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Pirate code A pirate code, pirate articles, or articles of agreement were a code of conduct for governing ships of pirates, notably between the 17th and 18th centuries, during the so-called "Golden Age of Piracy". The typical pirate crew was an unorthodox mixture of former sailors, escaped convicts, disillusioned men, and possibly escapee or former slaves, among others, looking for wealth at any cost; once aboard a seafaring vessel, the group would draw-up their own ship- and crew-specific code (or articles), which listed and described the crew's policies surrounding pirate behavior (such as drunkenness, fighting, and interaction with females) and the associated disciplinary action, should a code be violated. Failing to honor the code could get a pirate marooned, whipped, beaten, or even executed (such as one article described, for merely allowing a female aboard their ship). For less serious violations, a pirate may have been temporarily denied equal food rations, or made to clean or maintain parts of the ship for a time. Primarily, these articles were designed to keep order aboard the ship, avoid dissension or mutinies, and ensure the crews' loyalty, all of which was crucial to the group's mutual survival. History The first set of the "Pirate's Code" was supposedly written by the Portuguese buccaneer Bartolomeu Português sometime in the early 1660s,[1] but the first recorded set belonged to George Cusack who was active from 1668 to 1675.[2] These early buccaneer articles were based on earlier maritime law and privateer codes such as the 12th century Rolls of Oléron.[3] They were later used by buccaneers and pirates such as John Phillips, Edward Low and Bartholomew Roberts. Buccaneers operated under a ship's articles that, among other things, governed conduct of the crew. These "articles of agreement" became authority independent of any nation, and were variously called the Chasse-Partie, Charter Party, Custom of the Coast, or Jamaica Discipline. In retrospect, these became known as the Pirate's Code. Pirate articles varied from one captain to another, and sometimes even from one voyage to another, but they were generally alike in including provisions for discipline, specifications for each crewmate's share of treasure, and compensation for the injured. Each crew member was asked to sign or make his mark on the articles, then swear an oath of allegiance or honour. The oath was sometimes taken on a Bible, but John Phillips' men, lacking a Bible, swore on an axe.[4] Legend suggests that other pirates swore on crossed pistols, swords, on a human skull, or astride a cannon. This act formally inducted the signer into the pirate crew, generally entitling him to vote for officers and on other "affairs of moment", to bear arms, and to his share of the plunder. The articles having been signed, they were then posted in a prominent place, often the door to the captain's cabin.[5] After a piratical cruise began, new recruits from captured ships would sometimes sign the articles, in some cases voluntarily, in other cases under threat of torture or death. Valuable sea artisans, such as carpenters and navigators, were especially likely to be forced to sign articles under duress, and would rarely be released regardless of their decision to sign or not. In some cases, even willing recruits would ask the pirates to pretend to force them to sign, so that they could plead they were forced should they ever be captured by the law.[6] Generally, men who had not signed the articles had a much better chance of acquittal at trial if captured by the law. Pirate articles are closely related to, and were derived from, ship's articles of the time, especially those of privateers, which similarly provided for discipline and regulated distribution of booty (though usually far less equally than with pirate articles).[7] Merchant articles and privateering articles can be traced back to Europe in the Middle Ages when there was a system of "joint hands" agreements between merchants, owners, and seamen to share profits.[8] ExamplesSeveral 17th and 18th century pirates such as Bartholomew Roberts, John Philips, Edward Low and George Lowther were known to have written articles for piratical rules onboard ships. Lowe’s articles were published in The Boston News-Letter on August 1, 1723, and also The Tryals of Thirty-Six Persons for Piracy, Twenty-Eight of them upon Full Evidence were Found Guilty and the Rest Acquitted, which was also printed in 1723.[9] Nine complete or nearly complete sets of piratical articles have survived, chiefly from Charles Johnson's A General History of the Pyrates, first published in 1724, and from records kept by Admiralty Court proceedings at the trials of pirates.[2] A partial code from Henry Morgan is preserved in Alexandre Exquemelin's 1678 book The Buccaneers of America. Many other pirates are known to have had articles; the late-17th century Articles of George Cusack and Nicholas Clough have also survived intact. Part of the reason that few pirate articles have survived is that pirates on the verge of capture or surrender often burned their articles or threw them overboard to prevent the papers being used against them at trial.[2]  Articles of Bartholomew RobertsBartholomew Roberts' Articles were similar (but not identical) to those of his former Captain, Howell Davis. In turn, Roberts' Articles influenced those of pirates such as Thomas Anstis who served under him and later went their own way.
