In the beginning of the Saxons' regiment we had some ships also; but
as their number and mould was little, and nothing to the purpose, so
Egbert was the first prince that ever thoroughly began to know this
necessity of a navy and use the service thereof in the defence of his
country. After him also other princes, as Alfred, Edgar, Ethelred,
etc., endeavoured more and more to store themselves at the full with
ships of all quantities, but chiefly Edgar, for he provided a navy of
1600 _alias_ 3600 sail, which he divided into four parts, and sent
them to abide upon four sundry coasts of the land, to keep the same
from pirates. Next unto him (and worthy to be remembered) is Ethelred,
who made a law that every man that hold 310 hidelands should find a
ship furnished to serve him in the wars. Howbeit, as I said before,
when all their navy was at the greatest, it was not comparable for
force and sure building to that which afterward the Normans provided,
neither that of the Normans anything like to the same that is to be
seen now in these our days. For the journeys also of our ships, you
shall understand that a well-builded vessel will run or sail commonly
three hundred leagues or nine hundred miles in a week, or peradventure
some will go 2200 leagues in six weeks and a half.
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