THE queen of England, having had intelligence from sundry places of the great and diligent preparation of the king of Spain in divers parts, both by sea and land, not only of the strongest ships in all places within his dominions, but of all sorts of provision necessary for so mighty a fleet, as he intended to set forth; and these rumours of war, which before were but slight, daily increasing, at last it was certainly confirmed by the news on all sides, that in Spain there was an invincible navy preparing against England; that the most famous captains in military knowledge, and the best soldiers were sent for into Spain, from Italy, Sicily, yea from America. For the pope and some religious (i.e. bound by vows), Spaniards, and English fugitives, now recalled to the minds of the Spaniards the idea of surprising England, which purpose had been interrupted by the Portugal wars. They earnestly exhorted the king to do God this service, that had done so much for him; now that he enjoyed Portugal with the West-Indies, and many rich islands, to add England to all would be an especial act of service to God, fit for his catholic majesty. By this means he might add these flourishing kingdoms to his empire, and so keep the Low Countries in peace, and secure the navigation to both the Indies. That the preparations of Spain were so great, that no power was able to resist it. They made him believe that it was an easier matter to overcome England, than to overcome Holland, because the navi. gation from Spain to England was much shorter than to the Netherlands. And by surprising of England the other would easily follow.

Hereupon the consultation began to be had, of the best way and means to oppress England. The marquis of Santa Cruz, who was chief commander in the navy, advised first to make sure some part of Holland or Zealand, by the land forces of the duke of Parma, and by sending before him some Spanish ships, so to take some place on a sudden, where the Spanish navy might have a receptacle, and from whence the invasion might with convenience begin. For in the English sea, which is troublesome, the winds oft changing, and the tides unknown, the navy could not be in safety. With him agreed Parma, who much urged this expedition; yet others disliked this counsel, as a matter of great difficulty and danger, of long time, of much

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labour, of great expense, and uncertain success. that it could be performed neither secretly nor openly ; and easily hindered by the English. These thought that with the same labour and expense, England might be won and the victory would be sure, if a well prepared army from Spain might, with a strong navy, be landed on Thames side, and of a sudden surprise London, the chief city, by an unexpected assault. This seemed a thing most easy to be effected.

The duke of Parma, also in Flanders, by the command of Philip, built ships and a great number of small broad vessels, each one able to transport thirty horse, with bridges fitted for each; and hired mariners from the eastern part of Germany. He provided long pieces of wood, sharpened at the end, and covered with iron, with hooks on one side; and twenty thousand vessels, with a huge number of fagots, and placed an army ready in Flanders of one hundred and three companies of foot, and four thousand horsemen. Among these were seven hundred English fugitives, who were treated with the greatest contempt. Neither was Stanley respected or heard, who was set over the English; nor Westmoreland, nor any other who offered their help but for their impiety towards their own country, were shut out from all consultations; and, as ill-omened men, rejected, not without detestation. And Pope Sixtus V., who in such a purpose would not be wanting, sent cardinal Allen into Flanders, and renewed the declaratory bulls of Pius V. and Gregory XIII. He excommunicated the queen, deposed her, absolved her subjects from all allegiance; and, as if it had been against the Turks and infidels, he set forth, in print, a conceit, wherein he bestowed plenary indulgences, out of the treasure of the church (besides a million of gold, to be distributed, the one half in hand, the other half when either England, or some famous haven therein, should be won) upon all them that should join their help against England. By which means many foreign princes and nobles were induced to engage in this war.

Queen Elizabeth, that she might not be taken by surprise, prepared as great a navy as she could; and, with singular care and providence, made ready all things necessary for war. And she herself, who was ever most judicious in discerning of men's wits and aptness,

and most happy in making choice when she made it on her own judgment, and not by the advice of others, destined the best and most serviceable to each several employment. Over the whole navy she appointed the lord high admiral, Charles Howard, in whom she reposed much trust, and sent him to the west parts of England, where Sir Francis Drake, whom she made vice-admiral, joined him. She commanded Henry Seymour, the second son to the duke of Somerset, to watch upon the Belgic shore, with forty English and Dutch ships, that the duke of Parma might not come out with his forces. Yet some were of opinion, that the enemy was to be expected, and set upon by land forces, according as it was upon deliberation resolved, in the time of Henry VIII., when the French brought a great navy upon the English shore.

