CHARLES I. I THE NAVY 259 



they read it. 1 But it at least removed their fears of immediate 

 Avar. Explanations of similar tenour, but couched in more 

 moderate language, were made to other Courts. The intentions 

 of the king were declared to be quite peaceful, and stress was 

 laid on the violations of the King's Chambers, "to the great 

 derogation of that dominion at sea which has always of right 

 belonged to the Imperial crown of this kingdom " ; the fleet 

 was to free his coasts and seas from such disturbances, to secure 

 free trade to his subjects and allies, and " to reduce his dominion 

 upon the British seas to the ancient style and lustre." 2 



Let us now turn to the fleet which was to carry out this 

 grand programme and see what it actually accomplished. The 

 ships began to assemble in the Downs in May, the Earl of 

 Lindsey being appointed "Admiral, Gustos Maris, Captain- 

 General and Governor" of the fleet, with the veteran Sir 

 William Monson as Vice- Admiral, and Sir John Pennington as 

 Rear- Admiral. It consisted of nineteen of the king's ships and 

 five armed merchant vessels, making twenty-four in all ; 3 and 

 though other ten royal ships which were being prepared to 

 reinforce it were ultimately discharged, it was said by the com- 

 mon people that " never before had such a fleet been set out by 

 England." In the king's commission appointing the Earl of 

 Lindsey it was stated that he had thought fit, by the advice of 

 his Council, to set forth to sea a navy as well for the defence 

 and safety of his own territories and dominions as for the guard 

 and safe-keeping of his seas, and of the persons, ships, and goods 

 of his own subjects and of his friends and allies "trading by 

 sea to and fro our dominions for commerce and trade, and 

 other their just and necessary occasions, from those spoyles and 



1 " Dessein de Sa Mate de la grande Bretagne p sa flotte prente," ^ May 1635. 



Aitzema, Saken van Staet en Oorlogh, ii. 164 ; Muller, op. cit., 230. Boswell sup- 

 pressed the reference to the Dutch fisheries and to the old troubles at Greenland 

 and in the East Indies, and he toned down the part prohibiting the warships of 

 other nations from keeping guard in the British seas. 



2 State Papers, Dom., cclxxxvi. 100. 



8 They were as follow : Merhonour, admiral, 44 guns ; James, vice-admiral, 48 

 guns ; Swiftsure, rear-admiral, 42 guns ; St George, 42 guns ; St Andrew, 42 guns ; 

 Henrietta Maria, 42 guns ; Vanguard, 40 guns ; Rainbow, 40 guns ; Red Lion, 38 

 guns ; Constant Reformation, 42 guns ; Antelope, 34 guns ; Leopard, 34 guns ; Swallow, 

 34 guns ; Mary Rose, 26 guns ; Sonaventure, 34 guns ; and the First, Third, Eighth, 

 and Tenth Lion's Whelps, of 14 guns each. The merchant ships were the Sampson, 

 Freeman, Royal Exchange, William Thomas, and Pleiades. 



