NAvigation is as ancient, as the first great Deluge, and the Arke, which God Al­mighty commaunded to be made, the first Vessell that was ever lifted upon the Waters. For as before the Earth was unplowed, so were the Seas unfurrowed. One Ship at once contained all the living people of the VVorld, but now what a multitude of Ships doth the World containe? The first, had neyther Mast, Saile, nor Oare, for what need was of these, or any of them; when He who made the [...]eas and the Winds, was both Pilot and Steares-man? Noah, the first Na­vigator [Page 2] entred the Arke, in the yeare from the Creation, 1656. in the second Month, and the seventeenth day thereof, when he himselfe was six hundred yeares in age. His voyage was a full s [...]lary yeare, which containeth twelve Lunary Moneths, to which are added ten dayes, called Epactae. For so long he floated upon the Wa­ters, ere he set footing upon the Earth. The Arke, after the Flood was somewhat abated (ac­cording to the testimony of Moyses, first rested upon the Mountaines of Ararat, which the best Cosmographers held to [...]e Montes Gordaei the Gordaean Mountaines, which have their scituation in Armenia.

Haitonus Armenus in his Book de Tartarijs Cap. 7. Writeth that in Armenia there is a Mountain, which is held to be one of the highest upon Earth, vulgarly called Arat, on which the Arke first touched: and though by reason of the abundance of Snow which cloathed it Winter and Summer, it be altogether unpassable, yet in the very Apex and top thereof, there is still to be discerned a blacke shadow, re­sembling a Darke Cloud, which by the Natives of that Country, hath successively [Page 3] bin held, to be the still remaining car­kasse of the Arke of Noah.

Him, all the Ethnicke and Gentile Wri­ters, call Ianus, because he first planted the Vine, for the Hebrews call Vinum Iajin, from whence he received the Denomina­tion of Ianus Vinitor, who after arriving in Italy, and there seating himselfe, from him that Countrey was called Iani­cula, and the City Ianua, by corruption of time, since called Genua, was thought to have bin by him Erected. My ob­servation concerning the premises is, That he who was preserved in the Waters, was the first that taught the use of VVine. In which it may be supposed, more soules have since bin Ship-wrackt, then perisht in the first Vniversall Cataclisme.

Quintus Fabius Pictor, in his first Booke de Aureo Seculo. i.e. the golden VVorld, tel­leth us, that this Ianus (before sayd to be Noah) intertained banished Saturne into Italy, who came thither by Sea, entring at Ostia, and sailed up the River Tyber. This, Ovid in his First Booke De fastis, E­legantly expresseth, who Demaunding [Page 4] of Ia [...]us the reason why upon one side of the Roman Navall Coine, a ship was Fi­gured, and on the other, his owne double Portraicture? (According to the Poet) having resolved him of the latter, hee thus proceedeth to satisfie him touching the former.

Thus Interpreted.

[Page 5] But we read further of a second Inun­dation which hapned in Greece. Athens was the first Accademy that can be read of, the Towne famous, the Inhabitants ingenious; as first teaching the Argives the use of Woole, by Carding, Spining, and Cloathing, tutoring them in the two beneficiall Commodities of Oyle and Wine. Instructing them in Agricul­ture, as to Plow, to Sow, and to Reape, and to sustayne themselves with bread, who before fed on Achornes. Learning and Arts were there first Studied and Taught, in so much that the City was h [...]ld as sacred as a Temple Dedicated unto the gods.

Cecrops was the first King therof, whom Antiquity fabled to be Biformis, as parti­cipating two shapes and Sexes. For no other reason, but because he first coupled and ioyned men and Virgins in the mo­dest and civill tie of marriage.

Him Craunits succeeded, from whose beautifull Daughter Atthis, the whole Region and Province that lyes betwixt, Achaia and Macedonia, tooke the Deno­mination [Page 6] of Attica: Craunus expiring Am­phitrion was invested in the Throne, who first consecrated the Citty unto Minerva, and named it Athens: In whose time hapned that great flux of Waters which covered the greatest part of Greece, and in which many thousands of the people perished. Such as could save themselves in skiffes or Boates, escaped into Thes­saly, a more Mountainous Countrey, where being gently received, and comfortably re­lieved by Deucalion and Pyrrha, who at that time reigned King and Queene. The Poets to magnifie their royall Hospitality, feigned, that when the whole World was destroyed by an Vniversall Deluge, (saving them two, who preserved their Lives by cli­ming up to the top of Pernassus) they were the sole miraculous restorers of Mankind. But this Flood which according to truth, onely affli­cted the most of Greece, and some part of [...], hapned in the yeare of the World tw [...] [...] foure hundred forty, after, Noahs stood seaven hundred eighty foure. By this [...] it manifestly appeareth, that Shipping hath bin of old, and Exercised [Page 7] by sundry Nations: and so much briefly for the Antiquity of Navigation.

