Fortune's Whelp (Fortune's Whelp Series Book 1)

by Benerson Little

  The several conspiring assassins named in the story—Barclay, Lowick, Chambers, Rookwood, Porter, Charnock, Parkyns, Cranburne, and Berwick—are historical figures. Berwick recruited English nobility and gentry to the Jacobite cause, in particular for the purpose of stockpiling arms and raising men to fight, but was not a member of the assassins. Most were tried, convicted, hanged, and quartered, along with most of their many co-conspirators. The new law permitting legal counsel during trial for treason, not to mention a copy of the indictment, may have made the trials more fair but was not enough to save the accused. Barclay escaped to France.

  Will Hollyday and Richard Pollynton were highwaymen hanged on December 9, 1696. Bartholomew Sharp was a famous buccaneer whose escapades included those described; we will likely see him again. Laurens de Graff was similarly a famous sea rover we are also likely to see again. William Penn was the naval commander of the expedition that conquered Jamaica in 1655, not to mention the father of William Penn of Pennsylvania, and Christopher Myngs was a naval sea rover who led early buccaneers in attacks on Spanish shipping and towns. Henry Morgan needs no biography. Joseph Faroe, to whom Every’s sloop was sold, and the wife of Henry Adams are also authentic.

  Anne Bracegirdle was a well-known actress. One of her suitors, the jealous rake Richard Hill, ably assisted by his friend Charles Mohun, once tried to kidnap her. In 1693 Hill killed another of her suitors, the actor William Mountfort. Depending on eyewitness accounts, Mohun either looked on during the assault or assisted by putting a hand on the actor’s shoulder so that Hill could run him through. Without doubt Mohun helped instigate the fatal, and according to some witnesses, premeditated assault: both he and Hill had been drinking and wandering the streets with swords drawn. Mohun was tried for murder before the House of Lords but he was acquitted; the verdict outraged King William. Some historians, however, consider the verdict to have been technically, if not morally, correct, and Hill’s death to be the result of a duel or affray rather than outright murder.

  Aphra Behn was a poet and novelist whose works seem fresh even today. Her service as a spy originally suggested this possible role to the characters of Jane Hardy, Lydia Upcott, and Molly O’Meary.

  Timothée Kercue is based on a French officer of the same name described by Father Jean-Baptiste Labat, a chronicler of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century Caribbean, among other locales. Lieutenant de Baatz of the Gascon d’Artagnans was obviously inspired by his very real kinsman Charles de Baatz, sieur d’Artagnan, of the king’s musketeers and made famous by Alexandre Dumas. He was killed in action at Maastricht in 1673.

  Of ships, the Virginia Galley, formerly the Sirène and re-christened Fortune’s Whelp, is based on late seventeenth century frégates legères typical of those illustrated by seventeenth century artist Nicolas Poilly, and recently described in detail as l’Aurore of 1697 by Jean Claude Lemineur and Patrick Villiers. La Tulipe Noir is an homage to Alexandre Dumas’s novel of the same name, and is based loosely on Prins Friso, a Dutch man-of-war captured by famous French commerce raider Claude de Forbin in 1694. Period illustrations by the Willem van de Velde father and son of similar Dutch ships dating two decades earlier may be viewed online at the Royal Museums Greenwich.

  The Peregrinator and Mary and Martha are typical of the many small English merchant-galleys of the era. These ships were known as galleys only because they carried a few oars or sweeps for use in calms or light airs, primarily for maneuvering. Otherwise, except for their small sweep ports, they looked like any other merchant ship. Most merchantmen lacked crews large enough to row these ships for long at any appreciable speed.

  The English men-of-war—the HMS Pearl, HMS Dolphin, and HMS Shoreham—plus the Dolphin’s convoy, the Greenfish store-ship, noted at or near Kinsale, were present there around the time depicted. The English hired ship Betty and the East Indiamen Devonshire, Resolution, and Sussex were actually captured at the time, as noted.

