who from a top had thrown himself, fully armed, into the sea. The ships of Dieppe were in great danger, when they were very opportunely succoured by three or four Breton ships belonging to Croisic, which made chase after the enemy. The English fleet took to flight, and was followed up as far as the coast of England."
Portzmoguer appears in many French histories as "Primoguet"; and Hubert Veille, the continuator of Robert Gaguin, latinises him as Primangaius. The fight of the Cordelière, like that of the Vengeur in 1794, and of our own Revenge in 1591, has, thanks to patriotism, poetry, and vulgar tradition, been clouded over with the rosy mists of myth, and has become a naval legend. So much so is this the case that, although the French fleet in modern days has always included a vessel supposed to be named after the gallant captain of the Cordelière, he is commemorated, not as Portzmoguer, but as Primauguet.
Little or nothing was done during the winter, it being then and long afterwards the opinion of naval officers that it was almost madness to attempt to keep fleets of heavy ships at sea between the end of autumn and the beginning of spring.[1] But in March, 1513, the Lord High Admiral sailed again for the coasts of Brittany, with forty-two men-of-war, besides small craft. Among his captains were Sir John Wallop,[2] Sir Thomas Cheyne, Lord Ferrers,[3] Sir Henry Sherburn, Sir William Sydney, Sir William Fitz-William,[4] Sir Edward Echyngham, Sir Richard Cromwell, Stephen Bull, Compton, and others. The immediate object of the expedition seems to have been to clear the seas in order to permit Henry himself to pass over to France and personally conduct the campaign there.
Upon arriving off Brest, Lord Edward learnt that the French fleet lay within ready to sail, and awaiting only the appearance from the Mediterranean of the galleys[5] under Prégent de Bidoux. He blockaded the enemy, who, to protect himself, threw up batteries on each side of the harbour, and drew across it four-and-twenty hulks
- ↑ This was the view even of Sir Clowdisley Shovell at the beginning of the eighteenth century.
- ↑ Sir John Wallop was made a K.G. in 1544. He died in the fifth year of Edward VI.
- ↑ Sir Walter Devereux, K.G. He was the third Baron Ferrers, and in 1550 was created Viscount Hereford.
- ↑ Son of Sir Thomas Fitz-William, Kt., was knighted after the siege of Tournay, and was wounded off Brest in the action of 1513. In 1536 he was made Lord High Admiral and Earl of Southampton. He died a K.G. in 1543.
- ↑ As noted above, they do not appear to have arrived in 1512.
