(Another in the continuing series of quotes to start the week.)
Since today is International “Talk Like a Pirate” Day, this week’s quote comes from an actual pirate — albeit an anonymous one — who said, when asked if he repented of his crimes:
Yes, I do heartily repent. I repent I had not done more mischief; and that we did not cut the throats of them that took us, and I am extremely sorry that you aren’t hanged as well as we.
The quote is from the 1724 book, A General History of the Pyrates, also known as A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates. The book was published under the name Captain Charles Johnson, thought to be a pseudonym of either Daniel Defoe or Nathaniel Mist.
(Image: Blackbeard [Edward Teach], from an engraving by Benjamin Cole, in the 1724 General History. From Wikimedia Commons.)
I don’t think the quote above needs much in the way of interpretation. At least one pirate was not big on repentance or remorse, that much is clear. Whether that was representative of all pirates, I’m not sure … but, probably.
Happy mischief-making!
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P.S. For fun, here are a couple of pirate-y things from friends of mine:
– Jonah Knight’s Pirate Song
– Marc Gunn’s new CD, Pirates Vs. Dragons
– Tom Smith’s Talk Like a Pirate Day
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