  The King Fisher is typical of the handful of English naval ketches of the 1690s, and is based on the real King Fisher captured in 1690 by an eighteen-gun French privateer. The King Fisher, commanded valiantly by Robert Audley, repelled several bloody boarding attempts in spite of being severely out-gunned and out-manned. Captain Audley surrendered only after he had no one left to defend the ketch but himself, badly wounded, and five of his crew. An account of this action was published in April, 1690. There are several drawings in the Royal Museums Greenwich online that depict similar ketches.

  The King Fisher’s brief nemesis, La Fortune, was inspired by and updated from a small Danish frigate with Dutch lines, circa 1665, illustrated in Howard I. Chapelle’s The Search for Speed Under Sail 1700-1855. Illustrations of similar Dutch ships may be found in the Royal Museums Greenwich online. The Carolina Merchant is typical of many small merchantmen of the period, for example the Cadiz Merchant, aboard which Edward Barlow once sailed and which was later made into a fireship. Both Barlow and the Royal Museums Greenwich online have illustrations of the Cadiz Merchant.

  The chases and sea fights are based on a close study of the tactics of the period, especially with extensive reference to firsthand accounts, from which I have so far produced four non-fiction works. For more detail on the tactics of sea rovers of this era, I suggest starting with The Sea Rover’s Practice by the author. Regarding swordplay, see the accompanying section, “Swordplay Notes.”

  Swordplay Notes

  The descriptions of swordplay are based on extensive research into fencing of the day, especially via works written by men with practical experience with “sharps,” and via detailed period descriptions of duels and affrays. All of this I have filtered through my own various experience, including nearly forty years fencing and twenty teaching it, both modern and historical. Edward MacNaughton’s style of swordplay is already described in the story itself, but readers seeking further insight may start with the works of Scottish swordsmen Donald McBane and Sir William Hope.

  Edward MacNaughton’s book may also be consulted if a copy can be found, but I suspect that only one original exists anymore, and it is in a private collection and to date has not been reprinted or copied. Additionally, I have written a brief but comprehensive chapter on the swordplay of this period in a nonfiction work, The Buccaneer’s Realm, and will also discuss pirate swordplay in a forthcoming work on pirate myths. The mounted duel in Ireland is based in part on Jonah Barrington’s description of his own in 1759.

  Describing swordplay in fiction is not an easy task, not if it is to be portrayed accurately yet without losing the narrative pace of the action. This is a subject I have discussed not only with the publisher of this novel and a variety of others interested in historical swordplay, both fencers and non-fencers, but also at length with Rafael Sabatini biographer Ruth Heredia, who has consulted me on swordplay in Sabatini’s novels. A balance must be struck between educating the non-fencer and creating a swiftly moving image. Too much exposition and the fight becomes a mere “after action” report, thus I have written this small appendix to augment what cannot reasonably be described in the narrative itself. It will aid the reader interested in learning more about the swordplay Edward knew.

  Late seventeenth century European swordplay was composed of several schools covering several weapons. Broadly speaking, there were three forms of thrusting sword: the Spanish rapier, the Italian rapier, and the French smallsword. Of the Spanish we will learn more in sequels to come. Of the smallsword, a shorter, lighter thrusting sword which was descended from the rapier, and which at times was also still referred to as a rapier (meaning a thrusting sword), there were for all practical purposes two schools: “school play” or what today we would call sport fencing, although it was in theory also preparation for combat with sharps; and a practical form of swordplay intended for fighting with real weapons.

  The former limited the target to the torso, had other artificialities introduced for appearance, safety, and matters of fencing theory, and fencers often engaged
in actions unsuitable, or at least unwise, in a real duel or affray. The latter, practical swordplay, focused on actual combat, including thrusts to the entire body, although training for some actions was limited, given the lack of the fencing mask which had yet to be introduced. The unarmed hand was used to parry or oppose, and sometimes to hold a hat or scabbard to assist in parrying, and in extremis was even used to grab the blade itself. Most fencers practiced both forms of swordplay to some degree. Donald McBane, noted above, was primarily a practitioner of the latter; Sir William Hope of both. Edward also practiced both, but given his need for practical swordplay, emphasized the latter. Although the smallsword was of French origin, its many masters and practitioners added their own variations.

