Sir Walter Rawleighs judicious and select essayes and observations upon the first invention of shipping, invasive war, the Navy Royal and sea-service : with his apologie for his voyage to Guiana.

A Discourse of the in∣vention of Ships, Anchors, Com∣passe, &c. The first Naturall warre, the severall, use, defects, and supplies of Shipping, the strength, and defects of the Sea forces of England, France, Spaine, and Venice, To∣gether with the five manifest causes of the suddaine appearing of the Hol∣landers, Written by Sir WALTER RAWLEIGH.

THat the Ark of Noah, was the first Ship, because the Invention of God himself, although some men have believed, yet it is certaine, That the world, being planted before the Flood, the same could not be performed with∣out

some transporting vessels; It is true, & the successe proves it, That there was not any so capacious nor so strong to defend it self against so violent, and so continued a powring down of raine, as the Arke Noah, the Invention of God himself, or of what fashion or fabrick soever, the rest withall mankind peri∣shed, according to the Ordnance of God. And probable it is that the An∣chors, whereof Ovid made mention of, found on high Mountains: Et in∣venta est in montibus Anchora Summis; were remaining of Ships wrackt at the generall flood.

After the Flood, it is said, that Mi∣nos, who lived two discents before the War of Troy, set out Ships to free the Grecians Seas of Pyrats, which shews, that there had beene either trade, or Warre, upon the Waters before his time also.

The expedition of the Argau∣ants was after Minos,* 1.1 And so

was the plantation of Tyrene in Afri∣ca, by Battus, who was one of Iasons Companions, And that the Tyrians had Trade by Sea, before the Warre of Troy, Homer tells us.

Others give the first Do∣minion upon the Waters to Neptune,* 1.2 who, for the great exploits he did in the service of Saburne, was, by after ages, called the God of the Seas. But the Corinthians ascribe the inven∣tion of Rowing vessells, to a Citizen of their owne called Amaenocles, And that the first Navall Warre, was made betweene the Samiens and Cor∣cyriens.* 1.3

Ithicus History changed into La∣tine by St. Hierome, affirmes that Gri∣phon the Scythian, was the inventor of long Boats, or Gallies, in the Nor∣therne Seas; And Strabo gives the ad∣vise of the Anchor, with two Hookes to the Scythian Anacharsis, but the Greeks to Eupolemus.

It is also said, that Icarus invented the saile, and others other pieces, and parts of the ships and Boats, whereof the certaine knowledge is of no great moment, This is certaine, that the Sons, and Nephews of Noah, who peo∣pled the Isles of the Gentiles, and gave their owne names to many of them, had vessells to transport themselves, long before the daies of Minos; And for my own opinion, I doe not thinke that any one Nation (the Syrian excepted) to whom the knowledge of the Arke came, as the story of the creation did, soone after Moses, did find out at once, the device either of ship or Boate, in which they durst venture themselves upon the Seas: But being forced by necessity to passe over Rivers, or Lakes, they first bound together certaine Reeds or Canes, by which they tran∣sported themselves: Calamorum falces (saith D: Siculus) admodum ingentes inter se conjungunt.

Others made Raffes of Wood, and other devised the Boate of one tree called the Canoa, which the Gaules up∣on the River of Roan, used in assisting the transportation of Hannibals Ar∣my in his enterprise of Italie: Primum Galli inchoantes cavabant Arbores (saith Livie) But Polydor Virgil,* 1.4 gives the invention of those Canoas, to the Germains in∣habiting about the River of Danubius, which kind of Hollow trees, Isidor calls Carabes.

The Brittains had Boats made of Willow Twigs and covered on the out side with Bullock hydes, and so had the Venetians; of which Lucan primum ca∣na salix, &c. Malefacto, &c. And Iulius Solinus Navigant autem Vimineis al∣veis quos circundant ambitione tergorum Bubalorum:* 1.5 The same kind of Boats had the Germains (saith Isidor) who in his time committed many Robberies in

them: But whosoever devised the Ca∣noa among the Danubians, or among the Gaules, sure I am, that the Indians of America, never had any trade with ei∣ther of these Nations, And yet from Fuobushers straits, to the straits of Ma∣galaine, those Boats are found, and in some parts of that length, As I have seene them rowed with twenty Oars of a side.

