[SCA-AE] For Sale: bad arms

[Michael Layne]

On 8 Feb 2012, Dani,  dani at pobox.com, said, re Letters of Marque:

> Wouldn't that get the SCA in trouble? (Strangely-dressed gentleman walks
> into a 7-11 and displays a letter of marque and reprisal. "Give me all
> your Faygo and there won't be no trouble.")
> 
> On Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 1:45 PM, <tessathehuntress at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> > Hmm.. what about "selling" letters of Marque"? I know some people that
> > would be
> > willing to donate the calligraphy/small scroll for a letter of Marque, if
> > there was interest in one. :)
> >
> > Tessa

     Well, in late period, a privateer with a Letter of Marque (from, say, William of Orange or Elizabeth I) could expect to be treated as a pirate (and wind up dangling from the yardarm) if caught by the folks (say, the Spaniards) he was privateering from. Occupational hazard. 
 
     Additionally, in period, it was not heard of for an enterprising fellow to gain Letters of Marque from more than one source, and pull out the appropriate one at the appropriate time, depending on what flag was flown by the prize he had just taken!:) Ravenspittle, IIRC, does that sort of thing to this day!
 
      Remember to keep your Letters of Marque straight and produce the right one when needed, for the wrong one is liable to be worse than none at all! And you are advised not to take any ships that might prove politically embarrassing to the Crown -- even though William Kidd is post-period!
 
Michael Langley of Riversmeet
theherald at hotmail.com
Holder of an ancient Letter of Marque from Lord High Admiral Wolfgang von Neunkirchen, as well as a Commission as a Flag Officer in the AEthelmartian Navy