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expeditions-the best seamen of the age, were appointed to the command under the high admiral, Lord Howard of Effingham. The entire number of ships collected on this critical occasion was 191; the number of seamen was 17,400, the total amount of tonnage being 31,985. The Dutch were applied to for their assistance, "and," says Stow, "they came roundly in with threescore sail, brave ships of war, fierce, and full of spleen." The fleet was distributed at various points, for it could not be known where the enemy would attempt their landing. The lord-admiral, who guarded the western coast, divided his force into three squadrons. Drake was detached towards Ushant to keep a look-out; Hawkins cruised between the Land's End and Scilly Islands; Lord Henry Seymour cruised along the coast of Flanders, blocking up the Spanish ports there; and other captains constantly scoured the Channel.

As it was given out that the Spaniards intended to sail up the river and strike their first blow at London, both sides of the Thames were fortified, under the direction of Federico Giambelli, an Italian deserter from the Spanish service. Gravesend was strongly fortified, and a vast number of barges were collected there, for the double purpose of serving as a bridge for the passage of horse and foot between Kent and Essex, and for blocking up the river to the invaders. At Tilbury Fort, directly opposite to Gravesend, a great camp was formed. Nor was there less stir and activity inland. There was not a corner of England which did not ring with preparation, and mus

Lord Howard of Effingham, was a Catholic, they served in the ranks like common soldiers, or they embarked in the ships to do the work of common sailors. When the lord-lieutenants of the different counties returned their numbers, it was found that there were under arms 130,000 men, exclusive of the levies furnished by the city of London. The force assembled at Tilbury Fort consisted of 22,000 foot and 2000 horse, and between them and London were 28,000 men levied for the protection of her majesty's person, commanded by her kinsman Lord Hunsdon, and 10,000 Londoners. A confident hope was entertained that the fleet would be able to prevent any disembarkation, but it was provided, in case of a landing, that the country should be laid waste, and the invaders harassed by incessant attacks. The queen never shone to more advantage than at this warlike crisis, and though she kept her person between the capital and the near camp at Tilbury Fort, the fame of her brave de

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TILBURY FORT.-From a view by Stanfield.

ter its armed force. The maritime counties, from Cornwall to Kent, and from Kent to Lincolnshire, were furnished with soldiers, both of themselves and with the auxiliary militia of the neighbouring shires, so that, upon any spot where a landing might be effected, within the space of forty-eight hours an army of 20,000 men could be assembled. The Catholics vied with the Protestants in activity, in zeal, in patriotism; and as their gentlemen of rank were generally excluded from command by the jealousies of the Protestants, although the lord-admiral himself, Southey's Naval History. In the Armada there were only three ships of size superior to the Triumph, the largest of the English ships; but there were forty-five ships ranging from 600 to 1000 tons; and though the English fleet outnumbered the Armada, its entire tonnage was less than one-half of that of the

enemy.

portment and her encouraging words were spread everywhere. She reviewed the Londoners, whose enthusiasm was boundless; and when the arrival of the Armada was daily expected, she reviewed the army at Tilbury Fort, riding a war-horse, wearing armour on her back, and carrying a marshal's truncheon in her hand. The Earls of Essex and Leicester held her bridle-rein, while she delivered a stirring speech to the men. "My loving people," said the queen, we have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear! I have always so behaved myself, that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal

But Lord Howard of

Effingham nobly replied to this letter, that, rather than dismantle any of his ships, he would take upon him to disobey his mistress, and keep them afloat at his own charge. The admiral now called a council of war, wherein it was determined to sail for the Spanish coast, to complete the destruction of the Armada, if so enabled, or to

hearts and good-will of my subjects; and, there- discharge their crews. fore, I am come amongst you at this time, not as for my recreation and sport, but being resolved in the midst and heat of the battle to live or die amongst you all-to lay down for my God, for my kingdom, and for my people, my honour, and my blood, even in the dust. I know that I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart of a king, and of a King of Eng-ascertain, at all events, its real condition. A land too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realms!" Everything in this camp speech was exciting and appropriate except a laudation bestowed on the general; for her lieutenant was none other than that carpetknight and most inefficient commander, the Earl of Leicester.