The truth is, that all Nations how remote soever, being all reasonable creatures, and enjoy one and the same Imagination and fantasie, having de∣vised according to their means and materialls the same things.

The Eastern people, who have had from all Antiquitie, the use of Iron, have found out the Sawe, And with the Sawe, they have sundred Trees, in Boards and Plancks, And have joyned them together with Nayles, and so made Boats and Gallies safe and por∣table, So have they built Cities, and

Townes of Timber and the like in all else.

On the contrary, the West-Indies and many Nations of the Africans, wan∣ting means and materialls, have been taught by their own necessities to passe Rivers in a Boate of one Tree, and to tye unsquared Poles together, on the top for their houses, which they co∣ver with large leaves, yea the same Boats, and the same buildings, are found in Countries, two thousand miles distant, debarred from all com∣merce, by unpassable Mountains, Lakes, and Deserts; Nature hath taught them all to choose Kings and Cap∣tains for their leaders, And Judges. They all have lighted on the invention of Bowes and Arrowes, All have Tar∣gets and woodden Swords: All have instruments to encourage them to fight: All that have Corne beate it in Morters, and make Cakes, baking them upon Slatestones: All devised

Lawes without any grounds had from the Scriptures, or from Aristotles Po∣litiques, whereby they are governed: All that dwell neere enemies impale their villages to save themselves from surprize, yea besides the same inven∣tions, All have the same naturall im∣pulsions, They follow nature in the choice of many wives, and there are every where among them, which out of a kind of wolvish ferocitie, eate mans flesh; yea most of them beleive in a second life, and they are all of them Idolaters in one kind or other.

For the Northerne parts of the world, It was long ere they grew to any perfection in Shipping, For wee read that Hingest, and Horsa, Came over into this Land in long Boats, in which for the first being called in by the Brittains, they transported five thousand souldiers. And that after they came with a supply of ten thou∣sand more Shipt in thirty vessels,

which the Saxons call Keeles, And our old Historians Cogiones, And in Cae∣sars time, the French Brittains who were then esteemed the best Brittaine Sea men, had very untoward Tubs in which they made Warre against him. For they tooke the winds in Sailes of Leather, heavy and unplyable, And they fastned their ships to the ground, and rid at Anchor with Cables of I∣ron Chains, having neither Canvas, nor Cordage. In so much as the best of them which were of Vannes, are de∣scribed with high heads raised up de∣formedly above the rest of the buil∣dings, to which kind of forme that they were constrained, the reason is manifest. For had their Cables of I∣ron chains held any great length, they had been unportable, And being short, the Ships must have sunck at an An∣chor, in any streame of weather or Countertyde, And such was their simplicitie in those dayes, As in∣stead

of accommodating their furni∣ture to their Ships, they formed their ships to their furniture; Not unlike the Courtiers of this age who fit their Bodies and their Feet to their Dou∣blets and Shooes, and not their Dou∣blets and Shooes to their Bodies, and Feete.

The Pomerlanders inhabiting the South part of the Baltick, or Eastland Sea, used a kind of Boate, with the prowe at both ends, so as they need not to wend or hold water, But went on and returned indifferently, of which:* 1.6 Tacitus Suionum hinc Ci∣vitates ipso in oreceano prae∣ter viros armaque Classi∣bus valent; forma navium, eo differt, quod utrinque prora paratam semper ap∣pulsui frontem agit: Nec velis mini∣strantur; nec remos in ordinem lateri∣bus adiungant. Solutum ut in quibus∣dam fluminum & mutabile ut res pos∣sit hinc vel illinc remigium:

Next are the Cities of the Suionum which are mighty at Sea, not only in men and armes, but in Fleete: The forme of their vessels differ in this, That a Prowe at each end enables them to row forward either way alike: Neither use they Sayles, nor place their oars in order upon the sides, but car∣rying the oare loose, They shift it hi∣ther and thither at pleasure, as is the manner in some Rivers, Yea at this time both the Turkes and Christians use these kind of Boats upon the River of Danubius, and call them Nacerne.

True it is, that before Caesars Inva∣ding of this Land, we doe find that the Brittains had not any shipping at all, other then their Boats of Twigs co∣vered with hydes as aforesaid.

