conclusion. He tried to revive lawful trade by a
Navigation Act. He tried to restore the fisheries by Act of Parliament.
He introduced a Bill recommending godly abstinence as a means to virtue,
making the eating of meat on Fridays and Saturdays a misdemeanour, and
adding Wednesday as a half fish-day. The House of Commons laughed at him
as bringing back Popish mummeries. To please the Protestants he inserted
a clause, that the statute was politicly meant for the increase of
fishermen and mariners, not for any superstition in the choice of meats;
but it was no use. The Act was called in mockery 'Cecil's Fast,' and the
recovery of the fisheries had to wait till the natural inclination of
human stomachs for fresh whiting and salt cod should revive of itself.

Events had to take their course. Seamen were duly provided in other
ways, and such as the time required. Privateering suited Elizabeth's
convenience, and suited her disposition. She liked daring and adventure.
She liked men who would do her work without being paid for it, men whom
she could disown when expedient; who would understand her, and would not
resent it. She knew her turn was to come when Philip had leisure to deal
with her, if she could not secure herself meanwhile. Time was wanted to
restore the navy. The privateers were a resource in the interval. They
might be called pirates while there was formal peace. The name did not
signify. They were really the armed force of the country. After the war
broke out in the Netherlands, they had commissions from the Prince of
Orange. Such commissions would not save them if taken by Spain, but it
enabled them to sell their prizes, and for the rest they trusted to
their speed and their guns. When Elizabeth was at war with France about
Havre, she took the most noted of them into the service of the Crown.
Ned Horsey became Sir Edward and Governor of the Isle of Wight;
Strangways, a Red Rover in his way, who had been the terror of the
Spaniards, was killed before Rouen; Tremayne fell at Havre, mourned over
by Elizabeth; and Champernowne, one of the most gallant of the whole of
them, was killed afterwards at Coligny's side at Moncontour.

But others took their places: the wild hawks as thick as seagulls
flashing over the waves, fair wind or foul, laughing at pursuit, brave,
reckless, devoted, the crews the strangest medley: English from the
Devonshire and Cornish creeks, Huguenots from Rochelle; Irish kernes
with long skenes,