Trials and Claims of Piracy
Trials are the easiest way to document what a pirate did, as usually the court goes into detail on their crimes and names the pirates involved. Jack Rackham’s trials, as an example, never named Rackham, Anne Bonney or Mary Read as having taken slaves, but names a list of other pirates under the command of a John Smith that were going out in search of slaves, or at least they claimed as much while committing acts of piracy. [1]
Stede Bonnet’s trial has some interesting bit of information in relation to slavery. According to a man who was attacked by Bonnet and his crew, “Clark … he was ordered to work among the Negroes. As for my Man Garrard, he came and told me, he was not able to bear any longer, but was forced to comply with them, for they told him they would have no regard for the Colour, but would make a Slave of him…” [2]
“No regard for the colour” can be assumed to infer skin color. The terms for skin color at the time was not “race” as used today. Terms instead could include colour, complexion, humor, negroes (that was for all darker than typical European complexion) and some other odd terms.
Bonnet was no stranger to slavery and servants considering his wealthy upbringing. [3]
There are numerous trials that name the goods pirates took in, including slaves. One example is that of Henry Hunt. His examination went on to say “[Hunt] arrived in the River of Gamboa in the Sarah Gally (whereof he the Examinate was then Mar) laden with Goods from the Port of London proper for the Trade of that River and there took in 133 Slaves.” [4]
These men were not tried harsher because of them taking slaves versus other goods either. Most of the trials detailed the evils that was piracy, which was taking another man’s goods, no matter what they were. Some insurance claims would state the value, which would state whether one good was valued higher than others. Slaves weren’t always the most valuable item according to these records either.
[1] Rackham Jack, The Trials of Captain John Rackahm and Other Pirates (Robert Baldwin, 1721).
[2] Bonnet, Stede, -1718, Peter Force, and South Carolina. Court Of Vice-Admiralty. The Tryals of Major Stede Bonnet and Other Pirates, Viz. Robert Tucker, Edward Robinson, Neal Paterson, William Scot, Job Bayley, John-William Smith, Thomas Carman, John Thomas, William Morrison, William Livers Alias Evis, Samuel Booth, William Hewet, John Levit, William Eddy Alias Nedy, Alexander Annand, George Ross, George Dunkin, John Ridge, Matthew King, Daniel Perry, Henry Virgin, James Robbins, James Mullet Alias Millet, Thomas Price, John Lopez, Zachariah Long, James Wilson, John Brierly, and Robert Boyd, Who Were All Condemn'd for Piracy: as Also, the Tryals of Thomas Nicols, Rowland Sharp, Jonathan Clarke, and Thomas Gerrat for Piracy, Who Were Acquitted at the Admiralty Sessions Held at Charles-Town in the Province of South Carolina, on Tuesday the 28th of October , and by Several Adjournments Continued to Wednesday the 12th of November Following: to Which Is Prefix'd an Account of the Taking of the Said Major Bonnet and the Rest of the Pirates. London: Printed for Benj. Cowse, 1719. Pdf. Https://Www.loc.gov/Item/33008758/., n.d, 30.
[3] Charles Johnson, A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates (London, UK: Ch Rivington, 1724).
[4] E. T. Fox, Pirates in Their Own Words: Eye-Witness Accounts of the 'Golden Age' of Piracy, 1690-1728, vol. 1 (Devon, UK: Fox Historical, 2014), 190.