BEfore I come to speake particularly of this Royall Ship it selfe, it will no [...] be [...] altogether impertinent, to give you a Summary Relation of such severall kindes, of Vessells as were used of old by sundry Nations; that the rudenesse of the first, may the better set off the rarenesse of the Last. Nonnius speakes of Miaparo, a kinde of Vessell most used by Pyrats, and made much af [...]er the manner of our small Pi­naces. Varro and Budaeus, write of Parones which were the same which we call Brigantines. Acatium was Navis Actuaria, that is a small nimble Galley. Anchiro­macu [...] was made after the manner of our great Liters, and imployed only to carry Anchors, Cables, Cordage, and other Nauti­call Instruments. Baris, was no other then Cymba, a small Boate, and in such as Propert. Lib 3. affirmes, the Egyptians u­sed to Ferry the bodies of their Dead to their places of buriall. Catascopium, was Nauis Exploratoria, a Ship of Watch and [Page 8] Discovery, and of such Caesar maketh mention in his Commentaries. Celox was a small and short kind of Boate or Crare, so called for the swiftnesse, of which Plautus in his Aulular maketh mention, and of which was grounded that old adage; Celocem qui regere nequit onerariam petit: Hee desireth to take charge of a great Ship, who knoweth not how to governe a small one. Cyrcerus was a Vessel of great burden used in Asia, imployed in Merchandize, and the Transportage of all usefull Commodities, from one Countrey to another. Fasellus was built after the same manner; and as Salust in his History witnesseth, most Frequent in Campania. Lybrini were Ships of Warre and very swift of Saile, so called of Ly­burnia an Harbor in Dalmatia; and of such Horace, remembreth us in Epod. Horia was a Fisher-boat, Lembus a Barke short and swift, spoken of by Pliny.

The names of severall Vessells used in Navigation, according unto Gellius, are these that follow. Lib. 11. Cap. 25. Gaulae, Corbitae, Caudicae, Hippagines, Cercuri, Celoces, [Page 9] Oxiae, Remiculi, Actuaria, Prosumia, Ges­cortae, Orioles, Carrae, Scaphae, Pontones, Nuctuciae, Mediae, Phaselli, Parones, Myo­parones, Lintres, Caupulicae, Mari-placidae, Cy­darum, Ratariae, Catascopium, &c. Linter was a small Boate compact of hollow­ed Trees, ioyned together, and those the Germaines Dwelling neare unto the River Danubius first devised. Monocilon was a Boate made only of one Tree, not cut into plankes, and such the Indian Canooes are imagined to be. Gaulae, were made almost together round, yet such as they ventred with, not only uppon the Rivers, but in calmes uppon the Seas: Corbitae, were Ships for Trafficke, big but very stow of saile. Caudicae, were Boates made out of the pieces of a Ship that were broken up. Hippagines, were Ferry Boates to carry over Horse-men. Circurus, was built much after the manner of the Spa­nish or Portugall Carvels. Of Oxiae, the name is only remaining, but of what Fashion or burden the Vessel was, is not left to us. Remiculi were much after the condition of the Venetian Gundeloes. Pro­sumiae, [Page 10] were small Barkes, and swift of saile. Gescortae, were a kind of Spie-boates which waited upon a fleete at Sea. Oriolae, some do thinke to have beene fashioned much like unto our English-Barges, others thinke them to be the same with Horia before spoken of. Carrae, takes the Denomination of Carras, Cur­rum, or Currus, that is a Waggon or a Chariot, because in such as in our Barges they were Ro­wed upon the Water for pleasure. Scapha or Scaphula was a small Boate or Wherry. Ponto [...]es were Ferry-boates, in such a one Phaon transported Venus over the River. Catascopium a smal Ship or Pinnace, and so of the rest.

Trieris was a Vessell of great Burden first devised in Greece, which the Rowers, with three orders of Oares on either side, forced upon the Waters. The Latines cald such an one Triremis, or a Ship of three orders, as we read Q [...]adremes, and Quinque-remes amongst the ancient Romans, and amongst the Greeks Epteres, and Enneres, and Deceres, those of seven, nine, and ten orders.

Pliny telleth us, that Dam [...] sthenes was the inventer of the Bi-remis, Ammocl [...]s the [Page 11] deviser of the Tri-remis, Gorin of the qua­dri-remis, first used amongst the Carthagi­nians; Nesicthon the quinque-remis, who was borne is Salamine, the Countrey of Aiax, Xenagoras of Syracusa, in Sicil [...]a that of six orders, and Nesigiton that of ten. Alex­ander the great commanded one of twelve or­ders to be made: Ptolomaens Sother excee­ded him, and brought them to fifteene. De­metrius Antigonus caused one to bee built of thirty orders; Philadelphus increased them to Forty, and Ptolomaeus Philopater to Fifty, of which Calixenes in his first booke Re [...]um Alexandrinarum makes an incre­dible mention, as that shee was in length two hundred aud fourescore cubits, and fifty cu­bits in height from the Keele to the upmost deck, that she had two beake-heads, and two Sternes; that she could not be rowed with lesse than three thousand and foure hundred Oares: but the Greekes so Hyperbolize in all things, that I should not without blushing give you a relation of her whole dime [...]sion.

