> This is a bit of a sarcastic wink that the difference between a "Pirate" and a "Privateer" really isn't much. You go off on your sea vessel, you attack trade ships and plunder them. The Privateer just has a piece of paper (the Letter of Marque) that shows that you're doing it on behalf of a power.

Amusingly, the US Congress still has the enumerated authority to issue letters of marque. If I ever become filthy rich I'm totally going to bribe^H^H^H^H^Hcontribute to a congressional representative's campaign to get one.