An admiral, after receiving his commission, was immediately to appoint his lieutenants, deputies, and other officers, and was to ascertain from them the number of vessels in the ports and the names of their owners, and how many fencible seamen were in the realm. The admiral was to be paid, if a knight, 4s., if a baron, 6s. 8d., and if an earl, 8s 4d., a day. For each knight in his retinue he was allowed 2s., for each armed esquire 1s., for thirty men-at-arms £66 13s. 4d. a quarter, and for each archer 6d. a day. He was to administer justice "according to the law and ancient custom of the sea." Having collected his fleet, the admiral was to choose the best ship for the king, if present, and the next best ship, if necessary, as indicated by the steward of the household, for the king's hall, for the wardrobe, for the larder, and for the kitchen. Good ships were also to be provided for princes who were present. Before choosing a vessel for himself, the admiral was to provide accommodation for the persons and stores of lords and captains about to be embarked. Masters and constables were to be paid 6d., and mariners 3½d. a day, the latter with 6d. a week additional as "reward"; and boys were to receive 2½d. a day. Out of these wages[1] the admiral was entitled to 4d. in every pound and in return he was to carry two lanterns at night at his masthead when at sea, and, if necessary, to sue for the men's pay, and generally to attend to their interests. If the king were in the fleet, the admiral was to approach him every evening to take his orders, and afterwards the ships were to assemble round the admiral that the instructions might be repeated. The royal ship carried by night three large lanterns, arranged triangularly; the admiral carried two, and the vice-admiral one, except on special occasions. But a vice-admiral commanding a station might, while upon it, carry two lanterns. The signal for calling captains and masters on board was the hoisting of a "banner of council" "high in the middle of the mast of his ship."
Prizes taken from the enemy were to be thus divided: one-fourth to the king, one-fourth to the owners of the capturing ships, and, as regards the remaining moiety, two mariner's shares to the admiral if he were present at the capture, and one share if he were not. The passage about prizes leaves off with an "&c." which suggests that some already existing and well-known rule had already
- ↑ The wages of sailors and boys appear to be here overstated by ½d., which may have gone to the admiral, or have been expended in raising the men.—Nicolas.
