The Pirate Code (Pirate Articles)

[Captain_Jack_Sparrow]

I was lookin around for a few minutes when I came upon a rather interesting Article
[sorry if this has been brought up before]
But I thought I'd share it with ye lot and see what ye think.
Apparently there was some sort of Pirate Code during the Golden age of Piracym but no complete lists have ever been documented, or so I hear.

Well anyway, take a look, I found them rather interesting meself.

The Articles of John Philips:
1. Every man shall obey civil Command; the Captain shall have one full share and a half in all Prizes; the Master, Carpenter, Boatswain and Gunner shall have one Share and quarter.

2. If any man shall offer to run away, or keep any Secret from the Company, he shall be marroon'd with one Bottle of Powder, one Bottle of Water, one small Arm and shot.

3. If any Many shall steel any Thing in the Company, or game, to the Value of a Piece of Eight, he shall be marroon'd or shot.
If at any Time we should meet another Marrooner (that is Pyrate) that Man that shall sign his Articles without the Consent of our Company, shall suffer such Punishment as the Captain and Company shall think fit.

4. That Man that shall strike another whilst these Articles are in force, shall receive Mose's Law (that is 40 stripes lacking one) on the bare Back.

5. That Man that shall snap his Arms, or smoak Tobacco in the Hold, without a cap to his Pipe, or carry a Candle lighted without a Lanthorn, shall suffer the same Punishment as in the former Article.

6. That Man that shall not keep his Arms clean, fit for an Engagement, or neglect his Business, shall be cut off from his Share, and suffer such other Punishment as the Captain and the Company shall think fit.

7. If any Man shall lose a Joint in time of an Engagement he shall have 400 pieces of Eight; if a limb 800.

8. If at any time you meet with a prudent Woman, that Man that offers to meddle with her, without her Consent, shall suffer present Death.



The Articles of Edward Low:
1. The Captain is to have two full Shares; the Master is to have one Share and one Half; The Doctor, Mate, Gunner and Boatswain, one Share and one Quarter.

2. He that shall be found guilty of taking up any Unlawfull Weapon on Board the Privateer or any other prize by us taken, so as to Strike or Abuse one another in any regard, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majoirty of the Company shall see fit.

3. He that shall be found Guilty of Cowardice in the time of Ingagements, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall think fit.

4. If any Gold, Jewels, Silver, &c. be found on Board of any Prize or Prizes to the value of a Piece of Eight, & the finder do not deliver it to the Quarter Master in the space of 24 hours he shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall think fit.

5. He that is found Guilty of Gaming, or Defrauding one another to the value of a Ryal of Plate, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall think fit.

6. He that shall have the Misfortune to loose a Limb in time of Engagement, shall have the Sum of Six hundred pieces of Eight, and remain aboard as long as he shall think fit.

7. Good Quarters to be given when Craved.

8. He that sees a Sail first, shall have the best Pistol or Small Arm aboard of her.

9. He that shall be guilty of Drunkenness in time of Engagement shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall think fit.

10. No Snaping of Guns in the Hould.



The Articles of Bartholomew Roberts: (it is possible that an examination of these articles gave the Disney writers the idea for a code laid down by Morgan and Bartholomew, but Captain Roberts was not a contemporary of Morgan's)

I. Every man has a vote in affairs of moment; has equal title to the fresh provisions, or strong liquors, at any time seized, and may use them at pleasure, unless a scarcity (no uncommon thing among them) makes it necessary, for the good of all, to vote a retrenchment.

II. Every man to be called fairly in turn, by list, on board of prizes because, (over and above their proper share) they were on these occasions allowed a shift of clothes: but if they defrauded the company to the value of a dollar in plate, jewels, or money, marooning was their punishment. [this was a barbarous custom of putting the offender on shore, on some desolate or uninhabited cape or island, with a gun, a few shot, a bottle of water, and a bottle ofpowder, to subsist with or starve] If the robbery was only betwixt one another, they contented themeselves with slitting the ears and nose of him that was guilty, and set him on shore, not in an uninhabited place, but somewhere, where he was sure to encounter hardships.

III. No person to game at cards or dice for money.

IV. The lights and candles to be put out at eight o'clock at night: if any of the crew, after that hour still remained inclined for drinking, they were to do it on the open deck; [which Roberts believed would give a check to their debauches, for he was a sober man himself, but found at length , that all his endeavours to put an end to this debauch proved ineffectual.]