The like I read of the great ship of Hie­ron Syracusanus, described by Moschius af­ter the like unbeleeveable manner, for [Page 12] thus he writeth: Much to be admired was Diocles Abderites for devising that rare Present which Demetrius brought to the City of the Rhodians, so Timaeus for that fune­rall Pile prepared for Dionisius the Tyrant of Syracusa; so Hi [...]ronimus, for that in­comparable Chariot in which Alexander the great rode in Tryumph: so Polycletus for that inimitable Candlesticke which was after presented to the great Sophy of the Persians: but above all these, H [...]eron the King of the Syracus [...]ns, alwayes a faithfull colleague with the Romans▪ who much delighted in the building of Vessels of great burden, conve­nient for the transportage of graine from one Province to another. But above all, he is to be renowned for one Navall stru­cture, to raise which hee imployed at once threescore Triremes, to fetch Timber from Aetna, the rest of the materialls usefull for such a great worke, as nailes, plankes, &c. some out of Italy, some he had out of Sicilia: His cordage he had from Spaine, his hempen sayles were brought through the River Rhodanus, with divers other necessaries to accom­modate [Page 13] so great and rare a Fabrick. Hee hyred also many Officers belonging to the Sea, as Masters, Pilots, Pursers, boat-swaines, and other ordinary Sea­faring men, over whom hee made one Archias Co [...]inthius prime governour and commander. There were three hundred Ship carpenters▪ dayly at worke, who per­fected the halfe part of her in six moneths▪ and then she was lanched into the Ri­ver, which had beene with great diffi­culty, had not the famous Archimedes de­vised new Engines to rowle her out of the stocks into [...]he water, which he did with great facil [...]ty: In sixe Moneths after her upper d [...]cks were finished; the Nailes which fashioned the planks together, were all of brasse, some of which were of ten pound weight: Her inward parts contayned Hall, Parlour, with­drawing and banqueting Roomes, aud those of no smal rece [...]te, paved with Achates, Eme­ralds, & other precious stones f [...]und in his owne Countrey▪ and those maritime and adiacent Re­gions. She had a kitchin furnisht [...]oth with ear­then & brazen vessels, and in her Prore or fore­castle a roome shut, lined with shingle boards, [Page 14] or wainscot-plankes, in which were leaden Ce­sternes, and in them almost all sorts of Fishes preserved, holding many measures of water: There were sundry Bath-tubs made of Brasse, every of which contayned quinque metretae, that is, five vessels of water, every of them receiving three times thirteene Gallons. In her was a Schoole-house, and a Library; di­vers chambers to dine and sup in, and Cabins with beds belonging unto them for all the prime officers of the Ship: There were moreover ten Stables for Horse, and roome allowed both for their Hey and Provender: shee had foure Anchors of wood, and eight of Iron; but (which I had almost forgot) she had in her a Garden, and an Orchard, with Vines, and all kind of Flowers; the Trees and Plants being set in earthen and leaden vessels fill'd with choise earth, being well watered, producted according to the Season: Her sinke drew no more water than one man might ea­sily empty by a pumpe, which was de­vised b [...] the Art of Archimedes: shee was first called Syracusia, and after Alexandria. [Page 15] I have not yet given you a Tythe of her description, onely I thus end with her, that according to the same Author, as Athenaeus lib. Dipnosop. 5. cap. 7. witnes­seth, besides all the former burden, her victualing was sixty thousand measures of Corne, ten thousand earthen vessels furnisht with bread and salt, twenty thousand Talents of flesh, and of other necessaries belonging to Navigation, besides the Masts, Sailes, and people that man'd the Ship, twenty thousand after the former account.

But the Greekes were held to bee the greatest fablers of the World, of every moale-hill, apt to make a Mountaine; who out of an Ant would strive to beget an Elephant; or if such vessels were possible to be made, I would gladly know to what use or service: Alas, if two of our small whelps should meete such an unweildy Bulke upon the Sea, should they but roare upon her, she must be either forc't basely to veile and yeeld, or else, notwithstanding all her muniments and defences, be forc't to foun­der, and perish with all her glorious Riches in the Ocean. Yet one thing I cannot here let passe, that for one Hyperbolizing [Page 16] Epigram composed upon this ship by the Poet Archimelus, conteyning onely nine Cuplets, Eighteene lines in all, (accor­ding to the same Author) Centum fru­menti medimnis decoravit, King Hieron re­warded him with an hundred measures of wheat, and every Medimnum contayned six of our Bushels, &c. which after hee carryed to the Granary, and so much they then affected Po­etry, that he solded it unto them at his owne price.

I will now give you the Names of some of the most famous devisers of Ships: Tiphis was the first amongst the Tyrians; Danaus brought shipping out of Aegypt into Greece, of which Erythra made the first practice in the Red Sea. Boates were made of tann'd leather, and such were first knowne in the Brittish Oce­an: In Nylus they were composed of Paper, and Reeds.

Iason and the Argonauts were the first that ventured to Sea in a long boate, or Gal­ley, of which one Argus was the Architector; (for so saith Philostephanus) Egesius attri­buteth the honour of the first ship to Partha­lus; Ctesius to Samira, Stephanus to Se­miramis, [Page 17] Archimachus to Aegaeon, Mo­ses to Noah: The Vessell call'd Oneraria, or of burden, Hippius Tyrius invented; the small Barke the Cyrenen [...]es; the Pinnace and Ferry-boate the Phaenicians; the Celox the Rhodians; the Cercurus the Cyprians. The first observation of the Starres, by which to direct their Navigation, the Phaenicians: The Capae devised the Oare, in managing of which the Plateae assisted; Icarus the Saile, Dedalus the Mast, and crosse-yard that bea­reth the sayle: the Hatches the Thasians, the Beake-head Pysaeus, the Anchor the Tyrhi­ans, Anacharsis the Grapples, Tiphis the smaller ropes assisting to the greater cordage; and King Minos of Creete was the first that hazarded his person in any navall conflict.

