 The Brethren was made up of a group of pirates who were descendants of cattle-hunting "boucaniers" (later Anglicised to buccaneers), who had turned to piracy after being robbed by the Spanish (and subsequently thrown out of Hispaniola).These pirates concentrated their attacks on Spanish shipping, whose interests were considered the major threat to the town.These pirates later became legal English privateers who were given letters of marque by Jamaica's governor.