Description:
June 1720, Manuscript, 24 pages in a neat and flowing hand, signed Richard West.A Highly Important Document in The Attorney General's Hand allowing Pirates to be tried and executed on foreign lands, particularly the Americas.
The law required anyone accused of piracy to be brought to London and tried by the Admiralty Courts. This proved impractical, expensive and other than a few cases, i.e. Captain Quelch, the practise of appearing for trial in London was adhered to until this important document was produced and the act was passed.
This document was created by Richard West to address the problems with earlier acts in the late 17th century that allowed pirates to escape prosecution due to various legal loopholes.
In 1684, most colonial trials came to a halt when the English government decided that the colonies did not have jurisdiction to try any piracy cases.
The 1536 statute obligated colonial officials to ship accused pirates and witnesses to England to attend trial. Since a great deal of piracy… Read More