Henry Mainwaring
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Mainwaring was an English
pirate, naval officer with the Royal Navy
, and author.
in Shropshire
, second son of Sir George Mainwaring and his wife Ann, the daughter of Sir William More of Loseley Park
in Surrey
. His maternal grandfather was Sir William More
, Vice-Admiral of Sussex. Henry's brothers were Sir Arthur Mainwaring, Carver to Prince Henry
, George Mainwaring, the defender of Tong Castle
, and Sir Thomas Mainwaring, the Recorder of Reading
. The Mainwaring
family was old and distinguished in England, probably having arrived in the train of William the Conqueror (1066).
Mainwaring graduated from Brasenose College at Oxford University, where he was awarded a B.A. in Law, at the age of 15, in 1602. He then served as trial lawyer (admitted in 1604 as a student at Inner Temple
), soldier (possibly in the Low Countries
), sailor, and author (pupil of John Davies
of Hereford
) before turning to piracy
.
Nottingham
to capture the notorious Newfoundland "arch-pirate" Peter Easton
, then feared to be hovering around the Bristol Channel
. This may have been just a convenient excuse for the well-armed Resistance, his small but speedy ship, to become a scourge to the Spanish.
On reaching the Straits of Gibraltar
, Mainwaring announced to his crew his intention of fighting the Spanish anywhere he found them. Turning to piracy was not that out of line for the young valiant in those years.
In 1614 he sailed his fleet to Newfoundland, saying that the region was the best in which to recruit a pirate crew and reprovision his ships. Mainwaring used Easton's old base at Harbour Grace, Canada
, as his pirate base and raided Spanish
, Portuguese
, and French
ships.
On 4 June 1614, off the coast of Newfoundland, Mainwaring, in command of eight vessels, plundered the cod
-fishing fleet, stealing provisions and taking away with him carpenters and mariners. In taking seamen, Mainwaring would pick one out of every six. In all, 400 men joined him willingly, while others were "perforstmen." Sailing to the coast of Spain, Mainwaring then took a Portuguese ship and plundered her cargo of wine, and he later took a French prize and stole 10,000 dried fish from her hold.
With Mainwaring away from his main base in La Mamora
, on Atlantic coast of present day Morocco
, a Spanish fleet under Don Luis Fajardo
, sailing from Cádiz
on 1 August 1614, reduced the town. Mainwaring's relations with the Moors
were such that he had been able to secured the release of their English prisoners.
So feared was his pirate fleet that Spain offered Mainwaring a pardon and high command in return for his services under the Spanish flag.
threatened to send a fleet after Mainwaring, to whom he later granted a royal pardon in 1616 for having saved the Newfoundland trading fleet near Gibraltar
.
Mainwaring wrote a book on piracy (Discourse of Pirates, on the suppression of piracy, 1618), the manuscript of which is in the British Museum
. In his book, he explains what causes a desperate man to turn to piracy. He also advises the King against granting pardons to pirates. The King promptly dispatched Mainwaring to the Venetian Republic as his representative, over the protests of the Spanish ambassador.
Knighted (20 March 1618) and commissioned in the Royal Navy, Mainwaring became Vice-Admiral before leaving the navy in 1639. He was elected to Parliament
from Dover
(1621–1622). In 1630, he married the daughter of Sir Thomas Gardiner
. Lady Mainwaring died in 1633.
As a Royalist, he served in the King's cause in the English Civil War
, was exiled to France
, and died in poverty. He was buried at St. Giles' Church, Camberwell
, London
, on 15 May 1653.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
pirate, naval officer with the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, and author.
Early life
Henry Mainwaring was born in IghtfieldIghtfield
Ightfield is a small village and civil parish in Shropshire, England.Within the parish boundaries is another small village - Calverhall.Ightfield is situated in one of the most rural areas one could expect to find, with many of its roots being in farming. In fact, the name could indeed be derived...
in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, second son of Sir George Mainwaring and his wife Ann, the daughter of Sir William More of Loseley Park
Loseley Park
Loseley Park is a historic manor house situated outside Guildford in Surrey, England near Compton. The estate was acquired by the direct ancestors of the current owners, the More-Molyneux, at the beginning of the 16th century....
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. His maternal grandfather was Sir William More
William More
William More was appointed Bishop of Colchester to deputise within the Diocese of Ely under the provisions of the Suffragan Bishops Act 1534 in 1536 and held the post until his death in 1541. Educated at Cambridge University .-Life:...
, Vice-Admiral of Sussex. Henry's brothers were Sir Arthur Mainwaring, Carver to Prince Henry
Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
Henry Frederick Stuart, Prince of Wales was the elder son of King James I & VI and Anne of Denmark. His name derives from his grandfathers: Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley and Frederick II of Denmark. Prince Henry was widely seen as a bright and promising heir to his father's throne...