The Saxons when they were drawne in by the Brittains, came hither by Sea. And after that time finding that without Shipping they could neither defend themselves nor exercise any

Trade, They began to make some pro∣vision for a Navy, such as it was, which being first considered of by Egbert, Alfred, Edgar, and Etheldred, augmen∣ted it, and how true it is, I know not, but it is written of Edgar, that he in∣creased the Fleete, he found, two thou∣sand six hundred saile: After whom Etheldred made a Law, That whoso∣ever was Lord of three hundred and ten hide Land, should build and fur∣nish one ship for the defence of their Country.

Notwithstanding all these provisi∣ons, the Danes invaded them, and ha∣ving better ships then they had, made their way for a new conquest.

The Normans grew better Ship∣wrights then either of both, and made the last conquest of this Land, a Land which can never be conquered, whilst the Kings thereof keep the Dominion of the Seas, which Dominion I doe not find, that it was ever absolute, till

the time of Henry the Eight, But that we fought sometime with good, sometime with ill successe, as we shall shew hereafter more particularly.

But omitting the dispute of the first Navigators, Certaine it is, that the In∣vention of the compasse was had from our Northerne Nations, were it from the Germans, Norvegians, Brittanes, or Danes, for even to this day, the old Northerne words are used for the di∣vision of winds upon the quarter of the compasse, not only by the Danes, Germans, Swedes, Brittanes, and all in the Ocean, that understand the termes and names of the winds in their owne language: But the French and Spanish called the sun rising winds, East or East, and the sunne setting winds West, the rest North and South, and so by the same termes, In all the Divisions of Southeast, Northeast, Southwest, Northwest, and the rest.

And if we compare the marveilous

great transportations of people by the Saxons, Angles, Danes, Gothes, Swedes, Norwegians, especially and other. And how many Fleets for supplies, have been set out by them, with the swarmes of Danes aswell in our Seas, as when they invaded and conquered Scicilie, together with the Colonies, planted by the Tyrians in Africa, as else where, and of the Carthaginians the Sons of the Tyrians in Spaine.

Its hard to judge which of these Nations have most commanded the Seas, though for priority Tribullus, and Ovid give it the Tyrians.

Prima ratam Ventis crede∣re docta Tyros,* 1.7 And Ovid, Magna minorque fere quarum Regis altera Gratias; altera Sydonias uterque sicca rates.

And it is true, that the first good Ships were among the Tyrians, and they good and great Ships, not long after the Warre of Troy, and in Solo∣mons

time, they were of that account as Solomon invited Hiram King of Tyre, to joyne with him in his Jour∣ney into the East-Indies, for the Israe∣lites till then, never traded by Sea, and seldome if ever after it, and that the Tyrians were the chiefe in that enter∣prise, It appears in that they were cal∣led Nautas peritos maris, in the He∣brew (saith Iunius) homines navium,* 1.8 And in our English Marriners.

It is also written in the second of Chronicles the eight. That Hiram sent Solomon Ships, Et servos peritos maris, And servants skilfull of the Sea, where∣by it is probable, that the Tyrians had used the Trade of East-India before the dayes of Solomon, or before the Raigne of David, when themselves commanded the Ports of the Red Sea, But the Edumaeans being beaten by David, and the Port of Ezion-Ge∣ber,

now subject to Solomon, the Ty∣rians were forced to make Solomon the cheife of that expedition, and to joine with him in the enterprise. For the Tyrian had no passe to the Red Sea, but through the territory of Solomon, and by his sufferance.

