247 



XX. 



THE ENGLISH FISHERMEN IN THE 

 TIME OF HENRY VIII. 



You know that I am always desirous of read- 

 ing lectures to you that may amuse as well as 

 instruct you, and for this purpose I will go back 

 to the reign of our King Henry VIIL, a king 

 who did many worthy acts and many very 

 wicked and foolish ones. However, this has 

 nothing to do with what I am going to tell you. 

 The Roman Catholic party in France were 

 desirous, in that king's reign, of promoting a 

 war between that country and England for 

 purposes of their own. French pirates were 

 sent out, and they robbed our Channel by seiz- 

 ing every vessel they could get hold of. A 

 sailor, named De Valse, was supplied with ships 

 and stores, and had been allowed to empty the 

 prisons to provide himself with crews. When 



