James Fife

James Fife (fl. 1718, occasionally spelled Fyff) was a pirate active in the Caribbean. He accepted the British pardon offered to pirates in 1718 but was killed by his own men.

History

Little is known of Fife's early life. Public records show that he was active in early 1718, capturing the sloops Portsmouth and Elizabeth

In January 1718 Governor Woodes Rogers of the Bahamas announced a general pardon from King George I for all pirates who surrendered before September 1718. Following the example of Henry Jennings, hundreds of pirates accepted the pardon. Fife and the remaining crew who had left their fellow pirates behind tried to take the pardon as well but were too late and had to await trial. from his crew.