The “Robin Hood of the Sea”
The New England Historical Society states that one pirate considered himself to be some sort of Robin Hood of the sea: “Black Sam Bellamy became the wealthiest pirate in history not because of greed but because of anger—anger at the English system that exploited poor country boys and sailors like him.”
Black Sam Bellamy is said to have never killed a captive, and one speech attributed to him said: “They rob the poor under the cover of law, forsooth, and we plunder the rich under the protection of our own courage.”