  The swords described in the story are based on real weapons I have examined in person, in museum displays, in books, or online. Occasionally I have slightly modified a sword from its original, but still in keeping with the need for historical accuracy. Smallsword blades came in several various forms, which we will leave to Sir William Hope, via his New, Short, and Easy Method of Fencing, to describe: “Rapier, Koningsberg [colichemarde], and Narrow Three-Cornered Blade, which is the most proper Walking-Sword of all the Three, being by far the lightest,” plus, in some smallswords, especially military, the “Broad Three-Cornered Blade.” Rapier-style blades might be oval, four-sided, six-sided, or a combination thereof, with sharpened edges. Many smallsword blades at this time were thirty-three to thirty-four inches long. Some were shorter, and a few were as long as thirty-six or thirty-seven inches.

  Karl Johann Königsmark, the younger of the two Counts Königsmark, is popularly credited with the invention of the colichemarde blade—colichemarde is in fact a corruption of his name—but he probably did no more than popularize it, quite possibly after being introduced to it in Spain. The younger Königsmark was a rake, and was tried for murder in London but acquitted. The older was assassinated for his romantic and probably sexual relationship with Sophia Dorothea, consort of the Hanoverian Prince George, later King George I of England &c.

  Edward’s grip on his Spanish-hilted smallsword or espadin, with a finger inserted through one of the rings of the hilt, was a practice not approved of in the French school, but nonetheless much in use, at least while the rings (arms of the hilt, pas–d'âne) remained large enough. This grip was usual in the Spanish and Italian schools. Edward otherwise grips his French-style smallswords in the conventional manner, that is, without a finger through one of the rings of the hilt.

  There existed several schools of the various cutting swords, typically with national characteristics. Most associated with Edward MacNaughton are the Scottish broadsword (the true Scottish weapon), the English backsword (likewise the true English weapon), and the Hungarian Hussar saber (also a national weapon). There are no period texts, at least not in English or French, describing the use of the cutlass at this time, other than occasionally in general terms. It was likely wielded in similar fashion to the broadsword and backsword, with an emphasis on the very close actions natural to ship-boarding fights. It was often used in conjunction with a pistol in the other hand, and grappling was surely common. Many seamen doubtless wielded it, as many soldiers did their own swords, in whatever ad hoc fashion they had informally acquired.

  A glossary is provided below for reference and further study. Note that the terminology could vary significantly among fencing masters of MacNaughton’s day. Also be advised that this glossary is incomplete, and for the most part covers only the swordplay in the story. A much more in-depth study, preferably hands-on, must be made in order to gain an understanding of swordplay, past or present.

  Angulation: not a period term. In modern fencing language, a thrust delivered at an angle in order to slip around a parry or the shell of the sword hilt. The most common angulations in MacNaughton’s day were the carte over the arm in which the hand was turned from tierce to carte in order to angulate around the adversary’s tierce parry, with the unarmed hand used to oppose the adversary’s blade; a corresponding thrust in carte made against a carte parry by turning the hand from carte to tierce; and a thrust to the hand or arm from a low guard. See carte, tierce, and low guard.

  Attack: an offensive action made with a thrust or a thrust with a lunge. See thrust.

  Battery: a beat or sharp striking action against the foible of the adversary’s blade, intended to open the target, loosen the adversary’s grip on his sword, delay his counter-action, or all three. Sir William Hope defines battery in a more limited way, as a beat with one’s foible upon the adversary’s foible. His preferred definition of beat is one made with forte upon foible, and indeed this is the most effective beat. In general, a synonym for beat.

