Governor's Mansion (Nassau)

Governor's Mansion (Nassau)


Continent	North America
Location	Nassau, New Providence Island
Notable inhabitants	Woodes Rogers Eleanor Guthrie (deceased)
Affiliation	British Empire

The Governor’s Mansion is the residence of the Lord Governor of New Providence Island. It overlooks the square of Nassau Town.

History[]

Background[]

After Governor Robert Thompson demands that Edward Teach pay him more in bribes. The pirates demand that he leaves and Thompson refuses. That night, a dozen armed men break into the mansion and drag out Thompson's wife and son into the street and slit their throats.^[1]

Richard Guthrie briefly lived with Eleanor in the mansion, before moving them to the interior. The building was then taken over by opium traders and addicts.^[2]

Season Three[]

The mansion becomes the salon of Jack Rackham after he takes the Urca de Lima prize. The citizens of Nassau drink, whore and gamble in the parlor, while Jack has moved into one of the bedrooms.

After being told by Mr. Scott that there has been no progress on rebuilding Fort Nassau in two weeks, Anne Bonny confronts Jack Rackham in the mansion. She waits in his room while he goes about his business in the privy while being serenaded by Celeste playing the cello. After finishing up, he dismisses Celeste and promises Anne he is working on it as they walk downstairs. At that moment, Charles Vane barges in, furious. Vane argues with Rackham over tricking him into capturing a slave ship. Rackham tells him that he has spent untold amounts trying to pay pirates to work, and this is the only way he sees any progress being made. He promises to treat the slaves fairly, placating Vane to a degree.^[3]

Rackham's quartermaster, Featherstone, has to disperse more of a pirate's share after that pirate explains that he misplaced and lost his previous dispersement. They are interrupted by Max, who wishes to speak alone to Rackham. Max tries to persuade Rackham to exchange all of their gold, which sits perilously inside an unprotected fort, for commodities that are easier to transport should they need to abandon the island.

Vane brings Teach to the Governor's Mansion to introduce him to Rackham. Teach is less than impressed at Rackham's status as a partner, because he remembers Rackham as a scrawny crew member. Vane tries to defend Rackham, relating how he rose through the ranks. But, Teach sees it as a sign that Nassau has become weak. He demonstrates his ruthlessness, by having two potential crewmates fight to the death to join his crew. This convinces Rackham that Blackbeard is a volcano building towards its inevitable eruption, and to agree to Max's plan - as long as it's done quietly.^[4]

Max and Anne raise the alarm about the imminent arrival of Woodes Rogers. Jack Rackham insists they must rally the pirates for the defence of Nassau. However, with the fort not yet finished, the other pirate captains unreliable, and their only true navel strategist James Flint missing, some of them are resigned to defeat.

XXI 1 — The meeting of the pirate captains

Rackham gathers the pirate captains to discuss the defense of Nassau. When some try to refuse, Rackham shows his newly grown backbone, by threatening persuade their crews directly. The meeting is interrupted by Blackbeard, who announces that Flint is believed dead. He offers to step in and coordinate the pirate fleet, provided that, following the battle, Charles Vane would leave with him and become his protégé again.^[5]

Governor Woodes Rogers moves into the mansion after he has removed all resistance from the port. Eleanor tells him a bit about the building's history, how it belonged to opium traders, but before that a long line of governors. Rogers quips that he hopes he doesn't have too much in common with them. Benjamin Hornigold arrives with the news that the remainder of the Spanish gold has been recovered. Eleanor Guthrie asks about Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny, but learns they have fled.

Max, having made herself a power in Nassau the hard way, is determined to keep her place, despite the regime change. Refusing to be excluded from the Governor's Council, she approaches the Governor Rogers, and enticed him with her share of the Spanish gold (gems worth five year’s tax revenue) in return for a place on the governing council.

That night, Governor Rogers and Eleanor discuss the cache, which Rogers feels is finally a sign of good fortune, after being on the receiving end of bad luck many times before. Eleanor asks him how he got his scar, and he explains how during the War of the Spanish Succession, the Spanish galleon he was chasing fired one last shot before surrendering, which killed his brother and left him scarred. The two begin to kiss when they are interrupted by Eleanor’s chambermaid, Mrs Hudson. She admits to being a Spanish spy, and that the Spanish know much of the gold was traded for gems. The Governor must return the entirety of the Urca gold, including the shares of Max, as well as Rackham and Bonny's.^[6]

The next morning, Eleanor Guthrie speaks privately with Mrs. Hudson, who explains that a man named Juan Antonio Grandal threatened her children in order to make her a spy for Spain. First stealing the gold, and now converting some to pearls to hide it from them; the Spanish are taking this as a personal insult.

After Rackham is taken into custody, the Governor speaks politely with Rackham, warning him that if the pearls are not returned the Spanish will invade. Rackham eventually agrees to send a letter to Anne Bonny seemingly instructing her to turn over the pearls.

