had succeeded to the dukedom of Norfolk in 1524; but when Richmond died in 1536, the office was more deservedly conferred upon Sir William Fitz-William, K.G.,[1] who, in the following year was made Earl of Southampton and Lord Privy Seal, being already Treasurer of the Household and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. At the end of 1539, Southampton, with a fleet of sixty sail, escorted Anne of Cleves to England. This was almost his last naval service. In 1540 he was succeeded as Lord High Admiral by John, Lord Russell, afterwards Earl of Bedford;[2] and he in turn was succeeded on January 27th, 1543, by John Dudley, Lord Lisle, who subsequently became Earl of Warwick and then Duke of Northumberland, and who was the father-in-law of Lady Jane Grey.
The year 1544 found Henry VIII. again in alliance with the emperor, and again at war with France and Scotland. Lisle, with a considerable fleet,[3] picked up at the mouth of the Tyne a convoy of two hundred transports laden with troops under the Earl of Hereford, and escorted them to the Forth, where the army was landed near Leith on May 5th.[4] Edinburgh was taken and sacked, but the castle held out so stoutly that the English withdrew, and the fleet returned to the south ravaging and plundering the Scots coasts on its way. Later in the year the Earl of Lennox, father of Lord Darnley, who had temporarily joined the English party, manifested his zeal by heading a squadron of twelve or fourteen ships, with which he harassed Arran, Bute and Argyll. He brought back much spoil to Bristol, and then made a second raid with a smaller force.
More important operations were undertaken in France. Henry in person landed at Calais on July 14th, and took the field with an army of thirty thousand men. He laid siege to Boulogne, Lord Lisle at the same time blockading it by sea; and on September 14th the place surrendered.[5]
Sir Thomas Seymour, afterwards Lord Seymour of Sudeley, was appointed vice-admiral, and directed on October 29th,[6] 1544, to take command of a fleet for the conveyance of a quantity of stores to the
- ↑ He assumed office on August 16th, 1536.
- ↑ He assumed office on July 18th, 1540.
- ↑ Speed, 782: Stowe, 585; Leslie, 'De Reb. Gest. Scot.' x. 472. Sir William Wynter was in this fleet.
- ↑ At Leith were taken the Unicorn and Salamander, which were added to the navy.
- ↑ 'Fœdera,' xv. 52; Hall, 258b; Holinshed, ii. 964.
- ↑ S. P. Dom. 1544.
