Pirates have fascinated people for centuries. The idea of swashbuckling brigands sailing the high seas under the black flag, fighting naval ships and plundering merchant vessels, has captivated our imaginations. An integral part of the lore surrounding historical pirates is the supposed “pirate code” – a set of rules that pirates lived by. But is there any truth to the idea of an actual pirate code? Was there really a defined set of laws that governed pirate crews and ships? Let’s examine the facts and myths behind the purported real pirate code.
The Basic Concept of the Pirate Code
In general, the pirate code is thought to be a code of conduct and system of rules created by pirates to regulate behavior on ships and within crews. Supposedly, each pirate ship had its own specific code that members were required to follow. Basic elements thought to be included in pirate codes were:
- Division of stolen loot and booty
- Compensation for injured pirates
- Resolution of conflicts and disciplinary procedures
- Duties of the crew
- Chain of command
- Punishment for violating the code
The pirate code has become romanticized in popular culture as a strict ethical code that promoted fairness and democracy. However, the historical truth may have been less noble or uniform.
Evidence Supporting the Existence of Pirate Codes
There are a few pieces of evidence from the “Golden Age of Piracy” (1650s to 1730s) that lend credence to the idea that some pirate crews had codes of conduct:
Pirate Articles of Captains Bartholomew Roberts and George Lowther
Several pirate captains are known to have crafted articles which served as codes for their crews. Two well-documented examples are:
- Bartholomew Roberts (1682-1722) – Known as Black Bart, Roberts was one of the most successful pirates of the Golden Age. Around 1720, he created a code of conduct for his crew that included rules on distributing plunder, scheduling watches, resolving grievances, and other shipboard matters. This code was known as Roberts’ Articles.
- George Lowther (died 1723) – Lowther commanded the ship Happy Delivery before turning pirate. In 1721, he designed a code to maintain order and regulate operations on board his pirate ship. This code was similar to Roberts’ Articles.
These formal codes drafted by Roberts and Lowther provide evidence that some pirate captains sought to implement standardized rules for their crews.
The Testimony of Captain Charles Johnson
In 1724, Charles Johnson published a book called A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates. This book described the exploits of various pirates, including transcripts of supposed pirate codes used by captains Edward England, John Phillips, Walter Kennedy and others.
The true identity of Charles Johnson remains uncertain, so the overall credibility of the source is debated. But the level of detail provided indicates that at least some genuine pirate codes may have existed and served as source material.
Democratic Processes for Managing Ships
There is evidence that at least some pirate crews elected their captains democratically and used collective decision-making. Having a code of conduct would have facilitated this process. For example, the crew of Captain John Phillips are known to have voted on matters like where to sail. Such democratic principles would have been spelled out in a pirate code.
Evidence Against Formal Universal Pirate Codes
However, there are also several reasons to be skeptical about the idea of formalized, universal pirate codes:
Lack of Archaeological Evidence
No authentic pirate codes or articles have ever been recovered from shipwrecks or other archaeological sites relating to pirates. If codes were widely used, some physical artifact would likely have survived. The absence of archaeological evidence casts doubt on the prevalence of pirate codes.
Pirate Ships Had Diverse Crews
Pirate crews were often a mishmash of nationalities, cultures, languages, and races. Having a standardized code would have been difficult to implement on such a diverse ship. Some general guidelines may have existed, but a detailed universal code is unlikely.
Pirate Captains Had Absolute Authority
According to naval law at the time, the captain of a sailing ship at sea had almost total authority over the crew. Pirate ships also tended to concentrate power with the captain. A code that limited the captain’s control would have been impractical to enforce.
Pirates Were Ruthless Criminals
While some captains like Bartholomew Roberts were clever tacticians, most pirates were violent thieves. A binding ethical code runs counter to the concept of pirates as ruthless, lawless plunderers. Although some general code may have set out rules for dividing stolen loot, the idea of all pirates adhering to a virtuous code is far-fetched.
A Lack of Primary Source Documentation
Probably the strongest evidence against there being a defined, universal pirate code in the Golden Age of Piracy is the lack of primary source documentation from the era. No authentic pirate codes exist, and no naval officers or merchant sailors who encountered pirates made any mention of them following a code. Primary sources from the time, like logbooks, letters, and official documents contain no reference to pirates adhering to any standardized set of laws.
Was There a Single Pirate Code?
Given the evidence, it seems unlikely that there was any single pirate code that applied universally to all pirate ships across the world’s oceans. However, it does seem probable that some pirate captains instituted localized codes to maintain order and cooperation on their vessels. Rather than a single overarching pirate code, there were likely many different versions specific to each ship and captain.
