Punishments and Torture

All the pirates who signed the articles of agreement knew all the rules before signing so one could not plead ignorance. Therefore, the punishments for violating the rules were often very strict and very harsh. Despite the common misconception there are almost no instances of pirates making anyone "walk a plank" but a pirate who disobeyed the pirate code could often find himself marooned on an island. Marooning was a simple and devilish punishment. The idea was to strand the offending pirate on a small island that lacked food, shelter, or fresh water. Preferably the island should be far away from the shipping lanes, such that the chance of rescue was unlikely. The marooned sailor was sometimes given a bottle of water or rum. But he was always given a pistol, and enough powder and shot to blow his own brains out. So, the marooned sailor had two choices: die quickly from a bullet to the head, or die slowly from starvation and dehydration while hoping that maybe a ship might come by and rescue him. You could also be thrown overboard, but that was done by two crew members holding your hands and feet. Other breaches of the code were met with being whipped. or even execution by firearm. Edward Low, a sadist whose cruelties became a byword in the Caribbean” (UBF p. 130)

Threatened a crew that if they concealed their money, he would sink the vessel and throw him overboard with a double shot to the neck Cut off a ship Masters lips and broiled them in front of him. Murdered entire crew (Portuguese ship). (32 people) punishment that was given where has follows the maximum lashes a Captain had was 12 to give a crewmember Court martialed: Deserter = 200, Mutineer = 300, Thief = 500, Sodomy = Death or 1,000 Unwillingness to Plea (guilty or not guilty) – stretched on the grounded and “pressed” by heavy rocks to Death or until a plea was made.

Cordingly, David. The romance and the reality of life among the pirates: the romance and the reality of life among the pirates. Place of publication not identified: Random House, 2006. Print.

Stockton, Frank R. Buccaneers and pirates. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2007. Print.

"Pirate codes of conduct from the Golden Age (1721-24)." Sillyhistory. N.p., 04 July 2015. Web. 12 Mar. 2017. https://sillyhistory.com/2015/07/03/pirate-codes-of-conduct-from-the-golden-age-1721-24/