  Beat: usually but not always a synonym for battery. See battery.

  Bind: in MacNaughton’s day, a broad term covering any strong controlling pressure on the adversary’s sword with one’s own, without changing the line. The term has a similar meaning in the modern Italian and Hungarian schools.

  Carte: guard or parry covering the high inside line, also the thrust to the adversary’s high inside line. The hand is typically half-supinated. An Anglicization of the French quart. Carte is known today as quarte, fourth, or four.

  Commanding: seizing and controlling the adversary’s sword with the unarmed hand, usually by grabbing the shell of the hilt or the immediately adjacent blade, or both, often in concert with a binding action on the adversary’s blade. The adversary is not disarmed; his sword is simply secured while he is threatened with his opponent’s point. Also known as joining the sword or seizing the sword.

  Contre-Caveating Parry: Hope’s term for a circular parry in any line; McBane referred to it as the round parade. It was considered a good parry to use when the line of the adversary’s attack could not be predicted, and also at night when the adversary’s blade was hard to see. A circular parry is slower than a direct (linear, diagonal, and semi-circular) parry, thus more dangerous to the user at closer distances. Many masters did not approve of it, although both McBane and Hope strongly advocated its use. Circular parries are common today.

  Contre-Temps: a double hit, that is, a hit on both adversaries when one or both has thrust inopportunely, for example, one thrusting as the other attacks. See Timing and Exchanged Thrust.

  Covered: to engage or thrust in such a manner as to prevent the adversary’s thrust in the same line from hitting, in order to help prevent a contre-temps. In other words, to properly cover one’s own target in the line of engagement or thrust. Often a covered thrust is made while “bearing on the adversary’s sword.” Can be a synonym for opposition. In any case, the fencer making a covered thrust is less likely to be hit. See opposition.

  Cutting Over the Point: in the high lines, lifting one’s point over the adversary’s point, rather than disengaging beneath it. Known today as a cut-over or coupé.

  Disarming: an action usually made by a combination of commanding with the unarmed hand and levering with the sword in the other, although there are disarming techniques attempted with the sword alone. Not to be confused with commanding.

  Disengage: to change lines by dropping one’s point beneath the adversary’s blade when swords are engaged with points up, and by slipping over when swords are engaged with points down. Changing sides, in other words. Often combined with a thrust into the new line. Also a noun. Sometimes referred to as caveating.

  Engage: to press lightly to moderately against the adversary’s blade with one’s own, thus engagement.

  En Garde: a position, physical and mental, in which the fencer is able to immediately attack or defend. Also on guard.

  Exchanged Thrusts: a hit on both adversaries, the second hit immediately following the first when one adversary fails to protect himself adequately after hitting his adversary. Not to be confused with contre-temps.

  Falloon: a guard position with the hand held at the height of the head, usually to the outside, the point low and inside. Particularly useful against multipl
e adversaries. The hanging guard. From Walloon.

  Feint: a false thrust intended to draw an expected parry, which the attacker then avoids (deceives) and thrusts into an open line. Also known in MacNaughton’s day as falsifying.

  Flanconnade: strictly speaking, a thrust to the flank. In practice, it was made with a binding action on the adversary’s blade from carte, with the point slipped over the adversary’s blade to his outside line, the point lowered.

  Foible: the weak part of the blade near the point, variously defined. In MacNaughton’s day, usually the part of the blade from the middle to the point. This part of the blade lacks significant leverage and is thinner than the forte.

  Forte: the strong part of the blade nearest the hilt, variously defined. In MacNaughton’s day, the part of the blade from the hilt to the middle. This part of the blade has the greatest leverage and is thicker than the foible.

  Guard: in general, the position of the hand and sword in the en garde position, although it can be taken to mean the all of the characteristics of hand, sword, and body in the en garde position. Typically carte or tierce, occasionally a hanging guard or a middle guard between carte and tierce. There were other guard positions, but most were seldom used and many were dangerous to the user.