across the haven. The fleet was at that time much weakened by sickness, which was imputed to the great heat, bad food, and close stowage on board, so that many seamen as well as soldiers were not in a condition for service. The west country ships, however, had not yet joined, and when they came, men were removed from the smaller and least serviceable, to fill up the complement in the large vessels. The chief object of the French admiral, at this time, was to prevent the English from victualling Boulogne, and from sending supplies to Portsmouth. And when Dudley, having been reinforced with fresh men, received orders to put forth against the enemy, "to set the king's passage and victual at liberty," he replied, "There shall be no time forstowed in the advancement of his majesty's pleasure in that behalf; and I most humbly thank his majesty that he hath been pleased to give me liberty to look towards them, for I never thought myself in prisor till now, since the time of our lying here, doing no service." : Henry had signified his pleasure that some of his ships should be made to row, that they might keep company with the row barges, and act against the enemy's galleys as much should be done in this way, Dudley said, as stuff and time would serve to perform; but, whereas the king's intention was that each of these 'rowing vessels should have two captains, the lord admiral observed that one would do his majesty better service, for two minds would not always agree, and their difference would furnish an excuse for any mishap or disobedience.* The vanguard of Dudley's fleet chain shall be ready to be laid over the haven, with lighters, and all things meet for that purpose put in a readiness to furnish the same, for the defence of the enemies accordingly."-Suffolk to Paget, 1 Aug. p. 797. "Assure yourself, I, the duke of Suffolk, intend to put the town in such force and strength, as it shall be a busy piece of work for the enemies to win."-Ibid. 802. "For if there be two rulers, one will have his mind, the other will have his if any thing frame amiss, the one will excuse him by the other; the residue under them will excuse them (selves) by two commanders: 'he bade me do that, and t' other this.' If there be but one having charge, neither he that hath the charge committed only to him, neither those which be DUDLEY, LORD HIGH ADMIRAL. - 227 The The consisted of twenty-four ships with 3800 men. largest vessel in this division was the Aragozia of Hampton, admiral Sir Thomas Clerc. The sum of ships for "the battle" amounted to forty, with 6846 men. lord admiral was in this division, on board the Henry Grace à Dieu, the Great Harry of 1000 tons and 700 men. Admiral William Tyrrell commanded the wing, of forty galliasses, shalupes, and boats of war, manned by 2092 men: his flag was hoisted on board the Grand Mistress, of 450 tons, 250 men. Dudley's orders were, that when a convenient time for battle should be perceived, our vanward shall make with their vanward, if they have any; and if they be in one company, our vanward, taking the advantage of the wind, shall set upon the foremost rank, bringing them out of order : and our vice-admiral shall seek to board their viceadmiral, and every captain shall choose his equal, as near as he may." The spirit of an English seaman breathes in that order. The admiral of the wing was to be always in the wind with his whole company; and when they formed with the enemy, he was still to keep that advantage, to the intent that he might the better beat off the galleys from the great ships. The watch-word for the fleet in the night was, "God save king Henry!" to which the answer was, 66 and long to reign over us!" M. d'Annebault, though greatly superior in numbers, seems not to have placed much reliance upon his ships, but rather to have dreaded an engagement in which he could not have the active assistance of his galleys. He was at anchor on the English coast, at a place which the French historian calls les Perrais, when he learnt by a Flemish vessel, which Dudley had embargoed, but which had made its escape during the night, that the English fleet was in search of him, and at no great dis under one, hath any such excuse. Nevertheless, if his majesty's pleasure be to have it committed unto two, I shall accomplish it accordingly. Albeit that I could do no less than of my poor opinion to signify unto his majesty, referring all to his great wisdom, and beseeching his majesty of this my boldness to pardon me."-Lisle to Paget, 809. * State Papers, 808-814 tance. Had it found him in his present position, with the wind as it then was, the galleys would have been useless; and the only way of avoiding an action under that disadvantage, must have been by passing the straits and making toward Flanders, a thing, it is said, which could not be done without disorder and great danger; and with this additional evil, that their return would be cut off. The French admiral resolved, therefore, as soon as the tide favoured, and the wind either changed or fell, to put to sea, meet the enemy, gain the weather-gage, and give him battle. Meantime he ordered the galleys to take their station under a point of land which covered them from the wind, and there lie with their poop towards the shore, while the ships were drawn up in order of battle a little below them, as close as the weather would permit; thus, when the