Fighting Instructions, 1530-1816 | Page 9

Julian S. Corbett
in check, correspond to the reserve of De Chaves, and the importance attached to them is seen in the fact that they contained all the king's galleons of the latest type.
In the second set of instructions, issued on August 10, this order was considerably modified. The fleet had been increased by the arrival of some of the west-country ships, and a new order of battle was drawn up which is printed in the _State Papers, Henry VIII_ (Old Series), i. 810. The formation, though still retaining the blunt wedge design, was simplified. We have now a vanguard of 24 ships, a 'battaill' or main body of 40 ships, and one 'wing' of 40 oared 'galliasses, shallops and boats of war.' The 'wing' however, was still capable of acting in two divisions, for, unlike the vanguard and 'battaill,' it had a vice-admiral as well as an admiral.

_LORD LISLE, No._ 1, 1545.
[+Le Fleming MSS. No. 2+.][1]
The Order of Battle.[2]
THE VANGUARD.
These be the ships appointed for the first rank of the vanguard:
In primis:
The Great Argosy. The Samson Lubeck. The Johannes Lubeck. The Trinity of Dantzig. The Mary of Hamburg. The Pellican. The Morion [of Dantzig]. The 'Sepiar' of Dantzig. = 8.
The second rank of the vanguard:
The Harry Grace �� Dieu. The Venetian. The Peter Pomegranate. The Mathew Gonson. The Pansy. The Great Galley. The Sweepstake. The Minion. The Swallow. The New Bark. The Saul 'Argaly.' = 12 (_sic_).
The third rank of the vanguard:
The 'Berste Denar.' The Falcon Lively. The Harry Bristol. The Trinity Smith. The Margaret of Bristol. The Trinity Reniger. The Mary James. The Pilgrim of Dartmouth. The Mary Gorge of Rye. The Thomas Tipkins. The Gorges Brigges. The Anne Lively. = 12.
The John Evangelist. The Thomas Modell. The Lartycke [or 'Lartigoe']. The Christopher Bennet. The Mary Fortune. The Mary Marten. The Trinity Bristol. = 7.
THE OARED WINGS.
Galleys and ships of the right wing:
The Great Mistress of England. The Salamander. The Jennet. The Lion. The Greyhound. The Thomas Greenwich. The Lesser Pinnace. The Hind. The Harry. The Galley Subtle. Two boats of Rye. = 12.
Galleys and ships of the left wing:
The Anne Gallant. The Unicorn. The Falcon. The Dragon. The Sacre. The Merlin. The Rae. The Reniger pinnace. The Foyst. Two boats of Rye. = 11.
The Fighting Instructions.
Item. It is to be considered that the ranks must keep such order in sailing that none impeach another. Wherefore it is requisite that every of the said ranks keep right way with another, and take such regard to the observing of the same that no ship pass his fellows forward nor backward nor slack anything, but [keep] as they were in one line, and that there may be half a cable length between every of the ships.
Item. The first rank shall make sail straight to the front of the battle and shall pass through them, and so shall make a short return to the midwards as they may, and they [are] to have a special regard to the course of the second rank; which two ranks is appointed to lay aboard the principal ships of the enemy, every man choosing[3] his mate as they may, reserving the admiral for my lord admiral.
Item. That every ship of the first rank shall bear a flag of St. George's cross upon the fore topmast for the space of the fight, which upon the king's determination shall be on Monday, the 10th of August, anno 1545.[4]
And every ship appointed to the middle rank shall for the space of the fight bear a flag of St. George's cross upon her mainmast.
And every ship of the third rank shall bear a like flag upon his mizen[5] mast top, and every of the said wings shall have in their tops a flag of St. George.
Item. The victuallers shall follow the third rank and shall bear in their tops their flags. Also that neither of the said wings shall further enter into fight; but, having advantage as near anigh[6] as they can of the wind, shall give succour as they shall see occasion, and shall not give care to any of the small vessels to weaken our force. There be, besides the said ships mentioned, to be joined to the foresaid battle fifty sail of western ships, and whereof be seven great hulks of 888 ton apiece, and there is also the number of 1,200 of soldiers beside mariners in all the said ships.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] A similar list of ships is in a MS. in the Cambridge University Library.
[2] This paper gives the order of the wings and vanguard only. The fifty west-country ships that were presumably to form the rearguard had not yet joined.
[3] MS. 'closing.'
[4] The fleets did not get contact till August 15.
[5] MS. 'messel.'
[6] MS. 'a snare a nye.' The passage is clearly corrupt. Perhaps it should read 'neither
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