Avast, me hearties!
I’ve always had a thing for pirates. How could you not? They come from the absolute bottom of society, the vagabonds and street kids pressganged or forced by desperate poverty into slavery on the merchantmen and ships of the line. But then they escaped or mutinied and took their fate into their own hands. They condemned themselves to scurvy, isolation, and a life of violence outside the law just – not for the small chance of wealth but for the certainty of freedom or death on their own terms.
Here is Anne Bonny, a famous female pirate. Rackham, her lover, who had been captured with her, was admitted to see her on the day he was to be hanged. All the comfort she would give him was she was sorry to see him there, but if he had fought more like a man he need not have been hanged like a dog
No distinction was allowed. There are rumours of “Pirate Kings” but the bands were run in simple collegial anarchy. Spoils divided and decisions made by vote. A captain was elected for his battle prowess, and he and the quartermaster might have an extra share. The articles of association were sworn to by all on board.
They were so closely and warmly engaged, the lieutenant and twelve men against Black-beard and fourteen, till the sea was tinctured with blood round the vessel. Black-beard received a shot in his body from the pistol that Lieutenant Maynard discharged, yet he stood his ground, and fought with great fury till he received five and twenty wounds, and five of them by shot. At length, as he was cocking another pistol, having fired several before, he fell down dead.
Leaving aside the romance there’s nothing – in reality – attractive about a life of murder and privation. But pirates represent something we’ve lost. A willingness to throw society and convention aside and engage directly with life. Seize it by the balls and insist on our own terms, no matter what. To leap into the abyss and scream with joy all the way down.
Look ye, Captain Atkinson, it is not that we care a turd for your company, G–d d–n ye; G–d d–n my soul, not a turd by G–d, and that’s fair; but G–d d–n ye and G–d’s b–d and w–ds if you don’t act like and honest man G–d d–n ye, and offer to play us any rogues’ tricks by G–d, and G–d sink me, but I’ll blow your brains out. G–d d–n me, if I don’t. Now Capt. Atkinson, you may do as you please, you may be a son of a whore and pilot us wrong, which G–d d–n ye, would ba a rascally trick by G–d, because you would betray men who trust you, but by the eternal J–s, you shan’t live to see us hanged. I don’t love many words, G–d d–n ye, but if you will be a villain and betray your trust, may G–d strike me dead, and may I drink a bowl of brimstone and fire with the d–l, if I don’t send you headlong into H–l, G–d d–n me, and so there needs be no more arguments by G–d, for I’ve told you my mind and here’s all the crew for witnesses, that if I do blow your brains out you may blame no body but yourself G–d d–n ye.
Quotes in this are from “The General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates”, written in 1724 and attributed to Captain Charles Johnson.