“ They form by far the best account by a contemporary of the naval life and transactions of the reign of Queen Elizabeth and the beginning of the reign of King James. Monson takes care to do himself full justice, but he is not unfair to his contemporaries. ”

“ In 1602 he commanded the last squadron fitted out in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. In 1604 he was appointed admiral of the Narrow Seas, the equivalent of the Channel squadron of modern times. In 1614 he was sent to the coasts of Scotland and Ireland to repress the pirates who then swarmed on the coast. Monson claimed to have extirpated these pests, but it is certain that they were numerous a generation later. After 1614 he saw no further active service till 1635, when he went to sea as vice-admiral of the fleet fitted out by king Charles I. with the first ship-money. ”

“ He held a position of trust at the Tower of London, a circumstance which led to his arrest as one of the participators in the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury. He was, however, soon released and he died in May 1641. ”