Who protects the pirate code of the Caribbean. Along the waves of pirate ethics: the pirate code from A to Z. How to land on a desert island

“Fifteen men for a dead man's chest, yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! A thousand devils, call everyone up!” - this is how, according to many, the pirates communicated with each other. At the same time, the pirate had a bottle of rum in one hand, a woman in the other, he was watching the dice game with one eye, but he didn’t have the other at all.

Maybe some pirates had a green parrot on their shoulder that knew a couple of swear words, maybe someone had wooden leg or one eye, but the pirate life is the complete opposite of the drunken chaos that is associated with it.

On board everyone pirate ship there was a code that all crew members signed before launching the ship. And it was not just a piece of paper with a couple of prohibitions, but a real set of rules, we can say that this set characterized the pirates as valiant and fair. True, not in relation to merchant ships.

A complete set of rules for any of the captains has not reached us, but there are excerpts from the code compiled by Sir Bartholomew Roberts, for his own - Black Bart, or the author was the no less famous pirate John Phillips, captain of the ship "Avenger".

1. Each team member has equal rights in decision-making, an equal share of the spoils and is free to use this share as he pleases, unless the team experiences hunger or other hardships.

By the way, pirate codes are considered one of the most striking examples of people's democracy. Everyone on the ship was equal. The captain was chosen by voting, like the head boy in a school, by raising hands. At any moment the captain could be removed from his post and a new one could be chosen.

2. Each team member must contribute a share to the total spoils and then has the right to participate in its division.

Regarding the division of the spoils, everything was strict, but fair. The captain received twice as much as an ordinary sailor, and in general the share depended on the degree of responsibility of the pirate that lay on him. The quartermaster was in charge of the division. This is the second person on the ship after the captain, his assistant. He was also chosen by vote and often acted as a counterweight to the captain in order to maintain a balance of fairness. The quartermaster had considerable responsibility, he monitored the condition of the ship and the situation on it, decided what to take from the trophies, what not, what to leave for the crew, what to sell, which ships to take, which to bury. seabed. The appraiser, the economist, the secretary - all this is the quartermaster. No one was trusted to share the loot. By the way, the first to receive their share were the pirates with serious injuries; for the loss of an arm or leg they paid extra from the common pot. Everything was fair, in general.

The romantic picture of how, at sunset, under palm trees, pirates dividing up the stolen gold from a chest, crumbles to pieces, because this could not have happened. The main loot was usually goods such as sugar, gunpowder, cereals, rum, fruit and textiles. Therefore, first, some “Black Pearl” sailed to the port, where the crew sold everything that the quartermaster had allocated for sale, and after that they divided the money. The code provided for all expenses: carpenter, fresh water, food, ship rental and even a surgeon.

Rum is a different story. The holds were always filled with this drink, but this does not mean that pirates drank it without moderation. Firstly, rum was needed to quench thirst, secondly, to give courage in battle, and thirdly, it was drunk for fun. But few and far between. For example, Black Bart did not like alcohol at all, although he was a real pirate, because during three years of sailing he robbed almost 500 ships. A real storm of the seas.

3. Drunkenness is prohibited on board the ship. Punishment - 40 blows with rods.

This point was not because the captain did not want to share the rum, but because the ship must be managed by a sober crew. Pirates had to be always ready, because at any moment they could stumble upon good loot.

4. If one of the team hits another, the offender will be punished with 40 blows with rods.

One point follows from the other, a sober team - no fights. After all, pirates are a capricious, hot-tempered people, and rum, as you know, warms up the blood and ardor. Senseless fights were punished with canings, but duels were allowed as a noble solution to the dispute, but there were also rules.

5. Fights on a ship are prohibited; duels with swords or pistols can only take place on shore.

Pirates punished not only with rods, there were punishments much worse.

6. If any member of the crew shows cowardice, tries to hide part of the common loot from others, or tries to escape, the crew must land the culprit on a desert island with a bottle of gunpowder, a bottle of rum, a bottle of fresh water and a loaded pistol.

7. If any member of the team is caught stealing or cheating, he must be marooned on a desert island with only a loaded pistol.

“Pirate marooned on a desert island” Artist G. Pyle

But the pirate did not always die from such an execution, so this point appeared.

8. If a person, sailor or pirate is found on a desert island, he must sign this agreement, but only with the consent of the entire crew and captain.

By the way, gambling for money was also prohibited on board. And on some ships it was even forbidden to use obscene language. The code contained not only rules of behavior and communication between team members, but also attitudes towards cargo and personal belongings.

9. Whoever shoots a pistol, smokes a pipe or lights a candle near the ship's gunpowder reserves will be punished with 40 blows of the rod.

10. Anyone who does not keep the weapons clean or does not carry out assigned ship work will lose his share of the total spoils, even if it is the captain himself.

As you know, a pirate without love for a woman is not a pirate. So there were also several rules on the topic of relationships with women, some of them show that the fair sex They were still treated with respect.

11. Women and children are prohibited from being on the ship; if someone disguises a woman and takes her onto the ship, he will be sentenced to death.

12. If anyone tries to take possession of a woman without her consent, he will be sentenced to death.

Well, a little more about behavior in battle.

13. Anyone who leaves the ship during the battle will be executed or marooned on a desert island.

14. Pistols, sabers and other weapons must be kept clean and fully prepared.

There was even a daily routine on the pirate ship.

15. Lights and candles must be extinguished at eight o'clock in the evening.

This, of course, is not the entire pirate code, but only a small part of it. But a real pirate had to comply with all its points. After everyone signed the code, he took an oath, and at the same time his hands were either on a Bible with a gun, or on a human skull, or the pirate had to say this oath while sitting on a cannon.

