Did you know?

Before pirates set out on a voyage, they elected their Captain and drafted a document that included intolerable behaviours and the consequences for engaging in them. The buccaneers called them codes of conduct; the pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy referred to them as articles of agreement. Regardless of their name, once these rules were set down on paper, each pirate made his mark and swore an oath to abide by them. While uttering this solemn pledge, he placed his hand on a Bible or a pair of crossed pistols or axes.