D’Annibault made some more irritating and futile raids on Sussex, and then went back to Havre, landed 7,000 of his scurvy-stricken troops, and returned to sail aimlessly about the Channel. Meanwhile Henry, annoyed at finding that the galleys could thus beard him at his very door, had ordered some of his lighter ships to be fitted with sweeps. Having effected this, Lisle cleared from Spithead about August 11, with 104 sail. He had carefully organized his fleet, and the flagships all carried special flags by day and lights at night. The watchword was ‘God save King Henry!’ the countersign ‘And long to reign over us!’ The order of battle was—
‘Vawarde’: 24 great-ships; 3,800 men. Sir Thomas Clere, Vice-Admiral of England.
‘Battle’: 40 great-ships; 6,846 men. Viscount Lisle, Lord High Admiral of England.
‘Wing’: 40 galleasses, shallops, and war-boats; 2,092 men. Rear-Admiral William Tyrrell.
A GREAT SHIP OF THE REIGN OF HENRY VIII.
Vessels of this type, with the characteristic cage-works fore and aft, made up the greater part of Lisle’s fleet.
On the 15th the two fleets encountered off Shoreham. Lisle intended to attack the French great-ships, which were close inshore, with the ‘Battle’ and the ‘Vawarde,’ while the ‘Wing’ of oared craft kept off the galleys. Before he could close, however, the wind fell. The fighting was only between the galleys and Tyrrell. The advantage rested with the English. Lisle stated that the oared craft ‘did so handle the galleys, as well with their sides as with their prows, that your great ships in a manner had little to do;’ and in the night the French drew off. They went home and dispersed, and so in this impotent fashion the greatest invasion of England that had yet been planned flickered out. Lisle was able to burn Tréport, and retaliate for the raids on Sussex; and towards the close of the war an action was fought off Ambleteuse, south of Cape Gris-Nez. There were eight French galleys against four English ‘galleasses’ and four pinnaces. It is notable because the English declined to close, and relied chiefly upon steady gun-fire. The galleys were severely mauled, and one of them taken.
The attack of François I. was the first serious attempt at an invasion of England by France from the sea since the abortive effort in 1386. It was not to be the last, though all were to be fruitless; but not for more than 250 years was a hostile French soldier to set foot on English soil, and then but for a moment.