Pirate Code- this is an important historical document that proves not only the nobility, justice and, in some way, honesty of pirates, but also indicates that people with almost complete freedom of action can create their own society, which will work harmoniously for themselves, where everyone will get what he deserves. Either doubloons or a bullet.

The Pirate Code or Articles of Agreement is a code of conduct for pirates. Their codes were written by Henry Morgan, George Lowther, Bartholomew of Portugal, Bartholomew Roberts and other captains. Before the code came into force, each team member had to sign it. After this, the rules were placed in the most visible place.

Four complete or nearly complete pirate codices have survived. First published in 1724, Henry Morgan's Pirate Code was preserved thanks to the book Alexandre Exquemelin wrote in 1678 while traveling the seas and oceans with American pirates. There were a lot of codes, but not many of them survived, because the pirates, before surrendering, burned any reminders of it in order to prevent the possibility of the code being used against them in court.

Henry Morgan Code

I. Everyone has the right to vote when decisions are made; everyone has equal ownership of the team's spoils. Also, a team member has an equal share in the supply of liquor seized during work, and can use it for his own pleasure if the team is not currently experiencing a shortage of a particular resource.

II. Everyone has the right to receive their share in order of priority. If a team member steals the property of another team member, then if guilt is proven, the victim has the right to publicly cut off the robber's ears or nose.

III. No one on board the ship is allowed to play cards or dice for money.

IV. Torches or candles must not be used on board the ship at night. If anyone wants to drink, he must do it on the open deck.

V. Keep your blade, pistols and dirk clean and check their cleanliness regularly.

VI. Women and children are prohibited on board. If someone, for the purpose of satisfying the flesh, brings a disguised woman on board, he will be punished by death.

VII. Deserting from a ship is punishable by death.

VIII. No disputes on board. If you need to resolve a controversial issue, then you need to wait until you go ashore and resolve the issue using a blade pistol. During the duel, a representative of the captain is present, who places the duelists back to back. On command, the opponents take ten steps, turn around and fire a shot. If both miss, then blades are given. The duel ends after the first blood appears.

IX. A pirate is forbidden to show off his scars and lost limbs.

X. The captain and quartermaster receive two shares of the jackpot, the helmsman, boatswain, and gunner - one and a half shares, other non-rank and file receive one and a quarter shares each.

XI. Musicians have the right to rest every Saturday evening, the rest of the time the captain's permission is required.

Captain John Phillips just as Henry Morgan established a code for his team in 1724:

I. The captain has one and a half shares of the jackpot, the helmsman, carpenter, boatswain and gunner each receive one and a quarter shares.

II. If a pirate betrays the crew, tries to desert, or hides a secret, then he must be marooned on a desert island with one bottle of gunpowder and one bottle of water. The traitor is shot in the hand as a farewell.

III. If one pirate on board steals from another, he must be landed and killed.

IV. If a crew member sees a person on a desert island, then he is prohibited from contacting him. He must convey this information to the captain. The captain makes a decision about the fate of this person. (In most cases, the person was left on the island because he was left there by another ship for some crime)

V. If a pirate, without reason, strikes another, then the law of Moses comes into force. The Law of Moses states that for such an act, the offender is punished with 40 blows of the rod on the bare back.

VI. A person who smokes, uses candles, near gunpowder, lights torches and candles on board at night, must be punished as in the previous paragraph.

VII. If a pirate does not keep his weapons clean, the captain has the right to deprive him of part of the reward.

VIII. If a pirate is wounded in battle, he is paid 400 pesos; if he loses a limb, he is paid 800 pesos.

IX. In any place, at any time, if you witness an attempt to rape a lady, then you are obliged to punish the rapist with death by the blade.

Pirate Codes of the Pirates Edward Lowe and George Lowther

I. The captain has the right to two shares of the jackpot; quartermaster one and a half shares; the doctor, helmsman, gunner and boatswain are entitled to one and a quarter shares.

II. All illegal weapons, collusion and secrets are prohibited on board. Violations of the rule are punishable by death, the method is chosen by the captain.

III. The pirate is punished for cowardice during battles. The captain chooses the punishment.

IV. All gold, jewelry, silver and other valuables and resources hidden from the team are confiscated. The culprit is punished by the captain.

V. For cheating during games of cards or dice, the culprit is punished by deprivation of a share.

VI. Anyone who loses a limb in battle receives compensation of 600 pesos. He also has the right to remain on board if he can contribute to the team.

VII. Team loyalty is rewarded with an additional quarter share.

VIII. Anyone wishing to join the team must have a pistol and a short blade.

IX. Being intoxicated during a planned attack is punishable by the ship's captain.

John Gough's Code

The following set of rules was written by the pirate John Gow in his own hand and was found on board his ship in 1729, when he went ashore and the crew were captured. The code reads as follows:

I. Every one must obey his captain in all respects, as if the ship were his own.

II. No one except the captain has the right to dispose of the ship, but everyone has the right to an equal share.

III. Insulting and using obscene language on a ship is punishable by death.

IV. No one has the right to leave the ship while the ship is about to go to sea.

V. During the eight hours of the night, the use of fire for lighting and the consumption of alcohol on board the ship is prohibited.

VI. Anyone who doubts the points of this code deserves death.

Also, I would like to cite a few additional points from Henry Morgan's code.

I. The jackpot is divided after the ship is replenished. No production - no payment.

II. The salary of a carpenter or shipwright is fixed at 200 pesos. The doctor's salary is 250 pesos.

III. Compensation is provided to maimed and disfigured pirates.

A loss right hand six hundred pesos, or six slaves;
Loss of left arm five hundred pesos, or five slaves;
Loss of right leg five hundred pesos, or five slaves;
The loss of the left leg is four hundred pesos or four slaves,
The loss of an eye is one hundred pesos or one slave,
The loss of a finger is one hundred pesos or one slave.

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