Nicholas Clough


Nicholas Clough was a merchant captain, slave trader, and pirate active in the Caribbean and off the coast of Africa. He is best remembered for leaving behind a well-documented Pirate Code, his "Articles of Agreement".

History

The Camelion was a Royal African Company ship out of London. 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, Montserrat, and Nevis. 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 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, 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, 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. They were drawn up by crewman John Copping at Clough’s orders, and were signed or marked by all present.