7. Near Paris a convent of English discalced, alias bare-legged, Carmelite friars. Doway. 1. A college of seoular priests and students, in number about one hundred and fifty. 2. A convent of Benedictine monks, in number twenty-five. 3. A college in the convent of English youths, they have been known to be fifty-nine. 4. A convent of Franciscan friars, in number sixty. 5. A Scots college of Jesuits. A nunnery. Blois in France. Pontois in France. A monastery of Benedictine nuns, under the direction of the Jesuits *. Dunkirk. 1. A monastery of Benedictine nuns, commonly called the rich Dames, under the direction of the Jesuits. 2. A monastery of poor Clares. Gravelin. A monastery of English poor Clares. Flanders. A monastery of discalced, alias bare-legged, Carmelite nuns. At Burnham near Brussels. A convent of Dominican friars, founded by Cardinal Howard. A convent of Carthusian monks †, in number twelve. Cambray. A monastery of Benedictine nuns, under direction of the monks of the same order, in number thirty. Viz. Having Jesuits for their confessors, &c. + Who pretend a title to the Charter-House, London, and all its estates, when ever they can lay hold of a Popish government in England." Liege. 1. A monastery of Canonesses Regulars of the order of St. Austin. 2. A college of English Jesuits, consisting of one hundred and eighty. Ghent. 1. A college of Jesuits, in number six. 2. A nunnery. Bridges. 1. A monastery of nuns of the third order of St. Francis, in number thirty. 2. A monastery of Augustine nùns. St. Omers. A college of Jesuits about thirty*, with one hundred and eighty English scholars. Lanspring in Germany. An abbey of Benedictine monks, with a lord abbot, in number thirty. Deiulward in Lorrain. A convent of Benedictine monks, in number sixteen. Rome. 1. A college of secular priests under the government of the English Jesuits t. 2. A Scots college. By this account it appears that there are fifty-one religious houses maintained at the charge of the English Papists, which carries vast sums of money yearly out of the nation, and returus nothing in lieu thereof, but a sort of vermin, that are a common nusance to church and state. The methods, how to prevent this growing evil, are left to the great wisdom of your honourable house. I am, Sir, yours, &c. Upon the establishment of the house. + This college has flourished very much of late years. VOL. X. rf A DISCOURSE OF SEA-PORTS*; PRINCIPALLY OF THE PORT AND HAVEN OF DOVER: WRITTEN BY SIR WALTER RALEIGH, AND ADDRESSED TO QUEEN ELISABETH. With useful Remarks, &c. on that Subject, by Command of his late Majesty King Charles the Second. Never before made publick. Printed in 1700. Quarto, containing twenty Pages.. To the Right Honourable the Earl of Rumney, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, &c. MY LORD, HE publisher of this discourse has no other motive of his address to your Lordship, than that the design may receive protection from some powerful hand, by which, being sheltered in its infancy from the blasts of malevolence (which will blow from more corners than one) it may have leave to strike root, and grow to strength enough to be able to stand alone. The subject matter seems to belong to your Lordship, in propriety, as you are Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports; and the patronage of so noble and national a project could be claimed no where so rightfully as from your Lordship, who being equally great by birth, power, the favour of your prince, and the love of your country, I could not withstand the justice of making this oblation of my duty and good wishes to your Lordship, by thus tendering it to your election to be the father and protector of so needful and magnificent a work, abounding in publick honour, safety, and emolument, whereby you may consign your name to posterity, by a monument more durable, and of greater dignity than the records and patents of your ancestors, or the statues of antiquity. The manuscript fell casually into my hands during the last session of Parliament, which being relished by such worthy members of that honourable body as I had an opportunity to impart it to, I thought I could not do a more grateful office to my country, than to be the means of its publication, for which freedom I ask the author's pardon, as I do your Lordship's for the presumption of this dedication; who am, Your Lordship's most humble and dutiful servant. A brief Discourse, declaring how honourable and profitable to your most Excellent Majesty, and how necessary and commodious for your Realm, the making of Dover Haven shall be, and in what sort, * This is the 69th number in the catalogue of pamphlets in the Harleian library. what least Charges in greatest Perfection the same may be accom plished. THERE is no one thing, most renowned sovereign, of greater necessity to maintain the honour and safety of this your Majesty's realm, than by all convenient means to increase navigation, shipping, and mariners, these being a strength in time of war; and in time of peace, members most profitable and commodious. But this can neither be had, increased, nor maintained, if, first, sure harbours be not provided, as a safe receptacle to receive and guard them from storms, enemies, &c. This hath moved that industrious