him to frequent flogging as a form of punishment. In addition to flogging, one of his classmates recorded that caning was a frequent method of punishment there, as well. The school's treatment of its students was actually comparable to many other schools of that time. He was also bullied and treated cruelly by other students there. The schoolmaster there frequently condemned the French Revolution. These condemnations may have given Trelawny an early sympathy with revolutionary ideals. He was expelled from the school after two years due to violent behaviour towards teachers as well as starting fires after being confined in his room as punishment. Naval career Charles Brereton had originally hoped that his sons would attend Oxford. He became disappointed by the slow pace of Edward's learning as a child. In October 1805, shortly before his thirteenth birthday, he enrolled Edward in the Royal Navy as a first class volunteer. The younger sons of the gentry traditionally entered the military at that time. His family enrolled him as early as they could because seniority was crucial to career advancement at that time. His first experiences in the navy were serving on ships that had returned from the Battle of Trafalgar with many badly wounded sailors. In November he was transferred to Temeraire and then to Colossus. He later attended a naval school in Portsmouth. In 1806 he served aboard HMS Woolwich. While serving on Woolwich he travelled to the Cape of Good Hope and to St. Helena. In 1808 he moved to the frigate Resistance, and in 1809 to the frigate Cornelia. While serving aboard Cornelia he travelled to Bombay. Trelawny's name was entered on the books of HMS Superb as volunteer first class in October 1812. Trelawny was initially happy to have joined the navy and enjoyed the rough lifestyle there. He often exaggerated his age while he was in the navy. Some biographers believe he commanded a vessel as a midshipman in an engagement with the French at Mauritius in 1810. Some also believe that he was wounded engaging the French in Java in August 1811. He left the Navy in 1812 at the age of 19; receiving a final settlement of pay in 1815. He had grown to resent the discipline of the Navy due in part to the frequent punishment that he experienced. He was often sent to the masthead for several hours at a time.