Nicholas Clough ( fl. 1682-1683) was a merchant captain, slave trader, and pirate active in the Caribbean and off the coast of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

. He is best remembered for leaving behind a well-documented

Pirate Code A pirate code, pirate articles, or articles of agreement were a code of conduct for governing pirates. A group of sailors, on turning pirate, would draw up their own code or articles, which provided rules for discipline, division of stolen goods, ...

, his "Articles of Agreement".

History

The ''Camelion'' was a Royal African Company ship out of

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. Under Captain Nicholas Clough it set sail in 1682 to trade slaves at Old Calabar, then crossed the Atlantic to trade and transport them to

Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate) ...

, Montserrat, and

Nevis Nevis is a small island in the Caribbean Sea that forms part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies. Nevis and the neighbouring island of Saint Kitts constitute one country: the Federation of Saint Kitts and ...

. They were scheduled to return to London in June 1682 with a cargo of sugar and other goods. On June 29 Clough and supporters seized the ship off Nevis. They took a number of prisoners aboard and had the crew sign their Articles. After sailing to Curacao to sell off the ship’s cargo, they sailed up the American east coast in August to

Sandy Hook Sandy Hook is a barrier spit in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The barrier spit, approximately in length and varying from wide, is located at the north end of the Jersey Shore. It encloses the southern ...

to sell the ship itself. They were imprisoned and put on trial in September 1683; eight of the crew were found guilty by the

Court of Admiralty Admiralty courts, also known as maritime courts, are courts exercising jurisdiction over all maritime contracts, torts, injuries, and offences. Admiralty courts in the United Kingdom England and Wales Scotland The Scottish court's earliest ...

, sentenced to whipping and a year’s imprisonment. A number of others were determined to have been forced into piracy and were acquitted; trial depositions repeatedly note that Clough made them sign the Articles "with his sword in his hands." Others reported being threatened with marooning if they refused to sign. Clough himself was sent back to London as a prisoner aboard the ''Camelion'' to answer to the Royal African Company.

Articles of Agreement

Clough’s

Pirate code A pirate code, pirate articles, or articles of agreement were a code of conduct for governing pirates. A group of sailors, on turning pirate, would draw up their own code or articles, which provided rules for discipline, division of stolen goods, ...

, or Articles, are preserved in documents presented at his trial. They are one of only nine sets of pirate articles preserved from the 17th and 18th centuries, and one of only two complete sets from the 17th century (the other being the "Obligations" of

George Cusack George Cusack (died 18 January 1675) was an Irish pirate active in northern Europe and the West Indies in the late 17th century. History Cusack served as a gunner and sailor on several ships but his attempts at mutiny landed him in Marshalsea ...

). They were drawn up by crewman John Copping at Clough’s orders, and were signed or marked by all present. :''June the 30th day, 1683. Articles of Agreement between us abord of the Camillion, Nich. Clough Comander, that wee are to dispose of all the goods thatt are abord amongst us, every man are to have his full due and right share only the Commander is to have two shares and a half a share for the Ship and homthe Captain please to take for the Master under him is to have a share and a half. Now Gentlemen these are to satisfy you, as for the Doctor a Share and half, and these are our Articles that wee do all stand to as well as neand all.'' :''These are to satisfy you thatt our intent is to trade with the Spaniards, medling nor make no resistances with no nation that wee do fall with all upon the Sea. Now Gentlemen these are to give you notice that if any one do make any Resistances against us one any factory ichereafter shall bee severely punish according to the fact that hee hath comitted and as you are all here at present you have taken your corporall oath upon the holy Evangelists to stand one by the other as long as life shall last.''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clough, Nicholas Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown English pirates 17th-century pirates

History

Articles of Agreement

See also

References