"A List of the King's Ships and Pinnaces, with their respective Tonnages and Men, Anno Dom. 1603.*"

Names. Burthen.
Tons.
Mariners. Gunners. Soldiers. Total
N° of
Men.
Elizabeth Jonas 900 340 40 120 500
Triumph 1000 340 40 120 500
Bear 900 340 40 120 500
Victory 700 230 30 90 350
Honour 800 268 32 100 400
Ark 800 268 32 100 400
Due Repulse 700 230 30 90 350
Garland 700 190 30 80 300
Warspight 600 190 30 80 300
Mary Rose 600 150 30 70 250
Bonaventure 600 150 30 70 250
Assurance 600 150 30 70 250
Lion 500 150 30 70 250
Defiance 500 150 30 70 250
Rainbow 500 150 30 70 250
Nonsuch 500 150 30 70 250
Vanguard 500 150 30 70 250
Dreadnought 400 130 20 50 200
Swiftsure 400 130 20 50 200
Antelope 350 114 16 30 160
Adventure 250 88 12 20 120
Crane 200 76 12 12 100
Quittance 200 76 12 12 100
Answer 200 76 12 12 100
Advantage 200 76 12 12 100
Tramontane 140 52 8 10 70
Charles 70 32 6 7 45
Moon 60 30 5 5 40
Advice 50 30 5 5 40
Spy 50 30 5 5 40
Merlin 50 30 5 5 40
Lion's Whelp 90 50 6 4
Rowers.
60
La Superlativa Galleys**84 8 243
Rowers.
335
La Advantagim 84 8 233
Rowers.
223
La Volatillia 84 8 233
Rowers.
223
La Gallarita 84 8 233
Rowers.
223
Mercury Galleon 80 34 6 100 140
George Carvel 100 10 10
Primrose Hoy 80 2 2
A French Frigate 15 14 2 16
Disdain † 3 3
In all 41 Ships, &c.

* Meaning 1603-4.—This List is taken from Pepys's Miscellanies, vol. 2, p. 129. Its date must have been in 1604 (New Stile) and probably in March, for the reasons mentioned at the end of the List.

** The total number of men for each of the three last Galleys, does not correspond with the particulars.

† Mr. Phineas Pett mentions, that in January 1603-4, he was "ordered by the Lord High Admiral to build a vessel at Chatham with all possible speed, for the young Prince Henry to disport himself in above London-Bridge; her garnishing to be like the work of the Ark Royal, battlement-wise.—This little Ship was—

In length by the Keel 28 Feet
In breadth 12

I laid her keel the 19th January, and launched her the 6th March.— Set sail with her 9th March, and on 14th anchored right against the Tower, before the King's lodgings, his Majesty then lying there, before his riding through London. On 18th, anchored right against the Privy Stairs.— On 22d the Prince, with the Lord High Admiral, &c.&c. came on board, when we weighed and dropped down as low as Paul's Wharf, where we anchored: and there his Grace, with a great bowl of wine, christened the Ship, and called her by the name of the Disdain." — (MS. Life of Pins. Pett.)


Charles Derrick: Memoirs of the Rise and Progress of the Royal Navy.
Blacks & Parry; Cadell & Davies; G. & W. Nicol; H. Teape, London, 1806. pp 38-40.

Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius


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