It exists in the _Harleian MSS._ (1247, ff.

43b), amongst a number of others which appear to have been used by the Duke of York as precedents in drawing up his famous instructions of 1665.

To begin with it is clearly later than the orders of 1648, upon which it is an obvious advance.

Then the use of the word 'general' for admiral, and of the word 'sign' for 'signal' fixes it to the Commonwealth or very early Restoration.

Finally, internal evidence shows it is previous to the orders of 1653, for those orders will be seen to be an expansion of the undated set so far as they go, and further, while these undated orders have no mention of the line, those of 1653 enjoin it.