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Hello, While completing a resit year I entirely forgot about a module

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Hello, While completing a resit year I entirely forgot about a module. I have a primary source excercise (2000 words) and essay (2500) due at the end of the month, although I may receive an extension I've applied for. There are options for both, the subject is the history of Scottish maritime policy in the late medieval/early modern. Quality isn't a priority as I just need to hand something in, but would like to focus on my dissertation. The word count margin is 10% either way, as short as possible is fine. If it's relevant, the referencing style is Humanities, which I think in the US is usually referred to as Chicago style. I've attached the PSE and essay questions.
 

PSE

 

Please choose TWO extracts from the list below. Please write two separate analysis and combine

both in one word document. One bibliography for both exercises is sufficient.

 

 

1) Act Regulating Traffic With Foreign Ships

An act made by his highness with the advice of the estates convened at Edinburgh, 30 June, A.D.

1600.

Forasmuch as his majesty is informed of the abuses committed upon the coasts or in the seaports of

his realm by foreigners and strangers bringing in prizes taken either by piracy or under the pretence

of lawful wars and selling the same to his subjects as lawful mechandise, as of late some Dunkirkers

have done at several time, to the disontentment of persons and countries so offended, in prejudice

of his majesty’s people and impairing of his honour; and having considered the inconveniences that

in times might hereupon ensue, his majesty has, for the continuance of amity with all his

neighbouring princes, but especially in respect of the league between his majesty and [Elizabeth I],

his highness’s dearest sister, the queen of England, and in regard of the unity and bond of religion

and special love which his majesty bears to that nation, with the advice of his estates, statued and

ordained that none of his majesty’s subjects buy or traffic with any stranger bringing in any ships or

goods within his highness’s waters without entry made by the said stranger of the said ship and

goods at such free port as they shall happen to arrive in and justifying of their wares to be lawful by a

sufficient cocket and testimonial of the port they come from; and that no prizes nor goods taken

from any man whatsoever, but especially from any of the subjects of England, be bought by any

private person from any stranger inbringer of the same, under the pain not only of confiscation of

the goods so bought but also of all the buyer’s other goods and gear, besides and arbitral

punishment to be imposed upon them at his majesty’s pleasure and discretion. Edinburgh.

(CSP Sco., xiii, part ii, 665. Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707 http://rps.ac.uk

[accessed 20.8.2020].)

2) Petition by James Stewart, Duke of Lennox, Great Admiral, Edinburgh, 1 August 1643.

My lords and others of the convention of estates of this kingdom, humbly means and shows, James

[Stewart], duke of Lennox, great admiral of this said kingdom, and Alexander [Livingstone], earl of

Linlithgow, vice-admiral of the same, that where we, the said James, duke of Lennox, are heritably

infeft and seised in the office of admiralty and in the lieutenancy general by sea, with all duties,

casualties, privileges and immunities pertaining and belonging thereto and judge in all causes

criminal and civil belonging to the said office; and seeing that we are most willing to obey your lords’

order in everything incumbent to the said office for the good and ease of his majesty’s lieges, and

that now as we are informed, your lords are giving order for setting forth of some ships of war to

guard the coasts and to scour and clear the same of pirates and sea thieves and to bring in all such as

shall be apprehended, to be tried and judged accordingly as they shall be found to deserve, therefore

beseeching your lords that according to us, the said duke of Lennox, our heritable right, and

according to the order observed in this kingdom in similar cases before, your lords would be pleased

to take such course as that our said office be not prejudiced in directing letters of mark or reprisal,

taking of caution and giving instructions to such who shall receive and accept the same; but that we

and our deputes may have the full power of directing of the said warrants, taking of caution and

giving of instructions, judging and ordering of prizes, according to our said right and infeftment and

custom inviolably observed of before in matters of a similar kind; and that your lords will give

warrant to us for that effect; and also that your lords will be pleased to remit all seafaring business

which shall be presented before your lords, with any bills anent waif, wreck, wear or such other

things as are proper to the judicatory of the admiralty to the judgement thereof. (...)

