The Pirate "Scribe"

Was Capt. Henry Morgan a dashing swashbuckler with a dazzling smile, or a drunken lout who stole from his men and abandoned them on a desolate enemy shoreline?

Were the so-called “buccaneers” a band of jolly sea raiders, or a collection of castaways who subsisted by selling dried meat to passing ships?

Did the original Pirates of the Caribbean engage treasure filled Spanish galleons in gallant sea battles, or torture innocent civilians on shore to reveal where their valuables were hidden?

The answers to these and many other questions will come to light at the premier show of Dinner with a Pirate – “The Lure of Spanish Gold” -- on Saturday, February 27 at the 1812 Farm in Bristol, where the time-traveling pirate Scribe will bring the history of early piracy in the Americas to life.

There will also be information on how one early settler in the Lincoln County area made a fortune in Spanish gold during the same era.

Guests at Dinner with a Pirate will also enjoy a buffet themed for the Spanish Main, featuring Empanadas, Pico de Gallo Jicama Orange Salad, Steak Sangria, Merluza Marina (haddock with tomato almond sauce), Portuguese Potato Bread and more. The dinner is hosted by Stone Cove Catering.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Friends of Colonial Pemaquid, as will a raffle held during the event. First prize in the raffle is the winner’s choice of three elegant and collectible pirate swords.

Throughout the series, Scribe will discuss how pirates were the first to bring democracy to the new world, beginning with the communal systems of the early buccaneers and developing into full democracies aboard pirate vessels where everything from the ship’s course to who would be captain were decided by a vote of the crew.

Played by Greg Latimer, a pirate researcher and co-producer of the Pirate Rendezvous in Damariscotta, the pirate Scribe travels through time to bring history to life for his audience. Based on extensive research, the narrative for each dinner will be historically accurate.

“Dinner with a Pirate” will have a complete bibliography available at each event, and is working with the Maine Coast Book Shop and Café to ensure that books mentioned in the bibliography, and in particular the narrative, are available to order upon request at Maine Coast Book Shop and Café.

Each “Dinner with a Pirate” will be at the 1812 Farm located on the Bristol Rd. (Rt. 130) in Bristol Mills. Dinners start at 6 p.m. with the narrative beginning at 6:30 and running in three 20-minute segments, with a 10-minute break between each segment. The Scribe will take questions from audience members during the breaks and after the show, which should generally end at about 9 p.m.

Admission for the limited seating show is by advance ticket purchase only, with tickets priced at $29.95, available at King Eider’s Pub located at 2 Elm Street, in-town Damariscotta. Tickets may also be purchased by telephone by calling King Eider’s Pub at (207) 563-6008.

Fer more information, contact Greg Latimer at (207) 380-9912 or thepiratescribe@yahoo.com.