For the land fight there were placed on the south shores twenty thousand; and two armies besides were mustered, of the choicest men of war. One of these, which consisted of 1000 horse, and 22,000 foot, was commanded by the earl of Leicester, and encamped at Tilbury, on the side of the Thames. For the enemy was resolved first to set upon London. The other army was governed by Lord Hunsdon, consisting of 34,000 foot, and 2000 horse, to guard the queen.

The queen visited the camp at Tilbury, and the following account of it is given by Richard Leigh, a seminary priest, who was executed for high treason while the Spanish armada was on the sea.

"She caused," he said, "an army to encamp near the sea-side, upon the river Thames. After the army was come thither, she would not by any advice be stayed, but for comfort of her people, and to show her own magnanimity of heart, she went to the camp which was at that time between the city of London and the sea, under the charge of the earl of Leicester, placing herself between the enemy and her city; and there she reviewed her army, passing through it divers times, and lodging in the borders of it, returned again and dined in the army. First viewing from place to place the people, as they were by their countries lodged and quartered by their several camps. Afterwards, when they were all reduced into battle, prepared as it were for fight, she rode round about with a general's staff in her hand, only accompanied by the general and three or four others attending upon her but yet to show her state (I well marked it) she had the sword carried before her by the earl of Ormond. There she was generally saluted with cries, with shouts, with all tokens of love, of obedience, of readiness, and willingness to fight for her, as seldom hath the like been seen in any army, considering she was a queen. All which tended to show a marvellous concord in a mutual love between a queen and her subjects, and of reverence and obedience of subjects to their sovereign; all which she requited with very princely thanks, and a good speech.

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"I could enlarge the description hereof with many more particulars of mine own sight; for thither I went as many others did; and all that day wandering from place to place, I never heard any word spoken of her, but in praising her for her stately person and princely behaviour, and in praying for her life and safety, with cursing of all her enemies, both traitors and all papists, with earnest desire to venture their lives for her safety. And besides such particular acclamations, the whole army in every quarter did so devoutly at certain times sing in her hearing, in very tunable manner, divers psalms put in form of prayers, in praise to Almighty God, no ways to be disliked, that she greatly commended them, and with very earnest speech thanked God with them. This that I write you may be sure I do not with any comfort, but to give you these manifest arguments, that neither this queen doth discontent her people, nor her people do show any discontent in any thing they be commanded to do for her service, as heretofore hath been imagined."

The Lord Grey, Sir Francis Knolls, Sir John Norris, Sir Richard Bingham, Sir Roger Williams, men of known military experience, were chosen to confer on the

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land fight. These thought fit that all those places should be fortified, which were the easiest to land in, either out of Spain, or out of Flanders; as Milford Haven, Falmouth, Plymouth, Portland, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, the open side of Kent called the Downs, the mouth of the Thames, Harwich, Yarmouth, Hull, &c. That trained soldiers throughout all the maritime provinces should meet, upon warning given, to defend these places that they should, by their best means and power, hinder the enemy from landing. If they should land, then should they waste the country all about, and spoil every thing that might be of any use to them; that so they might find no more victuals than what they brought with them; and that, by continual skirmishes, the enemy should find no rest day or night. But they should not try any battle, until divers captains were met together with their companies, and that one captain should be named to command in every shire.

Two years before, the duke of Parma, considering how hard a matter it was to end the Belgic war, so long as it was continually nourished and supported with aid from the queen, he moved for a treaty of peace, by the means of Sir James Croft, one of the privy council, a man desirous of peace; and Andrew Loe, a Dutchman; and professed that Philip had delegated authority to him for this purpose. But the queen, fearing that there was some cunning in this seeking of peace, that the friendship between her and the confederate princes might be dis solved, and that so they might secretly be drawn to the Spaniards, deferred that treaty for some time. But now, that the war which both sides were preparing for might be turned away, she was content to treat of peace, but so as still to hold the weapons in her hand.

For this purpose, in February, delegates were sent into Flanders; the earl of Derby, Lord Cobham, Sir James Croft, Dr. Dale, and Dr. Rogers. These were received with kindness on the duke's behalf, and they presently sent Dr. Dale to him, that a place might be appointed for their treating, and that they might see the authority delegated to him by the Spanish king. He appointed a place near to Ostend, not in Ostend, which then was held by the English against the king. His delegated authority he promised to show, when they were once met together. He wished them to make good speed in the business, lest somewhat might fall out in the mean time which might trouble the motions of peace. Richardotus spoke somewhat more plainly, that he knew not what in the interim should be done against England.

