These articles are known to have been used by Edward Low and George Lowther aboard their ship. They were first seen in the Boston News Letter, and it appears that Low and Lowther had the same articles. This is probably because they sailed together from early January to the end of May in 1722. Lowe’s articles were published in the Boston News-Letter on August 1, 1723, and also The Tryals of Thirty-Six Persons for Piracy, Twenty-Eight of them upon Full Evidence were Found Guilty and the Rest Acquitted, which was also printed in 1723. The first eight points of George Lowther’s articles were published in A General History of the Pyrates (1724).
Here follows George Lowther’s Articles as given by Captain Johnson in A General History of the Pyrates (1724). Old and incorrect spellings, original punctuation, and the capitalization of nouns has been retained:
I. THE Captain is to have two full Shares; the Master is to have one Share and a Half; the Doctor, Mate, Gunner, and Boatswain, one Share and a quarter.
II. He that shall be found Guilty of taking up any unlawful Weapon on Board the Privateer, or any Prize, by us taken, so as to strike or abuse one another, in any regard, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall think fit.
III. He that shall be found Guilty of Cowardice, in the Time of Engagement, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority shall think fit.
IV. If any Gold, Jewels, Silver, &c. be found on Board of any Prize or Prizes, to the Value of a Piece of Eight, and the Finder do not deliver it to the Quarter-Master, in the Space of 24 hours, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority shall think fit.
V. He that is found Guilty of Gaming, or Defrauding another to the Value of a Shilling, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority shall think fit.
VI. He that shall have the Misfortune to lose a Limb in time of Engagement, shall have the Sum of one hundred and fifty Pounds Sterling, and with the Company as long as he shall think fit.
VII. Good Quarters to be given when call’d for.
VIII: He that sees a Sail first, shall have the best Pistol, or Small-Arm on board her.
The following two points were not included in A General History and probably first appeared in the Boston News-Letter:
IX. He that shall be guilty of Drunkenness in time of Engagement shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall think fit.
X. No Snaping of Guns in the Hould.