500 ENGLISH GALLEYS IN THE October Blancard was captured.^ Possibly because this prize was superior in speed and efficiency to the Galley Subtile, or more probably because aP experienced commander was needed for her management, Richard Broke transferred his flag for a short time to the Galley Blancard.^ lisle writing to Paget on 15 July reports that on his departure from London Richard Broke that hatli the Rule of the Kyngs mats gaily keptt me Company wth the same as farr as Gravisend to kepe the forsados in ure and breth as they must contynewally be otherwyse they wilbe shortly nothyn worth. It is the new French galley that is referred to here, for Lisle goes on to say that Broke asked to have some new clothes bought for all the sayde forsados who he saith ar most misserable wthout any manner of thyngs to hange uppon theym. So that I perceyvo the same Gaily wilbe some chardge to his mat con- tynewally iff his highnes do kepe her styll wth her sute of forsados as she ys no we. And in case that his mat sholde have sute made by the admyrall of Fraunce at his comeng for the Restitucion of her, yt ys at his mats most bontefull plesure, to do yt or not. And yet if his mat shold be myndyd to gratyfy him wth hit I wold wysh that his mat wold fyrst gyve fredom and hberty to the sayde forsados at the leaste to as many as wold take yt wch I thinke wold be more worth to his mat then the strength of iiij'T gallys if ever his mat shold have any more to do wth thejnn. For I thinke those that have the Rule of theym wolbe ever in doubt to come nere unto any of the Kyngs mats navy or ports for feare of Rendering theym selves unto his highnes.^ The French indignantly denied the legality of this capture, and when Claude d'Annebaut, the French admiral, came over to England in connexion with the peace negotiations of 1546 he did as Lisle thought he would do and made gret sute for his galley, which His Majestic was pleased to have gyven to hym : mary, as toching the forsares, He could not of his honour rendre them, having before gyven them hbertye. ThAdmyral demanded restitution of the galley etc., as beyng no just prise : whereimto my Lord Admyral could not accord and warme wordes wer betwene them, but they ended frendly.* ♦ The admiral's eloquence seems to have been convincing, for on 25 September 1546 we learn from Odet de Selve, French ambas- sador in England from 1546 to 1549, that Paget had stated that > Letters and Papers, xxi. i. 874. Mr. Oppenheim, quoting Stowe's Chronicie, gives the date wrongly as 18 May. • Broke is spoken of once more as the captain of the king's OaUey Subtile on 29 October 1546 {ibid. xxi. 11. 319). • Ibid. XXI. 1. 1281. • Privy Council to Dr. Wotton, 31 August 1546 {ibid. xxi. 1. 1530 ; State Papers oj Henry VIII, xl. 284).
