John Hancey's flag
John Hancey (1500-18 February 1527), also known as "The Pepper Pirate", was a British pirate. Operating from Georgetown, Guyana, he was the captain of "Royal Pain", a Xebec. He was responsible for sinking the pirate Diego Souson's ship, but was killed in battle with two merchant ships only a week after leaving port.
Biography[]
John Hancey was born in Gloucestershire, England, and became a seafarer due to his lust for adventure. On 10 February 1527 he purchased the Xebec "Royal Pain" in the port of Georgetown (present-day Guyana) in New Spain, where he had intended to become a trader. He hired a 60-man crew, bought food provisions, ammunition, and 13 barrels of pepper, which he intended to sell at Paramaribo for a high price.
As he left port, he was attacked by Diego Souson, a pirate captain, on 13 February 1527. Hancey lost all of his crew members, but Souson's crew were killed off first and Hancey took over Souson's ship. However, his ship was slow and he beached before he could reach Paramaribo. He had no choice but to attack Rocco Alemkel's merchant fleets passing by on 18 February, and his ship was torn asunder from two parts.