is an allusion, at once modest and critical, in his better-known book, An Abridgement of all Sea-Lawes, which was first published in 1613,[1] and again, with slight variations in spelling, in 1636:[2] 'I thought good, after the insight and deepe consideration of all the lawes and ordinances aforesaid' (touching 'every sort of sea-faring persons in every order'), 'to mend a weake piece of labour, which I intended many yeares since, intituled the Sea law of Scotland; and to frame the same in a very harmonicall collection of all sea-lawes.'[3]
The Abridgement, as a work, befitting its title, both comprehensive and concise, treats of many matters that have no direct bearing on the Sovereignty of the Sea. It treats, for example, of the Clerk of the Admiral Court, who 'should have divers Registers, as for congees, saveconducts, pasports, sea-briefes; as without which no shippe should passe to the sea in time of warre, nor yet to farre voyages in time of peace … To conclude, no other Clerk or Writer, may meddle or pen things concerning the sea-faring, without licence of the Admirall.'[4] The book treats of the manner of proceeding in sea-faring causes.[5] It treats of the Master of the ship, to whom 'the whole power
- ↑ 8vo, pp. viii + 77.
- ↑ 12mo, pp. xiv + 253.
- ↑ Abridgement (ed. 1636), pp. 18–19. The full title is 'An Abridgement of all Sea-Lawes. Gathered forth of all Writings and Monuments, which are to be found among any people or Nation, upon the coasts of the great Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. And specially ordered and disposed for the use and benefit of all benevolent Sea-farers, within his Majesties Dominions of Great Brittain, Ireland, and the adjacent Isles thereof.' The Abridgement was printed at London.
- ↑ Abridgement, Tit. iii, 'Of the Admirall Clerk', pp. 45–6, 48. For the Admiralty Court see Law and Custom of the Sea, i, pp. xiv sqq.
- ↑ Tit. v, pp. 52–63.
M. maist humble subject | M. William Welvod. The number of pages is 40, but there is no printed pagination. Sig. A. 4 leaves, the first blank; B. 8 leaves; C. 8 leaves (the last two probably blank: they are wanting in the Bodleian copy).