V. To keep their piece, pistols, and cutlass clean and fit for service. [in this they were extravagantly nice, endeavoring to outdo one another in the beauty and richness of their arms, giving sometimes at an auction (at the mast) thirty or forty pounds a pair for pistols. These were slung in time of service, with different coloured ribbands over their shoulders in a way particular to these fellows, in which they took great delight.

VI. No boy or woman to be allowed amongst them. If any man were to be found seducing any of the latter sex, and carried her to sea, disguised, he was to suffer death; [so that when any fell into their hands, as it chanced in the Onslow, they put a sentinen immediatelyover her to prevent ill consequences from so dangerous an instrument of division and quarrel; but then here lies the roguery; they contend who shall be sentinel, which happens generally to one of the greatest bullies, who, to secure the lady's virtue, will let none lie with her but himself.]

VII. To desert the ship or their quarters in battle, was punished with death or marooning.

VIII. No striking one another on board, but every man's quarrels to be ended on shore, at sword and pistol. [The quarter-master of the ship, when the parties will not come to any reconciliation, accompanies them on shore with what assistance he thinks proper, and turns the disputant back to back, at so many paces distance; at the word of command, they turn and fire immediately, (or else the piece is knocked out of their hands). If both miss, they come to their cutlasses, and then he is declaired the victor who draws the first blood.]

IX. No man to talk of breaking up their way of living, till each had shared one thousand pounds. If in order to this, any man should lose a limb, or become a cripple in their service, he was to have eighthundred dollars, out of the public stock, and for lesser hurts, proportionately.

X. The captain and quartermaster to recieve two shares of a prize: the master, boatswain, and gunner, one share and a half, and other officers one and quarter.

XI. The musicians to have rest on the Sabbath Day, but the other six days and nights, none without special favour.

[edit - Mission - 4/18/2013] These are the articles listed in Esquemeling's book about the buccaneers (with some paragraph breaks thrown in for readability) in Chapter VI - How the Pirates arm their Vessels, and regulate their Voyages:

"The ship being well victualled, they deliberate whither they shall go to seek their desperate fortunes, and likewise agree upon certain articles, which are put in writing, which every one is bound to observe; and all of them, or the chiefest part, do set their hands to it. Here they set down distinctly what sums of money each particular person ought to have for that voyage, the fund of all the payments being what is gotten by the whole expedition; for otherwise it is the same law among these people as with other pirates: no prey, no pay.

First, therefore, they mention how much the captain is to have for his ship; next, the salary of the carpenter, or shipwright, who careened, mended, and rigged the vessel. This commonly amounts to one hundred or one hundred and fifty pieces of eight, according to the agreement; Afterwards, for provisions and victualling, they draw out of the same common stock about two hundred pieces of eight; also a salary for the surgeon, and his chest of medicaments, which usually is rated at two hundred or two hundred and fifty pieces of eight.

Lastly, they agree what rate each one ought to have that is either wounded or maimed in the body, suffering the

__

loss of any limb; as, for the loss of a right arm, six hundred pieces of eight, or six Slaves; for the left arm, five hundred pieces of eight, or five slaves; for a right leg, five hundred pieces of eight, or five slaves; for the left leg, four hundred pieces of eight, or four slaves; for an eye, one hundred pieces of eight, or one slave ; for a finger, the same as for an eye; all which sums are taken out of the common stock of what is gotten by their piracy, and a very exact and equal dividend is made of the remainder.

They have also regard to qualities and places. Thus the captain, or chief, is allotted five or six portions to what the ordinary seamen have ; the master's mate only two, and other officers proportionably to their employ; after which, they draw equal parts, from the highest to the lowest mariner, the boys not being omitted, who draw half a share; because, when they take a better Vessel than their own, it is the boys duty to fire their former vessel, and then retire to the prize.

They observe among themselves very good orders; for in the prizes which they take, it is severely prohibited, to every one, to take any thing to themselves. Hence all they take is equally divided, as hath been said before. Yea, they take a solemn oath to each other, not to conceal the least thing they find among the prizes; and if any one is found false to the said oath, he is immediately turned out of the society. They are very civil and charitable to each other, so that if any one wants what another has, with great willingness they give it one to another. As soon as these pirates have taken a prize, they immediately set ashore the prisoners, detaining only some few, for their own help and service ; whom, also, they release after two or three years." (Esquemeling, The Buccaneers of America, p. 51-2, 1794 printing)

[Fox]

