Peter Love English pirate. Country: Great Britain

1. Peter Love: The English Pirate
2. The Alliance with Neil MacLeod
3. The Betrayal and Capture

Peter Love: The English Pirate

Peter Love was a notorious English pirate who captained the ship 'Priam' and briefly occupied Lewis Island in the Outer Hebrides when he formed an alliance with the criminal Neil MacLeod from the ship 'Hebridean'. Love seized numerous ships and their cargoes while Lewis Island served as his base. However, MacLeod eventually betrayed Love, handing him over to the Scottish authorities. As a result, Peter Love and several members of his crew were convicted of piracy and sentenced to death by hanging in 1610. Yet, the traitor himself did not live long after Love's execution; MacLeod's relative, Rory Mor MacLeod, turned him in, and three years later, the criminal was executed for treason.

Peter Love claimed to have been born in Lewes, Sussex, England, but his birth date remains unknown. He was a prominent pirate of his era, carrying out his exploits aboard the ship 'Priam'. According to the 20th-century historian William Cook Mackenzie, Love and his crew narrowly escaped capture off the coast of Ireland when their ship anchored near Bernera Island. The 'Priam' was filled with plundered cargo from an English ship, including cinnamon, ginger, pepper, cochineal, sugar, 700 Indian hides, and 20 silver plates. The pirates also acquired a chest of various precious gems by capturing a Flemish vessel and a significant number of guns.

The Alliance with Neil MacLeod

During this time, the criminal from the ship 'Hebridean', Neil MacLeod, was in close proximity to Love's crew. He happened to be the son of Old Ruari, the clan leader of the MacLeods from Lewis Island. The clan had long fought against external invasions on the island. In the late 17th century, a group of 12 Scottish colonists known as the 'Fife adventurers' attempted to colonize Lewis. When Kenneth Mackenzie from Kintail captured Lewis with the government's help, using "fire and sword," MacLeod and a small group of followers sought refuge on the tiny island of Bearasaigh. After meeting Peter Love, Neil MacLeod and Love became friends, deciding to continue plundering ships together and establishing a joint pirate base. Making an agreement with MacLeod, Love captured a Scottish ship belonging to Thomas Fleming from Anstruther, who became a prisoner of the pirate duo. The pirates also seized a Flemish ship, enslaving five of its members and recruiting five of its prisoners into their crew. It was later discovered that, due to bad weather, the Flemish vessel had been forced to anchor near the Shetland Islands, where the stranded crew met an unfortunate fate.

The Betrayal and Capture

Eventually, the friendship between MacLeod and Love grew so strong that Love intended to marry Torquil Blair MacLeod, supposedly Neil's aunt. This caused much controversy as Torquil is a masculine name, and it is likely that Torquil Blair was an illegitimate son of Old Ruari. Nonetheless, MacLeod betrayed Love and attempted to capture his accomplices. Some pirates perished in a horrific clash, and the ship 'Priam', along with its captain, fell into the hands of the traitor MacLeod. According to legend, a substantial amount of money was found on board the 'Priam', which MacLeod and his associates divided amongst themselves using Donald Cam Macaulay's helmet. However, official documents discovered on the ship make no mention of the money. Historian William Mackenzie notes that Love's capture served two purposes: MacLeod acquired wealth and money, and by handing over the pirate to the government, MacLeod could expect forgiveness.

MacLeod sent a messenger to inform the Privy Council of his successful operation. On December 8, 1610, Love and nine of his men were handed over to Patrick Grieve, and the pirates stood trial in Edinburgh. However, two of Love's accomplices did not survive to face the court, as they died from their wounds. The pirates were found guilty and sentenced to be hanged near Leith, north of Edinburgh. Neil MacLeod, still remaining outside the law, was forced to flee to Harris in 1613 and seek protection from his relative, Rory Mor MacLeod. Rory promised to find a place for Neil in London, where he would have the opportunity to seek pardon from the king. But as soon as Neil arrived in Glasgow, his relative betrayed him and his son, Donald, to the authorities. Ultimately, MacLeod was convicted of treason and hanged in April 1613. His son, Donald, was banished to England.