Master Burrell, in the beginning of his Preface, begin to tell a Story, That he was forced out of his Countrey, for his affection to the Parliament, and of his taking the Covenant, and of being pressed every Lords day to discover what he knew to be advantageous or hurtfull to the Parliament; when indeed and in truth, the one was, because he would contribute little or nothing to the Par&rehy;liament, having lived here a long time obscurely; and the other, because for his private advantage and advance of his Fortunes, he would be an Officer of the Navie: But at last, being rowsed up (as he saith) by Church-men, he complained to the Right Honourable the Lord Say, the Navie was sluggish, and did sail so sluggishly, that it could not perform those Services which the Parliament expected; and to that purpose presented a paper to his Lordship, intituled, Observations upon the Navie, by Andrews Burrell: which paper he presented to the Earl of Warwick, and from his Lordship it was sent to be disputed before us the Commissioners of the Navie, with whom (saith he) it died.

Answer. Now may it please the honourable Houses of Parliament, That it is true, we received an Order from the Right Honourable the Earl of Warwick, as also from the Honourable Committee of the Navie, to send for Master Burrell, to hear his opinion concerning the reducing of the Navie into a better posture, as he pretended, for sailing: We likewise sent for all the Master Shipwrights of England, Captain Batten being pre&rehy;sent with us. Being come together, we demanded of Master Burrell, in what manner he would do this great work: His Answer was, He would cut them down to one Tire of Ordnance, by which means they should sail a great deal better. We demanded of him, What he would do to adde quality to them; for in cutting them down, without doing something under water, would be to small purpose: His Answer was, That he would keep that private to himself. We desired him to give it in writing how he would perform this Service, if he did make a triall of one of the old Ships, in regard it would be a great charge to the State; which he pro&rehy;mised to do, but never came near the Office more, nor ever heard we more of him, till now, that he hath set out this Scandalous Libell. And indeed what he propounded to us, which was to cut down the first, second, and third Rate-Ships, and to bring them to one Tire of Ordnance, is so ridi&rehy;culous, and will so disable the Navie, that it will make them, in case of forraign invasion, incapable either to offend the Enemy, or defend them&rehy;selves; all other Princes Ships of the first, second, and third Rate, having two or three Tire of Ordnance. Besides, as they are now built, having great Floors, and great Breadths, if they should be cut down, they would be so unruly Ships in the Sea, that in a Sea-gate they would roul so much, that no man would be able to ply the Ordnance, or stand upon the Deck. Besides, if they should meet with a Storm, be in danger to roul their Masts by the Board, as appeared by the Rainbow, and Vantguard, which were built in 86. little more or lesse: after this Modell proved so defective Ships in the Sea, that they were forced to bring on another Deck upon them: The Victorie, in 87, was cut down for a triall, at the instance of Sir Iohn Haw&rehy;kins, from three Decks and an half, to one Tire of great Ordnance; which being done, the Queen commanded, in 88, that he should go Commander of her, because he was the Projector; but when he came up to the King of Spains Ships with two Tire and three Tire of Ordnance, they tore his Ship, and kill'd his men so fast, that he was not able to endure the Spaniards broad Sides, but was forced to leave them; So that when the Ship came home, the Queens Majestie understanding how much the Ship was disabled by cutting down her Decks, gave Order for her Decks to be built again; and ever after she carried two Tire of Ordnance fore and aft. And indeed the Ships of the Navie, of the first and second Rate, are the best built Ships in the World, both for defence and offence, carrying two Tire of Ordnance; and if not laden with Victuals, but kept light and clean, will saile as well as any Ships of their burthen and force that do belong to any Christian Prince, having been a terror to their Ene&rehy;mies; witnesse Anno 88. for if there had not been such Ships at that time, but such reformed Ships as Master Burrell endevoureth to have, the Spanish Armado doubtlesse had overrun them, and with their strength of Ordnance, having two and three Tire, would have been too hot for their coming near them: yet such was the strength of our Ships, most of them having two Tire of Ord&rehy;nance, and well mann'd, that (by the blessing of God) we gave them the overthrow: And ever since the Navie hath been preserved and built in a better posture then in those dayes, and more serviceable for the honour and preservation of the Kingdom. And because your Honours may be satisfied, how necessary great Ships are with two Tire of Ordnance, for the defence of this Kingdom, we shall onely instance in two Ships which are yet lively in our memory. In Anno 1640. Don Antonio de Kendo came into the Downs, with a Fleet of Ships from Spain, and having rid there some time, the Admirall Van Trump, with six of the best Ships in Holland, attended the motion of Don Antonio his Ship; the rest of his Fleet, consisting of eighty Sail, attended the rest of the Spanish Fleet: Don Anto&rehy;nio when he had refreshed his men, and fitted himself, weighed Anchor out of the Downs; the Admirall of Holland did the like with six Ships; and coming without the Goodwyn-Sands, the Admirall of Holland came up with the Admirall of Spain, as far as his transome; but received such entertainment, that he durst never more come up with him, nor any of the Ships in his company, notwithstanding the Admirall of Spain stayed for them with his top-Sails down, and main yard a crosse; such great force had this great Ship with two Tire and an half Ordnance, that the Hol&rehy;landers durst not deal with her. The Admirall of Portugall, being another great Ship of that Fleet with two Tire of Ordnance, fought with sixteen States Men of War almost a whole day, yet never could take her, and be&rehy;ing offered any quarter that they would demand, scorned it: At last, when the Hollanders saw they could not take her, two of their Men of War desperately ran aboard of her, with two Fire-Ships, where they all burned together, untill they were consumed. And indeed, if they had not used that Stratagem, they had never destroyed her. By this, your Ho&rehy;nours may perceive the great difference between Ships of two Tire of Ordnance, and one Tire, as Master Burrell would have them.