It had been arranged by the Spanish court that the Armada should leave Lisbon in the beginning of May, but the Marquis de Santa Cruz was then sinking under the fever of which he died; and, by a singular fatality, the Duke of Paliano, the vice-admiral, and an excellent officer, fell sick and died nearly at the same time. Philip found a difficulty in replacing these two commanders. After some delay he gave the supreme command to the Duke of Medina-Sidonia, who, instead of being the best sailor in Spain, was no sailor at all, and wholly ignorant of maritime affairs. Martinez de Recaldo, who was appointed vice-admiral, was, however, a seaman of good experience. At last, the INVINCIBLE ARMADA, as the Spaniards called it in their pride, set sail from the Tagus on the 29th of May. It consisted at this time of about 130 vessels of all sizes; 45 of these were galleons and larger ships; 25 were pink-built ships; 13 were frigates. They mounted altogether 2431 guns of different calibres. In addition to the mariners, they carried nearly 20,000 land troops, among whom were 2000 volunteers of the noblest families in Spain. But this mighty fleet, when steering towards Corunna, where it was to take on board more troops and stores, was overtaken off Finisterre by a great tempest, and dispersed. Four large ships foundered at sea; the rest reached Corunna and other ports on that coast, but considerably damaged by the storm. This occasioned a fresh delay, which, however, might have proved fatal rather than favourable if Elizabeth's advice had been followed by her brave commanders. A report reached London that the enemies' ships had suffered so much that they could not possibly proceed on their expedition this year; and as the cost of the English fleet was great (though the government only bore a part of it), the queen, from motives of economy, made Secretary Walsingham write to the admiral to tell him to lay up four of his largest ships, and

1 Cabala.

brisk north wind soon carried him to Corunna,
whither he chased before him fourteen Spanish
ships which were at sea. Having ascertained
the truth, he became anxious to return, lest a
part of their fleet might make the coast of Eng.
land in his absence. Favoured by a change of
wind, he soon reached his station at Plymouth,
where he allowed his men a little relaxation on
shore. On the 19th of July, one Fleming, a Scot-
tish pirate or privateer, sailed into Plymouth,
with intelligence that he had seen the Spanish
feet off the Lizard. At the moment most of
the captains and officers were on shore playing
at bowls on the Hoe. There was an instant bus-
tle, and a calling for the ships' boats, but Drake
insisted that the match should be played out,
as there was plenty of time both to win the
game and beat the Spaniards. Unfortunately
the wind was blowing hard in their teeth, but
they contrived to warp out their ships. On the
following day, being Saturday, the 20th of July,
they got a full sight of the Armada standing
majestically on-the vessels being drawn up in
the form of a crescent, which, from horn to horn.
measured some seven miles. Their great height
and bulk, though imposing to the unskilled, gave
confidence to the English seamen, who reckoned
at once upon having the advantage in tacking
and manoeuvring their lighter craft. At first it
was expected that the Spaniards might attemp
a landing at Plymouth, but the Duke of Mediua
adhered to the plan which had been prescribed
to him, and which was to steer quite through
the Channel till he should reach the coast of
Flanders, where he was to raise the blockade of
the harbours of Nieuport and Dunkirk, main-
tained by the English and Dutch, make a junc-
tion with the Duke of Parma, and bring that
prince's forces with him to England. Lort
Howard let him pass, and then followed in his
rear, avoiding coming to close quarters, and watch-
ing with a vigilant eye for any lucky accident
that might arise from cross winds or irregular
sailing. And soon a part of the Spanish fleet
was left considerably astern by the main division,
where the Duke of Medina kept up a press of
sail, as if he had no other object in view than to
get through the Channel as fast as possible. He
made signals to the slower ships to keep up,
which they could not, and he still kept every

