查尔斯·维恩

爱德华·肯维：“也许霍尼戈尔德是对的，也许世界是需要一些有野心的人来阻止你这种疯子。”

查尔斯·维恩：“或者也许你生在这世上就是充满了遗憾？”

―爱德华·肯维和查尔斯·维恩，1719年。

查尔斯·维恩 （约1680 – 1721）是一名英国海盗船长，驾驶着他的双桅帆船——游侠号航行于西印度群岛。他在1716至1719年间劫掠过往的英国、西班牙和法国船只，以其对待远航商人和士兵的残酷手段而臭名昭著。

生平

早年

就如同他的同胞本杰明·霍尼戈尔德、爱德华·萨奇和爱德华·肯维一样，维恩最初是为英国皇室服务的私掠者。到了1715年，他与私掠者亨利·詹宁斯并肩作战，后者因攻击从西班牙珍宝船队残骸打捞货物的西班牙船只而著名。然而，伴随着乌得勒支和约的签订，私掠者的生涯难以为继，维恩在1716年来到了拿骚。^[1]

1715年下半年，维恩的游侠号对大师的方舟号发动了一场袭击，这艘西班牙风帆战舰的船长是法国海盗朱利安·迪卡斯。最终，游侠号不是风帆战舰的对手，被迫退却。^[1]

加入海盗共和国

After arriving in Nassau in 1717, where he and Jack Rackham informed Edward Kenway of a large prize in a nearby fort, Vane became a leading member of Nassau's pirate community.^[1] In May of the same year, sobered and enraged by the rum shortage in Nassau, Vane recklessly attacked the ships of the area and was only saved through the timely intervention of Alonzo Batilla. The French pirate was sent by Christopher Condent to stop Vane from dooming himself and the Pirate Republic with him by attracting too much attention on Nassau.^[2]

In July 1718, he was present when Woodes Rogers arrived in Nassau to offer its residents the King's pardon, absolving them of their crimes if they chose to give up piracy. Unlike Benjamin Hornigold, Vane was not keen on accepting the pardon, and worked with Kenway to orchestrate an escape from the barricaded Nassau. Together, they planned to build a fireship with gunpowder to clear the blockade.^[1]

While Kenway stole the gunpowder from the British, Vane managed to secure the pine pitch. However, they overheard that Commodore Peter Chamberlaine intended to disregard Roger's orders and destroy all pirate ships in Nassau's harbors. In order to ensure the success of their plan, Vane suggested that Kenway deal with Chamberlaine.^[1]

After Chamberlaine was assassinated, Vane met up with Edward to load the gunpowder aboard Rackham's ship, the Royal Phoenix. Before they left, Vane violently berated Rackham for smoking a pipe near the gunpowder. The fireship proved to be successful, destroying the ships blockading one of Nassau's harbors, allowing the Jackdaw and the Ranger to escape.^[1]

叛乱和放逐

“都是你那要命的妄想把我们带到这儿的，肯维！我绝不会再让你摆布我，哪怕一次！”

―查尔斯·维恩威胁爱德华·肯维，1719年。^[来源]

When Edward Thatch announced his retirement from piracy, Vane sailed to North Carolina in a bid to dissuade him, and convince Thatch to help take back Nassau. However, his efforts were in vain and he departed, empty-handed and cursing Thatch.^[1]

After Thatch's death at the hands of the British, Vane decided to help Kenway find the Observatory. The pair tailed the Royal African Pearl, a slave ship belonging to the Royal African Company, in the hopes of finding information on the Sage Bartholomew Roberts. However, the Ranger was demasted and left adrift.^[1]

Following the Royal African Pearls eventual capture, Rackham and the surviving crew mutinied against Vane and Kenway, commandeering the Jackdaw and marooning both of them on Isla Providencia. During their time on the island, Vane's behavior became increasingly erratic; he took to hiding in the jungle, emerging only to steal food that Kenway had gathered.^[1]

Growing frustrated with Vane's actions, Kenway pursued the man, and Vane fiercely retaliated with an arsenal of recovered weaponry. Despite this, Edward managed to neutralize Vane – but spared him – abandoning the man on the island while he escaped by commandeering a passing fisherman's schooner.^[1]

监禁

一段时间后，一艘英国船只经过，但船长认出了维恩并拒绝救援他。又过了几周，另一艘英国船只抵达并允许维恩登船。不幸的是，前一艘船的船长也在这艘船上，维恩只待了几天就被发现了。他随即被指认，并被带回皇家港正式逮捕，维恩接下来的两年都在监牢里度过。^[1]

Kenway, who was also captured due to Bartholomew Roberts' treachery, managed to escape his gibbet and found the delirious Vane in his cell singing "Down Among the Dead Men." Knowing that Vane's state of mind was beyond repair, Kenway left him behind, lamenting how he wished the pair could have parted as friends.^[1]

Shortly after Edward's escape, Vane was hanged for piracy on 29 March 1721. His body was later left on display in a gibbet outside the harbor as a warning to other pirates.^[1]

琐事趣闻

Vane's death is historically anachronistic, as Mary dies before Vane, but in reality, Vane was executed in March 1721 while Mary died in April 1721.
"Down Among the Dead Men", a sea shanty that Vane sings on Isla Providencia, is popularly attributed to the English poet John Dyer. However, this too is anachronistic, as Dyer only began writing poetry - much of which was later adapted into song - in 1721, well after Vane's marooning on the island.