I. Of the Admiralty, or the Office of Lord High Admiral of England.

THIS Office is of great Anti­quity, and of as great Trust; for as far as I have read thereof, it alwaies was put into the Hands of some Peer of the Realm, or Relation of the Crown; of Expe­rienced Fidelity to the Crown, and of known Wisdom, Valour, Conduct and Justice: I speak of that part of the Ad­miralty, which consists in the Managing [Page 2]and Fighting of the Navy Royal of Eng­land: There being also Dependant on the said Office of Admiralty, all the Naval Affairs, that shall happen between Na­tives and Strangers, viz. Controversies within any of the Bounds of our Seas or Rivers, or any where else, if it come within the Power or Custody of any of our Admirals, or of our single Ships of War; whose Case may be brought un­der the Cognizance of the Lord High Ad­miral, in his Court; where all Controver­fies arising, are Pleaded and Judged by Advocates and Judges, who are certain Doctors of the Civil Laws, which is the same in all Christian Nations; and on which hangs all the Maritime Laws, An­tient and Modern: As the Laws of the Antient Romans, Phaenicians, Rhodians, Carthagenians, the Laws of Oleoron, Prior and Consul; the British, Belgick, and Baltick Laws, are all grounded on the Civil Law, the Munucipal Laws of each [Page 3]Kingdom, State, or Province, only dif­fering.

But my purpose being now to speak of the Navy Royal of England, of the Oeco­nomy and Government thereof, which is at present Executed by Seven Persons of Honour, thereunto Commissioned by the King's Majesty, to Execute the Office of Lord High Admiral; which is to Govern, Fight, and, if need be, themselves in Per­son to go to Sea in the Wars, or to Con­vey the King, Queen, or Royal Family, whither they shall Command them. And likewise to commission Admirals, Vice and Rear; Captains and Lieutenants, Judges and Advocates; as also Warrant Officers, viz. Standing Officers, such as Pursers, Boatswains, Gunners, Carpenters, and Cooks of Ships, which are constantly bourn on Ships at Sea, or at home in Har­bour, called Ship-keepers, or Standing Officers: All the other Warrant Officers, saving the Chaplains, are made by the [Page 4] Navy-board, Chyrurgeons-Hall, &c. The Admiralty also Commissions the principal Officers and Commissioners of the Navy, Commissioners and Warrant Officers of the Yards; the particulars of which I shall mention, when I shall come to treat of them in their stations.

Now, in the Choice of all these Of­ficers, there is and ought to be exceeding great care taken, to choose Loyal, Va­liant, Wise, and Just Men, Fearing God and not Man, being well approved of for setled Principles, to maintain the present Government, both in Church and State, according to the setled Laws of the King­dom, ever since the Reformation. I say, into the great and general Commands, there should be such Men put, as was never obnoxious to the known Fundamen­tal Laws of the Kingdom. If there be other Choices made, the Affair will go on at an ill rate; and you will see Parties made, and other Parties discouraged; who [Page 5]will strive to promote and advance, all that are of that Party he does lean to­wards, and wavers in his Judgment to­wards others: And when he has the Scale of Justice in his Hand, and the Party he favours not, has sufficiently over-ballanced it, yet his Hand will be apt to shake, and give it a Tip the other way: I say, a Person that has been a favourer of those that have oppugned the well-ordered, and well-setled Church, the well-Con­stituted, Moderate, and Free Monarchy; The Subjects, I say, of this Monarchy, are Free Men, and not Slaves; Imprisoned, Judged, and Condemned, by their own Parity, and by no other Laws than their own Representatives makes, whom them­selves choose; which Government is ad­mired, and wished for in other Countries; I say, That Person will never Deal any Trumps to any Hand but to his own Party: Whereas Unity and Concord in any Polity, or great Affair, agrees with the Health [Page 6]and Welfare thereof; but Discord and Division, I am sure, tends to nothing but to Distraction and Confusion. The old Maxim to Don Juan de Austria, in the Netherlands, (of Divide and Rule) is not applicable here. So that Division in any Polity must needs weaken; and on the other side, Union begets Vigour and Strength. As for Example, If a Man had a great Family, and great Affairs go­ing on, or some great Machin to make or manage, I should wonder, if he should choose for his principal Instruments, Men of different minds, in most material Points, whereby a Man is distinguished from a Brute, viz. his Opinion of his Masters Government of his Family, both in Spiri­tuals and in Temporals; for if he wavers in that Opinion, he can never be a good Instrument in that Machin: But as his Degree or Magnitude in that Affair is, so will he the more or less clog and hinder the Affair. As for Example, What was [Page 7]designed by God Almighty at Babel, by altering their Languages, but to con­found their Works? It is indeed inferred there, that instead of Bricks they brought Mortar, whereby we understand it as con­strued only in the Labourers. But may we not infer, that the Overseers and Princi­pals were also confounded? And may we not conclude, That the greater the Post is of the Dissenting Party, the more ca­pable he is to bring or cause Confusion and Destruction? I am sure, in any less Affair it is also true. If a Man keep but two Servants to Work, if they alwaies differ and fall out in their Opinions con­cerning their Master, his Work goes on but slowly, and not with any good luck, nor can he hope to prosper; wherefore he were better to part with one of them, and take in another that is suitable to his mind, in his opinion agreeable to the former: Then will some be apt to say, That now he is like to thrive worse; for [Page 8]they agreeing so well in their Opinion of their Master, in Spirituals and Temporals, that let the one do never so much damage to his Masters Service, the other will never discover it; and so will they knit together in the sin of wronging their Master. But the other Party before, who differed, is of a melancholly serious Tem­per, full of thoughts, and but vainly te­nacious of his own Opinion of his Ma­ster. But notwithstanding that, he is a true Servant, and will follow his Bu­siness diligently, and neither do, nor suffer to be done, any wrong to his Master; a modest Man, for you may per­ceive his Justice, the smallest things will not pass by him, much more the greater; and his tenderness of Conscience proceeds from his Religious Mind. And a great deal more such stuff, and kind of sayings, may be objected against Unity or Uni­formity of Persons, in the most material points of a Christian, towards their Ma­ster [Page 9]or Governour. This is such counter­feit Ware, as hath been put upon the World so often, and so long already, (and known to be such) that I do admire in my heart, that it dares to appear any more, (I hope, it will not.) But yet out of the confidence it ever hath assumed, and observed to be well furnished with, and still laying hold of that Jesuitical Maxim, viz. That never let any denial slacken your paces, still, towards the attempting to be nearest, the greatest, and important Affairs, and in it, if it be possible; so that, let what will be uppermost in the State, yet in points of Spirîtuals, if it erect a Chappel, be sure to purchase a chief Scat in it; that he might appear a principle Member, but only to be in a Capacity to serve the Party; whose over nice Consci­ences will well reward their Jesuitical or Pharisaical Dissembler, with Huzza's of the Mobile, and applaud his Person in a Crowd, for that which they are told by [Page 10]some Body of him, of his Wisdom, Justice and Piety (of which he may neither be guilty, nor they care to know the Truth of what they say:) But this is all the while Trick, Intriegue, and Design, which hath gulled the World, and the greatest Men thereof; they being not deep-Sighted enough to espy it; but meerly Choused them of their own Reason and Justice, and put upon them that false and coun­terfeit Maxim, of, Let the Master of that great Affair, never take care of the said Servant, who had the right Opinion of him; but he being in the right Road, and a true Work-horse in the Team, give him little or no Meat, never stroak him; yet he will continue to Labour in his right Road, to his Lives end: But the other Servant, the Melancholly, modest, think­ing Servant, as he was stiled even now; he must have the best Perferment; he be­ing as a Resty Jade in a Team, he must be well Fed, have the best Harness, and [Page 11]be well Stroaked, or else he will Kick and Fling, Strike at the Master, Start out of the way, pull Backwards rather than For­wards, and out of his Sullen and Dogged nature, overthrow the Load, altho it be to his own Ruine: But this is a very wrong Policy, not void of Injustice, Im­prudence and Indiscretion, altogether im­politick, and long since experienced upon the first Broachers and Practisers of it: I will only affirm this, That the Man who is an honest, well-Deported, Temperate Man, capable of the business, Religious, according to the Established Government of the Church, and also of the State, ne­ver Starting nor Wavering; an Assertor of the moderate Monarchy of the King­dom, as by Antient Laws setled, is the best, and most likely to do the Publick Ser­vice, without disquieting the Affair, void of all Trick, Intriegue, or Design; and the more Knowing, Able, and Just Men of such kind, are put into the Affairs of [Page 12]the Navy, the better will it Prosper, and come into a Regular Government: And let Party-makers, Trickers, Designers, and such as carry half Faces, or, as I may say, changeable with the Times, let them know, that no Man in his right Sen­ses, can deem them to be either Honest, Just, or Good Men, or of any Religion; whose Vertues lies hid in self-interest, which is the very Bane of all Governments of Kingdoms or States, Bodies Politick, Military and Civil.

Now, I say, if private Interest shall rule the Roast in this great Affair, where­on the Glory and Welfare of the Nation does depend, and Offices shall be dispos­ed of to Friends and Relatives, or for Lucre, Bribery, &c. then may any one Judge, what Able, Qualified, Honest, and Just Persons will Trump up at such Terms; for the best and most deserving Men, will never buy their Chains and Fetters at such Rates (for so I may term [Page 13]them:) For he that takes an Employment, or Office of Trust upon him, if he be a just and good Man, must reckon himself Bound, as I may say, in the Nature and Stile as an Apprentice to the King, in that Affair; and thus his Terms runs, and must be Imployed to serve the King, Night and Day, in that Affair, and never to ab­sent himself without the leave or Conni­vance of his Superior Officer, nor to dis­pose of any of his Time or Service to any other Master or Service; and for his Re­ward, to have such Allowaoce of Wages, Diet, &c. Now, if this Man does Honest­ly and Faithfully, so serve his said Ma­ster both by Day and Night, neither Purloyning, Stealing, Wasting, nor Em­bezeling his said Masters Goods, nor to his Power suffer it to be done by others, but hinder the same, nor frequent Ta­verns, Tipling-houses, Gameings, nor use Cursing, Swearing, nor any Lewd Living; but, in all things, behave himself as an Ho­nest, [Page 14]Just, and Good Servant, which I think is near the Words and Import of an Indenture, and is also well near the duty of every one that enters into, or takes upon him a Publick Office or Employ­ment of Trust, where Wages, &c. is al­lowed: I say, if he does discharge his said Duty, he may very well deserve his Com­pensation of Wages, &c. affixed or al­lowed to his said Office by the Admiral­ty; and not to spend much Time and Mo­neys to make Interest, and Fee largely for it, to come in by private Interest; but to study faithfully to serve, and endea­vouring to be well skilled in the Affair, and to wait in his Station patiently for his Advancement by his merit unto some higher degree, when it shall happen to fall, by either the Death or Removal of his superior Officer; for this is a sure rule that the worst Officer; for this is a sure rule for the Betts, knowing that he dares not come to the Touch or Proof of his Abili­ties; [Page 15]and it is implyed at the same time of his compact, that he may Purloine, Steal, Embezle, and do Wrong to his Masters Goods, or any other, that shall come under his reach, to benefit himself, to pay himself of whatsoever Monies, Time and Friends has cost him in the Pur­suit thereof; and is so ment by his Supe­rior, to have a larger Tither or Scope to do it, without being turned out, or re­proved for it; or else he is very unjust to him, and in plain Terms, hath Cozened him of his Moneys, Treats, Obsequious Observances, and slavish Attendance; for it is a sure rule, that the Judge that buyes his Commission, will sell Justice to repay himself; which puts me in mind of what I have Read in the old Manuscripts, of the Kings House-hold Servants; That the Lord Steward, and Lord Chamberlain of the House-hold, in their respective Pre­cincts, did declare in a Written Table of Establishments, what Office was next to [Page 16]supply the Vacancy, either by Death, De­fect, or Removal of the next above it. In which order, as long as it was kept and observed, it appeared to be an orderly Fa­mily, excellent, and beautiful in its Go­vernment, and served for the purpose in­tended, viz. the Service of their Master, the Glory, Beauty, and Splendor of the Court; and hath been said thereof, by Foreigners seeing it, as the Queen of Sheba said of Solomon, Happy are these thy Ser­vants that stand before thee, to hear thy Wisdom, and see this Order. But what Cor­ruption hath brought it to ever since, is not difficult to relate: So say I of the Navy; if the like Order were made and ob­served, and such a known method were Re­gistred in every Office of moment, it would be a great Settlement, (as it hath been formerly) it would be an encouragement to all Officers to be Honest, Painful, and Just in their respective Stations; and en­deavour to be approved and experienced [Page 17]Men for their Abilities; and not to grind and extort Fees for Reward, and to raise their Profits by Intricacies, and dilatory Pretences, for to bring about their Designs, to enrich themselves betimes, lest they should be turned out, and not be able to live afterwards: But to wait patiently, and expect to rise by their Merit unto bet­ter Preferment, as their lot of Succession shall happen; and not fear to be turned aside, and be put out of their Livelihoods, if they faithfully act in their station; al­tho' some are offended at them, and by their private Picque shall inform against them, and so be dismist for doing their very Duty; and never so much as have an Hearing, or so much as know for what they are turned out, as of late years it hath been practised. Such Proceedings, I am sure, is beside Justice; and that no Man but would endeavour to avoid such a Lot, by breaking the Rules and Methods which are prescribed them (when they [Page 18]know it will be their fate, if they do not violate their Orders to please some men.)

But heretofore it always was the Me­thod, if any one had done a Crime wor­thy of being discarded, they were sent for, and permitted to answer their Accusa­tions; and had that Justice done them, which the Antient Romans used, as is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles; and not to proceed to Judgment, until the Accusers came Face to Face; yet they were Heathens.

Now, I have farthermore to offer, That if Officers have Commissions or Warrants granted them, and have not at the same time given them ample and sufficient Instructions to act by, in their Execution of the same, (in the perfor­ming of which they shall be safe and blameless, altho any Superior be offended;) and also if Instructions be given to one Officer to Act thus, and to another In­ferior to make no mention of his Obe­dience [Page 19]to the former; but that their Instru­ctions are as different, and as contrary, as Light is to Darkness.

It certainly must be, instead of procu­ring Unity and Concord, a casting a Stumbling-block into the Affair; and be a cause of many to fall either into Dis­cord and Divisions, which is a vexation to them, and an hinderance to the Affair; or else under the guilt of breaking or laying aside their Instructions, and act according to the pleasure of their Supe­rior; then say I, Rules and Methods are of no farther use; and the Service rendred only to truckle to the will and pleasure of the Superior; the evil whereof will not be small. So that the Affair must of necessity prove to be the Expence of vast Treasure; the Service done therein very uncertain, and must attend and wait upon the Humour, Profit, or Pleasure, of every individual Commander, or Superior Of­ficer, of a Fleet, Office, or Ship; which [Page 20]never was the Proceedings of the Navy formerly, nor, I hope, never will be; if it be, it would be the prostituting the Glory of the Nation to private Interest; and the prostrating it at the Feet of a few, who may, in time, be able to shake the Quiet and Felicity of the Nation at their pleasures; and be formidable to those that Nourished and Fed them from their low Estate. Wherefore it hath been ever observ'd, by all Kingdoms, States, and Governments, to be jealous of any Army, or Military Power, that they have in their greatest need been con­strained to employ; to be sure to bind them to the strict Observance of Orders, Rules, and Methods of the King, and his Councils, or his Chief Ministers near him, to whom he commits the Command of them; he residing with him, and in his Councils, and communicates the Af­fair to the King and Council: So like­wise States do Theirs, to the Order of [Page 21]the Senate; and whensoever their Com­manders shall disobey, or break their Orders, they are immediatly Jealous of their Security, and do not easily pass it by, as may appear in the Roman Histo­ries; yet they fell under it at last: Not­withstanding their Care, and also the Care of their Emperors, for the Erecting the Pretorian Gaurds for their own Safe­ty; yet they exposed themselves to the dispose of the said Guards: For how of­ten was the Empire translated, and the Imperial Crown put upon the Head of whom they chose: As likewise the Mam­malucks of Aegypt, and the Jannisaries of the Ottoman-Empire: So that, I say, all Nations have been careful to have their Military Men religiously to Ob­serve their Orders, in their Commands; and to have all Officers have their In­structions for their Duties, in their Re­spective Places, and their Dependance for Preferment from the Lord High Admi­ral, [Page 22]under the King, for the Sea; and from the Lord General, under the King, by Land; who, except in very Urgent and Sharp Wars, is near unto the King, and in his Councils: Yet there is none bearing Command under the King, but are to act themselves, according to In­structions prescribed them; and also to preserve their Sub-Officers in their re­spective Stations, they acting according to their Instructions; for the breach of which they are accountable to the Com­missioners of the Navy, who are to ex­amine into it, and to inform the Lord High-Admiral thereof.

Wherefore, as I said before, if there be not a Harmony in the said Instructions, but are of different Meanings; so that no con­cordance can be interpreted from them, neither do they speak the particular Du­ties required of them, but is all left to the uncontrolled Will of the Superiour Commanding; then is the Affair in a [Page 23]loose Posture, without true Method of Government; and is, consequently, in much Commotion, disorderly, unquiet, and distractedly confused, and at the will of the Superiour commanding, and can attain no Laudable Action; and at a Prodigious, and uncertain Expence of Treasure; and grievously burthensome to the Nation, and to the Inferior Officers, and Mariners, serving under them: I say, when ever the Navy is under such Predi­caments in its Government, it is running in the Plain rode to Ruine, and the total Loss of England's Glory, and the Sove­reignty of the Norrow Seas; the which God in his Mercy prevent.

II. Of the Principal Officers, and Commissioners in General.

THEY are Commissioned by the Lord High Admiral; whose Office is to execute all Orders from the Admiralty, for fitting out of Ships, what allowance of Men, the Un­rigging and laying them Up, Building and Repairing of Ships or Houses; they direct the manner of doing it; they re­present to the Admiralty the Quality and Condition of Ships, Houses, Docks, &c. the Qualities and Conditions of all Offi­cers, for Preferment; viz. Warrant-Officers, if not some Commissioned: In fine, they represent the whole Affair of the Navy to the Admiralty, and receive Orders from them; which they put, and cause to be put in Execution, by making By-orders grounded upon them: They [Page 25]Contract, and Pay for Assign-Bills, for Payment for all Stores, Wages, and Vi­ctuals, and all the Expence of the Navy; and Audite all the Accompts, and avouch all the Payments to the Treasurer, by a Ledger; which Ledger the Pay-Master of the Navy, for the Treasurer, passes into the Exchecquer every Year, which undergo the Examination and Casting again of the Auditor of the Exchecquer; which Ledger contains the Treasurer's Debtor and Creditor Accompt; which Examination being over, the Treasurer hath a Quietus out of the Exchecquer, for his Acquitment. But yet, in general, these aforesaid Commissioners are of very great Trust; for they so negotiate the Affair of the Navy, that not an Officer or Person in it, but what comes under their Cognizance: Their Office is partly Military, and partly Civil-Military; for they Execute, or Direct, all Councils of War, which in the Roads, or Rivers, [Page 26]where no Admiral is, they are Deciders of all Controversies between Man and Man, concerning Debts to be defaulted out of their Pays: They have Power to mulct any Man's Pay, for Neglects and Offences committed: They examine in­to all Men's Facts; the lesser to punish by Pecuniary Mulcts; and the greater to represent to the Admiralty; and, in the Interim, to suspend them from the Service; and, in fine, to do Justice be­tween the King and the Subject.

To their Commissions from the Admi­ralty, is generally added Commissions of the Peace, for those Counties where its thought the King's Affairs will lead them; whereby they are enabled to Act in Ci­vil Matters, by doing Justice no any ap­pertaining to the King's Affairs; to de­cide Matters of Justice between any in the Yards, or in their Travels; com­mit any to Prison for Burglary, Murther, or Petty-larcony; and may sit on the [Page 27]Bench at Assizes, or General Quarter-Sessions: And, in fine, may do any thing that a Justice of the Peace can do, with­in the Limits of his Commission.

And for the Military, he is the very Image and Deputy of the Lord High Ad­miral; to put in Execution the Power which the Admiralty delegates unto him. And if he be President of a Council of War, he sits by virtue of a Commission from the Lord High Admiral, and as his Proxy.

In fine, It is a Place of very great Trust and Business, and requires Men of Know­ledge, Wisdom, Justice, and Experience of the Naval Proceedings; and of Cou­rage also, and Conduct; for they are many times called to Sea to wear Flags, such as have been made out of the Com­manders at Sea, Knowledge, and Experi­ence of the Navy; to soon decide any Con­troversie arising between Officers, con­cerning their respective Duties; else the [Page 28]Officers will be apt to put Novelties, and to raise Scruples, if they know the Com­missioner is not able to decide them; whose Umpirage ought to be absolute in any of the Yards; also when he is a­lone. But when there is a Board, it may be appealed to the Board; but if the matter be not very great and grievous, it were better to abide by his Umpirage: For the Others will not care to meddle within his Precinct, concerning any one in the Yard or Ordinary, except they do belong to any Ship in Extraordinary: And though there is a Captain, who will assume the Power; yet a Commissioner may grant Relief to a Wronged Person, against the will of his Captain, if the Ship be within the Harbour. But, of late Years, the Commissioners of the Navy have been eclipsed, and lessened by the Captains, and the Rules of the Navy, and the Antient Customs, much broken: For the Authority and Business of some [Page 29]have been stretched to that length, that they themselves know not the end; but of that I shall speak, when I come to their particular Post.

As for a Commissioner of the Navy, I have known him to bear very great Au­thority in the Harbour, and at Pay; and have done great Justice to particular Men, who have been wronged by their Com­manders unjust and merciless Spleen; so that the grieved Officer and Mariner have rejoyced, when they have come where a Commissioner was; who would take the Captain to Task, for his Inhu­mane or Unjust Dealings, and repri­mand him severely; and, if worthy, would transfer the Matter to the Admi­ralty; where the Commissioners Repre­sentation should be heard, to the Others disadvantage. And if a Ship came into the Harbour, and the King's Affairs stood in need of hands, he would not scruple to order one Ship's Company to work [Page 30]on another, to clear her for the Dock, Rigg, Re-fit, and what not; by which the Service might be furthered.

But, as I said before, the Case is much altered, and the Hinges of that Affair quite Lame; they will not move any way, except you would have them go Backwards: But I will not meddle with Particulars, lest I should come within the Account of an Informer, the which is reckon'd a thing of great Odium in the Navy-Affairs: But I greatly admire, that the Officers of the Upper-Rank should brand any one, that lets them know of any fowl Fact, with the Odium of an Informer, and seemingly, nay, openly, treats him unkindly: It has seemed strange unto me, (and looked like the unjust Steward, who not only Wronged his Master himself, but shewed others to do it; or looks like a Great Man's Steward, who discourages, or is angry with any one that comes to him, and tells him, [Page 31]That such an one hath cousened his Ma­ster, or stollen his Goods, of which he is the Head Steward;) what might be the Reason, that generally, in the Navy-Office, and through the Practice of the Navy, one that Informs of Cousenage, or Theft in the Navy, is stiled with an Odium, and generally hated and discoun­tenanced; as also, a Ticket-Buyer, or Ticket-Monger, as they in hatred term him; and is looked upon, as some ill Office done by him. But, in my mind, these Two Persons are the King's Friends; the former, to deter Thieves, and Un­just Men from their Evil Practices; and the latter I shall speak to, when I shall arrive at the Ticket-Office. But these Treatments are very strange to me, and seem, as if there were a general Agree­ment against them, as Evil Men, and not fit to negotiate in the Navy.

But I shall say no more at Present, but hide my Face with Shame; and fol­low [Page 32]my Discourse of the Commissioners, who are of that weight in this Aflair, that if they be right, and good, and well-fitted to the Business, they are the Vital Heat of the Affair; and should, as the Action do require, be multiplied, in a great War, with some Young, Sharp, Wise, and Just Gentlemen; who have Travelled, and are of Years for Gravi­ty enough for the Affair, and of Experi­ence for Business, to Post away to the Ports, where the Ships are newly arri­ved, and step on Board, and Examine what occasions the Miscarriages, either by Weather or War: And there shall he see to the Life, Neglects and Misdemea­nors, in an high degree, by Comman­ders, and Officer's indiscreet Manage­ment: And, for want of which Visit, there is nothing known to the Admiralty, but a Letter from the Captain, whose Word passes at all Times, both for Himself, and all the Ship's Company. So the Ships [Page 33]are turned in, and others are turned out, to please him, without any Enquiry, how the other became damnified. The Custom heretofore was, That before one Ship was ordered in, the Commissioner of the Place, or one Extraordinary, as before-said, went on Board, and called all the Officers to Account, and survey­ed the Defects, and examined the Cause of the Defects; and, if need were, to take their Oaths to it, if it were of Mo­ment; and so gave the Admiralty an Ac­count of the whole Business, with every Circumstance material. And so the Ad­miralty knew all material Matters, and, by that means, did save the like Mis­chances for the future; which may a­mount to many Thousands of Pounds quickly, and Mens Lives, if it were so look­ed after; and would create a greater Care.

I forbear Particulars, for my former Reasons; but Miscarriages come very [Page 34]fast, and no body blamed. I say, a Com­missioner of the Navy is of Great Use, if he sets to it with good Application, and be not baulked easily, nor blinded by Commanders; and if he do not love his Ease or Grandeur too well, designing to set himself down, and rest himself on a Soft Chair, in a Warm House, with a good Sallary added to it; and not care to contend with the Active Captain. Let him do his Pleasure, faith such an one, why should I trouble my self with a Cap­tain, full of Mercury and Sulphur? What need I embroil my self with him? I am in a good Station, and may be qui­et, if I will let things slide, and not let my Interest be called aloft at every Turn, to support me; and if my Interest hap­pen to fail, I may, by a Misconstruction, or a wrong Representment, be called a­way to give Room for another, who has gotten a Commission for the same Place, before I knew on't. So that, I say, if [Page 35]such Proceedings be, that Men are laid a­side by Representments barely, without ever being heard, it will cause all Men to sooth, cogg, slatter, and let Business slide, and nothing will run in its right course; that a Man shall not know, in a little while, what were the Rules and Lines of Government of the Navy, there being so little sign left of them already. For, if it comes to pass, that the Customs and Practices of the Methods of the Na­vy, be broken by Novel and Unexperi­enced Officers, fraughted with sufficient ill Temper, no ways qualified, but boasting of their great Interests that brought them in, and will Maintain them there, in despite of all Complaints; leaving over Methods at pleasure, re­fusing Justice, and squeezing Inferiors that do not bend or truckle the right way: I say, Such things as these will rend the Concern, and pester it, and be as bad as a Quartane-Ague, and spoil its [Page 36]Form and Beauty; and make the Nation groan under so ill amanaged Concern, by means of its Weight and Burthen, as hereafter will more plainly appear.

Having said enough, I hope, of that kind Here, I will now proceed to the Navy-board; where I find a Treasurer, a Comptroller, a Surveyor, and a Clerk of the Acts, all Principal Officers; to which are added, a Commissioner for Victualling Ac­compts, and a Commissioner for Assign­ment of Cash, and divers other Com­missioners.

And, First, of the Treasury, and there­in the Treasurer; who heretofore was a Courtier, or Officer at Court, and was of the Privy-Council; and had Poundage for all his Payments, at Three Pence per Pound: But it being too large, by the encrease of the Navy, it was since brought to a Sallary.

He always assisted at the Navy-Board: But, I think, the Placing the Treasury [Page 37]so far off the Navy-Board, is not so well for Dispatch of the Affair; for there might be an House built on the Waste-Ground on Tower-Hill, with a Dwel­ling for the Treasurer, and fit Offices for that Affair; which would be near, and adjoyning to the Navy-Office; wherein the Ticket-Office might also be contained, and be a means of more quick Dispatches with more Security; the Tower being near, and Help soon called, to stop such Tumults and Mutinies, as I have seen a­bout that Office; and the Commissioners and Clerks may soon be there, to execute their Pays with ease, without loss of Time; and Errors and Mistakes may soon be righted; which the distance of it now doth greatly hinder: And also the Treasurer need not be charged with the Cash, no more than the Treasurer of the King's Houshold is; but as the Cofferer is There, so the Cashier Here: The Pay-Masters also, being responsible Men, [Page 38]and giving Security for their Employ­ments, as they do the Treasurer now, would be sufficient.

