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CHAPTER IV.

CIVIL HISTORY OF NAVAL AFFAIRS, 1066–1154.

Ships of the eleventh century—The Long Serpent—Harold's fleet—Reasons for its failure to oppose William I.—The Normans—William I. as pirate—His claims to the English crown—His preparations—His ships—The Mora—The Danegeld revived—William as conqueror—The admiral's court—The law of wrecks—Ships of the twelfth century—Loss of the White Ship—Size of ancient vessels probably underrated—Rarity of trustworthy representations of them—M. Jal's remarks.

THE Anglo-Saxon ships of the period of the Norman conquest did not, in all probability, differ materially from those of a somewhat earlier date, save in that they were larger. The warships can scarcely have been very different from those of the contemporary Danes, Swedes, and Norwegians, with whom the Anglo-Saxons of the first half of the eleventh century came into such frequent and unpleasant contact. The dimensions of the Gokstad ship have been given. In the eleventh century, they were largely exceeded. Even Olaf Tryggvesson, who died or disappeared about the year 1000, had a ship, the Long Sepent, measuring no less than 117 feet in length, and carrying 600 men. Such a vessel^[1] was, of course, decked; and the usual division of the hull was into five cabins or compartments. The foremost one was the "lokit," in which, in a royal vessel, the king's standard-bearers were quartered. Next came the "sax," probably a general store-room, and the "krap-room," where sails and tackle were kept. Abaft this was the "fore-room," containing the arms-chest, and forming the living-room of the warriors; and astern of all was the "lofting" or great cabin, which was devoted to the commander. In port, at night, the deck was covered with a "tilt" or ridge-pole with pillars and rafters, supporting a cloth, the ends of which seem to have been

1. See Nicolaysen’s paper on the Viking Ship.