ENGLAND'S SAFETY IN NAVY AND FORTIFICATIONS; The common Interest both of King and People.  
CONTAINING NECESSARY OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING DOVER, AND OTHER SEA-TOWNS OF ENGLAND.  
Published for the necessary View of the Right Honourable, The High Court of PARLIAMENT: And also for the public safety of the Kingdom, and all other his Majesty's Dominions.  
Printed for Io: Changed: and john Bull. 1642.   

NECESSARY OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING DOVER, AND OTHER SEA-TOWNS OF ENGLAND.  
DOVER with her Castle hath (by Ancients) been accounted, The lock and key to the whole Realm of England. Likewise the five Ports, together with the two ancient Towns annexed, or incorporated into the same; with their seven members, have all of them been places of great strength and importance; and consequently, have therefore obtained many great privileges. In this Latin Verse next ensuing (unfitting to be in this observation omitted) are all the said fourteen Haven Towns set forth.  
Hastingus, Dover, Sandwicus, Romneus, Hithus,  
Sunt Portus. Villae antiquae, Rya, Frigmare ventus.  
Villa februm, gentis saxum, pelagi vada, Lydda,  
Fordwich, Tenterden, Penensea, membra notantur.  
Englished, Hasting, Dover, Sandwich, Romney, and Heath, are the Cinque or five Ports, Rye and Winchelsea are the two ancient Towns, united and incorporated into the same privileges the said Cinque-Ports enjoy.  
Feversham, Foulkston, Sea-ford, Lydd, Fordwich, Tenterden, and Pevensey, are the Five Ports, and two ancient Towns, several members, besides Deal. Walmer. Very many Villages and Parishes in the Island of Thanet in Kent, and some elsewhere, enjoying the same liberties and privileges for the Lands defence.  
The Castles of Dover, Sandowne, Deale, Walmer, Sandgate, Camber, Moates-Bulwarke, and Archcliff●-Bulwarke▪ these many years now past, have been much decayed in their several Magazens of Arms, and all sorts of warlike Munition, which have heretofore been kept and continually very well supported and maintained; as not only honourable, strong, and defensible Forts, standing next unto the Seas, being Frontiers of this Realm; but also so necessary Fortifications for the defence and safeguard of the same, that they have always been repaired, and with Munition continually supplied, for the public defence of this Kingdom, yet of late years have wanted much provision of habiliments for War, or warlike defence; besides all the defects in store. A part of the North Wall of Dover Castle since the year 1637. by tempestuous or such like weather, hath fallen down into the Castle-trench. Likewise much of the Leads of the King's lodgings in the said Castle have by boisterous tempests and great winds, blown quite up to the top of the stone-worke thereof, and some blown over it; impairing the who●e Timber Fabric underneath, to the great prejudice of England's sometimes glorious & formidable Commonwealth; notwithstanding, the several provisions, stores, and Magazens of the said Castles, etc. have been of late much decayed, have little or nothing been replenished.  
At the first coming of the Spanish great Fleet of War in the beginning of September 1639. into the narrow Seas, and into the King's Chamber, there so called; The said several Castles. Bulwarks, and places of Defence, were all, or most of them, without any strength formidable before the face of so strong and mighty a Fleet, or any power resistable, if an attempt had been performed by the vast and Warlike Spanish-Fleete aforesaid; but contrariwise, in very weak plight and doleful state, even in depaire of losing the most part of the Sea-Townes and Fortifications near Dover, the Downs, and elsewhere, if not the dangerous destruction of the whole Island, nay, the whole Kingdom.  
For further demonstration of the Castles and Seacoasts several weaknesses, three hundred land-souldiers were appointed out of the said five Ports, Haven-Towns, and Members to be raised for pursuit of the Scots in that late expedition, if they had been compelled unto, and to march away from the said Ports, had been a design only to weaken, the then weak and too weak, seacoasts for such a time of action: heretofore they have been accounted the keys of England, yet at that time of eminent danger, they might well have been esteemed, the Destruction of England. Had we not been then by the Holland Navy defended (as one well termed it, the scourge of Spain) whom together with us were protected by the divine providence above, in guiding Admiral Van-Trompe here below, England doubtless in the said year 1639 had miserably felt the savage cruelty of Spain's great Treachery; to a Kingdom then and still in League and friendship with him. Heretofore the courageous stoutness of the English had rather expire in a valiant resistance, than yield to the lasting slavery of so proud a Nation.  
Queen Elizabeth of ever famous memory, kept them under enough; and their Spanish proud hearts humble in sight only of her Majesty's ships, and her Vice-admiral Sir Francis Drake; as for instance, when the Armado of Spain in the year 1588. was arrived in the Narrow Seas, having passed the place of their expected supply, and gotten Sea-room for their high bodied Hulks, spread their main sails, and made away as fast as wind and water would give them leave, more fearing the small Fleet and Forces of the English, (though nothing in number like unto them) than standing upon terms of Honour either of their chieftains or Invincible Navy: Yet surely if they had known the want of Powder, (a fault unexcusable upon our coasts) they (no doubt) would have stood longer to their tackle. But God in this of 1588. as likewise of the last Armado of Spain, 1639. would have us to acknowledge, that we were only delivered by his own gracious providence and arm, and not by any policy or strength of our own. A Motto on the said Vice-admiral Drake, though not much pertinent to the matter in the precedency of these observations treated on, yet deservedly to be remembered to the everlasting renown of so valiant and so true a Subject to the said Queen Elizabeth. 