These were great Navigators of old, remembred by the Historians and Po [...]ts. Tiphis, the first famous and renowned Pilot, is celebrated by Virgil in his fourth Eglogue, by Seneca in Medea, and by Ovid in many places of [...] P [...]ems. Pelorus was the Pilot of Hannibals ship, when he fled from Scipio. [...] in Melpomene maketh mention of one Co­laeus, [Page 18] who was a prime Navigator a­mongst the Samians: Phereclus was the chiefe Architector of that Navy provi­ded for Paris to rape Hellen from Greece, in which fleete he was also chiefe com­mander: Amiclus was one to whom Cae­sar came in the time of the civill Warre, and by him was transported into Italy; for so saith Lucan Pharsal. lib. 5. Phraates was the sonne of Onetor, and governour of that ship in which Menelaus imbarkt himselfe in that expedition made a­gainst Troy.

Erasmus in his Proverbs remembreth us of one Mandro, the Pilot of a small Barke, who by the favour of Fortune, after attained to the imperiall dignity, and of a second called Acessaeus, whom he calls Ignavus Nauta. Plutarch reports from Simonides, that one Amarsiades Pere­clus was the master of Theseus his ship, when he was sent to be devoured of the Minotaure, but Philocharus saith, that Nau­sithaeus and Pheacus were the two Rect [...]rs of that Vessels. The same Author in The­mistocle testates, that Artomenes was the [Page 19] chiefe Admirall of Xerxes fleete, when he came to invade Greece, who affir­m [...]h also, that one Petitius was Master of that ship which carryed Pompey in his flight, after the battaile of Pharsalia. O­phel [...]es was a notable Pirate and Spie, re­membred unto us by Sidonius.

Another of the like condition I read of, whose name was Saro. Menesteus, Sergestus, Cloantus, are three Sea farers spoken of by Virgil, Aenead. Lib. 4. who tells us also of Palinurus, who was Pi­lot to Aeneas his ship, when he sayled in­to Italy. Lucan lib. 3. much commendeth one Telon Massilensis both for h [...]s Art in Navigation, and skill in the Stars, when he saith,

The same Author speaks farther in the great commendation of one Phoceus, who was both Nauta, and Urinator, a Say­ler, and an ex [...]ellent Diver, who would drowne himselfe for a long space toge­ther, and then suddenly appeare emer­gent above the waters, who thus spea­keth of him:

It was the custome also of the ancient times, to give severall names to all their ships of note, (whom our Architectors [Page 21] even in these dayes imitate) as that Galley in which all the Grecian Heroes rowed, who went in the quest of the golden Fleece▪ to Colchos, was called the Argo: Some thinke she had her Denomi­nation from her swiftnesse, but others are of opinion, that she received it from Argus, the Ship-carpenter: others thinke ab Argivis, because the Argive Princes mann'd her to Sea. Pristis, Chimaera, Scilla, were names of ships, according to Virgil, Aenead. lib. 5. In his 10. booke he speaketh of a­nother call'd Tigris, of which one Massichus was Rector. Centaurus is also the name of a­nother great ship; for h [...] saith, Ingentem re­mis Centaurum promovet: of her one Cu­pavones was Pilot. Coelius from the testi­mony of those who were the Interpreters of Ari­stophanes, informeth us, that there were two great Vessels belonging to the Common-weale of Athens, the one was onely imploy'd to transfer such as were summon'd into the Courts of iudg­ment, and was styled Salaminia: the other solely negotiated in porting and reporting such as were sent to inquire of any thing at the O­racle of Delphos, of the Shippe named [Page 22] Castor and Pollux, we read in the Acts of the Apostles, &c. but I fear [...] I have made too long a voyage abroad, it is high time therefore that I now change my course, and steere neerer home.

And here a fit occasion might bee ta­ken, to introduce a large Catalogue of many worthy and brave Sea-men of our later times, as well forraigne as home­bred, whether they were Navarci, that is, Generals, Admirals, and Captaines: Nau­cleri, that is, Masters, Pilots, and owners: or Nautici, that is, Pursers, Boat-swaines, or other ordinary Navigators and Saylers, and enter into a voluminous narration, by telling how well, and worthily they have demeaned themselves to the honor of their Prince, and the profit of their Countrey, eyther in doubtfull discove­ries, or more dangerous Naumachies or Sea-fights, but therein I should but de­viate, and quite digresse from my pur­pose, which is fully intentive upon bre­vity, and the subiect now in agita [...]ion.

Yet grant me so much liberty amongst infinites of our owne Nation, and na­tives [Page 23] to commemorate, and commend unto you the never-dying fames of foure great Archithalassi, (for what lesse can I tearme them) who wheresoever they voyaged, were Princes, and sole com­manders at Sea, who flourisht in the dayes of Queene Elizabeth, a Virgin, and a Virago of a masculine spirit, and of bles­sed and sacred Memory. And now (though long after their Deaths) let me bestow on each of them a surviving Cha­racter: The first, worthy Sir Iohn Haw­ki [...]s, on whom I conferre this merited Motto, Archithalassos expugnavi: the se­cond, valiant Sir Martin Furbisher, on whom I bestow, Hostium classes profligavi: the third, famous Sir Francis Drake, who may iustly challenge to himselfe, Orbem circum navig [...]vi: the fourth, Sir Charles Cavendish, who may truely write, Dra­chum praevium imitavi: all which for the vulgars better apprehension I thus or­derly interprete:

