encountered a man-of-war — no not the scary looking jellyfish-like creature — but a type of large warship. Captain Vane vetoes against capturing the ship despite overwhelming support for Jon who votes for capturing it. Jack rallies the crew and declares Vane a coward and becomes the new Captain.
Jack goes back and surrenders before Governor Rogers of Nassau, claiming that Vane had forced them to become Pirates. In Nassau, Jack hooks up with Anne Bonny — wife of an employee of the Governor — who — JUST granted Jack a second life. Bonny is tried for adultery. But Jack offers to ‘buy’ Bonny in a ‘purchase — by — divorce’.
aside: These might be the weirdest sentences I have ever spoken.
But the husband is still angry and does not budge.
aside: Bonny and Clyde
- I mean Bonny and Jack both flee and become pirate partners. Another member of the crew is someone by the name Read.
In a time where phrases like — divorce by purchase and whipped for adultery are acceptable — Bonny had to disguise in men’s clothes on the ship. Bonny is said to have proclaimed her attraction to Mr. Read when it is revealed that Read is actually Mary Read — a woman. Jack, Bonny, and Mary are romancing, sword-swinging, privateering trifecta.
But they are eventually captured, possibly drunk — and — incapable of resisting arrest. Jack was swiftly tried and hung to death. Both Bonny and Read both ‘plead the belly’ — which was a process in English Law that reprieved women the death sentence until after they gave birth to the child? Read died during childbirth and Bonny’s fate is not known. Isn’t that weird? Well, not as weird — considering the fact that a lot of Bonny’s life story comes from the rather dubious source —’ A General History of the Pyrates ‘— by Captain Charles Johnson (another C- name). Many posit that Charles was actually the famous author DANIEL DEFOE.
We will talk more about Daniel Defoe in the next episode of the NAME PLACE ANIMAL THING PODCAST.