252 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



from all persons using those his seas a forbearance from 

 injuries and all hostile actions, yet (in and through all the 

 same) suddenly to tie the hands of his friends and allies 

 in open hostility each with other, is not for some reasons 

 held convenient at this time," and therefore he would cause 

 the bounds to be laid down within which he would yield 

 peace and security to his friends and neighbours. 1 



Clearly, however, something more than a proclamation 

 was required to ensure the security of the seas and the 

 neutrality of the chambers and ports. As early as 1627 

 official proposals had been made to build thirty ships of 

 a small class to guard the narrow seas, which might com- 

 pete in swiftness with the privateers and freebooters infest- 

 ing them, a plan that was partly carried out by the building 

 of the ten "Lion's Whelps," which, however, proved complete 

 failures. An estimate was also procured for building eighteen 

 ships and two pinnaces, at a cost of about 43,000, the 

 estimated expense of the crews being 6100 per month. 2 

 Various other schemes were considered, including one to 

 form a fleet of forty armed Newcastle colliers, to be employed 

 primarily in convoying the coal ships, but capable of being 

 called off at any time for the king's service. The want 

 of money was the great obstacle to the formation of a 

 strong fleet. The wages of the seamen and others employed 

 were always in arrear, at the end of 1627 the arrears 

 amounted to 251,361, and the victualling and furnishing 

 of the ships afloat were of the worst possible description. 3 

 The necessity of a fleet to maintain the dominion of the 

 sea and defend the coasts was being constantly urged upon 

 the king. The Attorney - General, Heath, in 1632, called 

 attention to the truism that our strength and safety lay 

 " in our walls, which is our shipping," and he strongly recom- 

 mended that a powerful fleet should be maintained because 

 of the boldness of the Hollanders, and in order to preserve 



1 Reglement for Preventing Abuses in and about the Narrow Seas and Ports, 

 March 1633. State Papers, Dom., cclx. 127, 128; cclxxix. 18. Brit. Mus. Add. 

 MSS., 30,221, fol. 44 (Pepys' collections). Copies exist in State Papers, Dom., 

 vol. 515, Nos. 38, 39 (1647), extracted from Admiralty Book, Liber E, and in State 

 Papers, Dom., Jas. I., vol. 11, No. 40 (1604), wrongly calendered (see p. 119). 



2 Ibid., liv. 9, 33. 3 Oppenheim, op. cit. 



