HMS Nonsuch (1603)
Encyclopedia

Philip and Mary was a galleon
Galleon
A galleon was a large, multi-decked sailing ship used primarily by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries. Whether used for war or commerce, they were generally armed with the demi-culverin type of cannon.-Etymology:...

 of the English
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...

 Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

, built in 1555-56. She was renamed twice during her career — firstly in 1584 to Nonpareil when she was rebuilt at Deptford
Deptford
Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...

 in 1584, and secondly as Nonsuch when she was again rebuilt from 1603 to 1605.The "HMS" prefix was not used until the middle of the 18th century, but is sometimes applied retrospectively

Following her first rebuilding, she was mentioned in the Paris archives as part of Elizabeth I's fleet in 1588 in A Statement of the two fleets possessed by the Queen of England, with numbers and names of the ships, listed as "400 tons, 17 pieces each side, four pieces at the prow and the same at the stern. Her complement was 250 comprising 150 mariners, 30 gunners and 70 soldiers". The ship was under the command of Drake
Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...

 in 1588 - "Drake has also six large ships of the Queen's, namely :—the Revenge, the Hope, the Nonpareil, the Swiftsure, the Aid and the Advice, with 45 of the best merchant ships they could select, at the Isle of Wight."

On 14 February 1591 a warrant was made "to pay to Sir John Hawkins
John Hawkins
Admiral Sir John Hawkins was an English shipbuilder, naval administrator and commander, merchant, navigator, and slave trader. As treasurer and controller of the Royal Navy, he rebuilt older ships and helped design the faster ships that withstood the Spanish Armada in 1588...

 1,566l. 13s. 4d. disbursed in setting forth the Nonpareil".

In 1603-05 she was rebuilt a second time as a great ship, and renamed Nonsuch. Now of 454 tons, she carried 32 primary guns (2 cannon periers, 12 culverins, 12 demi-culverins and 6 sakers) and 6 smaller and more anti-personnel weapons (2 falconets and 4 fowlers).

She was sold out of the navy in late 1645.
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