Privateer
Sail under a letter of marque, which makes you a pirate with paperwork. Capture enemy merchant ships for the crown. Share the prize according to the articles.
c. 1560 – 1856About the role
For three centuries, governments at war licensed private ships to attack the enemy's merchant fleet. The license was called a letter of marque, and it made the difference between a privateer and a pirate. The crew shared the value of every ship they captured, under articles everyone signed before sailing. Most of Europe agreed to abolish privateering in 1856.
On board the Margaret, a replica three-masted privateer, you'll sign the articles, join the crew as an able seaman and sail for a week in search of enemy shipping. The enemy ships are crewed by members, and the cargo is mostly tea. Every capture is entirely legal, and you'll have the paperwork to prove it.
What you'll do
- Sign the ship's articles before sailing, and abide by them.
- Stand your watch, haul lines and keep a lookout from the masthead.
- Board captured ships politely, and check their papers.
- Help bring each prize back to port for the prize court.
- Keep the letter of marque dry. Without it, you are a pirate.
What we're looking for
- Good sea legs and a head for heights.
- Comfort living in close quarters with forty people.
- Respect for paperwork, under pressure.
- A willingness to say “arr”, sparingly.
Perks
- A letter of marqueSigned and sealed. The most important document on board.
- A share of the prizeDivided according to the articles. Mostly tea.
- A hammock below deckFourteen inches wide, as the navy allowed. Very cozy.