In the next place he makes a long Narration of the Sally-Fleet, where Cap&rehy;tain Rainsborow was Commander, and saith, He findes in his Iournall these words, (We did give them chase all day, and at night we lost them:) which great deficiency (saith he) renders the Navie to be in a contemptible condition.

Ans. Now let any Sea-man judge, whether Captain Rainsborow's Fleet could be in a fit condition, to chase light and clean Vessels that came out of Sally that night, when he had been two Moneths from England, and grown foule, and four Months Victuals in: Besides, those small Vessels which he chased, were (when he first saw them) two Leagues from him, which was a long chase to fetch up, and would hold a good Sailor chasing all day: Besides, if the Men of War had contemned them, (as Master Burrell saith,) why did they run from them, and would not fight? For by their running away, it is evident they were not contem&rehy;ned, but feared: And yet he confesseth, that Fleet performed better Ser&rehy;vice, then Englands Navie did in 44 years before.

In the next place, (because we will touch onely what concerns our selves) Master Burrell discovers where the fault hath been, That the Navie hath not been reformed, and how the Right Honourable the Earl of Warwick, hath been misled by the Officers of the Navie, and the Brethren of the Trinity&rehy;house, who should have advised his Lordship to make choice of nimble Ships for Warlike Service: & and that if the Brethren of the Trinity-house were so knowing as they seem, and so well affected as they ought, they should have sent forth for their own Adventure, one Ship and one Pinace, that should have sailed as nim&rehy;bly as the Queens Ship: Such an example (saith he) peradventure would have moved the dull Officers, to hearken to the reducing of part of the Navie into a serviceable posture for these times, and to make choice of better Ships, which they have hired at dearer Rates.