Not long after, Dr. Rogers was sent to the prince, by an express command from the queen, to know the truth whether the Spaniards had resolved to invade England, which he and Richardotus seemed to signify. He affirmed that he did not so much as think of the invasion of England, when he wished that the business might proceed with speed; and was offended with Richardotus, who denied that such words fell from him.

On the 12th of April, the count Aremberg, Champigny, Richardotus, D. Masius, and Garnier, delegated by the prince of Parma, met the English, and yielded to them the honour both in walking and sitting. And when they affirmed that the duke had full authority to treat of peace, the English moved, that first a truce might be made. Which they refused; alleging that that thing must needs be hurtful to the Spaniards, who had for sx months maintained a great army, which could not be dismissed upon a truce, but upon absolute peace. The English urged, that a truce was promised before they came into Flanders. The Spaniards, against that, held, that six months since a truce was promised; which they granted, but was not admitted. Ne ther was it in the queen's power to undertake a trace for Holland and Zealand, who daily attempted hostility. The English moved instantly, that the truce might be general for all the queen's territories, and for the kingdom of Scotland; but they would have it but for four Dutch towns which were in the queen's hands; that is, Ostend, Flushing, Bergen-op-Zoom, and the Briel; and these only during the treating, and twenty days after; and that, in the mean time, it might be lawful for the

queen to invade Spain, or for the Spaniards to invade England, either from Spain or Flanders. At last, when the English could not obtain a cessation of arms, and could by no means see the charter by which the duke of Parma was authorised to treat of peace; they proposed these things, that the ancient leagues between the kings of England and the dukes of Burgundy might be renewed and confirmed; that all the Dutch might fully enjoy their own privileges; that with freedom of conscience they might serve God; that the Spanish and foreign soldiers might be sent out of Holland, so that neither the Dutch nor their neighbouring nations might fear them. If these things were granted, the queen would come to equal conditions concerning the towns which she now held (that all might know that she took up arms not for her own gain, but for the necessary defence both of herself and of the Dutch) so that the money which is owing for them be repaid. To which they answered, that for renewing the old leagues there should be no difficulty, when they might have a friendly conference of that thing. That concerning the privileges of the Dutch, there was no cause why foreign princes should take care, which privileges were most favourably granted, not only to provinces and towns reconciled, but even to such as by force of arms were brought into subjection. That foreign soldiers were held upon urgent necessity, since Holland, England, and France, were all in arms.

Touching those towns taken from the king of Spain, and the repaying of the money, they answered, "That Spain might demand as many myriads of crowns to be by the queen repaid, as the Belgic war had cost since the time that she had favoured and protected the Dutch."

At this time Dr. Dale, by the queen's command, going to the duke of Parma, did gently expostulate with him touching a book printed there, set out lately by cardinal Allen, wherein he exhorts the nobles and people of England and Ireland to join themselves to the king of Spain's forces, under the conduct of the prince of Parma, for the execution of the sentence of pope Sixtus V. against the queen, declared by his bull; in the which she is declared an heretic, illegitimate, cruel against Mary queen of Scots, and her subjects were commanded to help Parma against her; for at that time a great number of those bulls and books were printed at Antwerp, to be dispersed through England. The duke denied that he had seen such a bull or book, neither would he do any thing by the pope's authority; as for his own king, him he must obey. "Yet (he said) he so observed the queen for her princely virtues that, after the king of Spain, he offered all service to her. That he had persuaded the king of Spain to yield to this treaty of peace, which is more profitable for England than Spain: for if they should be overcome they would easily repair their loss, but if you be overcome, the kingdom is lost." To whom Dale replied, "That our queen was sufficiently furnished with forces to defend the kingdom. That a kingdom will not easily be gotten by the fortune of one battle, seeing the king of Spain, in so long a war, is not yet able to recover his ancient patrimony in the Netherlands."

"Well, (quoth the duke,) be it so, these things are in God's hands."

After this, the delegates contended among themselves by mutual replications, weaving and unweaving the same web. The English were earnest in this, that freedom of religion might be granted, at least for two years, to the confederate provinces. They answered, "That as the king of Spain had not intreated for English catholics, so they hoped the queen, in her wisdom, would not intreat any thing of the king of Spain which might stand against his honour, his oath, and his conscience."

