Fighting Instructions, 1530-1816 | Page 9

in three ranks, formed
of the most powerful hired merchant ships and the king's own galleons
and great ships, and supported by a strong rearguard of smaller armed
merchantmen, and by two oared wings on either flank composed of
royal and private vessels combined. The vanguard was to be marshalled
with its three ranks so adjusted that its general form was that of a blunt
wedge. In the first rank come eight of the large merchantmen, mainly
Hanseatic vessels; in the second, ten of the royal navy and one private
vessel; in the third, nineteen second-rate merchantmen. The tactical aim
is clearly that the heavy Hanseatic ships should, as De Chaves says,
receive the first shock and break up the enemy's formation for the royal
ships, while the third rank are in position to support. The wings, which
were specially told off to keep the galleys 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 à 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