For Answer thereunto, We wonder much at the boldnesse of this sick&rehy;brained man, that he should question the judgement of that noble Earl to be misled by us, as if his Lordship were not a Sea-man himself, to discern what is fit to be done, for the making of fit and nimble Ships for Service, better then Master Burrell, who scarce ever saw salt water, and conse&rehy;quently never saw Service. And for the affection of the Trinity-house, we are confident, that divers of that Corporation, have set out many Ships and Pinaces, for the Publike, in these distracted times, to their great losse and hinderance, as some of the Members of the honourable House of Commons can witnesse: but never heard that Master Burrell, nor his As&rehy;sociates, set out any Ship or Pinace, in defence of the Parliament of Eng&rehy;land, since these Wars began. And for the reducing of the Navie into such a posture as Master Burrell would have it; we hope never to be guil&rehy;ty of so great a disservice to this Kingdom: And although Master Bur&rehy;rell saith, we have made bad choice of Ships, and at dear rates, to serve the State; we shall make it appear to the honourable Houses, that they have been the best Merchants Ships in this Kingdom, and taken up at no other rates, then hath been given long before we came in Office; in the most peaceable times.

In Folio 4, Master Burrell quarrels with the Trinity-house, and talks of Toles and fair Immunities coming in by the industrious Sea-men, and chalks them out their duty to take care for the common Sea-men, and not to suffer thousands of them in discontent to run out of the Kingdom.

Ans. As for the Toles and Immunities, which the Trinity-house re&rehy;ceive, they receive it with one hand, and pay it with the other, to the wid&rehy;dow and fatherlesse of that Corporation, and to such as have received wounds and hurts, in the Parliaments and Merchants Service; for which they have two pence a voyage out of every common Sea-man, and no more if the voyage be three years long; yet the malice of Master Burrell would make the world beleeve, the Trinity-house receives much, when indeed their whole comings in (since these distracted times) doth not re&rehy;leeve half the poor belonging to that Corporation. And for the common Sea-men, they need not be discontended, having had an Augmentation of four shillings in a Moneth more then ever any King or Queen in England gave them, besides other Immunities granted them by the Parliament: Neither do we beleeve that any are gone over, except such as are Malig&rehy;nants and Enemies to the State, which are better out of the Kingdom, then in it.

In the next place, he roves by way of Multiplication, in which, it seems, he is not skilfull, for instead of 500, he saith, the Officers of the Navie sent out their Prest-masters into Suffolk and Essex, to presse 900 Sea-men, and out of the River of Thames, 200 Water-men; but at the day of their appearing, of all that number, there appeared at Chatham but 224, whereof 124 were Water-men: and then makes his Inference, as if there were a scarcity and un&rehy;willingnesse in Sea-men, and Water-men, to the Service of the Parlia&rehy;ment.

To which we Answer, That we did send out Prest-masters to the fore&rehy;said places for 500 men, and not for 900, (as Master Burrell falsely saith) to the end we might not make a scarcity of men in this City for the Mer&rehy;chant-Ships, in regard we were to set out a Fleet of 6000 men, whereas in time past our predecessors for such Fleets, never prest lesse then 2000 men in the Countrey: yet such was the willingnesse of the Sea-men and Wa&rehy;ter-men, to serve the Parliament, that the Ships are all mann'd long since, and at Sea; and we writ our Letters down to the Prest-masters to stay their hand; and of those that were pressed, came to Chatham (as appears under the Clerk of the Checks hand) 358 men, besides Water-men. By this the honourable Houses of Parliament may perceive the malice of this Gentleman, who not onely strives to blast your faithfull Servants, but as much as in him lies, seeks to bring the honourable Houses in a dislike with the common Sea-men, that so some rigid courses may be taken against those that hitherto have done them faithfull Service.