Then they demanded the money due from the states of Brabant; it was answered, "That the money was lent without the king's authority or privity: but let the account be taken, how much the money was, and how much the king hath spent in these wars, and then it may appear who should look for repayment."

Thus the English, of set purpose, were from time to time driven off, until the Spanish fleet was come near the

English shore, and the noise of guns were heard from sea. Then had they leave to depart, and were, by the delegates, honourably brought to the borders near to Calais. The duke of Parma had in the mean time brought all his forces to the sea shore.

Thus this conference came to nothing; undertaken by the queen, as the wiser then thought, to avert the Spanish fleet; continued by the Spaniard, that he might surprise the queen, being as he supposed unprovided, and not expecting the danger. So both of them tried to use time to their best advantage.

When the Spanish fleet was collecting in the Tagus, the command had been given to the marquis of Santa Cruz, an officer of distinguished merit, but he died before the preparations were completed; and about the same time, the duke of Paliano, who was the second in command, died also. The chief command was then conferred upon Don Alphonso de Gusman, duke of Medina Sidonia, a nobleman unacquainted with the art of war; and Don Martinez de Recalde, a veteran of great experience, was appointed vice-admiral. In addition to the fleet that was preparing at Lisbon, the duke of Parma had been commanded to build a number of vessels at Dunkirk, Newport, and Antwerp, and also to assemble a large army to assist in the invasion of England. The Spanish fleet being at last well furnished with men, and every munition of war, so as to be considered the most powerful that had ever been seen upon the sea, and called by that arrogant title, "the invincible armada." It consisted of an hundred and thirty ships, and some smaller vessels, wherein there were upwards of 30,000 sailors and soldiers, and 3,000 pieces of cannon.

On the 30th of May they sailed from the river Tagus, and proposing to hold their course to the Garonne, in Gallicia, were beaten and scattered by a tempest; three gallies, by the skill of David Gwin, an Englishman, and by the perfidiousness of Turks who rowed, were safely carried to the coast of France. The fleet, with much ado, after some days came to the Garonne, and other harbours near adjoining. The report was, that the enemy was so scattered by this tempest, that the queen was persuaded that she was not to expect that fleet this year. And Sir Francis Walsingham, her secretary, wrote to the lord admiral, that he should lay up four of the greatest ships, as if the war had been ended. But the lord admiral did not easily give credit to that report; yet with a gentle answer entreated him to believe nothing hastily, in so important a matter. As also that he might be permitted to keep those ships with him which he had, though it were upon his own charges. And finding a favourable wind, he made sail towards Spain, to surprise the enemy's disabled ships in their harbours. When he was not far from the shores of Spain, the wind turning, and he being charged to defend the English shore, fearing that the enemy unseen might by the same wind be driven to England, he returned unto Plymouth.

Now, with the same wind, on the 12th of July, the duke of Medina with his fleet, departed from the Garonne. And after a few days he sent Roderigo de Telie into Flanders, to advertise the duke of Parma, giving him warning that the fleet was approaching, and therefore he was to make himself ready. For Medina's com mission was to join himself with the ships and soldiers of Parma; and under the protection of his fleet, to bring them into England, and to land his land forces on the banks of the Thames.

On the sixteenth day (saith the relator) there was a great calm, and a thick cloud was upon the sea till noon: then the north-wind blowing roughly, and again the west-wind till midnight, and after that the east; the Spanish navy was scattered, and hardly gathered together until they came within sight of England, on the 19th of July. Upon which day the lord admiral was informed by Flemming, who had been a pirate, that the Spanish fleet had entered into the English Channel, and was descried near to the Lizard. The lord admiral brought forth the English fleet into the sea, but not without great difficulty, by the skill, labour, and alacrity of the soldiers and mariners, every one labouring; even the lord admiral himself put his hand to this work.

The next day the English fleet viewed the Spanish fleet coming along, with towers like castles in height, her front crooked like the fashion of the moon, the horns of the front were extended one from the other, about seven miles, or as some say, eight miles asunder, sailing with the labour of the winds, the ocean as it were groaning under it; their sail was but slow, and yet at full sail before the wind. The English were willing to let them hold on their course, and when they were passed by, got behind them, and so got the help of the wind.

