Page "War of Jenkins' Ear" Paragraph 6

The incident that gave its name to the war had occurred in 1731 when the British brig Rebecca was boarded by the Spanish coast guard La Isabela, commanded by Julio León Fandiño.

After boarding, Fandiño cut off the left ear of the Rebecca < nowiki >'</ nowiki > s captain, Robert Jenkins, who had been accused of piracy.

Fandiño told Jenkins, " Go, and tell your King that I will do the same, if he dares to do the same.

" In March 1738, Jenkins was ordered to attend Parliament, presumably to repeat his story before a committee of the House of Commons.

According to some accounts, he produced the severed ear when he attended, although no detailed record of the hearing exists.

The incident was considered alongside various other cases of " Spanish Depredations upon the British Subjects ", and was perceived as an insult to the honour of the nation and a clear casus belli.