Piracy and the English Government, 1616-1642, explores two main themes. First, it explodes the myth that England was 'a nation of pirates'. In fact, the English people were far more often victims of piracy. The costs to the economy and society resulting from piracy are critically examined for the first time here.

This investigation reveals that not only were hundreds of English ships lost to pirates in the period studied, but an astonishing number (approximately 8,000 men, women and children) were carried away to Barbary by pirates and sold into slavery.

Losses from piracy posed significant political problems for the early Stuart government, and the response of the government to the problem is the second theme of this study. At times naval force was employed; on other occasions a policy of appeasement was favoured. The reasons behind the adoption of various policies are explored and related to broader political concerns and influences. In this sense, the book is an extended essay on policy-making in Early Stuart England.