Englands command on the seas, or, The English seas guarded.: Wherein is proved that as the Venetians, Portugals, Spaniards, French, Danes, Polands, Turks, the Duke of Tuscany, and the popes of Rome have dominion on their seas; so the Common-wealth of England hath on our seas. : Wherein the Dutch unjust procuration and prosecution of war against England is also described.

Of the Tributes, Taxes, and Subsidies, paid for our safe∣guarding the Seas.

TO passe over the point of Dane-Gelt and such like pressures of this Nation, though indeed it was used by William the first and second, and by Henry the first, and by Stephen, Kings of Eng∣land, yet it was imployed for the custody and safe∣guard of the seas, that they

might not be infested by Danish Pirates, nor the Land suddenly invaded, and it was in the Raigne of Edward the first laid out to the same purpose, as it is evident in Rot. 72. penes Camerarios sacrarii. And to this purpose likewise was Subsidy money granted in full Parliament in the time of Edward the third, for to safe-guard the Realm and the Sea, the Scotch borders, Gascony and the Islands be∣longing to England, this was then thought just and necessary, not onely by the King and the Lords, but al∣so by the Parliament. Rot. Parl. 13. Edw, for they in∣clude

the safety of the Land to bee by the able guarding of our seas, and what is worth Observation, 'tis certain that in the Reign of Richard the second there was a cerrain Tax and Tri∣bute laid upon any ship, as well Merchants, as Fisher∣men, and not of our own onely, but also upon a∣ny forreigner whatsoever that should passe upon our Northeast or North seas, and this was imposed, ad maris tutelam, for the safety of the Seas. Every ship ac∣cording to the burthen or Tun paid a certain and set rate 6. d. except such onely who passed from Flanders to

London, or to Calice with Wooll or Hides. Every fish∣erman paid 6. d. for the Tun weekly, and to this end, there were six stout men of war appointed and set out to sea. Rot. Par. 2 Rich. part. 2. Art. 39. & so all Colliers sail∣ing from Newcastle and car∣rying Coals, paid quarter∣ly after the Rate of 6 d. the Tunne, and not onely these, but all other passengers for passing and repassing, and specially such who fished, if Forreigners.

Also in the Reign of Henry the sixth, William La Poole Duke of Suffolk was accused in Parliament, be∣cause he had not rightly

imployed the Subsidy mo∣nies, for, and towards the tuition and safe keeping the seas. Rot. Par. 28. Hen. 6. And in the 32. of his Reign there was a Subsidy granted of 40000 l. in tutelam Maris. (that is) for the defence of the seas. To shut up all, who may not find in the Acts of Parliament, as the 1. of Ed. 6. the first of Queen Mary, the first of Queen Elisabeth, and the first of King James, that the Parliament allow∣ed Subsidies for the defence of the Realm, and safeguard of the seas, and for enter-course of Trade, and traf∣fick, and for Merchandises to come safe into, or to be

exported hence, as also to hinder any for disturbing our Land by Invasion, or our seas by Piracy; what need all these have been so carefully prosecuted but onely to shew our Rights, and lawful Jurisdiction up∣on our seas.

To proceed, if we should shew the world, the power and large Commissions gi∣ven to our Lords High Ad∣miralls of England, they surely would evidence our Dominion at sea: in vain had they been granted, if not of Right, or if not ex∣ecuted, and to speak truth we find no mention of any sea-fights concerning our

title, none were so bold then, or so unjust to chal∣lenge a Dominion, or to u∣surp it on our Coasts, other differences betwixt Kings and Princes caused wars of∣ten at Sea, but not this one, which now the insolent and injurious Dutch alone have raised to quarrel with us: to satisfie all men, we will ren∣der the form of the Com∣mission of the Lord High Admirall of England, as for many years it hath been granted forth.

Damus & concedimus N. magni Admiralli nostri An∣gliae Hiberniae Walliae, ac Do∣miniorum, & insularum eo∣rundem. To English it in

part, we give and grant to N. the Office of great Ad∣mirall of England, Ireland, and Wales, and of our Do∣minions and Islands of the same, but what power is in∣cluded? it is plain, that as occasions were greater or lesse, so his Commission was limited or extended, even as far as to Calice, and the Marches thereof, and to those of Normandy, Gascoyn and Picardy, and therefore one Commission runs, so that we have made, appoin∣ted and ordained N. to be Lord High Admirall as aforesaid, and do of our speciall grace and know∣ledge give and grant unto