Now the Cashier is an Officer that the Treasurer puts in: He receives the Cash from the Exchecquer, by Assign­ment upon some Branches of the Reve­nune; and sometimes receives it in Specie, from the Exchecquer: But the Pay-Ma­ster of the Bills and Tickets, is an En­croachment that the Cashier has made upon the Pay-Master of the Navy, charg­ing him with the Moneys which he Pays in Bills and Tickets, and gives the Pay-Master only Bills and Papers for so much; which the Pay-Master must take care to bring to Accompt in his Ledger before spoken of.

The Pay-Master of the Navy, is a Re­sponsible Officer, and put in by the Trea­surer, giving him good Security, and Discharges the greatest part of the Affair: They, and all the Sallaries of the said [Page 39]Office, were at the Treasurer's own Charge formerly, except one Clerk for the making up of Books. But how it is now, I cannot tell. And thus much of the Treasurer.

Secondly, The Comptroller is also a Principal Officer, who comptrolls all Pay­ments of the Navy: His Office is to Im­spect all Summs paid; and, by his Clerks, to cast up all Bills; the Ticket-Office also being under his Inspection. His Busi­ness being very large, is done by his chief Clerk, and Sub-clerks, and a chief Clerk of the Ticket Office, with Subs. Now, the Clerk-Comptroller should (with the Clerk of the Ticket-Office) be Warranted by the Admiralty. and give Security for the Actions of each Office; and the Sub-clerk only be put in by the Comptroller.

Thirdly, The Surveyor is also a Princi­pal Officer: His Office is to survey all the Ships to be Built, or Repaired; as [Page 40]also, all Houses, Docks, and Stores, re­maining of Store-keepers every Year; as also, the Remains of all Boat-Swains, and Carpenters, coming from Sea; and to pass their Accompts, which he exe­cutes by his Assistant, or Out-riding Surveyor; but chiefly by the Clerk of the Survey, resident in every Yard, and presented to the Office by the Surveyor, but Warranted by the Admiralty.

I mention an Out-riding Surveyor; but there was never any one yet, nor Assistant to the Comptroller, nor Clerk of the Acts Assistant, until of late. But that Assistant, which I call an Out-ri­ding Surveyor, should be often at every Yard, and where any Ships do put in; I mean, Fleets; to survey any Damages, which any Ships do receive by Storm of Weather, or Accident of War; who should return the same to the Surveyor; and he communicate it to the Board, and they to the Admiralty, as I before-men­tioned. [Page 41]Also, this Riding Surveyor should often be at all Timber-Falls, or where any Quantity of Timber is bought, and Marked for the King's Use; and not to leave it wholly to Purveyors, of whom I shall speak in the Yards: And more­over, he should be the Measurer and Taker-up of all Ships, which are Taken into the King's Service, either for War, or Stores; and not to leave it to Purvey­ors, as is usual: Also, he should be of­ten Inspecting, and Surveying of the Ships in Harbor, how they are kept from Drops, their Masts, Yards, and Rig­ging, &c. of the Ships, whether they lie not, by bad Managing, in a Damaging Condition; and give Orders for their Pre­servation; and converting, and contri­ving it most for the Benefit of the Service; Alterations on Ships, Hulks, Lighters, and Houses made; Wells, Pumps, Docks, Conveyances of Water by Pipes; Contrivances of Conveniences [Page 42]for Stores; and not only of the Store-Houses of the Yards, but also of all the Victualling Offices, Cooperidge Dwell­ings, &c. And in fine, all that apper­tains to the Navy; and not leave it wholly to Commissioners, Builders, Mast-makers, House-Carpenters, and Carpenters of Ships, and others usually resident, and acting there. I mean, when any considerable Buildings, or Al­terations and Repairings are needful to be made: This being all directly under the Inspection and Care of the Office of the Surveyor of the Navy, and his Assi­stant, or Riding-Surveyor; and so to transfer the Account thereof, to the Na­vy-Board; that they may be able to give Account to the Admiralty, whenso­ever it shall be required; causing it to be entred into the Clerk-Surveyor's Office, at the Yards, and then to the chief Clerk-Surveyor's Office, whensoever any Or­ders are made thereupon.

And now it is needful, I should men­tion one great Conveniency wanting in Portsmouth Yard, if not in others; and that is, a large Well and Pump, and Pipes to convey the Water to some con­venient Place, for the watering of Ships at the Water-side; that their Boats might at all times of Tide, come and fill fresh Water, their Casks lying in the Boats; that they be not forced to hoist them out and in, and roll them in the Dirt, with great labour, loss of time, destruction of Cask, and slaving out of the Men; when a tenth part of the la­bour and time, and damages, would do it, if a little Charge, laid out for that Convenience, were bestowed: I admire at the neglect. I say, The Surveyor's Office would be of much greater Service to the King in the Navy, if it be attended with such good Application, as is herein hinted.

Fourthly, The Clerk of the Acts, is also a [Page 44]a principal Officer, signing of late; but, I conceive, that Officer was never in­tended formerly to act through the whole Series of that Affair, done at the Board; but as a Clerk and Accomptant, to assist the Board in their Contracts, Orders, Letters, Warrants, &c. Di­gesting and Clerking of Matters done at the Board; finding of Precedents, pre­paring and laying up of all Precedents and Papers ready for view, viz. all the Actions of the Board, except such Papers as fall under the Treasurer, Comptroller, Surveyor, Commissioner for Victualling, and Commissioner for Assignment of Casks, their respective Offices.

Now this Officer should Sign only under, as Secretary, to avouch he Action past by the Board, under his Registry and Notification: For it cannot be thought that he should have Skill and Knowledg in all the Affairs of Treasurer, Comptrol­ler, Surveyor, Commissioner for Victualing, [Page 45]Accompts, and Commissioner for Assign­ment of Cash, their distinct and intricate Proceedings, well seasoned with Justice; and to speak thereunto, and to cause the dispatch thereof equally, if not more than them. I say, It is inconsistent with Reason, to think this Officer ever was, or can be, capable to attain to the Insight, Skill, and Knowledge of those Affairs, which is required, and herein mentioned, to appertain to their respective Offices; and wherein is the Exercise of great Ju­stice also: The doing whereof would perplex, molest, and make the Affairs full of Intricacies, and troublesome Me­thods; and be a means to mislead them in their Places, and cause delays in their Proceedings, or precipitate them in their Debates, when dispatches are required, so as I have elsewhere said: Too much Intricacies by Method multiplied, clogs, perturbs, molests, and hinders the Affairs in their dispatches; which is the Vital [Page 46]Spirit of all Naval or Military Pro­ceedings.

Fifthly, The Commissioner for Victual­ling Accompts, is to pass the Accounts of the Commissioners for Victualling the Navy under his Inspection; as also, the Pursers of Ships; and by his Chief Clerk, who should be warranted there­unto by the Admiralty, and giving Se­curity for the Papers, Bills, and all Mat­ters and Transactions in that Office de­pending; and to digest them into their proper Methods; and offer them to In­spection and View for Approbation; first, unto the Commissioner; and, by his Or­der and Direction, be presented to the Board, for Allowances they shall agree to; and by their Orders, to prepare Bills for their Signing, and Passing the Ac­compts.

The Sub-Clerk, or Clerk of that Of­fice, should be put-in by the proper Commissioner: But the head Clerks of [Page 47]every Office, if they should be put in by the respective Commissioners, as they have been accustomed, as when the Navy-Affairs were of less quantity, and shor­ter Proceedings; even Then it was not void of Interest, Confusions, dilatory, promiscuous, and uncertain Proceedings; much more Now, when the Navy is swol­len to so vast a Bulk, and a prospect of yet greater, that it would require to each of the said Offices a Head Clerk, well skilled, and every-way trained up in that Experience and Affair of known Fideli­ty, Justice, and Honesty; diligent and Industrious in his Attendence; I say, in the Navy now: As for instance; at the Primier Institution of the Court of Chan­cery, Six Clerks were enough to Clerk that Affair, under which Demonstration it still Runs: But after the encrease of the Practices, how many are there requi­red, and how great and important a Six Clerks Office is, doth appear: So also [Page 48]here is Room for Eight Principal Clerks, that none may be delay'd, that attend their negotiations in the said Office, by Pretences and Demurs made by Under-Clerks, or Apprentices, for Lucre: And therefore these Clerks ought to be perma­nent, settled, and steady in their Em­ployments, with a prospect of Advance­ment; and that by a Table of Advancement or Establishment, for each Clerk's Pre­ferment, as formerly mentioned; and to have their Warrants from the Admiralty; and not to have their whole Hopes and Dependance hang upon the mutable Good-will of the Commissioner of that Office: And also, the Under-Clerks to be under the like circumstance of an Esta­blishment, for their Advancement by the Commissioners of the Navy Board: So will there be Able, Skilful, Modest, and Industrious Head-Clerks, giving Security for their Offices, viz. the Cashier, and Pay-Master of the Navy, Clerks of the [Page 49] Ticket-Office, Clerk-Comptroller, Clerk-Surveyor, Clerk of the Board, Clerk of Victualing-Accompts, and Clerk of As­signment of Cash: And the Under-Clerks would be Industrious and diligent, and all aspire to be expert, and able instru­ments, and be moderate in their Fees, and quick in their Dispatches, and with patience wait for their Advancement; which is an Object they see setled daily before their Faces; which should be as certainly their Reward, if they live, and be so approved of; even as unalterable, as the Laws of the Medes and Persians were.

The Clerk of the Petitions and Requests is grown, of late, out of the Clerk of the Acts-Office, and is a particu­lar; and, I think, appointed thereto by him, having a small Apartment; where all Persons Petitioning for some small Di­spatches, may have easie and free Access to put in their Requests, and receive their [Page 50]Answers, without delays; if it be well performed, and not delaid for Lucre; the due Execution of which should be well regarded; for many Persons attending for small dispatches, viz. to be Tran­sported, and expedited on Board their Ships, Entred into the Yards or Ships, and hundreds more of like sort, are in need of like dispatches, and wait there, being ignorant of their Proceedings.

The Care and Dispatch of that Office, I reckon, belongs to the Clerk of the Acts, or Clerk of the Board.

The Clerk of the Ticket-Office is also of great Trust: He is to Examine all Tickets, cast up the Wages, Examine all Pursers Victualling-Books, keep all Ma­sters-Books from time to time, sent by all Checques, Muster-Masters, Captains, and Pursers: If he be a Man given to Bribery or Lucre, he may cast a great Scandal upon this Affair, and abuse the King's Service; because the Men's Tickets [Page 51]are all to pass through his Hands; and he Acting alone, and apart, he may have opportunities for Protraction: But his Office is most immediatly under the In­spection of the Comptroller, but not of the Clerk-Comptroller: He ought to be a Man modest and moderate in his Fees, of great Patience, and Compassionate of poor ignorant Men and Women; and of a nature easie to be talked to, by the Vulgar and Ignorant People; and ready to put them in the Right-way, bearing with their weak Expressions, and idle Questions about their Business; and not be of an elevated Mind, short and sharp Speech, expecting to have Sentences and Rhetorick spoken to him: For the People Soliciting that Affair, and also generally of the Navy-Office, are not much Lettered.

And now I am in the Way, I will give a Lecture for the Clerks, in gene­ral, of the Navy; who, perhaps, may [Page 52]come in time to read it, or to hear it from the Mouths of their Superiors, who have the Over-sight and Correction of them more amplified, and in a better Accent, and more suitable to their Capacity, and most likely to take Effect upon them; which is briefly thus: viz. to consider, that the Affair is of such great conse­quence, that the very Welfare of the Politick Body of this Nation does hang upon it; and that generally, the People that act in the Affair, are meer strangers, pulled and haulled into the Service by the Necessity of the Nation, to require Help of all People of the Nation, to be con­tributing to withstand our Foreign Ene­mies; to preserve the Honour and Trade thereof, and these People that are drawn into it, either by Force, Persuasion, or by Commutation, are generally not much skilled in Letters, and commonly Women-Solicitrixes, Wives, Widows, or Friends; and therefore, very testy, and very impatient of delays; well [Page 53]stockt with Curses, and hard Wishes; yet more than all, are grinded by their Creditors, and pinched to the heart by Poverty, and insupportable Necessities, the which is partly brought on them by their imprudent management of them­selves and Family, when they have it: But, chiefly, the exigencies which the Affair puts them into, viz. Travel, Wounds, Sickness by Mischances, Wet­ness, Cold, bad Diet, Lodging, &c. yet more by the Methods and Proceed­ings of the Naval-Offices, whose com­passions goe but a little way, to spare Money, or Advice, nay Liberty under their Commands, to provide necessary Relief at the best hand for themselves: For, first, when they come on Board, they have no Cloths; and to have them, the Methods are not, untill they have served Two Months: But, perhaps, e're that he stinks, or crawls with Lice, or Sick, if not all together: And then when [Page 54]he has it, it is at a dear Rate, and per­haps not that which he wants; and none dares to Credit him, as I shall shew here­after, on the Slop-seller's Part. But this being too long a Lesson for my Clerk to hear, I will leave this Subject unto ano­ther Place; thinking I have said enough, to move him to compassion towards the Sea-men, their Widows, and Fatherless Children; and to give them dispatches the easiest, quickest, and cheapest Way, in kind and Familiar Expressions, except they be rude and impudent towards the Clerk.

And here I will acquaint the Clerks, That when we did the greatest Feats of Arms at Sea, viz. with the Dutch their First War; with the Spaniard, in the Mediterranean, St. de Croix, and West-Indies, &c, and all the Wars we had in the Time of King Charles's Exile; the Navy-Office was so ordered, that a Man might have dispatched any Affair almost, [Page 55]at one Board; and with the Ticket-Office and Treasure, in a Tides-Time; and with the greatest ease imaginable, and cheap­ness too: For none were suffered to take any Fees publickly, but what was forced on them, and in private, with a modest Acceptance: But their dispatches were with all imaginable quickness, and every one endeavoured to exceed each other; and strove who should serve the Publick best, and cheapest: For their publick Bu­siness were carried on with all imaginable Application, and it was a Crime for any one to absent himself from his Post, and not easily past over without very good Reasons given; nor any kind of delays, by keeping any Bills, or Tickets, or Pa­pers, in their hands, without dispatch, under pretence of not being at leisure: And for their quick Equipping of Fleets, and put­ting them into Action, there is sufficient Testimony and Proof remaining. Indeed, it did behove them to bestir themselves, [Page 56]when they had the whole World upon their backs almost, at once, to deal with; and a discontent in their Bowels, at the same time; yet you see, with what Vigor and Resolution, Pains and Industry they waded through it, to the Terror and A­mazament of their Enemies; the Situation of this Kingdom, and Benefit of its Ports; but the paucity of their Ships and Men, and smallness of their Provision of Artil­lery and Munition, was no small Obstacle.

Wherefore I conclude, that since the said Obstacles are removed far from us, and the Benefits, by God's Goodness, continued unto us, (unto which might be added an Heroick Monarch, with good consti­tuted Laws,) why we might not, by the Divine Assistance, do as great matters by our Navy, as ever; which might pro­duce us both Splendor, Peace, and Riches, I know not.

And therefore I conclude this Exhor­tation to the Clerks, that they be expert, [Page 57]painful, and industrious, moderate in their Fees; but of quick dispatches, which is the Life thereof; and I doubt not, but that their Superiours will settle them a good Compensation, suitable to their Merit; and an Establishment for their Advancement, as a Reward for their patient Expectation.

Sixthly, the Commissioner for Assign­ment of Cash, is of a late Comencement, but a very good Method: His Office is to inspect the keeping of a Ledger, by his Head Clerk of all the Cash, assigned to be paid by the Treasurer or Pay-master, in the nature of Debtor and Creditor, the Italian Accompt; by which Book the Board may see the State of the Trea­sury, what hath been Received, and to what Uses it hath been paid, and what Cash remains to be Assigned: Also, he prepares Lists of what Bills or Tickets, Ships, Books, or Yards, are yet unpaid, and are presented to the Board, as often [Page 58]as necessity requires; that they may agree in the Order or Preference, what is most necessary or needful to be next assigned for Payment, out of what part and propor­tion of the remaining Cash; and of the next Receipts, as appropriated for this Use, and what for that; and according­ly they are Listed, and Assigned, and Paid in their courses, without any devia­tions, or preferences, as the said List runneth. If it be Rightly Executed, the method is laudable, if there be no delays nor preferences in the drawing the said Lists, but impartially assigned.

The Just and Impartial proceedings of this Office, is committed to the care of a Commissioner; who directs and orders the Head-Clerk therein, and he the Subs, for his Assistance: This is a Branch of the Comptroller's Office; but his Comptrol­ment, being of too large Business, is eased by this Commissioner, as is also, by the Commissioner for Victualing-Accompts: [Page 59]The Other Commissioners also do contri­bute their Help, to see the due Executi­on of Payes of Ships, Yards, &c. They go to the Ports where Fleets ride, and give necessary Orders: But formerly, they went on Board the Fleet, and into Bat­tles, and were of Council to the Flags: For, it has not been thought safe, nor expedient, for a general Flag to go with­out Coadjutors, or Assistants in Councils. I say, they have also noted the Transacti­ons, and took notice of the diligent, careful, and industrious Officers; and who did a brave Action, he gave the Admiralty an Account, for Preferment and Reward; and the Careless, Sloth­ful, Debauched, and Ill-behaved, he al­so noted to the Admiralty, for their Dis­mission: But for some small rewards, and other reprehensions, he had power to do himself, and never failed to do it.

So likewise, in the Ports, Harbors, and Yards, where any quantities of Ships [Page 60]were, they visited, and spurred, enliven­ed, quickned, and dispatched the Affairs, making their Observations as aforesaid: Yet not to Eclipse the Admiral's Authori­ty, or the Commissioner's of the Place; but all went on in a mutual Assistance to the Affair, in Unity and Concord; and whatsoever the One did, was approved of by the Other. But a Captain never attempted to Disobey, Contradict, or Dispute the Commissioner's definite Or­ders, within the Ports or Rivers; nor his Advice or Directions in points of Go­vernment abroad, if it were not oppo­site to the General's or Admiral's Instructi­ons: But how it is now, and what Fi­gure a Commissioner bears, is plain and obvious in proceedings of late, which brings me into

Thirdly, The Yards:
• 1. The Commissioner. , • 2. The Clerk of the Checque. , • 3. The Master-Builder. , • 4. The Store-Keeper. , • 5. The Master-Attendance. , • 6. The Clerk of the Survey. , • 7. The Warrant-Office in Ordinary. , and • 8. The Purveyors. 

First, The Commssioners formerly, if a Captain brought in his Ship, and was ordered to turn over this Company into another; the Commissioner seeing the emergency of the Occasion, and that it was for the Advancement of the Service; and that his Hands were enough to clear [Page 62]the former Ship, and fit her for the Dock, against the approaching Spring, or to clean her on the ways; and, at the same time, also to Ballast, Rigg, and Store the other, that so the Service might not be impeded or disappointed, the hands at the Dock prepared, and the Dock to receive her: I say, that they be not forced to be imployed another way, and the Dock lie void, and a Ship full of Stores and Tackle lie by, for want of hands to clear her: The Com­missioner would immediately, either by word of Mouth, or Order in Writing, order, that so many of such a Ship's hands do This, and so many That, which was accordingly done: But of late, other Proceedings have been, and clean con­trary: Nay, I doubt, to further the Service, the Commissioner hath been con­strained to advance the Money imprested for the Yard, to pay the Men for do­ing it: And also, the Captain to re­fuse [Page 63]to let some of his Men to Hoyst out the Provisions, which he left in the For­mer, to put into the New-fitted Ship, without Moneys to Pay his Men for it; If the Commissioner have protested he had no Money, the thing so lies undone, and the Provision lies in the Ship, until his good-will comes, or that he could not Victual the other without it; and, at last, sendeth some hands for some of it; and the rest, with the Ballast, Guns, and Stores, lies in her till she have slipt one Spring; and, with very great diffi­culty, may be gotten into the Dock the last Tide of the Second Spring, the Dock lying empty all that while, and the hands prepared for her, for a shift, turn­ed to some other work. O Prodigious Proceedings! by one handful may be known the whole Sack.

How far a Commissioner's Authority runs in respect to a Captain now, I do not pretend to know; but formerly I have [Page 64]known it extended even to the ordering all his Ship's-Company in Harbor, as he thought good, for the Advancement of the Service: Nay, if the Captain (in Spleen) would under-rate any Officer, Seaman, or Servant, to prejudice him, the Commissioner would do him right; and if the Captain should abuse any Of­ficer, or use any unreasonable Command towards any Officer, or any of his Com­pany, upon his first knowledge thereof, he would reprehend the Captain; and if that were not enough, he would acquaint the Admiralty therewith, and become an Ad­vocate to procure Justice for the wrong­ed Party. I am sure he is sworn to do Justice, as a Justice of Pace is, and to act so between the King and Subject, in all Matters under his Cognizance; and the like between Subject and Subject, or else I am mistaken. But if the Cap­tain's Commission be now too high for his reach, I know not, but will refer it [Page 65]to those, who gave them both. But this I know, that the Service is lame, and halts shrewdly thereby.

The Commissioners of the Yards have been of great use and service to the Af­fair; but how they are now, I have so late­ly given you a handful out of a full sack, that there is no farther need to declare.

Secondly, I come now to the Clerk of the Cheque, who is an Officer of great Trust, and musters and cheques all Men, both in the Yard, Harbour, and adjacent Roads, where he can come conveniently, as his Instructions import: He casts up all Mens Wages for their Services; makes and delivers Books for their Quarterly Payment, and checques all absent time: He makes out Bills for all manner of Stores: He gives Warrants to the Victuallers, to issue Victuals to all Ships Companies, both ordinary and extraordinary, called Petty Warrants; and he is the Cashier to pay all Contingences of the Yard, viz. Petty [Page 66]Emptions, and all other Emptions and contingent Charges; and the Commis­sioners Bills, with the Parties Receipts, are his Vouchers, to clear the Imprest Bills granted him, which are great Sums. His Office consists of many intricate and difficult parts, and requires an expert Clerk; one that knows the Rules and Me­thods of the Navy; a Man of good Judgment in Business, sharp sighted, and crafty, to prevent the Shifts, Shams, and Cosenages, that else will be put upon him; of Skill to discern the Goodness and right Qualities of the Stores served in; to be vigilant, and watchful, that the Men be not out of the Yard, when they should be at Work; or purloining and embez­ling the King's Goods; nor be not in their Beds, or at Ale-houses, whilst they should be attending the Work of their Nights and Tides, and yet be paid for it: and, in fine, to be a vigilant, painful, honest, and withal, a very just Man; or else he [Page 67]may do many Men much wrong, and discourage many good Men.

This Officer is of that general Use, that he had need be endowed with as many good Parts, as can be found to be gathered into one Man; I mean, En­dowments of the Soul; as, Faith, Justice, Charity, and all Spiritual Graces: and of the Mind; as Wisdom, Patience, Af­fability, and all the intellectual Graces: and of the Body; as, Temperance, Cha­stity, Labour, and Industry, Vigilance, and Carefulness; and a true Observer of the Methods and Rules of the Navy and Yards; and no Breaker of those Rules, that are prescribed him in his Instructi­ons, which are, or should be, as a Table of Commandments to him; And, in fine, if he be not well skilled and quali­fied, as he is in a station of much Service, so may he do much Disservice. As for instance, If he be a Man of no Skill or Knowledg in Maritime Affairs, (viz. a [Page 68]meer Novice to all that Affair,) no good Clerk nor Accomptant, and in the general of negotiating, and doing of Business, a Novice; that is Incapability enough to make him useless, and rather, nay, is ex­tream hurtful to the Affair. For, if the King must put in Novices, and Pupils, into places of Business and Trust, and to endure the Damages that ensue by it, and wait for their improvement, and fit­ness for it; then Children were fitter for it, they may come to maturity: But if to the other Unqualifications, he be fraughted with ill Temper, Peevishness, creeping Hypocrsie, Passionate, Trouble­some, Malitious, and Revengeful, full of Tricks, Intrigues, and Designs, Self-con­ceitedness, angry with one that does not flatter him, and that hath not the same opinion of him, that he hath of himself; plotting and designing to enrich himself by new methods of his Office, breaking his Instructions like Cobwebs, with [Page 69]whom Lies, and Denials of Truth are as frequent, as Kisses at a Wedding; and, in fine, makes every one swear to negoti­ate with him, to save himself harmless; except he learn to procure, and have rea­dy in his Pocket, the Key to unlock his Temper, to have a dispatch suitable to his Time and Occasion; I say, such a Man is put in the fair Rode to do exceed­ing great damages to the Affair: But to particularize the Evils ensuing, were too tedious to number; and therefore I will leave him in the good Conceit he hath, that he that preferred him, will not fail to support him: Let business either truckle or slide, his Ends and Designs are sure to effect. I must needs say then, that the weight of the burthen is too heavy for the Nation to bear; and will make it groan, if many such are shuffled into business of moment, to serve private Ends.

Thirdly, The Master-Builder, who has the Over-sight, and all the Direction and [Page 70]Contrivance of the Building of all Ships, Boats, Vessels, Docks, &c. under the Inspection of the Surveyor, and Helps: He hath a sufficient Architecture, called his Assistant, Foremen, Master Caulker, Master Joyner, Master Boat-Builder, Master Mast-Maker; and all, in their distinct Stations, execute his Orders, and are material In­struments under him, to carry on the Machines, which he receives Orders for from Above. Yet he is not so absolute, but the Commissioner upon the place is his superiour Officer, and may supersede, if he sees necessary; and is an Over-seer and Controller of him, and all other Officers in the Yard: Obedience he may command; but let him take care, it be for the Promotion and Advantage of the Service, and all is right.

This Master-Builder, I say, is the head of all the Ship-wrights, Mast-Makers, Joyners, Boat-Builders, Carvers, Pain­ters, &c. and is a most material Officer [Page 71]of Trust; He and his Assistant, Signing for all Materials to the Store-keeper, for the issuing them; who appropriates and appoints what Services they are issued for, by Notes, or Bills of Issues, by his Clerk allowed him, with an Office for that pur­pose. Yet I take notice of an Error in it; viz. that although he does give a Bill for the said Issues, and therein specifie for what Ship, &c. it is to be expended upon; and the Accounts for that Work are so placed on the said Ship, or Work, with the Wages thereon, in the Accompts sent to the Surveyors Office: Yet it is not practised to take the Parties hands to the Receipt of the said Materials issued, who receives them, viz. the Carpenters of the Ships, Fore-men, or Overseers of the said Work; so that they know not what Orders of Appropriation are issued for that use; and thereby is left a Lati­tude, to direct the said Materials to any other use, and may prove a great abuse to [Page 72]that Ship or Work; and may make it swell in the Surveyor's-Office, where the Board has only the view for their Satisfaction, to give the Admiralty account thereof: And I may say, be a disestimation on the Con­tractors for the former Building, or Re­pairing the said Ship or Work, and prove to be an untrue Representation of the Affairs to the Board and Admiralty; and is an open Door for many Evils to enter at, which otherwise might be shut: The Evils are too many for me to mention, but may easily be conjected.

