rochester.
ii
I have no dealings nor charge; for that in the
affairs of this nature every good subject is deeply
interested, and bound in conserence and duty
both to say and do his best.
<c First, therefore, it were to be wi sried that
the chief .officers under the Lord Admiral, as
Treasurer, Comptroller, Surveyor;, and the rest?
should be men of best experience in fea fervice,
as well as of judgment and practice of the utensils
and necessaries belonging unto shipping, even
from the boat's end to the kelson * of the ship;
and that no kind of people should be preserred
to these offices but such as have been thoroughly
praiflised, and be very judicial in either kind of
the above-named services. But we see it often-
times fall out otherwise; for sometimes by'the
especial favour of princes, and sometimes by the
mediation of great men for the preferment of their
servants, and most times by virtue of the purse,
and such like means, some people very raw,
unfit, and ignorant, are unworthily and unsairly
nominated to these places, when men of better
desert and ability are held back, to the great
hindrance of his Majesty's service, to the preju-
dice of the Navy, and to the no little discourage-
ment of antient and able servitors, when favour
* Which binds the ssoor or bottom timbers of the sliip.
b 4 and
ii
I have no dealings nor charge; for that in the
affairs of this nature every good subject is deeply
interested, and bound in conserence and duty
both to say and do his best.
<c First, therefore, it were to be wi sried that
the chief .officers under the Lord Admiral, as
Treasurer, Comptroller, Surveyor;, and the rest?
should be men of best experience in fea fervice,
as well as of judgment and practice of the utensils
and necessaries belonging unto shipping, even
from the boat's end to the kelson * of the ship;
and that no kind of people should be preserred
to these offices but such as have been thoroughly
praiflised, and be very judicial in either kind of
the above-named services. But we see it often-
times fall out otherwise; for sometimes by'the
especial favour of princes, and sometimes by the
mediation of great men for the preferment of their
servants, and most times by virtue of the purse,
and such like means, some people very raw,
unfit, and ignorant, are unworthily and unsairly
nominated to these places, when men of better
desert and ability are held back, to the great
hindrance of his Majesty's service, to the preju-
dice of the Navy, and to the no little discourage-
ment of antient and able servitors, when favour
* Which binds the ssoor or bottom timbers of the sliip.
b 4 and