N. our great Admirall of all our Navies; and seas afore∣said, all and singular the Jurisdictions, Authorities, Liberties, Offices, Feodes, Profits, emoluments, Ship∣wrecks, &c. as also all ad∣vantages, commodities, pre∣heminences and priviledges whatsoever belonging or appertaining unto the said Office of our great Admiral of England and Ireland, and of all other our foresaid Dominions; and when he was invested with this Ho∣nor, he was to use his utmost skill and power to put his Commission into executi∣on, but what did that con∣cern? to secure our seas, to

fight enemies, to take Pi∣rates, to demand Customs, and Sea Taxes, to protect our Fishermen, to hinder o∣ther people from fishing, except leave was first grant∣ed to them, and they had agreed to pay what was Im∣posed on them for their fishing, and to this end the Admirall had power to di∣vide his Navy, some to the North seas, some to the Ea∣stern, and some to the West, and what did all this shew, but that the English have and alwayes had an un∣doubted Right and Domi∣nion in, and over the seas. That learned Antiquary Sir Hen. Spelman in his Glossary

hath set down the names, and the year of our Lord, with the Kings that reigned respectively, of all who have enjoyed that Office of Ad∣miralty, or keepers and Guarders of our seas time out of mind, and it seems wonderfull, that four such huge Navies should be ma∣naged and set forth to sea, the least whereof consisted of one 1000 Sail. The first that bore the title of Admi∣rall of all England was Ri∣chard the younger son of A∣lan, Earl of Arundel and Surrey, and this was confer∣red on him September 10. A. 10. Rich. 2. Hen. Spel. Gloss. p, 15.

And that great Antiqua∣ry by diligent search and industry hath brought them down from Richard Lucy the first, in the eighth year of Henry the third, as well for the North seas as the VVest, unto our times, even unto the 6. of K. James. For certain, large was our Sove∣raignty at sea: if we please to note two or three of the Lord Admiralls Titles to a∣void tediousnesse, for in the first of Edward 6. Thomas Seymor Knight, Baron of Sudely, Brother of Edward Duke of Somerset, was Ad∣mirall of England, Ireland, Wales, Calice, Bulloign, &c. Feb. 17.

And in the third of Ed∣ward the sixth, John Dudly Earl of VVarwick, Viscount Lisle Knight of the Garter, Lord high Admirall of Eng∣land, VVales, Calice, Bulleign, and the Marches of the same, of Normandy Gascoyn and Picardy, and chief Go∣vernour of our Navies, and of all the feas.

And so Charls Howard, Baron of Essingham, his Ti∣tles go as high in the 27. of Elisabeth: and as they had large Titles, so had they as great force and ability to execute such Right & Title as we have ••o the seas, that they are stiled our seas, and in the second of Edward the

third, they are called quatu∣or maria Angliae (that is) the four seas of England what an Ancient & Honourable propriety is expressed and engraven in these words.

Next follows to shew our Dominion on the sea are Letters of Credence from our Princes in favour grant∣ed to such, who have asked leave to passe or repasse our seas, such was the leave, and safe guard granted to Fer∣rando Ʋrtis of Sarrachon, a Spaniard to sayl from the Port of London, through, and by our Kingdomes Ter∣ritories and Dominions to Rochel Rot. Franc. 5. Hen. 4. Membr. 11. Jan. 5. And

Charls the 6. King of France sending to Robert the third King of Scotland about en∣tring into League with him, got leave first for free and safe passage from King Henry through his Dominions, Territories, and possessions, by sea and Land, it seems by these, that England kept the Government of the seas without controll then, and why not now?

But remarkable is that story; how in the Reign of Qu. Elisabeth, the Kings of Denmark and Sweden too, as also the Hans-towns did of∣ten and earnestly sollicite, and petition her that shee would be pleased to give

them leave to passe and re∣pass Her seas, so they counted them then to be, that they might carry corn into Spain, in that time while England and Spain were in war one with another, She wisely did deny them, but they think∣ing to steal thither without her leave, were taken and made prize, even as they were sailing into Lisbone 13. Jun. 1589. See this also in Thuanus lib. 95. Histor. and when they complained of the Act of the Queen as un∣just and against the Law of Nations, and free Trade 'twas answered that they should not have license or leave to cary arms or corn

or any materialls serving to hold up the war, but for o∣ther merchandises, they should have as free leave as ever. And when as they sent over into England their A∣gent Sebastian Van Bergen, with Letters of Request, that they might have free leave to Trade, and carry any sort of provision into Spain, they had this tart answer from the Queen and Councel; if they durst do so, they should be sure to be severely pu∣nished by her Majesties ships of warre, and prize to bee made beside. In Declar. Beg. 1589.

And the like stout & reso∣lute answer was also given

to the Danish Embassadours desiring & solliciting for the same Anno 1597. And who knows not but John King of Sweden desired leave of the same Queen to carry mer∣chandise to Spain; but what need he ask the reason is rendred. Necesse ei fore Ma∣ritimas Reginae ditiones per∣transire (that is) he must of all necessity passe by the Queens Territories and Do∣minions, in Bib. Cotton: but of this sufficient; the Dutch may be in due time brought to acknowledge as much; they have done it to be sure, and humbly too, which fol∣lows next.