No purchase, no pay

Privateer captain Woodes Rogers who is said to have employed pirates on a "no purchase, no pay" basis.

"No purchase, no pay" (or "no prey, no pay") was a phrase used by pirates and privateers, of the 17th century in particular, to describe the conditions under which participants were expected to join expeditions or raids. The phrase describes a remuneration arrangement similar to a commission.[1]

  1. ^ The Sea Rover's Practice: Pirate Tactics and Techniques, 1630-1730 by Benerson Little (Potomac Books, 2005)