I'm glad you enjoyed the site! The whole point of the page was to show that there was NOT some kind of PotC-esque "Pirate Code". Several sets of different pirates articles are recorded: as well as Roberts', Phillips' and Lowther's we also have Low's (which were more or less the same as Lowther's, if not identical), Kidd's, and some from the buccaneering ear of the late 17thC, as well as many sets of agreements from privateering vessels. :)

[Captain_Jack_Sparrow]

I'm glad you enjoyed the site! The whole point of the page was to show that there was NOT some kind of PotC-esque "Pirate Code". Several sets of different pirates articles are recorded: as well as Roberts', Phillips' and Lowther's we also have Low's (which were more or less the same as Lowther's, if not identical), Kidd's, and some from the buccaneering ear of the late 17thC, as well as many sets of agreements from privateering vessels. :)

Ah so thats what they were on about

[Jib]

But what defines "a share"?

[Daniel]

A share is one equal part of the plunder available for distribution after expenses are paid. It works something like this, assuming John Phillips' articles.

Ship has plundered 6,000 pieces of eight. 1,200 pieces of eight are spent on food, cordage, beer, water, sails, etc., and one pirate has lost a limb and is paid 800 pieces of eight, leaving 4,000 pieces of eight to be shared out.

We will assume that there are 99 pirates aboard, and for the sake of making the math easier we will assume the boatswain and gunner are dead. Thus the treasure will be divided into the following shares.

99 shares (one for each pirate).

One half share (the captain's extra half share).

Two quarter shares (the master and carpenter's extra quarter shares).

Total: 100 shares.

4,000 pieces of eight divided by 100 shares equals 40 pieces of eight per share. Thus each pirate gets 40 pieces of eight, except the captain who gets 60 pieces of eight, and the master and carpenter who each get 50 pieces of eight.

In practice it wasn't always this easy. Gems have been recovered from the wreck of the Whydah bearing knife marks from where the pirates tried to cut them up to make the shares come out even. Doubtless there was cheating sometimes; accusations of fraud dogged Henry Morgan long after the sack of Panama. Hence the severe punishments provided for bilking the company.

Some 18th-century privateers provided in their articles for extra "null shares," which would be awarded by vote at the end of the cruise to the crewmen who had done the best job. I don't know if outright pirates did this also.

[Jib]

Any word of if they waited to divide the loot until they docked at a port or if they split up the plunder right after the battle. I would imagine that jealous could cause for some nasty reactions.

[capnwilliam]

Foxe speaks true! There was no overriding "pirate code": that's POTC rot! Rather, each pirate vessel had Articles that each man signed and was bound to for the duration of the voyage.

As I came to realize just recently: Articles were not a piratical innovation: merchant vessels, whalers, even the Navy, all had Articles.

Capt. William

[PirateQueen]

Any word of if they waited to divide the loot until they docked at a port or if they split up the plunder right after the battle. I would imagine that jealous could cause for some nasty reactions.

No doubt, and I think it would have been the job of the Quartermaster or whichever officer was seeing to the best interests of the crew to assure them of an accounting until the spoils could be shared out.

I don't think plunder was often in the form of coins or something that could immediately be distributed. Plunder was often goods that they sold at the next port, after which they would split the proceeds.

[Daniel]

Any word of if they waited to divide the loot until they docked at a port or if they split up the plunder right after the battle. I would imagine that jealous could cause for some nasty reactions.

I am not sure what the most common practice was. I do know that in August 1718, Stede Bonnet's crew did a share-out aboard their sloop while at sea.

[Patrick Hand]

DISCLIMER:... I'm quoting from "The Pirates own Book, Authentic Narratives of the Most Celebrated Sea Robbers" so it's out of period. but still kinda fun.

From "The Life of Captain Roberts." (Bartholomew Roberts)

Under the foolish supposition that any laws, oaths or regulations, could bind those who had hidden open defiance to all divine and human laws, he proceeded to form a code of regulations for the maintenance of order and unity in his little commonwealth.

[MadMike]

I know of only one pirate (and a rather mediocre one at that) who had "expenses"- Stede Bonnet. Otherwise, pirates generally traded stolen goods with unscrupulous merchants (or threw the goods overboard).

Such articles of regulation are detailed in "Buccaneers of America", and no doubt existed long before the book originally went to print.

Of interest is the cut marks on the gold bar remnants from the Whydah wreckage.

Also, items confiscated from any captured ship would likely be placed into the common chest for sale at the mast.

Some recommended reads include "Captured by Pirates", Johnston's "A General History of the Pyrates" edited by Schonhorn, and "The Buccaneer's of America". All are available from DeadMenTellNoTales.com.

Yours, &c.