Whosoever were the inventers, we find that every age, had added some∣what to ships, and to all things else. And in my owne time the shape of our English ships, hath been greatly bettered. It is not long since the stri∣king of the Top-mast (a wonderfull great ease to great ships both at Sea and Harbour) hath been devised, toge∣ther with the Chaine pumpe, which takes up twice as much water as the ordinary did, we have lately added the Bonnett, and the Drabler. To the cour∣ses we have devised studding Sayles, Top gallant Sayles; Sprit stayles, Top stayles, The weighing of Anchors by the Capstone is also new. We have

fallen into consideration of the length of Cables, and by it we resist the ma∣lice of the greatest winds that can blow, Witnesse our small Milbrooke men of Cornewall, that ride it out at Anchor, half Seas over betweene Eng∣land and Ireland, all the winter quarter, And witnesse the Hollanders that were wont to ride before Dunkirke, with the wind at Northwest, making a Lee shoare in all weathers: For true it is, that the length of the Cable, is the life of the Ship in all extreamities, and the reason is, because it makes so many bendings and waves, as the Ship riding at that length it is not able to stretch it, and nothing breaks that is not stretched. In extreamity, we carry our Ordnance better then we were wont, Because our Netheroverloops are raised commonly from the water, to wit, betweene the lower part of the Port and the Sea.

In King Henry the eights time, and

in this present, at Portsmouth the Marie Rose, by a little sway of the Ship in ca∣sting about, her Ports being within sixteene Inches of the waters, was o∣verset and lost, and in her that worthy Knight Sir George Carew, Cozen Ger∣maine to the Lord Carew, and with him (besides many other Gentlemen) the Father of the late renowned, Sir Richard Greenevile.

Wee have also raised our second Decks and given more vent thereby to our Ordnance, tying on our Nether-overloope.

We have added crosse pillars in our Royall ships to strengthen them, which be fastned from the Kelson to the beams of the second Decke, keepe them from setling or from giving way in all distresses.

We have given longer Floares to our Ships, then in elder times, and better bearing under water, whereby they never fall into the Sea, after the head

and shake the whole body, nor sinck sterne, nor stoope upon a wind, by which the breaking loose of our Ord∣nance or the not use of them, with ma∣ny other discommodities are avoided.

And to say the truth a miserable shame and dishonour it were for our Shipwrights, if they did not exceed all other, in the setting up of our Royall Ships, the Errors of other Nations being farre more excusable then ours. For the Kings of England have for ma∣ny years been at the charge to build and furnish a Navy of powerfull Ships, for their owne defence, and for the Wars only.

Whereas the French, the Spaniards, the Portugalls, and the Hollanders (till of late) have had no proper Fleete be∣longing to their Princes or States.

Only the Venetians for a long time have maintained their Arsenal of Gal∣lyes, & the Kings of Denmark, and Swe∣den, have had good Ships for these last

Fifty years, I say that the forenamed Kings, especially the Spaniards and Portugalls, have ships of great bulke, but fitter for the Merchant then for the man of Warre, for burthen then for Battaile: But as Popelinire well observeth, the forces of Princes by Sea, are Marquess de Grandeux d' Estate, Are markes of the greatnesse of an E∣state: For whosoever commands the Sea, Commands the Trade: whoso∣ever Commands the Trade of the world: Commands the Riches of the world and consequently the world it selfe: yet can I not deny, but that the Spaniards being afraid of their Indian Fleets, have built some few very good ships, but he hath no ships in Garri∣son, as his Majestie hath, and to say the truth, no sure place to keepe them in; But in all Invasions he is driven to take up of all Nations, which comes into his Ports for Trade.

The Venetians while they attended

their Fleets, and imployed themselves in their Easterne Conquest, were great and powerfull Princes, and Com∣manded the Maritimate parts of Croatia, Dalmatia, Albania, and Epirus, were Lords of Peloponesus, and the I∣slands adjoyning, of Cyprus, Candia, and many other places, but after they sought to greaten themselves in Italie it self, using strangers for the Com∣manders of their armies; The Turkes by degrees beate them out of all their goodly Countryes, and have now con∣fined them (Candia excepted) to a few small Grecian Islands, which with great difficulty they enjoy.

The first honour they obtained, was by making Warre upon the Istrii by Sea, and had they been true to their spouse, to wit the Seas, which once a yeare they marry, the Turks had never prevailed against them, nor ever been able to be siege any place of theirs, to which he must have transported

his armies by his Gallies.

The Genowaies were also exceeding powerfull by Sea, and held many pla∣ces in the East, and contended often with the Venetians for superiority, de∣stroying each other in a long conti∣nued Sea Warre, Yea the Genowaies were the most famous Mercenaries of all Europe, both by Sea and Land for many years.

