"Certes there
is no prince in Europe that hath a more beautiful sort of ships than the
queen's majesty of England at this present; and those generally are
of such exceeding force, that two of them, being well appointed and
furnished as they ought, will not let to encounter with three or four of
them of other countries, and either bowge them or put them to flight,
if they may not bring them home. The queen's highness hath, at this
present, already made and furnished to the number of one and twenty
great ships, which lie for the most part in Gillingham Rode. Beside
these, her grace hath other in hand also, of whom hereafter, as their
turns do come about, I will not let to leave some further remembrance.
She hath likewise three notable galleys, the Speedwell, the Tryeright,
and the Black Galley, with the sight whereof, and the rest of the navy
royal, it is incredible to say how marvellously her grace is delighted;
and not without great cause, sith by their means her coasts are kept in
quiet, and sundry foreign enemies put back, which otherwise would invade
us." After speaking of the merchant ships, which, he says, are commonly
estimated at seventeen or eighteen hundred, he continues: "I add,
therefore, to the end all men should understand somewhat of the great
masses of treasure daily employed upon our navy, how there are few of
those ships of the first and second sort, (that is, of the merchant
ships,) that, being apparelled and made ready to sail, are not worth one
thousand pounds, or three thousand ducats at the least, if they should
presently be sold. What shall we then think of the navy royal, of which
some one vessel is worth two of the other, as the shipwright has often
told me? It is possible that some covetous person, hearing this report,
will either not credit at all, or suppose money so employed to be
nothing profitable to the queen's coffers; as a good husband said once,
when he heard that provisions should be made for armor, wishing the
queen's money to be rather laid out to some speedier return of gain
unto her grace. But if he wist that the good keeping of the sea is the
safeguard of our land, he would alter his censure, and soon give over
his judgment." Speaking of the forests, this author says, "An infinite
deal of wood hath been destroyed within these few years; and I dare
affirm, that if wood do go so fast to decay in the next hundred years of
grace, as they have done or are like to do in this, it is to be