In the next place, he falls foul of the Ship that carried over the Queens Maje&rehy;stie, and inserts some words in Captain Battens Letter to the Parliament in these words; If my life and all the Kingdom had lain at Stake, I could not prevent her going over, for (saith he) the Ship that carried her, sailes two foot for my one. Then he makes his inference, and would have Captain Batten speak in his own language, as if he would have said (saith he) that other Na&rehy;tions can make nimble Ships, but England is grown dull, and must be conten&rehy;ted with sluggish and unserviceable Ships. Then he further addes, that if the Parliament had spent every year of million of Pounds, they that have wasted one million in three years, would not of themselves have endeavoured to build or purchase one Ship or Pinace so nimble as the Queens Ship.

Ans. By this your Honours may perceive, he still hammers upon one Anvill, that is, as much as in him lies, to disparage the Navie-Royall, and to infuse into Strangers minds how unserviceable they are, that so he might blast the honour and reputation of the whole Navie, which hath been and is both famous and terrible to all Nations; and onely for this cause, that so great a Ship as the Saint Andrew, being foul at that time, could not fetch up a clean tallowed Frigate, new come out of Port, having the ad&rehy;vantage of the wind, and being a speciall Sailor, and fitted for that pur&rehy;pose, to carry away the Queen. And for the spending of so much money, we know it is far short of that Sum; yet thus much we dare aver, that if these times be compared with precedent times, when such Fleets have been set forth, the honourable Houses will find by the Accompts, that ne&rehy;ver more frugality was used, then since the Parliament had the Navie in their hands.

In the next place he saith, he was unexpectedly nominated a Commissioner for the Sale of Prizes and Prize-goods, and saith, he would have attended the Service faithfully; but at his entrance into that trust, he was unfitly opposed in the Sale of a nimble Pinace, which by a strong hand was estranged from the Parliament, without Candle-light: and being so opposed, he was much dis&rehy;couraged, because he knew himself best able to serve the Parliament; and thereupon desisted, and came no more amongst them.

Answer. That it is true, he was nominated a Commissioner for Prizes, and Prize-goods, but not unexpectedly, for he expected 300. l. per annum, but after he had sat two or three dayes with us, and heard that we were to re&rehy;ceive nothing but our labour for our pains: truly he then very unfitly left us, and never sat more amongst us. And for being opposed in the sale of a nimble Pinace, which by a strong hand was estranged from the Parliament; we wonder that all this time he hath not discovered it; that so those persons may be punished according to their demerits: and therefore we humbly de&rehy;sire the honourable houses of Parliament, to cause this businesse to be exami&rehy;ned; and that Master Burrell do discover what Pinace that was, and who it was that estranged her from the Parliament.

In the next place, Master Burrell saith, That before and since that time some nimble Ships and many Pinaces have been taken, but most of them by disasters; and if those Ships and Pinaces had been contrived into Men of War, and set out in the room of those sluggish Ships which he complains of, the Parliament would have been much better served, with the saving half of that vast charge which hath been spent at Sea; yet saith he, it is certain the best of those Ships and Pinaces, have been estranged from the Parliament, which makes the abuse the greater, and therefore makes a quere to examine what price was paid the Parliament for Plunkets Ship.

Ans. It seems now Master Burrell will confesse that some nimble Ships and Pinaces have been taken by the Parliament Ships, but yet to eclipse the taking of them, he saith, Most of them were taken by disasters, which we con&rehy;fesse to be true; for it was a disaster befell them that were taken. And as for those ships that were taken, they that were good Sailors, and fit to be made men of Warre were fitted and equipped, and are now in the service of the Parliament to the number of seven good Ships, and sixteen Frigates, and not estranged from the Parliament, as Master Burrell sets forth, and doubt&rehy;lesse will save charges, in regard the Parliament payes not fraight, though not half the charge, as Master Burrell saith: And as for Captain Plunkets Ship, if Master Burrell had inquired of Master Morris Thomson, amongst other things he would have told him that she was stranded about Arundell by five States-men of warre, and seized on by Sir William Wallers army, and condemned in the Admiraltie as Prize to Master Thompson and others for losses received by the Dunkirkers, so that as we conceive nothing was due to the Parliament; yet we humbly desire the honourable Houses, to examine Master Burrell, because he saith, It is certain that the best of those Ships and Pinaces were estranged, that he may declare in whose hands those Ships and Pinaces are, that so the Parliament may be righted, and the offenders receive condigne punishment.

