The Crew

Pirates signed contracts and swore oaths when they joined a crew that required them to remain loyal at all times to their fellow crewmen and uphold the Pirate Code of Honor, which was outlined specifically for them and varied from ship to ship. The pirates effectively owned the ship, and each member of the crew was paid according to their position, most of them recieving an equal share of the booty they aquired. The captain and the quartermaster were democratically elected officials of the ship, and could be replaced at any time.

CAPTAIN

The captain of the ship was in charge during battle only. He was in truth more of a figurehead, usually elected because he was especially daring or an especially good fighter. Most of the decisions on the ship were made by popular vote. However, the captain was frequently looked upon as one of the wiser men of the crew and though the crewmen weren't required to, they historically appeared to defer to his judgement.

QUARTERMASTER

The quartermaster was effectively the second-in-charge of the ship. His main duty was the distribution of booty among the crewmen, as well as other rations. He was also the man in charge of seeing punishments carried out. The specific duties of the quartermaster are as follows:

leading boarding parties onto enemy ships

command parties sent off onto dangerous expeditions

decide what plunder is to be taken and what is to be left

kept the account books for the ship and other records

ordered punishments for misdemeanors (quarrels, misuse of prisoners, neglect of arms)

administered all floggings

took squabblers ashore for "sword and pistol", where arguments were settled between two parties with a fight to the death

Other Officers in the Pirate Crew:

"Sea Artist" - navigator, trims sails

Boatswain - in charge of maintenance and naval stores

Gunner

Sailmaker

Carpenter

Surgeon