Henry Timberlake 1716 dep

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Henry Timberlake deposition, 17 Dec 1716

Depositions – Henry Timberlake, 17 Dec 1716

While the preceding passage appears in Quest for Blackbeard, the genealogies of various pirates will be explored in similar depth in Brooks’ Dictionary of Pyrate Biography, currently in the planning stages.

Brooks has over 35 years of experience in genealogical research, has worked as a professional genealogist, and lately studied in the Maritime Studies Program at East Carolina University as a professional historian.

His upcoming peer-reviewed article, “ ‘Born in Jamaica of Very Creditable Parents’ or ‘A Bristol Man Born’? Excavating the Real Edward Thache, ‘Blackbeard the Pirate’ “ in the July issue of North Carolina Historical Review includes the genealogy of the most famous pirate of them all!

henry Timberlakes Jamaica Ss.

deposition henry Timberlake master of the Brigantine

called the Lamb burthen about Fforty Tons being

duley Sworn deposeth & saith as follows

That about the Sixteenth day of november last he Set Sail

on board the said Brigantine from the Port of Boston

in New England bound for this Island [Jamaica] That about the thirteenth

of December instant about Eight Leagues off of Cape Donna

Maria on the west end of Hispaniola about Eight a Clock

at night a Sloop mounted with Eight Guns and manned

with about ninety men as they told him called the Delight

Benjamine Hornigole Comander came up with this Depont.

fired Several Shot at him, obliged him to bring too and then

Comanded him with his Boat on board and this Deponent

and two of his men coming on board him, hornigole

told this Deponent he had taken a Spaniard with Fforty

Guns the Thursday before and a Bristol man that

Sailed from this Island the week before, but gave this

Deponent no further account of either of those Vessels

and acquainted this Deponent the week before fifteen

of his men had run away with their own Canoa and

carried forty Thousand peices of eight with them. That

hornigole Said to this Deponent, give my Service to the

Captn of the man of warr and tell him I design to have

his Ship from him if I meet him. That hornigole hoisted

out of his Boat with about a dozen hands and Boarded

this Deponents Said Brigantine, this Deponent remaining

[next page] Council minutes

on board the Sloop till about two or three of the Clock in

the morning. That hornigole's Boat returning twice or thrice

loaden with provisions from the Brigantine this Deponent

asked them why they used him so they answered they wanted

provisions and this Deponent further Saith That in about

an hour after hornigole Boarded him Edward Thach

Comander of another Sloop, the name whereof this

Deponent knows not mounted with Eight Guns & manned

with about ninety men came alongside the said Brigantine

and Sent their Canoa with Several hands on Board her and

plundered her That the said hornigole and the said other

Sloop took from this Deponent Three Barrils of Porke,

one of Beef, two of peese, three of Markrill [fish?] five

Barrils of onions Several Dozen Caggs of oysters most

of his Cloaths and all his Ships Stores Except about

Fforty Biskets and a very Small quantity of meat just

to bring them in and threw Some of their Staves over

board. That this Deponent was cheifly loaden with Staves

and Shingles and that he was beleived the loss and his orendrs

histained by the Said Pirates might be about Sixty pounds

Jamaica mony That hornigole about three in the morning

Sent this Deponent in his own Boat on board That this Depont.

Soon after arrived in Port Royal harbour and further this

Deponent Saith that the said hornigole told him that he

understood by the Bristol Ship afore mentioned that Captn

[John?] Quarry was in Goal for being concerned in a Pyracy

with him but Said he was wrongfully accused therein

for that Quarry did not act or concerned himself and

was by him forced to be in their Company & declared

that it was him and his Crew alone that had robbed

that Spaniard. Hornigole further declared that if he

thought that him this Deponent would no So Soon

as he got into Jamaica declare and make known

that Quarry was not concerned in that Pyracy he

would not Suffer him to go from them and further

Saith not.

Henry Timberlake

Sworn this 17th of December 1716

before his Excellency Peter Heywood Jamaica

Note: An “Emanual and Sarah Elizabeth Timberlake” is recorded in Jamaican Anglican Church records, St. Andrews Parish, with children Richard, William, Sarah, and Hurst, born between 1723 and 1738.

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