Then was a time, when in every brave Souldiers [...] outh there was no discourse offered, but it either began, or ended with Pugnandum, non dormiendum: that is, Now is a time to fight, not to sleepe; to be famous for our cou [...]age, not bran­ded for our cowardise: which was al­most no sooner spoken, than suddenly put in action. But I must ingeniously confesse, that for many yeeres together there hath beene a long ces [...]ation of Armes, neither hath iust occasion beene ministred, wherein our noble Nation might give any full expression of the he­reditary valour, and virtue of their An­cestors, till of late: And now me thinks I heare all our brave Heroick spirits, as our High-Admirall, Vice-admirall, Captaines, Commanders, and o [...]her [Page 25] Nautick Officers, as being so long kept from their wished imployments, with a loud unanimous voice acclaime, and say,

Neither have I exposed those before named invincible Generals to their view, that they might Admirando despe­rare; but Imitando, superare: Not by admi­ring them, despaire to arrive unto their height, but rather by imitating them, [...]antecell them in their honour: Of which there is no doubt or diffidence to be made, considering how forward and indulgent his sacred Maiesty hath beene, and still is, not onely in the repairing, but increasing his Royall Navy above all the Princes that have preceded him.

But in this last incomparable structure, hee hath made an inimitable president for all the Kings and Potentates of the Chri­stian World, or else where: No River, no Flood, no Sea, whether Mare, Fretum, Aequor, Caeruleum, Pontus, Salum, Altum, Hadria, Pelagus, Oceanus, that could ever [Page 26] boast of the bearing so glorious a Vessell: which considering, and withall, his Royall Maiesty, at whose great, and al­most infinite charge and expence her building is undertaken, it put into my thoughts this fortunate and auspicious presage,

And concerning the Ship it selfe, at my first view of her bulke onely, being yet unperfected, it compelled me to breake out suddenly into this Epigram­maticall rapture which followeth.

Before I come to give you a true and exact dimension of her Bulke, burden, &c. it is necessary that I make some sa­tisfaction to the world concerning those Decorements which beautifie and adorne her, and to r [...]nder a faire account of mine owne invention and fan [...]y concerning the carving worke, the figures, and Mottoes upon them, which some perhaps have too liberally taxed: Thus therefore to a­ny who have formerly either doubted of their property, or are at this present desi­rous to understand their imagined ob­scurity, I thus freely deliver my s [...]lfe.

Vpon the Beak-head sitteth royall King Edgar on horse-backe, tramp [...]ing upon seven Kings: now what hee was, and who they were, I shall brie [...]ly relate unto you, rendring withall a full satisfactory reason to any unpartiall reader, why they are there, and in that manner placed.

[Page 30] This Edgar was the second sonne of King Edmund, who having reigned two yeeres over the Mercians and Northumbers, in the dayes of Edwin his elder Brother, at sixteene yeeres of age, was by an una­nimos consent elected to succeed in all his Dominions: being indeed the first that could truely write himselfe an abso­lute Monarch of this Island; for there were divers Reguli in those times, who were small Kings, and had absolute Do­minion over divers Provinces.

I shall not need to tell you how, or into what parts this Land was divided, let it suffice to know so much onely: That hee by his valour made himselfe sole So­veraigne, and all the rest were his Liegemen and Tributaries. The entire Monarchy, and all the royall Titles of the Kingdome, falling under his Scepter.

Hee was the Thirteenth King from Brute, and though a great Souldier, as may appeare by his many battailes and victories, yet the Chronologers of those times gave him the Characters of Iust, and Peaceable; for that is the true end of [Page 31] Warre, to prepare and confirme a con­stant and setled peace.

He was first crowned at Kingstone upon Thames, by Otho Arch-bishop of Canter­bury, in the yeere of our Redemption, ac­cording to Fabian, and others, 940. in the fift yeere of Lotharius King of France, and yet not admitted for absolute King till twelve yeeres after, when he was againe crowned, and an­nointed in the Citty of Bath by Dunstane, Arch-bishop of Canterbury, and Oswald, Arch-bishop of Yorke. The cause why his annointing was so long delay'd, (as the most write) was by reason the King grew much in­amored of a beauteous Virgin call'd Wilfryd, who to avoyd his many temptations, put on her selfe the habite of a Nunne, who notwithstan­ding was at length brought to the Kings Bed, for which act he was by Bishop Dunstane en­ioyned seven yeeres pennance, &c.

Concerning those Kings whom you may perceive to lye prostrate under his Horses hoofes, they were Kynadus King of the Scots; Malcolme, King of Cumber­land; and of the petry Kings of Wales, Dufnall, Grifith, Huval, Iacob, Iudithil. [Page 32] He moreover surprised by Sea a Prince of the Romans, whose name was Maxentius, who had done many out-rage [...] upon the Ocean, and was the greatest Arch-pirate that those times afforded. He also com­pelled Ludwallus, prime Prince and King of Cambria, which is Wales, (because he would have all the ravenous and dam­mageous beasts to be destroyed through his Land) to pay unto him yearely by way of Tribute, three hundred Wolves skinnes: by reason whereof within the space of foure yeares after, in England, or Wales, both which (but especially Wales) who before were miserably infe­sted with that kind of beast, there was scarcely to be found one Woolfe alive: and so much for the Princes over which he had s [...]le dominion.

