[85] “Papers relating to the Navy during the Spanish War, 1585-1587,” edited by J. S. Corbett, LL.M., Navy Records Society, 1898. I wish to express my indebtedness to this volume, and to Mr. Oppenheim’s “Naval Tracts of Sir William Monson,” for much matter in regard to the different types of Elizabethan ships. [86] The reader who desires fuller information on the subject is referred to an interesting article “The Lost Tapestries of the House of Lords,” in _Harper’s Monthly Magazine_, April, 1907, from the pen of Mr. Edmund Gosse. [87] These nettings were at first made of metal chain, but in the time of Elizabeth they were of rope. [88] The illustration is taken from a print in the British Museum made by an artist who was born in 1620. [89] It is interesting to note that in the year 1903 some Armada relics, consisting of a bronze breach loader, found fully charged, and a pair of bronze compasses were recovered from the wreck of the Spanish galleon _Florencia_, in Tobermory Bay, Isle of Mull. She had formed one of the Spanish fleet which fled up the North Sea from the English Channel, round the north of Scotland to the west coast, where in August of 1588 this 900-ton ship was blown up. [90] See “Naval Tracts of Sir William Monson,” vol. ii. p. 318 _et seq._ [91] See vol. x., p. 158, of Maclehose’s edition of 1903. [92] This map will be found reproduced at p. 171, vol. ii., of Maclehose’s edition of Hakluyt, published in 1903. [93] That is to say he not merely covers with the canvas-cloth the whole length of the deck to prevent boarding, but the nettings would also be drawn over the waist to catch the falling wreckage of spars. (See Fig. 53.) [94] Dexterous. [95] “Boord and boord”—_i.e._, when two ships touch each other. Manwayring advises against boarding the enemy at the quarter, which is the worst place, because it is high. The best place for entering was at the bows, but the best point for the play of the guns was to come up to her “athwart her hawes”—_i.e._, across her bows. By this means you could then bring all your broadside to play upon her, while all the time the enemy could only use her chase and prow pieces. [96] I am far from convinced, however, that the drawing is in this respect correct. Edward Hayward in his book on “The Sizes and Lengths of Riggings for all His Majesties Ships and Frigates,” printed in London in 1660, only twenty-three years after the _Sovereign of the Seas_ was launched, makes no mention whatever of either her royals or of any mast or spar above topgallant, although he mentions in detail the masts and yards and rigging and sails other than royals. He does mention, however, that the _Sovereign_ carried a bonnet to be laced on to her spritsail. It is possible, however, that the royals were added in 1684, when she was rebuilt. [97] See Appendix II. of “Ancient and Modern Ships,” by Sir G. C. V. Holmes.