Mike

[Phillip Black]

Pardon me if I'm wrong but a piece of eight was itself an 1/8 of a whole silver dollar or Reale...so considering how currency in those days was actually valuable materials rather than promissory notes like today...it must have been easier to "divide the booty."

Similarily, while every crew had their own articles, there seems to have been remarkable similarities among all the different articles.

Here's a question, and maybe a stupid one , but were pressed crew members entitled to a share? For example, if a carpenter was presed into service on a pirate crew after capturing a prize, was that carpenter entitled to shares per the articles?

And what about the pirate lawyers who argued over these articles/contracts?

[Silver Steele]

Here's a question, and maybe a stupid one  , but were pressed crew members entitled to a share?  For example, if a carpenter was presed into service on a pirate crew after capturing a prize, was that carpenter entitled to shares per the articles?

If a seaman were "pressed" into service of a pirate, and they signed the articles, provided that the articles did state that each man were entitled to a share of the prize, then yes, they would recieve a share.

This taking of the share or NOT taking of the share is what made many a pirate swing or not swing. There are accounts of seamen pressed into service, yet not taking a share and when they were captured, they were found not guilty of piracy.

Hows that Black John?

[blackjohn]

Why Silver Steele... long time no see... glad to have back!!!

[Silver Steele]

No doubt, and I think it would have been the job of the Quartermaster or whichever officer was seeing to the best interests of the crew to assure them of an accounting until the spoils could be shared out.

Aye, thank ye BlackJohn, tis good to be back. And I brought my own torch with me.

In reference to who actually divided the shares, it was the Quartermaster. While the Captain was in charge in times of battle, the Quartermaster was often in charge of leading raids and boarding parties The Quartermaster took responsibility for prize vessels and picked the treasure that the crew would take from the prize. He was also responsible for counting the booty and splitting the shares and as such the Quartermaster (and only the Quartermaster) decided what of value was to be taken, and what was to be left behind.

Ta'

[Patrick Hand]

the Quartermaster

That's why we have ter make sure we vote a good honits Pyrate ter th' position O' quartermaster.....

(Outta funsies)..... disreguarding the bad Pyrate lingo..... who would you vote for the position..... So Is there any honor among thieves................

[Dusi Sparrow]

4. That Man that shall strike another whilst these Articles are in force, shall receive Mose's Law (that is 40 stripes lacking one) on the bare Back.

8. If at any time you meet with a prudent Woman, that Man that offers to meddle with her, without her Consent, shall suffer present Death.

Maybe a stupid question. At what times were the articles not in force?

Was it in order to rape a woman while plundering a town? I just wonder about these things sometimes.

[MadMike]

I know of three instances, one is from Johnston's book relating to Anstis's crew, of Captain Smith (alias Gow), and one pirate who was heading to the gallows (who identified a victim in the crowd).

Johnston writes about Bartholomew Roberts articles regarding women "so that when any fell into their Hands, as it chanced in the Onslow, they put a Centinel immediately over her to prevent ill Consequences from so dangerous an Instrument of Division and Quarrel; but then here lyes the Roguery; they contend who shall be Centinel, which happens generally to one of the greatest Bullies, who, to secure the Lady's Virtue, will let none lye with her but himself."

Yours,

Mike

[Silver Steele]

Maybe a stupid question. At what times were the articles not in force?

Was it in order to rape a woman while plundering a town? I just wonder about these things sometimes.

It is my belief, whether it actually be right or wrong, that since these articles were for the "Ship's Company" they thus were in effect only while on board that ship. However, I have nothing to back that up other than theory and opinion. I believe that on land, when off ship for a bit of pyrate R&R, that there were no rules in force based upon the Ship's Aricles other than a man's personal morals and values.

As for the raping a woman, I do know that when Morgan was sacking around the Spanish Main, specifically around Mexico that there are accounts of Morgan's men raping women while sacking towns inland. But to Morgan, the Spanish were not.. well.. civilized? They were the enemy whether it be male or female.

[Dusi Sparrow]

Thanks guys. It's exactly what I thought. Even if it wouldn't be only to satisfy one's lust it could also be used to get a man to tell where the treasures are hidden. "Tell me or I'll rape yer wife." Who would want to watch his wife being raped?

[Misson]

This probably is the wrong thread for this, but I didn't want to start a new one, so I'll just tack it in here and if anyone else finds it interesting the topic can mutate.