And here I cannot let slip one great Evil in the Navy, viz. That a Ship which has been built out of the King's Yards, when she comes into the said Yards to be repaired, she shall be cobled up, and disregarded, and disparaged at a strange rate by every Builder, Assistant, Fore­man, nay, every ordinary Shipwright, in favour and imitation of what their Master-Builder saith of her; even he, I [Page 73]say, hath also a Stone to cast at her; and all this happens to her, because he that built her is not in request in the King's Service at that time: But if he were, then may he write to that Dock and Yard to be kind to her; and by that is under­stood the meaning, viz. to give her due Repairs, and to spare no Costs to fit her forth. But if she hath no Friends, as I said, or Father, (as they call it,) she may be had into the Dock, and bungled up at a slighting rate, and turned out again, without having her full Repairs and Adornings, and put on Float to be done there; the which often lies undone, and she is left open for the Weather to destroy her: Her Scuppers also may be left unset, whereby the Water runs down her tim­bers years together; the Bolts undrove; not Coats for the Masts, nor Tarpallings to keep her dry; also not good Caulk­ing, and abundance of Work undone; the which the Builder says he can do in [Page 74]an instant; but the Ship being not want­ed to be immediately sitted out, she is thus laid by; and the Builder certifies to the Board that she is ready for the Sea, when she wants two or three Hundred Pounds worth of Work to be done to her; and when she is ordered to the Seas the Work is to do: And so do they work over one another's Backs, and hinder each other; which is a loss to the King, and a great Cause why Ships are so long Equipping, there being a myste­ry under it, which ought to be disco­vered.

Now all this while here is a Latitude left by this method, as I spake of, for the Iron Work, Timber, and Materials, &c. to be spent on a beloved or a favourite Ship, as they call it, and placed to the account of the other, who all this while lies Rotting and Decaying shamefully, for want of careful Preventions.

As for the Preservation of Ships after built, I account it the most necessary and needful Charges, and that ought most especially to be regarded, before the building of new Ships; for every Hun­dred Pounds laid out well for Preser­vation of Ships, is of more Service, than two Thousand Pounds laid out upon new Ships, let it be managed never so well: For I would fain know wherein the Wisdom and Prudence of that Man lies, who, having two Houses required for his use, of equal bigness, they be­ing in Decay, and that every Hundred Pound laid out upon Repairs of one of them, turns to more account for his Pro­fit, and readier for his Use, than five Hundred Pound laid upon a new one: And the other being lately repaired, or built, and wants only some small Expen­ces to be upon it, to preserve it for his use, at all times of need to be ready; and every Hundred Pound he layeth out [Page 76]upon that's Preservation, turns to his ac­count of profit more than two Thou­sand Pound laid out towards building a new one; and yet notwithstanding he will neglect the other, and build it new; for that his chief Steward, or else his Master­workman, has blinded his cheif Steward, who have large private Interests in the building of new, or else their Interest runs like two Lines from the Circumfe­rence to the Centre. I cannot forbear to be thus plain, that Navy Ships, I fear, have been too much neglected in their Preservation, and that Builders have not been without their blame; and that no small Intrigues are and have been carried on for the Building and Repair­ing of Ships, I am well satisfied thereof.

I confess this matter, as many Particu­lars of great Weight, and also that of the Purveyors, and Contractors, may re­quire a long discourse, and would be matter of Discovery of divers Mysteries; [Page 77]but because I have an Eye to my former Promise, not to expose the Affair, nor any Person therein, to the view of the World; and that I do not affect the Title of an Informer; but so as to cast a willing Mite into the Treasury, for the support of the Order and Government of the Navy, whereby it might be easier maintained (as to the vast Expence, and immence charge thereof) by the Nation, and serve the right Ends: viz. To pre­serve and maintain the Honour and Wealth of the Nation; and by a Pro­gression to encrease it, that they be not obnoxious to the Insulting, or Conquest, of their Neighbours, who design no less; which is my chief End herein.

Now as for the Builders, Assistants, Ma­ster-Caulkers, Master-Joyner, Master-Mast-Maker, Master-Boat-Builder, Ma­ster-House-Carpenter, Ship-Wrights, La­bourers, Sawyers. Tool-Grinders and Setters, and all the Artificers and Work­men [Page 78]men belonging to the respective Works, being under the Inspection of the Master-Builder, and Assistants, having not time to descend into small particulars, I will say no more here: But that the Master Carver, Anchor-Smith, Lock-Smith Pain­ter, and Purveyor of small Stores, or petty Emptions, they being all Con­tractors, I will say only as I before said of the right Appropriations of the Stores, and true Qualifications therof, that the Door be shut against any Evils that may come in by Fraud, or wrong Applicati­on of the said Works: which brings me,

FOurthly, to the Storekeeper's-Office, who is also of great Trust in his Receipts and Issues of all manner of Stores; who gives also Security for his Office, to pass his Accompts, Debtor and Creditor, with the Clerk-Surveyor, or with the Clerk of the Comptroll, which was an Officer settled of late years in every Yard, and a Head-Office thereof at London. And [Page 79]therein was found out an Employment for a Commissioner of the Board; but that being onely a Branch of the Survey­or's Office, it never appeared to me of any use; but as hiring Men to mud the Water, so it hath been for some time since discontinued at the Yards: But the Office aloft is continued; where many Lines and Columns of Stores are made, for the balancing of Store-keepers Ac­compts: Yet that heretofore, and now, ought to be kept by the Clerk-Surveyor; but he finding ease thereby, may be silent. The Storekeeper, I say, with his Clerks and Subs, are to be minded, that he, nor any of his Instruments, shall be negligent in their attendance, but be ready to make Dispatch in their Issues, and not to be morose and short in their Answers, and prolong the time in effecting the Import of the Notes and Bills, that are signed to them by the Master-Builder, his Assistant, Master-Attendant, or Clerk of [Page 80]the Survey, (for they all sign upon them respectively;) but that Boatswains, Car­penters, &c. must give long attendance for Dispatches, protracted for Lucre, ma­ny great Evils ensuing to the Affair there­by: Yet the Commissioner is commonly to and again; and if he be sharp sighted, and willing to give hinself the trouble, will apply a seasonable Spur, as well to them as all other slow Proceedings; which is a great branch of his Office, to quicken, spur, and enliven the whole Affair within his Jurisdiction.

Fifthly, The Master-Attendant is an Officer of Business, and Trust, for trans­porting of Ships in and out of the Har­bor, taking care for laying the Ships (all that enter the Port) at safe more­ings; that they damnifie not each other, do not break loose, &c. to take care to un­store, ungun, unrigg, and unballast them; and bring them to and from the Dock, and heave them into the Dock, [Page 81]and out, provide Balast, and all man­ner of Rigging, Cables, Sails, Anchors, and Cordage for them; suitable and an­swerable Stores for their Voyage: And on their Returns again to survey the Boat­swain's remains, and take care for the laying them up for Preservation; the Clerk of the Survey being the Sur­veyor's Instrument, for Surveying the Stores of as well the Boatswain's Stores, under the Master-Attendant his Over­sight, as also the Carpenters Store's, un­der the Master-Builder's Oversight, pas­sing their Accounts by the Vouches sign­ed by the Builders, and Master-Atten­dant, of their Remains; and of the Cap­tains their expence at Sea. The Master-Attendant also commands and directs the Labourers of the Yard; orders the cut­ting and making of Rigging at the Rig­ging House, appoints and directs the Ordi­nary; that is, the Boatswain's Servants, and extraordinary Men, born on the Ships in [Page 82]Harbour; and takes notice of the re­spective Persons under his Command, of their either Neglect or Attending their Duty: All which he performs by his Substitutes, as by the Boatswains of Ships for the Ordinary, and when he detaches Labourers to work on Float, to clear Ships, heave Balast, &c. And for the Labourers, the Boatswain of the Yard, although warranted, works them; yet subordinate to the Master-Attendant: The said Yard-Boatswain also directs the Teams of draught Horses, for drawing of Timber, &c. and heaving it out of Vessels by Labourers; also all manner of Stores received in, and cleaning of the Docks and Yards, providing of Shovels, Pickaxes, Hand-spikes, Ropes, Blocks, and all Instruments to doe the said work, and for heaving in and out Ships at the Docks. The Master-Attendant also ap­points Pilots for carrying Ships in and out of the Harbour, and signs their Bills [Page 83]for it; as also the Huyes and Lighters, hired for carrying of Balast. His business is of large Extent, and he ought to be a Man of good Knowledge, as of the Practice of the Navy, so of the Shoals and Tides of the Harbour; a Man of Care, Industry, Courage, Temperance, Justice, and Honesty; and well encou­raged and supported in his Commands: So ought also the Checque, Builders, &c. in their respective Stations, appointed by the Commissioner of the Place, and also of the Board: Whereas if he be void of Knowledge, great Damages will ensue to Ships, in their Transportations and Ri­dings, he not being acquainted with the Shoals; and setting of Tides, and the lyings of Moreings in the Harbour: the elder Boatswain indeed may be his Guide, who officiates under him; but they will be apt to be cross, and think they are wronged of their Birthright, whose opi­nion I cannot condemn: Neither can I [Page 84]think it either just, expedient, or safe, to the King's Service; to put a stranger who never served, nor knew the Practice of the Navy, over the heads of able Men, who have spent their whole days in the said Service; and therefore I cannot forbear to say here, as I have else where said in the Preferment and Encouragement of Clerks: For it is hard measure, that a Man shall be neglected, and put by Preferment, not for any Ina­bility, but that he hath not made Inte­rest enough, or is not willing to down with his dust; although he has served his Life long, and is a Man of much Expe­rience and Merit; which sort of Men, as I have elsewhere said, are Modest, and backward to offer to buy (as I there called it) their Fetters.

One thing I have forgotten to hint be­fore, the which perhaps may not be un­fitly applyed here, it being an Observa­tion I have made in the Navy, viz. That [Page 85]it is the Opinion and Practcie of many, not the best Officers, that they will bid the highest rate for Advancement; con­cluding, that when attained they are ar­rived into the Land of Canaan, (viz. Rest,) but not of Promise to them; but was promised, perhaps, to more merito­rious Men, but that their Money and In­terest came short: yet of Rest they are resolved to make it; concluding, that their Profits being encreased, their Cares should be abated: And therefore they do resolve to live quiet and secure, and act that part that shall procure them that; and let the World go round, if their Po­licy fail not, their sleep shall be sound; and let the inferiour be industrious and full of cares: But I think it is altogether unsuitable to the Mind of a good Man or Christian, a good Officer, or Leige­man to his King and Country; and also should think, the higher his Office the more his Cares; not only in the sight of [Page 86]good Men, but required by God: For the Sword of Justice was never designed by him to be put into the hands of one who will sheath it, and play the Truant: Wherefore I am well assured, that it would contribute to the Welfare and Promotion of the Glory and Strength of the Navy and Nation, and be most a­greeable to the Dictates of God Almigh­ty to let Justice be plentifully administred through the whole Series of the Affair; that the least Member thereof may gather enough for the Expence of his Family, of that Heavenly Dew or Manna, which is the Emanations of Heaven upon Man; and he that hath Justice in him, hath (although but weakly) one of the Cardi­nal Attributes of God. I will end this Paragraph with a Declamation against the Injustice of some years past; To dis­pose of the places of the biggest Ships, un­to young uncapable Men, that never served in the Affair; nor, I beleive, ne­ver [Page 87]will, when need requires it; but, like the Drones in the Bee-hive, live at home, and spend the Honey, and the publick Service serve only them: Nay, one Employment hath not been enough, but two or three of the best; I mean, of the middle Stations of the Navy; I say, two or more have been one Man's share, and deserving Men, of good and approved Abilities, and of long standing and ser­vice, have been put by, or onely con­tinued in their low and beginning Station; and by consequence must veil to Children and Pupilsin Business, if they will have Bread.

But I return to my Master-Attendant, who, if he be not a Man of Novel In­ventions, and break the Practices of the Yards, and do not be put upon through his Weakness, and Ignorance of his Au­thority, and Right of Command, by any malevolent and turbulent Boatswain, that acts under him; and who tells him, [Page 88]that it is not the Duty of the Ordinary to heave out the Provisions left in the Ships; for they are not the King's, but the Purser's; and so cause the Wheels to stand still, and the Docks to stand void, as I have before hinted, and so damnifie the Service considerably, and also the Officer: I say, he ought also to have Courage, and stand on his Right of Com­manding Men out of Ships, to clear o­thers, as the necessity of the Service re­quires, and the Commissioner of the place directs; although there be a Captain that denies his Men to do it, except they be paid for it; I say he ought to bid hard up to the positive Point, and there to leave it, and the Damages thereof, at the Captains or Commissioners Doors. So that you see, that the Vertue of Cou­rage must not be wanting; for if it be, he cannot perform the Service well. Al­so Justice and Honesty he ought to be well stockt with; otherwise he will be [Page 89]tempted to connive with the Boatswain's Embezlements, and sign over large Ex­pences; and he may be tempted to sign over large Balaft Bills: and again, he may abuse and hinder many other good Officers in their Servants, under the pre­tence of Uprightness to the King's Busi­ness; and pour out his Favours upon his Creatures: I say, this Officer ought to be endued with very good Vertues, or else he may, instead of doing much Ser­vice to the Affair, do very much Disser­vice, &c.

Sixthly, The Clerk of the Survey is an Officer presented thereto by the Survey­or, but warranted by the Admiralty, who keeps the Account of all Stores received into the Yard by the Storekeeper; sur­veys them at their Entrance, and is one that signs the Bills for them to the Na­vy-board. He surveys all Remains of Stores at the Returns of Ships from Sea; of Boatswains, and Carpenters, and [Page 90]passes their Accompts: He signs Vouch­es to Storekeepers for Sea Stores, with the Master-Attendant, and Builders, with whom, and the Storkeepers, his Business interferes very much; and his Affair or Duty being in a less compass, and with­out the reach of much Disquiet, or Trou­ble, he may be the more happy, if he be a Man of that Temper to use it so: His business being retired, and within himself, his Temptations to Dishonesty are the more and more recluse and pri­vate, having opportunities thereby to cause him to fall, and break his Trust; and therefore had need be a Man endow­ed with honest and just Principles: Also he ought to be of good knowledge in the Nature of Stores, and a ready Clerk for Accompts. Mostly the Surveyor takes great care to present a fit and experien­ced Clerk, otherwise it would distract his Office aloft; and commonly he presents one that has served before in some under [Page 91]Clerkship of the same Office; which is a sort of Justice I wish were practised throughout the Navy: I am sure he is the more safe and quiet in his business; and no doubt the better Dispatches are made therein by People apt and known to the business; without Tricks, Projects or new Fangles for Lucre. I know no Office in the Navy of that Quantity, that transacts their Business with Dispatch, with so little Notice or Perturbation, and are so very sedate and quiet; undoubtedly the more happy themselves, and those that negotiate with them, and the Services of the King in that Affair go or at least run, in the streight Chanel, without Meanders and Turnings.

Seventhly, The Rope-house, viz. the Clerk and Master-Rope-maker are the Guides of that Affair, only the Master-Attendant sometimes may inspect or or­der some sizes of Ropes and Cordage, Cabels, &c. to be made, as they are [Page 92]needed; and also sometimes his Or­ders are necessary to detatch some of the Ordinary, or Labourers, to twist the great Cables. Indeed this Office is very distinct from interfering with any of the rest of the Offices; only the Master-At­tendant may detatch some of their Hands, to help to heave a Ship in or out of the Dock, or the Master-Builder, on some emergencies; the nature of their Work being such, that they do their work often by Task, and so commonly do their day's Work by two or three a Clock: The Clerk hereof has a fine, quiet Busi­ness, and very separate, if he be a good spirited Man, so to use it, and to be just towards the King and the Men; for he keeps the Prick and Checque over them, and makes the quarterly Books up for their pay, and the Clerk of the Checque meddles not with them.

But there is an Affair dependant, or appendant rather; yet it is separate: For [Page 93]there is a Rope-maker that makes up all the old and half worn Cables, and Cor­dage, opens the Strands and knits them, and makes them up into Cordage again; and it is called twice laid stuff, and serves for running Ropes, Port Ropes, Stage Ropes, and small Cordage. At Ports­mouth it is prettily managed; the said Ropemaker contracts for so much by the Hundred, and has Tarr allowed him; the Storekeeper delivers it to him, and re­ceives it from him, and certifies his Quan­tities; and the King's Rope-maker is ex­cluded, in that particular Yard only, from having any Cognisance therein; who is the most able Man to inspect it, and oversee the Work, that it be done as it ought; and no more made, or certi­fied to be made, than is needful; or that too much Tarr be not put into it: But it is there finely carried; so that there is more made thereof in that Yard in a Year, than is in all the Yards beside put [Page 94]together: It amounts to about four Hun­dred Pounds, some Years, bare Work­manship, which the Man doth himself, and two or three Servants, Boys, for the most part. I accuse not, but it is worth Observation, which is all I have to say of the Rope-house.

Eightly, All the other Offices, viz. Mast-maker, Boat-builder, Joyner, &c. are under the Builder's Orders: But the Clerk of the Checque, if he be a fit Man, will espie some Works doing in the Joi­nery, Painters, and Carvers Offices, for the Beautifying of Mens Houses with Cabinets, fine Utensils of divers kinds, Costly, and more to the King; for what is done there, costeth the King twice as much Time and Materials as it is worth. In this nature divers Offices are corrupted: I fall not on particulars, but great Summs may be spent that kind of way; for Work and Materials may serve to adorn Mens Houses, or build them about the Town: [Page 95]These things are too obvious, and may not, nay, must not be denied, and all by connivance; and yet at the same time Thrift pretended, and scruple to let a Warrant-Officer on board have a small Lock for his Cabin, or Store-Room: I say, these all are under the Builder's Di­rection, but he is blinded, and cannot see it; but the Clerk of the Checque ought to visit them, and checque them; as al­so the Labourers, that are employed by greedy and purloining Officers of the Yard, if they set them to work in their Gardens, do all the small and great Offi­ces about their Houses, run abroad any where about Errands, and absent them­selves at any rate, under the pretence of being an Officer's Man, or Boat-man; the King may loose no small matter Year­ly, I say, if a Clerk of the Checque be not a Man every way well appointed to his Business.

And thus I will conclude with the Yards; that they are all warranted from the Admiralty, and are under the Com­mand, and definite Orders of the Com­missioner of the Place: But the Carver, Painter, Smiths, &c. I reckon not of the Yards, but are dependants; and therefore I will say a few things to them here; That is thus:

That Carved Work on the Ships is come, with the Painting them, to be a good part of the Charge of the Ship, and is not of any intrinsick value, in any man­ner of Proportion to the cost, contribu­ting to the good of the Service, or Strength of the Nation; but, on the contrary, serves to rot the Ships, entangle them when two Ships happen to come toge­ther, and most dangerous of burning the Ships when Fire-Ships shall board them: For it is generally the Carved Work that takes Fire first, and it runs on it like Wild-Fire, by means of the Oyl of [Page 97]the Paint; and many times the Carved Work is as rotten as Touch-wood, and will take fire even with a Wad, or Coal of a Cartridg, or Tobacco. You may moderately compute the charge of Car­ving and Painting, that is needless unto the Navy, at the twentieth part of the charge of the Hulls of the Ships of the Na­vy; which now may be thought conside­rable, when the Navy is swollen to so great a bulk, and a certain necessity to have it greater: For our Neighbours put so fair for the Dominion of the Seas, that I doubt, before the Naval Force of Chri­stendom will be settled in a General Peace, this Kingdom may happen to be put to many hard Tugs, to maintain their Right; and the Wealth of the Nation, together with the Bloud thereof, will be greatly exhausted; and therefore for the saving the one from profuse Expences, and pre­serving the Breeding and Maintaining the other, is of no small consideration at this [Page 98]time; and the more timely it be conside­red, we may with the more facility effect our desires. As for the former, I com­pute the unnecessary charge thereof, by the thirty last Ships, by the Parliament's Order built, if the Money they gave for it (as I think) was six hundred thousand Pounds, and the King spent two hundred thousand more, in all eight hundred thou­sand Pounds; (admit that that were the cost;) I compute the Carving and Painting at the Fortieth part of the whole, allow­ing the Hulls to be but the half of that cost, which is Four hundred thousand Pounds: Then the Carving and Painting is the Twentieth part thereof, which is Twenty thousand Pounds profuse Expences, out of Four hundred thousand Pounds spent on Hulls; which Twenty thousand Pounds might be saved, and with more safety and security to the Ships from Fire, and less rotting their Work.

The Arguments against this Thrift are usually the Splendor of the Navy, and the Discouragement of Arts. The Arguments being weak, the Confutation may be short; which is thus: The true Splendor and Glo­ry of the Navy lies in the good Govern­ment thereof, the Easiness of the Expence to the Nation, and the Atchievement of great Actions, preserving the Honour, Safety, and Wealth of the Nation; and not in Adorning of our Ships: And for the Arts of Painting and Carving, it is not worthy to be named, in comparison with the Cost of the Affair. The means of this Profuseness hath been created by In­terest of Builders at the Navy Board, eve­ry one endeavouring to excel each other in the Beautifying their own Works, there­by to bring them and themselves into the greater Esteem; and that they might be so with the Commanders, they have not stay'd there, but endeavoured also to exceed each other in the contriving the Accom­modations [Page 100]for them, to that degree, that the other Officers, and the Seamen, are pent up into too little and small Accom­modations and Conveniencies; and the Warlike Uses and Intentions thereof neg­lected, and much impeded; the which I shall more plainly make appear, when I am come on Board.

Yet before I leave the Yard, I must take leave of the Porter, who hath shut the Gate upon me; who is an Officer also, and warranted from the Admiralty: His Office is to open and shut the Gates, and either himself or helper to be always at his Post, to take notice of all that enter or go out thereof all the day time; and to see the Watch set, giving them such In­structions as he shall receive from the Com­missioners: If he be a temperate, careful, and honest man, he may prevent much Evils, which otherwise will slide without notice; by giving the Commissioner, Checque, Builder, and all the other chief [Page 101]Officers, needfull notice, and true informa­tion of what they shall see, or they enquire after; and tell them I am gone on Board, and dare not lie a night with my Wife, al­though come lately from Sea.

Ninthly, The Officers of the Ordinary are, a Purser, a Boatswain, a Gunner, a Carpenter, and a Cook, of each Ship; with Servants according as the Rate of the Ship will bear.

The Boatswain is ordered by the Ma­ster-Attendant to come where he has or­dered a Jack to be hoisted on the Ensign-Staff, and there to work the Servants and extraordinary Men, till about two a Clock, except the Emergencies be the greater; and after the Work to repair on Board their respective Ships, and to clean them as is needful:

The Carpenter to go with his Servant to work on Float where the Master-Buil­der, or Assistant shall direct, in such like order as the Boatswain.

The Purser and Gunner, in their turns, look to the Ships all the Day time, and in the Night take their Watches in their turns, with either Boatswain or Car­penter.

The Purser takes care for Victualing them every Month, from the Shoar, and car­ries the Warrants signed by the Checque, and Master-Attendant, after every Monthly Muster made by the Clerk of the Checque, in the presence of the Com­missioner; and takes notice of every ab­sence by Discharge, Death, or Runa­way: And to the Checque grounds his Warrants for the ensuing Month's Victu­als, which the Purser, when effected, signs to the Victualler, and he provides them Beer, Firing, Candle, and Neces­saries, viz. Canns, Platters, &c. and accounts with the Victualler for the Pro­visions, and the necessary Money which is allowed, viz. One Shilling per Man, per Month.

The Gunner goes in Guard Boat, in [...]turn with the other Gunners, one every Night in Summer, and two in the [...]ter, to row and drive up and down the Harbour in Gaurd Boats, kept on purpose, and Men detatched from the Ships, as the Commissioner directs, or committed to some Captain riding there. They are to serve as Espials, or Watches on Float, to take notice what Boats pass, and to examine what they do abroad af­ter the Watch is set; which is by a Gun Fired, about the Twilight, by the said Captain directed for the oversight of the Watch in the Harbour: The said Boat is to go about the Ships, and take notice if there be a Watch kept on Board, and one walking upon the Deck all Night; and where they find any Neglect, or any Disorder, by keeping of Fire, or Can­dle light all the Night, or Drunkenness, to hale them; and, if not answered, to put on Board, and inform themseves of [Page 104]the Disorder: They also are to see what Boats pass untimely; if purloining of Stores, stealing of Customes, &c. of all which Misbehaviours he is to acquaint the said Captain, and he the Commissioner, if worth the taking notice of; and some­times the Commissioner visits them in the Night for the same purpose; and oftner the Checque, to observe their Atten­dance.

And here I call to remembrance, for some time since, the rigid and strict Hands car­ried over these poor People, by a colour­able Pretence of Vigilance in the King's Business, and exacted constant Duty from them, both by Day and Night, glorying in the act of catching any one on Shoar, to visit his Family, and suspending many, to their great Impoverishment to sollicit their Restoration; contrary to every Officer's Instructions, as their Duty gi­ven them from the Navy Board; of which I will say more, when I come to Sea. But [Page 105]I apprehend these Proceedings tended not to the Service of the King; for two Of­ficers on Board in the Night, and one in the Day, is as much as can in any wise be needful, considering the Hardships Men are put to: But when come Home, and near their own Doors, from the Fatigue of the Seas and Wars; and not to be suffered to converse with their Wives and Families, but even as an Adulterer steals to an Harlot; which Severities act­ed by them, exceed the Inhumanity of the Aegyptian Task-masters, being beside and beyond the Officers Instructions signed by them, a preposterous Proceeding, where good Method and Order is required: But it served the Trick of their Design, to put a Mask before their Superiours Eyes, when they came before them to ac­quaint them of the needful, made this their Cardinal Care, to exact a both need­less, inhumane, and undue Duty; to the great Discomfort and Undoing of ma­ny [Page 106]poor, needy, but good Officers: In­somuch that many died with Grief and Colds, and divers lived miserable with Sickness and Poverty; and sometime an act of Grace was past: But all this, I reckon, sprang from the same Root, as the Designs were practised for; one time fiercely to vex and disturb the Dissenters, and then to promulgate Liberty by Grace; and all the while to bring an Odium upon the Church: So this to unhinge and and disorder the well setled Government and Tranquillity of the Navy; the which being disjointed, it would, nay, must have expected to have fallen into the Hands, and under the sole Management of a few; who, beside their Policy in twisting Designs to enrich themselves, knew as little of the true Government of the Affairs of the Navy, as they intended it should serve for the Safety, Honour, and Welfare of the Nation. And so I will leave these miserable, poor Officers, [Page 107]wishing themselves Dead, or some way delivered from their Captivity by a Voy­age to Sea, where perhaps they might meet with a Discharge from all by Death, Life being become miserable, and Death more desirable to them; and so cursing their Fates to be bred up to an Employ­ment, that hath, in their mature Years, failed to obtain for them, in a reasona­ble degree, Sustinance for themselves and Families they have contracted about them; their fates falling so heavy upon them, by the Machinations and Devices of design­ing Men, finding the Juncto suitable both in the Principals and the Adherents, to alter and misgovern such an Affair, and ruine them, together with the loss of the Glory, Honour, and Safety of the Nati­on, and to the Acquirement of Honour, and Riches to the designing Prosecutors, or rather Persecutors.

IV. Of the Victualling Office.
• 1. A Comptroller. , • 2. A Surveyor. , • 3. A Treasurer. , • 4. An Out-rider, or Riding Surveyor. , • 5. Clerk Accomptant of Receipts, Issues, and Returns; a Clerk of the Actions of the Board; a Clerk of the Cut­ting-house; a Clerk of the Cooperidge, Cutters, Salters, Boat-takers, and Wharfingers. , and • 6. Agents and Store-keepers abroad. 

THE Commissioners for Victualling, is a new Office; heretofore it hath been managed by Contractors; as Mr. Crane in King Charles the First's time; but in the late time of Exile, it had divers Con­tractors; [Page 109]as, one or more at every Port, and divers aloft; which Practice I cannot blame: For that Affair being of that na­ture, which does admit such sort of Pro­fits, which is the only Support and Gain of the same, without it they could not do it at such rates as they have contracted for; that is, by buying, and encouraging the Pursers to buy, of the Officers and Ma­riners, their Salt Provisions; (for any one may judge, that those Provisions are nei­ther wholsome nor toothsome;) because the Captain and all the Officers and Ma­riners that have Money, and opportu­nity, will, at every Port they come at, get some fresh Eatables, of Flesh, Fish, or Garden Fruits, &c. the Purser buying the Salt of them, and letting them have Money at all times to refresh themselves therewith; the which the Purser does commonly do for all the Ship's Company, when he comes to a Port where the price of fresh Provisions will bear it, having [Page 110]Money by him always for that purpose, and is a piece of very good Service; for it makes the Provisions last out longer, that the Ships may keep the Seas longer; and also refreshes the Men, who are o­therwise made sickly, and die for want of Change of Diet; having no Money a long while.

