A band of mismatched brothers required laws & rule to keep the pirate organization running and to provide the members with some degree of comfort. They made their own laws and formed one of the first democracies in modern times. Below is a sample of what most pirate laws covered.

1- Every Man has a Vote in Affairs of Moment; has equal title to the fresh Provisions, or Strong Liquors, at any Time seized, and use of them at Pleasure, unless a Scarcity make it necessary, for the good of all, to Vote a Retrenchment.

 2- Every Man to be called fairly in turn, by List, on Board of Prizes, because, they were on these occasions allowed a Shift of Clothes: But if they defrauded the Company to the Value of a Dollar, in Plate, Jewels, or Money, Marooning was their Punishment.

 3- No Person to Game at Cards or Dice, for Money.

 4- The Lights and Candles to be put out at eight O' Clock at Night: If any of the Crew, after that Hour, still remained inclined for Drinking, they were to do it on the open Deck.

5- To keep their Piece, Pistols, and Cutlass clean, and fit for Service.

 6- No Boy or Woman to be allowed amongst them. If any Man were found seducing any of the latter Sex, and carried her to Sea, disguised, he was to suffer Death.
 

7- To Desert the Ship, or their Quarters in Battle, was punished with Death, or Marooning.
 

8- No striking one another on Board, but every Man's Quarrels to be ended on Shore, at Sword and Pistol.

 9- No Man to talk of breaking up their Way of Living, till each had shared a 1000! If in order to this, any Man should lose a Limb, or become a Cripple in their Service, he was to have 800 Dollars, out of the public Stock, and for lesser Hurts, proportionally.

10-The Captain and Quarter-Master to receive two Shares of a Prize; the Master, Boatswain, and Gunner, one Share and a half, and other Officers, one and a Quarter.

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