The French assisted themselves by Land with the Crosbowers of Genoa against the English, namely at the Battaile of Cressie, The French had 12000 Crosbowers Genowaies by Sea. With their great ships called the Car∣recks of Genoa, they alwayes strength∣ned their Fleets against the English, But after Mahomet the second had taken Constantinople, they lost Caffa, and all Taurica, Chersonesus with the whole Trade of the Euxine Sea, and although they sent many supplies by the Hellespont, yet having often felt

the smart of the Turks Cannon, they began to slack their succours, and were soone after supplanted: yet doe the Venetians to this day, well mainetaine their estate by their Sea forces, and a great losse it is to the Christian Com∣mon-weale in generall, that they are lesse then they were, And a precipitate Counsell it was of those Christian Kings their Neighbours, when they joined in League against them, seeing they then were, and they yet are, the strongest Rampiers of Europe against the Turks.

But the Genowaies have now but a few Gallyes being altogether dege∣nerate, and become Merchants of mo∣ny, and the Spanish Kings bankers.

But all the States and Kingdomes of the world have changed forme and pollicy.

The Empire it selfe, which gave light to all principallities, like a Pha∣ro's, or high Tower to Seamen, is now

sunck downe to the levell of the soyle. The greatnesse which it gave to the Church of Rome as before proved, was it which made it selfe little in hast, And therefore truely said; Imperium amore Religionis seipsum, Exhausisse, The Empire being also elective and not successive, The Emperors in be∣ing made profit of their owne times, and sold from the Empire many Sig∣niories depending on it, and at so easy a rate, as Lucca freed it self for ten thou∣sand Crownes; and Florence for six thousand Crowns; The rest, the Popes; then the Hauses, and lastly the Turks have in effect ruined. And in which severall Inundations many pieces have been recovered by other Princes and States. As Basill, Zurick, and Bearne, by the Switzers (omitting many o∣thers) Metz Tholouse, Verdum, by the French, Groigne Aix la Chapple, Zu∣phen, Deuenter, Newengen, in Gilder∣land, Wesell, Antwerpe, And many

other places by the Spaniards; and by the States, Dantzick and other townes of importance by the Polack. Inso∣much as it is now become, the most confused estate of the world,

Con∣sisting of an Empire in title with territory, who can ordaine nothing of importance but by a dyet or as∣sembly of the Estates of many free Princes, Ecclesiasticall and Tem∣porall; in effect of equall force, di∣vers in Religion and faction, and of free Cities and Hanstownes, whom the Princes doe not more desire to Command, then they scorne to obey,

Notwithstanding being by farre lesse then they were in number and lesse in force and Reputation, as they are not greatly able to offend others, so have they enough to doe (being seated farre asunder) to defend themselves, of whom hereafter more particularly.

The Cassilians, in the meane while are growne great, and by mistaking e∣steemed

the greatest, Having by Mar∣riage, Conquest, practize, and pur∣chase, devowred all Kingdomes with∣in Spaine, with Naples, Sicilie, Mil∣laine, and the Netherlands, And many places belonging to the Empire and the Princes thereof. Besides the In∣dies East and West, The Islands of the West Ocean, and many places in Barbary Guiena, Congo and else where.

France hath also enlarged it self by the one half, and reduced Normandy, Brittaine, and Aquitaine, withall that the English had on that side the Sea, together with Languedocke Foix, Ar∣mignac, Beerne, and Dolphine.

For this Kingdome of great Brit∣taine: it hath had by his Majesty a strong addition, The posterne by which we were so often heretofore en∣tered and surprised, is now made up; and we shall not hereafter need the double face of Ianus to looke North and South at once.

But there is no stare growne in hast, but that of the united provinces, and especially in their Sea forces, and by a contrary way to that of France, or Spaine, the latter by Invasion, the for∣mer by oppression; For I my self may remember when one ship of her Ma∣jesties, would have made forty Hol∣landers strike sayle, and to come to Anchor. They did not then dispute De mari libero, but readily acknow∣ledg'd the English to be Domini maris Brittanici: That we are lesse power∣full then we were, I doe hardly be∣leive it, For although we have not at this time 135 ships, belonging to the subjects, of 500 tuns each ship, as it is said we had in the 24. yeare of Queen Elizabeth, at which time also upon a generall view and muster, there were found in England of all men, fit to beare armes, eleaven hundred and sea∣venty two thousand, yet are our Mer∣chants ships, now farre more warlike

and better appointed then they were, and the Navy Royall double as strong as then it was, For these were the ships of her Majesties Navy at that time.

