five galleys from the Mediterranean under Polain,[1] Baron de la Garde, and Strozzi, Prior of Capua. Second in command under D'Annebaut was Vice-Admiral de Moüy de la Meilleraye. Polain's own galley was the largest and strongest built up to that time, and was remarkable as having five slaves to each oar. Previous galleys had never had more than four. This combined fleet was directed to take station so as to prevent English supplies from being thrown into Boulogne, which Francis purposed to besiege by land.
In the meantime, English cruisers and privateers captured many richly laden vessels; and wine and fish became drugs in the markets of London. Holinshed, quoting Stowe, also mentions that the English fleet under Lord Lisle looked into the mouth of the Seine where the French fleet lay, and exchanged some shot with it, so inducing the galleys to come out; but that, it beginning to blow, both parties drew off, the galleys because they made very bad weather of it, and Lord Lisle because he had not sufficient sea room among the shoals. The latter returned to Portsmouth.
D'Annebaut, while waiting for Polain, had collected from between Montreuil and Bayonne all the merchantmen and privateers which he could lay hands upon, and had got together an enormous fleet, which, when Lord Lisle saw it in June, numbered two hundred sail without the galleys. Du Bellay says that when it sailed it consisted of one hundred and fifty large ships, fifty vessels of smaller burden, and twenty-five galleys; and although some modern French writers admit only forty-eight ships, fifty smaller craft, and twenty-five galleys, they do not appear to be able to give any good authority for their figures. Francis, not being yet ready to begin the siege of Boulogne, ordered this large force to attack Portsmouth. The English fleet at anchor at or off Portsmouth included only sixty sail, apart from small craft.
The various divisions of the French fleet sailed simultaneously from Le Hâvre, Honfleur, Harfleur, and other ports in the estuary of the Seine, on July 6th. Francis I. had gone to Le Hâvre to watch them put to sea, and had intended to give a grand banquet on board the flagship Caraquon, 800 tons, while some of the other ships were moving out. Owing to the negligence of the cooks, the
- ↑ This distinguished seaman's real name was Antoine Escalin. For some unknown reason, he was nicknamed Polain (young horse) or Le Poulin. He was born about 1498 of poor and humble parents at La Garde, in Dauphiné. He gained his rank of captain in an infantry regiment, and always was known as Captain Polain, even when he had attained the highest commands. (Life by Richer, and by Turpin.)
