The Devil Unleashed: The Royal Navy in Boston, 1685 – 1687

This is a hybrid event. The in-person reception will begin at 4:30 PM. Please visit here to register: https://www.masshist.org/events/Devil-Unleashed

This chapter begins with an exploration of the hardships and wonders of life at sea that created experiences and cultural practices bound to clash with Puritan orthodoxy in colonial Boston. The arrival of H.M.S. Rose in 1686, the town’s first long-term Royal Navy station ship, destabilized the town’s traditional relationship with seafarers. Rose’s seafarers embodied the authority of the Crown, but also a volatile culture shaped by the sea. Rose became entangled in Boston’s financial, political, and cultural life during its four-year stay. After a brief honeymoon period, the crew and its captain, with the aid of two other Royal Navy vessels, unleashed a devilish tide of revelry, riots, and revenge on the town. This upheaval helped create the conditions necessary for Boston’s insurrection in 1689.