Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Master's Theses Graduate College 8-1980 The Influence of the Introduction of Heavy Ordnance on the Development of the English Navy in the Early Tudor Period Kristin MacLeod Tomlin Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses Part of the European History Commons Recommended Citation Tomlin, Kristin MacLeod, "The Influence of the Introduction of Heavy Ordnance on the Development of the English Navy in the Early Tudor Period" (1980). Master's Theses. 1921. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/1921 This Masters Thesis-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE INFLUENCE OF THE INTRODUCTION OF HEAVY ORDNANCE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENGLISH NAVY IN THE EARLY TUDOR PERIOD by K ristin MacLeod Tomlin A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Department of History Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan August 1980 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis grew out of a paper prepared for a seminar at the University of Warwick in 1976-77. Since then, many persons have been invaluable in helping me to complete the work. I would like to express my thanks specifically to the personnel of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England, and of the Public Records Office, London, for their help in locating sources. I would also like to thank Dr. Sherwood Cordier and Dr. Albert Castel for acting as advisors for this project. In addition I wish to express grati­ tude to Dr. and Mrs. Dale Pattison for their advice. Finally, many thanks to Lynne Parcells for typing the project. K ristin MacLeod Tomlin i i Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. INFORMATION TO USERS This was produced from a copy of a document sent to us for microfilming. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the material submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or notations which may appear on this reproduction. 1. The sign or “target” for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is “Missing Page(s)”. If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting through an image and duplicating adjacent pages to assure you of complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a round black mark it is an indication that the film inspector noticed either blurred copy because of movement during exposure, or duplicate copy. Unless we meant to delete copyrighted materials that should not have been filmed, you will find a good image of the page in the adjacent frame. 3. When a map, drawing or chart, etc., is part of the material being photo­ graphed the photographer has followed a definite method in “sectioning” the material. It is customary to begin filming at the upper left hand corner of a large sheet and to continue from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. If necessary, sectioning is continued again—beginning below the first row and continuing on until complete. 4. For any illustrations that cannot be reproduced satisfactorily by xerography, photographic prints can be purchased at additional cost and tipped into your xerographic copy. Requests can be made to our Dissertations Customer Services Department. 5. Some pages in any document may have indistinct print. In all cases we have filmed the best available copy. University M icrdnlm s International 300 N. ZEEB ROAD. ANN ARBOR, Ml 48106 18 BEDFORD ROW, LONDON WC1R 4EJ. ENGLAND Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 1315383 ITDHL IN , KRISTIN MACLEOD THE INFLUENCE OF THE INTRODUCTION OF HEAVY ORDNANCE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENGLISH NAVY IN THE EARLY TUDOR PERIOD. WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY. M.A* 1980 COPR. 1980 TOMLIN. KRISTIN MACLEOD University Microfilms International 3 0 0 n zeeb road, ann arbor, mi 48io6 Copyright by K ristin MacLeod Tomlin 1980 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................. i i LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ........................................................................................ iv LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................... v INTRODUCTION ........................................... 1 Chapter I . NAVAL DEVELOPMENT IN ENGLAND BEFORE HENRY VII ...................... 5 I I . EARLY NAVAL ARCHITECTURE .................................................................. 11 I I I . EARLY NAVAL ORDNANCE: PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES ................ 17 IV. THE NAVY UNDER HENRY VII .................................................................. 23 V. THE REGENT ............................................................................................... 33 VI. THE REVOLUTION IN ORDNANCE .............................................................. 39 V II. ARCHITECTURAL CONSEQUENCES OF HEAVY ORDNANCE.......................... 51 V III. THE DEVELOPMENT OF NAVAL ADMINISTRATION .................................. 6H IX. ROBERT BRIGANDYNE, CLERK OF THE KING'S SHIPS ........................ 71 X. TACTICAL RESULTS OF THE CHANGE IN ORDNANCE ............................ 77 XI. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................... 81 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................... 85 SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................ 91 GLOSSARY .................... 95 i i i Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 1. B uilt-up Breech-loading Gun, Showing Swivel Mount. Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries ........................... 19 2. The Sovereign's Decks ............................... 26 3. Carvel Construction .............................................................................. 55 4. Clinker Construction ..................................................................................... 55 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF TABLES 1. The Navy L ist of Henry VII ....................................... ............................ 24 2. The Arrangement of the Sovereign1 s Ordnance ................................... 28 3. The Regent's Ordnance ................................................................................ 28 4. The Armament of the Sweepstake and Marv Fortune ....................... 29 5. Perier-class Ordnance in Ships, 1509-1514 ..................... 41 6. Dimensions of Cannon-class Ordnance ................................................... 42 7. Dimensions of Culverin-class Ordnance ............................................... 43 8. Culverin-class Ordnance in Ships, 1514 ......................................... 44 9. Culverin-class Ordnance in Ships, 1540 ............................................. 44 10. Murderers on Ships, 1512-1513 ................................................................ ^6 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. INTRODUCTION In 1827, at the battle of Navarino, the age of fighting sail came v ir tu a lly to an end. Steampower had arriv e d and w ith i t the sailing ship as a weapon of war was rendered obsolete. However, obsolescence did not erase the memory of the great ships of the line. For three hundred years they had reigned supreme as the most powerful naval weapons and even today their might is not forgotten. The high point for fighting sail came in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This period is replete with the names of g reat naval a c tio n s— Quiberon Bay, Camperdown, S t. V incent, the Nile, Trafalgar; and great admirals— Anson, Rodney, Howe, Colling- wood, and Nelson. I t was, unquestionably, a time when seapower was a key factor in the course of history. Many nations were involved in the struggle for supremacy at sea, but England, with the talent and the string of victories just mentioned, ultimately triumphed and retained its position until well into the twentieth century. .That it was able to succeed so specta­ cularly at sea comes as no surprise. Britain's status as an island nation, its dependence upon the sea for its livelihood and as a 'moat defensive', had always inspired in its people an affinity to water. Towards the end of the middle ages, as men grew more adventurous and t') began to expand their horizons, Englishmen started to realize that their 'moat' was not sufficient. A growing nation depended upon growing trade to sustain itself and England was especially suscept- 1 Reproduced with permission