The plan was to seize and occupy the Isle
of Wight, destroy the English fleet, then take Portsmouth and
Southampton, and so advance on London.
Henry's attention to his navy had not slackened. He had built ship on
ship. The _Great Harry_ was a thousand tons, carried 700 men, and was
the wonder of the day. There were a dozen others scarcely less
imposing. The King called again on the nation, and again the nation
answered. In England altogether there were 150,000 men in arms in field
or garrison. In the King's fleet at Portsmouth there were 12,000 seamen,
and the privateers of the West crowded up eagerly as before. It is
strange, with the notions which we have allowed ourselves to form of
Henry, to observe the enthusiasm with which the whole country, as yet
undivided by doctrinal quarrels, rallied a second time to defend him.
In this Portsmouth fleet lay undeveloped the genius of the future naval
greatness of England. A small fact connected with it is worth recording.
The watchword on board was, 'God save the King'; the answer was, 'Long
to reign over us': the earliest germ discoverable of the English
National Anthem.
The King had come himself to Portsmouth to witness the expected attack.
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