According to
the contemporary chronicles, Weymouth, Fowey, Sandwich, and
Bristol, were then of nearly almost as much importance as
London;[4] which latter city only furnished twenty-five vessels,
with 662 mariners.
The Royal Fleet began in the reign of Henry VII. Only six or
seven vessels then belonged to the King, the largest being the
Grace de Dieu, of comparatively small tonnage. The custom then
was, to hire ships from the Venetians, the Genoese, the Hanse
towns, and other trading people; and as soon as the service for
which the vessels so hired was performed, they were dismissed.
When Henry VIII. ascended the throne in 1509, he directed his
attention to the state of the navy. Although the insular
position of England was calculated to stimulate the art of
shipbuilding more than in most continental countries, our best
ships long continued to be built by foreigners. Henry invited
from abroad, especially from Italy, where the art of shipbuilding
had made the greatest progress, as many skilful artists and
workmen as he could procure, either by the hope of gain, or the
high honours and distinguished countenance which he paid them.
"By incorporating," says Charnock, "these useful persons among
his own subjects, he soon formed a corps sufficient to rival
those states which had rendered themselves most distinguished by
their knowledge in this art; so that the fame of Genoa and
Venice, which had long excited the envy of the greater part of
Europe, became suddenly transferred to the shores of Britain.
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