, George Mainwaring, the defender of Tong Castle
Tong Castle
Tong Castle was a very large mostly Gothic country house in Shropshire, set within a park landscaped by Capability Brown, on the site of a medieval castle of the same name....
, and Sir Thomas Mainwaring, the Recorder of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. The Mainwaring
Mainwaring
The surname Mainwaring , is an Anglo-Norman territorial surname deriving from "Mesnil Warin" , from the village of Le Mesnil Varin , now Saint-Paër, Normandy...
family was old and distinguished in England, probably having arrived in the train of William the Conqueror (1066).
Mainwaring graduated from Brasenose College at Oxford University, where he was awarded a B.A. in Law, at the age of 15, in 1602. He then served as trial lawyer (admitted in 1604 as a student at Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
), soldier (possibly in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
), sailor, and author (pupil of John Davies
John Davies
-Politicians:*John Davies , British businessman and Conservative MP and cabinet minister*John S. Davies , Pennsylvania politician...
of Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
) before turning to piracy
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
.
From pirate-hunter to pirate
In 1610, at the age of 24, Mainwaring was given a commission from Lord High AdmiralAdmiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
to capture the notorious Newfoundland "arch-pirate" Peter Easton
Peter Easton
Peter Easton was a pirate in the early 17th century who operated along the Newfoundland coastline between Harbour Grace and Ferryland from 1611 to 1614...
, then feared to be hovering around the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
. This may have been just a convenient excuse for the well-armed Resistance, his small but speedy ship, to become a scourge to the Spanish.
On reaching the Straits of Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, Mainwaring announced to his crew his intention of fighting the Spanish anywhere he found them. Turning to piracy was not that out of line for the young valiant in those years.
In 1614 he sailed his fleet to Newfoundland, saying that the region was the best in which to recruit a pirate crew and reprovision his ships. Mainwaring used Easton's old base at Harbour Grace, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, as his pirate base and raided Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
ships.
On 4 June 1614, off the coast of Newfoundland, Mainwaring, in command of eight vessels, plundered the cod
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
-fishing fleet, stealing provisions and taking away with him carpenters and mariners. In taking seamen, Mainwaring would pick one out of every six. In all, 400 men joined him willingly, while others were "perforstmen." Sailing to the coast of Spain, Mainwaring then took a Portuguese ship and plundered her cargo of wine, and he later took a French prize and stole 10,000 dried fish from her hold.
With Mainwaring away from his main base in La Mamora
La Mamora
La Mamora, La Mámora, Mehedía or San Miguel de Ultramar, was the Spanish name given to the current Moroccan city of Mehdia during the 17th century. It is located in northern Morocco, at the mouth of the Sebou River, in its West bank...
, on Atlantic coast of present day Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, a Spanish fleet under Don Luis Fajardo
Luis Fajardo de Córdoba
Don Luis Fajardo de Córdoba was a Spanish Conquistador, military and nobleman.He was a second son of Don Luis Fajardo, 2nd Marquis of Los Vélez and Doña Leonor Fernández de Córdoba....
, sailing from Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
on 1 August 1614, reduced the town. Mainwaring's relations with the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
were such that he had been able to secured the release of their English prisoners.
So feared was his pirate fleet that Spain offered Mainwaring a pardon and high command in return for his services under the Spanish flag.
Pardon and service in the Royal Navy
When his pirate activities almost broke the tenuous peace between England, Spain and Portugal, King James IJames I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
threatened to send a fleet after Mainwaring, to whom he later granted a royal pardon in 1616 for having saved the Newfoundland trading fleet near Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
.
Mainwaring wrote a book on piracy (Discourse of Pirates, on the suppression of piracy, 1618), the manuscript of which is in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
. In his book, he explains what causes a desperate man to turn to piracy. He also advises the King against granting pardons to pirates. The King promptly dispatched Mainwaring to the Venetian Republic as his representative, over the protests of the Spanish ambassador.
Knighted (20 March 1618) and commissioned in the Royal Navy, Mainwaring became Vice-Admiral before leaving the navy in 1639. He was elected to Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
from Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
(1621–1622). In 1630, he married the daughter of Sir Thomas Gardiner
Thomas Gardiner
Thomas Gardiner was the manager of the San Diego Union and a founder of the Los Angeles Daily Times, the precursor to today's Los Angeles Times....
. Lady Mainwaring died in 1633.
As a Royalist, he served in the King's cause in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, was exiled to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and died in poverty. He was buried at St. Giles' Church, Camberwell
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, on 15 May 1653.