HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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nor were there instances wanted of their being peremptorily refused. At thehead of these auxiliaries, stood the Cinque Ports, and there need not be produceda stronger instance of the precarious state in which the public wants of the sove-reign stood, when militating against the inclinations, or caprice of his feudal allies m y(for there appears to be no term more appropriate which can be given to them)than that which happened in the course of the dispute which took place betweenking Henry the Third and his nobles in the year 1244. On this occasion,the Cinque Ports decidedly espoused the cause of the latter, nor were they con-tent with the simple act of refusing their aid for the reduction of the male-contents, but, using the pending dispute as a pretext for arming their vessels,they were enabled to commit various acts of piracy, and extend their depre-dations not only against the shipping of all countries unfortunate enough tofall in their way, but even to effect the most unwarrantable ravages on thecoasts of their own countrymen. The sovereign possessing no naval powerunder his own controul capable of suppressing these, and similar enormities,they continued, unrestrained, for the space of more than twenty years, till themore conciliating temper of Edward, surnamed Longshanks, who afterwardsascended the English throne by the title of Edward the First, gained from them,partly by persuasion, and partly, perhaps, through the fear of his future resent-ment, that submission which his royal parent had so long, and so ineffectuallyattempted to procure.

No circumstance can more strongly prove the low ebb to which the navalpowers of England were reduced, under the sovereign just mentioned, than thatwhich took place in 1269. All the force that could be collected, though thestrongest national exertions were made for that purpose, to attend the princelyEdward, with his brother Edmund, on a crusading expedition to the Holy land,,consisted of no more than thirteen small vessels, the crews of which, includingboth mariners and soldiers, amounted to no more than one thousand persons. Thesame poverty of incident which pervaded the maritime pursuits of Britain duringthe reign of Henry the Third, continued to prevail during a considerable part ofthe early reign of his son, and successor, Edward. The causes, however, which-produced this seeming inertness, were diametrically opposite to each other whenthe same districts were under the rule of the different princes. When Henry pos-sessed the crown, it was the effect of a relaxed and timid government, enduringwith patience, insults and injuries which it was fearful of resenting. After Edwardbecame the sovereign, it was occasioned by a dread created among surrounding

nations,,