In the next place in his old ridiculous strain, he falls a praising of Plunkets Ship for sailing, although he never saw her sail, and dispraising of the great new Frigate before he knows what she wil be, as he doth all the rest of the Navie: Then he falls to telling of a story, and saith, he believes that all the Ships in the Navie in three years have not taken so many Prizes, as Plunkets Ship hath taken in these two years, and that some of those Prizes were very rich, but by estranging that Ship of Plunkets, the Parliament hath lost all those Prizes.

Ans. Your Honours may perceive what Master Burrells intentions are by his language; that is, still to dishonour the Royall Navie, calling them slug&rehy;gish, and praising of Plunkets Frigate for a nimble Saylor, when there is twentie sail of Frigates and Ships now in the Parliament service, that sail as well, and many of them better. And whereas he falsely saith, that Plunkets Ship hath taken more Prizes in two years, then the Parliament Ships have taken in three; we shall referre your Honours to the Collectours for Prizes, and Prize-goods; and they will tell your Honours that the Parliament Ships haven taken a hundred and ten Merchant Ships, and thirty nine Men of War have been taken and sunk, which had his Majesties Commission; besides ma&rehy;ny Spaniards, French, and Dutch, that have been delivered back at the earn&rehy;est request of the Ambassadours. And we never heard of more then six Ships taken by Captain Plunckets Frigate, and most of them being Merch&rehy;ant Ships.

In the next place, he begins a large discourse, that in November last, he un&rehy;derstood that there was three Frigates to be built for the State, and that he was designed to build one; and was shewed a paper from a principall Ship-wright, which he had received from the Officers of the Navie, directing him how he should build one of the Frigats, that when she was built, she would never do any good service: but saith M&rsup; Burrell, that which troubled the Ship-wright most, was the price; for (saith he) if they give a slight price, they must expect slight Frigates. Then (saith Master Burrell) I took the paper into consideration, and I acquainted the Ship-wright with my dislike of it, and told him I would move the Lords of the Admiraltie so to order the businesse, that those Ship-wrights that did build them, should build without direction from the Officers of the Navy: and that they should have an indifferent price for them, which was that which M&rsup; Burrell aimed at, because he would build one: Then he sets forth the man&rehy;ner and form of his Petition to the Lords of Admiralty in two sides of paper, and tells their Lordships of ten Whelps built by the direction of Sir Iohn Penning&rehy;ton; and rakes up the ashes of his dead body, and saith, the builders were so misled by him, that all those vessels proved sluggish. Then he layes down positive rules and directions, how the Frigates should be built, as punctually, as Archime&rehy;des the Mathematician, but still hath a care of his interest, and desires that the Builders might not be disheartned in the price of them. Then he propounds 300l. to be deposited, that is to say, to each builder an 100l. and the Frigates to sail into Downs, and from thence to the Isle of Wight, and then round about the Island, and so to Portsmouth; and that Frigate that cometh in there first, to be repu&rehy;ted the best Frigate for service, and that the Ship-wright that built her, should have the 300l. for his service. Then (saith he) before I offered these propositions to their Lordships: I conferred with Master Pet, and Master Castle, whether they were willing to build two of the Frigates, upon the forementioned tearms, or not, and if they would build each of them one, he would build the third: So when I found (saith he) Master Pet and Master Castle to like my propositions, I presented them to the Honourable Earle of Warwick, and Lord Say, and proved before their Lordships, that if the Frigates were built, accor&rehy;ding to the directions of the Officers of the Navie, the Frigates would prove unser&rehy;viceable to the State: But (saith Master Burrell) this took no effect. Soon after came forth other directions worse then the first, That one of the intended Frigates should be built 70 Tons bigger then the other two, whereas by my propo&rehy;sitions they should be all of equall burden: And secondly, Master Pet Iunior, should build the bigger, and Master Pet senior the two lesser Frigates, by which subtile plot (saith he) all emulation was laid aside.

