My copy of the David Cordingly book is entitled "Under the Black Flag".
Regarding raggedness, of course not all pirates were successful, though some were wildly so. It was usually a short rough life, but with better perks than the short rough life the Royal Navy offered.
Also think about why these people became pirates. If a sailor loses a leg to a cannonball in the King's service, and survives the ordeal (which was far from certain), he might well be put ashore at the next port the ship came to and discharged unfit for service. The Navy didn't much care where that port was, or how the poor wrecth would get home. He might find service on a merchant vessel, or he might join a pirate crew right there. If the merchant vessel were attached by pirates, he might then join the crew.
I think the percentage of one-legged, one-armed and/or one-eyed men in a pirate crew would be much higher than in a Royal Navy crew.
