Jelles de Lecat

Jelles de Lecat (fl. 1668-1674, last name also Lescat) was a Dutch pirate and buccaneer who sailed for and against both the English and Spanish. He served with Henry Morgan and was often called "Yellahs," "Yallahs," or “Captain Yellows.” Together they cruised near Puerto Bello and Cartagena, where they soon captured another Spanish ship. Brasiliano took the new capture, while Lecat became Captain of the brigantine.

Henry Morgan assembled a fleet to sack Panama in 1670, including Brasiliano, Reyning, Bradley, and Lecat. Bradley was killed assaulting a Spanish fort, and the rest marched overland across Panama into 1671. Modyford's successor Thomas Lynch sent Captain Wilgres after Lecat, but Wilgres went buccaneering on his own. The warship HMS Assistance under William Beeston hunted Lecat in 1671, only to have him shelter under the guns of a Spanish fort during a brief period of neutrality; Beeston instead captured Witherborn and a French pirate named Du Mangles. The following year, Lynch dispatched Morris again, this time along with Captain Allword. Morris turned to logwood hauling while Allword became a smuggler.

In 1672 the English Trade and Plantations committee warned logwood ships to sail in convoy and prepare to defend themselves. Finally in 1674 the King issued a pardon specifically for Lecat and an Irish pirate named Philip Fitzgerald, forbidding them from serving other nations, offering them forgiveness if they surrendered, and authorizing the Jamaican Governor to hunt them down if not: “and in regard Captains Yellows and Fitzgerald, two of his Majesty's subjects, appeared to be the chief instruments of said depredations, That a Proclamation be issued for recalling his Majesty's subjects from the service of any foreign Prince between the tropics in America, with promise of pardon if they render themselves within a convenient time; and that the Governor of Jamaica receive speedy order for securing both said persons if found so offending after the time limited within his Government, and cause them to be sent prisoners to England.” Little is known of Lecat's further activities.