Otherwise the fault ought to be laid on the admiral if anything should happen but well.[8] And if he did an exploit without assent of the captains and [it] proved well, the king ought to put him out of his room for purposing a matter of such charge of his own brain, whereby the whole fleet might fall into the hands of the enemy to the destruction of the king's people.[29] FOOTNOTES: [1] _A Book of Orders for the War both by Land and Sea, written by Thomas Audley at the command of King Henry VIII.
[2] _I.e._ hinder.
[3] MS.

'the shot of.' The whole MS.

has evidently been very carelessly copied and is full of small blunders, which have been corrected in the text above.

'Board' till comparatively recent times meant to close with a ship.

'Enter' was our modern 'board.' [4] 'Ridden' = 'cleared.' [5] 'Bulge' = 'scuttle.' A ship was said to bulge herself when she ran aground and filled.
[6] The passage should probably read 'hale or haul his tacks aboard.' [7] _I.e._ 'without,' 'unless.' [8] It was under this old rule that Boroughs lodged his protest against Drake's entering Cadiz in 1587.
[9] The rest of the articles relate to discipline, internal order of ships, and securing prize cargoes.
THE ADOPTION OF SPANISH TACTICS BY HENRY VIII INTRODUCTORY These two sets of orders were drawn up by the lord high admiral in rapid succession in August 1545, during the second stage of Henry VIII's last war with France.