complained loudly of the taxes levied for the hire of the merchant shipping, although a large portion of the great wealth amassed by the ecclesiastics of the period was undoubtedly derived from trade, and most likely from their private and personal investments in maritime pursuits.
Henry III., A.D. 1216.
Naval actions.
Cinque Ports.
When Henry III. ascended the throne, and the
barons arrayed themselves in opposition to Louis of
France, their former ally, so many actions by sea
ensued that the maintenance of the navy became a
necessity. An English fleet of forty galleys and
other vessels attacked and defeated a French
squadron of more than double its size; the English,
on the authority of Matthew Paris,[1] attacking their
opponents by "a dreadful discharge of arrows from
the crossbow-men and archers," rushing against them
with their iron beaks, "and availing themselves of
their position to windward by throwing pulverised
quicklime into the French, whereby the men were
blinded." In this celebrated action, which some
have called the commencement of England's dominion
of the sea, the vessels contributed by the Cinque
Ports[2] greatly distinguished themselves, and obtained
thereby further privileges. Thus they were commissioned
"to annoy the subjects of France,"—in
other words, to plunder, as they pleased, not merely
the merchant vessels of that country, but "all they
met of whatever nation, not sparing even their own
- ↑ M. Paris, p. 298. Ann. of Waverl. p. 183. Gale, ap. Robert of Gloucester, p. 515.
- ↑ See Appendix No. 4, pp. 629-632, for charter of Edward I. (1272-1307) to the Cinque Ports. This appears to be the earliest charter that has been preserved, but it is only confirmatory of the charters given by previous kings.
