Note 1184 — CHARLES I 1625-1649 PART III—THE ADMINISTRATION

The first Commissioners of the Admiralty acted by Letters Patent of 20th September 1628. They were Richard, Lord Weston, Lord Treasurer; Robert, Earl of Lindsey, Great Chamberlain; William, Earl of Pembroke, Lord Steward; Edward, Earl of Dorset, Lord Chamberlain to the Queen; Dudley, Viscount Dorchester, Vice-Chamberlain of the Household; and Sir John Coke, Secretary of State. Powers were granted to them or any three of them. Although in modern phrase they are called Lords of the Admiralty, they were in reality a committee of the Privy Council, carrying out the instructions of the King and Council, who retained the power and exercised the control of an eighteenth century Admiralty Board. A fresh commission was issued on 20th November 1632, which omitted Lords Pembroke and Dorchester, and added Lord Cottington, Sir Francis Windebank, and Sir Henry Vane (the elder). The third and last commission was of 16th March 1636 to William Juxon, Bishop of London, Lord Treasurer, Lords Cottington, Lindsey, and Dorset; and Vane, Coke, and Windebank.