110 THE HERRING FISHERY 



and to the magistrates of the several towns 

 " for assessing and collecting money for fitting 

 out ships of war, for the suppression of pirates, 

 and for the guard of the seas." The ships 

 were to be from 100 to 900 tons burthen, 

 manned with from 40 to 360 men to each ship, 

 the most general size being 500 tons, with 

 200 men and a commander. Each ship was to 

 be fitted with cannon, small arms, spears, 

 darts and ammunition, and maintained by its 

 respective county for twenty-six weeks of each 

 year with all provisions, equipment, and neces- 

 saries, together with the same amount in 

 reserve, the expense of a 500-ton ship and crew 

 for the twenty-six weeks being about £8,000. 

 The " ship money " was to be received by 

 the officers of the ships, who were further 

 empowered to provide and fit out from the 

 King's dockyards a suitable ship or ships on 

 behalf of the towns and counties thus assessed. 

 Norfolk provided one of the largest ships, a 

 vessel of 800 tons with a commander and 320 

 men, a contribution only exceeded in size by 

 that of Devonshire, of 900 tons and a crew of 

 360. The City of London provided two ships 

 of 800 tons and 320 men, and there were in all 

 forty-four ships, of a total of 11,500 tons, 

 manned by crews numbering 8,610. This 

 imposition of " ship money," therefore, cost 

 the country about £200,000 a year, and was 

 repeated annually till 1639, when the king 

 excused such towns and counties as by their 



