A Short History of the Royal Navy, 1217 to 1688Hannay, David
History
A Short History of the Royal Navy, 1217 to 1688
Hannay, David
Great Britain. Royal Navy -- History
"Havyng received your letters, this morninge, wherein I do perceyve
the Kinges Majesties plesser, as concerninge the settinge forwardes of
His Majesties navy towardes the Narro Sees, wher, as it aperith, the
Frenche men doo tryhumphe, I truste ther shalbe no tyme forslowyde in
the advauncement and settinge forth of His Majesties plesser in that
behalfe; and I moste humbly thanke His Majestie, that it hath plesed
the same to gyve me libertye to look towardes theyme, for I never
thought my selfe in prisone tyll now, syns the tyme of our lyinge
here, and doe no servis. I truste in God that we shall departe hense
uppon Tusdaye, yf the wynde will serve us."
When they did depart hence, some time was spent in finding the exact
whereabouts of the triumphing French. Lisle sent vessels to look into
Havre, who reported that a great part, if not all, of the French fleet
had returned. This, however, must have been a mistake, for D'Annebault
had certainly come back to the north side of the Channel immediately
after landing his men at Boulogne. Between the 9th of August, the date
of the letter quoted, and the 15th, Lisle found the enemy somewhere in
the neighbourhood of Shoreham. The orders he had taken in view of the
expected battle are particularly interesting, not only for what they
tell of the sea fighting of the time, but because they contain the
first mention of much which appears continuously during the succeeding
centuries of our naval history.
The fleet under Lisle's orders consisted in all of 104 vessels. He had
divided them into three squadrons, respectively called the Vanwarde,
the Battle, and the Wing. All three terms were taken from the military
language of the time. The Battle was the usual name of the main or
central division in the army, the Vanwarde needs no explanation, and
we may suppose that the Wing was used to describe the third division,
later called the Rear. This is the division into Red, White, and
Blue squadrons, which became established in the naval wars of the
seventeenth century. These titles were taken from the flags which
finally came into use. In 1545 the only flags shown were the Royal
Standard or "Banner of the King's Majesty's Arms," and the Cross of St.
George or English Ensign. Lisle provided for distinguishing his own
flagship from those of his subordinates by ordering that she should
bear the Royal Standard at the main, and one flag of St. George's
Cross at the fore. The ships of his division were to carry the St.
George's Cross at the main. The admiral of the Vanwarde was to carry
two flags of St. George--one at the main, and the other at the fore.
The ships of his division were to carry their St. George's Cross at
the foretopmasthead. The admiral of the Wing was to carry the English
Ensign at the mizen, and every ship of his division was to do the same.
It does not appear that the ships in this division were distinguished
in any way from the flagship. By night the admiral carried three
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