English fleet approached, it would, in attempting to close with the French, pass by the galleys, and leave them to windward: the galleys were safe, because even the smallest English ships drew too much water to approach; and the admiral thought it not impossible that the English might not only pass the galleys, but be carried by the tide beyond the body of his fleet. The wind continued so high throughout the day that it was not prudent for them to weigh anchor. On the morrow the wind changed and fell, becoming so favourable, that about noon they desired nothing more than to fall in with the English; and when, from some Flemings, the admiral learnt that they were not far off, the admiral went on board the ship in which he meant to engage the Great Harry, and sent the galleys forward to discover the Aug. enemy, the ships following, but, because of the calm, 15. little faster than the tide carried them. The galleys came in sight at daybreak: both parties manœuvred, the English not seeking to engage till the opportu nity should be more favourable, and the French being in no haste to use that which the weather afforded them.* Dudley wrote to the king at this juncture ;—it is the * Du Bellay, 234–238. FIRST NAVAL DESPATCH. 66 229 oldest despatch of the kind from a British admiral. "At this present," said he, it may like your majesty that the enemies and we have sight one of the other, striving who shall get the advantage of the wind: their galleys roweth fast for it, and our wing doth their best they have yet the advantage of the same; nevertheless, they make no haste, such as they might do, an if they were disposed to fight. Wherefore I think we shall not fight this day. They have weather as they would wish, for it bloweth little wind; and yet if they were better disposed to the matter than they seem at this time to be, yet may we dally with them a day or two before we need to fight, except we see a better advantage with opportunity. I intend not to omit to see what God will send in the mean time. They seem to be many more ships in number than we be; but the victory resteth not always in the number of ships nor men, but only on the goodness of God, working with Him as much as men may to serve the turn; wherein, God willing, we shall do that may lie in us, according to our duties. And if it shall please Him to send us a commodious wind, I have good hopes your majesty shall hear such news of our proceedings with them, as shall be extable unto the same, to the laud and praise of Almighty God, who, grant it so: Amen. The place where we be at this present is thwart of Shoreham, too kennys almost from the shore. The wind, ever since the first night of our coming out at midnight, hath been at east south east and at east, that we could not fetch by east of Bechiefe, and it hath been almost calm ever since. I pray God send us a fresher gale of wind, and then I trust there shall no advantage be forslowed that may be taken of them; as knoweth the living God, who ever preserve your most excellent majesty in long and prosperous felicity, with the continual desire of your most royal heart!"† * *Within sight? + State Papers, 815. "In the Harry Grace à Dieu, the 15th of August at 10 of the clock before noon." 66 66 Dudley's intention was, as much as in him might be, to eschew the fight that day; for a better day," he said, "than the same was for their galleys, they could not wish." About noon the galleys assailed him, and continued to do so the whole day. "The tide and the wind," he says, in a subsequent despatch, were so favourable at that time unto them, that if they had been earnestly determined to have taken the advantage, it would hardly been avoided from a battle; wherein we did put our confidence in the goodness of God, and shewed ourselves to be nothing affrayed of them, but kept together, close by a wind, putting our ships that would not row, and such as had no pieces to annoy the galleys, furthest off; and our rowing pieces, and such other of your highness' great ships as were best ordinanced, next unto them. If we should straight have given them place, the gallies would have been too busy at our poops, whereby their fleet might have taken occasion of canvass, which I thought not meet to give them; assuring your majesty the Mistress, St. Anne Gallaunt, the Greyhound, with all your highness' shallups and rowing pieces, did their parts right well; but especially the Mistress and the Anne Gallaunt did so handle the galleys, as well with their sides as their prows, that your great ships in a manner had little to do. Their whole fleet did still keep the advantage of the wind, making no haste towards us, until the sun was almost set, by which time their galleys were well beaten and repulsed towards them; and being no time, then, for two such armies to begin a fight so near night, gave me occasion to think that they rather minded to make us affrayed than to do us any harm; and when they were come within a league of us, I caused our fleet to come to an anchor, to the intent they should perceive we were not affrayed of them. And thereupon their admiral shot off two warning pieces, as though they would do the like. But in the morning, when the day brake, their whole fleet was as far off from us as we could escry them out of my top gallant, haling into the seaward, the wind being somewhat fresh, so that if they had tarried, their |