When we talk of pirate articles, we often refer to articles from he same three pirates: John Phillips, Bartholomew Roberts and Edward Low. The reason there are so few is likely because everyone but the forced men were supposed to sign the articles making it a wonderful document of proof of willful piracy to be used by juries to execute said pirates. So they were probably destroyed when the pirate hunters showed up. It is also likely that many pirates had no formal articles, but that's not of interest here. In fact, I wonder why I brought it up.

This discussion is regarding Captain Edward Low's articles, which were originally printed in The Boston News-Letter on August 8, 1723 and later reprinted in the General History. I will here re-re-reproduce them for reference - this from Wiki who re-reproduced them on 25, March 2008

i. The Captain is to have two full Shares; the [quarter] Master is to have one Share and one Half; The Doctor, Mate, Gunner and Boatswain, one Share and one Quarter.

II. He that shall be found guilty of taking up any Unlawful Weapon on Board the Privateer or any other prize by us taken, so as to Strike or Abuse one another in any regard, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall see fit.

III. He that shall be found Guilty of Cowardice in the time of engagements, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall think fit.

IV. If any Gold, Jewels, Silver, &c. be found on Board of any Prize or Prizes to the value of a Piece of Eight, & the finder do not deliver it to the Quarter Master in the space of 24 hours he shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall think fit.

V. He that is found Guilty of Gaming, or Defrauding one another to the value of a Royal of Plate, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall think fit.

VI. He that shall have the Misfortune to loose a Limb in time of Engagement, shall have the Sum of Six hundred pieces of Eight, and remain aboard as long as he shall think fit.

VII. Good Quarters to be given when Craved.

VIII. He that sees a Sail first, shall have the best Pistol or Small Arm aboard of her.

IX. He that shall be guilty of Drunkenness in time of Engagement shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall think fit.

X. No snapping of Guns in the Hold.

S

This is all well and good and you've probably seen them before as they appear here. So why bring it up?

As I mentioned in another thread, I have lately been reading the book Captured by Pirates edited from period accounts by John Richard Stephens (he has modernised the language). I came across a point in there that I think is rather interesting. In Captain George Roberts' account of his capture by Captain Low's pirates in his book The Four Voyages of Capt. George Roberts...written by himself(1726) he mentions several articles that relate to his capture and disposition - none of which are included in the above list.

He specifically mentions four articles not appearing above. Most of these regard discussions Roberts had with a group of men trying to assist him on the sly. I quote from Stephens edited copy of Roberts' account:

Unmentioned article 1: "They said they did not much fear my revealing , because the disclosing it would rather be a prejudice to me than an advantage [in regard to being pressed into service], and therefore out of pure respect to me they would tell me; which was thus: 'You must know,' said they, 'that we have an article which we are sworn to which is not to force any married man against his will to serve us." (Stephens, p. 206-7, quoting Roberts)

Unmentioned article 2: "In the morning, about five o'clock, I turned out and a little after, one of the three men who spoke to me the morning before came to me, and bid me good-morrow, and asked me very courteously how I did, and told me that they would all three, as before, have come and spoken to me but were afraid the company, especially [Captain of another ship in Low's Fleet John] Russel's friends would think they held a secret correspondence with me, which was against one of their articles, it being punishable by death to hold any secret correspondence with a prisoner..." (Stephens, p. 215, quoting Roberts)

Unmentioned article 3: "He also said that he and the other two heartily wished they could go with me in [his sloop when he parted company with the pirates], but that it was impossible to expect it, it being death even to motion it, by another of their articles, which says that if any of the company shall advise or speak anything tending to the separating or breaking of the company, or shall by any means offer or endeavor to desert or quit the company, that person shall be shot to death by the quartermaster's order without sentence of court martial." (Stephens, p. 215, quoting Roberts)

Unmentioned article 4: "[Captain Russel:] 'I was on board the sloop but just before I came here, and Frank Spriggs (captain of yet another ship in Low's fleet) was along with me and heard him say that he was fully resolved to go with us and would not go any more in the sloop unless forced; and when he came out of Barbados, he said, his design was to enter himself on board the first pirate that he met with; and will you refuse such a man, contrary to your articles which you all so much profess to follow; and which enjoin you by all means, not repugnant to them, to increase and fill your company? Besides,' continued he, 'he spoke to me the first day that he was resolved to enter with us.'" (Stephens, p. 230, quoting Roberts)

Now, this either means that Roberts' account is wrong or Low had articles that were either not stated or not printed in the particular version published by the The Boston News-Letter. (Even when you think you have an accurate record of these things, you can't be sure. Isn't history fun?) One wonders how many ships had articles that were never set in print, but just verbally agreed upon as these appear to have been.