And although the Commissioners for the King may slight it, yet the Contract­ors never looked upon it otherwise than as the profitablest Plant in that Garden: Nay, it is many times a Profit to the Pur­ser, for his Encouragement; for without that, I think, it is in vain to expect Men should take upon them to serve the Pub­lick; and our Saviour himself saith, Men go not to War on their own cost: And he that pretends to serve the Publick, with­out expectation of some (though smaller) Honour and Riches, at least, I believe him not: Nay, a prospect of a Compen­sation answerable to his Hazard and Trou­ble; [Page 111]or, that it may provide him with Competency of Livelihood, even com­parable to those of his Brethren, trained up with like Education, and disposed ei­ther to the Law, Physick, Merchandize, Shop-keeping, Farming, or Manufactu­ring at home, &c. Yet often, and very often, it proves nothing so; and most of­ten their Brethren, that spend their Time and Tallent at home, have such a gra­dual Encreasement of their Wealth, that, after a term of years be past, they are out of the Danger of Impoverishment: Whereas their publick-serving Brother is, after the said Term, even then as hard at Cringing and Creeping to his Superior, as ever, that he might continue or increase his Maintenance, for the Support of his Family he hath gotten; or else is disap­pointed by the loss of Friends, who are either dead before him, or put beside the Cushion; and having fallen upon the Lot of bad Voyages; Mischances, cross, and [Page 112]ruining Circumstances, which have left him both Moneyless, and Friendless, and full of Family, and Years, and so with Grief makes his Exit; and leaves his de­layed and protracted Accounts to the management of the Unmerciful and Un­compassionate, who too commonly make a Prey of the Remains, if any be; and leave the Widow and Family as ignorant of the Proceedings, as without Substance; and rendring the Security for them within their Reach, to be shorn by them: I say, this is the fate of too many that of late years have served the Publick in that Affair; their utter Ejection having been projected long since, and the Efforts to­wards the bringing it about having gone on in a continued Progression, seemingly, now to be ripe for its effecting: Having, I say, so altered the Methods and Ma­nagement of that Office, That there ap­pears in it but few Persons truly qualified for it; for often those who are put into [Page 113]it, are Recommended by those whose de­signs are for the Extirpation of them, or at least to continue the Shadow thereof a while longer; yet it shall be only the Shadow, and not the Nature and Sub­stance: But the Methods and Practice of the Office is so altered, and subjected to the Superior, that the Service hath nought but the Footsteps of that Office left; nor can Benefit or Safety thereby in any Measure be expected to the King, the Service, or the Men; but the Affair turn­ed under a Monopolized and Despotical Power. But the contriving the manage­ment of the Victualling by Commissioners, being a Principal Wheel to turn about the chief Projection thereof, what relates to their Management and late Proceedings therein, I am now to prosecute. And,

First, Five Commissioners are made to carry on this Affair, with large Sallaries, and Allowances of Dwellings, and of what they think good for their Families in [Page 114]the Offices; it being at the King's Charge. These Men, I say, are Grandated at a Board; to hear and receive all Contract­ors Propositions, and pass their Bills for Payment on their Cashier; inspect the Proceedings of their several Offices; gi­ving them Warrants and Orders for their Proceedings. Now if these Commissio­ners be unskilled in this Affair, viz. in the Nature of the Flesh, its Seasons for buy­ing; (for very much skill is required for the knowledge in the buying, not only for the quantity, but the quality; for the Cattel may be bought in the Market after great Drift, and Pineing, only to sweep the Market, because of lower Prices, when the loss thereby will return ten-fold; beside the disappointment of the Service, and the destroying of the Lives and Healths of the Men; filling the Service full of Confusion and Discontent, and extreamly weakening the Affair; and in fine, making it more chargeable to the [Page 115]King; it having been a well-ordered and well-governed Affair, by the best Man­agement imaginable.) Now, I say, if the said Principals have no Insight nor Know­ledge in the Affair, nor in the laudable Customs of Maritime Proceedings in the Naval Affairs, (I mean the King's;) What may not the Officers under them put on them? What Methods shall hold them? Or, what Steadiness can there be in their constant Proceedings, to be just to all that negotiate with them, and all the whole Affair to be at a certainty of good and wholsome Provisions, provided at the best Seasons, and at the best Rates? I say, How can this consist with Reason, if it may be (not to say it must be) com­mitted to the Subs; and only for form have the Approbation of the Principals; especially if the Subs shall be Novices too, and not Men qualified for business?

I could say a very great deal more in this Affair; but the sight thereof hath filled my Mind with so much matter of Discourse, that I am confounded, like the Affair; and know not how to speak to it, so as to take a view of each part: Into which Method, if I proceed, I should be too tedious in this Work; which I meant but as an Essay, for a Trial, hoping some abler Pen will erect a Mansi­on upon my Cottage; and therefore I shall only add hereto, That when Con­tractors had it, they were forced to look sharply to the Affair, and to employ able and knowing People; and to let nothing of any private Interest creep into the Af­fair; and to be sure to buy good Provi­sions, and to have them well preserved: And if any Humorous Commanders refu­sed, or abused the same; then their In­struments gave a good account thereof, and the same was turned to the King's Damage; for if there were any other Pro­ceedings [Page 117]in the Receipts, Returning, or Expending the same, than what was the Ancient Customs of the Navy, and ac­cording to the Prescriptions in their Con­tracts; so that all things went on accord­ing to the Ancient Methods of the Navy, and Customs in Maritime Affairs; and seldom was there found any great Defects in Provisions, nor any disorderly Returns, Refusings, or Abuses: If any were to their damage, they would be sure to acquaint the Navy-Board for Redress, and cause the Offenders to be questioned; and that deterred them from offering it, knowing that it would not pass without notice; and the Contractors also, knowing that if the Affair were not carefully and diligently managed, it would turn to their great Damages; and if the Fleets were disap­pointed, it would be their breach of Co­venants, and fall heavy upon them: For they could not make such Interest as to have it expiated at an easie rate, nor with [Page 118]colourable Pretences; so that both they, and all their Friends engaged with them, and their whole Value, lay liable to the King for satisfaction; nor could any Sale of Estate, or Gift, made during the time they were Accomptants to the King, de­fend it from the King's Seisures: So that, I say, there must be no room for insuffici­ent, careless, or negligent Instruments, by private Interest; nor for any Wrongs done to any of the King's Servants, nego­tiating with them, without making Re­paration. Therefore, that the so great Affair might be managed, that there might be computed the certain Costs the King shall be at, for the Maintainance of his Maritime Strength, and not fall under the power of any Interest, to make it cost more; and with surety and safety perfor­med, as by the Contractors is made appear to be, is a Condition most desirable, and requisite, for the Navy to be constituted and setled in.

But if it does appear to the Wise and Knowing, That it would better answer the ends aforesaid to be managed by the King's Commissioners; then to that end I will make a few steps that way, and pre­mise, as in the Heads aforesaid; That it does consist of a Comptroller, a Surveyor, and a Treasurer, all resident at the Office; except an Emergency calls them to the Ports; to avoid which, there is needful to be an Out-rider, or Riding Surveyor, whose business should be to visit the Ports and Fleet, and to enliven and quicken the Affair, and spur all the remote Instru­ments to the diligent and careful perform­ance of their Duties, in their respective Stations; and to mark all Errors, and to give account thereof to the Board for Re­dress; That Provisions be not damnified by tossing them to and from Ships, and suffer great Damages, and Demurrages of the Vessels, by leaving them unspent, whiles they may be preserved; and that [Page 120]the Instruments do not make slow and slack Dispatches, under small pretences for Lucre, and study chiefly their own Profits; or to damnifie any one that ne­gotiates with them, by undue and unpra­cticable Proceedings, and Delays of Pay­ments; the which would bring a general Disreputation on the Action, and cause it to be the more chargeable to the King; and is also extremely hurtful to the Affair. Wherefore,

Fifthly, The Clerk-Accomptant of Re­ceipts, Issues, and Returns, should be a Man of great Abilities, Honesty, and Ju­stice, rightly to state all Matters to the Board, and to pass all the Accompts un­der the Approbation and Allowance of the Navy-Board; that they might be en­grossed into the Treasurer of the Navy his Ledger, and exhibited to the Exchequer; so that Estimates might be made upon all Exigencies that may offer.

The Clerk of the Actions of the Board, ought to be a good Clerk and Secretary, to dispatch good Instructions and Repri­mands, in proper Terms; and to preserve all Precedents and Orders in good Me­thod for Review, when needful.

The Clerk of the Cutting-house, ought to be sworn to do his Office justly, and faithfully; as also to see that his Packers under him be Sworn, and do execute their Office truly and justly; to mark the Contents faithfully and right.

The Clerk of the Cooperidge also to be Sworn to see the due Gages put on all Casks for Beer.

The Salters under the Clerk of the Cut­ting-house his Inspection, ought to do their Office carefully, and painfully; and the Boat-takers, and Wharfingers to be dili­gent to provide for the Transport of the Provisions where ordered, and to give them quick Dispatches; also to receive the Returns carefully, and to preserve [Page 122]and return them to the respective Offices, where they are to be reposi­ted for Repairs, Re-package, Dispo­sal and Ordering; and not to let Vessels lie by with Demurrage, for want of De­liverance, to the Loss and Discomfort of the Owners, and hinderance of the Af­fair: In which there is no small matter to be considered, in the doing Right and Justice to the Brewers, Bakers, and to the Cheese-mongers, &c. according to their Contracts; and to the Owners of Vessels, for their Fraights, and Demur­rages. In which, if it be not rightly and exactly performed, the Commissioners can­not easily do Justice, and judge aright be­tween the King and them, according to their Contracts and Agreements for A­batements, or Allowances, &c. It is a great point of the Surveyor's Business, to judge and determine of Defects by him­self, or to choose two Men Sworn there­to; as their Contracts respectively shall intimate and direct.

Sixthly, The Agents and Store-keepers abroad ought to do all the same thing that is done at London; but by the Or­ders and Directions of the Commissioners at the General Office, for Victualling at London, the said Agent buys Provisions, contracting for the same to be served in as the Season offers, and as he hath Di­rections from the Commissioners, with whom he keeps a continual Correspond, and without whom, or their Directions, he can do nothing of moment: He draws his Bills for Money on them, and receives Money from some Receivers of Taxes, as the Commissioners aloft can get Assign­ments from the Treasurer of the Navy, and he from the Lords of the Treasury, on parts of the Revenue: He indents with the Pursers, he superinspects the whole Affair of Victualling at that Port, if there be no Commissioner or Riding Surveyor at the place, which in all times of Action extraordinary there should [Page 124]be; and whensoever any one is there, then he supersedes him. The said Agent is a person placed in great Trust; for he has the Oversight of all, even as a Commissioner aloft has; and indeed his Office imports all that theirs does, viz. For the prudent managing and quick di­spatching; only it lies not at his door to take care that there be sufficient Provisions at the Port, or Monies to supply all E­mergencies; he is only to give the Com­missioners constant and timely Account, and to do and see put in Execution all the Commissioners Orders and Advices, that he from time to time shall receive from them: and not to give any Allow­ances for Damages, or allow any thing of moment for Demurrages, Casual Ac­cidents, or Mistakes, without advising them first, and receive ample Instructions from them for it. And, in fine, he is an Image or Deputy of the Commissioners; yet more properly a Husband; or, as the [Page 125]name more properly signifies, an Agent to act or do; yet as a Substitute to, and put in by the said Commissioners, unto whom he is only accountable, and no where or otherwise concerned, than as his either general Instructions, or parti­cular Orders direct him. His general In­structions ought to prescribe him his Me­thods in general, for supplying of Ships wants; by what Vouchers or Warrants, he should order Deliveries; whose Orders he must obey, without appealing to them for Advice, and whose not; and what­soever he hath not in his general In­structions, he ought to advise the Victual­ling Board therewith, and expect their Orders therein: He is of principal mo­ment at the Port, I say, he being Resi­dent, and in the absence of a Commis­sione, is to cause the whole Affair to move by his Dictates; and gives his Or­ders to the Store-keeper, for issuing and receiving; and also for Deliveries to [Page 126]Brewers, Bakers, and Coopers, &c. And next under him is the Store-keeper, who is warranted by the Commissioners also, but Sub to the Agent: He receives and issues by the Dictates and Orders of him: He takes care for the Cutting, Salting, Packing, and Stowing of the said Provi­sions, and the Transporting them on Board the Ships; receiving them back as Returns; and taking care for Sifting, Re­packing, Overhalling, and preserving them; and should give the Agent an ac­count of the condition and quantities of them, at all reasonable demands. For Quantities the Agent should be as well able to know as himself; for he ought not to receive or issue any thing, without his Orders; the which the Agent ought to enter, as Debtor and Creditor, to him; thereby he should be able to give the Board a state of the Quantities in a Post's time; but absolute Qualities he cannot, without a Survey, but something near he [Page 127]might, if it be duely done, and in good Method, as such an Affair of Quantity requires: For that Affair, the whole Wel­fare thereof, viz. the Readiness and Ser­viceableness thereof to the King, is of great moment in the business I am treat­ing of; the which is no small Affair to the Kingdom: I say, it is in the Manage­ment thereof, and may easily, by persons that are ignorant of it, or were never brought up, or had any practice or know­ledge therein, be brought to great Dam­ages, and be made extreme chargeable to the King: For Prudent Management is a great part of this Affair for Profit; and the best and surest way to it, is to have Good Instruments therein, and not to put Pupils and Novices into such Af­fairs, to serve Private Interests; that is, to make the Treasure, nay, if not the Wealth and Strength of the Nation, be spent, or do truckle to, and serve the Interest of some particular Persons in [Page 128]their Relatives and Parties. As I have elsewhere decried the Practice, so I do here also, viz. not to putby Men of approved Knowledge and Experience in the said Business, and of long Service, and in the room put in Novices, Pu­pils, and every way unfit, on purpose to serve a Private Interest: It is but the worst way of making the Publick main­tain them.

V. Of other Irregularities in the Navy.
• 1. The Clother, or, Slop-seller. , • 2. The Purser, or whom he shall get to Issue. , and • 3. The Mariner Buying, and the Pay­master Defalking. 

THE Slop-seller, is a Person crept into the Navy, I mean to Mono­polize the vending of Cloathing solely, but since the Restoration of King Charles the Second; nor then, but by de­grees, as he could make Interest, and have Interest in the Affair.

For I remember Mr. Richard Beckford, and Mr. Burrows did vend chiefly to the Navy; but not to hinder any others to Issue. For Mr. Thomas Beckford, after­wards Knight, Brother to the said Richard [Page 130]and others, but as his Stock, and willing­ness of the Pursers to Issue for him, did encrease, did vend, and did endeavour to under-sell, and out-do each other; but as yet his Interest could not reach to Ingross it, until after some time, as he grew able, did procure a Warrant from the Duke of York, then Lord High Admiral, to have the sole vending to the Navy; yet, under the fair Pretences of shewing Samples to the Navy-Board, and they a­greeing Prices for the Particulars; which Prices were followed indeed, but the Qualities of the Goods were debased, as he thought good: There was also added to the fairness thereof, That when they were opened on Board, if the Commander did not think them reasonable good ac­cording to the Prices, he should abate the Prices, or stop the Issuing of them. Who could expect that a Captain should be a­ble to judge indifferently of such Goods, or, that the Slop-seller should stand [Page 131]to the Judgment of every Captains know­ledge, or justice towards his Concerns? But this effect it hath had, That if the Purser have dared to set down any lower price, than what his Invoyces mentioned, he must pay it himself; and so he had like order to the Pay-master of the Navy, to be accountable to him for all the whole Defalkation of the Ships Books; so that if the Purser took, or bought any Cloath­ing of any at better Prices, and more sui­table to the Seamens Wants, and set it off upon the Books, the Pay-master, and Slop-seller understanding each other, brought all, viz. Dead-mens Cloaths, sold at the Mast, or any one Furnishing the Marriner in his Sickness and Wants, to the Slop-sellers Credit; and out of his Hands it was not easily, nor wholly got­ten, but at his Pleasure: And thereby, all People willing to assist the Seaman in his Wants, upon the Credit of his Pay, were thereby Deterred, and the Sailer totally [Page 132]frustrated of any choise, or good Mar­ket for his Money, but that called Hob­son's Choice, That or none: In all which care taken for the good of the Sailer, and to keep him healthy and well in the Ser­vice, seems to me to have a quite contrary Effect; and indeed is no other than a Me­thod to make one Man Rich, at the cost of many Thousands, and to the loss of many Mens Lives and Healths; so conse­quently to the Impairing of the Service, for the truth of it is, That every Man that serves the King for Wages, hath a Right thereto, as good as any Man hath to receive Rent for a House or Land, if he does his Duty, and to buy or sell thereup­on, and Engage the same for Payment; which Engagement should be satisfied at the Payment of the Ship, or Tickets there­of, as the said Engagements doth Import: and if more than one appears for the same Sum, no Preferrence to be allowed, but as their Dates, or other Valuation in [Page 133]Law requires; then would the Sea­men never suffer such wants, as both them and their Families have and doth suffer; their Wives and Children would be reasonably supported in their Absen­ces, and they supplied at the Commence­ment of their Voyage, with Necessaries for their Preservation in the Service, by some of the Ship, or Port where they shall frequent, when People know that their Payment is of some Certainty, and not to be turned off Disgracefully to the Honesty of the Sailer, who is apt enough to refuse Payment, when his Wants are satisfied: And herein is the Commissioner of the Pay his Justice to be exercised, to prevent Evil Men from Cheating the Peo­ple who Credit them, and bring a Scan­dal upon the Service, which makes the hard-heartedness towards them in their Wants.

Now I intimate, that the Debts con­tracted, during that Service, should have [Page 134]preference before those contracted before the Commencement of that Service: The Dutch use that Method, that a Sailer need never want Credit for to supply his Wants, viz. As the Sailer hath need, the Captain gives him a Bill for so much Money as his Needs, or of his Families are; which Bill he sends home, where there are enough that will take that Bill at a small Abatement: The just perform­ance of the same, gives such Credit to it, that People will strive who should have it at the least loss, they being paid without Rebuke, or uncertain Payment; which hath been the Fate of the Affairs in Eng­land for many Years past, that a Ticket-Buyer is an Odium: And notwithstanding most of the Tickets have been bought and sold, and past to Account by Quantities, and done behind the Curtain; if a Man should happen to be Discharged by a Ticket, and needs Money for his Equip­ment for another Voyage, he is in a Wood, [Page 135]and knows not which way to bring that into Money, nor have any Friend that is willing to supply him, and send him a­bout another Voyage, nor any Encourage­ment to do it, lest he does undergo the Guilt of a Ticket-buyer, which have been accounted as Cheats; so that if he does, he may lose his Money, or else he must find out the way behind the Curtain, as others do, where is most cruel loss, it going through so many Hands to the Mark. I say, for many Years past, this Practise hath been, That like Woodstock-Bower, or the Inchanted-Castle, except he had that Clew of Thread, viz. found the Mystery he should never attain the end, except the Person himself did at­tend; yet so he must find out the Knot and untie it, after he had worn out his Patience by Delays, and scornful Answers; but two to one, e're that he had worn out both his Patience and his Cloaths, and had found the way behind the Curtain, and [Page 136]taken some Money for it, but not enough to pay his Creditors, nor relieve his Fa­mily, but Packt away on another Voyage, thin Cloathed, and Pennyless; cursing the Service, but whom he cannot tell: I say, this hath been the Fate of the Sailer for many Years together, yet fresh enough to Memory; and still the King saves not a Penny, but pays every Groat on't, and perhaps Interest, to raise the said Money for it: Nay, a Stranger would think in himself, if he stood but by to hear the Answers to Questions about the good or bad payment, or where-ever it would be paid, that the Parties Intrusted in the Af­fair did give the greatest Disreputation to it, whose duty it was, to have main­tained and supported the King's Credit with the Maratime People, which is of more value than all the Merchants Credits in England; for their Welfare, and the whole Nations depends upon the Prospe­rity of the Navy: For if we ever be brought [Page 137]to truckle under the French at Sea, as I doubt, hath been fairly endeavoured for; farewel the Honour and Felicity of this Nation; but perhaps the Actors therein would have made themselves great there­by, according to their Desires: What a dreadful case is it that ever a Man should set his Hand to the utter ruine of his Nati­on, with the Religion, Laws, and Liber­ties thereof; and to settle that upon his Posterity, viz. a little Pelf; and knows not but that, as another Pharoah, who knew not Joseph, would make them all Bondmen. I fear there is remaining upon Posterity too many Honours and Estates of Persons, Gaining them by the daring to adventure the breach of the Laws of God and their Nation: For never did a Nation undergo any great Alteration, whether for the better, or for the worse, but Honours are created thereupon: Wherefore it would be as necessary, as upon the Entrance of any King upon the [Page 138]Throne, to pass an Act of Indempnity; so also to pass an Act for the Confirming of Honours, wherein every Honour by Patent, should be Named: Or, if it be a shorter way to be excepted, that have raised it, or used his Ancestors Honour, to the breach of the Laws established; so that none should pass, but what stood the Scrutiny; which would be a means to deter Men from getting Honours so ill, or preserve their Ancestors at so base a rate: Knowing that if he suffer in one King's Reign, his Posterity will surely be righted in another, if ever the Nation comes to it self again. However, the true Object of a Just and Honest Man, is to fear God, do what is Just, and to wait upon him for the Issue of his Pati­ence.

Having followed the pursuit hereof, and digressed, I will return to my Slop­seller; and therefore say, That the Sailers Market, instead of Restraint, should be [Page 139]promoted, and People Invited to come on Board by their Civil Treatment; and to trust the Sailer with their Goods a­shoar, when they are Bargained for; by endeavouring all that are concerned there­in, that they be duly paid for, with the least Trouble or Defalkation to them; and to use all the art to promote his Ma­jesty's Credit in the Affair, not only with his Maratime, but with all his Subjects: For Credit and Honour are too near of Kin to be made Opposites, as for some time it hath been. Nay, it would answer to that great end of Profit to the Service, by taking off the growing charge, viz. if Money be not ready to pay the Ships, they might have Tickets, which would be bought up by Monied Men at little loss to the Sailer, and expedite the Affair; there being Money enough in Money'd-Mens Hands, who would be glad there­of, if they were Encouraged and Coun­tenanced therein: The contrary Practice [Page 140]I understand not. I say, let any Man sell his Ticket openly upon the Exchange, Street, or Shops, and countenanced through the Nation, and reckon'd a good piece of Service to lay out much Money in them; but that which added greatly to the Sailers Damages before, being now removed, viz. Buying of Tickets should not be declaimed, and yet sold behind the Curtain, by only those who have pri­vate Correspondence; but that it should be free, and declared a Commendable Service: I say, these Indirect Policies be­ing removed, the Sailer would be in mighty Credit, and the whole Affair would go on with Life and Vigour; any thing to the contrary I do not under­stand.

I confess, I should add hereto the usual Objections, to back their Practices afore­said; (and they are,) That the Sailer is Cheated; and again, he spends his Mo­ney in Drink, and is kept on Shoar from [Page 141]the Service thereby: the which is all meer Sham, and only a mudding the Wa­ter to catch Fish. For to pretend to keep a Man's Money from him, to make him a good Husband, and that he be not Robbed on't; and in the mean time to leave a way open for him to be Cheated cleanlily of a fifth, fourth, or third part on't, as he can escape their hands, or to fall under a Post-pone; the which the Cunning Dealers do foresee, and find Preferrence to avoid; but from ever Post-poning the Naval Debts of this Nation, Good Lord Deliver the King and Parliament: But instead, to strengthen the Publick Credit of the King with the Navy, by an Act, That whosoever should buy the Bills for Stores, Tickets, or De­benters for Wages, &c. should receive their Money without any Defalcation made therefrom, save what was Written fairly to their view upon it, before they bought it; and that in its due Course, [Page 142]out any Preferrence, as they are entered in the Office for Assignments; and that the Publick Credit being past therein, that Officer that should make any Preferrences in Assignment or Pay, should be Discard­ed, or such Penalties be inflicted as may be thought fit; and whosoever in any Office, that should speak slightly to dis­parage the Payment, and undervalue the Affair, should be treated in like Terms as a Merchant, or Shop-keeper, Lord, or Gentleman, would Treat his Servant that does, when any one comes to him for a Debt due from his Master, answer him Surlily, and Contemptibly, and Doubt­ingly, whether ever it would be paid: Such Servants, I confess, I have heard, have been in some Families; But what were they? Such as ranked not Honour and Credit together, and let all run at Hurles; and was Precipitating to an end of Honour, Credit, and Estate. I judge the Affair I am treating of, will aptly [Page 143]enough fit the Comparison; and therefore I will conclude with the Slopseller, That if the Affair were carried as aforesaid, there will need no Slop-seller, but such as shall strive to undersel each other, and trust to the Purser for vending of them, or any one else, and produce their Bill for them to be stopt out of their Pay, and paid at the Pay of the Men; or, that the Pay-master do answer the Draughts of the Purser; as for Dead-mens Cloaths, Tobacco, Necessaries, or Money for the supply of themselves and Families; and the Purser to make good his Draughts, and account with the Pay-master for the whole Defalcations on the Ships Books; the which he ought to make good and stand to; for why the Slop-seller, or the Pay-master should have the Ballances, no reason is to be given. More might be said, but I spare.

This was the Ancient Custom of the Navy before Corruption, Bribery, and private Interest came into the Affair; and Tricks, and Designs of Exposing the Honour and Safety of the Nation to the Power and Will of some, none of the best Meaning: Since which Designs began, things have run on with a swift Innundation, overflowing the Banks of Method, Discipline, and Government; so now hoping that the source is stopt, and that the breaches will be made up again, and the right Courses well clean­sed and scoured, and so kept in the right Channel; to which purpose I will la­bour yet to bring more Materials, and conclude this Paragraph with Advice to the Slop-seller; That if he will sell as cheap as any others, and take the Purser's Bills, and Ballance his Ac­compt with him, and not crave Im­prest-Money of the Navy-Board, to pay him in part before-hand; then I [Page 145]believe he may sell a great deal of Cloaths, and be a Gainer enough, but not enough to understand the Pay­master, and Friends assisting; and to keep Coaches, and live like a Peer too; which I think he will not condescend unto; and therefore I take leave of him, and desire no more of his Com­pany in this Affair.

