I've been interested in this place for a while and there don't seem to be many books out there on the subject. I'm interested in the origin of the town and its peak before the big earthquake in 1692. I also want to read about the port's relationship with pirates. If anyone can point me towards some good reads it'd be a big help. Thanks in advance
I quite liked Empire of Blue Water by Stephan Talty. While it's more of a book on Henry Morgan, it does go into detail on Port Royal (he eventually became governor).
I read this book a little while ago:
It was very well written, and heavily researched, with a good look at the overall life (eyewitness accounts, official papers, etc) prior to the devastation of the earthquake. The most recent edition is from 2000, but the material is still fairly up to date.
If you want to read about the archaeology of it, try this:
It might not be solely focused on Port Royal, and it mostly covers the time period a little after what you're looking for, but Colin Woodard's The Republic of Pirates is worth a read.