[Coastie04]

Also, just another possibility. Are the 'verbal articles' possibly akin to 'verbal orders'? Something along the lines of "don't hold correspondence with that particular prisoner". Were saying they were in the articles possibly a 'slang' way of saying that the company agreed verbally on some sort of rule, or an order by the Captain that the majority agreed with? Just another opinion on what exactly the articles were...more of guidelines, right?

Sorry to use Hollywood to make a historical point. It's not that I buy in to it, but it makes my point so eloquently. In other words, how often were the articles able to be manipulated by the Captain, or some 'sea lawyer' in the crew? Look at the United States 'articles' (aka Constitution). Everybody has a different opinion on what they actually mean, and argue the points. Could there have been the same kind of grey area in pirate articles? Just a thought to ponder tonight.

Coastie

[Misson]

Actually, there is another account by Philip Ashton from...1722 if I remember it rightly...in the same book in reference to Low's pirates. I am only part way into it, but it verifies the point about married men not being forced being a part of Low's pirate's policy. It doesn't state that this is an article, but the fact that it is verified in a different account pretty well puts paid to the idea that it wasn't some sort of rule - unwritten or not.

I will quote it more fully when I have read the full account and I have the book handy.

[Mission]

"...with the exception of the privateer's commission, none [of the various documents required] was as important to any sea rover as the ship's articles of agreement. Also called a 'charter party' (a maritime term for the contract or charter between the owners of a vessel and the merchants hiring the vessel), and in French a chasse partie (a contract for the hunt or chase) or charte partie, the articles defined the conditions under which the cruise would be conducted. Privateer commanders and investors usually stipulated the articles beforehand in terms such as 'the following Proposals are made by the Owners to all such as shall enter themselves, and serve on Board the said Ships.' The captain or one of his officers was to read the articles out loud to the recruits and crew, and post them in a conspicuous place, such as the great cabin door." (Little, Benerson, The Sea Rover's Practice, p. 34)

What's interesting about this is that it suggests that most privateer maritime voyages had what amounted to articles of agreement. (Thinking back on Woodes Rogers' book, their articles were explained there.) So there's really nothing very revolutionary about the articles themselves vis-a-vis pirates. Yet I've seen a lot of crowing about how the pirates were so egalitarian for having established them. The pirate-added element was that the crew was involved in the establishment of the articles, rather than it coming from the owners and officers. This makes sense when you realize they have decided to make themselves the new owners. In a way, they are actually doing little more than following the rules set by the previous owners, which is sort of funny in a way when you talk about how rebellious they were.

Even then, Little explains,

"Pirates, bucaneers, and filibusters generally determined the articles by a democratic vote held by the commander and five or six representatives chosen by the crew, although in some crews all sat in council." (Little, p. 35)

So the whole crew was sometimes involved in voting on the final articles and other times it done more by representative government. I had always wondered how they came up with the idea for having such articles. Those of you who started your interest in piracy coming from the sailing side may find this point excruciatingly obvious, but I found it pretty interesting. It makes the genesis of this particular element of piracy more logical.

[Fox]

Interesting (maybe?) points to add:

The articles listed in Woodes Rogers' book should not be considered typical of privateering articles since they were actually a revised form of the original articles, more or less dictated by the crew.

Some of Rogers' men then apparently went on Shelvocke's expedition and forced an identical set of articles into use.

The articles of Roberts, Anstis, and Phillips make for interesting reading, because each of those crews had its genesis in the others - Phillips sailed under Anstis, who sailed under Roberts (and Davis). Comparison between the three puts paid to any ideas about holding up Roberts' articles as 'typical'. In Roberts' articles, for example, no man is allowed to talk of leaving the company until they've all shared out £1,000, whereas in Anstis' crew any man was free to take a pardon if one was offered.

(A small correction) Low's articles were not reprinted in the GHP, but eight of them were included in the chapter on Lowther. Thus, we have two sets of roughly comparable articles composed by two crews who sailed together.

The articles composed by John Gow's crew (under admittedly peculiar circumstances) are largely different again, and suggest that not all pirates were as egalitarian as some would like to believe - the captain is given absolute command: 'I. That every Man shall obey his Commander in all Respects, as if the Ship was his own, and we under Monthly Pay'. On the other hand, like Roberts' articles they also forbid drinking and gambling after 8pm, so Roberts' articles might be considered 'typical' only in their most 'surprising' aspect.

There are some other odd articles mention in Snelgrave's accout IIRC.