THE CHARGE OF THE Admirals of England.  
Licenced according to Order.  
AS England is Walled round with a Wall of Water, Her Defence of that Wall by Her Floating Castles, Her Naval Strength and Management, is her greatest, if not almost Her only Bulwarks and Rampants. This is most certain, as the British Empire holds a twofold Regale, Her Sceptre, and Her Trident; Her Dominion at Land, and Her Sovereignty at Sea; so, that Maritine Principality being the Frontiers and Out-lines of Her whole Power and Territories, and consequently Her chiefest Strength, as being Her only Inlet; that Deputed Hand, that under the Imperial Commission, has the Charge of Her Admiralty, has the highest Post of Honour, and the most Important Trust that a Crowned Head can lodge in a Subject. For, as no Attaque can be made upon England, without first gaining Her Mastery of the Sea, the Preservation of that fairest of Her Crown-Jewels is, and aught to be Her ablest Care and Industry.  
This is notoriously manifest from the neverdying Fame of our Great Elizabeth, where one entire Naval Triumph o'er Spain, was of more Advantage to this Kingdom, and carried more Trophies along with it, than all the Battles and Successes of a Third Edward, or a Fifth Henry, in the very Bowels of France. For, to sum the whole Grandeur of that Greatest of Potentates, and best of Queens; Her Sword-work at Land, tho' encompassed with Enemies, was nothing to Her Thunder-work at Sea.  
The Fortune of that single Stroke, attended with so great a Blow upon Spain, and Her prudent Caution of suppressing the Maritine Growth of France, even against their great Fourth Henry himself, in threatening to burn his Navy in their Harbour for so much as attempting to build a Capital Ship of War, was of that high Import to the English Grandeur; that had Her Politics been pursued, and Her Advantages from that only Success been rightly improved by Her Masculine, tho' (Heaven knows) more Effeminate Successors; England had held the Scale of Europe to End of the World, and the present Greatness of France, the now Terror of Christendom, had been wholly an impracticable Attempt and Ambition.  
But as the aforesaid Esteminacy of the succeeding Reigns, utterly neglected that fortunate Occasion, and lost the happy Forelock; which had we held, we had awed the whole World, and preserved the English Greatness, as immortal, as that Princess' neverdying Memory, and has thereby so infinitely lessened our Original British Lustre: Nevertheless, 'tis not so late, even after all our Losses, and former Mis-managements, to endeavour some part at least of so necessary a Recovery. This Glory at least we have to boast, for our Encouragement, That never more hardy Courage sat on the English Throne than now. Nor a Prince, whose Endeavours and Zeal can be more strenuous, or more indefatigable, for the Redemption of our too long falling Glory. Could all Hands follow; but as this leads, both Fear and Despair would be far from our Doors, and a new Dawn of Hopes surronnd us.  
But to return to our Admiral's 'Cause: As the Sea is a Divisum Imperium, a separate Sovereignty from that of the Land; and accordingly the Laws; by which all Maritine Affairs are tried, are different from the common Law of the Nation; So the Lord High Admiral of England's Commission, as so much different from any other Command, constitutes him no less than a Viceroy; a Title above any other Dignity, or Preferment whatever.  
If the Honour of the Command itself be so Eminent and Illustrious, the Faithful and Zealous Execution of it must be truly more Honourable and Illustrious; for indeed 'tis only the Discharge of a Trust, and the Exertion of Virtuous Actions, and Gallant Achievements, are the true Foundation of Renown and Glory.  
As the ever-memorable Drake has left a Name that will live as long Time itself shall last; we may likewise add, That our latter Honourable Admiral Russel has acquired as large a share of Fame, as true English Courage, rewarded with Success and Victory, can well reach. And 'tis highly to be wished, that our this present Years latter Expedition, in our Joint Commission of Admiralty, could have met with as fair a Chaplet of Laurels. But if either any unsmiling Providences above, or unhappier Conduct below, have denied us that Blessing; 'tis our Misfortune, that so fair a Chian should ever be broken, and that such Signal Happinesses should be other than the continued show'ring Favours of our kind Stars.  
But whether our this Years Unhappiness at Sea was Misfortune, or Mis-management, is a Province above me; 'tis safficient, that Sub Judice lis est. The Cause is depending before the Great Council of the Land, Our Patriots in Parliament Assembled, whose Vigilance and Wisdom, as they have the Inspection now before them; so their Hands have the Balance, and Scales, to do Justice accordingly.   

London, Printed for Tho. Batcheler, at Charing-Cross, 1693.