• 1. The Triumph.
• 2. The Eliz: Ionas.
• 3. The white Beare.
• 4. The Phill: and Mary.
• 5. The Bonaventure.
• 6. The Golden Lion.
• 7. The Victory.
• 8. The Revenge.
• 9. The Hope.
• 10. The Mary Rose.
• 11. The Dreadnaught.
• 12. The Minion.
• 13. The Swiftsure.

To which there hath been added.

• 14. The Antelope.
• 15. The Foresight.
• 16. The Swallow.
• 17. The Handmaide.
• 18. The Gennett.
• 19. The Barque of Bullen
• 20. The Ayde.
• 21. The Achates.
• 22. The Falcon.
• 23. The Tyger.
• 24. The Bull.

We have not therefore lesse force then we had, the fashion and furni∣shing of our Ships Considered: For there are in England at this time 400. saile of Merchants fit for the Wars, which the Spaniards would call Gal∣lions; to which we may adde 200 saile of Crumsters, or hoyes of Newcastle,

which each of them will beare six De∣miculverins, and foure Sakers, nee∣ding no other addition of building, then a slight spar Decke, fore and afte as the Seamen call it, which is a slight Decke throughout, the 200, which may be chosen out of 400, by reason of their ready staying and tur∣ning, by reason of their windward∣nesse, and by reason of their drawing of little water, And they are of ex∣treame vantage neere the shoare, And in all Bayes and Rivers to turne in and out: These, I say, alone, well manned, and well Conducted, would trouble the greatest Prince of Europe to en∣counter in our Seas, For they stay and turne so readily, As, ordering them in∣to small squadrons, three of them at once, may give their broad sides, upon any one great ship, or upon any Angle or side of an enemies Fleet, They shall be able to continue a per∣petuall volley of Demiculverins with∣out

intermission, And either sinck or slaughter the men, or utterly disorder any Fleet of crosse sailes, with which they encounter.

I say then if a Vanguard be ordei∣ned of these hoyes, who will easily re∣cover the wind of any other ships, with a Battaile of 400 other warlike ships, and a Reare of thirty of his Majesties ships to sustaine, relieve and counte∣nance the rest (if God beat them not) I know not what strength can be ga∣thered in all Europe to beat them. And if it be objected, that the States can furnish a farre greater number, I an∣swer that his Majesties 40 ships, added to 600 before named, are of Incompa∣rable greater force, then all that Hol∣land and Zeeland, can furnish for the Wars. As also that a greater num∣ber would breed the same confusion, that was found in Zerxes Land Ar∣my of seaventeene hundred thousand souldiers: For there is a certaine pro∣portion

both by Sea and Land, beyond which, the excesse brings nothing but disorders and amazement.

Of those hoyes, Carvills, or Crum∣sters, Call them what you will, there was a notable experience made in the yeare, 1574. in the River of Antwerpe, neere Rummerswaell, where the Ad∣mirall Boysett with his Crumsters o∣verthrew the Spanish Fleet of great Ships Conducted by Iulian Romero, So contrary to the expectation of Don Lewis, the great Commander and Lieutenant of the Netherlands for the King of Spaine, as he came to the bancks of Bergen to behold the slaugh∣ter of the Zelanders. But contrary to his expectation, he beheld his Arma∣do, some of them sunck, some of them thrust on the shoare, and most of the rest mastered and possessed by his ene∣mies. Insomuch, as his great Cap∣tain Romero, with great difficulty, some say in a skiffe, some say by swymming, saved himselfe.

The like successe had Captaine Werst of Zeeland, against the Fleet which transported the Duke of Medi∣ni Coeli, who was sent out of Spaine by Sea, to governe the Netherlands, in place of the Duke of Alva, For with twelve Crumsters or Hoyes of the first troope of 21. sayle, he tooke all but three, and he forced the second (being twelve great ships filled with 2000. souldiers,) to run under the Ra∣makins, being then in the Spaniards possession.

