in the capture of the first Spanish prize that was taken to England, and on now being in command of the last fleet in the reign of Elizabeth.
Two other fleets were, indeed, ordered for the following spring, but the death of the queen changed the plans, and one fleet under Leveson and Monson was stationed to keep watch on the coast of France and Flanders, against any attempt to interfere with the succession. Monson at this time had his flag in the Mer Honour, while Leveson was ordered to hoist his on board the Repulse, a smaller ship. Monson's explanation of this is that the lords of the council feared Leveson's ambition, and though they would not take the extreme step of deposing him from the command, they appointed Monson as his second, in a larger ship, with the understanding that if any opposition was offered to the accession of James, Lord Thomas Howard, afterwards Earl of Suffolk, was to take command of the fleet on board the Mer Honour, and send Monson to the Repulse to supersede Leveson. The precaution, however, proved needless, and on the king's arrival in London the ships were ordered to Chatham.
In July 1604 Monson was appointed admiral of the narrow seas. He accepted the office with some misgiving, pointing out to Cecil (afterwards Earl of Salisbury) that he might be called on to prevent the Dutch and Spaniards from fighting in English waters ; after the long alliance with Holland, after the long war with Spain, the Dutch had come to consider it their right and in the natural course of things to attack the Spaniards wherever they met them. This forecast was soon verified. During the war the right of the flag had been waived in favour of the Dutch, and they were unwilling now again to recognise it ; they enforced the blockade of the coast of Flanders and seized any English vessels that attempted to break it ; their ships came into the Downs and made no secret of their intention to seize any Spaniard that might be there. At Monson's request a proclamation prohibited 'all nations from offering violence one to another, within the compass of a line drawn from headland to headland.' On 10 May 1605, when Monson anchored in the Downs, he found there six Dutch ships which had come in, with the evident intention of seizing a Dunkirker, then lying in the harbour of Sandwich. Monson made the Dutch captains acquainted with the proclamation ; and on their refusing to obey it, he angrily answered that if one shot was fired at the Dunkirker, he would sink them. In the end they permitted the ship to escape (ib. p. 213), Such incidents were constantly recurring, and obtained for Monson the cordial hatred of the Dutch.
An important part of his duty at this time was the carrying ambassadors or princely visitors backwards and forwards across the Channel or to Spain. These, with their retinue, numbering sometimes as many as three hundred persons, were on board perhaps a day, or it might be a month. During this time their maintenance was at the admiral's cost, amounting, he says, between 1604 and 1616 to not less than 1,500l., which was never repaid him. Another extremely important service which he was called on to perform was the suppression of the pirates, who had established themselves in the creeks, lochs, and firths of the west of Scotland, among the Hebrides, and still more on the west coast of Ireland. In 1614, after searching along the coast of Scotland and through the islands, Monson arrived in the end of June at Broad Haven, in co. Mayo, 'the well-head of all pirates.' Here he found that the most friendly relations existed between the pirates and the natives ; and when he led the latter to believe that he too was a pirate, he and his people were entertained with the utmost cordiality. The men, and still more the women, received them with open arms ; and in feasting, drinking, dancing, and love-making the days passed merrily, till Monson, having tracked out the whole organisation, suddenly seized all the principal persons of the neighbourhood, and for four-and-twenty hours kept them prisoners in the expectation of being hanged. He then released them with a caution ; one only, an Englishman, who had fraudulently obtained a pass from the sheriff, being sent out of the country. The Irish were, however, so frightened that a few days later they betrayed to Monson a large pirate vessel which incautiously ran into a neighbouring river. The pirates were brought prisoners to Broad Haven, and there the chief of them were hanged scoundrels ' who had tasted twice before of his majesty's gracious pardon.' The executions struck such terror into the community that 'the pirates ever after became strangers to that harbour of Broad Haven, and in a little time wholly abandoned Ireland' (ib. p. 221).
In June 1611 Monson arrested the unfortunate Lady Arabella Seymour as she was escaping to France (ib. p. 210). Monson believed that he incurred the hatred of many for his share in the business ; but he also believed that his being 'too forward in complaining, and wishing a reformation' of the navy had 'purchased him much envy,' and especially the ill-will of the Earl of Nottingham. That in later years Nottingham was
