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I'm currently reading a book about Western pirates, which collects scholarly writing, primary accounts, and secondary sources. It's fascinating, both for the horrendous acts committed as well as the glimpse it gives at the prevailing justice system.
Most of the accounts containing records from trials occurred later in the age of piracy (think early 1700's), and are based in the English colonies along what is now the US east coast. The first thing that jumps out is the abundance of Christian proselytizing in the judgments.
Judges would literally sermonize the guilty to seek out salvation for their immortal soul before handing out a death sentence. But the English reformation had occurred nearly 200 yrs earlier, and the colonies were mostly founded by zealots, so more culture shock than anything.
The inspiration for this thread comes from the account of Blackbeard, who created a safe haven by bribing the governor of Carolina. Those unhappy with Blackbeard's harassment were forced to send a delegation to the governor of Virginia seeking aid.
In response, the governor not only commissioned an official mission to seize Blackbeard, but also issued a proclamation denoting bounties for the capture or killing (if they resisted) of alleged pirates. Piracy had long carried a death sentence, but at least there was a trial.
Anyway, the author accounts the death of Blackbeard and follows up with this incredible sentiment: "What seems a little odd is that some of these men who behaved so bravely against Blackbeard went afterwards a-pirating themselves..."
It's kind of amazing to see someone so blasé about the justice system. Piracy is treated as the ultimate moral failure, but even in the face of otherwise upstanding citizens resorting to it not a thought is spared to an underlying cause.
Now a little about the author, because that's an interesting story in itself. The author of the source material is listed as Captain Charles Johnson, and the source is presumably a republication of a book published in 1724 that collected the accounts of various pirates.
There is no Captain Charles Johnson. Or if there was, there is no record of him. The author of the book is a mystery, and Captain Johnson is almost certainly a pseudonym used to capitalize on the popularity of criminal biographies at the time.
But, at least according to wikipedia, Captain Johnson's knowledge of sailing and the vernacular around it is sound. They include primary documents such as the Virginia governor's proclamation. So while the accounts are undoubtedly sensationalized, they are nonetheless valuable.
I don't really have a point to close with, other than to wonder what type of resources someone in my position 300 yrs from now will have to read about the current era. If you're interested, the book I'm reading is The Mammoth Book of Pirates, edited by Jon E Lewis. Stay safe!
