Easton, Peter

English

University of New Brunswick: Centre for Digital Scholarship Journals

NOTES AND COMMENTSPeter EastonDR. JOHN MITCHELL has discovered the existence in the Archivio di Stato in Turin,Italy, 31 pages of Patenti Piemonte (1613-20) referring to Newfoundland’sbest-known pirate, Peter Easton. These papers confirm information available in theEnglish Calendar of State Papers (James I and Venetian).Easton retired from piracy in or about 1613, and became involved in the affairsof the Italian Duchy of Savoy under Arch-Duke Charles Emmanuel I (the Great )[Carlos Emanuele I, Il Grande]. These patenti, written in the vernacular, recordEaston’s activity as Charles Emmanuel’s Lieutenant-General of Savoyard artillery,Easton’s marriage to Francesca Grimalda, daughter of a court worthy, their chil-dren, Easton’s illness (1617-1618?), the dispersal of Easton’s treasure (1613),Easton’s pension from the Duke, Easton’s residences in Savoy and other matters.The patenti are divided in two categories: (1) Patenti Conti Finanze and (2)Patenti Piemonte. Both are inscribed under the name Pietro Eston. The former ex-ist in Rep. 1614 to Rep. 1620, while the latter are in Rep. 31 to 36.Palaeographically these are all written in Italian humanist script of some de-gree of difficulty, legibility depending upon the particular hand of the scribe or sec-retary. The record of them is under the general title: Archivio di Stato di Torino,Camerale Piemonte, Judice delle patenti delle Camere dei conti di Piemonte.They are as follows:1. Patenti Conti Finanze. Rep. 1614, f. 179 (“1614. 23 Giugno”)2. PCF, Rep. 1614/15, f. 114; f. 270; f. 2833. PCF, Rep. 1617/18, f. 6, 7-v4. PCF, Rep. 1618/19, f. 130; f. 1835. PCF, Rep. 1620, f. 10; f. 132 (“1620. 29 Nov.re”)6. Patenti Piemonte. Rep. 31, ff. 161-164 (“1 maggio 1613”)7. PP, Rep. 32, f. 2128. PP, Rep. 33, ff. 132-134; f. 2419. PP, Rep. 35, f. 2710. PP, Rep. 36, f. 384 (“2 Smbre 1620”)There are 13 pages or parts of pages of Patenti Conti Finanze and 18 pages or partsof pages of Patenti Piemonte.These patenti would be of interest to anyone studying Savoyard notarial lawand finance during the early seventeenth century and one unusual moment: PeterEaston’s meteoric appearance in Piedmont. Though written in legalese, these ab-struse documents definitely fill in gaps in the arch-corsair’s life.234 Notes and Comments

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