VI. Of the Clerical and Ministerial part of the Navy.

I Have a few words to speak to this Affair, having observed in the Navy a general decay of Piety; and that I con­ceive proceeds from the Root in the last Paragraph, for Subverting and Subjecting the Navy, as well in the Ecclesiastical as the Civil and Military part thereof, and for that purpose Men have been sent too often, that have given ill Examples of Lives and Conversation so light, and di­sposed to Mode and Gallantry, not spa­ring to go or enter into the Lists of De­bauchery, with any of the Officers they shall happen to be accounted of; are also void of good Morals, and over busie with other Mens matters, and do be­come the Ridicule of the Ship; a Stain and Blot to the Function they bear, and [Page 147]an Impairing to the Protestant Religion; for the Maritime People are not naturally over Zealous, yet they can often produce better Temperance, Chastity, Modesty, Honesty, Courage, &c. than appears in some of these Sparks which are taken from the Altars of the Universities: For to see Debauchery, Unchaste Speeches, and Deeds with Immodesty, Dishonesty, fearful Pusillanimity, Covetousness, and busie with other Mens matters, prevalent in a Minister's Carriage, certainly his Preaching and Praying, the better it be performed, the worse it fares with his Embassy for belief. As for Example:

If a Prince sends an Embassy to his Neighbour Prince, for the setling a good Correspondence, of Balance in Trade, or Assistance in Needs, &c. which Am­bassador, to cause the Prince he comes to to believe, that what he says, and conditions with him for, will certainly be perform­ed; and therefore extols, and sets forth [Page 148]his Master's Justice, his great Strength, his Kindness for him, viz. his Ability, Justice, Truth, and Willingness to serve him, in very laudable Terms; and by a Person, (viz. the Ambassador,) who must be a Man of good Aspect, and of good En­dowments, as may be had in one Man; nay, and his Retinue also; that they may be a Grace and Honour to their Master, Nation, and the Business they come a­bout; but if not, the effect will be clean contrary: And so of the Sea-Chaplains, who if they are of bad Lives, &c. the better their preaching and Praying is per­formed, the farther they Preach the Peo­ple out of conceit with their Religion; but if a Sot and Dunce, doing his Office like himself, and living ill, they are the less offended at it, and conjecture that the reason the Affair being so ill presented and set forth to them, is not the fault of the Message, or the goodness of the Reli­gion, but its Fate to fall into the hands of [Page 149]a Slovenly, Sottish, and a Dunce of a Priest; but if an Ingenious Man, though Debauch'd, Vitious, and a Coward, comes to them, it makes them to question their Religion they profess; and compa­ring the strict Lives of the Roman Catho­licks abroad, the Macerating Fastings, and in fine, their Pompous Shows fairly set forth, of a True and Sincere Faith, and a good Church-Discipline, and compare it with Ours, would be ready prepared, and apt, when the Iron came to be hot, (as it was heating apace) to declare, That their Religion had been all along in the wrong, and that now they would, if demanded, imbrace the right; they thinking, by their bare Speculations to have judged aright. Wherefore there ought to be great care taken, that who­soever is sent on these Missions, should be Man of Excellent Lives and Deport­ments.

Now if it should be said, none would go then in the Fourth Rates, because of small Companies of Men for their Pro­fits; and few good Men could be gotten to adventure in the other, but such as by their Insufficiency, or Unfitness, have missed their Preferments on Shoar. To this I Answer, that either the Visitor of the College, or Head of the University, have not power or will to detach able Missionaries for the Sea, and to gratifie their Labours with Preferment at their Returns, or there is a Miscarriage in the doing it; for it is better none were sent, than such as I described; and let the Groats go towards the maintainance of the Sick and Wounded Seamen, from whom it is stopt, as it is now ordered in case of no Chaplain, of which more hereafter.

But in case of sending Chaplains, there should be Dean Rurals appointed. viz. to Correspond with the Suffragan, or he [Page 151]that chuses out these Missionaries, and sends them to let them know of the Mis­demeanors of every one; the said Dean to be on Board of every Flag, or Com­mander of every Squadron, every Ship's Boats-Commander, and Officers fre­quenting there, he may enquire if any Misdemeanors be; that perhaps a Re­proof, or Admonition in the Spirit of Love may do; or else give account to the Suf­fragan, who should send for him away quietly, and send another in his room; and not let him abide there Preaching backwards, till either the Captain does disgracefully turn him aside, or bring him to a Council of War, and so discard him.

Now I being come to the Paragraph, of the Government of the Ships at Sea, this relating to the same, I thought it worthy to have a distinct Discourse prelu­ding to the others; and having before told you of an evil Root, that bears evil [Page 152] Fruit in the Navy; also thence sprang this Branch for the Commander to put what Chaplain he pleased into the Ship; so that if the Chaplain pleased not him, he was not to be admitted, or continu­ed: And therefore, as I was saying be­fore, That they had need to have good Courage to oppose the not to be pleased Commander, without he submits either to Cajole him in his Irreligious, Debau­ched, and Atheistical Expressions; and all others of the same Temper, who must all be his Imitators; or else he must sub­mit to be turn'd off, and seek for ano­ther. But this was not heretofore so, for whom the Suffragan did send was to be the Man: Indeed if a Captain desired any one that he knew, and the Suffragan had not ought against him, he was gratified with him; but no Chaplain should be ei­ther rejected by the Captain on his own Knowledge, or from the Splenetick Re­presentation of another, without being [Page 153]led to a Council of War, if he had com­mitted any Crime that came within the Articles of War, or before the Admiral, or Commander in Chief, for less Offences: Where the Dean-Rural is, who should exert his Care over him, to defend his Innocent and Harmless Behaviour? and not suffer him to fall under his Command­er's Displeasure, and be disgraced there­by, if Innocence and Inoffence be found in him; and that he be not subjected to the sole Will of the Commander, and therefore forced to submit to base De­maenor, both to the dishonour of himself, and him that sent him: For the Basis of the Design was so laid, whereof I spoke before, That making the Captain Abso­lute and Despotical, they let him break a­sunder all Laws, Privileges, Methods, or Prescriptions at pleasure, and let all Superiour Officers act consonant thereun­to. So that in making sure of them, viz. the Captains, that they would come over [Page 154]at a Whistle, their great design would take effect: But no Humane Policies were ever laid so sure, but that there were Ifs, Ands, and Doubts in it; and never was a Town or Fort made by the Art of Man so strong, but under God's permis­sion, by the Art of Man was found out a place, or means to make it Pregnable; so have these Designers (God be praised) been disappointed, before they could fi­nish their Work upon this Basis, and like Confused Babel's work, made an abrupt stop, and so stand still: I have not read that any means was used to destroy their Foundation, begun at Babel; that none other like attempt might be made upon the same Basis; but as the Scripture says, They were all dispersed, some one way and some another, and divided; that therefore there may be thought no need to make any Provision against a second attempt in that kind, and on that Basis; as was at the turning our First Parents out of Paradice, [Page 155]and setting Flaming Swords to defend it from any more entrance; but in this case it is not as it was with the Babel Builders; but the Basis stands in a great part, and the Builders also; but the Motions are slow, yet the Machin being entire, and so only watches for the moving of the Waters to turn the Wheels which way soever a Few will direct it: This being a Preludim.

VII. Of the Government of Ships at Sea.

FIRST the Captains and Lieutenants are to be considered: The Lieute­nant being the Image of the Captain, and the Executor of his Command; I conclude them under the Captain's Cir­cumstance, he being the Head and Prin­cipal of the Ship, and may be fitly com­pared to an Emblem of Monarchy; which, with Moderate Bounds and Constitutions, is the best of Governments ever yet found out in the World; and therefore most to be desired and maintained. The Captain, I say, is the Ruler and Governour of the Ship and Men, in all Matters, both Mi­litary and Civil; nay, and Ecclesiastical too; he orders and disposes of the Ship, and its Military Provisions and Stores, and prepares her, and fits her for Military [Page 157]Execution, either for Defence, or Offence, as he sees occasion; and for the doing it, he hath of all sorts, of both Commissio­ned and Warranted Officers, Temporary and Standing Officers, appointed from the Admiralty, and Navy-Board, &c. to act in their several Stations and Trusts; and they all having, or ought to have, as well as himself, Ample Instructions, to act in their particular Places and Trusts; the which if they follow, they ought to be protected in Safety, as well by him, from any Injuries offered them, or their Charges by any others, as also encoura­ged in their Duties; so also by the Admi­ralty and Navy-boards, from any Injuries offered them by him, or suffered by his Connivance.

Now as to Instructions, I having said something thereof elsewhere before in ge­neral, I shall here speak more particular­ly; and that is, That although the Forms and Prescriptions for the Captains Com­mand [Page 158]hath been so enlarged and altered of late, in every Circumstance relating to the Standing Officers, unto whom are committed all the Stores of the Ship, that there is scarce any sign of the former Pra­ctice remaining, the Particulars being too many for me here to speak to: Yet I say, the standing Officers their Instructions are the same which have been near these Thirty Years standing, to my knowledge, and not one Tittle of them is of use, or practice, or have been expected from them some Years past, saving the passing their Accounts, and making their Returns; the which Instructions, if they should stand to, and abide by, they would be ruined: Neither have the Captains, and Lieute­nants, and the Warrant Officers Instructi­ons, any Concordance or Coherence toge­ther; but the Practice hath been to sub­mit to the Commander's Pleasure, and if he be not Angry all is well; the which is a very hard matter to please, except they [Page 159]will be content to go to Sea for nought, and truckle under his Creatures: I say, this is the case in general, now grown to that height of Pride and Imperial Com­mand, that an Officer that cannot screw himself into his Favour, were as good be a Slave in Algiers, for he must under­go all Hardships and Indignities that all wicked-minded Men can put upon, or devise against him; and, as I may say, suf­fer himself to be Pist upon by every Infe­rior, that the Captain will either favour or connive at; this is so true and common to the knowledge of all that know the Navy, that it may pass without farther proof: So that if any one should not be tempered for this usage, but be so hardy as to vindicate his Right, he is certainly ruin'd, and turned to seek his Bread else­where, perhaps in his Latter Days; and must not expect to be heard in his own Defence.

I confess, there is no General, for so I speak, but does admit of particular Ex­ceptions; that is, there are some Mode­rate Men in their Commands, but too too few, and they not fully arrived to the design, which is yet more, viz. to have the Office of the Purser annexed to the Captain, then were they as Absolute and Despotical as the King of France is, and of late hath proved to be, over his Sub­jects; and he no doubt did concurr in the design of Contracting the Navy of Eng­land under the Despotical Power of a Few, for the purpose, rather than many: To which, I say, and no other, tended these discordant and incohering Circumstances, which caused Jarrings, Disheartnings, and thence the Murmurings and Com­plainings in our Ships, and the Navy a­bundantly weakened. And as to the Safe­ty and Welfare of the Navy, for the Vi­ctualling to be deposited into the hands of the Captain, What may be the Effects [Page 161]thereof, I cannot so well speak to, be­cause it is not yet agreed how to order it: Some project, after the Dutch Example; Others, for the King to Victual, and the Captain to act by an Instrument under him; And a third, a mixt way. As to the Dutch way, the Captains agree with their Admiralties, at a certain price, for so many Mens Victuals, for such a Ship un­der their Commands, and the Particulars thereof are specified; and a Scrivan or Muster-Master of every Ship is sent, beside a General Muster-Master in every Fleet, to keep Checque, and Muster all the Fectives, noting all the Dead, and Runaways; and by his Book the Captain is paid for Victu­als, and the Bills are paid which he draws home, viz. for Wages to Men: He pays, when abroad, according to Instructions; of all which, the Scrivan keeps due ac­count with him. Now the Victualling of the Dutch, is chiefly Groat or Oatmeal, Grey-pease, Stockfish, Butter, and Cheese, &c. and a little Flesh once a Week: [Page 162]Now they have not Flesh in their Coun­try, to do as we do; therefore, if the King will alter the Quantity and Specie of his Victualling, he may; but it will not agree to the Temper of his Subjects, but cause a great murmuring; First, By his Sea-men: And Secondly, By the Far­mers, Gentry, and Nobility of the Na­tion, that the Product of their Lands be not bought off and expended, with the Money they are taxed to maintain the War with; and urge, That the Strength of the Navy would be impaired and weakened thereby, and be the cause of an Universal Disquiet. And next, the King must put in Captains stockt with Moneys, or Security for the performance of their Duty, else the Ships would ne­ver be in readiness to Sail, for want of Provisions to act together; the Money else would be spent that should buy them, and few would trust them, and the Men would be abused with wants, and can­not, [Page 163]nay, dare not complain. It may be said, Why with us, more than the Dutch? I Answer, The Dutch are a different People by Nature, and different in their Government, which is partly Democrasie, and partly Aristocrasie; they are severe Justiciaries, and strict Performers of Con­tracts to the Publick; in which, from one degree of Office to another, they are all sharply lookt to, and therein are not pestered with so many Methods, pretend­ing to avoid wrong, whereas 'tis only a Mist cast before our Eyes, and proves a burden to the Publick, and has contrary effects to the intention, and makes the Proverb true, That the more Cooks, the worse Broth: For the Dutch, if any should be caught Cheating or Abusing the Pub­lick, he must run his Country, or ne­ver hope to escape great Punishment, with Confiscation of all he has; for such is the Hatred of them all, to those that hurt the Publick, for every one [Page 164]reckons himself a Sharer in the Publick Wrongs, that if his Wrong hath taken wind, and it be considerable, two to one but before he can withdraw, the Mobile will cut him off, and none dares to coun­tenance his Escape, for fear of the Mobile: Remember the De Wits; for if such pro­fuse exhausting of Treasure, and Mis­application from the true Intentions, and Plots against the Publick, had been com­mitted there, as have been here, they would not have Escaped; but if the Publick Justiciaries had not done Justice, the Mobile would have Carved it out themselves: So I say, their Constitution is far different from ours, for Interest runs not so high there: Now would they who labour for this Alteration in the Navy, also bring the Nation under such a Government as they are, then they may expect it should answer the end as theirs does: But it is not better than ours, nor half so well, if our Constitutions had [Page 165]been preserved, and Private Interest cast out, and Commands carried so Moderate and Just as theirs; but it is plain and ob­vious to me, that this Practice and En­deavour is only the Basis of the Work, or Design on foot, which I e're while com­pared unto Babel; and a Superstructure to be thereon built, to have the Navy in a few hands, who would be Absolute and Despotical therein: And if they do design to have the Navy after the Dutch Government, if they would have it thrive in like manner as they do, they must in­tend to alter the Government of the Na­tion into a Commonwealth, as theirs is, or else it will never frame as theirs, for the Reasons I have before mentioned; but I think it is past their skill yet. I could add many more Reasons, but it is needless; and therefore I would have them put out of hopes of ever Ingrossing or Enslaving the Navy of England under a Despotical power, and consequently of turning the [Page 166]Government of the Nation upon Hinges which have but few Joynts; the which is very dangerous in a Monarchy, but not so in a Commonwealth, who by their long­continued and beloved Constitutions, ha­ving been accustomed by Allarms of being Robbed of their Liberties, will, on any Allarm, as a Flight of Sterlings, cast themselves into an orderly Flock, when they espy a Hawk at hand; but in a Mo­narchy, it is altogether unsafe to put their strength at the Devotion of a few hands: Moreover, it is against all Maxims in Poli­cy, to make any Alterations in a long­setled and approved Method of Manage­ment in a material part of the Govern­ment, Strength, and Wealth of a Na­tion.

This Project was on foot in King Charles the Second's Time; who Answer­ed, And Captain, When your Men suffer, unto whom should Men complain? To your self, for Justice? He said, He would be [Page 167]Just. The King said, He had a good Opi­nion of his Captains, but laughed at the Project; and so it died for that time. And as for those who would have them Victualled by the King, and the Captain account with him for it, instead of the Purser, they are thus Answered, That their Projection is yet more open for Despotical Power, for then it will be brought to a far heavier burthen for the Nation, by the Com­missioners Providing, and the Captains Commanding, who will have the King's Purse open at their pleasures, and every one must bow to them for a piece of Bread; and what Rule an Admiralty will have over them, to keep them to Methods and Prescriptions, or a Navy-Board, is pretty well seen by a handful out of a full Sack aforesaid; and therefore those that are for this way, are more beside the Mark; for here they have a means to make it a greater uncertainty of Charges, and have a greater influence on the Affair, and [Page 168]create Necessities at their Pleasure, and will account at their Leisure. And as for those that are for a mixt way, when they have formed and declared their Method, I may be able to give them a full Answer, and in the mean time I will only pursue my Purpose, to unravel the Proceedings of late, in the Confused Methods left standing of the Babel-Builders; and that is,

First, There is created a Captains Clerk, for the Captains Mustering, Ticketting, and ordering as well of the Purser's Books, as of all the Expences of the other Offi­cers, who has a Midshipman's Pay for his Service, and double Midshipmens Pay more added, to enable the Captain to gra­tifie his Creatures that deserved his Fa­vours; and for some time he had Orders for double Pay, I hope this was not for nothing; but that part of the Building soon fell down: I say, here is new Charges for him to place it upon his [Page 169] Cocswain, Steward, Servants, or whom he thinks good to deserve it: The afore­said Clerk, I say, being one chosen by him, on hopes for him to prefer him to some Office, as he will deserve by promo­ting his Interest, by the sole management of the Purser's Books, and the Officers Ac­counts; and after his Master's turns are ser­ved therein, then his own must be next, and all the Officers Instructions given them, must be laid aside, and serve no longer than those ends they like of; and the Offi­cers must Trump up to this, or undergo what I have said before; and if this be not Babel-Building, aspiring to reach their Heaven, Wealth, and Despotical Power, the great Object of their Industry, and this to be raised out of Confusion, I know not what to term it unto. But I doubt not but the Quick-sighted will take timely warning to prevent the design of En­thralling the Power and Wealth of the Nation, and settle it again in good Order, [Page 170]Method, and Government. As to Com­mand, the needfulness and necessariness thereof is, out of all doubt, acknowledg­ed by all that would live under a Govern­ment in any Nation, City, Ship, or Com­munity; but the manner of this Com­mand, is that which makes all Govern­ments differ, of which I will say in the Originals thereof, none differs which is thus; that whatsoever a Superior Officer does or commands to be done at his own will or choice, viz. that he may do it, or leave it undone, which Act or Order, if it exceeds not the bounds of Justice, Lenity, Kindness, and such favourable Command as a Man might expect from his Father, Relation, or Friend, it is well, and according to the first Institution of Government, and requires Allacrity in Obedience; but if it be Rigid, Austere, Morose, nay, Inhumane, and such a Com­mand as he may expect from his Captor, [Page 171]or Enemy, then also he may obey: But how? As Tyranny is obeyed; wishing ill success even to that, which he is out of necessity laying his hand to: For Mankind how weak soever they may be thought to be in the Wiles of Pollicy; yet this knowledge they have by Instinct of Na­ture, if they are not told it by others; That from him that commands him he may expect as his due, Justice, and Pro­tection from all Wrongs from others, and to receive none from himself, nor any hardship, but what the Service must of necessity force his Officer to lay upon him, without doing any Man wrong to favour him; for if he does at any time do wrong to another to favour him, he by secret Instinct disallows the Justice, and in his heart pronounces his Officer unjust, and expects the like Justice towards him when the wind of his Favour changes; so that Superior Officers, according to the Steps and Degrees of distance they were from [Page 172]the Commanded, ever were, and indeed ought to be as the Patriarchs of old were; their Sons, Grandsons, &c. di­vers Generations had their degrees of Command over the whole Lineage, and all by due course of Seniority, in the Or­der of Government Instituted by God Almighty; so that whenever they were (by the unfitness of the Senior to go­vern, or conduct) forced to alter, they always chose one of the same Lineage, nearest of Kin, to govern and conduct the Tribe; this being God's Institution to his Peculiar People for an Example to the rest of the World; but the other Govern­ments then in the World, as they were practised, might be supposed to be De­spotical and Tyrannical: As Nimrod the mighty Hunter, who began the First Em­pire in the East, and was worshipped as a God, and the Grecian Empire after; but after that the Justice of the Western Empire, or Roman, in their Conquests, [Page 173]may not in this Island easily be forgotten, (although Pagans;) but I leave it to Hi­story, and pursue my purpose, and fol­low the Patriarchs and Fathers of Israel, our Pattern; for so were all stiled that sate in Judgment, or led the People; and they ever Treated all that came before them, with the Appellations of my Sons and Daughters. Likewise also did all Ge­nerals and Commanders treat all that came before them, for Justice to be done them; or to have Justice done on them, Mildly, Friendly, and with great Cle­mency; and was sorry for the Offender, even as a Father is sorry for his own Son, when he is forced to correct him: But other sorts of Government run parallel in the World, as those mentioned, and also thereof are now extant, who may run their Bounds which God hath allotted them, for the Scourge of Mankind to serve his Eternal Purposes: These also, I say, are obeyed; as I said, through the Law of [Page 174]Necessity, who carry their Commands over all, whom by Policy and Strength they have gotten under them, by Auste­rity and Morosity; it being their Pollicy of Command to imitate Greatness in Ap­parel, Habiliments, Attendants, and Re­tinue, using overmuch Haughtiness, and sleighting Reservedness, accompanied with Opprobrious and Villifying Terms to their Inferiors, even before the Faces of all Spectators; and spurn even them­selves, and their Caps cast at their Feet in undue Honour and Respect paid them; all which is sprung from a Weed gather­ed lately in France, and planted in Eng­land, whose Soil hath nourished it, that it is suddenly grown to Magnitude insup­portable; and it is no other than a Relick of the Government, where Tyranny, Arbitrary, and Despotical Power is used and maintained, there being no other means for a Tyrant to have Obedience paid him by: The large, and once Op­pulent, [Page 175]and Populous Dominions under the Grand Seignior reduced to Poverty, and Paucity of People, may be a suffici­ent Example thereof: And it is not to be doubted, but that God's appointed time for the Alteration of that Government, draweth nigh; it being a certain truth, That all Sublunary things have their In­crease and Decrease, and never stand in a state of steddiness: So all Poli­tick Bodies, as Governments of King­doms, Cities, &c. have for their Strength and Glory, Increase, State, and De­crease; but in its State it cannot stand long: For, as Doctor Heylen very well ob­serves, That the Elective Kingdom of Po­land, and the Seigniory of Venice, nei­ther of them of any great strength com­parable to that Empire; yet they have held it at a stop near these Hundred Years, and, for five or six Years last past, may be noted, hath been under a great Declen­sion; so may the Kingdom of France, in [Page 176]all probability, by another Observator, undergo an Alteration; having been at the top of its Power, signified by exert­ing its power by Burning, Destroying, and Devastation of Countries; for that Kingdom cannot hope to enjoy a long continuance, that uses such ways for their Encreasing and Maintaining; they do serve only for the Divine Vengeance of the Almighty's Decrees; for the Scourge of Mankind, to bring to pass his Eternal Purposes: So I allude, That no Pollitie of Government, that is not grounded, and setled upon the Basis and Foundations of the first Institutions of Government, can consist with the Welfare, and lasting Prosperity thereof; for that Government which is at the Will of the Governour, must either imply, That he that governs is something more than a Man; nay, must be endued with all the Celestial Graces, and so permanent and steddy therein, e­ven to the Imitation of the Deity; or [Page 177]else it will fall under all the Humane Er­rors, that Mankind is subject unto, and what the product of them may be, I need not declare: Wherefore, for the assist­ance of Mankind, for their Propagation and Government, in all well-setled Go­vernments, were added to the Gover­nour, just and wholsome Laws devised and enacted by the Sages, Elders, and Heads of the People, for them to be go­verned by; in which the People saw their Instructions for their Duties at large, in­culcated to them; as also the Rocks and Precipices they were to shun, from being made Shipwracks of by the State; so that all the Inferiour Officers in that State or Pollicy, hath in the same their parti­cular Instructions for their Offices; all which Instructions, or Constitutions ran ever from between the Governor, Supe­rior, Inferior, and all degrees of Offi­cers consistant to Unity and Concordance, all tending to one end and design, viz. [Page 178]the Welfare of the Governor and Go­verned; and in the doing of which, they might stand and be justifiable before their Superiors, and shall be Freed, or Con­demned by their Parity; of which this Nation hath no small reason for its pra­ctice to bless God; which leads me to a practice of the Navy, not much to be ad­mired, which is this:

That all Warranted Officers upon any smaller Offences, have been Caned, Bilboed, Despitefully intreated, and made vile and Contemptible to the Ships Company, and perhaps upon slight Occasions: And again, if the Crime hath been greater, and deserved to be brought to a Council of War, or Court-Marshal, there even his Accuser shall be one of his Judges; or at least he shall be Judged and Condemn­ed by his Superiors; and perhaps of the same Class of his Accuser, wherein his Parities are wholly excluded; now how this agrees to the Municipal Laws of this [Page 179]Nation, to which they are all Subjects, and what Justice they may expect, may be guessed at: To say no more, but that I do not admire it; for the Peers of this Nation claim to be Judged by their Peers, and the Commons by their Parity, &c.

Now, as it is all my endeavour in this Discourse to invite into the Government of the Navy, all possible Just and Equi­table Proceedings, administred with Mild­ness and Clemency towards Offenders for their Shame and Punishment; so is it no less my aim and desire to Inculcate that with Affection, and no less Justice, for the due Reward, and deserved Encou­ragements of all Experienced, Active, Vigilant, Honest, and Valiant Officers, Preferments be freely and indifferently granted; and to let the warm Beams of Favours, even like the Beams of the Sun shine indifferently upon all Heads, and not to have it confined to Private Recom­mendations on Private Interest. As,

First, For Punishment in Criminals, where Life is questioned, why it may not be consistant to the Municipal Laws of this Nation, that a Warrant Officer be Tryed by a Jury of Twelve Warrant Of­ficers, and the Council or Court sitting, and superseding, as the Judges and Justices at the Assizes; I know no reason to the contrary.

Secondly, For Crimes of Petty larconies, for Stores, Cowardice, Ill-behaviour in Battle, Disobedience to Command, or any Offence which may require either Corporal or Pecuniary Punishment to be inflicted; if it be brought to a Court-Marshal, Why they may not be Tryed by their Parity, I know not.

Thirdly, Where they deserve to be Degraded and Discarded, why they may not be Judged, and undergo their Parities Sentence as to Matter of Fact, and be sent either to the Admiral at Sea, or to the Lord High Admiral within the Narrow-Seas, [Page 181]or Rivers, to be dealt with as they shall think fit? For then the Merit of the Cause will appear, viz. Matter of Fact, and not be turned out barely upon the Captains Word or Letter; which never yet was practised, till of late Years, and sprang from the Root I so often spoke of before: Now as I spoke before, that Am­ple and Concordant Instructions are most needful to be given to all Officers for the Performance of their respective Duties; so that I here intimate, That upon the proof of Fact, the breach of their Instru­ctions would be a ready Condemnation, if considerable for their Dismission; as also their Performance a Justification for them, without which can be nothing ex­pected, but Distraction, Confusion, and Arbitrary Proceedings: And then for their Encouragements by Preferments, Why may not their Capacities and Abi­lities be also taken notice of, when certi­fied by Warranted Officers, that are [Page 182]reckoned ancient experienced Men of the same Employments, some nominated, and appointed for Probators, as well as all from the Captains and Commissioners; and let no Certificates be made or valued, that hath more than one Hand to it, who ought to certifie no more than he knows to be true of that Man; and let some body of Credit also certifie of their know­ledge of his Sober Life, and a constant Adherer to the Government established, both in Church and State; the Certificates being all single, if it happens not to be true, it should reflect upon the Certifier to his damage, to certifie a Lye; and thereby indeavouring to introduce into the Affair (as lately) Papists and other Per­swasions, that the Management of the Affair of the Navy should not be Com­mitted unto, and Pestered with, to avoid Divisions, Party-makings, Trickings, and Designings, as I have elsewhere spoken, instead of Unity and Concord to be desi­red, [Page 183]as there instanced: I say, Why these, or the like may not be done, I find no Reason.

Indeed some may say, that by Trying by Parities, and the like, by Certificates, there would run such a Propensity in them towards the favour of their own Employments, that it would not answer the end described.

To which I Answer: If the Officers were all chosen for good Qualifications, as I before intimated, no doubt but that there would be as Impartial Proceedings as could be expected; but if the Officers be made only from the Captains, &c. on their bare Recommendations, as of late; then there may be expected such Officers, as hath, or can, by the Art of Fawning, Flattery, Slavish and Obsequious Obser­vances of the Captain or his Creatures; or for some service done, not very com­mendable in its self, yet bespeaks him to be in the Captains Favour: I say, from [Page 184]such Officers cannot be expected much Justice: But this Argument, that no Ju­stice may be expected from them, you may as well say so of all the Proceedings of the Courts of Justice in the Nation: You may by the same reason put by all the Juries of the Kingdom, and pretend their Partiality to their Equals, and Try all Matters by the Judges and Justices of the Benches, and by such as the King shall Commissionate for that purpose, and then may you have such a Govern­ment at Land, as you desire at Sea; and only then you will be sensible thereof: And this is a Fruit born on another Branch of that Weed I have so often mentioned; the which, if it should be used so on the Land, I say, it would be very Unsavory Fruit to the Palates of the Nation.

But some Man will say, that there can­not be a proper Comparison between the Government at Sea, and the Land.