Articles of John PhillipsCaptain John Phillips, captain of the Revenge, also set a code for his men in 1724:
Articles of Edward Low and George LowtherThe articles listed below are attributed by the Boston News-Letter to Captain Edward Low. The first eight of these articles are essentially identical to those attributed to pirate captain George Lowther by Charles Johnson. Since Lowther and Low are known to have sailed together from about New Year's to May 28, 1722, it is probable that both reports are correct and that Low and Lowther shared the same articles, with Low's two extra articles being an ordinance, or amendment, adopted after the two crews separated.
Articles of John GowA set of articles written in John Gow's own hand was found aboard his ship, the Revenge (née George), in 1729.[10] Article IV's reference to no going ashore "till the ship is off the ground" suggests that the Revenge was already grounded when the articles were written, only days before Gow and his men were captured. The code states as follows:
Articles of Henry Morgan and other buccaneersExquemelin writes in general terms about the articles of late 17th century Caribbean buccaneers. Although he does not attribute these articles to any specific buccaneer captain, Exquemelin almost certainly sailed with Henry Morgan as a physician, and thus his account likely reflects Morgan's articles more accurately than any other privateer or buccaneer of the time. Exquemelin writes that the buccaneers "agree on certain articles, which are put in writing, by way of bond or obligation, which every one is bound to observe, and all of them, or the chief, set their hands to it." Although Exquemelin does not number the articles, the following approximately reflects his description of the buccaneers' laws:
MythsOver the years, the pirate life has been romanticized in fictional works of literature and film. From parrots sitting on sailors’ shoulders, and treasure maps leading to buried treasure with “X” marking the spot, pirates have been the inspiration for many nautical tales. Scholars have attempted to dispel common pirate myths, some of which are listed here. Establishment of pirate codesThe pirate articles were not codes of chivalry, they were established to keep things running smoothly and peacefully onboard the ship. The first and most important step after a ship was acquired, either through mutiny or seizure, was to organize the code of conduct the sailors would follow. The codes were considered to be legally binding, and there were swift and severe consequences for those that broke them. There was, however, no official hierarchy, and every vote carried equal weight in establishing these codes. The captain’s authority was not absolute, though the articles might have been influenced by his leadership style and the crew’s goals and experiences. The captain’s primary duties included navigation and deciding when to engage in naval warfare. The quartermaster was responsible for overseeing daily operations. The Jolly Roger, the skull and crossbones on a black flag, provided a symbol that connected the pirates under a single brotherhood. [9] Walking the plankPirates established articles of conduct which were more democratic than those of naval or merchant marines, though the punishments for violating them were brutal. A common form of punishment was being marooned. Execution by hanging was another common practice. Walking the plank was seldom used, as it was seen as an elaborate, but impractical and unnecessary display of theatrics. A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates, written by Captain Charles Johnson in 1724, contains many accounts which influenced the modern-day perceptions of pirates, and the act of walking the plank is only briefly mentioned.[11] Buried treasurePirate codes stated that goods taken from another ship during a raid were to be fairly distributed among the crew. The ambition of piracy was to become rich, and pirates accumulated wealth through cash and goods plundered from other ships. Precious commodities like tobacco, wine, spices and textiles could be resold at higher prices, while other supplies, such as tackle and food, were kept to maintain the ship and its crew. Occasionally they found jewels, gold, and other precious metals. While pirate life was dangerous, and crews were constantly on the move to avoid capture, little historical evidence suggests that they buried their treasure. Of course, there might have been a few exceptions, such as needing to hide or stash loot somewhere safe, quickly, with the intent of returning later to retrieve it, if they were being pursued; however, burying treasure was too risky, and pirates were more apt to quickly spend their cash or sell their loot to buy provisions. The myth of buried treasure likely stemmed from the adventures of Captain Kidd, who was rumored to have buried his treasure.[9] [11] Lack of womenPirate code dictated that absolutely no women were permitted aboard ships, and violating this code was generally punishable by death. However, female pirates, such as Anne Bonny and Mary Read, refute the myth that only male pirates ever existed. These women also wore male clothing not to conceal their gender, but to allow for more freedom of movement and more nimble one-on-one combat.[9][11] Richard Braithwaite and hydrarchyScholars Peter Linebaugh and Marcus Rediker examine and discuss hydrarchy, which was a term devised by writer Richard Braithwaite to describe two significant changes which were the formalization of maritime law or “maritime state from above,”[12] and the establishment of mariners’ codes or “self-organization of sailors from below”[12] during the 17th century. Braithwaite noted that these sailors did not possess “much civility; the sea hath taught him other rhetoric…”[12] referring to them as tough, crude and stupid but acknowledging their significance and contributions within the hydrarchy. Life was always complex onboard ship and during this time, the emergence of resistance and revolution at sea challenged the rise of capitalism and imperialism. See also
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