For answer to the needfull, of what Master Burrell hath falsely suggested: In the first place, your Honours may perceive what Master Burrell drives at: the first is a good price, not for the good of the Kingdome, but for his own ends: because (saith he) I was designed by their Lordships to build one. In the next place, he would brand the Commissioners of the Navie, in giving di&rehy;rections for the building of unserviceable Frigates, when indeed they gave no directions for them, but gave the Master Ship-wright order, to draw out their own dimensions, which accordingly they did, which we have ready to produce under their hands: And if the ten Whelps built many years since proved deficient, it doth not follow these Frigates now a building, should prove no better Saylors. But Master Burrell in that strikes at the Com&rehy;missioners of the Navie, wounding us through Sir Iohn Penningtons sides, as if these Frigates would be unserviceable, because he falsely suggests, we gave directions therein: And for his propositions to try their Sailing round about the Ile of Wight to Portsmouth is so ridiculous, that we need not trouble our selves about it, for all Sea-men know that there can be no triall of Ships in that place, the tydes running counter, and one Ship may be in the tyde, and the other out, which may make great difference, and indeed lies more in the skill of the Pilot then in the Ship, in observing the setting of the tides, and consequently to take the advantage of it; by which your Honours may per&rehy;ceive how Master Burrell will undertake to tell your Honours, that which he understands not. And for his proposition to the Lords to build those Frigates by the great, their Honours utterly refused it, knowing it a dishonour to the Parliament to build Ships out of his Majesties yard, having the best Ship-wrights in the Kingdome to perform that service; and one, who had given such testimony of his Art and skill in building of a Frigate, for the right Honourable the Earle of Warwick, that a better Saylor is not in England, nor Dunkirk: but the Lords told Master Burrell, if he would build one to trie his skill, he should have his Majesties yard at Portsmouth, to build in, with timber, plancks and materialls needfull; which Master Bur&rehy;rell refused to do, and saith, it was a dishonour cast upon him, and for no other cause, but that he could not build one by the great, that so he might get two or three hundred pound by the Parliament: And if the other Ship&rehy;wrights are discontended (as Master Burrell saith) because they did not build them by the great (as we believe they are not) yet we marvell that Master Burrell should suggest, that M&rsup; Pet the builder, acts against his affection, or desires, being the King and Parliaments servant; unlesse he would bring the Parliament in dislike with the Ship-wrights, and so to bring them under a Cloud, as he hath endeavoured to eclipse the Trinity-house. And as for the subtile plot (as Master Burrell calls it) in causing Master Pet junior, to build the great Frigate and Master Pet senior to build the two lesser; it is false and untrue, for Master Pet junior, builds one of the small ones, and Master Pet senior, builds the other small one; and this we did to the end they might use the utmost of their skill to try who could build the best Saylor. And because we had experience of the good performance of Master Pet senior, in building the Constant Warwick, he was appointed to build the great Frigate likewise: By all which your Honours may perceive, how he hath falsly traduced the Commissioners of the Navie, the Masters, Wardens, and Assistants of the Trinitie-house; the principall men of the Corporation of the Ship-wrights; and all he drives at, is by his unjust aspersions to bring the Parliament and them at ods, that so he might accomplish his own ends. And thus we hope, we have given your Honours satisfaction in the building of the Frigates.