I Answer. It is very fit and proper; for they are the same People that govern the one and the other, viz. Commissioned and Deputed; and the same that obey at Sea, and at Land; and the same Law­makers for the Government of the one as the other; and Justice bears the same Face, and is the Attribute of God, and as much required at Sea, as at Land.

Having, I think, said enough to Con­vince any Moderate Man herein, I pro­ceed to the Emoluments and Profits of the Officers, as a Recompence to each Man for his Labour, and Jeoparding his Liberty, Limbs, and Life it self, for the support of their Familes; a great Object to them in their Absence, or Death, or for their Maintainance in Old Age, Sick­ness, and loss of Limbs; which is by certain Wages allotted them; Allowances of Perquisites in divers Cases and Acci­dents happening; as also by Prizes taken, and by Goods and Moneys acquired by [Page 186]Adventures; and also their Privileges for themselves, and Instruments under them, that they be not abused, nor dis­countenanced, nor their Cabins Store-Rooms, and Easements taken from them, and abridged of all Happiness, or Healthy Living on Board, by being too strait-lac'd, and confined; all which are according to antient Prescriptions, and known Customs and Practices of the Navy Royal to be their Dues. Now if the Government thereof, is become Arbitrary; and if any one is abridged thereof, and his Profits, &c. either taken from him, diverted to others, or converted to the Commanders Profit; every one so served, must needs be grieved, and disappointed of his hopes for his present Maintainance; and also for his Old Age, &c. and so hath he ser­ved for nought but Misery and Contempt: Now if there be no Appeal for that Party lying, with some reasonable safety, to complain to the Lord High Admiral, or [Page 187]to his Deputies, viz. the Commissioners of the Navy, for his Redress; I mean, that it might lie open and easie for him to have access to be heard, and that there he may expect Justice indifferently to be ad­ministred: I say, if there be not, a Man may easily conclude, that Government to be Despotical and Unjust; I mean an Ap­peal that a Man may come off with Safe­ty, being protected from the future Inju­ries he may receive from the Offender, by the anger or malice of him that hath done the wrong, by reason of this Ap­peal taken: For it is recommended by God unto Man, to defend the Weak and Oppressed, and to resist the Proud; meaning, That the strong Man be bound by a stronger than he, and made to re­store the Wronged to his Right, and let him not dare to injure him again; but not as it is, to force a Prey out of a Lyon's Paw, and let him loose to the Party, whose Right it is to be protected, to be [Page 188]worried by him to death afterwards; I mean, that Justice be plentifully admini­stred on Board the Ships, that it might flow even out at the Scuppers; then will Mens Hearts be glad in the Service, and bear their Labours, Watchings, Pains, and Hazards, with Allacrity, and have cause to bless God, for the Promoters and Maintainers of these Blessings under God unto them; and from such Govern­ment, may be expected, Prosperity and Happiness to the Affair, and Atchievement of great Actions abroad, to the Glory, Honour, and Wealth of the Nation; and the Navy be in a Progressive motion, as I at first intimated.

Again, The Government of the Ships at Sea, was, That in Times of all consi­derable dangers approaching, viz. whe­ther it were best to Engage, or which way to manage it; which way, or what course to steer; if it be best to cut a Mast; and in fine, in all great and important Mat­ters, [Page 189]if the Commander did not call his Warrant Officers together for Council, and took their Sentiments in the majori­ty, and put it in execution; but executed his own Will, and thereby Mischief en­sued; it would have been very hard for him to have escaped deserved Shame and Punishment; for his Officers are, or ought to be material Limbs, or Parts of that Government; and in all Difficulties their Concurrence ought to be taken; but the practice of late, is clean otherwise: I say, his Officers being not awed by their de­pendance on him, would have witnessed freely the truth, and have laid the blame, or the burthen of the Miscarriage, upon the right shoulders: but no such thing can be practised, where Despotical Power is: It is meer Nonsense to pretend exa­mining of Parties, hoping to come to the truth of the Matter of Fact, when the Witnesses dare not speak truth; and e­specially if they know that a well packt [Page 190]Lye, or cunning evading of the truth, will better please the Court: Nay, if the Horse must of necessity be sadled, how easie may a Man wilfully put it upon the wrong Horse, when he knows it is not safe for him to put it on the right, for fear of being spoiled? I say, it is meer mockery, or but a shadow of due Pro­ceedings, and is also of the Unsavory Fruit, I elsewhere mentioned.

Again, if a Ship happens to meet with Disasters at Sea; and that not for want of Carelesness, and neglect of Duty, to the endangering of Ship and Lives; and when she comes home, there be no Com­missioner, or Surveyor, of power to call all the Officers before him, and examine the truth; to find out how, and by what means it came to pass, and to know the true state of the thing, and what is most necessary to be done now, for the good, and beneficial managing of the same for the King and Service, and by knowing [Page 191]the truth of the Accident; they may be able to put a Preventer for the future like Accidents: But, I say, instead of this proceeding, if there be a Letter writ, on­ly known to the Captain, and there be another Ship ordered for him, and the other laid by, and the King damaged Five Hundred or a Thousand Pounds, and the Service impeded thereby; Will any one think this a right Method? But as for Examining, I had almost forgotten what I said, even now, That it must be Non­sense to expect the truth to be known, where such Dependances are upon Arbitrary Power: And therefore I con­clude, it must be also the baneful Fruit of the foresaid Weed. I could instance ma­ny more Particulars, which are the true, and genuine Fruits of the said Weed; but I suppose, by what hath been already said, will be sufficient proof of the un­wholsomness of him, and therefore fit to be rooted up.

Secondly, I will descend to the particu­lar standing Officers of this said Govern­ment, so called, for that they are War­ranted by the Admiralty; for each Ship, during life, in case they commit no Mis­demeanour worthy of their being turned out; and at the receipt of those War­rants they do, or ought to receive, also ample and plenary Instructions for the ex­ecution of their Offices, who are the Pur­ser, Boatswain, Gunner, and Carpenter; unto whom are committed all the Stores of the said Ship, or Service; and for the securing, preserving, and laying the same up to be ready upon all minute Accidents for the said Service.

They by ancient Prescriptions and Cu­stoms have allotted them Appartments of the said Ship, proper for the same, viz. Cabins, Steward-Room, Store-Rooms, and Accommodations, and Avenues to the same, for themselves and their Instru­struments, to perform their respective [Page 193]Offices under them: Now if they be a­bridged thereof, viz. curtailed, lessened, or taken from them, at the Will of the Captain, it is not easie to judge, what Damages may ensue to the King and and Service thereby: Unto which may be added, the Discomfiture by Losses the Officers may sustain; for they are ac­countable to the King, by way of Inden­tures signed for the same. As for Exam­ple.

First, The Purser, and no other Offi­cer of the Ship, at his receipt of his War­rant, gives Bond to the King, with two sufficient Sureties, with a Penalty of Five Hundred Pounds, more or less, according to the Rate of the said Ship, which Bonds, in case of failure of his Duty, are cer­tainly Estreated in the Exchequer, and Process are issued out, for the Seisures of Body and Estates of him, or his Sureties, of what Estate soever they were posses­sed of, during the time of their being [Page 194]Accomptants to the King: Now if the Instructions they receive for their Duties, be not sufficient to bear them harmless in the performance thereof; and that they be not consonant to the Captains, nay, nothing more contrary, or less observed in proceeding; How possibly can this Man be in any degree of safety, or Friends giving Pledge for him, let him be never so good an Officer? (I say none.)

But it is Answered, The Captain is an­swerable at the Determination of the Voyage, by the stoppage of his Pay; the which he is not to receive until he pas­ses his Accounts, required by his Instru­ctions, by giving in Journals of his Voy­age, and Muster, and Checque-Books, and a Certificate from each standing Of­ficer, that he hath not commanded any thing, during the Voyage, irregular; for which he hath a Clerk allowed him to perform for him; which Checque-Book the Purser sees not till a long time after, [Page 195]and may be ruined thereby; and there is also added unto him, double Allowance of Midshipmen's Pays to each Rate, for him to dispose of, as I ere-whiles mentio­ned: All this being a late Invention, to bear the resemblance of a safe Method, for the King, and Sub-Officers; yet it proves but as a Shooing-Horn to draw on more Charges to the King and Service, and as Cobwebs, in the behalf of the Of­ficers, to bind a strong Man with: For it is an evident encrease of the King's Charges, and the maintaining more Cooks, which, according to the old Proverb, Is a marring the Pottage. And,

Secondly, For the binding him, it is on the quite contrary; for it gives him the greater Latitude of Arbitrary Power and Command, to awe the Officer to Sign the said Certificate, and to comply to his, and his Creatures Pleasures, concerning the Stores, Books, and Proceedings of the Ships Accounts. I forbear Particu­lars [Page 196]to instance more, there being room enough, by what hath been said, to guess: For before this Invention, by the antient practice of the Navy, he was li­able, by the stoppage of his Pay, to an­swer the Complaints of his Officers, for his Irregular Commands; but this put him into more Despotical Power, to di­spose of the Stores; and by a Dash of his Clerk's Pen, to ruine both the Officer's Voyage and Reputation, in case he Signs not such a Certificate as required: So that this also seems to me, to be a Fruit of the Weed aforesaid.

As for the Purser's Instructions former­ly, and now, they are the same verba­tim; but for the Observation of them, there remains nothing thereof, saving to pass his Accounts, the which he is forced to, by his triple Bond aforesaid; the which, if it were also omitted, the Laws, for all that are Accomptants to the King, to adjust, were sufficient Tyes for him: [Page 197]So that the whole matter of his Instructi­ons, as they are put in practice of late, since this new Invention, I will (not to descend to Particulars) bind them up to­gether as useless; except it be to expose them to the Ridicule of the Captains and Lieutenants: and to be used when they have occasion to go into the Gallery.

Now, as I said, the Purser Indents for the Provisions, and issues the same by his Instruments; with which Provisions, he receives, or ought to do, an Allowance of Money, viz. Fourteen Pence per Month, for every Person in the Ship, to find Candle, Wood, Canns, Platters, Spoons, Lanthorns, &c. called Necessaries for the Ship; but the little or much Necessaries, viz. profuse Expences thereof, is at the Pleasure of the Captains and Lieutenants to command; and how that is of late ma­naged, is too tedious for my intended Di­scourse: Also, what kind of respect the Provisions meet with in hoisting into [Page 198]the Ship, and Stowage of them, and of the Remains to be hoisted out, to be sent a Shoar to be preserved; and Cask-wood, and what relates to his Stores, it going under the notion of the Purser's, he being bound to answer for it as beforesaid. I could say much therein, but I leave that to every Man to relate his own case, ac­cording as he finds his usage: But this I will say in general, That since the Project of the Captains being Pursers, have been promoted, both the Pursers, and their Instruments, have gone under great Scan­dal and Obloquy; insomuch, that the Purser can get no Instruments, but at a dear and uncertain rate, to act under him, by reason of Ridicule and evil Treatment; and I do moderately calculate it, That if the Captain had the Victualling, he would save of what is now profusely spent, and wasted malitiously with Sallaries, which the Purser pays, and Moneys he is con­strained to spend, to soften Mens Morosi­ties [Page 199]towards his Affairs, that he might come to the less damages, sufficient re­compence for a very good Officer for his Voyage: By means whereof, as it is now carried in the Offices at home, and Com­mand abroad, that when he has past his Accounts, he will have nothing left to support his Family, or maintain him in his Old Age: I say, if he be an Honest and Upright Man in his Office, and do not Fawn, Flatter, and Trick it, and truckle to the Creatures he has to deal with, the which is now become his Fate; and therefore, I wish him to furnish himself with a well-tempered Disposition, To be as Wise as a Serpent, and as Harmless as a Dove; patient of Wrongs, a good Hu­mour-monger; and carry a good Men­struum in his Pocket, that will dissolve Morose, Obdurate, and Flinty Tempers; or else better Fortune, than to be cast in­to so ill a reputed, and disrespected an Office: All which Fate is befallen him, and [Page 200]is an effect of that ill Weed I spake of come from France, and hath infected the Naval Affairs of England with a Scurvey Disease, and, if not in time cured, it may taint the Vital Spirits thereof; and ren­der it to be decrepid, and of slow mo­tion.

As to the Boatswain, he is an Officer that Indents for all the Sails, Cables, Cordage, and Stores of the Ship, and by the Captain's Hand to the Expence, pas­ses his Account with the Clerk of the Sur­vey: As doth also the Carpenter for the Masts, Yards, Planks, Boards, Spikes, Nails, and many Particulars: The Gun­ner with the Officers of the Ordnance for the Guns, all sorts of Shot, Powder, and many particular Stores of Artillery. Now heretofore, nay, yet it is in the Purser's Instructions, although I left them, even now, in the Gallery, for the Captains and Lieutenants uses: I say, the Purser was required, and did enter from time to [Page 201]time, the Weekly Expences of both Boat­swain, Gunner, and Carpenter's Accounts into a Ledger; and drew a Monthly, or oftner Account for the Captain, and took the Captain, and Master's Hands, to whom the Expence was known, and Signed it himself, and gave it them to pass their Accounts by; but, I say, since the new Project aforesaid, it is useless, and the Captain's Clerk is instead of a Servant of the Captains; and by what hath been said before, may be easily guessed, what safety in the Affair to the King, may be expected, and what dependance the Of­ficers have, and on whom it is obvi­ous.

Again, If the Ship happens to fall into great Action, as it often does, and that good Exploits are done, either for the Preservation of the Men and Ship, or in damaging the Enemy, the Practice there­in hath been used of late, to take the full Relation of the said Action, from the [Page 102]Captains and Lieutenants Mouths, or Writings; and the other Officers are Mutes in that case; how easily then may the matter be represented, and the truth thereof either lie hid, and Honour and Rewards be placed unduly, and undeser­vedly, by Interest, or Influence of the Representers made, and instead of Re­buke for Misbehaviour, Honour and Re­ward, to the discouragement of the well-deserving; and the stifling of the truth of the Fact, from the knowledge of the Admiral, Commander in Chief, Lord High Admiral, and Commissioners at home: For it cannot be thought, that the Captains and Lieutenants have all the Eyes in the Ship that see, or all the Hands that act therein; but that other good Officers may be in the Ship, that may see that which they do not, and do that which they do not; for they have like opportu­nity with them, by their Speculations, Motions, and Conversings in their re­spective [Page 103]Places and Duties; they having Eyes to see, and Hands to act with, more than two or three; and Converse through the whole Ship by themselves, their Mates, and Instruments.

Now upon any such extraordinary Occasions or Accidents, if there were a Commissioner of the Navy, in the Ports and Roads, or one deputed from the Admi­ral at Sea, (with the assistance of his Secre­tary,) who did go on Board the said Ship, and summon before him all the Officers of the said Ship, and take their Examinations; and if need be, their Depositions, to the Matters in question; and freedom for any one to come in and declare their knowledge of the Action; then may the truth be known, and a right Information be transmitted to the Superior Power, whether abroad or at home: For the Pur­poses before mentioned, which looks like direct proceeding, if it be solemnly done, but the contrary, is a Fruit of the former Weed.

Again, The Ships heretofore had not so great Accommodations for Command­ers, as of late; for every Builder hath striven to exceed each other, in making Accommodations for the Captains; for which, it costeth the King no small Charges: Nay, I say, great Charges; yet that does not give content but rarely; for he is reckoned a Man of but small In­vention, that cannot continue to make great alteration in the Steeridge, Round­house, Cabins, Store-Rooms, &c. and a great deal of Work for Carpenters, Joyners, Painters, &c. And as the Currant has run, scarce desir'd it of the Commissioner; but if he does, to be sure its never denied him; and these Alterations are sure to be the enlargement of their own Accommoda­tion, and the Abridgment of others: Not­withstanding all the Accommodations he hath contrived by the Builders, ten to one, but he is to enlarge his Store-Room, and confines the Steward-Room into so [Page 157]small a Room, that it is a miserable place to handle the Ships Provisions in, from which proceeds no small damage; many times to the King in his Provisions, and also the Purser; and the Cock-pit, a Hel­lish Pit, to transact the most, and con­stant business of the Ship; and by the thronging it with Cabins for Creatures, Boys, &c. that they are meerly choaked up: And to add to it, the Steeridges are generally taken away from the Officers, that they shall not Eat, nor Walk, nor Refresh themselves; the way going out of the Steeridge to the Gun-Room being totally shut up, and in divers, a Pantry contrived for the Captains; so that the Ship is made useless for a close Fight: For the Communication between the Decks, is shut up; and all that were wont formerly to go from the Gun-Room, and some abaft the Mast, up and down through the Steeridge, are all confined to go up and down at a small Scuttle with­out [Page 206]out the Steeridge, abaft the Mast; where all are to pass and repass, with their hot Meat, Lame and Sick Men; and in any Weather at Sea, the Boats hoisted in, Ports Caulked, and Tarpallings laid; there is all the passage for the whole Ships Com­pany below the Deck, and all the Air can be spared them: Officers and all, if but a sudden Allarm of Weather, Acci­dent, or Enemy happen, you would bless your self to see Men tumble on one ano­ther's Backs, and a long while before got­ten up: No wonder if the Men fall sick, and Infections run from one end of the Ship to the other, and the Provisions Taint, and grow stinking: Butter, Cheese, and Bread, in a little time after received, prove unfit to be eaten; Pease, and Oat­meal grow Musty, and the Men extream­ly stifled, for want of Air: If such things should have been done in Blake, Lawson, Minns, or any of the former Commanders in Chief their Times, they would soon [Page 207]have been turned to seek for Commands; and for the Warrant Officers, they live more like Dogs; I mean, Spaniels than Men, For he, by Nature, Fawns on him that beats him; so ought a Warrant Of­ficer to do, if the Cane of his Captain, comes over his Shoulders; there is no bet­ter Remedy, than to be like the Spaniel: Nay, I am much mistaken, if Lieutenants scruple to strike a Warrant Officer, and that upon slight occasions: But I am now something in Passion on this matter, but I hold, and am really not desirous to ex­pose the matter, but rather to cast a Man­tle over it a while; but if I had said no­thing of it, I had said nothing to pur­pose; but out of the whole bundle, I draw you these few Samples, by which you may know the rest; and if I am not mistaken, the Officers must be pitiful small-soul'd Men, and know little, and cannot possibly be Men fit for their Em­ployments, as they ought; for they must [Page 208]acquire their Offices, by those ways I for­merly told, and must have a Faculty of Lying, Fawning, Flattering, and Creep­ing to the Captains Servants; for it's well if they be not too high for their Con­verse: I am sure they are better accom­modated, and have more quiet Enjoyment; for they have the Steeridge and Cabins at large, and the Warrant Officers have no way to the Air from between Decks, but under the Lousie Hammocks, and Sick Bodies in the way, where the Men are hung in bundles, the Ports Caulked in, no breathing, but the Stench of one ano­ther: Abominable Proceedings, Inhu­man Command, and Preposterous Ma­nagement, and such as, I thought, I should never have lived to have seen an English Ship so governed, much more in general; yet out of it some are to be ex­cepted, but too few. Also this smells rank of the said Weed.

Again, The Ship is furnished with Boats, viz. Barge, or Pinnace, Yawle, and Long-Boat, according to the Rate of the Ship; and it hath been meant former­ly, that these Boats were to be serviceable to the Ship, and Company, in transport­ing them on Board, and on Shoar, with Necessaries, and Conveniencies that may be wanted, for the Company, at the or­der and direction of the Captain: Now if such Commands are carried, that no Officer dare to ask, or expect to have a Boat, upon any urgent occasion, for the transporting himself, Stores, &c. in the execution of his Office, upon his reason­able Request, but must hire Boats: Nay, that an Officer cannot be carried on Shoar, or on Board, but slightingly refused, left behind the Ship, himself and Stores, and in Places and Times when Boats cannot be had for Love, nor Money: I mean, when the Practice is such, that his Supe­riour shall declare it beneath him, to go [Page 210]in Boat with his Officer; or, that the Lieutenants shall be in their Commands, sleighting their Officers, and Mariners, for their Transports on Board, or on Shoar, with their Servants, and Necessa­ries, for their reasonable Accommodation; and are thereby left behind, or put to great Shifts, and Charges therein; and a general Disregard, and Disrespect shewed them before the Company: So that all the whole Series of the Command, in the Affairs of the Ship, runs upon hard terms, in sleighting, and Contemptible usage of Warrant Officers, the Particulars being too many to mention here; all which are sprang up of late, in the practice of the Sea Commands, since the planting of the aforesaid Weed; were it not a Protection of such Imperial Commands, to settle Ar­bitrary, and Despotical Power at Sea, as I have before shewed: It would not have found such a Harmony in so many of the Commissioned Officers, to act in so direct a [Page 211]Line to the said Mark. But those Babel-Builders, as I said elsewhere, having been disappointed of their Designs, by God's Providence on the Nation, on Shoar, and the Builders divided and dispersed: So I doubt not, but that the Navy also, may feel the warmth of the Divine Favour, to dispel the Sulphurous Vapours of that noi­some Weed of Arbitrary, Despotical and Ty­rannical Power, and pack it away to the Frippery of those dark Regions of Luci­fer's Kingdom, by whose Contrivance, and for whose Dominion it was only calculated and invented, ushered in by Superstition, and Idolatry; but to our Sovereigns, and their Kingdoms, God grant there be con­firmed, a lasting Monarchy, Governing by wholsome Laws, Watered, and Pruned by multitude of Council, wherein there is safety; and never to root up the beau­tiful Plants, and Scions engrafted, and moistened with the Blood of our Ance­stors, [Page 212]viz. The Fundamental Laws esta­blished in Church and State.

Again, They being the essential parts of Government, viz. the Civil, as well as Military, which are both to be here re­spected; I mean, for Men to be kept in due obedience to the Penal Laws of the Nation; the Executor of which Laws, is the Captain: Now if he does not cause a strict Enquiry to be had, when Robbe­ries and Thefts are committed on Board, Mens Chests broken up, their Cloaths, Victuals, Moneys, or Goods stollen from them; for it is a very hard matter to have a Search, (or dare any to accuse some Per­sons, because they are Favourites, or so far off) as the Favourite of a Favourite, because it is not easie for any one to bring his matter into proof, every one doubt­ing, that it is not safe to give in Evidence against one that has favour: And in fine, thy meaning is, when Justice is admini­stred to the People at such a distance, and [Page 213]at such hazard to receive it, that it were better to let it alone than to receive it; that then Theft, Robbery, Cosening, Cheat­ing, and all Wrongs to each other, must needs be very rife: As for Example.

If the Itinerant Judges of the Nation, should omit the Execution of their Offi­ces in the Circuits; as also the Judicial Courts aloft in the Terms, at their Plea­sures? What manner of Living, for safe­ty of Goods, or Lives could be expected in such Government? Will you say it is the Captain's Pleasure to remit the wrong done to Tom by Jack, and let the Offen­der go free? By the same Rule, the Judge may pardon the Offender, that is accused of wrong done to his Neighbour: This is also a Fruit of the aforesaid Weed, and would be very unsavory to the Palates on Shoar: And why not on Board, I know not. But, as I said before, Justice ought to run down, as a mighty stream, that the meanest of the Ship may catch it in [Page 214]their Caps at will; nor do I believe, that the Captain hath power to dispence with any of the Punitive Laws of the Nation, provided against Pettilarconies, or Thefts, Burglaries, of Breaking, or Picking of Locks, Pocket-picking, Cheating, Borrow­ing and not Paying, but that falls more immediately under the Pay of the Ship; but all things that may be executed at Sea, ought to be done by the Antient Laws and Constitutions of the Seas, and not to suspend the Execution thereof at the Captain's Will; but if it be more proper to suspend the Execution thereof, till come to a Flag, or Commissioners a shoar, that then also, although it be not under his power, yet then he ought to bear such favour to Justice, as to defend the Innocent, and bring the Offender to Punishment; that he should make it his business to become as an Advocate for the wronged Party. I say, where you find these Matters of Justice to be stopt [Page 215]in the Currents; and, that Abuses, Rob­beries, Cheatings, Revellings, Brawlings, and Batteries, are frequently committed, and seldom taken notice of for redress, except to a Favourite: Nay, the very Provisions of the Ship, embezelled, and abused; and many Enormous Outrages committed: And, I say, Redresses not freely, heartily, and indifferently admi­nistred; that there you may see the plain Fruit of Arbitrary Power, and that Com­mander is glutted with it, and wants a strong Purge of the Extracts of Abdica­tion.

Now, after the Military and Civil Go­vernment of the Ship, although worthy of Preference, yet it comes in here to bring up the Rear, viz. Ecclesiastical Go­vernment, the keeping the People to the due Resort to the publick Service, accord­ing to the Laws of the Nation; and to observe as well the Neglecters thereof, through an Atheistical, Debauched, and [Page 216]Irreligious Temper; as the Contemners, viz. Roman Catholicks, or lately so, and di­vers other Opinions, and Perswasions, and to bear such a respect towards every one of them, in their Perswasions, as is agreeable to the Laws of the Nation, by which he ought to Govern. And moreover, ac­cording as he finds the Practice of Their Majesties are towards differing Perswasi­ons, in their Government, provided it be not against the Fundamental Laws of the Nation, so ought he to be consonant thereto in his Government; but on the contrary, if he shall favour Roman Catho­licks, or those that were so lately, and keep them in his Favour, endeavouring to prefer them to Employments, or that he shall so dispose his Favours, that it ever tends to a particular Party, whatsoever it be that is repugnant to the Established Laws of the Nation; he does endeavour thereby, to introduce, foster, and nou­rish Division in the Fleet, and consequent­ly [Page 217]in the Nation, and doth not serve the Publick, according to the Compact and Conditons he received his Commission upon, and thereto plights his Troth; but with that part of the Wealth and Strength of the Nation that he is intrusted with, does endeavour, what lies in him, to de­ceive his Employers; and causes their Mo­ney, &c. to be expended, contrary to their Wills, or Knowledge, to the Main­tainance of theirs, and the Nations Ene­mies, viz. the Enemies of the Laws, which are the Enemies of the Nation; which is to Tantamount holding Correspon­dence, and disposing of the Treasure of the Nation to their Enemies.

Again, If the Captain be a Drunkard, Swearer, Curser, Lyer, Cheater, Gamer, profuse Spendthrift, Riotous, Reviler, Li­bidinous Whore-monger, or Flagitiously wicked, where any, or many of these, or the like Sins, are eminently found in him, his Service cannot be good; and also his [Page 218]Examples are very taking to the Officers, and Mariners in general; and more espe­cially, where Despotical Power is exerci­sed: For it has been an Observation made on the Lives of the Caesars, That in the Life of Augustus, he made Learn­ed Men to flourish, and the Empire to a­bound with them; Tiberius his Successor, made the Empire to abound with De­bauched Persons, Sycophants, and Vil­lains; Trajan with grave Men, and good Soldiers; so likewise here a Debauched Captain can never expect a sober Ships Company, and the like of all other Vices: So that, I say, the Example of a Com­mander in the Government of the Ship, carries with it as great Imitation, as any thing I know.

