Pardon letter from Governor Swann to the King

After killing Captain Hawkins, Ian Mercer confronted Governor Weatherby Swann with the pardon letter.

"Evening, Governor. Shame, that. He was carrying this. It's a letter to the King. It's from you."

―Ian Mercer to Weatherby Swann.

This letter was written by Governor Weatherby Swann and intended to reach King George II, detailing the arrest of Elizabeth Swann by Lord Cutler Beckett, and requesting that the King intervene in the matter of the charge brought against her.

History

About a year after the battle at Isla de Muerta, Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner were engaged to be married. However, their wedding was interrupted by the arrival of Lord Cutler Beckett in Port Royal, who arrested the couple for having helped the notorious pirate Jack Sparrow escape from the gallows. Facing execution for their crimes, Turner made a deal with Lord Beckett, and was sent to find Sparrow and retrieve his compass in exchange for their freedom, while Elizabeth remained locked up in prison.

Governor Weatherby Swann did not believe that Beckett would pardon them, and arranged passage for his daughter back to England; Swann sent a letter to King George II detailing what had happened and requesting that His Majesty intervene in the matter, before helping Elizabeth escape from jail to the docks, where a ship was waiting. However, the letter was discovered on the person of the ship's captain, Hawkins, after he was murdered by Beckett's clerk, Ian Mercer. Mercer then confronted Governor Swann with the letter, and had him taken into custody, though Elizabeth managed to slip away into the night.

Text

Port Royal

24 March 1724

Your Majesty,

I most humbly beseech you to intercede in the matter of the Charge brought against My Daughter Elizabeth. She has been arrested on the Charge of conspiracy to set free a Man lawfully convicted of Crimes against the State. Of my own volition, I have arranged Her release from Prison and passage Home to England. I have done these things in the belief that Her Trial will not be impartial and that His Lordship, Cutler Beckett intends Her harm.

She is young Your Majesty and was unaware of the nature of Her Actions. The fault is Mine alone. I implore You to consider this matter.

Your most humble and obedient servant

W Swann

Governor, His Majesty's Plantations in Jamaica

Behind the scenes

Pardon letter from Governor Swann to the King.

The pardon letter first appeared in the junior novelization for the 2006 film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. The name "Pardon letter from Governor Swann to the King" comes from the prop's display at the A Pirate's Life for Me: Disney’s Rascals, Scoundrels, Really Bad Eggs exhibit at the 2017 D23 Expo.

The pardon letter prop sets the date of Elizabeth's escape from jail in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest on March 24, 1724. However, this has since been retconned with the release of the 2017 sequel film Dead Men Tell No Tales, which sets the film in 1729.

The date on the letter prop seemingly doesn't match the date on Cutler Beckett's arrest warrant which was issued on April 27, 1724. However, that's not a mistake. Historically, during the early 18th century, Great Britain and the whole British Empire still used the Julian calendar, and the English year began on 25 March.

While unconfirmed, it is likely that the letter was originally meant to refer to King George I, as he reigned from 1714-1727.

The pardon letter prop uses the modern coat of arms of Jamaica, which was adopted after Jamaican independence in 1962.

Appearances

• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (First appearance)
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (comic) (Mentioned only)

Sources

• A Pirate's Life for Me: Disney's Rascals, Scoundrels, Really Bad Eggs exhibit (First identified as Pardon letter from Governor Swann to the King)