sail bent. The Disdain, a pinnace, commanded
by Jonas Bradbury, now commenced an attack by
pouring a broadside into one of the laggards.
Lord Howard, in his own ship, the Ark Royal, en-
gaged a great Spanish galleon, and Drake, in the
Revenge, Hawkins, in the Victory, and Frobisher,
in the Triumph, ranging up gallantly, brought
into action all the galleons which had fallen astern.
The rear-admiral Recaldo was with this division,
and fought it bravely; but his lumbering ships
lay like logs on the water in comparison with the
lighter vessels of England, which were manage-
able and in hand like well-trained steeds. Before
any assistance could come from the van, one of
the great Spaniards was completely crippled, and
another-a treasure-ship, with 55,000 ducats
aboard-w
-was taken by Drake, who distributed

the money amongst the sailors. The Duke of Medina hove-to, till the slower ships came up, and then all of them, under press of sail, stood farther up the Channel. This first brush gave great spirit to the English, and there were in it several encouraging circumstances. It was seen, for example, that the tall Spanish ships could not bring their ordnance to bear, firing, for the greater part, over the English without touching them; and that the surer fire of the latter told with terrific effect on those huge ships crammed with men, soldiers, and sailors. Howard returned towards Plymouth, where he was to be joined by forty sail. In the course of the night one of the greatest of the Spanish ships was burned, purposely, it is said, by a Flemish gunner on board. It was a dark night with a heavy sea,

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THE SPANISH ARMADA.-From the Tapestry in the House of Lords, engraved by the Society of Antiquaries. and some of the Spaniards ran foul of each other, to their great mischief.

On the 23d, Howard, who was reinforced, and who had received into his division Sir Walter Raleigh, came up with the whole Armada off Portland, when a battle began, which lasted nearly the whole of that day. The English fought loose and at large, avoiding a close combat or boarding. They kept separate, but always in motion, tacking and playing about the enemy, pouring in their fire and then sheering out of range, returning before the Spaniards had time to reload, giving them another broadside, and then sheering off as before. According to Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Henry Wotton compared it all to a morrice-dance upon the waters! But once or twice the dying away of the wind rendered these manoeuvres impracticable. A division of five merchantmen, led by the gallant Frobisher in his great ship the Triumph, was cut off from the rest, and brought to close action for two whole hours. But, at the same time, one of the

English squadrons cut off a division of the Armada, and crippled every ship in it. Then Howard, from the Ark Royal, signalized, and this victorious squadron, by means of sweepers and tow-boats, was brought into position to the rescue of Frobisher. These victorious ships reserved their fire till they were close alongside the Spaniards. The darkness of night interrupted the battle: in the course of the day the English had taken a large Venetian argosy and several transports. Next day the Spaniards showed small inclination to renew the fight; and it was apparent that they wished to hold on to the place appointed for their junction with the Duke of Parma. The English, on their side, were not in fighting condition, for, by a shameful parsimony, they had been poorly supplied with gunpowder, and by this time they had burned all they had on board. Howard, however, detached some barques and pinnaces, which returned with a supply towards night; but a day had been lost. On the morning of the 25th, he came up with part of the Armada, off the Isle of

Wight, where Captain Hawkins took a large Portuguese galleon. Presently it fell a calm: the great ships of Spain lay motionless upon the water, and were much too heavy to be towed. The English craft, of the lighter kind, were easily towed by their long boats. When a breeze sprung up, Frobisher was set upon by several galleons, and was in great peril, but the White Bear and the Elizabeth Jonas came up to his relief. Other ships ranged up on either side, and the battle seemed becoming general, but the English had again burned all their gunpowder! Having shot away the mainmast, and otherwise shattered the Duke of Medina's own ship, they took advantage of the wind and sheered off.

