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238 held the realm of England." After a time the island became the private property of the Kings of England, who granted it to their favorites with royal capriciousness. One of the lords, the Duke of Warwick, actually had himself crowned as King of the island, until King Henry VII. resumed the jurisdiction of the Isle of Wight. Since then it has remained a part of the dominion of the Crown.

In 1540 two forts, or castles, were built on the Eylle of Wyght, as it was then called, one on each side of the entrance to the river Medina, for the defense of the port of Cowe. The eastern one long ago disappeared; hence, a map published in 1610 makes no reference to it. But the west castle still stands, having also been extensively renovated and improved—the present home of the Royal Yacht Squadron.

In 1588 Queen Elizabeth caused a "pleasure ship" to be built at Cowes. This craft was called the Rat of Wight. She was 80 tons burden, and carried a crew of seventy men, under the command of Gilbert Lea. She was also one of the volunteer fleet of Lord Charles Howard, which defeated the Spanish Armada, and was preserved for many years at Chatham, "the same plate being in use on board of her to a very late date."

In the middle and latter part of the eighteenth century the dockyard at Cowes turned out many excellent ships of war; the Astrea, 34 guns; Salisbury, 50; Repulse, 64; Veteran, 64; and Vanguard, 74; besides a large number of smaller