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HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

The capture and captivity of this great, but unfortunate prince, when on hisreturn from the scene of glory, are well known, as well as the circumstance ofhis death, which happened at the siege of Chalons. John, his successor, becameno less attentive to the naval power of his realm ; and however his conductmight, in some respects, deserve reprehension, few persons, considering him as apolitic ruler, have been hardy enough to deny, that he on all occasions paid thegreatest regard to its maritime interests. He was indeed, if possible, more tena-cious of his claim to the sovereignty of the seas than any of his predecessorshad been. In proof of his great attention to this particular, it stands on record,that having assembled divers of his peers at Hastings, previous to his sailingfor Normandy, he there enacted, with their consent, that if any English com-mander in the royal service should at any time meet any foreign ships at sea,and the masters of those vessels should refuse to strike their colours, and payobedience to the royal flag, that such ships should be immediately detaiued aslawful prizes, even though it should afterwards appear, the owners of thesevessels were the subjects of states actually in amity with England.

This act, authenticated as it appears to have, in some measure, been by an-other branch of the legislature, the barons of the realm, proves not only howenamoured this king was of those privileges which had been claimed and pos-sessed by his predecessors, but also the antiquity, and very remote assertion ofthem. This enforcement of a claim was not set up, arrogantly, as the en-forcement of an imperious demand, but as an old and long established right, orcustom ; so that, as has been very properly remarked by historians, it may befairly concluded, this transaction, together with a warrant issued by his Majestyfor pressing all ships into his service whenever any emergency required sostrong a measure should be adopted, were both of them founded on very ancientusage, and the undisputed rights of former sovereigns. r

Against France John was eminently successful, for though not, by any means,remarkable on account of his benevolent disposition, he flew with the utmostspeed to the relief of the earl of Flanders, who was, without committing anapparent offence, most vehemently attacked by king Philip. The triumphof the latter was, however, but of short duration, for John, on receiving theintelligence of the attack, ordered his fleet to be drawn together. He gavethe command of it to the earl of Salisbury, and dispatched it to the succour ofhis ally. The earl meeting with the assailants, and their fleet, a part ot whichwas at anchor in the haven of Dam, while the remainder lay in the road ;

attacked