His NavyKing Edgars Navy. Royall consisted of three thou­sand and six hundred Ships, (such as they u­sed in those dayes) yet not any of them but ser­viceable either for Fight, or bearing victuall, and munition, to furnish the Navy, which hee divided into three parts, appointing to every of them a severall Squadron: and this hee did [Page 33] to secure Navigators, from Enemies and Sea-Rovers, as also from all other neighbour Prin­ces who might challenge any interest in these our foure Seas. And therefore every Spring and Summer, he in person sayled with those in the East-parts, to them that lay hovering in the West. And sending them backe againe with their charge, would with the West qua­drant, saile into the North, and after with the Northerne fleete compasse into the East, by which the Maine Ocean rounding those I­lands, of which he was sole Prince and Mo­narch, being at his only charge, both quieted and secured, he did (as iustly he might) write himselfe Lord of the Foure Seas. And therefore his sacred Maiesty, claiming this unquestionable Title from Him, and being his true and undoubted Successour; and this claime being this thousand and odd yeares not any way controversied. I do not see but this Motto, Ab Edgaro quatuor Maria vindi­co, may genuinly to Him be approbriated, and to Him alone. But if any man shal either maliciously or peevishly make the least scruple of this His Maiesties iust and undoubted chal­lenge? Let them but read Pol [...]dore Virgill, [Page 34] Guido, Ranulphus Hidgim in his Poly­cronicon, Guli [...]lmus Malmsbury, Flo­rentius, Landulphus, Marianus, Hove­daine, Harding, Mathew Paris, Mathew of Westminster, Froysart, Fabian, Ho­linshed, Speed, &c. (all of them Authentick and approved Chronologers,) and hee shall finde that they all agree and consent in this Musicall Harmonie.

And as they comply in the premisses▪ whoso­ever shall truely examine them shall finde also that they differ not at all in the subsequence, which (as in the former) I study brevity, namely, That being at Chester, he provided him selfe of a most Princely Barge, which was to be rowed with Oares, which were silvered all over, with wh [...]ch hee entred into the River Dee, and sitting at the Sterne, tooke the charge of the Helme, and caused eight of the before­named Contributary Kings to rowe him up and downe the River, Maxentius made the eighth, who was [...]fter Emperor of Rome. unto the Chu [...]ch of Saint Iohns, from, and unto h [...]s Pal­lace distant three miles, to let the World know that Hee was Lord and King [...]f so many provinces.

[Page 35] For his Religion; His Religion he favoured Church­men above all the Princes before him, and gave to them great immunities and priviledges; building and reparing no les [...]e than threescore decayed Churches, and Monasteries, within the compasse of sixteene yeeres; (for hee reigned not lon­ger) For his Iustice; His Iustice. he used such rigor, yet intermixed with mercy, that never before his dayes was used les [...]e oppressi­on and robbery.

For his Temperance; His Tempe­r [...]nce. hee was of such contiuency, that when the Danes, who were then frequent in the Land, had brought in drunken healths, to [...]he evill example and hurt of his Commons and Subiects, he made a Law, and or day­ned certaine Cups of severall sizes, with pinnes and nayles driven into them, and whosoever drank past that marke or pin, was to forfeit a certaine peece of money, whereof one halfe fell to the Accuser, and the other halfe to the Bayliffe, or gover­nour of that Burrough, to distribute to the use of the poore, but nothing to his owne private use or benefit.

[Page 36] Concerning his particular valour, His Valour. it is further thus reported of him: One of those subiected Kings, whom the Histo­ry calleth Kinadus, a very personable and proper Gentleman, and of a strong and able constitution, rowing upon the River, when King Edgar himselfe, (be­ing but of a low stature, and as wee phrase it a middle-siz'd man) steered the Barge, whispered to him who sate next, him, and sayd, Observe you not the inso­lence and pride of this Dwarfe, whom Fortune, not Valour hath raised to this Eminence? I vow, if I had him singly, and alone in the field, I would cut him into peeces, and eate him af­ter. This being told the King, he see­med to take no further notice thereof, than to say, That losers had liberty to speake freely; and no question but hee was able to performe as much as he had boasted: neither did hee once change his counte­nance upon him who had thus threatned him, but calling one of his owne ser­vants unto him whom he most trusted, commanded him to provide two swords of equall size and fashion, suitable to his [Page 37] strength, and such as hee was well able to weild: which done, he layd them a­side, and the next day he invited Kina­dus to a Feast, and gave him more than ordinary welcome. Much familiar dis­course past betwixt them, and more than custome. Dinner being ended, the King desired him to walke abroad, and take the ayre; to which the other wil­lingly assented, neither of them having more than one servant to attend them: All the way they enterchanged pleasant discourse, till at length comming to a Grove, King Edgar commanded those who then waited upon them, to retire, and leave them.

When entring the Thicket, and fin­ding a convenient place fit for a single Duell, Edgar drew from under his gar­ment those two Swords, and desired Ki­nadus to take the choice of them, saying unto him, Wee are now single, and alone; now proove thy courage with mine, and let us try which of us is most worthy to be subiect to the other: It becommeth not any generous spirit to boast that in private, which hee will not make [Page 38] good in the Field: Here I am according to thy wishes, first cut me into peeces if thou canst, and then I will give thee leave to eate me at thy pleasure. Which having spoken, hee di­stanc'd himselfe from him, and bravely stood upon his guard; which the other perceiving, and knowing that hee was guilty of that language, withall, seeing the very fire of Anger sparkling in his eyes, he also out of an enterchangeable brave humour began to meditate, and consider with himselfe, both how unad­visedly he had spoken, and how con­trary to the condition of so great and he­roick a spirit: therefore casting his sword away, he desired to imbrace him, and sayd, Now I perceive O Royall King Edgar, it is thy true valour, and not thy fo [...]tu [...]e hath made us thy Tributaries, and thou art not onely worthy to Empire over us onely, but all the Kings of the Earth. I will alwayes weare a Sword to draw on thy party; but a­gainst thee, or those who love thee, never. Which unexpected Answer King Edgar so accepted, that betweene them two there was an indissoluble League of Love confi [...]med after.

