28 Facts About Simon Hatley

Simon Hatley was an English sailor involved in two hazardous privateering voyages to the South Pacific Ocean.

Rogers circumnavigated the world, but Simon Hatley was captured on the coast of present-day Ecuador and imprisoned in Lima, capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, where he was tortured by the Inquisition.

Simon Hatley was released and returned to Great Britain in 1713.

Simon Hatley returned to Britain in 1723, and sailed to Jamaica to avoid trial for piracy.

In 1797, William Wordsworth, having read Shelvocke's account of that voyage, suggested Simon Hatley's shooting of an albatross as the basis of a contemplated joint work with Coleridge.

Simon Hatley's mother's name at birth was Mary Herbert and, her son later stated while imprisoned by the Spanish, she was a Catholic.

The Simon Hatley family was a prosperous one, owning a large house and three other rental properties on the High Street.

The residence was pulled down and rebuilt in 1704, after Simon Hatley had left home.

The first such voyage made by Simon Hatley was under the command of Captain Woodes Rogers during the War of the Spanish Succession, which found Britain and Spain on opposing sides.

Many of Simon Hatley's recruits were not sailors, but at the time government regulations limited to one-half the proportion of professional seamen private vessels such as Rogers's could have in their crews, to preserve some for ships of the Royal Navy.

Items taken from that ship were auctioned off among the sailors, and Simon Hatley purchased a pair of silk hose.

Rogers's expedition ultimately circumnavigated the globe, but Simon Hatley did not make it that far.

Simon Hatley remained in command of his barque as the Rogers expedition re-entered the Pacific Ocean proper.

Simon Hatley had perhaps six sailors under him, and as about the same number of prisoners.

Simon Hatley was tortured by the Inquisition, once being taken to a gallows with one of his fellows and half-strangled before being cut down.

In 1713, with peace between Spain and Britain restored, Simon Hatley was allowed to leave, and returned to his native land, having learned Spanish.

Symon Hatley had died in 1712, leaving property in Woodstock to his son Simon, though with a life estate to his widow, giving her the income from the rental properties for her lifetime.

Shelvocke blamed Simon Hatley for this episode, though whether it was a mutiny or done with the leader's connivance is uncertain, as the result left Shelvocke in control of how winnings would be divided and with a greater share of the treasure.

Simon Hatley got into trouble with the locals, insulting one of their leaders, and Shelvocke, in his journal, accused Simon Hatley of abusing the women.

Once clear of the weather, the Speedwell began raiding along the coast, capturing several small vessels, of which one, renamed Mercury, Simon Hatley was placed in command.

Simon Hatley sent those sailors who were obviously British in appearance below, trying to make it appear his ship was still under Spanish control.

The British sailors, including Simon Hatley, were captured and landed at Paita, and transported 600 miles to Lima.

Simon Hatley faced the possibility of a piracy prosecution in England because of the Cape Frio incident.

The discussion turned to a book that Wordsworth was reading, Shelvocke's A Voyage Round the World by Way of the Great South Sea, in which the incident of Simon Hatley shooting the albatross is told.

Simon Hatley's shooting of an albatross differs in some regards from the Ancient Mariner's.

Simon Hatley shot the bird in the hopes of fairer winds; no motive is given for the Mariner's deed.

Simon Hatley underwent trials and tribulations after shooting the albatross, but these were at the hands of the Spanish and were not directly connected to the killing of the albatross.

Simon Hatley took ship for Jamaica fearing a second trial.