nation of the Low Countries in Holland, Zealand, and Flanders, where, by reason of their sandy coast, though God hath scarcely in any place allowed them any good havens natural, yet, seeing the necessity and commodity of harbours, they have, without regard of any charges or travel, with infinite expences, made many havens artificial, even in such places as nature denied them all the hopes of help; whereby we see they have drawn such intercourse and traffick, both of foreign nations for merchandise, and also by their industry for fishing, that in few years (almost in our age) they have been able to build a number of most sumptuous, rich, and beautiful cities, furnished the coast with a great number of ships and mariners, and are become the most populous and rich nation the sun did ever shine on; and not only the sea coasts, but also the inland countries, by quick vent of their commodities, do participate of the same benefit and felicity: and such their charges, on havens and harbours bestowed, do yield them the fruit of riches, wealth, and commodity most plentiful throughout their whole dominion. But contrary-wise, with us this last Parliament, lamentable relation hath been made of the great decay of mariners and fishermen, to the number of many hundred sail upon our coast of England, even in this age, and within memory; and also of the present poverty, and desolate habitations of many frontier towns. Whereby it plainly appeareth, that as the excessive expence of the Low Countries, bestowed on havens, hath not impoverished, but the clean contrary, greatly inriched them by incomparable wealth and treasure, with numbers of rich, fair, and populous towns; so our sparing mind, or rather greedy getting, gaining, and inriching land from your majesty's havens, and navigable channels, hath utterly destroyed and spoiled many good havens by nature left us, and thereby wrought very beggary, misery, and desolation in these your frontier towns. And, if we search the very cause of the flourishing state of London, which almost alone in quantity, people, and wealth in this age is so increased; and, contrary-wise of the poverty, or rather beggary and decay of Winchelsea, Rye, Rumney, Hide, Cover, and many other poor towns, we shall find the decay of these havens, and preservation of the Thames, the only or chief occasion. Hereby sufficiently appeareth how incomparable jewels havens and sure harbours are for gaining, maintaining, and increasing people, wealth, and commodity in any realm. And no lesser strength and security do they bring in time of war, as well by the multitude of mariners (a most serviceable people) and shipping, which they breed, as also the inhabitation of the frontiers. But, in the whole circuit of your Majesty's famous island, there is not any one either in respect of security and defence, or of traffick or intercourse, more convenient, needful, or rather of necessity to be regarded than this of Dover, situate on a promontory next fronting a puissant foreign king, and in the very streight passage and intercourse of almost all the shipping of Christendom. And, if that our renowned king, your Majesty's father, of famous memory, Henry the Eighth in his time, found how necessary it was to make a haven at Dover (when Sandwich, Rye, Camber, and others were good havens, and Calais also then in his possession) and yet spared not to bestow, of his own treasure, so great a mass in building of that pier, which then secured a probable mean to perform the same: how much more is the same now needful, or rather of necessity (those good havens being extremely decayed) no safe harbour being left in all the coast almost between Portsmouth and Yarmouth; seeing the same also may be performed without the expence of your Majesty's private treasure, the present gift of Parliament considered, and their ready wills so plainly discovered, to supply whatever charge shall be needful, whensoever by your gracious providence they shall see the realm armed with such a shield, and endowed with so great a jewel. The commodities that thereby both to your Majesty and realm shall ensue, are, First, a place of refuge and sure safeguard to all merchants, your majesty's subjects, who passing from London, and all other the east and north parts of England, to France, Spain, Barbary, the Levant, the islands, or other parts south, or west of the world, for want of harbour at Dover, either going forth or returning, shall be inforced to ride it out in open road, to their great peril; or, in time of war, for want of such succour, to throw themselves on the contrary coast into the arms of their enemies. For all other strangers, your Majesty's friends, that pass the sea from Hamburgh, Dantzick, Lubeck, Embden, Scotland, Denmark, or any parts of the Low Countries, to any parts of the world, south and south west (whereof there are daily great numbers) or of Spain, Portugal, France, or Italy, bound northward, either to London, or any of the northern provinces, both passing and repassing, they must of necessity touch, as it were, upon this promontory; and, upon any change of wind, or fear of the enemy, for sure refuge, will most willingly and thankfully embrace se sweet and safe a sanctuary. No promontory, town, or haven of Christendom, is so placed |