Feisty Uncle Owen

Truro Cathedral

Cornwall, England

I came across the following transcription of a monument to my great-great-uncle Owen FitzPen, which was placed in Truro Cathedral by his brother George. It makes for a pretty cool family story:

To the pious and well-deserved memory of Owen Fitzpen, alias Phippen, who travelled over many parts of the world and, on March 24, 1620, was taken by the Turks and made captive in Algiers. He projected sundry plots for his liberty and, on June 17, 1627, with 20 other Christian captives, Dutch and French, persuaded by his counsel and courage, began a cruel fight with 65 Turks in their own ship--which lasted three hours, in which five of his company were slain. Yet, God made him conquer, and so he brought the ship in to Cartagena, being of 400 tons and having 22 ordinance. The king [presumably of Spain?] sent for him to come to Madrid, where he was offered a captain's place and a King's favor if he would turn Papist. He refused. He sold all for 6,000 pounds, returned to England, and died at Lamorran.