IN THE TIME OF HENRY VIII. 249 



detained off the coast of Newfoundland, proba- 

 bly by being ice-bound, until they had exhausted 

 all their food, and were in the extremity of 

 famine. In this condition they had been re- 

 duced to the necessity of devouring more than 

 one of their own crew. At last a French ship 

 came near with plenty of food on board. This 

 ship the English seized, and, embarking on 

 board of it, set sail, and arrived in England. 

 Some months afterwards the French crew also 

 came there, and made complaints to King Henry 

 VIII. of the treatment they had met with. 

 The king caused the matter to be inquired into, 

 and finding the great distress to which his sub- 

 jects had been reduced, and the reason of their 

 having dealt with the French in the manner 

 stated, he was moved to pity, and forgave the 

 English, but out of his own purse made a full 

 recompense to the French. 



I will now tell you another anecdote which 

 does great credit, not only to British fishermen, 

 but also to their wives. During one of Henry 

 VIII/s wars with France, that country thijeat- 

 ened England with invasion. For this purpose 

 they had collected 200 ships at Havre, and 

 60,000 men, as well as 60 transports. On the 



