As local lords, nobles were not obliged to fight overseas, but they were allowed to "voluntarily conscript" in order to obtain titles, domains, and fame. This situation exists and is not uncommon. According to the Armed Forces, all freemen, from the nobles to the poorest and some of the wealthier peasants, were obliged to bring their own weapons to serve the king.

Therefore, Queen Catherine Parr had no choice but to agree to Isabel Walton's decision. Isabel herself behaved as a philistine, trying to tell the queen how much she wanted a higher title, more land, and more wealth.

In addition, she also took out her idea of being awarded the Knight of the Order of the Garter. She relishes that she is the daughter of a knightly family, and that she should show her father's chivalry when facing enemies who are about to invade the kingdom. For the sake of loyalty to the king, faith in God and honor of knights, bravely fight against the enemies of God and the king under God's protection.

With her high-sounding excuses and mouths full of religious ideas, Queen Catherine certainly knew better than anyone else, although no one knew at this time whether she was Catholic or Protestant. In desperation, she looked at the "ambitious" Lady Ripley in silence, and said in a tone of unusual concern, "Isabel, you wish to fight for God and for the King, like your father, will be praised. Only, I hope you will come back alive. ”

Isabel swallowed, feeling like her mouth was running dry. Closing his lips, he nodded solemnly in front of the queen, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will be back." ”

The luncheon for Her Majesty the Queen was held on the flagship of the commander of the raid, Viscount Lyle. The Duke of Richmond, the deputy commander who participated in the attack, and the nobleman Ripley, who participated in the war, naturally accompanied Her Majesty the Queen to a sumptuous lunch. In the afternoon, Queen Catherine, with a large retinue and her younger brother, the Earl of Essex, boarded the Mary Rose, the deputy commander's second flagship, a purpose-built warship named after his sister.

After learning that her good friend would take this ship on an expedition to France, Queen Catherine went out of her way from the open deck down to the gun deck inside the cabin to inspect the bronze heavy guns on the "Mary Rose", and asked her good friend about the artillery. Next, Isabel explained to the queen how many different types of guns were on the ship and how effective they were. In addition, it is specifically stated that this ship differs from Viscount Lyle's flagship in that the "Mary Rose" is a pure warship. For the sake of multi-loading artillery, even the cargo compartment of an ordinary large Spanish Karak ship was canceled.

As the queen and the nobles listened to Isabel's story, some people inevitably asked about her trip to the Caribbean. Isabel gave a general account of her experience, and then talked about what she had seen and heard in the Spanish territories and how she had traded with the Spaniards.

Isabel had just told her overseas experience as if it were a legend, but she didn't expect it to change the mind of one of the nobles present. Since the creation of the Maritime Affairs Commission, John Dudley, Viscount Lyle, has developed a certain interest in overseas adventurous sailing. Nevertheless, he devoted his mind and most of his energy to the political life of the court, which was full of passions, contradictions, and intrigues.

At this moment, when he heard Isabel's story, he couldn't help but have a new thought. The vast amount of overseas land, countless farms, pastures, sugar plantations, gold and silver minerals, and other coveted riches flashed before his eyes, and Viscount Lyle began to be moved by the silence. It's just that he didn't reveal his thoughts in front of everyone.

———————————

Queen Catherine and the Earl of Essex returned to London on 11 May after a two-day stay in Portsmouth. In the afternoon of the same day, Viscount Lyle invited the Duke of Richmond and Lady Ripley, the deputy commanders, to his flagship to discuss the details of the operation.

The combat matter of the attack was soon discussed in the captain's cabin. Viscount Lyle invited the two of them to the lookout in the aft tower, where they sat around the small table and talked with interest about the adventures of the voyage abroad, sipping fine wine. However, no matter how you talk about it, you have to talk about the core issue of overseas trade, that is, the slave trade.

When Isabel gave a general account of the history of the slave trade, Portugal and Spain used the newly opened shipping routes to set up trading posts and forts along the African coast, and captured African blacks to be sold to the Americas as slaves, and the unprecedented fierce commercial wars and colonial rivalries had already become facts, Viscount Lyle and the Duke of Richmond were dumbfounded.

The two nobles, who had lived on the English continent for a long time, became a little silent. After some time, Viscount Lyle asked a question, "Your Excellency, is there no one to restrain the Portuguese and Spaniards in this... Is human trafficking immoral? ”

Isabel smiled lightly and only said, "Your Excellency, when you led the King's fleet in the assault on Edinburgh and Stirling Castle, would anyone reproach you for your actions?" ”

"Well, loot?!" The Duke of Richmond smiled knowingly, stroked his beard lightly and nodded and looked at Viscount Lyle, "Your Excellency, these black people are only found in Africa, so they are a kind of trophies that can walk, is that right?" ”

"Hahaha... Your words, Your Highness, like God's words, make me feel a little less guilty. I am confident that God will forgive us. Viscount Lyle smiled as his expression became very relaxed.

At this time, Isabel said again, "Your Highness, your Excellency, we should now go and attack the French fleet, and then come back victorious to discuss the affairs of overseas trade." ”

The Duke of Richmond slapped his hands on his thighs and immediately stood up, looked down at the two of them and nodded with a smile, "Ladies and gentlemen, God will definitely protect us from winning this battle!" ”

On the afternoon of May 12, the 30 warships participating in the attack slowly left the Portsmouth military port. Viscount Lyle sailed on a shipping lane to the east with 14 ships and ships on the flagship, while the Duke of Richmond and Isabel sailed the remaining ships on a shipping lane to the west on the deputy flagship.

The dashing Duke of Richmond stood on the high aft lookout and looked at Lady Ripley, who was leaning on the stern mast, "Isabel, why didn't you tell me about the slave trade before?" ”