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Articles
(1. Captain Name)
Captain
Bartholomew Roberts
(2. Ship Name)
Drawn up by
the crew as shipboard conduct
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 makes 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, 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. If the robbery
was only betwixt one another, they contented themselves 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.
V. To keep their peace, pistols, and cutlass clean and
fit for service.
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.
VII. To desert their ship or 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.
IX. No man to talk of breaking up their way of living,
till each had shared £1,000. If in order to this, any man should lose a
limb, or become a cripple in their service, he was to have 800 dollars,
out of the public stock, and for lesser hurts, proportionately.
X. The captain and quartermaster to receive two shares
of prize: the master, boatswain, and gunner, one share and a half, and
other officers one and a quarter.
XI. The musicians to have rest on the Sabbath Day, only
by night, but the other six days and nights, not without special favour.
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