Old Hampshire Mapped
Cox's Hampshire
Transcription (51)Portsmouth
harbour
Maud
Stephen
Henry III
fire
town wall
Edward IV
fortifications
Henry VIII
ship
Mary Rose
Carew, George, Sir
town gate
Elizabeth I
Portsmouth, a populous Town in the Time of War, and never more than in the late Wars with France in the last two Reigns; and it has been noted for a Recourse to it upon those Occasions, for many Ages. And being a Port has had many remarkable Things in it besides; for
Maud the Empress, when she came into this Nation to contend with King Stephen for the Crown, Anno 1140, landed here. King Henry III. also in the Year 1229, intending to invade France, mustered the greatest Army that ever was raised in England near this Place; but his Ally, the Duke of Bretagne, deceiving him, he was forced to disband it.
In the reign of King Richard II. the French burnt this Town, but it recovered it self again soon, for within six Years after, when the French appeared again insulting the Coasts, the People of this Port set out some Ships, fought the Enemy, slew all but nine, and took all their Ships. Being encouraged with this Success, they again, two Years after, entered the Seine, sunk four of their Ships, took many, and burnt one of the French Admiral's small Ships, which he had built for Pleasure, the finest Vessel of that sort in France or England; returning with a great Booty of Wines and Merchandize.
The Town for a long Time was fortified with a Wall made of Timber, and well lined with Mud only, and an high Mount at the North East near the Gate; but King Edward IV. built two Forts of Free Stone at the Entrance of the Harbour, and King Henry VII. made a Garrison for the Defence of the Coasts, which was found to be of great Use in the Reign of his Son and Successor, King Henry VIII. when the French made several Attempts upon this Town, more particularly Anno 1545, when they came into the Haven with six Gallies, and engaged the English Ships lying in the Harbour, but were not able to make their Way into the Port, and therefore landed in the Isle of Wight; yet Francis I. the French King, notified by his Embassadors to his Confederates, that his Ships had taken Portsmouth. Sir George Carew's Ship, the Mary Rose, was sunk in this Engagement; but it was by the too great Weight of its own Ordnance, and not by any Damage from the Enemy.
Queen Elizabeth, at great Expence, added new Works to the old Fortifications, so that then there seem'd nothing wanting to make it a compleat Fortress: She also placed a Garrison here, of which some Part keep guard Night and Day at the Town Gate, others are set upon the Top of the Church Tower; where, by the Ringing of a Bell, they give Notice what Horse and Foot are advancing toward the Town, and by waving of Colours shew from what Quarter they come.
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