But whence comes this dispute? Not from the increase of numbers, Not because our Neighbours breed more Marriners then we doe, Nor from the greatnesse of their Trade in all parts of the world, For the French creepe into all corners of America, and Africa, as they doe, and the Spa∣niards, and Portugalls, imploy more ships by many (fishing trades excep∣ted) then the Netherlands doe. But it

comes from the detestable covetous∣nesse of such particular persons as have gotten Licences, and given way to the transporting of the English Ordnance. Fuit haec Sapientia quon∣dam, publica privatis secernere, Sa∣cra profanis. And that in so great a∣bundance, as that not only our good friends the Hollanders, and Zealanders, have furnished themselves, and have them lying on their Wharfes to sell to others; but all other Nations have had from us, not only to furnish their Fleets, but to Garnish all their Forts and other places, fortifying their Coasts; without which the Spanish King durst not have dismounted so many pieces of Brasse in Naples and else where, therewith to Arme his great Fleete in 88. But it was directly proved in the Lower House of Parlia∣ment Anno of Queene Elizabeth. That there were landed in Naples a∣bove 140. Culverins English, since

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which time also, and not long since, It is lamentable that so many have beene transported into Spaine. But those that belike then determined it, and the transporters, have now forsaken the Country, and though the procurers remaine, I am resolved that they also have forsaken the care of his Majesties Estate, And the honour of this Nation. I urge not this point as thinking it unfit, to furnish his Ma∣jesties good friends and Allyes, who have had with us one common enemy for many yeares; But all politique E∣states have well observed this precept: Ut sic tractarent amicum; tanquam ini∣micum futurum: For what are all the Ships in the world to be valued at, other then a company of floating tubs, were they not furnished with Ord∣nance, either to offend others, or de∣fend themselves? If a Ship of a thou∣sand runs had in her a thousand Mus∣kateers, and never a great Gun; with

one Crumster, carrying ten or thirteene Culverins, she may be beaten to pie∣ces, and her men slaughtered. Certain∣ly the advantage which the English had by their Bowes and Arrowes in former times, was never so great, as we might now have had by our Iron Ordnance, if we had either kept it within the Land, kept it from our e∣nemies, or imparted it to our friends, moderately; For as by the former we obteined many notable victories, and made our selves masters of many parts of France, so by the latter we might have Commanded the Seas, and there∣by the Trade of the world it selfe. But we have now to our future prejudice, and how far to our prejudice I know not, forged Hammers and delivered them out of our hands, to breake our owne Bones withall.

For the conclusion of this dispute, there are five manifest causes of the upgrowing of the Hollanders and Ze∣landers.

1. The first is, the favour and assi∣stance of Queene Elizabeth, and the Kings Majesty, which the late worthy and famous Prince of Orange, did alwayes acknowledge, and in the yeare 1582. when I tooke my leave of him at Antwerpe, After the returne of the Earle of Leicest: into England, And Monsieur's arrivall there, when he delivered me his Letters to her Maje∣sty; He prayed me to say to the Queen from him, Sub umbra alarum tuarum protegimur: for certainly they had wi∣thered in the Bud, and sunck in the beginning of their Navigation, had not her Majesty assisted them.

2. The second cause was, The im∣ploying of their owne people in their Trades and Fishings, and the enter∣taining of strangers, to serve them in their armies by Land.

3. The third is, the fidelity of the house of Nassawe, and their services done them, especially of that Re∣nowned

Prince Maurice, now living.

4. The fourth, the withdrawing of the Duke of Parma twice into France, while in his absence he recovered those strong places of Zealand, and Friz∣land, as Deventer Zuphen, &c.

5. And the fifth, the imbarging and confiscating of their Ships in Spaine, which constrained them and gave them courage to Trade by force into the East and West Indies, and in A∣frica, in which they imploy 180 Ships, and 8700 Marriners.

The successe of a Counsell so con∣trary to their wisdome that gave it, as all the wit, and all the force the Spa∣niards have, will hardly (if ever) reco∣ver the damage thereby received.

