Royal
Navy Muskets and Pistols
Royal
Navy Swords
Royal Navy Uniforms
Royal Navy Uniform
in Elizabethan Times
Lord High Admiral
Charles Howard Earl of Nottingham in Livery
of his rank.
For students of
uniforms or dress in Elizabethan and early 17th Century dress, this is a
fascinating document, though a little challenging to read. It is first
known warrant or General Order on Royal Navy uniforms or "liveries" from Lord
High Admiral Charles Howard
Earl of Nottingham, dated April 6, 1604. As the order states at the
warrant is that same as the one signed by Queen Elizabeth I and that King James
I was simply reissuing it.
From the warrant, Royal Navy
scholars may be surprised to read that the livery coat was made of red
cloth, not blue. The following portrait of Sir Francis Drake may
be pre-curser to the uniform being described in the below warrant.
Sir Francis Drake (National Portrait Gallery, UK)
"JAMES R.-- James, by the Grace of God,
of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Kinge, Defender of the Faithe, etc. To our
trustie and right well-beloved Counsellor Sir George Howmes, Knight,
Mr of our greete wardrobe, and to the Mr of the same that here after
for the tyme shal be, greetinge, Wee will and commaunde you ymediatlie vpon the sight
hereof, to delyer or cause to be deliuered vnto our well-beloved servants, John Austin,
Thomas Grove, John Hankin, John Eliot, Roger Morice, and Thomas Tompson, six principall
Maisters of or ships by vs appointed to that office, their p'cells following for theire
Lyurie coat, that is to saie, To eury of them two yards of fyne red cloth, at thirtene
shillings and fower pence a yarde. Item. to eury of them two yards of velvet for gardinge
the same coats, at twentie shillings the yarde. To eury of them ten ounces of silke lace
for garnishinge the same coats, at two shillings and fower pence the ounce. To eury of
them two ounces of sowinge silke, at twentie pence the ounce. Item, to eury of them two
yardes of passamayne lace, at fower pence the yarde. Item, to eury of them two dozen of
buttons of silke and golde, at two shillings and sixpence the dozen. Item, for
imbroderinge of theire coats with ships, roses, crownes, and or L'res I. R.
richlie imbrodered wth Venice golde, silver, and silke, and wth
spangles of siluer and silke, price the peice fower pounds. Item, to eury of them one
yarde and a half of fustian for lyninge the bodies, at twelue pence the yarde. To eury of
them two yardes and a quarter of bayes for the skirtes of tbeire coates, at two shillings
and six pence the yarde. To eury of them for facinge, half a yarde of taffatie, and to
eury of them two dozen of silke peynts wth siluer tags, and for makinge of eury
of the same coates thirtene shillings, fower pence. And also wee will and comaunde you,
that on the Sixtenth day of
March, against the feast of Easter, wth shal
be in the yeare of Or Lord God 1605: And so for that eury like daye wth
hereafter
shal happen eury yeare, you deliuer or cause to be deliuered vnto the saide John Awstyn,
Thomas Grove, John Hankin, John Eliot, Roger Morrice, & Thomas Tomson, to eury of them
for their lyveries the like p'cells duringe theire lives: And to eury one that shal
succeed them in that ofhce in like sorte as they have. And this or L'res,
signed wth or owne hande, shal be yor sufficient
warrante, dormant, and discharge in that behalf for the deliuery of the prmisses
in forme aforesaide. Given under os signel this sixt daye of Aprill, Anno d'ni 1604, And
in the yeares of oure raigne of England, France, and Irelande, the Second, And of
Scotlande the Seuen and Thirteth.
It may please yor Matie
to renewe this warrante for the lyueries of the six principall Mres of yor
Highnes ships, the same being drawne verbatim wth the warrante signed by the
late queene, wch by reason of
her deathe is become voide, and they denyed
the havinge of theire lyueries until it shal please yor Matie to
renewe the former warrante.
NOTTINGHAM"
Lord High Admiral
Charles Howard Earl of Nottingham in
full-dress Livery.
