In 1689 William Kidd served on a pirate ship “Blessed William” which surrendered at the Island of Nevis in the West Indies. Capt. Kidd was given a license by the Governor of Nevis to attack the French. In the same year he was responsible for the plunder of the Island Marie Galante, as well as attacking several French ships.
While on shore and away from his ship his mutinous crew stole his ship fearing being involved in a war. Captain Kidd was given the ship Antigua and gave chase of the Blessed William, all the way to New York.
New York at the time was in a civil war, Captain Kidd aligned himself with the winning side and married a wealthy widow in May 1691.
Captain Kid remained in New York for a few years being politically active, he made the acquaintance of Robert Livingston, First Lord of Livingston Manor and a colonial politician.
On a trip to London, where he introduced Captain Kidd to Richard Coote, Earl of Bellomont and Governor of both Massachusetts and New York.
Captain kidd was hoping the introduction would secure a privateers license. These three gentlemen devised a plan to capture the pirates and keep the treasure for themselves, instead of returning it to it's rightful owners.
These three signed a contract with Governor Coote, funding the outfitting of Captain Kidd’s ship. Governor Coote made several other arrangements with the King of England, Secretary of State, Lord of the Admiralty, Chief Justice of the Royal Courts.
Captain Kid was granted three commissions from the King of England; (1) allowed for capture of French ships. (2) Allowed for capture of pirates everywhere. (3) Allowed for the suspension of all captured booty from going through the court. This allowed for Captain Kidd to keep the booty until it was surrendered to Governor Coote in Boston.
These three gentlemen purchased the 300 ton, 34 gun “Adventure Galley”. Captain kidd left England in 1696, fetching New York where he recruited his crew. He promised his crew 60% of all booty even though he had already pledged 60% to Governor Coote.
In September 1696 the Adventure Galley left New York fetching India by way of the African coast. He stopped at madagascar and careened his bottom at Johanna Island. In April 1697 the Adventure Galley departed Johanna Island for the Red Sea, where he was planning on plundering pilgrim ships returning from Mecca to India.
Although he probably intended to attack other ships, as his commission allowed, but it was unlikely to happen. His crew was unlikely to attack other pirates. Many of whom were their friends, small world as it is.
Attacking a ship full of experienced sailors and hardened from a life of piracy wouldn't be a easy task. One of the documents uncovered in researching Captain Kidd was the contract he had with his crew. His crew were all seasoned pirates, who unknown to them, were to go after other seasoned pirates.
Captain Kidd was a pirate from Scotland a center of piracy and now was a pirate hunter! Captain Kidd was entering a new era of maritime history. Piracy was now outside of all laws including those laws of the Templar’s and those of freemasonry.
When the Adventure Galley was outside of New York enroute to Africa, Captain Kidd gathered his crew and presented a employment contract of sorts; he informed the crew that he was commissioned to attack and plunder not only French shipping but all and any pirates that they may encounter.
The crew of the Adventure Galley had a diverse crew including a Jewish Jeweler by the name of Benjamin Franks, a Ceylonese cook, a Native American Indian, and 147 other pirates, freebooters and merchantmen looking for easy money.
Captain Kidd’s ship was very well equipped, better than most ships of the time, including naval ships and the crew was expecting to make a very healthy commission.
On September 10, 1697, each of the 150 men reported to the Captains quarters and met privately with Captain Kidd, where they signed the contract;
“...Articles of agreement...Between Captain William Kidd commander of the good ship Adventure Galley and John Walker Quartermaster on said ships company on thee other part, as followeth, vide...”
This contract is a negotiated treaty ( of sorts) between 150 men and the captain. On a Royal Navy Ship the Captains command is backed up by a force of armed marines; on this ship the captains command is only backed up by this written agreement and the personality of the captain and a handful of officers.
This very interesting document has survived throughout history and demonstrates the very democratic philosophy that existed in the masonic circles of piracy in colonial America. It is interesting to note that around 15, and perhaps as many as 39 of the 41, of the founding fathers were masons as well.
These document also gives us a idea of the code of conduct established on a pirate vessel—sort of a honor among thieves, if you will;
- Incentive
Bonus: “The man who shall first see a sail. If she be a prize,
shall receive 100 pieces of eight.”
- Workman’s
Compensation: That if any man shall lose an eye, arm, leg or the
use thereof {he} shall receive 600 pieces of eight, or six able
slaves.
- Discipline:
“That whosoever will disobey a command will lose his share or
receive such corporall punishment that the Captain and Major part of
the company shall deem fit.” ( This important clause means that
the Captain couldn't punish his men without the consent of the
majority of the crew.)
- Cowardice:
“That if a man was proven a coward in time of engagement shall
lose his share.”
- Sobriety:
“That man that shall be drunk in time of engagement before the
prisoners been taken be secured, shall lose his share.”
- Loyalty:
“ That man that shall breed a Mutiny Riot a Board the ship or prize
taken shall lose his shares and receive such corporal punishment
that the Captain and Majority of part of the company should deem
fit. (The Captain rules by democratic vote of the crew.)
- Honesty:”
That if any man should defraud the Captain or ship's company of
treasure, as in money, ware, merchandise, goods or any other thing
whatsoever to the value of one piece of eight...shall lose his share
and be put on shore upon the first inhabited island or other place
that the ship shall touch at.”
- Sharing:
“That what treasure or money that shall be taken by the said ship
and company shall be put on board the Man of War and there be
shared immediately, and all wares and merchandises when legally
condemned to be legally divided amongst the ships company according
to articles.”( The Captain reserves 40% for himself and the
owners, 60% divided amongst the crew)
All other ships during this period of time payed the crews a fixed wage. Whether they were naval or merchant. The form of equitable sharing and democracy that was on pirate, privateers shows the Templar ideals of early piracy.
On pirate ships there wasn't discrimination based on race or creed or country of origin. On the Adventure Galley in 1698 there was a Jew, an American Indian, a Muslim, various Christians and sailors from all over Europe and Colonial America.
On a pirate ship all the crew were equal except for the Captain. Everything was based on the democratic process of majority rule. The Captain can not punish a sailor without a majority concurrence of the crew. This would come to be the blueprint for the Constitution of the United states of America.
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