Today marks 340 years since the birth of John "Bartholomew" Roberts (1682-1722), famous nowadays as the inspiration for the "Dread Pirate Roberts" character(s) in the movie "The Princess Bride." The real Bartholomew Roberts was "the most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy as measured by vessels captured, taking over 470 prizes in his career. . . . Roberts was the archetypal pirate captain in his love of fine clothing and jewelry, but he had some traits unusual in a pirate, notably a preference for drinking tea rather than rum." (from Wikipedia). On his ships, Roberts flew flags with several different designs featuring skulls and crossbones. I can't honestly celebrate piracy but there are some great tales and legends.
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