When was a Pirate
not a Pirate?
There were three types of sea-robber. They were usually looked upon as pirates, but they didn’t all call themselves by that name.
They were:
Buccaneers, who attacked most ships but not usually those of their own country (perhaps because they had a patriotic streak in them!).
Privateers, who were given permission by their government back home to attack and rob enemy ships. Documents called “letters of marque” were given to privateers by their governments. These letters gave permission to attack enemy ships.
However, many of these letters were forgeries and were worthless. One captain sailed round the Caribbean Sea plundering as fast as he could because he claimed he had a letter of marque given to him by the Governor of the Danish West Indies. The letter was on the best parchment and decorated with fancy scrolls. As few people could read Danish they didn’t know that the letter said only that the captain had the right to hunt pigs and goats on the islands.
Pirates, who attacked any ship they came across, including those of their own country. Pirates received no wages, but they could share in any treasure and spend it as they wished. There are a lot of adventurous tales about buried treasure and treasure maps. In truth few pirates buried their treasure. Money buried under the ground was useless to pirates. It was far better in their pockets, where it could be spent on drinking and gambling. (Besides, there was the danger that other pirates might find buried treasure.)
Piracy offered freedom from all the many rules that guided daily
life (having to pay taxes, for instance, or raise your hat to the lord
of the manor). Things were not totally lawless on board ship,
however. Pirate crews often drew up lists of simple rules
that would prevent quarrelling or fighting from breaking out.
These rules were known as articles.