If Popery should (which God forbidden) re-raigne,  
They could not, Noble Drake, dig up thy grave,  
As once they did, I say, with fell disdain,  
Against good Luther furiously rage and rave.  
They could not do't against thee, I say, for why,  
Thy bones in th'bottom of the sea do lie.   
Now to the Subject aforesaid, notwithstanding the weakness of the said Fortifications, in that time of straight 1639. England's Sea provision was as weak, if not weaker than the Castles, Fortifications, etc. Provision on the shore, only four of his Majesty's ships (near those Sea rowns and Villages aforenamed then and still in distress, if no better fortified then within these few months now past, if any occasion or attempt in a warlike manner be offered) for assistance and preservation of Britain's great Island; What were his Highness said 4. ships of war to the Spanish great Gallownes fifty three in number? full of provision of all materials for war, fitted with grave and (questionless) skilful Seamen. Moreover in each said ship or great Gallows, were a very great store of Land-men: Likewise to each several great companies were Captains both of sea and land soldiers, in those vast Gallownes.  
The report of a friend of mine, skilful both in Sea and Land Employments, declared his opinion, That this mighty Fleet was bound either for England or Ireland, and, said he, a fit time for them to act their afore-intended Designs; By reason England hath enough to do with Scotland at present: yet (said he) though their pretence be for the relief of Flanders chief City and Sea-town Dunkirk, there to discharge their multitudes of Sea and Land Soldiers, said he, the Hulls or Bottoms of those mighty warlike Gallownes draw too much water for ever coming to Dunkirk, or any nearer than a League or two: therefore (said he) if their Commissions were made known, this Fleet is to land in some Port or Ports of England, for they have both Sea and Land Companies, and likewise their Ordnance are mounted with Land carriages above the Decks of their Gallownes; To the intent immediately after their landing in their Ports designed by their Commissions, that with the Field or Land carriages wherewith the said Ordnance are mounted, may display upon the Country; And likewise with man's strength, or otherwise, draw them against the Castles, Bulwarks, and fortified Places of this Island, thereby forthwith to obtain a great part of the Shire or County wherein they land, until repulse, nay even to the City of London, the Metropolitan City of this Kingdom of England. Many great Papists (of this Kingdom (for instance) during the Spanish Fleets stay in the Downs, a good Road for ships near Dover) came thither, and were very jocant and jovial, nay some of them in a kind of commanding way, seeing things almost compliant with their purposes.  
And at the time aforesaid generally through the whole Kingdom, every Province or County had a Treasurer for the PaPists, to supply the wants either of weapons or money of all the Popish party that needed therein; so that consequently the said Spanish Fleet came for and was provided for this Kingdom in that time of England's distress. I say distress, by reason of the intended war betwixt England and Scotland, which (God be praised) hath ended in a blessed peace, and likewise the weakness of England's Navy and Fortifications aforesaid. Now not omitting a true verse, describing this Kingdoms public welfare, (if truly observed) for the knowledge of England's Worthies in the Honourable and high Court of Parliament, now assembled as followeth. 
England's safe gates, are her Cirqueports,  
Her stately ships, her walls:  
Her Camps, the Sea; Bulwarks, her Corpse;  
Her heart, her Generals.   
The days are now dangerous, and full of mischiefs infinite, therefore if the great Council of Parliament would but cast their eyes (on the King's Navy, Castles, Towers, Bulwarks, Blockhouses, and all fortified places for England's safety and defence, and likewise upon a book entitled, The Advice of that worthy Commander Sir Charles Howard, newly published, and lately presented to this most Noble and Honourable Assembly of Parliament; together with another small book entitled, Mr. Balls Propositions of Fortifications) and have them fully and exactly viewed, and certified under the hands of the several Generals, Admirals, Captains, Lieutenants, Gunners, and Officers, both of Navy and Fortifications, as they will testify upon their oaths on the holy Evangelists before this great Court of Parliament; That the Worthies thereof may know, the true state of the strength of the Kingdom, and so trienually in Parliament continually make restitution and provision for the same: For as a learned Member in this Parliament once spoke, That England's safety consists in being provided continually for war, and to assist the Allies of the Protestant party; the maintenance of the said warlike provision may continually be preserved and supplied by a blessed and happy peace.  
That likewise persons of good trust, and well affected to the Protestant Religion, may continually be employed in all the King's ships, Castles, Towers, Bulwarks, Blockhouses, and all other fortified places of this Kingdom; so that England may hereafter be as formidable as ever to the terror of her Enemies, and the safety of her Inhabitants, and the advancement of the true Protestant Religion; the which questionless will give great satisfaction to all good Protestants, Gods children, and the Kings most loyal and obedient subjects.  
Now let us all conclude, that your Endeavours may (by Gods most gracious assistance) be for our Countries and Kingdom flourishing in true Religion, and repulse to all our Enemies domestic and foreign, both of Church and State, holding this Maxim for ever:  Dulce & decorum pro patria mori? 
Oh, how sweet it is to spend our dearest blood,  
For our Native Country, her benefit and good?   
FINIS.