Upon the 21st of July, the lord admiral of England sent a pinnace before, called the Defiance, to denounce war, by shooting off some pieces. And being himself in the Arch-Royal, the English flag-ship or admiral, he set upon a ship which he took to be the Spanish admiral, but it was the ship of Alfonso de Leva. Upon that he bestowed much shot. Presently Drake, Hawkins, and Forbisher came in upon the Spanish hindmost ships, which Recalde commanded. Upon these they thundered. Recalde laboured as much as lay in him to stay his men, who fled away in their navy, until his ship, beaten and much battered with many shot, hardly recovered the fleet. Then the duke of Medina gathered together his dispersed fleet, and setting up more sail, held on their course. Indeed, they could do no other, for the English had gotten the advantage of the wind, and their ships were much more nimble, and ready with incredible celerity to come upon the enemy with a full course, and then to turn and return, and be on every side at their pleasure. After a long fight, and each of them having had some trial, as of their own courage, so of the Spaniards also; the lord admiral thought good not to continue the same any longer, as forty ships were then absent, which at that instant were scarce drawn out of Plymouth harbour.

On the night following, the St. Katharine, a Spanish ship, being much injured in the fight, was received into the midst of the navy to be mended. Here a great Cantabrian ship of the squadron of Oquendo, wherein was the treasure of the camp, was set on fire by an explosion of gunpowder: yet it was quenched in time by the ships that came to help her. Of these that came to help the fired ship, one was a galleon, in which was Pedro de Valdez; the foremast of this galleon was caught in the tackling of another ship, and broken. These two vessels were taken by Drake, on board of which there was a great sum of money, viz. fifty-five thousand ducats; he sent Valdez to Dartmouth, and distributed the money among the sailors. This Valdez, coming into Drake's presence, kissed his hand, and told him they had all resolved to die, if they had not been so happy as to fall into his hands, whom he knew to be noble. On this night Drake had been appointed to set forth lights, but he neglected it, as he was led to give chase to some German merchant ships, which he mistook for vessels in the service of the enemy. This neglect obliged the greater part of the English fleet to lay to until the morning. Drake and the rest of the squadron did not come up with the admiral until the next evening; as the admiral with only the Bear and Mary Rose, had closely followed the Spaniards during the night, and in the morning found himself separated from the rest of his ships.

The duke of Medina spent the following day in the re-ordering of his fleet. Alfonso de Leva was commanded to form a junction of the first and last squadron, after which, every ship had its station assigned, according to that prescribed form which was appointed in Spain; it was instant death to the commander to forsake his station without sufficient cause. This done, he sent Glich, an ensign, to the duke of Parma, to declare to him in what case they were, and that they had left the Cantabrian ship of Oquendo to the wind and sea, after having taken out the mariners, and put them in other ships. Yet it seems that he had not taken care of all: for that ship the same day, with fifty mariners and soldiers lamed, and half burnt, again fell into the hands of the English, and was carried to Weymouth.

On the 23rd of the same month, the Spaniards having a favourable north wind, tacked about and bore down

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upon the English; the English, being much readier in the use of their ships, immediately changed their course, and having gotten advantage of the wind, they came to the fight on both sides. They fought a while confusedly, with variable success: whilst on the one side the English with great courage delivered the London ships, which were surrounded by the Spaniards; on the other side, the Spaniards by valour freed Recalde from the extreme danger he was in. This day, the loss, by the good providence of God, fell upon the Spanish side, their ships being so high that the shot went over our English ships; and the English having such a fair mark at their taller ships, never shot in vain. Amidst which encounters, Cope, an Englishman, being caught indeed in the midst of the Spanish ships, could not be recovered, but perished, although he revenged himself with great honour. Thus for a long time the English ships with great agility were sometimes upon the Spaniards, giving them the one side, and then the other, and presently were off again, and still took the sea, to make themselves ready to come in again. Whereas the Spanish ships, being of great burthen, were troubled and hindered, and stood to be marks for the English bullets. For all that, the English admiral would not permit his men to board their ships, because they had a full army in their ships, which he had not; their ships were so many in number, and so much larger and higher that if they had come to grapple, as some would have had it, the English being much lower than the Spanish ships, must needs have had the worst of them that fought from the higher ships. And if the English had been overcome, the loss would have been greater than the advantage of a victory; for ours being overcome would have put the kingdom in hazard.