Again, How can it be expected, that a Captain that Swears at a shameful rate, and Damns at every Sentence almost, can command, according to the antient Go­vernment of the Navy, or the present [Page 219]Laws of the Nation, which puts me in mind of some old ways of Government in these things; viz. Any Man that was found to be Drunk, the Gunner had a certain Shoulder-Belt, kept for that pur­pose, and he was to wear it, until there was another found in the same fault, who should take it off him; but it was not at all pesting, for if he wore it often, and much, it was a blot to his Reputation, and a clog to his Preferment: Also a Swearer, when taken, had a Ridiculous Cap, which was his lot to wear, till he caught another in the same fault: Also for a Lyer, there was found one or two who had told Lyes, and on proof, they were hoisted up on the main Stay, with Brooms, Buckets, and Shovels tyed to them, and all the Ships Company crying out, A Lyer, a Lyer, &c. and for that fault they were to Swab, and make clean such parts of the Decks all that Week, or until others were found; but if the Swear­er [Page 220]now were to wear the Cap, or the Drunkard the Belt, where Swearing is u­sed most by the Officers, beginning from the Captain, to the Cook, and Men, from the Midshipman, to the Swobber; Drun­kenness, unclean and filthy talk of Who­ring, boasted of openly before the Ships Company, and by the Officers, and as well allowed of; nay, better than a So­ber, Temperate, Honest, and good Be­haviour. Now if any of these Practices are in any of Their Ships, I know, and am sorry to speak it, That for many Years past, that not only the Navy, but the Nation in general, hath had a vein of Debauchery running through it at a pro­digious rate, not one Vice only, but all Vices, from the Cardinal's Vice, to the Parish Priest; from the Peer, to the Pea­sant: And all these Abominations were brought amongst us, by like Pollicies, as the Moabites did to the Children of Israel, by the Advice of Balam, to commit wick­edness [Page 221]with their Women, and anger the Lord; so was this no less a design con­trived at Rome, That finding they could not shake the Church of England, by dint of Argument, nor undermine it by secret maintaining of Heresies and Schisms with­in her Bowels; this third Project of Ba­lam is tried, with the pleasures of Wick­edness, of the most flagitious and sinful­lest Nature; nay, both Prince and Pre­late, that Religion was as little practised, as meant, in any Matters; nay, it was rather a Subject for Ridicule: This did go near, and bid for the Mark, having effeminated, and destroyed the Prowess, good Methods, and Government of our Armies, by Sea, and Land, and shook even the Pillars of the Church. Where­fore, I think, it may be high time to ap­ply a Remedy to this foul Disease, insi­nuated, and dispersed as well into the Navy, as Land, that the Nation do not lie under God's Interdict, for their for­mer [Page 222]Pollutions spoken of; for Israel had a smart Scourge sent them, for being ta­ken with Balam's Device: So hoping as well the Navy, as the Land, may re-as­sume their Pristine Order, Government, and Innocence, and then may we hope God's Judgments may be averted for what is past.

But before I take leave on Ship-board, I will entertain you with a short Dia­logue, between the four standing Offi­cers, viz.

Jack Purser, Tom Boatswain, Ralph Gunner, and Stephen Carpenter.

VIII. Of the Seminary for Breeding, and Maintaining of Seamen.
• 1. The Chest. , • 2. The providing for the Poor Male Children of the Nation. , • 3. The Encouragement of Fishery. , and • 4. Merchants Employments. 

THE Navy, as I have said before, by which we must gain, and main­tain our antient Rights of the Dominion of the Narrow Seas, &c. will require a setled Pollicy; as for the Government thereof; so also for the Breeding, and Maintaining of Marriners, and maritime People, such a Pollicy, as shall produce a sufficient number of the product of the People of the Nation, by a kind of willing [Page 230]Constraint, to addict themselves to Mari­time Lives; I say, sufficient for the en­crease of our Power at Sea; and to sup­ply the places at all times of those that the Wars and Accidents thereof, shall from time to time consume.

First, The Chest, being an old Provisi­on, or Pollicy devised, and enacted in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, whose Memory may never be forgotten in this Land; not only for setling and confirm­ing the Protestant Religion; but by put­ting the Nation into such a posture of Mi­litary Defence both by Sea and Land; by building of Ships, Docks, Forts, Ca­stles, &c. and providing of Artillery and Munitions for War, that this Land hath not only defended themselves against the shocks of War, made by most of the Po­tent Princes, upon it, abroad: Notwith­standing the often Rebellions in Ireland, and Jars of Scotland, near two third parts of the now British Dominions, giving her [Page 231]continual Diversions at home; yet by the Divine Assistance, with good Counsel­lors, Publick, and Heroick Spirited, Just, and Wise Leaders, and Commanders, and a Consentaneous, Agreeable Disposi­tion in all her Subjects together, for the end desired, viz. To maintain their So­veraign, Religion, and Laws from being Conquered, or Imposed upon by any, or all the Princes of Europe; notwithstand­ing they were destitute of Allies to assist them; but on the contrary, gave often Assistance, and Succours to the Dutch and French Protestants: I say, notwithstand­ing all these great Rubs, she defended this Island, not only from any great Ex­ploits done on her; but scoured the Seas, and carried the War into her Enemies Countries, to her eternal Fame, and their no less Shame: The Particulars of which are easily gathered out of the Histories of her Life, and the Monuments of her; as, Castles, Forts, Ships, Artillery, and Mi­litary [Page 232]Provisions remaining, with us, to this day, will witness; the Memory of whom, and the Actions of whose days, I cannot let pass, without mentioning: viz. She came to the Crown in a time when the Nation was fresh bleeding of the Wounds given them by their most cruel, and bloody Enemies; beside which Wounds, it was inwardly sick of Male­contents; and the Extream Parts, viz. Ireland, and Scotland, so gangren'd, that it had been more happy for her, they had not been: At which time, I say, God gave them a Soveraign, that with his Di­vine Assistance, &c. bound up their Wounds, and healed their Sickness in Church and State; in comparison of which Time and Opportunity, I think it very proper to bring in our Soveraigns; yet, I hope, not from a Temper of an ill­boding Prophet, to forewarn us, to pre­pare for some long time of Maritime Con­tentions, believing, That before the Seas [Page 233]will be again setled in Peace, there may be many hard Tugs, but between what Nations, I guess not: But, I say, that both the Dane, and Swede are Arming to put in their Sickles for a Harvest; beside Dutch, French, Spaniard, and Portugues. As in a Brawl, Riot, or Breach of the Peace, whosoever pretends to preserve the Peace of that place, or would preserve him­self, and have a Rule and Dominion there, he ought to be of greater strength than the Rioters, or else he were better to hold his Peace, and keep farther off, lest the said Rioters shall do, as I have known, in divers Frays; many have joined upon one, whose design was only to part them: Wherefore, I say, we pretending a Right and Dominion in the Narrow Seas; and being, by God Almighty, so advantage­oufly seated, as if he intended our Island to be the Husband of these Northern and Western Seas, from the Baltick, to Cape-Finister, and by a properer Dominion, [Page 234]and Right to be Married to her every Year, than the Venetian has to be Married to the Gulf of Venice, and those Seas, as they are in solemn manner; the which Mistress, if we neglect to pay our due Visits, and suffer her to be Caressed, or evil entreated by others, we may lose her Affection, and ever after may Court her in vain for a Smile, to our eternal loss, and shame, and not to be too sparing of our Monies in Treating her, like the Con­stantinopolitans, when the Turk Besieged it; the Emperour went about praying them to spare him Money to pay his Sol­diers to defend it; who excused them­selves, that they had it not: But when the Turk took it, he found enough to pay his Men therewith.

It is high time now to return to the Chest, setled in the said Queens Reign: which is, That every Warrant Officer, and Sea-man, in the Service, has deduct­ed out of his Pay, Six-pence per Month, [Page 235]by the Pay-master of the Navy, who pays the same to so many, viz. Pursers, Boat­swains, and Gunners, (of the First Rates, commonly,) in all, I think, five, who are new chosen yearly, and are called Go­vernours of the Chest; who have their Annual Meetings, to adjust their Accounts with their Receiver, or Clerk; and to ap­point the Gratuities they allow for Smart-Money, what they shall think good to al­low a Man either at that instant, and an Annual Pension during life, or according to his Wound, or Loss, only to give him a Sumn, and no Pension: I say, that pre­sent Money is called Smart-Money, and the other a Pension. Now they are a Corporation by Act of Parliament, with power to buy or sell Land, &c. They have also, a Supervisor, who is most com­monly a Commissioner of the Navy: And moreover, the Lord High Admiral, or Commissioners of the Admiralty, hath a Superseding Power over them; an excel­lent [Page 236]Pollicy; for if a Man loses a Limb, he receives six Pounds thirteen Shillings four Pence Yearly, for his Life, and one Year at entrance, for Smart-Money: The whole Man, that hath paid his Six-pences all his Life, and never received any, may bless God that he never came under that Circumstance; and he that does, may also bless God for raising the said Queens Heart to make that Provision for him to support his Needs. I have not a mind to find Fault with the Management, nor have I heard much cause for it; but I do not admire the giving of Salaries to Chirurgeons abroad, to certifie, &c. whereas the Parties aggrieved, would find of the Officers that are Witnesses of the Chance, enough to let them know the truth thereof, and not Persons interested in their Cure a Shoar, and never saw the Mischance. I will say no more, but thus, That the best Constituted Pollicies that ever yet were in the World; nay, go so [Page 237]high as God's Church, they are Humane, and Servants, or rather Subjects to time, which corrupts, and rusts the most dura­ble things; and therefore, for its perpe­tuation, it must undergo some time of cleansing away the Corruptions; after which, it may re-assume its pristine Vi­gour and Beauty. So, I say, if the Na­vy may undergo a cleansing, and scour­ing, so may this also, viz. of the right Chanels in the first Act and Institution thereof, and pare off all evil, by Orders, or by Constitutions crept in as by Allow­ances of Wages, and Sallaries to Receiv­ers, Pay-masters, Clerks, Chyrurgeens, &c. Sale of Lands, and Rents, and make due E­lections, and also for due accounting with the Pay-master: Although I accuse not, yet it is not to be doubted, That Cor­ruptions have not failed to be here also; and therefore, I do heartily recommend it to the Inspection of the Supervisors, and Visitors of the same: And for an en­crease [Page 238]of the Revenue, That whereas of late Years, the Ships of small Comple­ments seldom have Chaplains to supply the place, that those Groats are ordered for the Chest: I confess, for some time be­fore, that Money was begged of the King, by some Navy Officers; I think, as odd a sort of Request, as Gift, to beg the Money stopt out of Mens Pay, to enrich them; but now it goes to the Chest to re­lieve the Limbless, and Maimed Sailer, from whom it is taken.

I say no more, but that if the Ships, which are fitted out only for the Chanel, had no Chaplains put on Board them, save some in the Flags, and only the Allowance of the Chaplains Eighteen Shillings per Month, be given to one, whom the Cap­tain, or majority of Officers shall chuse to read Prayers, and do the Offices for the Dead; the said Eighteen Shillings per Month, added to his other Pay, would be a sufficient Recompence for the same; [Page 239]but any that goes out of the Chanel, should have Chaplains, and they able, as I said before: But in the Chanel, there is the greatest Ships, and most Money gi­ven away, and for the least purpose, for very seldom have they Opportunities for other than Prayers, and that rarely, for they are either coming in, or going out, heaving, working, or coming to Anchor, or bad Weather in the Chanel; so that I say, the use of such Missions serves to a very little purpose, viz. to instruct Men to a Godly Life: For the Prayers, I spake before of, would amount to as much, and many poor maimed Men be relieved with the same; the which is no small Sums in the great Ships, which are in the Chan­nel; but when Ships are to go on a Fo­reign Voyage, they should never go with­out able Men.

Secondly, To Provide for the Poor Male Children of the Nation, That is, a great part of the product of the People of the [Page 240]Nation are poor People, who are not able to provide for the Fruit of their own Bodies; so that in the Reign of the said good Queen Elizabeth, was devised, and enacted a Law for an equal Tax to be raised from all Estates, Personal, and Re­al, for the Relief of the Poor; and therein prescribed a Method to keep the Poor on work, to avoid their being idle and useless in the State, that they might not live in Idleness, and Looseness at the charge of their Neighbours, which part of the Law took so little effect, that no Workhouses were used out of a general pity to the Poor, which made that defect; so that of that Act, only one part took ef­fect, viz. the poor were provided for in their Wants, which fell upon them by Converting the Lands of the Monasticks, and Recluses, into Lay Possessions, on which depended great numbers of People, Poor, and Idle; but for that part which was to provide for their Idleness, that [Page 241]they might not live useless, and burthen­some Members of the State, took, I say, no effect; but that they, and their Chil­dren also, bred up in the said Idle Life, are generally Heirs of their Parents Po­verties; by which they are constant sha­rers of their Neighbours Estates, and Labours, and are of no more use to the State, than by their generally fruitful Procreations, and serve to people the Na­tion; of which there is great want, con­sidering the Situation, Product, and Manufact thereof, sufficient to afford Maintainance, and Employment for five times the number; and especially upon the Seas, to Employ five times the number, which would Employ, and Maintain ten times the number on the Land.

Now that there might be a kind of willing Constraint (if I may say so) on the People, to addict themselves to Mari­time Lives, which might produce the effect of producing Seamen, and encrea­sing [Page 242]our Maritime strength: If there were a Law enacted, that every poor Boy of a Parent, that receives Alms from the Pa­rish, shall, at the Age of Fourteen Years, be brought to the Sheriff of every Coun­ty, with an Indenture made by a Justice of Peace, and Bound to the King, until he comes to the Age of Twenty four Years, as the former Law directs; which Sheriff shall cause a Pass to be made, and convey them from Parish to Parish, at the Countrys Charges, to London, to a gene­ral Hospital, viz. at Greenwich, the great new House that stands void there, it might soon be fitted into an excellent ge­neral Hospital; where should be Officers appointed to keep them, viz. a Superan­nuated Captain, to Command the House, a Purser, to Victual them, with Petty-Warrants from the Victualling-Office; a Boatswain, Gunner, and Carpenter, all Superannuated Officers; each to take a Squadron of them under their care, to [Page 243]go with them, and Employ them in the Yard at Deptford, to serve the Caulkers, and such Work as Boys may do; and to have Junke to the House, and pick Oakam there, and dry it ready for all the Yards; and some of them that are fit to be taught, there, to Write, and Read, and learn Navigation; to be divided, and ordered into Squadrons, by the said Captain, and lodged in Beds, and Hammocks, as if on Board; and also, at every one of the King's-Yards, let there be a proportiona­ble Hospital provided to keep a conveni­ent number of them, to be sent from the general Hospital from time to time, as they shall dispose of them, viz. all the King's Officers Warranted, that have Ser­vants allowed them, if there be Servants in these Hospitals, should take of them; to be Turn'd-over, with their Indentures, and bound to them by the Commissioner of the place, who shall serve them in the full of their Indenture made to the King; [Page 244]also at the general Hospital, should be a Commissioner of the Navy, whose parti­cular Station shall be to Oversee the same, and by his Clerk enter all the Names in a general Entry-Book, and dispose them to their Places, Yards, &c. keeping a fair Ledger of their Names, Places, Whence, Time, Whither Disposed, and When; and also shall at their Matriculation, or Entrance, cause on one of their Arms to be made a Mark in the Skin, with Pow­der, that may never be gotten out, viz. a K, or what other Letter may be thought good, to signifie whose Servants they are, in case they should desert their Service; that it should be a damage sufficient to any one that entertains them, to deter them from it.

I do herein but mark out the rough Lines of the Projection, which must be amply Polished by the Act of Parliament, and by the Admiralty, to methodize it: It would be too tedious for me here; beside, [Page 245]it would be Presumption in me, to light a Candle to the Sun.

I will only hint a few things necessary thereto, viz. if such Orders were, That no Merchant Ship shall go to Sea, but shall receive of the said Com­missioner, to every Six or Ten Per­sons the Ship shall carry, one of these Boys; they to bring their Certificate for their clearing, as from the Custom-house, so from the Commissioner of this Affair; and at their return, to give the said Com­missioner an Account of what is become of the Boys, and return them, and pay, or Account with the Commissioner for the time they had served them, at the rate of so many Shillings per Month, as they are Years old; and if the Commissioner, and Master does agree, then he to take him for the King's Term; or else the Commis­sioner, upon the receipt of his Wages, out of which he is to allow for Cloaths, in the Voyage, not exceeding Five Shil­lings [Page 246] per Month, to order him elsewhere; Cloathing him with the remainder, and dispose of him without further Charge to the King, if possible: So that after the time he is so put abroad, whatsoever Money he clears at his return, he must have an Account, Debtor, and Creditor, kept for him; so that he must either clear so much, as the King hath been at Charges with him, at five Pence per diem, which Account he must clear, before he receives a Certificate from the said Commissioner, that he is Manumised, or cleared the Ser­vice: And in the mean time, if he serves any other Master, and produces not the said Certificate of his Manumisement, the said Master is chargeable with the said Wages, all, except so much as he hath re­ceived in Cloaths, which must not exceed five Shillings per Month; and what he shall have gained beyond his Charges, should also be justly paid him at his Ma­numisement, Moreover, all the King's [Page 247] Officers that shall take them for the whole Term, should pay for one Boy Ten Pounds, and receive them at Sixteen Years Old; which Moneys should be stopt out of his Pay; for every one that wants Servants, hath not Ten Pounds to lay down, which Servants shall be paid Wa­ges by the King, to his Master, for eve­ry Year they shall serve of the Indenture, so many Shillings per Month, as they are Years Old; which Servants will be better to the Officers, than such as they can get themselves; for they never need fear the running away of them; if they run, they are to be found easily, by their Marks, that they cannot deceive any one that Entertains them; the said Officers having the same Right to gain them again with their Wages, for their absent time, as the King hath for such as he puts abroad to Merchant-men: The same Privileges to all Carpenters, Caulkers, Rope-makers, &c. that shall take any of them: So that eve­ry [Page 248]one will covet to take the King's Ser­vants, for the certainty of them; and they well consequently prove better Servants, knowing they cannot shift their Services: And also there should be a Respect had to them in the Service, during their In­dentures, by the Commissioners, to see them not wronged by their Masters: And also at the end of their Indentures, or before, according to their Deserts, they should be preferred.

Now every Parish that hath not one Boy, to send to the King, should be joyn­ed to the next adjacent Parish, for the re­lief of their Poor, who sends above two Boys Yearly, as aforesaid; this to be done by the Justices of the Peace, in their re­spective Divisions, and every Overseer, and Church-warden of every Parish, shall at every petty Sessions, at one set time in the Year, produce, to the said Justices, a Recept from the Sheriff, of the Boys delivered the Year past, with the Names, [Page 249]and Ages of the said Boys; and also, the said Sheriff shall, at the passing his Ac­counts for his Year, deliver into the Ex­chequer, a true Roll, or List, in Parch­ment, of the Boys sent that Year, con­taining the Age, Name, and Place of A­bode, of the said Boys; and when, and whither sent, with the Commissioner's Re­ceipt for them, which should be transact­ed, by a Post Letter of Advice to the Com­missioner, when he sends, which should be answered by the Commissioner, whe­ther received, or not.

In the said Roll, given into the Exche­quer, their Names should be set Alphabe­tically, for easie finding them; which should be there filled up, and kept safe, to be examined by any one that shall en­quire after any Boy, viz. their Parents, Relations, Friends, &c. who may have liberty to redeem them out of the Ser­vice, paying so much for every Year the King has been at Charges with them, by Methods ordered; for some may have E­states [Page 250]fallen to them, or Parents: And al­so, once every Year, the Commissioner at the General Hospital, shall by his Clerk, transmit into the Exchequer, a fair Ledger Book of all the Boys entred, and sent out that Year, from whence received, and to whom bound out; that a good Account may be had thereof, when desired: Also the Justices of the Peace, at the Binding the Boys to the King, should take care, that he binds none that are not sound in Body; and for his guidance therein, should receive a Presentment, signed by the Minister, Church-wardens, and Over­seers of the Poor of that Parish, contain­ing the Age, Name, and place of Abode, and soundness of Body and Limbs of the said Boy, and that they desire may be received into the King's Service, accord­ing to the said Act; and if it may be, let the Parent, if alive, or nearest of Kin, sign it also. I say, I do only hint the matter, and will hereto add, That the [Page 251]Benefits hereby, would be in a greater degree than I can set forth, and be of lit­tle purpose to endeavour; it would only serve to lengthen my Discourse, and yet come short of every Intelligent Man's Reasons, which they may collect out of their more large Speculations. Where­fore I only affirm, That within Ten, nay Seven Years, would be added to our Naval Strength many Thousands of good and able Mariners, and Artificers, and would be an ever-living Seminary there­of; and for their constant Employment, both in War, and Peace, I shall (God willing) shew in the Sequel.

Thirdly, The Encouragement of Fishery.

By the Fishery, I understand, this Na­tion had thier first introduction to their Maritime Growth, and together with their large Drapery, or Wollen Manufactures, not omitting their Acquisitions by Trade [Page 252]in the West-Indies, and also the East; all which, and especially the former, and the latter, are now suffering under a very great declension. As for the latter, I can say little as yet; but the former I will say it is in our power yet to regain by these means following.

1. That a great reason of our decay of Fishery, is our laying aside the Observa­tion of Lent, upon the Account of a Religious Observation; the which, I fan­sie to be a general mistake; for the Insti­tution thereof was never in England, up­on any other than a Pollitick Account; although the Church, according to the Primitive Examples, hath advised all in her Community, to keep some certain Days in the Week of Abstinence, from the more liberal Feeding, for the easier subduing of Carnal Concupiscence, and casting up their Errors of the Week, and chiefly on Friday, the Day of our Savi­our's Suffering; so once in the Year, for [Page 253]the whole Years Account, and according unto Primitive Institution, and in Imitation, or Example of our Saviour's Forty Days Abstinence in the Wilderness, setting it at the time of the Year in preparation to the Celebrating the Commemoration of that great Work of our Saviour's, The Redemption of Mankind, at the Passover, or Paschal-Feast of the Jews; so with us, the Feast of Easter, at which time she advises all her Disciples, to receive the Holy Communion, in a more Particular, and Ʋniversal Communion, and Conjun­ction; and Invites, at that time especial­ly, the Catechumene, or Younger Christi­ans, to enter into the said Communion: yet notwithstanding, I say, I do not find by the Constitutions of the English Church, that she denounces any Judgments, or Excommunications, for the non-observance of the said Lent, or Days of Abstinence; but by way of Request, and Advice there­to, for their better preparation for [Page 254]the receiving that most Holy Sacrament; but he which thinks it no means towards it, may not observe it, but may be under a mistake; and he which thinks it may be a means, may observe it, and may be in the right: Yet to learn of the Apostle, Him that eateth not, not to despise him that eateth; and him that abstaineth not, not to despise him that abstaineth: But, I hope, no Religious Man will deny, but that Days of Abstinence, and general Publick Fasts, are useful Preparations to Holy Duties; yet so I take it, That it is the Civil Pollicy of the Nation that enjoyned the keeping of Lent, upon the Account of encouraging the Trade of Fishery, to advance the Naval Strength, in the en­creasing of Maritime People for the taking it, and the supporting of Navigation, and promoting of Foreign Trade, by the Transporting it abroad into other Coun­trys, where it is acceptable, and for the encrease of Cattle, Fowl, &c.

Now the common Objections, are these two:

First, That it is the Relicks of Popery and Superstition.

It is Answered already, That the Church makes no necessity for the Religi­ous Observation thereof.

The Second is, That our plenty of Flesh requires no preservation, &c.

I Answer, That the Season of the Year is such, that there is not so great plenty of Flesh at that time of the Year, as at o­others, which Flesh generally is Calves and Lambs, who if they were more spa­ringly slain for those few Days, after which they would be more mature, and better Meat, and some more would escape the Slaughter, and befor Breed; and instead thereof we should feed, in some of the In­terim on Fish, which would be Encourage­ment, and Maintainance of Fishermen, and Seamen; who are themselves to be fed all the rest of the Year, by their Provisi­ons [Page 256]for their other Voyages from the Land, which would take up far greater Quantities of the Product of the Nation, viz. Mault, Beefs, Mutton, Bread, But­ter, Cheese, and Pease, Oat-meal, and all manner of Cloathing; for one of these at Sea, spends thrice the value of the afore­said Products, with Manufacts of Cloath­ing, Ship, and Tackle, than a Country­man, or Husband-man doth; and, I say, be a far more Consumption of the Pro­duct, and Manufact of the Nation, than the slaying for those few Days will cause. And moreover, be the answering the main end now in hand, viz. The increasing of our Maritime Strength, and promo­ting Navigation, for the more large Ex­portation of our Manufacts, to our great enriching, and security from our Enemys abroad, and to the every way procuring the Strength, Wealth, and Happiness of the Nation: To which, if it were need­ful, might be added a great deal more, to [Page 257]Invite the practice thereof, against those groundless Exceptions of debasing the price of Lands; but it is sufficiently an­swered, in the forgoing, to all reasonable Men: Therefore I only add this one, That we should be capable to fill the Empories abroad, with the product of our Seas, and grasp a better part of the Foreign Trade, which, of late Years, hath been grasped from us, which may prove to our Enlargement, and a stop to their Pro­gress; the which is a more justifiable Pro­ceeding, before God, than Arms; and more suitable to the practice of the Ser­vant in the Gospel, who managed his Ten Talents, to the gaining of Ten more; which intituled him to the Euge bone, &c.

Fourthly, As for the Merchants Em­ployments, for the advance of Sea-men, and to avoid the great Trouble, Charges, and Abuses in Pressing of Men, which hath so little effect; I have said something [Page 258]already in their carrying of the King's Boys. Now if all Merchant-men, who are bound to any Foreign Parts, should at their clearing, at the Custom-house, leave a List of their Ships Company, containing the true Names, and Sir-names, and pla­ces of their usual Residence, Ages, &c. of the Master, and Ships Company, whi­ther bound, and when cleared the Custom­house; and also at their entrance of the Ships into the Custom-house upon their re­turns, a like Book, or List of what Men she brought home with her, and Signed by the Master; which Books shall be sent by the General Custom-house Messenger, every Week, unto the Admiralty, where should be an expert Clerk, in a particular Office, only for that purpose, to receive the same; and out of the said Lists, to enter into Books, he should keep for that purpose, viz. an Alphabet of Books, a Book for each Letter Yearly; or perhaps Twenty Books, may contain the Twenty [Page 259]four Letters, some Letters being not so much used, that a Book may contain two or three, all ruled with Columns, viz. The Master, Ship, and Companies Names, Places of usual Residence, whence Come, whither Bound, when Entred, Inward, and Outward, &c. And also, that the Vice-Admiral of every County, do by himself, or sufficient Deputy, every Year, or as often as the Lord High Admiral shall direct, Visit all the Sea Ports, Ri­vers, and Creeks of every Parish, and place where Maritime People Inhabit; as Seamen, Fishermen, Hoymen, Ferrymen, Bargemen, &c. within their several Coun­ties, and there shall send for, or sum­mon before them, the Church-wardens, and Overseers of the Poor, who shall give them account of what such Men live within their Precincts, their true Names, Sir-names, Ages, and Aboads; which said Accounts shall, by the said Vice-Admiral, be drawn into a fair List, and sent unto [Page 260]the said Office, and there be entred into the said Books. Now the Vice-Admiral might, by his Warrant, send to the said Parishes, to send in to him, by such a day appointed, at a most convenient place for their ease, the said Account; and in case any shall neglect the said Duty, or Conceal any Man that hath used the said Practice, and place, for the space of Six Months, from between the Ages of Eigh­teen, and Sixty, that are not worth one Hundred Pounds clear, when Debts paid, or in such sort as the Lord High Admiral shall direct his Warrant to the Vice-Ad­miral; the Nature, and Substance of the Vice-Admirals to contain the substance of the High-Admirals; which Returns, or Presentments, least they prove to be false by Concealments, and Partialities, they should be required upon Oath: After which, if the said Vice-Admiral shall upon his Visits find false, or partial, he should send to the Quarter Sessions next, his In­formation [Page 261]of that Officer's Perjury, under Hand and Seal, to the Clerk of the Peace, who should file the said Information a­gainst that Church-warden, or Overseer of the Poor, and proceed against him, in behalf of the King, as for Perjury, and punished by the Judgment of the Bench. If the Laws extant, are not sufficient to impower the Lord High Admiral to do these things, as here mentioned, there might be a Clause added to his Power, as the King and Parliament shall think meet, for the better governing of the Maritime Af­fairs; by which Methods aforesaid, being duly observed, and kept, it would cost the King for keeping the said Office, but a small matter, which would soon be sa­ved, in the great Expences for Pressing of Men; beside the great Abuses done in the Countrys, be prevented, if the Vice-Ad­mirals be good Men. Also, if the said Law were, That if any Parish shall Con­ceal any one between the said Sessions, [Page 262]and summoned, and not bring him forth, That for every Man so Concealed, and proved by the Oath of one Man, That he was in the Parish, by the space of Twenty four Hours, and not seized by any of the Parish, then the Vice-Admiral's Deputy, shall take Distress upon the said Church­wardens, or Overseers of the Poor, for Ten Shillings for every such Man, and for every time so Concealed, to be born by the Parish equally, out of the Parish Rates.

