Licensed according to Order .

AS England is Wall'd 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 two-fold Regale , Her Scepter , and Her Trident ; Her Dominion at Land , and Her Soveraignty 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 Crown'd 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 ought to be Her ablest Care and Industry .

This is notoriously manifest from the never-dying Fame of our Great Elizabeth , where one intire Naval Triumph o're 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 summ 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 threatning 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 Politicks been pursued , and Her Advantages from that onely Success been rightly improved by Her Masculine , tho' ( Heavens 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 Princesses never-dying Memory , and has thereby so infinitely lessened our Original British Lustre : Nevertheless , 't is 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 sate 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 . Cou'd 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 Soveraignty 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 it self be so Eminent and Illustrious , the Faithful and Zealous Execution of it must be truly more Honourable and Illustrious ; for indeed 't is only the Discharge of a Trust , and the Exertion of Virtuous Actions , and Gallant Atchievements , are the true Foundation of Renown and Glory .

As the ever-memorable Drake has left a Name that will live as long Time it self 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 't is highly to be wish'd , that our this present Years latter Expedition , in our Joynt Commission of Admiralty , cou'd have met with as fair a Chapplet of Lawrels . But if either any unsmiling Providences above , or unhappier Conduct below , have deny'd us that Blessing ; 't is 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 ; 't is 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 Ballance , and Scales , to do Justice accordingly .