A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



effect of war until the military strength of Spain was destroyed, and privateering, the last expedient 

 of the defeated, taken up with vigour. When that happened the eastern counties, flanked by the 

 privateering nests of Sluys, Dunkirk, and Newport, experienced the fullest effects. For nearly 

 forty years, however, the resources of Suffolk were devoted to the increase of the national fleets and 

 armies, and we have better means of estimating what those resources were in the way of shipping 

 than for any earlier period. From at least the reign of John it had been usual to call upon the 

 officials of the ports for returns of the ships and men available for service ; most of the earlier ones 

 are lost, but several, complete or fragmentary, remain for the Elizabethan period. Usually the 

 details only deal with vessels of ioo tons and upwards, as smaller ones were not considered useful 

 for fighting purposes. War with France and Scotland existed in 1560, which was the cause of the 

 first Elizabethan list of March of that year. 1 The return for Suffolk gave 415 'mariners and 

 sailors,' and but four vessels of IOO tons and upwards, two belonging to Walberswick and two to 

 Southwold, the largest being of 140 tons. The number of seamen — the distinction between mariners 

 and sailors is obscure and unnecessary to discuss here — is evidently only that of those ashore at the 

 date of inquiry, and the list of ships is obviously incomplete since Ipswich is not included. The 

 next report, made in January, 1 565-6/ gives a total of 1,161 masters, mariners, and fishermen, 

 68 ships, and 436 crayers and boats. In men Southwold leads the county with 174 mariners 

 and fishermen, Dunwich is next with 166, Aldeburgh follows with 155, and Walberswick is 

 fourth with 122 men. Ipswich had only 18 masters and 66 men ; but Lowestoft, from Kirkley 

 to Corton, 115 men. These figures are only general, because the coast on each side of a town 

 was included in its return. Of ships of 100 tons and upwards Ipswich possessed three, Walbers- 

 wick two, and Dunwich, Southwold, and Lowestoft each one, the largest of 140 tons, belonging to 

 Southwold. Aldeburgh, including Thorpe, had the largest number — 89 — of fishing boats, and the 

 district from Southwold to Easton followed with 84. 



In July, 1570, a general embargo was ordered, and at the moment it was found that in 

 Norfolk and Suffolk there were 1,660 men at sea and 600 at home; 3 another list of the same date 

 enumerates 1,156 Suffolk seamen with their places of residence. 4 By far the highest number — 

 320 masters and men — lived at Aldeburgh, Southwold was second with 192, and Dunwich third 

 with 108. In 1572 Thomas Colshill, surveyor of customs at London, compiled a register of 

 coasting traders belonging to the ports. 5 The Suffolk section may be thus arranged : — 



In 1576 there was a list drawn up of ships of over 100 tons built since 157 I, in which Southwold 

 appears with one of 170 tons, Ipswich with one of 160 and two of 120, Aldeburgh with two of 

 140 and 150, and Orwell with one of 150 tons. 8 A year later there is another list of men and 

 'ships, barks, and hoys,' but probably only of those at home at the time 7 : — Ipswich, six ships and 

 190 men ; Woodbridge, six and 180 men ; Orford, five and 25 men ; Aldeburgh, fifty-four and 

 120 men ; Dunwich, fourteen and 80 men ; Walberswick, four and 60 men ; Southwold, twenty 

 and 100 men ; Pakefield and Kirkley, four and 46 men ; and Lowestoft, four and 60 men. The 

 next full return is of ships of 100 tons and upwards. 8 In this Harwich and Ipswich are coupled 

 with eleven vessels of 1,230 tons, of which the largest was 150 tons : Bawdsey and Woodbridge 

 possessed one of 100 tons ; Orford and Aldeburgh, nine of 1,110 tons, of which the largest was 

 140 tons; and Walberswick or Southwold, one of 100 tons. References occur in the corres- 

 pondence of the Spanish ambassadors which show that shipbuilding was proceeding apace, and the 

 next list of I 582 9 supports the information they gave Philip II. Fifteen ships of IOO tons or more, 

 including two of 200 tons, were owned at Aldeburgh, eight at Ipswich, two at Southwold, 

 and one at Orford. Of craft between 80 and 100 tons Ipswich had six, Aldeburgh, four; and 

 Southwold and Lowestoft, each two. Of under 80 tons there were 60 vessels in the county, 



1 S.P. Dom. Eliz. xi, 27. 'Ibid, xxxix, 17. 



♦Ibid. 15. 'Ibid. Add. xxii. 



6 Ibid, cvii, 68. Harwich occurs independently. 

 'Ibid, exx, I. "Ibid, xevi, fol. 267 ; 6 Feb. 1576-7. 



2l6 



3 Ibid, lxxiii, 48. 

 He excluded fishing craft. 



'Ibid, clvi, 45. 



