Fighting Instructions, 1530-1816 Part 2

[8] It was under this old rule that Boroughs lodged his protest against Drake's entering Cadiz in 1587.

[9] The rest of the articles relate to discipline, internal order of ships, and securing prize cargoes.

THE ADOPTION OF SPANISH TACTICS BY HENRY VIII

INTRODUCTORY

These two sets of orders were drawn up by the lord high admiral in rapid succession in August 1545, during the second stage of Henry VIII's last war with France. In the previous month D'Annibault, the French admiral, had been compelled to abandon his attempt on Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, and retire to recruit upon his own coast; and Lord Lisle was about to go out and endeavour to bring him to action.

The orders, it will be seen, are a distinct advance on those of 1530, and betray strongly the influence of Spanish ideas as formulated, by De Chaves. So striking indeed is the resemblance in many points; that we perhaps may trace it to Henry's recent alliance with Charles V. The main difference was that Henry's 'wings' were composed of oared craft, and to form them of sufficient strength he had had some of the newest and smartest 'gallia.s.ses,' or 'galleys'--that is, his vessels specially built for men-of-war--fitted with oars. The reason for this was that the French fleet was a mixed one, the sailing division having been reinforced by a squadron of galleys from the Mediterranean. The elaborate attempts to combine the two types tactically--a problem which the Italian admirals had hitherto found insoluble--points to an advanced study of the naval art that is entirely characteristic of Henry VIII.

The main idea of the first order is of a vanguard 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 'gallia.s.ses, 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 a 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.