For to repaire that ruine of the Hol∣landers trade into both Indies the Spa∣niards did not only labour the truce: But the King was content to quit the Sovereigntie, of the united Provinces, and to acknowledge them for free

States, neither holding nor depending on the Crowne of Spaine. But be their estates what it will, let not them de∣ceive themselves in believing that they can make themselves masters of the Sea, For certainly the shipping of England, with the great squadron of his Majesties Navy Royall, are able in despight of any Prince or State in Europe, to Command the great and large Field of the Ocean. But as I shall never thinke him a Lover of this Land, or of the King, that shall perswade his Majesty from imbracing the amity of the States of the united Provinces: (For his Majesty is no lesse safe by them, then they invincible by him:) So I would wish them, (Because af∣ter my duty to mine owne Soveraigne, and the love of my Country, I honour them most) That they remember and consider it, that seeing their passage and Repassage, lyes through the Brit∣tish Seas, that there is no Port in

France, from Callice to Flushing, that can receive their ships, that many times outward by Westerly winds, and ordinarily homewards, not only from the East Indies, but from the Straits, and from Spaine, all Southerly winds (the Brises of our Clymate) thrust them of necessity into the Kings ports, how much his Majesties favour doth concerne them, for if (as themselves confesse in their last treaty of Truce with the Spaniards) They subsist by their trades, the disturbance of their trades (which England can only di∣sturbe) will also disturbe their subsi∣stance. The rest I will omit, because I can never doubt, either their grati∣tudes or their wisdomes. For our New-castle trade, (from which I have digres∣sed) I refer the Reader to the Author of the trades increase, a Gentleman to me unknowne, But so far as I can judge, he hath many things very con∣siderable, in that short treaty of his;

yea both considerable and praise wor∣thy, and among the rest, the advise which he hath given for the mainte∣nance of our Hoyes, and Carvills of Newcastle, which may serve us, besides the breeding of Marriners for good ships of Warre, and of exceeding ad∣vantage, and certainly I cannot but ad∣mire, why the Impositions of five shillings should any way dishearten them, seeing there is but one Compa∣ny in England, upon whose trade any new payment are layd, But that they on whom it is laid raise profit by it, The Silkemen, if they pay his Maje∣sty twelve pence upon a yard of Sat∣tin, they not only raise that twelve pence, but they impose twelve pence or two shillings more upon the sub∣ject, so doe they upon all they sell of what kind soever: as all other Retay∣lers doe, of what quality or profession soever: And seeing all the Maritimate provinces of France, and Flanders, all

Holland and Zealand, Embden and Breame, &c. Cannot want our New-castle, or our Welsh Coales, The Im∣position cannot impoverish the trans∣porter; but that the buyer must make payment accordingly; And if the Im∣positions laid on these things, where∣of this Kingdome hath no necessary use, as upon Silkes, Velvets, Gold and Silver Lace, and cloaths of Gold, and Silver, Cut works, Cambricks, and a world of other trumperyes, doth in nothing hinder their vent here: But that they are more used, then ever they were, to the utter impoverishing of the Land in generall, and of those Pop∣pinjayes that value themselves by their out sides, and by their Players coats, Certainly the imposing upon Coales, which other Nations cannot want, can be no hinderance at all to the New∣castlemen, but that they may raise it againe upon the French and other Na∣tions, as those Nations themselves

doe, which fetch them from us with their owne shipping.

For conclusion of this Chapter, I say that it is exceeding lamentable, that for any respect in the world, seeing the preservation of the State and Monar∣chie, doth surmount all other respects, that strangers should be permitted to eat us out, by exporting and impor∣ting both our owne Commodities, and those of Forreigne Nations: For it is no wonder we are overtopped in all the trades we have abroad and far off, Seeing we have the grasse cut from under our feet in our fields and pastures.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pindar.
• * 1.2

  D: Sic. Lib. 6.
• * 1.3

  Lib Ger. 1. Cap. 1.
• * 1.4

  Livie 1. Lib. Dec. Polidor Lib. 3.
• * 1.5

  Isidor Orig. 9. de Navig. Cap: 1.
• * 1.6

  Tacitus de mo∣ribus German:
• * 1.7

  Tribull E∣leg: Strab: Lib: 16.
• * 1.8

  Junius. 1. King. Cap. 9.