However, when he tried his pretence of being a Royal Navy pirate hunter in order to kidnap the governor of the Portuguese island of Príncipe, the governor saw through it. Davis was invited to call at the fort for a glass of wine. On the way there, the pirates were ambushed and Davis shot dead on 19 June 1719. Bartholomew Roberts was elected to succeed him and raided the island in retaliation later that night. Character Captain William Snelgrave, the master of the Bird, a vessel captured by the pirates in 1719, later wrote an account of his experience. His ship was taken by Thomas Cocklyn's men, who abused him. However, when informed of this, Davis protected Snelgrave and obviously made a favourable impression on him. Snelgrave concluded that Davis was a man "who (allowing for the Course of Life he had been unhappily engaged in) was a most generous humane Person". In popular culture The legend of Howell Davis has inspired recent works of fiction such as The Noble Pirates by R. L. Jean. Howell Davis makes a minor appearance in Ubisoft's 2013 game Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, where his ship is tracked by protagonist Edward Kenway, who is seeking Bartholomew Roberts. When Kenway arrives in Príncipe, he discovers Davis' shot corpse, and then makes a partnership with Roberts and kills the two corsairs responsible for Davis' death, John Cockram and Josiah Burgess. Later in the game, Roberts wears Howell's costume. References General Breverton, Terry (2003) The book of Welsh pirates and buccaneers. Glyndwr Publishing. Pickering, David. "Pirates". CollinsGem. HarperCollins Publishers, New York, NY. pp 80–82. 2006. Specific External links Pirate Encyclopedia: Howell Davis Pirates: Life at sea: Maritime, sea & ships: Fact files 1690 births 1719 deaths 18th-century pirates Welsh pirates Mutineers People captured by pirates People from Milford Haven