On Naval Supplies
Admiral Sir Edward Howard

Plymouth, in the Mary Rose, 5 April 1513

Master Almoner,

In my heartiest wise I can I recommend me unto you, certifying to you that I am now in Plymouth road, with all the King's fleet.

Sir, I think our business will be tried within five or six days at the furthest, for an hulk that came straight from Brest sheweth for a certainty that there be ready coming forward a hundred ships of war, besides the galleys, and be pressed upon the first wind, and says that they be very well trimmed and will not fail to come out and fight with us.

Sir, these be the gladdest tidings to me and all my captains and all the residue of the army that ever came to us, and I trust on God and St George that we shall have a fair day on them, and I pray God that we linger no longer, for I assure you was never army so falsely victualled. They that received their proportion for two months' flesh cannot bring about for five weeks, for the barrels are full of salt. Also many came out of Thames with a month's beer, trusting that the victuallers should bring the rest, and here cometh none. I send you word for a surety here is not in this army together, one with another, past 15 days supply. In consideration to keep the army together, Sir, for God's sake, send by post all along the coast that they brew beer and make biscuits that we may have some refreshing to keep us together upon this coast, or else we shall be driven to come again into the Downs and let the Frenchmen take their pleasure, and God knoweth when we shall get us up so high westward again. I had ever, than that we should be driven to that issue, to be put all the days of my life in the painfullest prison that is in Christendom.

Sir, the Katheryn Fortileza hath so many leaks by reason of Bedell, the carpenter that worked in her at Woolwich, that we have had much to do to keep her above water; he hath bored a hundred auger holes in her and left unstopped, that the water came in as it were in a sieve. Sir, this day I have all the caulkers of the army on her. I trust by to-morrow she shall be more staunch.

Sir, spare not to spend victual upon us. For, with God's grace, the fleet of France shall never do us hurt after this year.

A. Spont. War With France, 1512-13. (London: 1894), p. 104.