THE EARL OF BERKELEY'S SPEECH TO THE CORPORATION OF TRINITY-HOUSE AT DEPTFORD, UPON Trinity-Munday, 1680. When His Lordship was Elected MASTER BY A General and Unanimous Vote, Nemine Contradicente. LONDON, Printed for R. Royston, Bookseller to the Kings most Sacred Majesty, MDCLXXXI. The EARL OF BERKELEY'S SPEECH TO THE CORPORATION OF TRINITY-HOUSE AT DEPTFORD, UPON Trinity-Munday, 1680. GENTLEMEN, I Return you my hearty Thanks for this Extraordinary Testimony of your Respect and Kindness, in Electing me your Master for the year ensuing; and that which adds to the favour is, that I was so lately chosen first a Younger, and then an Elder Brother of this most Worthy Society. I must profess to You, I have for many years had a great value for those who have relation to Sea affairs; and esteem it much my happiness, that for so long a time I have had Relation to, and Conversation with Deserving Seamen and Traders. Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit Utile Dulci. I am sure I shall serve you in this Employment with all Faithfulness and Integrity, to the best of my Power, and shall endeavour to improve the utmost Interest I can ever pretend to in the Favour of his Gracious Majesty, our Great and most excellent good Master, and in his Ministers, and other his good Loyal Subjects, as may best conduce to your Advantage and Service; and although I cannot pretend to much Skill and Knowledge in Maritine Affairs; yet I shall make it my business to increase my Knowledge in such a degree, as may render me most capable of Serving You: And so I do again return you Thanks for this Great Respect You have now shown Me. When his Lordship resigned up his Place of Master, on Trinity-Munday this present Year 1681. his Lordship delivered, himself to the Effect following. GENTLEMEN, I Return You many Thanks for your Extraordinary Kindness to me, in Choosing me your Master for the Year past. I now Recommend my worthy Deputy, Captain Nichols, to succeed me. I have Served you with all Faithfulness; and if my Knowledge in your Concerns had been as Great as my Affection for you, I might justly have said, without bragging, that no Master has ever Served you better, because I am sure no Master ever loved you better. I am very glad it was my Honour and Happiness to attend you in presenting the late Address to his Majesty, * The KING'S Character. He loves his People, and their Faith Defends; The best of Masters, and the best of Friends. Patient though wronged, never to Passion driven; Just as His Laws, and merciful as Heaven. who is not only the Sovereign of the Seas, but the Great Master in the Art of Navigation, and a most Bountiful Rewarder of all our Services. That Loyal Address being so well Accepted, I hope you will Receive the Fruits and Benefits of it. Worthy Gentlemen, I have had the Title of your Master for a Year, but I shall continue an Elder Brother, and your true Friend and Servant all my whole Life. I pray God to Bless and Prosper you in all your affairs both by Sea and by Land. THE END. The Names of those Elder Brethren of Trinity-House that Signed the Address they made to His Majesty the 15th of May, 1681. The Earl of Berkeley Master. Captain Simon Nichols D. Master. The Earl of Craven. Sir Richard Haddock. Sir Joseph Jordan. Sir John Narbrough. Sir Rich. Browne. Sir Thomas Allin. Sir Matthew Andrews. Sir John Berry. Samuel Pepys Esq Capt. Hen. Tiddeman. Capt. Henry Low. Capt. John Nichols. Capt. Anth. Tuchen. Capt. Simon Baylv. Capt. Henry Mudd. Capt. Isaac Woodgreen. Capt. Hugh Till. Capt. John Hill. Capt. Francis Wilshaw. Capt. John Proud. Capt. Henry Shear. Capt. Tho. Collier. Capt. Robert Fisher. Capt. Tho. Brown. Capt. James Bonnell. Capt. Anth. Young Capt. Arnold Browne. There were only the two following Gentlemen who were then at Sea that did not Sign, viz. Capt. Samuel Chamblet. Capt. Chr. Gunman. The Humble ADDRESS OF THE CORPORATION OF TRINITY-HOUSE. Windsor, May 15. 1681. This day the Right Honourable George Earl of Berkeley, Master of the Corporation of the Trinity-House of Deptford-Strond; in company with the Wardens, Assistants, and Elder-brethrens of the said Corporation, attended His MAJESTY here, with an ADDRESS, Introduced by his Lordship, with a Speech to the Effect following. May it please Your Majesty, WE your Majesty's most Loyal and Dutiful Subjects, do in all Humility acknowledge, that your Majesty has been most Gracious to all your Subjects; very particularly to Traders, and to those who have had the Honour to be employed in your Maritine affairs. None of your Predecessors (SIR,) have ever been pleased to give us so much Countenance and Encouragement as your Majesty has done; and therefore we hope, you will please to pardon us, if we put some value upon ourselves for having received such Signal marks of your Grace and Favour to us. SIR, Your great Goodness gives us the presumption of making this Humble Address to your Majesty; which we beg may be now Read. The Address was by His Majesty's Command accordingly Read, in the Terms following, viz. To the King's most Excellent MAJESTY THE HUMBLE ADDRESS OF THE Master, Wardens, Assistants and Elder-brethrens of the Corporation of the Trinity-House of Deptford-Strond, SHOWETH, THat we your majesty's most Loyal and Dutiful Subjects, the Body Corporate of the Seamen and Mariners of this your Kingdom of England, having taken into serious consideration your majesty's most Gracious Declaration, wherein you have been lately pleased to give to all your good Subjects an assurance of your Royal Purposes of calling frequent Parliaments, and employing your utmost Endeavours (both in and out of Parliament) towards the Extirpation of Popery, Redressing and Prevention of Grievances, and Governing in all things according to the Laws of this your Kingdom; Do with all Humility return Our most humble Thanks to your most Sacred Majesty, for this your so Gracious Condescension to the just and ample satisfaction of all your Loyal Subjects; acknowledging it likewise the especial Duty of this Corporation, to declare to the World your majesty's Royal and unwearied Care, both in the general promotion of all Matters conducing to the Prosperity and Improvement of the Navigation and Trade of this your Kingdom; and in the particular instance lately given thereof by your Majesty, in your Royal Endeavours for the preservation of your City and Port of Tangier, in the midst of so many Difficulties, and at so great Expense. And we do most Humbly beseech your Majesty to accept of the Assurances which we here in all Duty tender you, of the utmost Effects of Our constant and sincere Allegiance to your Majesty, under your most Gracious Government, both in Church and State, as it is now by Law Established: Adding in all Humility, That as it has already been the Honour of very many your Faithful Subjects, Members of this Corporation, to have hazarded their Lives in your Majesty's Service on the Seas, so do we (according to our Oaths) unanimously Tender to your most Excellent Majesty (as to the best of PRINCES) the future Command of our Lives and Fortunes, in the defence of your most Sacred Majesty, your Heirs and Successors; Zealously praying to Almighty God, to grant your Majesty a Long and Prosperous Reign over Us, with a Lasting, Peaceable and Right Succession to your Royal Throne, according to Law. His Majesty was pleased to express His Gracious acceptance thereof to this Effect. My LORD, I Thank you kindly and hearty for This Address, and shall not be wanting to perform My part. And as I have always been a Friend to the Navigation and Seamen of England, you may assure yourselves I shall ever be so. THE END.