In the next place, being the moneth of May, he still sings his old tune, in dis&rehy;praising Englands Navie, which Master Burrell would have as weak as his brain; and tells strange Stories of the mungrell Dunkirk, the contempti&rehy;ble Irish, and the insulting Dutch, that they will not honour the Parliaments Ships nor acknowledge them Master of the Seas: And then by way of Inference, brings in his Maiesties horses as fat as himself; how they were tired being led down to Barwick with empty saddles, and then compares the dead with the li&rehy;ving, in these words; And these Royall horses were clogged with too much flesh, even so the Royall Navie is clogged with too many men; too much victuals, too many pieces of Ordnance, to much timber, and too much plank; and then ads further to make the Royall Navy more contemptible, he saith, the Ship-wrights were commanded to make the Ships now in the Navy, Ships for show, as well as for service, and to carry many pieces of Ordnance never to be used, but at Feasts, Salutations, and Landings. The example (saith Master Burrell) is lively in the Royall-Soveraign, an admirable Ship for costly Buildings, and cost in keep&rehy;ing; and which ads to the miracle, the Royall Ship (saith he) is never to be used for the Kingdoms good; And that the Navy for swift sailing in Queen Elisabeths dayes, was famous, and farre exceeding these times.

To which we answer: As for the honour of the Narrow-Seas, it hath been kept in as much honour and reputation as ever; witnesse the right Ho&rehy;nourable the Earle of Warwick, who hath commanded all Ships, where ever his Honour came, to render due obedience: and Captain Owen in the Guardland, commanding a Squadron of foure or five Ships under the right Honourable Earle of Warwick, was sent out by his Lordship to seek out the Kings Men of Warre, and all other that transported Armes or Ammuni&rehy;tion, to his Majesties Quarters, and being in the Channell, came in amongst sixtie sail of Hollanders, whereof five or six Men of Warre; and did not onely make them all strike, but sent Captain Gilson in the Warwick Fri&rehy;gate, who took out of the midst of the Fleet the Tiger of Roterdam, and brought her away in despight of all those Men of Warre, and sent her to London: The next was Captain Batten, who being alone in the Constant&rehy;Reformation off of Beachy, met with the Vice-Admirall of Holland, and foure great Ships more; and although they suffered him to shoot divers shot at them, before they would strike, yet when they saw his resolution, they lowered their top-sails, and did homage. Captain Ellis in the Providence, and Captain Thomas in the Warwick Frigate, commanded White the Vice&rehy;Admirall, and three more, to strike in Torbay, which they did accordingly, though with some shot before they did their duty. And for the Royall horses being tired in being led down to Barwick, it is not so with the Roy&rehy;all Ships, for they are never weary with sailing: And for too many Men, Ordnance and victuals, we know other Princes Ships that carry more, and yet not of their burthen: And as for Timber and Plank, we shall refer that to the judgement of the best Sea-men, and Ship-wrights in the Kingdome. But we wonder much at the impudence of this Gent. who dare say, the Royall Ships of the Navie were built for show, and carry many pieces of Ordnance never to be used, but at Feasts, Salutations, and Landings; when there is not one piece of Ordnance in any Ship of the Navie, but is both usefull and serviceable for a defensive and offensive Warre: And to bring the Navie into a more contemptible condition, he makes the Royall-Sove&rehy;raign, (the best Man of Warre in Christendome) to be incapable of doing service for the Kingdomes good. When Captain Rainsborow, whom Ma&rehy;ster Burrell confesseth in his time, was the most eminent Commander in this Kingdom, had the triall of her in the channell of England, and at his return reported to his Majestie, that he never set his foot in a better conditioned Ship in all his life. And as for her Force, she is not inferiour to the greatest Ship in Christendome. And for the Ships in Queen Elisabeths dayes, so famous for Sailing; this Kingdom was never better furnished with good Saylors and Ships for defence, then at this present, farre exceeding those times. By these and the precedent Articles, your Honours may perceive how under a specious show of a well-affected men to the State, he covertly by his Calumnies, seeks to bring the Navie into a contemptible Condition; not onely in the opinion of this Nation, but also of Strangers; that so they may be incouraged to attempt that, which they never hitherto durst put into practice.