Smallsword

A light, thrusting sword that evolved from the rapier, favored by well-to-do 18th-century gentlemen and some pirate captains who affected a genteel appearance. It was faster and less cumbersome than earlier rapiers, though still less practical than a cutlass in a shipboard melee. Bartholomew Roberts, noted for dressing richly, was recorded carrying a sword of this type alongside pistols.