Read more
Shipwrecks and the Bounty of the Sea is a work of social history examining community relationships, law, and seafaring over the long early modern period, exploring the politics of the coastline, the economy of scavenging, and the law of 'wreck of the sea' from the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth I to the end of the reign of George II.
List of contents
- Introduction
- 1: Ships at Risk
- 2: The Perils of the Sea
- 3: Wreccum Maris: The Law of 'Wreck of the Sea'
- 4: The Barbarous Country People
- 5: The Great Profit of the Lords of Manors
- 6: The Lord Admiral's Droits and His Majesty's Profit
- 7: Shipwreck Tales from Sea and Shore
- 8: The Bounty of the Golden Grape
- 9: Mariners in Distress
- 10: Material Bounty Brought Ashore
- 11: Deep Recovery
- 12: Eighteenth-Century Wrecking Revisited
- Appendix: Two Centuries of Shipwrecks
About the author
Born and educated in England, David Cressy has made his career in the United States as an historian of early modern Britain. He taught in the Claremont Colleges, California State University Long Beach, and the Ohio State University before retiring to write and travel. When not in British archives and libraries he may be found exploring the beaches and deserts of the American West.
Summary
Shipwrecks and the Bounty of the Sea is a work of social history examining community relationships, law, and seafaring over the long early modern period, exploring the politics of the coastline, the economy of scavenging, and the law of 'wreck of the sea' from the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth I to the end of the reign of George II.
Additional text
Shipwrecks and the Bounty of the Sea is a book of learning and erudition, and it succeeds ably in highlighting the scale of shipwrecks and salvage and their importance to the very fabric of early modern Britain. It is recommended to all those interested in understanding Britain's history as an island nation at a period when maritime trade and travel were rapidly expanding.
