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CHAPTER III

KING CHARLES II. RETURNS TO ENGLAND

Prince Henry's pleasure ship Disdain, 1604—Shipbuilding, an "art or mystery"—Famous ships of this period—Origin of the frigate—Naval wars—Embarkation of Charles II., 1660, in a yacht owned by the Prince of Orange—Thirteen yachts in the cortège—The King re-embarks and lands in England—The Restoration.

IN 1603 King James I., son of Mary Queen of Scots, succeeded Queen Elizabeth. England and Scotland then became united under one flag, the red cross of St. George combining with the white cross of St. Andrew. This flag became known as the "Union Jack," a corruption of "Jacques," and so called in compliment to King James. In 1801, when Ireland was taken into the Union, the red diagonal cross of St. Patrick was added, the flag thus continuing to the present day.

In 1604 Phineas Pett, a member of the distinguished ship-building family, received instructions from Lord High-Admiral Howard to "build in all haste a miniature pleasure ship" for Prince Henry, the eldest son of King James. An account of this little vessel is given in a monograph of Phineas Pett, the manuscript being still preserved in the British Museum. The author thus describes the progress of this little ship:

"About January 15, 1604, a letter was sent post-

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