Max goes to visit Rackham. Max has chosen to side with Rodgers and Eleanor, and insists that he has made the right decision and has saved Nassau’s future. However, Rackham reveals he has actually given Anne instructions to take the cache and run. Outside Nassau, Anne follows Rackham’s orders, and kills Roger’s messenger.^[7]

Eleanor and Max are discussing the fact that there must be a spy amongst them, when Rogers arrives back bloody and bruised. Rogers is tended to in the mansion by Dr. Marcus. In his room, Rogers tells Eleanor of Vane capture, and his fear of the pull Nassau and ultimately Charles Vane have on her.^[8]

Eleanor finds that Woodes Rogers has been confined to bed with a fever. He takes meetings of his close advisors in his bedchamber. Soames asks Rogers how long they can wait for Captain Benjamin Hornigold, who pursued theWalruswith his ship the Orion, until they can assume that he failed to retrieve the gems. He urges Rogers to shift the focus of their operations to preparing for a Spanish invasion. Rogers tells Soames that if Hornigold fails to retrieve the cache, they will redouble their efforts and try again. Rogers then says that if Hornigold returns, it would be easier for Rogers to manage that if he is not dead from exhaustion. Governor Rogers tells his men that their counsel is invaluable, but until he recovers his health, they are to relay all important information to Eleanor Guthrie. Rogers last coherent orders to his advisors are to put Eleanor in charge until he recovers. Soames begs his pardon by Rogers stops him and says that on this issue, he needs no advice, Rogers then thanks Soames and the other advisors and tells them to go away. Eleanor insists that she is now ready to move forward from her history with Vane.

The gallows is erected in the town square for Vane to be hanged. Vane is shuttled to the town square of Nassau where he will be executed. Billy and those loyal to him take up places in the crowd intent on a desperate rescue attempt. However, Vane makes eye contact with Billy and gives him a silent order to stand down. Vane delivers a calm, heart-wrenching speech designed to stir up a rebellion, knowing that his death, in this moment, is the spark that was needed to truly get the people to rise up against England. In a final act of defiance, Billy’s men step forward to pull Vane down to hastened his end. An act of mercy and a reminder to everyone, of the brotherhood Nassau’s pirates once shared. Eleanor watches the scene from in front of the mansion.^[9]

A “black spot” ultimatum is delivered to Captain Throckmorton, demanding that Vane’s body be removed from the gibbet by nightfall. He takes it to Eleanor, Max and Soames. Max approaches Eleanor Guthrie and suggests that they comply. Soames refuses and Eleanor agrees, fearing it would undermine their authority. Eleanor visits Woodes Rogers, who appears to be on the mend, worried how he will react to her recent actions. However, Rogers agrees with her decision to publicly hang Vane.^[10]

Season Four[]

After the pirate invasion is turned back, Rogers and Eleanor discuss his mounting debts following whose repayment schedules were accelerated after his divorce from his wife. Eleanor replies that her family can help. A gallows is prepared for the impending trials of the capture pirates on the steps of the mansion. ^[11]

Meanwhile, desperate for money, Eleanor Guthrie suggests reaching out to her family in Philadelphia; to use the leverage of Woodes Rogers’ respectability to repair their scandalised family name, in exchange for her grandfather clearing his debts. There’s just one problem; Blackbeard. Blackbeard has returned to blockade the port of Nassau. He sends a message in the form of a ship full of hanging corpses, and demands one thing … Eleanor at the end of his sword.^[12]

Before his departure for Port Royal, Captain Berringer assured Woodes Rogers that even good men must sometime walk a very dark path. Rogers relates the story of the tragic death of his brother, and the brutal revenge he took on 73 men, one of whom was responsible. We also get a small little glimpse into Berringer's soul, via the picture-locket of his wife and child; he, perhaps, wasn't always a bitter and vengeful man.

Captain Berringer commences with the hangings of the pirates with full public spectacle to draw Silver in, despite Eleanor’s warning to deal with the pirates quietly. Meanwhile, John Silver rides his horse into downtown Nassau flanked by Flint and Israel Hands, like a scene from a classic western. Berringer stands ready with his men as the pirates enter the square. An intense and bloody skirmish ensues. Inspired by their Pirate King, the townspeople and slaves join the revolt. However, it looks like the redcoats have Silver and the pirates down, when in the nick of time Billy Bones and his men show up. In the end, Israel Hands has Berringer under his knife. He looks to Silver for the go ahead, before slitting Berringer’s throat.^[13]

Chaos reigns in the streets, with old hurts being settled by knife and gunfire. Judge Adams is killed in the rioting, along with many Redcoats. Meanwhile, James Flint and John Silver wrestle with re-establishing order. While Flint organises a new Captain’s Council, it’s Silver’s word that rules, although for now they are of one mind. A note arrives from Eleanor offering a prisoner exchange, twenty captured pirates for Max, who Billy Bones has.^[14]

The aftermath of the Spanish raid finally hits home. Woodes Rogers sits devastated, angry, and looking to blame someone else for his loss. He turns on Mrs. Hudson, who had acted as a liaison with the Spanish, but the surrender of Jack Rackham was never a Spanish demand. He believes that Eleanor Guthrie would never have betrayed him without being coerced by Mrs. Hudson. Before she can defend herself, the coroner arrives with some distressing news; Eleanor was with child.

Rogers is informed that someone has turned himself in to the redcoats; Billy Bones. Billy is angry and wants to make a deal with Rogers. He wants the pirates to pay for betraying him and reveals that Rogers has the means to do it in his cells; Madi. Billy’s plan is for them to lead Flint to an uncharted island known as Skeleton Island, and make the exchange there. Returning to Nassau, Rogers receives word that the governing council is losing faith in his ability to ever bring order to the island.^[15]

In the end, Rogers is defeated, but the war Flint wants is stopped and the Maroons and pirates accept a pardon. Nassau becomes a thriving port under the leadership of the new governor, Augustus Featherstone, with the help of his wife Idelle and Max.^[16]