I only add, That if the Lord High Ad­miral's Warrants to all the High Sheriffs of England, that they do send their War­rants to the Constables of Hundreds, Wa­pentakes, &c. and they to the Petty-Con­stables, or Tything-men, That they should make a like Presentment, viz. The Constable of the Hundred, should deliver it in every Assizes, or Goal-delivery; which Presentment the Petty-Constables should be sworn to the truth thereof, be­fore [Page 263]some Justice of the Peace, before the High Constable receiveth it, and then he should from thence draw one Presentment for the Hundred, to give in at the Assizes; and say, as from the Petty-Constables, un­der their Oaths, thus presenteth; out of which Presentments, the Clerk of the As­sizes shall give the Admiralty, the needful Account, at the end of every Circuit, there to be entered into the Office afore­said: For many Men, when War is, do betake themselves to live with their Friends in the Inlands, and follow their Occupa­tions, and at the end of the Wars, do return to their Maritime Lives, or wait to make slips into Merchant-men; but this being duly executed by Vice-Admi­rals, Custom-houses, and High-Sheriffs, and trinsmitted unto such an Office, as before mentioned, and there well digested into Method, and duly kept; so it would enable the Lord High Admiral, at all times, to give the King, his Council, and [Page 264] Parliament, when required, a true, and certain state of the Kingdom, as to Ma­ritime Strength; and also enable him to collect them from all Places, in little Time; less Charges, and less Trouble to the People, in their Disquiet of the Country: So there might be made good Estimates of the Increase or Decrease of our Maritime Strength; at any time to be gathered out of the Ledger-Books of the said Office, and only Communica­ble to the Admiralty; and yet farther, at the King's, or perhaps the Lord High Admiral's Order, Proclamation might be made upon the Exchange, or put out in Gazattes, Requiring all Merchants, Own­ers of Ships, &c. to signifie by their Letter to the said Office where their Ships were, by their last Advices, and whither Bound, and where expected next, with some Estimate of the Ships number of Men, Burthen, and some value of Cargo; that care proportionably might be taken, for [Page 265]their Protection, and Preservation; the which may often prevent the sudden Sei­sures of the Subjects, and Wealthy Ef­fects of the Nation; for it is not possi­ble, that Merchants, &c. can be privy to the Intrigues of States, which ought to have their Paths in Secret and Select Councils. As for the Methodizing these things, I do not project; but only hint the Basis, and Foundations thereof; that the Superstructures might be raised there­on, to perfection, by the Skilful Archi­tectors of the Wise Legislators, and State Politicians of the Nation.

IX. The Measures necessary to be taken, in our Present Wars with the French; and in point of Balancing of Trade for the fu­ture.
And First, For War, it being our pre­sent Condition.

IT would be an extraordinary means to Facilitate our Desires, if we did bid at a large rate, for the whole subjecting them in the West-Indies; and for the do­ing of which, we should have an especial eye of Intelligence, whensoever they shall send any Succours thither; and if the strength of ours, already sent, were not suf­ficient to perform it, in December next, a sufficient Supply, with Land-men, and all Military Provisions, with Artillery, should [Page 267]be sent for the effecting it; and never up­on making Peace, should they be resto­red to any Command there, I mean, in any part of America: So would our Col­lonies thrive undisturbed, and be a mighty help to our Navigation, and as much an Abatement to them: For the whole Com­mands of those Parts, being once brought under one Interest, it would be like a well-twisted Cord, made up of many Threds, although some thereof were not of any strength of themselves, yet by their near conjunction, and twisting to­gether with the others, all being twist­ed one way, acquireth a considerable strength: For the Interest of the French, in those parts, have of late Years thriven to a great degree, not only to the Extir­pating of us out of St. Christophers, &c. but to the disquieting us through the whole, putting in for a large share thereof; by which you may perceive already, how pert it makes them, and gives them fair [Page 268]hopes of a large share of the Seas; the which, if longer continued, it would have a bad effect on England, I fear; they not only, by their Strength, disquiet us there, but also Countenancing, and Ex­citing the Natives to Arms, supplying them therewith, but also Assisting, Abet­ting, Instructing, and Supporting them with all Necessaries, to disturb, and de­stroy our Collonies; whereas, if there were no such Pretenders, that part of the World would be mightily Peopled by us, and be a Trade that would take off a vast Manufact from us, and maintain a great Navigation, which would be ready to as­sist us, in our European Wars, whenso­ever we should be put to it: Nay, in little time, the Trade thereof might be so increased, that it might take off the greatest part of our Woollen Manufacts in England, and Products of Tin, Lead, Iron, &c. especially if we addict our selves also to a Linen Manufact; the which we [Page 269]may most easily, and advantageously do, as I shall hereafter make appear. Then, I say, we shall not so much abound, and depend on the Woollen Manufact, when part of our Lands, and People are em­ployed about the Linnen.

I say, These Encreases of our Collonies, in the West-Indies, would be a mighty ad­vancement to our Trade, by its mysterial way of walk, and make our Bulk of Ma­rine Affairs swell to a vast Quantity; which is the very Strength, Glory, and Safety of the Nation, as I have elsewhere shewed; and was also early perceived by the Excellent Sir Walter Rawleigh, in his most Elaborate, and Accurate Work, of the History of the World. I say, These things are of a mighty Consideration to us: So that if we do not timely make use of the Talent, that God Almighty hath given us possession of already, we may afterwards find it too late; and so by step after step, and slip after slip, let slip the [Page 270]last opportunity of maintaining our Right, and Dominion of the Seas; the which being gone, the effect thereof may be, to be glad to enjoy the Collonies, and Trade we have already acquired, and our quiet at home; the which we must no longer expect, than that it is according to the Will and Pleasure of that Nation, who is most powerful at Sea; one large step we have made already in the East-Indies, pray God we are not preparing for another in the Mediterranean: The Demolishing of Tangier, the French finds the good Effect thereof, and we the evil. I question, if all Christendom, did not grudge us that place? But it's too late to repine now: Wherefore it becomes us to lay fast hold of those Opportunities God hath given us, to maintain our Naviga­tion; which is, not to let the French hold one Command in the West-Indies, or any part of America.

If any one should say, It is not to be done.

I Answer thus, It is much like the luke­warm, and evil Counsel, given at that time, about Tangier; that the cost there­of to maintain it, was more than the In­trinsick Value could be to England, and put the King to Streights for Money, and often need of his Parliament: The which, when I heard spoken, it made me fetch my Breath through my Back for Grief: and Answered, That a Hundred Thousand Pounds spent more, were better than to lose it: But I guessed it to partake of the French Polliticks, as the Selling of Dun­kirk; which Town, with Callice (which is kept from us, and so lately in our Pos­session) are the next Feathers, most need­ful for England to Plume them with, they being more important to us, than a whole Province elsewhere: I will not enter into the Praises of them, and the Advantages thereby that would redound to England, [Page 272]lest I should be like the Hunter, who be­fore he had caught his Game, took the pains to set forth the Excellent Tastes thereof, and the Ways of Dressing it, but never caught it: Wherefore. I will say no more, but put a — to it until a fitter Opportunity: Only I will add, That they should not have the Command of any one Collony in the Ʋniverse, but what Factories they have under other Go­vernments, which cannot be avoided, without Wars with that Government: And thus would I deal with them, as to their Collonies.

Secondly, As to their Fishing on the Banks of New-found-land, where they are become very numerous, and is their first, if not chiefest Seminary of Maritime People; who are extream Hardy, and Patient in Hardships, and Labour; and would be glad of the English Benefits of the Harbours there, and Protection in that Trade, and bring their Effects under [Page 273]the English, and carry it in our bottoms, under us, to our Factories abroad; for a great part of them are also Protestants, and would willingly draw their Families and Dependances out of France, if they might enjoy the Immunities, Profits, Pri­vileges, and Protections, as Subjects of England, if they were so treated, viz. thus, That six, or a needful number of Ships of War, were sent to wait upon the Fishery of New-found-land, Greenland, Izeland, and the North-Seas every Year; which should take all the French upon the Banks, and those Seas; and whosoever would be willing to mix themselves with our Men, to catch and make Fish, and be content to come into our Bottoms, and a like number of our Men go into theirs, for the Season; which Men of War, of ours, should be fitted with all manner of Fishing Tackle, and should make Fish, which should be for the King's Account; of which Account of [Page 274] Fishery, there should go a Merchant, who should be a Husband of the King's Fishery, and give an Account thereof, and be un­der the Admiral's Command, and in the Ship with him; who should, by his Com­mand to the rest of the Captains, give him all convenient assistance to further the Affair, and go with them up the Streights to their Markets, as usual, un­der the Assistance and Convoy of more Ships, to make a Grand Fleet, to meet at such a place, at such Seasons as shall be appointed for our General, or Grand Convoy; who shall Meet, and Rendez­vous at such times of the Year, and Place, as hereafter shall more particularly be shewed.

Now the Masters, and Principal Men of those Captived Ships of the French, I say, should be put on Board our Men of War, and like Men of Capacity, should be Detached out of the Men of War, and there should they Fish, and act [Page 275]all the Season, for the making of Fish for the Publick Stock of the King's; and should have like Encouragement in every respect, as the English, if they are wil­ling to work under the English; and at the Determination of the Voyage, at their Arrival in England, they should be paid such Wages, as they were to receive in the French's private Owners Service, eve­ry Man, as they were capacitated by them; and also the Masters, for what Shares they can make appear they owned, should be accounted unto them, at their said Arri­val, if they will settle here in England, and use the said Trade; which Concerns of theirs, should remain in the publick Stock, for some time, as a Pledge for them, that they do not Desert when they have it; I mean, till they can give some assurance of their Fidelity, by getting their Families over, or by going another Voyage; or, some way, finding Sureties for their true meaning, otherwise to re­main [Page 276]as Prisoners of War. Now, I mean, there should be three, or five Honest good Merchants of the East-land Company, who should be Commissioned by the King, to manage, and to Husband this Affair of Fishery for the King: And although the said Captains be Commissioned, by the Admiralty, yet they might be referred to certain Instructions, which they should receive from the King's Commissioners for Fishery; and such Commanders, Offi­cers, and Seamen, should generally be chosen, who have used the Trades, and are the more likely to advance the said Affair by their Knowledge, Diligence, and Ap­plication; and the difference in their Ma­nagements, would in a small time be com­pared, and in few Years, advance it to be a considerable Affair; and, as I said, the poor French, who have been bred up to it, be glad to shelter themselves under our Protection; and every Man so gain­ed from our Enemy, may be accounted, in [Page 277]point of balancing of Maritime Strength, at four Men, and so proportionably.

Thirdly, As to repelling their Strength at Sea, by Grand Armadoes, and think­ing them such an Enemy as will meet us, in a set and resolute point of Battle, as we have been used heretofore by others, I conceive, may prove a Mistake: My Rea­sons therefore are these.

First, That they have now, in their Equipment of this Fleet, skimmed, and sifted their whole Dominion for Mari­ners, nay, Boat-men, Ferry-men, and all that have used the Waters, that there is scarce a Man of that Nature, if I may go so near, that is left out of the King's Ser­vice; for they have used incredible Art, and Stratagem to bring them out; and they have lost a considerable Number by Sickness, since their Expedition out of Ireland, amongst which Irish, they brought much Sickness; they have laid by their Merchandize, saving a little in the Le­vant, [Page 278]and have also drained the West-In­dies: All this, if my Information be not false, (to the truth whereof I must refer you,) I say, If it be tollerably true, and will Fight us; it bespakes them rather of that Temper, that a Marquiss of theirs, about Ten Years since, was pleased to give our Nation a Character in Ridi­cule, in a small Tract, called, The Poli­ticks of France, presented unto the French King, but soon came into English; where­in he says, We are a heavy, dull People, fit for sudden stroak, or present dint of War, but of no Pollicy to carry it on for any time; and his Master need not be at any great Expence to make us ruine our selves, by our own Expences; let him only cause us to Equip, and keep great Fleets at Sea; and in the mean time they would prey upon our Merchandize, by the Knights of Malta, brought with Privileges into some of the Islands in West-France, we having no Al­lies; and so goes on.

Now, I say, if he fights us with any considerable Body of a Fleet; I mean, po­sitively, and plainly to repel Strength with Strength, then I will revert his own Cha­racter of us, upon himself, and People; That they are Impolitick, and of no Inven­tion to carry on a War of Time, fit only for a sudden Stroak, or, Sa, Sa; their Circum­stances being such, That if they fight but Sixty Sail of us, with much more strength, and get the better on't, if we behave our selves as we have formerly done, I mean, with good Courage, and Conduct; yet it would be so dear a Prize to him, that it were far more prudent for him to let it a­lone; for he has no Stores of Masts, Yards, Cordage, Pitch, Tarr, &c. nor no more Men, nor any Allies for either. So I say, That if he be so hardy, I declare him without Policy, for then he has done his Maritime Work at once, without hopes of reco­vering this Age; whereas, if he does as he did the last Year, collect his Maritime [Page 280]Strength together, and Sail a few Leagues to Sea, to Animate his People, or make some hasty Expedition into Ireland, or Scotland, or Depredation on our Coast, to fill us, and all the World with Noise, and Rumour of his great Armies and Fleet, and put us to vast Expences to meet him, and in the mean time to neg­lect our Merchandize, and starve our Fa­ctories abroad; and stifle up, and de­stroy with Fatigue and Sickness more Men than any Enemy's Engaging would do us; which is no small dispiriting of Men, who meet no chearful Rencounters, either of Prizes, Refreshments of Foreign Countrys, and Vicissitudes of Affairs; but only sharp Commands, Wants, and Fatigues, Sickness, if not Death, and the painful­est of Deaths, viz. to see the Picture of Death so long before his Face, viz. his Messmates and Comfratres going day by day before him, caused only by Want, and Fatigue, &c. And when the French [Page 281]hath done his great Expedition, some such thing as I said before, and been a few Leagues at Sea; nay, perhaps, made the Lizard, or come up the Chanel, if the Wind be so that he may be sure we can­not find him; but e're we come where he was, he is gone into Port; and then the Couriers flies with the News, That he hath been out, but could not find the English nor Dutch to fight; so they are come in only to refresh their Men, and to take fresh Water, and was resolved within Fourteen Days to seek for them, and if possible, to find them; which Fort­night being past, and a Month after that (perhaps) we may hear, That the Men he had collected from all the Sea-ports of the Nation, are a Month before that time returned cunningly, and no noise made; every one to his Station of preparing for a Voyage in a Privateer, and ready to put to Sea; and in the mean time the Seamen which the French [Page 282]King keeps in constant Pay, have by Michaelmas laid up his Ships safely, and put up the Stores safe, not knowing when he shall have any more, and clean up a few Fourth Rates and Frigats to cruise about in the Winter, and his Bulk of Men who are all dispersed Home, perhaps have not cost him above Four Pounds a Man; and now even before our Grand Fleet is returned Home, and especially after the Seas swarm with Privateers and small Frigats, and to be sure all head Lands and Latitudes, where Ships usually fall in with, are well plyed by them; so our Merchant-Men fall into their Mouths inevitably, and thereby en­rich them for all the Winter; and about April he sends to all the Ports, that a Ship stirs not out of Port but is Mustered by the King's Officer, where every Man's Name and Abode is put down, the which Registry they also have in every Pro­vince, kept by their Intendant or Provost: [Page 283]But now Security must be given to re­turn by such a Day from Sea, to that or some other Port, by the Captain and Own­ers; so that by the latter end of April, a Summons may come to have them lay up their Privateers, and repair to such Places for their Transport to Brest, and receives every one a Crown Conduct Money, and so to act over the last Year again; yet to make the Sham hold good for another Year, they shall advance up the Chanel, that they might be seen and known to be there, they make Depredations on the Coast on Shoar, but be sure not to meet a Body of our Fleet, that may or dares Fight them in set Battel, for there is Room enough in the Sea for such Shams. And now I will leave the French Coasts, and return to the English; where, if we thus Dance after this Enemy, before or about Michaelmas, we believe it is too late for him to come forth, and we or­der our Ships Home, and the bigger we [Page 284]lay up, and leave a Squadron of the lesser to cruise; but they Fowl and Sick­ly, and the rest are gone to clean for a Relief to the others, which about the latter end of December are Releived; so the rest are cleaned, and the Great Ships also; the Sick are put on Shoar and re­freshed, and others goe home to see their Families, and the Ships are all Cleaned in the Winter in their Turns; and about February we begin to stir, and in March and April we scour the Land for Men; and of the same Men that went out the last Years Expedition, many are dead, nay more than by Fighting two General Battels in a Summer would have con­sumed; so by the middle of May, we may have Manned our Grand Fleet, and be ready to sail soon after to the Westward; and if we please may act over some things, varying, but a like in the Main, viz. That the French Ships be not hurt, but safely laid up with the Stores again, and [Page 285]that we have no Merchandize gone out, nor home, and many Seamen captived thereby; nay are brought to fight against us by Stratagem, and have lost a great many Lives, and spent much Treasure, and disheartned our Men because the edge of our Sword cuts not in Battel: Where­fore I would that this dodging Enemy might be dealt with so, that he may not by his Craft keep a Fleet, and preserve it only to keep us at a vast Fxpence of Lives and Treasure, and dishearten our Men for want of Action, and vicissitudes of Fortune, as I said before; and in the mean time Starve our Factories for want of Trade, so that we thrive not in Trade abroad nor at home, while we are at Wars with the Winds and Seas: I say, let us and the Dutch Joyn, and keep on­ly two good Fleets of Thirds, Fourths and Fifth Rates, and in the Summer time, some First and Second Rates for Flags, &c. for it were well if no more [Page 286]than three First, and three Second Rates were in England, and all the rest First and Seconds could be wished into Thirds, Fourths and Fifths, according to their Costs, of which I will say more hereaf­ter. But, as I say, these two Grand Fleets consisting, English and Dutch, or Seven­ty Sail of Good Men of War, with as many Merchant-Men as could be Manned, to carry out and home our Merchantdize, and so to take their turns, that when one Fleet comes into the Downs with a Westerly Wind, the other should be ready to Sail outwards: I say, Seventy Sail of good Stout Men of War, each with a convenient number of Fire-Ships: Thus, there should be built Thirty Sail of new light Frigats for Sailing and Rowing, with about Twenty Guns each, which should serve for Scouts to the Grand Convoys, for Intelligence for ply­ing off head Lands, and certain Latitudes, to give advice to Merchant-Men, and se­cure [Page 287]them from Capers; which by their Sailing and Rowing, being always kept clean for that purpose, that no Ship should be able to Wrong them in the Seas; also with the said Grand Convoys, should go some Ships Loaden with Mate­rials for Fire Ships, that upon any Intel­ligence, that an Enemy is prepared to At­tacque the Grand Convoy, then they should out of the said Store Ships, fit their Fri­gats into Fire-Ships, which would by their nimbleness do singular Service, and at their approach leave no more Men on Board than serves for a Fire-Ship to do service with; this Fitting, I say, may be done at Sea, and upon a very small warn­ing; or at the last Port they part with, to enter the Chanel, &c. or where they may expect the grand Convoy to be at­tacqued; which place and doubt being past, they may reduce them into service­able Men of War, for the Uses before: They being thus appointed, would be of [Page 288]extraordinary use to the Nation: It's pity there were not Forty Sail of them, some of Thirty Guns, but no bigger, they would be of mighty use to Ply off head Lands in the Chanel, be Scouts on the Enemies Coasts, and approach great Fleets; Privateers would not care to meddle with them, by whom they should get nought but Blows, and Hazards of the Fortunes of War: These, I say, would serve for Convoys, for Colliers, Coasters, New-found-land-men, and Ply the Capes, and head Lands of the Trading Places of Ireland and Scotland, that they be not so infested with Pirates; serve to attend our Collonies, carry Intelligence any whither; they would be of wonder­ful use: The neglect, and want of them, is sufficiently experienc'd of late. And on the other side, providing of Great and Immense Castles of Ships, vast expence of Treasure, constant, and growing Char­ges, with little use to the Nation; of [Page 289]which I shall speak more in the ensuing Discourse.

I now return to the Grand Convoy, of which Frigats, they should be accompa­nied with Fifteen Sail each; the said Con­voy to consist of, I say, Seventy Sail of Ships, few less than Sixty Guns, and not above two of Eighty; but most of Se­venty Guns, which will do great Service in General Fights, and dare lie by the side of any Ship, and be able to keep the Sea the Winter also; for the fitting out of great Ships, and laying them up again in four Months, is a vast Expence, and dis­couragement to Men; only serves to gra­tifie the Itch of Grandeur in some Men, and does little more than what a Ship of Seventy Guns will do, who stays out two or three Years on a Stretch; then the Men would have a Summ to receive, and neither they, nor the Service be unhinged so often. Now no Ship should stir with­out the Lands-end, except for Ireland, [Page 290]without the said Convoy, nor to carry less than Thirty Guns, and Sixty Men; if any be found otherwise, they should be seised by our Men of War, or Governors, and caused to pay a certain Fine to the King, ordered by Act of Parliament, or Council; and that this Grand Convoy do call at certain Seasons, at least twice, if not thrice in the Year, at one of the Western Islands; but upon Recollection, there being no Harbours, or Road for so great a Fleet, wherefore Lisbon, Cadiz, or Gibraltar is better; but Cadiz is the most convenient and safe Road, where all our Merchant Ships should have advice to come to from all parts of the World, who must come through the Chanel, out, or home; which Grand Convoy, at their coming there, and whiles they stay there, should send out certain Frigats, and other Ships to Cruife at certain Latitudes, and head Lands, where Ships use to fall with, and secure them to the Grand Convoy, [Page 291]and if the Portuguese at those Islands should harbour any French, or on their Coasts to Privateer on us, they should be Warred upon by us both, and treated as open Enemies; the which would please the Spaniard, and cause them gladly to Entertain us: Then shall we not fatigue, and destroy our Men by so unhealthy stifling up, they being refreshed in Foreign Ports, and getting something, if not yet of experience of Countrys, and be made compleat Mariners, conversing through the World: Then also would we have some Trade go on, without so great Los­ses; and he that is strongest, to maintain their Trade through the Seas undisturb'd, would have the best share, and, in time, have the Dominion of the Seas; we ha­ving so lately let slip the Opportunity of a Receptacle for our Merchandize, as a Curb to all Trading through the Streights-Mouth, by the Demolishing of Tangier: The Convenience, and Importance there­of, [Page 292]to England, shall I never forget, nor easily forgive the Loss thereof; the Road and Mould had gotten a great many bad Qualities, when the design grew ripe for its Demolishing, which before had as ma­ny good, and was a means for their get­ting of Estates, who were instrumental in the Demolishing it, after vast Expences. Mighty pretty! But, I say, having lost it so, we ought to secure some place of Certainty to us, about the Streights-mouth, as soon as we can find a fit opportunity, either by Marriage, or Wars; I wish we had the like of Tangier at this time, as it was at Demolishing, in lieu of a fourth of a Million of Money, it would not be too dear bought.

As for the Corsairs of Algiers, &c. in whose Wars (if I do not mistake) the Dutch dealt more thriftily than us; for they always sent their Merchandize in Fleets, with sufficient Convoys, according to the strength of those Pirats; that if [Page 293]they would at any time bid up for them, they must lay a good Stake for the Betts; and if they ever won them, they would be dear Prizes.

So I say, If ever the French would dare to attack these Grand Convoys, they should buy them so dear, that they should be no Gainers, and lose soon the Capacity of disturbing our Trade; for this way would force them to win what they get, by repelling Strength with Strength; the which being thus put into the Balances of War, they must needs prove too light for us both, if I am not mightily out in my Computation.

Moreover, if they should bid up for a Surprize, there is large room in the Seas, and variableness of Winds for to prove the Surprisers surprised, and they be at equal Charges. I say, I do rather commend the former Proceedings of the Dutch in their Wars with the Algerines, and those Corsairs of the Mediterrancan, by Con­voys, [Page 294]than ours by keeping a Fleet to wait their Motions; if their Charges and ours were computed therein, I doubt, we should be found much to exceed them: Indeed we may have done them more Da­mages, but have received far greater Los­ses in our Merchandises: So that I must needs say, That the most Frugal way of Wars, and the most certain to avoid the Policies and Stratagems of our Enemies, that they do not put upon us; and where fewest Accidents do attend our Losses, must needs be the best proceeding with any Enemy in Point of Management of War.

But this general way of Management, may admit of particular Exceptions, if they alter their Measures, or Circumstan­ces; which part of Frugality leads me to say more thereto, than what I have alrea­dy said; which is, That we have laid out too much Treasure in building too many [Page 295]great Ships of the the First and Second Rates, with large Expences of adorning, by Carving, Gilding, and Painting, as I have before hinted; which great Ships lie by, and are maintained at vast Ex­pences, and serve but very seldom, or rarely for the Defence of the Nation, and Preservation of our Merchandize in Foreign Parts, they being not fit for all Voyages, nor all Seas; and whensoever they are used, they are attended with double and treble accidents of War for loss, and not to equal advantages to the strength of the Navy, proportionable to the costs, and of Men required; as for example:

A Ship of One Hundred Guns, shall carry near One Thousand Men, and Two Ships of Seventy Guns each, or Four of Forty Six Guns, or Seven of Thirty Two Guns each, and are not full the Charges of one of those great Ships, and they are [Page 296]not liable to the Hazard and Casualties of War or Seas, as they are: I might com­pute the Accident to be Ten time less of the Smaller, and Ten times more of Use. I would fain know of any one, whether one of Seventy, one of Forty Six, and two of Thirty Two Guns, were not Ten times oftner in Service to the Nation, and Ten times less Accidents attend­ing them at Sea, and yet of less Cost to the Nation: Then may I conclude there is now near Sixteen Sail of great Ships which are under the said Cir­cumstances to the Nation, and are for maintainance constantly every Year, at near Forty Thousand Pounds cost lying still; wherefore I cannot commend the building and repairing of some of them fallen into decay; but to let the application be to the multyplying of Ships of the lesser Ranks; the which expences will be of Ten times the service to the Nation, as before proved, and not to forget to save [Page 297]one Fifth Rate, out of a First Rates Car­ving, Gilding and Painting; for the Ships need no more adorning, than what is of use for Fighting; only some Ships might be kept adorned and beautified for Trans­portation of Princes or Ambassadors, &c. as Ships for State; so was it heretofore, but of late Years we have run to a strange profuseness: For great Shipwrights have created us great Ships, or rather great Ships created Shipwrights; it being a time now to turn Frugal the right way, for lately the pretence for Frugality was lent to the retrenching of the Poor, needy, standing Officers in their Pay, and ex­acting of unreasonable and unknown duty from them, void of serviceableness to the King, and run the Treasure away by great Contracts secretly and cuningly carried, and the main point of keeping the Navy ready and well prepared with able and well appointed Officers, for the [Page 298]defence and safety of the Honour and Wealth of the Nation, and at the most Frugal rates for the ease of the King and People, was made even as a screw that is made for to turn the wrong way, and screw against the Sun, and in the Interim, our Builders, Contrivers, and Ship-Archi­tectures goe over into France, to con­trive or build them Ships of War, or what else.

So hoping I have said enough, to ex­cite us to look a little to the Frugal part of the Management of the Navy, and rightly to apply the Treasure, and also to inspect what sort of Officers have been crammed into the Navy, and whether private Interest, Trick, and Design, have not been busie and prevalent through the whole Series thereof; and if it be found Sick and Distempered, perhaps some seasonable Pills of Extractum Pil­lulae Abdicationis would do much hood, [Page 299]Working by Vomiting some Ill Con­tracted Pelf, acquired by contracting; and also Purging others from the scury Dregs of private Interest, Trick, and Design; that hereafter it may be in a tollerable degree of Health, and sound Constitution, which is the Sum­mum bonum desired by this Work.