[Page 39] My purpose is not to enter into a large discourse of his noble Acts and Atcheive­ments; what I have done, is onely to give the World a true and authentick expres­sion, that whatsoever his sacred Maiesty challengeth concerning his absolute do­minion over the foure Seas, hee iustly, and with an unquestionable Title clai­meth from this King Edgar, being his true and lawfull hereditary Successor: but if any be desirous to be more fully informed concerning his Maiesties Title, I referre him to learned M^r. Seldon, in that exquisite and absolute worke of his called Mare Clausum, &c. I have met with an Epitaph writ upon this King Edgars Tombe, By one Henricus Historiogra­phus in old English, which I thus deliver unto you.

[Page 40] I began at the Beak-head, where I de­sire you to take notice, that upon the stemme-head there is Cupid, or a Child resembling him, bestriding, and brid­ling a Lyon, which importeth, that suffe­rance may curbe Insolence, and Innocence re­straine violence; which alludeth to the great mercy of the King, whose Type is a proper Embleme of that great Maie­sty, whose Mercy is above all his Workes.

On the Bulk-head right forward, stand six severall Statues in sundry postures, their Figures representing Consilium, that is, Counsell: Cura, that is, Care: Cona­men, that is, Industry, and unanimous in­deavour in one compartment: Counsell holding in her hand a closed or folded Scrole; Care a Sea-compasse; Conamen, or Industry, a Lint-stock fired. Vpon the o­ther, to correspond with the former, Vis, which implyeth force, or strength; hand­ing a Sword. Virtus, or Vertue, a spheari­call Globe: and Victoria, or Victory, a wreath of Lawrell. The Morall is, that in all high Enterprizes there ought to be first Counsell, to undertake; then Care, to [Page 41] manage; and Industry, to performe: and in the next place, where there is ability and strength to oppose, and Vertue to di­rect, Victory consequently is alwayes at hand ready to crowne the undertaking.

Upon the Hances of the waste are foure Fi­gures with their severall properties: Iupiter riding upon his Eagle, with his Trisulk (from which hee darteth Thunder) in his hand: Mars with his Sword and Target, a Foxe being his Embleme: Neptune with his Sea-horse, Dolphin, and Trident: and lastly Aeolus upon a Camelion, (a beast that liveth onely by the Ayre) with the foure Windes, his Ministers or Agents, the Fast, call'd Eu­rus, Subsolanus, and Apeliotes: the North-winde, Septemtrio, Aquilo, or Bore­as: the West, Zephyrus, Favonius, Lybs, and Africus: the South, Auster, or Notus.

I come now to the Stearne, where you may pe [...]ceive upon the upright of the upper Counter, sta [...]deth Victory in the middle of a Frontispiece, with this generall Motto, Validis incumbite remis: It is so plaine, that I shall not need to give [Page 42] it any English interpretation: Her wings are equally display'd; on one Arme she weareth a Crowne, on the other a Laurell, which imply Riches and Honour: in her two hands she holdeth two Mottoes; her right hand, which pointeth to Iason, beares this Inscription, Nava, (which word howsoever by some, and those not the least opinionated of themselves, mistaken) was absolutely extermi [...]'d, and excommunicated from all Grammati­call Construction, nay, Iurisdiction; for they would not allow it to be Verbe, or Ad­verbe, Substantive, nor Adiective: and for this I have not onely behind my back bin challenged, but even Viva voce taxed, as one that had writ at randum, and that which I understood not. But to give the world a plenary satisfaction, and that it was rath [...]r their Criticisme, then my igno­rance, I intreate thee Reader, but to examine Riders last Edition of his Dictionary, cor­rected, and greatly augmented by M^r. Fran­cis Holy-oke, and he shall there read Navo, navas, (and therefore consequently nave in the Imperative Mood) ex navus, [...], [Page 43] that is, to imploy with all ones power, to act, to ayde, to helpe, to indeavour with all dili­gence and industry; and therefore not unproper­ly may Victory point to Iason, being figured with his Oare in his hand, as being the prime Argonaut, and say Nava, or more plainely, Operam nava; for in those Emblematicall Mottoes quod subintelligitur, non deest. Shee pointeth to Hercules on the sinister side, with his club in his hand, with this Mottto, Clava; as if she should say, O Hercules, be thou as valiant with thy Club upon the Land, as Iason is industrious with his Oare upon the Water. Hercules againe pointing to Aeolus, the god of Windes, saith Flato; who answereth him againe, Flo: Ia­son pointing to Neptune, the god of the Seas, (riding upon a Sea-horse) saith Faveto; to whom Neptune answereth, No: These words Flo, and No, were also much excepted at, as if there had beene no such Latine words, till some better examining their Grammar Rules found out Flo, flas, flavi, proper to Aeolus, and No, nas, navi, to Neptune, &c.

