Will be required reading for all those interested in medieval ships and also the development of business practice in the medieval world.

NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY

[A] masterly study.

THE RICARDIAN

Ward's expertly researched book provides a full reconstruction of the life of a medieval shipmaster. [...] Very few maritime historians have accepted the challenge of approaching medieval seafaring from a social historian's perspective. Robin Ward has, and has done it admirably. And for that reason, The World of the Medieval Shipmaster should become a classic in its field.

NAUTICAL RESEARCH JOURNAL

This entertaining product of detailed scholarship will fascinate readers of early history as it brings to life ship performance, navigation and seamanship. Maritime historians will appreciate Ward's meticulous research, comprehensive appendices, transcriptions, translations and dissections of medieval legal texts.

NORTHERN MARINER

A handsome and resourceful study. [...] It delivers a series of rewarding insights that will provide new starting points for future studies. [...] Students coming into the field of medieval maritime history and Chaucerians wishing to refine their readings of the Shipman will benefit tremendously from this book. For all other medievalists [it] will become the best guide to an arcane discipline.

THE MEDIEVAL REVIEW