(NAS. PA7/3/3. Petition by James Stewart, Edinburgh, 1 August 1643. http://www.rps.ac.uk

[accessed 20.8.2020].)

3) Lorenzo Paulucci, Venetian Secretary in England, to Giovanni Sagredo, the Ambassador in

France, London, 10 January 1653.

(...) A furious storm which arose at sea suddenly on the night of the 29 th ult. but subsided in a few

hours, made a change in the attitude of the Dutch fleet and prevented the blockade. But the main

body is again at the mouth of the Thames, reinforced by other squadrons, which keep cruising and

asserting the supremacy of the Dutch flag by seizing all the ships they find bound for the ports of

England. Some slight loss was incurred by the enemy during this brief storm, and if it had lasted they

certainly would have had to think of their own safety, and so give an opportunity for the junction of

the other English ships of war, now scattered about in various ports, with the main fleet, at present

in the Thames. Under favour of the weather, then, the Dutch remain before this kingdom, receiving

constant reinforcements and always ready for action. The English also are indefatigable in their

exertions to render their fleet as strong as possible and equipped at all points to go out and engage

the enemy. The navy commissioners have again left to hasten the embarcation of the men now

assembled in great numbers at Gravesend and to see what is wanted to enable the fleet to put to sea on the 12th January, old style. But this plan is of course subject to the changes that usually befall all great undertakings. The quality of the English fleet will certainly be superior to that of the enemy. But

the numbers of the Dutch ships, to which in course of time will be added those of the Danes and the

squadron of Prince Rupert, who is expected, will go far to counterpoise and even surpasse this

advantage, on which they lay so much stress here. (...)

(Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 29, 1653-

1654, Allen B Hinds (ed.) (London, 1929), pp. 1-15. British History Online http://www.british-

history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/venice/vol29/pp1-15 [accessed 17 August 2020].)

4) Philip Medows, Observations Concerning the Dominion and Sovereignty of the Seas.

(...) But whereas I hinted before, that the Dominion of the Crown of England in the British Seas, did

not exclude other Princes and Statesm from all use, but from an equal use of those Seas, this needs a

little Explication. In order to which, ‘tis to be considered, that as all Property first began by Humane

Pact and Coasent, antecedent to which was Communion: So in this consent was implied a

Reservarion and benign Exception of such use, as might be of great benefit to others, without any

considerable Damage to the Proprietor; A River, as as Fishery, is a private Dominion, no Man may

Fish there without the Owner’s leave, because it would be a diminution of his Profit; If Navigable, as

a Way, ‘tis Publick to all the Subjects of that Prince, who is Lord of the Territory; As ‘tis running

Water, ‘tis common to Man and Beast to Drink of it, and Wash with it. A Field is a private Property,

but the Market-Path over it is publick, and when it was first made a Property, it was with reservation

of a Path. For Fields were not distinguish’d by Metes and Bounds to their respective Owners, with

design to confine every Man to his own home, but with exceptopn of Liberty to pass and repass in a

harmless manner, over each others Properties in pursuance of their lawful Occasions. The Sea, say

we, is the publick Property of the Crown of England; but yet as ‘tis a Way, ‘tis common to the

peaceable Traders of all Nations. A Path over a Field is of some damage to the Soil, though

compensated with a greater utility, but a way over the Seais of no damage to the Water; and the Sea

being a fluid Body is all Path, where a Ship can Sail, and a common Highway from one Nation to

another. (...)

(Philip Medows, Observations Concerning the Dominion and Sovereignty of the Seas: Being An

Abstract of the Marine Affairs of England, 1689, pp. 6-7. Available through EEBO.)

 

 

 

 

Essay questions

 

1. How successful was James VI and I in dealing with the problem of piracy?
2. Compare and contrast the development of the English navy with the development of one other European navy in the first half of the seventeenth century.
3. How important was control over straits and narrows in seventeenth century naval warfare? Discuss with reference to at least TWO examples.
4. Why did the concept of territorial waters emerge in the seventeenth century?
5. To what extent did the Scots contribute to the development and operation of early modern foreign navies?