ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the relations in various maritime regions of England and Wales, focusing particularly on the 1570s and 1580s, when the Tudor regime struggled to deal with a crime that was also a business and a means of employment for a growing number of men and, indirectly, for women. The Hundred Years War between England and France, followed by the collapse of the English monarchy during a time of insurrection and civil conflict, provided a fertile breeding ground for maritime plunder which blurred the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate depredation. Given the limited naval resources of the monarchy, pirates were identified not only as a troublesome problem but also as a potential resource which could be exploited to serve the interests of the state. The commissions of the later 1570s furnish a mass of evidence that illuminates the nature of the relations between pirates and communities.