On the morrow, the 26th of July, the Armada sailed up the Channel with a fair breeze: Howard hung on their rear, now and then keeping up a feeble fire. He had resolved not to renew the struggle till they came to the Straits of Dover, for he knew that a strong squadron, under Lord Henry Seymour and Sir Thomas Winter, would be ready there to take part in the action. As he followed in the wake of the Spaniards, he received ammunition and all proper supplies from shore; and his force was continually increased by small ships and men out of all the havens of the realm; for the gentlemen of England hired ships from all parts at their own charge, and with one accord came flocking thither. There was a clear sky and a leading wind, which enabled the Spaniards to come to anchor before Calais on the 27th. Hence Medina-Sidonia would have proceeded to Dunkirk, but he was strongly advised to remain where he was; and he sent, over-land, a messenger to the Duke of Parma, entreating him to detach some fly-boats, without which he could not cope with the light and active English ships, and to hasten the embarkation of his troops, which, he represented, might effect a landing in England under cover of his fire. But both these requests were childish and absurd. Although Seymour and most of the English ships had left the station to co-operate with Howard, a small division remained with the Dutch, who closed Parma's only outlets, Nieuport and Dunkirk, and who were more than sufficient to scatter and sink his flat-bottomed boats, if they had put to sea. But, besides that these boats, which had been hastily constructed with bad materials, were already rotting and falling to pieces, disease had broken out among the land-troops, and owing to the delayed arrival of the Armada, their provisions were almost exhausted. Thus Parma could do nothing till the blockade was cleared and proper ships with provisions were supplied to him. When he had lost a whole day, the Duke of Medina thought of making for Dunkirk; but in the meanwhile Seymour and Winter had joined Howard,

and he was hemmed in by 140 English sail "fit for fight, good sailors, nimble and tight for tacking about." The Spaniards, however, were well ranged, their greatest ships being placed seaward, next the enemy, like strong castles, the lesser being anchored between them and the shore. The English found that in this position they must fight to disadvantage, but they hit upon a stratagem which presently broke this array. Eight small ships were gutted, besmeared with pitch, rosin, and wild-fire, filled with combustibles, and placed under the desperate guidance of Captain Young and Captain Prouse, who, at the dead of night, favoured by wide and tide, led them close to the Spanish line, took to their boats, fired the trains, and escaped. The Spaniards, who remembered some terrible fire-ships which had been used against them by the Dutch in the Scheldt, began to cry, "The fire of Antwerp! the fire of Antwerp!" Some cut their cables, others let their hawsers slip, and in haste, fear, and confusion, put to sea. In this dreadful disorder the largest of the galeasses ran foul of another ship, lost her rudder, floated about at the mercy of the tide, and was then stranded. When the fire-ships had exploded, and the danger was over, a gun was fired from the duke's ship as a signal to the Spaniards to return to their former position; but the gun was heard by few, because "they were scattered all about and driven by fear, some into the wide sea, some among shoals of Flanders." When morning dawned, the English renewed the attack on the scattered squadrons. One fierce attack was made on the great galeass, stranded near Calais, but the small craft could not board her until the admiral sent 100 men in his boats under Sir Amyas Preston. The Spaniards made a brave resistance; but in the end their captain was shot through the head; they were boarded at all points, cut to pieces, or thrown overboard and drowned. In this huge bottom were found 50,000 ducats. At other places, Drake, Hawkins, Raleigh, Cumberland, Seymour, and Frobisher, gained many advautages. One of the capital ships of the Armada, a large galleon of Biscay, sank under the English fire. The San Matteo, commanded by Diego Pignatelli, a Neapolitan, in attempting to cover another ship, was raked by the Rainbow and Vanguard, and finally compelled to surrender by a decisive broadside from a heavy Dutchman. Another great Spaniard, dismantled and rent, drifted, fell ashore, and was taken by the mariners of Flushing. Two ketches foundered at sea. Still, however, the rest of the fleet rallied, and the Spaniards, who had shown no deficiency of courage, cried for revenge: but the Duke of Medina-Sidonia had had enough of this war, and calling a council, he resolved to make his way

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1. Silver Medal struck in Holland. 2, 3. Reverse and Obverse of Silver Medal of Queen Elizabeth.

4. Gold Medal of

Queen Elizabeth. 5. Silver Medal struck in Holland. 6, 7. Reverse sides of two Silver Medals, called Middelburg Jettons, struck in Holland.

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