XXXV1

PREFACE.

1300 The mariners compass was first introduced into Europe by-FlavioGioia *.

1326 Edward the Second declared war against France, and issued properorders, in form, to his admirals, John l’Esturms and NicholasKyriel, of the north and south, to take, burn, and destroy, allFrench ships.

3338 Edward embarked an army of forty thousand men, in five hundredships, at Orwell, in Essex, and landed them at Antwerp.

1339 The French infested the English channel with a flying squadron. A

fleet in the same year landed at, and pillaged Southampton p.Soon after this, thirteen French ships met five English ships, andafter an action of nine hours, took the two largest, the Edwardand Christopher. Six hundred men were killed on both sides.At the latter end of the year, the Cinque Ports’ squadron attackedBoulogne, and burnt nineteen gallies, four large ships, and twenty. smaller, with all their equipment and furniture.

1340 The French committed great depredations at Guernsey, Portsmouth,

and on the western coast. In this year was fought the first en-

* See page 277.

t As is apparent from the following account given in the old Chronicles:—“ The fourth ofOctober, fiftie galleyes, well manned and furnished, came to Southampton, about nine of the clocke,and sacked the towne, the townsmen running away for feare. lly the breake of the next day, theywhich fied, by the helpe of the country thereabouts, came against the pyrates, and fought them ; inwhich skirmish were slaine to the number of three hundred pyrates, together with their captaine, ayoung soldiour, the kinge of Sicilie’s sonne : to this young man, the French kinge had given what-ever he got in the kingdome of England ; but he being beaten down by a certain man of the country,cried rancon : yea, (quoth he, I know well enough thou art a Fran^on, and therefore shalt thou dye;)for he understood not his speech, neither had he any skill to take a gentleman prisoner, and keepe themfor their ransome ; wherefore the risidue of these Gennowayes, after they had set the town a fire, andburned it quite, fledde to their galleyes; and in flying, certaine of them was drowned ; and after this,the inhabitants of the towne compassed it about with a strong and great wall.”

This mischief was effected by the joint efforts of the French and Genoese ; an irrefragable proof of,flic maritime consequence which the latter people had then reached to.

gagement