William Davis.

A Welshman who sailed to Sierra Leone aboard the honest galley Ann. Having quarreled with the mate, he deserted, settled himself ashore, and married a local. One hot evening he sold his bride for rum. Her relations took their revenge by selling him to a local Christian. Soon thereafter the pirate ship Royal Fortune arrived in the bay, and Davis ran off and turned pirate. Hanged in 1722 at the age of 23.

Well it's all for me grog, me jolly grog,
It's all for me beer and tobacco.
For I spent all me tin on the lassies and gin,
Now across the sea I must wander.

Where are me boots, me fine-steppin' boots--
They're all gone for beer and tobacco.
For the heels are worn out and the toes kicked about
And the soles are shy of foul weather.

Where is me bride, me sweet new bride--
She’s all gone for beer and tobacco.
For the beer was so cold and she such a scold--
Now I'm a freeboot for fear of her father.

Well it's all for me grog, me jolly grog,
It's all for me beer and tobacco.
For I spent all me tin on the lassies and gin,
Now across the sea I must wander.

Captain Jack Ward.

Born a poor fisherman’s brat in England. In 1603--50 years old, broke and friendless--he was pressed into service in the King’s navy. Two weeks later he deserted with a band of thirty mates; they commandeered a ship, elected him captain and took to pirating. Captain Ward became one of the most feared corsairs of the Mediterranean coast. Uthman Dey of Tunis gave him protection, and in 1609 he turned Turk. He married an Italian woman, pirated until he was 70 years old and retired in Tunisia. He died rich--according to the Brits, drunk and dissipated; according to the Turks, a man who had made his peace with God. Either way, he had a view of the sea.

A ship was sailing from east to west,
Loaded with satins and silks of the best.
It met with Captain Ward,
And took a thorough drubbing.
He robbed them of their wealth
And bid them tell their King:

I’ll take my orders no more from thee--
I’ll listen to no one beyond the sea!
Fight on, says Captain Ward,
This sport well pleases me;
For when the battle is won,
Your master I will be.

Call to oars!

Heed the people's words: it is time for Principled Piracy to return to the waves! We call on all those who feel the need for new horizons, who know the love of booty, who lust for the dew of tide and rum on the lips to take to the sea. Be your boat no more than a dinghy, be you a poor plunderer, a feeble marauder and no more than a fair rower--take up your cutlass and flask and join us!

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Why do we hear no talk today of the Principled Pirates of the Inland Sea? Have they ceased their relentless sweeps of our coastlines;--have they abandoned our shores;--do those dreadful men care no more for our maidens, have the fearsome she-pirates abjured our mainland men? We call out to those unchained souls our mothers taught us to fear: Will you now leave us in peace? Or is this but the prelude to some unthinkable depredation; do you flirt with our confidence, thinking to lull us to sleep?