HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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reign of king James the First, and the Constant Warwick, which did not exceed700 tons in burthen, mounting only 40 guns. All those of the heavier classes,as the Sovereign, Resolution, George, Andrew, Victory, and others, either first,second, and third rates, amounting to upwards of thirty sail, still continuedwith their former masters ; and the only advantage the royal cause, and itsfriends, derived from the event, which appeared, when it first took place, topromise the happiest consequences, was the casual plunder of a few ships ladenwith the property of their opponents. The earl of Warwick, who was quicklyreinstated in his command by the parliamentarians, was ordered to fit out astrong fleet, as well for the purpose of pursuing the revolters, as that a partthereof should remain at home, to perform the same species of service the pre-ceding armament had been employed in, previous to its defection. He performedthis duty with the greatest diligence and dispatch. Having hoisted his flag onboard the St. George, a second rate, of 52 guns, he proceeded to Holland,where, owing to the want of sufficient supplies and money to pay the crews*6ix or seven vessels returned back to what was considered by the republicanparty as their duty, and were content to fight once more under the banners oftheir former commander.

From this time the English navy might be considered as divided indeed, butinto two very unequal parts. The seceders, who possessed no power of improv-ing or augmenting their force, amounted, after the last mentioned revolution,to no more than fourteen sail; and prince Rupert, who assumed the commandof them, commenced a species of piratical war. His success varied, but neverrose into consequence, while his misfortunes were much more frequent, andextremely heavy, so that, after a lingering misery for a few years, the wholevanished into non-existence. The navy of what was called the state was in aCondition more flourishing, perhaps, than it had been at any preceding period :the abridgment it had received was soon considered as extremely unconsequen-tial; and owing to the number of ships purchased from private persons, with thecompletion of others, which had been purposely built for the public service of thecountry, its numbers proved greater than what it had ever boasted when proudlyflourishing under the fostering hand of that prince who had, with the greatestjudgement, paid the most peculiar attention to it. An energetic attention to thenavy became a matter of indispensable necessity. The usurpers might very justlyhave expected the united vengeance of every surrounding prince ; but providencethought it best to accomplish their fate by far different means, and ordainedVol v II. P p that