Captain Clegg
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Captain Clegg is a fictional character and is one of the aliases of the Rev. Dr. Christopher Syn in a series of novels by Russell Thorndike.
Doctor Syn had been a humble country vicar married to the Spanish Imogene. When his wife was seduced away from him, Syn swore vengeance and became the pirate Clegg to hunt them down. Eventually, Syn tired of his quest and returned to the little town of Dymchurch to resume his life as a clergyman. As fate would have it his old enemy "Black Nick" was hung for piracy. Syn agreed to raise Nick's baby daughter as his own. In return the Black Nick confessed to being Captain Clegg. When he died all evidence of Syn's piracy died with him.
Clegg is mentioned in several of Thorndyke's novels but only plays an active part in Doctor Syn on the High Seas. The author seems more interested in telling of Syn's adventures as the costumed Scarecrow than of his more blood-thirsty career as Clegg.
In the novel the name "Clegg" is said to have been taken from a Native American word for a fierce biting ant.