however, there was always an Admiral of England, who commanded in chief the fleets of England, Ireland, and Aquitaine. As this exalted officer could not he in two places at once, subsidiary flag-officers or commanders of fleets or squadrons were from time to time appointed to serve under him, their commissions always providing that they should not be prejudicial to the rights of the Admiral of England. These subsidiary officers were not always styled admirals, even when they commanded ships and seamen as well as soldiers and men-at-arms afloat. Sometimes they were designated "captains and leaders of men-at-arms and archers on the sea," or "the king's lieutenants on the sea"; and occasionally an admiral commanded the fleet, while a king's lieutenant commanded the men-at-arms and archers in it; whereas on other occasions the captain and leader, or the king's lieutenant, acted with the powers of a modern admiral, commanding both the seamen and all soldiers serving in the ships.[1]
In 1836, Mr. Thomas Wright copied from an ancient MS. (R. 3-19) in Trinity College, Cambridge, and sent to Monsieur A. Jal for use in his 'Archéologie Navale,' the following nautical song or ballad, which may be taken as referring to experiences on board an early passenger vessel, and which dates from the reign of Henry VI. It was afterwards printed in the first part of 'Reliquæ Antiquæ,' edited by T. Wright and J. O. Halliwell: —
Men may leve all gamys
That saylen to Seynt Jamys;
For many a man hit gramys
When they begyn to sayle.
For when they have take the see
At Sandwyche or at Wynchylsee,
At Brystow, or where that hit be,
Theyr herts begyn to fayle.
Anone the mastyr commandeth fast
To his shyp-men, in all the hast,
To dresse hem sone about the mast
Theyr takeling to make.
With "howe, hissa!" then they cry:
"What howe, mate, thou stondyst to ny;
Thy fellow may nat hale the by!"
Thus they begyn to crake.
A boy or tweyn anone up styen,
And ove-whart the sayle-yerde lyen:
"Y how talya!" the remenaunt cryen,
And pull with all theyr myght.
"Bestowe the bote, bote-swayne, anon,
That our pylgryms may pley thereon,
For som ar lyke to cowgh and grone
Or hit be ful mydnyght.
"Hale the bowelyne! Now, vere the shete!
Coke, make redy anone our mete.
Our pylgryms have no lust to ete:
I pray God give hem rest.
Go to the helm! What howe! No here?
Steward, felow, a pot of bere!"
"Ye shall have, set, with good chere
Anone, all of the best."
- ↑ 'Fœdera,' ix. 202.
