out it we can neither defend on the sudden, nor attempt any thing without giving the enemy sufficient time to provide. And as it is said by those that have written of the wars, Celuy qui ne donne point d'ordre à la munition de vivres, veult estre vaincu sans costeau.

To the tenth there may be used in training of all such numbers as shall compound the army, such a form as shall answer to a late kind of embattling practised by the earl of Essex in the journey of Cales, or otherwise, according to the direction of the general of the army.

To the eleventh: I think it fit, that because the army may receive sudden loss upon any encounter, that the lieutenant-general of the army may have commission to authorize any lieutenant of the several counties to send either the one half or more of the forces within his lieutenancy, because it may be dangerous to attend a second warrant from her majesty. But if the enemy happen to take land in any of the south or west parts, I do think it very dangerous to draw the strength either from the east or west countries together, and to compound the army of these; but that the strength of the country itself in which the enemy maketh descent be only a part of the general army, and the rest to be taken from the countries next adjoining northward, and into the land. My reason is, that an enemy coming into the channel, may by accident of wind and weather enter with his fleet into such a port where he hath no determination to make the war. As for example; if the enemy shall be driven into Plymouth, if we then draw thither the forces of Dorset, Hampshire, and Sussex, and, upon the change of wind or weather, the enemy proceed to the eastward, and land in any of those counties so disfurnished, there can be no resistance made by the rest remaining; and before the proper forces of the country can be recalled, the enemy shall have time either to destroy or possess the same. Lastly, I think it, under correction, very inconvenient that all such colonels and captains which now command regiments and companies in the counties, should not hold the same commandment in the army;

for besides that it will take away the employments of all our best captains that follow the wars abroad, so will it withal breed great confusion in the army, because that most of all those gentlemen have never seen the wars in any sort, and therefore I think it meet to leave the choice. to the lieutenant of the army to allow or change of the one or the other at his discretion. That the lieutenant of the county into which the lieutenant-general of the army shall enter, be lieutenant to the general of the army, I think it a very wise and honourable allowance and consideration.

Orders to be observed by the Commanders of the Fleet and Land Companies, under the Charge and Conduct of Sir Walter Ralegh, Knight, bound for the south parts of America or elsewhere. Given at Plymouth in Devon the third of May, 1617.

FIRST, because no action nor enterprise can prosper (be it by sea or land) without the favour and assistance of Almighty God, the Lord and strength of hosts and armies, you shall not fail to cause divine service to be read in your ship morning and evening, in the morning before dinner, and at night before supper, or at least (if there be interruption by foul weather) once in the day, praising God every night with singing of a psalm at the setting of the watch.

Secondly, you shall take especial care that God be not blasphemed in your ship, but that after admonition given, if the offenders do not refrain themselves, you shall cause them of the better sort to be fined out of their adventures, by which course, if no amendment be found, you shall acquaint me withal. For if it be threatened in the scriptures, that the curse shall not depart from the house of the swearer, much less from the ship of the swearer.

Thirdly, no man shall refuse to obey his officer in all that he is commanded, for the benefit of the journey: no man (being in health) shall refuse to wait his turn as he shall be directed; the sailors by the master and boatswain; the landmen by their captain, lieutenant, and others.

You shall make in every ship two captains of the watch, who shall make choice of two soldiers every night to search between the decks, that no fire nor candlelight be carried about the ship, after the watch set; nor that any candles be burning in any cabin without a lantern, and that neither

but while they are to make themselves unready. For there is no danger so inevitable as the ship's firing, which may as well happen by taking of tobacco between the decks, and therefore forbidden to all men but aloft the upper deck.

You shall cause the landmen to learn the names and places of the ropes, that they may assist the sailors in their labours upon the decks, though they cannot go up to the tops and yards.

You shall train and instruct your sailors (so many as shall be found fit) as you do your landmen, and register their names in the lists of your companies, making no difference of professions; but that all be esteemed sailors and all soldiers for your troops will be very weak when you come to land, without the assistance of your seafaring men.

You shall not give chase, or send aboard any ship, but by order from the general: and if you come near any ship in your course, if she be belonging to prince or state in league or amity with his majesty, you shall not take any thing from them by force, upon pain of punishment as a pirate; although in manifest extremity or want you may (agreeing for the price) relieve yourselves with things necessary, giving bond for the same, provided that it be not to the disfurnishing of any such ship, whereby the owner or merchants be endangered for the ship or goods.

You shall every night fall astern the general's ship, and follow his light, receiving instructions in the morning what course to hold; and if you shall at any time be separated by foul weather, you shall receive certain billets sealed up, the first to be opened on this side the north cape, if there be the second to be opened at the south cape; the third, you shall pass twenty-three degrees; and the fourth from the height of Cape de Verd.

after

If you discover any sail at sea, either to windward or to leeward of the admiral, or if any two or three of our fleet shall discover any such sail which the admiral cannot discern; if she be a great ship, and but one, you shall strike your maintopsail, and hoist it again so often as you shall judge it to be an hundred tons of burden; as if you judge

her to be two hundred tons, to strike and hoist twice, if three hundred, thrice; and so answerable to her greatness.

If you discern a small ship, you shall do the like with your foretopsail; but if you discover many great ships, you shall not only strike your maintopsail often, but put out your ensign in the maintop; and if such ships or fleet go large before the wind, you shall also (after your signs given) go large, and stand as any of the fleet doth, I mean no longer than that you may judge the admiral and the rest have seen your signs and your so standing. And if you went large at the time of the discovery, you shall hale aft your sheets for a little time, and then go large again, that the rest may know that you go large, to shew us that the ships or fleet discovered keep that course; so you shall do if the ships or fleet discovered have their tacks aboard, namely, if you had also your tacks aboard at the time of the discovery, you shall bear up for a little time, and after hale your sheet aft again, to shew us what course the ship or fleet holds.

If you discover any ship or fleet by night, if the ship or fleet be to windward of you, and you to windward of the admiral, you shall presently bear up, to give us knowledge; but if you think you might speak with her, then you shall keep your loof, and shoot off a piece of ordnance, to give us knowledge thereby.

For a general rule, let no man presume to shoot off any piece of ordnance but in discovering a ship or fleet by night, or by being in danger of the enemy, or in danger of fire, or in danger of sinking; it may be unto us all a most certain intelligence of some matter of importance, and you shall make us know the difference by this; for if you give chase, and, being near a ship, you shoot to make her strike, we shall see and know you shoot to that end; (if it be by day;) if by night, we shall then know that you have seen a ship or fleet more than our own; and if you suspect we do not hear the first piece, then you may shoot a second, but not otherwise, and you must take almost a quarter of an hour between your two pieces: if you be in danger by a leak, (I mean in pre