Description:The record of the court of enquiry into Sir Walter Leveson’s piratical activities in the English Channel is self explanatory. The judge attempted no more than was strictly required of him by asking the witnesses the same questions he had been asked to answer. There was no probing of witnesses or any attempt to ask questions to supplement their answers and the witnesses gave bland answers without incriminating themselves or others. The whole affair seems to be very relaxed. But the English State Papers of the time give a quite different view , including much more detail about the ships, their captains and their activities , the rage of the Dutch at Sir Walter’s actions and the long drawn out proceedings instigated by them to obtain redress. The formal protests of the Government of the United Provinces continued for years . The State papers also give details of Sir Walter’s last tragic years.
Click on the link below to learn more about Sir Walter Leveson, Pirate in Richard Totty's article Sir Walter Leveson of Lilleshall, Pirate.