The annals of King James and King Charles the First ... containing a faithful history and impartial account of the great affairs of state, and transactions of parliaments in England from the tenth of King James MDCXII to the eighteenth of King Charles MDCXLII : wherein several material passages relating to the late civil wars (omitted in former histories) are made known.

Sol. It is true, the King must for an ordinary Defence use the Means the Law hath allowed him; but that is not now the Question; it is for an Ex∣traordinary Defence the Question now ariseth. If it were asked any man, whether they do think in their Conscience, that the King is able of Him∣self, out of these, to prepare a Royal Navy, with∣out help from the Subject; none so senceless to think it.

There be some other things to which I shall give a general Answer.

It appeareth by many Records, that the King hath paid Wages unto Souldiers, and sometimes hath hired Ships; and unless there hath been a consideration, the King would not have done it.

To this I answer, That it was for Ordinary Defence, and he is bound to do it; and if He en∣gaged Himself to repay unto them their Charges, I can say no more but this, Every honest Man that makes his Promise will perform it, and so is the King bound to perform His Promise: That which Honesty binds others to perform, Honour binds the King to.

I shall come unto those things, to which a more particular answer is to be given.

The Charge lyeth general upon the whole Kingdom, which I shall divide into three Parts.

• 1. The Ports.
• 2. The Maritine Counties. And
• 3. To the In-land Counties. And to these three I will apply the Records.

1. For the Ports they are of two kinds, The Cinque Ports, and the Ports at large: What Ser∣vices are due by the Cinque Ports, are expressed in Libro Rubro in the Exchequer, That they were to find 57 Ships, and 24 Men in every Ship, and that for 15 days, which cometh unto 1188 men.

The Ports at large are tied to no certain Ser∣vice: It will appear by most of these Records which I shall apply, that the Cinque Ports have been charged with more than their due, and the

Ports at Large equally with the Cinque Ports.

Pat. 15. Jo. m. 6. The King sent His Writ un∣to the Cinque Ports, and thereby commandeth Qued omnes Naves parati, &c. & Homines, &c. He doth not here tie them to a Number, but all must go, if there be 500.

Cl. 17 Jo. m. 7. Here the King sent His Writ Baronibus suis de Rye, a Member of the Cinque Ports, Quod venire faciatis omnes naves apud Cinque Portas. This was general as the other; All the Ships, not tied to the number of 77.

Cl. 14 H. 3. m. 13. A Writ went out unto Ports∣mouth, being a Port at Large, to provide a Gal∣ley & eam munire faciat cum hominibus & quod sint prompti & parati ad proficiscendum, cum necesse fuerit; so here is a particular Charge upon Portsmouth, not bound unto it to provide a Ship with all man∣ner of Munition.

Cl. 25 E. 1. m. 5. do. A Writ went unto Guarn∣sey, a Port at Large, to make a Ship ready as of∣ten as need should require, de contributione facien∣da pro Navibus quoties opus fuerit, Pat. 9 E. 2. pars 2. m. 26. A Writ goeth forth, and that was dire∣cted, Ballivis, & probis hominibus Com' Southamp∣ton, to make provisionem navigii sumptibus propriis, no Promise of the King to pay this again.

Cl. 20 E. 2. m. 7. A Writ goeth unto the Sheriff of London, (and that reciteth a Charge formerly laid upon this City and upon Kent) for finding of 12 Ships, London to find 9, and Kent to find 3; and 40 Men to be in every Ship, & sumptor illor'

Cl. 20 E. 2. m. 8. A Writ directed to the Bailiffs of Yarmouth, which is none of the Cinque Ports, and this was charged with two Ships at their own Charges; and the like Command in the same Roll, for all Ships of 50 Tun and upwards to be all ready.

Sco. 10 E. 3. m. 12. That Writ reciteth the Ge∣neral Obligation that they are bound in, to defend the Kingdom, almost in the same words mention∣ed in this Writ: It reciteth, That every man should be sessed juxta statum & facultates; so there was a Contribution: Then cometh in the Clause, Ʋltro illius pecuniae summam debet pro servitiis suis. It is true indeed, the King did pay towards this, but it is expressed to be of His meer Grace add Fa∣vour.

10 E. 3. m. 2. do. A Writ unto Winchelsley, one Member of the Cinque Ports; and this was Quod omnes naves sint parati, both of the Ports, & alia∣rum villarum.

And the Reasons are expressed, Because with∣out their Help, the King was not able to defend the Kingdom; and appointeth them by that Writ, that the Ships should be ready victualled for thirteen weeks, whereas the ordinary time was but 15 days.

Vasc. 12 E. 3. m. 8. There a Writ goeth forth, directed unto the Sheriff of Kent, to the Major and Barons of the Cinque Ports, whereby they were all commanded to look unto the Custody of the Sea Coasts; here is the Maritine Towns and Port Towns joyned together.

25 E. 3. m. 22. do. A Writ to Southampton ad Con∣gregandum naves; in the same Roll, m. 8. more Writs to other Towns.

Pat. 12 E. 3. pars 4. m. 3. There was a Com∣mand, That all that dwell within the Isle of Tha∣net, every one from 16 to 60▪ should be ready to defend the Sea Coasts, and this was juxta statum & Facultates.

Alm' 13 E. 3. m. 12. Yarmouth charged with four Ships, 24 Men in a Ship, whereas usual but 21. Now I think they are come to six score men in a Ship. There are an infinite number of Rolls to this purpose to charge the Port Towns.

I come now to my second Division, which is Maritime Towns.

Pat. 48 H. 3. m. 4. do. A Writ went to the She∣riff of Norfolk, reciting, that Ships and Souldiers had staid there long, and that they were intended for departure, because their 40 days were past; Command was given unto them, that they should stay, Donec aliud inde mandatum fuerit.

Cl. 23 E. 1. m. 5. do. There was a Writ directed unto the Sheriff of Southampton, Dorset, and Wilts; These 3 Counties are all Maritine Counties, and were commanded, that they should raise 300 men to be at Winchester to defend the Sea Coasts.

Pat. 24 E. 1. m. 17. A Writ directed unto the Sheriff of Lincoln, York, and Northumberland, to assist certain Commissioners to take up 100 Ships, with a competent number of Men; these are to Maritine Counties.

The like VVrit goeth to the Sheriff of Sussex and Southampton, and this for the Preparation of Ships, and to take them where ever they they are to be found.

Pat. 25 E. 1. m. 6. VVrits went to Southampton, Devon, Cornwal, Dorset, and many other places that were Maritine Towns, for arresting of Ships and raising of Men: But the Rolls I might most insist upon are only these, I'le but name them.

Pat. 24 E. 1. m. 16. ex parte Re' Regis, & Rot 78. Cl. 25. E. 1. m. 26.

Cl. 13 E. 3. pars 1. m. 14. do.

Sco. 10 E. 3. m. 22. By all which it appears, that not only the Ports, but the Maritine Counties, have contributed towards the Charges of the De∣fence of the Kingdom. And the other side do hardly deny, but that the Maritine Towns may be charged.

I will open it plain, that it is for their ease to bring in the In-land Counties: This Cause is not of so great consequence as it is conceived, for if the Port Towns and Maritine Counties may be charged, then it bringeth but in the In-land Counties.

In England and Wales there are Fifty two Coun∣ties, Thirty three of these are Maritine Coun∣ties, so the In-land Counties are but Nineteen at most; and they contribute but to a fourth part of the Charge for the Defence of the Kingdom. And so much to my second Division of Maritine Towns.

To the third Division, which is of In-land Counties that they have been charged; I shall make that appear, that the greater part of them have been charged formerly for this manner of Defence.