ship caught fire, and the flames could not be extinguished. The galleys managed to approach and take off the treasure which had been placed on board for the payment of the seamen and troops. The king, his suite, and some of the ship's company were also saved. But in consequence of the heating of the guns, which were loaded, the galleys were soon obliged to pull clear to avoid the shot, and numbers of people perished miserably.[1]
Arrived off the Isle of Wight on July 18th, D'Annebaut sent Polain with four galleys to reconnoitre the situation of the English fleet which still lay within, and which had for the time completely surrendered the command of the sea. Fourteen English vessels weighed with a very light land wind, and stood out of harbour as if to cut off the galleys, which fell back upon the advancing body of the French. Thereupon, the rest of the English ships weighed and went slowly out; and an interchange of shot at long range ensued, no particular damage however being done on either side. The English manœuvred to draw the enemy among the shallows on the Spit Sand and under the guns of the defences of the town; but D'Annebaut was too wary to be thus caught, and, as night came on, retired to St. Helen's Road, where he found that his largest ship, the Maitresse, was making so much water that he had to send her back to Le Hâvre to be docked.
During the night D'Annebaut rearranged his order of battle, dividing bis larger ships into three squadrons, with himself in command of thirty vessels in the centre; De Boutières with thirty-six vessels on the right, and Baron de Curton with thirty-six vessels on the left. The galleys under Polain were ordered to approach the English in the morning, and attempt to induce them, by firing at them, to follow the French to sea. But it would seem that these orders were not carried out very early.
On the 19th, King Henry was with Lord Lisle in the Henry Grace à Dieu when the first movement of the enemy was noticed, and he at once ordered an attack and went ashore. In moving out the Mary Rose, of 500 tons, being very low in the water, heeled so much when her helm was put hard over, that the sills of her open lower ports, only 16 inches out of the water ere she heeled at all, were submerged.[2] She rapidly filled and sank, carrying down with
