workmen as he could procure, either by the hope of gain, or the
high honours and distinguished countenance which he paid them.
"By incorporating," says Charnock, "these useful persons among
his own subjects, he soon formed a corps sufficient to rival
those states which had rendered themselves most distinguished by
their knowledge in this art; so that the fame of Genoa and
Venice, which had long excited the envy of the greater part of
Europe, became suddenly transferred to the shores of Britain."[5]

In fitting out his fleet, we find Henry disbursing large sums to
foreigners for shipbuilding, for "harness" or armour, and for
munitions of all sorts. The State Papers[6] particularize the
amounts paid to Lewez de la Fava for "harness;" to William Gurre,
"bregandy-maker;" and to Leonard Friscobald for "almayn ryvetts."

Francis de Errona, a Spaniard, supplied the gunpowder. Among the
foreign mechanics and artizans employed were Hans Popenruyter,
gunfounder of Mechlin; Robert Sakfeld, Robert Skorer, Fortuno de
Catalenago, and John Cavelcant. On one occasion 2,797L. 19s. 4
1/2d. was disbursed for guns and grindstones. This sum must be
multiplied by about four, to give the proper present value.
Popenruyter seems to have been the great gunfounder of the age;
he supplied the principal guns and gun stores for the English
navy, and his name occurs in every Ordnance account of the
series, generally for sums of the largest amounts.

Henry VIII. was the first to establish Royal dockyards, first at
Woolwich, then at Portsmouth, and thirdly at Deptford, for the
erection and repair of ships. Before then, England had been
principally dependent upon Dutchmen and Venetians, both for ships