On the 24th of July they gave over fighting on both sides. The English admiral sent some small barks to the nearest shore, to get a supply of provisions; and divided his navy into four squadrons. The first was under his own government; the next commanded by Drake; the third by Hawkins; the last by Forbisher. And he selected out of every squadron the swiftest ships, which on different sides might set upon the Spaniards in the night, but a sudden calm took them, and so that advice was without effect.

On the 25th, being St. James's day, Santa Anna the galleon of Portugal, not being able to hold course with the rest, was set upon and taken by some small English ships. To whose aid came in Leva, and Diego Teller Enriquez with their galeasses: which the admiral and the lord Thomas Howard espying, made in against the galeasses (the calm was so great that they were drawn in by boats with cords) and did so beat upon the galeasses with great shot, that it was with much ado, and not without great loss, that they recovered the galleon. The Spaniards reported that their admiral's ship was that day in the hindmost company, and being come nearer the English ships than before, was sore beaten with the English great ordnance, many men slain in her, and her great mast overthrown. And after that the admiral of Spain, accompanied by Recalde and others, did set upon the English admiral, who by the benefit of the wind, suddenly turning, escaped. The Spaniards held on their course again, and sent to the duke of Parma, that with all speed he should join his ships with the king's fleet. In this day's contest the English write that they had stricken the lanthorn from one of the Spanish ships, the stern from another, and had sore besten a third, doing much harm to her. That the Non-Pareil, and the Mary Rose fought a while with the Spaniards: and the Triumph being in danger, other ships came in good time to help her.

On the next day the lord admiral knighted the lord Thomas Howard, the lord Sheffield, Roger Townsend, John Hawkins, and Martin Forbisher, for their valour displayed in the last fight. After this they resolved not to set upon the enemy until they came into the straits of Calais, where Henry Seymour, and William Winter, staid for their coming. Thus with the fair gale the Spanish fleet went forward, and the English followed. This great Spanish Armada was so far from being es teemed invincible, in the opinion of the English, that

many young men and gentlemen, in hope to be partakers of a famous victory against the Spaniards, provided ships at their own charges, and joined themselves to the English fleet; among whom were the earls of Essex, Northumberland, and Cumberland, and sirs Thomas and Robert Cecil, Henry Brook, William Hatton, Robert Carew, Ambrose Willoughby, Thomas Gerard, Mr. Arthur Gage, and other gentlemen of good note and quality.

On the 27th of July, at even, the Spaniards cast anchor near to Calais, being admonished by their skiful seamen that if they went any further, they might be endangered by the force of the tide to be driven into the north sea. Near to them stood the English admiral with his fleet, within a great gun's shot. To the admiral, Seymour and Winter now joined their ships; so that now there were an hundred and forty ships in the English fleet, able and well furnished for fight, for sail, and to turn which way was needful: and yet there were but fifteen of these which bore the burden of battle and repulsed the enemy. The Spaniard, as he had often done before, so now with great earnestness sent to the duke of Parma to send forty fly boats, without which they could not fight with the English, because of the greatness and slowness of their own ships, and the agility of the English ships. And entreating him by all means now to come to sea with his army, which army was now to be protected as it were under the wings of the Spanish Armada, till they were landed in England.

But the duke was unprovided, and could not come out at an instant. The broad ships with flat bottoms, being then full of holes, must be mended. Victuals were wanted and must be provided. The mariners, being long kept against their wills, began to shrink away. The ports of Dunkirk and Newport, by which he must bring his army to the sea, were now so beset with the strong ships of Holland and Zealand, which were furnished with great and small ammunition, that he was not able to come to sea, unless he would come upon his own apparent destruction, and cast himself and his men wilfully into a headlong danger. Yet he omitted nothing that might be done, being a man eager and industrious, and inflamed with a desire of overcoming England.

But queen Elizabeth's prudence and care, prevented both the diligence of the duke of Parma, and the credulous hope of the Spaniards: for, by her commandment, the next day the admiral took eight of his worst ships, charging the ordnance therein up to the mouth with small shot, nails, and stones, and dressed them with wild-fire, pitch, and rosin, and filled them full of brimstone and some other matter fit for fire, and these being set on fire under the direction of Young and Prowse, were secretly in the night, by the help of the wind, set full upon the Spanish fleet, and sent in among them as they lay at anchor, on Sunday, the 28th of July.