Some common elements may have existed, like equitable distribution of stolen goods. But the romantic idea of all pirates sharing a unified ethical code is unrealistic given the vast geographic scope of Golden Age piracy and the unruly nature of most pirate crews.
Famous Pirate “Codes”
While no single universal pirate code existed, some specific pirate captains are known to have created codes for their crews. Here are some of the best-known examples:
Bartholomew Roberts’ Articles
As mentioned previously, Roberts created one of the most complete pirate codes that has been preserved. Some notable elements of Bartholomew Roberts’ Articles included:
- Compensation for injured pirates, including financial restitution and care from the crew
- Strict penalties for bringing women aboard or gambling for money
- Fines for petty offenses like fighting, falling asleep, or being drunk
- Equal vote share for the captain and quarter-masters in decision making
- Equal distribution of food, liquor, and plunder
Roberts’ code was one of the more comprehensive and democratic codes. It encouraged cooperation by ensuring fair treatment of all crew members.
George Lowther’s Code
Lowther’s pirate code included rules like:
- Obey orders of the captain and officers
- No gambling with cards or dice
- Deserters forfeit their share of treasure
- LIGHTS OUT at eight o’clock in the evening
Lowther’s code emphasized discipline and order. It focused on enforcing obedience to the captain rather than democratic goals.
Edward England’s Articles
As reported in Captain Charles Johnson’s book, England’s code contained the following commands:
- No boy or woman is to be allowed amongst them
- If any man should lose a limb or become maimed, he will receive compensation of $800 and 6 slaves
- The musician of the ship will rest on the Sabbath Day
- No man to talk of breaking up their way of living till each shared £1000
- Deserters will be marooned or shot
England’s purported rules show some elements common to other codes, like care for injured crew and penalties for desertion.
John Phillips’ Articles
The pirate articles attributed to Phillips by Johnson included unique rules like:
- Three lights or smokes would be the signal for mutiny
- Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back!
- A good flavor in the hold with sugar and lime juice to prevent scurvy
Though likely embellished, Phillips’ code incorporated democratic provisions as well as health measures.
Captain John Gow’s Rules
John Gow captured a Dutch ship in 1725 and adopted the following code:
- Max of one woman per pirate
- No gambling
- Pelting crewmates with empty bottles results in immediate punishment
Gow’s concise code dealt with practical matters of carousing and discipline.
The Pirate Code in Popular Culture
While authentic historical pirate codes were localized to ships and captains, fictional representations in books and film portray elaborate universal pirate codes. These fictional codes borrow elements from real pirate articles but exaggerate the ethical principles and strict organization of pirate laws.
Some examples of the pirate code in popular culture include:
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Stevenson’s 1883 novel romanticized the idea of a pirate code with 15 specific articles, including punishments, distribution of plunder, and care of the injured. This fictional code helped popularize the myth of a single code followed by all pirates.
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Barrie’s play and novel featured the character Captain Hook referring to the “Pirate’s Code” as a set of rules all pirates supposedly followed. The repeated use of this term helped ingrain the idea of a code in popular imagination.
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Disney films prominently feature the fictional “Pirata Codex” of the Brethren Court. According to the movies, this detailed code includes laws on parley, punishment, governance, and other matters – far more organized than real pirate codes likely were.
| Fictional Work | Description of Pirate Code |
|---|---|
| Treasure Island | 15 specific articles defining laws of piracy |
| Peter Pan | Single universal code said to govern all pirates |
| Pirates of the Caribbean | Extensive Pirata Codex regulating piracy across the world |
These fictional representations have cemented the myth of an expansive, ethical code shared by pirates across the seas. They popularized a romantic view of pirate codes that exaggerated historical facts.
Conclusion
While some pirate captains are known to have instituted localized codes and articles to govern conduct and distribute booty on their ships, evidence does not support the existence of any single unified “pirate code” in the Golden Age of Piracy.
The romantic idea of a universal code of ethics binding all pirates across the oceans is largely fictional. Real pirate crews were too unruly and diverse to follow a shared code. However, ships did need some basic regulation, so localized codes for each vessel likely contained some similar elements.
The legend of the pirate code persists thanks to popular culture portrayals of elaborate codes shared by all swashbucklers. But the historical reality was that, if pirate codes existed, they were fragmented sets of rules specific to each ship and designed to maintain order among a volatile crew of outlaws. The strict ethical codes of Hollywood pirates bear little resemblance to the aquatic anarchy of real 18th century pirates sailing the high seas.