In the lower Counter of the Sterne, on either side of the Helme is this Inscripti­on,

Thus English [...]:

There are other things in th [...] Vessell wor­thy remarke, at least, if not admiration; name­ly, that one Tree, or Oake made foure of the principall beames of this great [...]Ship, which was Forty foure foote of strong and serviceable Timber in length, three foote Diameter at the top, and Ten foot Diameter at the stubbe or bottome.

Another, (as worthy of especiall Observati­on is) that one peece of Timber which made the Kel-son, was so great, and weighty, that 28. Oxen, and 4. Horses with much difficulty drew it from the place where it grew, and from wh [...]nce it was cut downe, unto the water-side.

There is one thing above all these, for the World to take especiall notice of, that shee is, besides her Tunnage, iust so many Tuns in burden, as their have beene Yeeres since our Blessed Saviours Incarnation, namely, 1637. and not one under, or over: A most hap­py Omen, which though it was not at the first proiected, or intended, is now by true computati­on found so to happen.

[Page 45] It would bee too tedious to insist upon every Ornament belonging to this incomparable Ves­sel, yet thus much concerning Her outward ap­pearance, She hath two Galleries of a side, and all of most curious carved Worke, and all the sides of the ship are carved also with Trophies of Artillery and Types of honour, aswell belong­ing to Land as Sea, with Symboles, Emblemes, and Impresses appertaining to the Art of Naviga­tion: as also their two sacred Majesties Badges of Honour, Armes, Eschutchions, &c. with severall Angels holding their Letters in Comparte­ments: all which workes are gilded quite over, and no other colour but gold and blacke to bee seene about her, and thus much in a succinct way. I have delivered unto you concerning her inward and outward Decorements. I come now to Dis­cribe her in her exact Dimension.

Her Length by the Keels, is 128 foot or there about, within some few inches. Her mayne breadth or widenesse from side to side 48. foote. Her utmost▪ length from the [...]ore-end of the Beake-head▪ unto the after end of the Sterne, a prora ad puppim▪ 232. foote, she is in height from the bottome of her Keele to the top of her Lant-horne seaventy sixe foote, she beareth five Lant-hornes, the biggest of which will hold ten per­sons to stand upright, and without shouldring or pressing one the other.

She [...]ath three flush Deckes, and a Fore-Castle, an halfe Decke, a quarter Decke, and a round-house. Her lower Tyre hath thirty ports, which [Page 46] are to be furnished with Demy-Cannon and whole Cannon through out, (being able to beare them. Her middle Tyre hath also thirty ports for Demi-Culverin, and whole Culverin: Her third Tyre hath Twentie sixe Ports for o­ther Ordnance, [...]er fore-Castle hath twelve ports, and her halfe Decke hath foureteene ports; She hath thirteene or foureteen ports more within Board for murdering peeces, besides a great many Loope-holes out of the Cabins for Musket [...]shot. She carrieth moreover ten peeces of chase Ordnance in her, right forward; and ten right aff, that is according to Land-service in the front and the reare. She carrieth eleaven An­chors, one of them weighing foure thousand foure hundred, &c. and according to these are her Cables, Mastes, Sayles, Cordage; which consi­dered together, seeing his Maj [...]sty is at this infi­nite charge, both for the honour of this Nation, and the security of his Kingdome, it should bee a great spur and incouragement to all his faithful and loving Subjects to bee liberall and willing Contributaries towards the Ship-money.

I come now to give you a particular Denomi­nation of the prime Worke-men imployed in this inimitable Fabricke; as first Captayne Phines Pett, Over-seer of the Worke, and one of the principal Officers of his M [...]j [...]sties Navy; whose Ancestors, as Father, Grand-father, and Great-Grand-father, for the space of two hundred yeares and upwa [...]ds, have continued in the same Name, Officers and Architectures in the Royall [Page 47] Navy; of whose knowledge, experience, and iudgement, I can not render a merite [...] Character.

The Maister Builder is young M. Peter Pett, the most ingenious sonne of so much improoved a Father, who before he was full five and twen­ty yeares of age, made the Model, and since hath perfected the worke, which hath won not only the approbation but admiration of all men, of whom I may truely say, as Horace did of Argus, that famous Ship-Master, (Who built the great Argo in which the Greci [...] Princesse Rowed through the Hellespont to fetch the golden Fleece from Colch [...]s.

that is, Pallas [...]er selfe flew into his boso [...]e, and not only i [...]joyn'd him to the u [...]dertaking, but in­spired him in the ma [...]aging of so exquisite and absolute an Architecture.

Let me not here forget a prime Officer Master Francis Shelton, Clerke of the Checke, whose industry and care, in looking to the Workmen imployd in this Structure, hath beene a great furtherance to expedite the businesse.

The Master Carvers, are Iohn and Mathias Christmas, the Sonnes of that excellent Worke­man Master Gerard Christmas, some two yeeres since deceased, who, as they succeed him in his place, so they have striv'd to exceed him in his Art: the Worke better commending them than my Pen is any way able, which putteth me in minde of Martiall, looking upon a Cup most cu­riously Carved.

And I make no question, but all true Artists can by the view of the Worke, give a present nomi­nation of the Workmen.

The Master-Painters, Master Ioyner, Master Calker, Master Smith, &c. all of them in their severall faculties being knowne to bee the prime Workmen of the Kingdome, selectedly imployd in this Service.