When the Spaniards saw them come near, the flame shining and giving light all over the sea; they supposed those ships, besides the danger of fire, to have been also furnished with deadly engines, to make horrible destruction among them; they lifted up a most hideous woeful cry, some pulled up their anchors, some for haste cut their cables, they set up their sails, they worked their oars, and stricken with a panic terror, in great haste, they fled most confusedly. Among them their flag ship, floating upon the seas, her rudder being broken, in great danger and fear drew towards Calais, and sticking in the sand was taken by Sir Amias Preston, Sir Thomas Gerard, and Mr. Harvey; Don Hugo de Moncada the captain, was slain, the soldiers and mariners were either killed or drowned. In her there was found great store of gold, which fell to be the prey of the English. The ship and ordnance fell to the share of the governor of Calais.

The Spaniards report, that the duke, when he saw the fire-ships coming, commanded all the fleet to pull up their anchors, and that as soon as the danger was past, every ship should return again to his station: and he himself returned, giving a sign to the rest by shooting off a gun; which was heard but by a few, for they were far off scattered, some into the open sea, some through fear were driven upon the shallows of the coast of Flanders.

Over against Graveling the Spanish fleet began to gather themselves together. But upon them came Drake and Fenner, and battered them with great ordnance: to these Fenton, Southwel, Beeston, Cross, Riman, and presently after the lord admiral, the lord Howard, and the lord Sheffield, came in, and all joined together. The duke of Medina, and the admirals, Leva, Oquendo, Recalde, and others, with much ado getting themselves out of the shallows, sustained the English force as well as they could, until most of their ships were pierced and torn; the galleon St. Matthew, commanded by Diego Piementelli, coming to the aid of the St. Philip, was pierced and shaken with the reiterated shots of Seymour and Winter, and driven to Ostend, and was at last taken by the Flushingers. The St. Philip came to the like end; so did the galleon of Biscay, and divers others.

On the last day of this month, the Spanish fleet, striving to recover the straits again, were driven toward Zealand. The English left off pursuing them, as the Spaniards thought, because they saw them in a manner cast away, and supposing that they could not avoid the shallows of Zealand. But the wind turning, they got out of the shallows, and then began to consult what was best for them to do.

It was determined, that as they had no hope that the duke of Parma would be able to get out to their assistance, as he himself was blockaded by lord Henry Seymour and the Hollanders, that their only chance of safety was to sail northwards, and by making the circuit of the British isles, return to Spain.

Every sail was now set, and the remaining ships of the armada stood out to sea. They were followed by the English admiral as far as the Frith of Forth. After the Spaniards had passed the Orkneys, a violent storm arose which so disheartened the mariners that they allowed many of their ships to be driven on the adjacent coast; many were also shipwrecked on the coast of Ireland, and were either killed on the spot, or only reserved to perish by the hands of the executioner. During the tempest one division of the armada was driven back into the English Channel where the ships were separately engaged, and after a feeble resistance were either taken by the English cruizers, or by the vessels belonging to Rochelle.

Such was the fate of a fleet which was considered invincible. In the space of a single month it was nearly destroyed either by the enemy, or by the tempest, and very few of the ships were ever permitted to return to their own country. Thus did God miraculously defend us against the dangerous intentions of our enemies.

Queen Elizabeth, after the signal success which had attended her arms, came to give public thanksgiving to St. Paul's church, in a chariot drawn with two horses, her nobles accompanying her with a very gallant train through the streets of London, which were hung with blue cloth: the companies standing on both sides, were in their liveries; the banners that were taken from the enemy were spread; she heard the sermon, and public thanks were rendered unto God with great joy. This public joy was augmented when Sir Robert Sidney, returning out of Scotland, brought from the king assurance of his noble mind and affection to the queen, and to religion; which, as in sincerity he had established, so he purposed to maintain with all his power. Sir Robert Sidney was sent to him when the Spanish fleet was coming, to congratulate and to give him thanks for his ready affection towards the maintenance of the common cause; and to declare how ready she would be to help him if the Spaniards should land in Scotland; and that he might recall to memory with what strange ambition the Spaniard had gaped for all Britain, urging the pope to excommunicate him, to the end that he might be thrust from the kingdom of Scotland, and from the succession in England: and to give him notice of the threatening of Mendoza and the pope's nuncio, who threatened his ruin if they could work it; and therefore warned him to take especial heed to the Scottish papists.

The king pleasantly answered, That he looked for no other benefit from the Spaniard, than that which Polyphemus promised to Ulysses, to devour him last after his fellows were devoured.