the landing of the Spanish army on the English shores. After the defeat of the armada, the Pontiff, who had predicted success to the Spanish arms, wrote letters of condolence to Philip on his losses. It is evident that he was anxious not to be called upon to assist in defraying the expenses that had been incurred. He, therefore, blamed the chief of the expedition. Philip frequently smiled while he was reading the letter. He doubtless saw the intentions of the Pontiff. Still it was necessary to send a reply. He told the Pope, that he sent his fleets to fight with the enemies of Christ, not with the Seasons, and that he saw no cause for blaming his officers. He added, that the loss concerned the Pontiff as much as himself, as it had been undertaken by his direction: and that in the next attempt the Church must lead the way and he would follow*.

Never in the history of the world, was there a more signal overthrow of a fleet or an army. The curse causeless shall not come and here the curse was converted into a blessing: for the failure of the attempt became the means of strengthening the hands of Elizabeth. King Philip and the Pope designated the navy the Invincible Armada: yet the fleet was not merely conquered, but the greater part of it actually destroyed. Though "called by them the invincible armada, yet, by the good providence of God was at last dispersed and miserably shattered +."

* Continuation of PLATINA'S Lives of the Popes, ii. 198, 199. + STRYPE'S Whitgift, i. 524.

109

CHAPTER VI.

Elizabeth's Conduct after the Defeat of the Armada. Rejoicings and Thanksgivings. Days observed. A Contrast between those times and our own. King James. Medals struck. Foreign Protestants. Beza. Dr. Lingard's slander confuted.

HAVING detailed the reverses of the Spaniards, and noticed the manner in which the intelligence was received in Spain, it is now time to return to England to see how Queen Elizabeth conducted herself on the memorable occasion of the defeat of the Invincible Armada.

When the danger was imminent, the Queen and her council, and the whole nation, humbled themselves before God. They supplicated Him to avert the judgments which seemed to be impending over the land; they confessed their sins before Him; and looked to Him alone for help in their hour of need. The prayers ordered to be publicly used at that time have already been given. There is, however, a letter preserved from Leicester to the Queen, which proves, whatever may have been the character of the writer himself, that no one could approach Elizabeth in such circumstances as those in which the country was then placed, without recognising the sovereignty of Jehovah in disposing of kingdoms and states. It may furnish a useful lesson to modern statesmen. The letter is

dated July 21st, just when the armada was commencing the engagement with the English fleet. He says, "The cause you are assailed for is His and HIS Church's and He never failed any that faithfully put their chief trust in His goodness. To comfort you withal, He hath given you great and mighty means to defend yourself, which, I doubt not, your Majesty timely and princely use: and He that ruleth all will assist and bless you with victory*."

As the Queen and the nation had humbled themselves before God when the danger was threatening, so when it was past they deemed it to be their duty to show forth their gratitude for the wonderful deliverance which had been wrought out for them, and which no human strength could have effected. Of the proceedings on occasion of the defeat of the armada, therefore, I shall now give some account, feeling assured that the Protestant reader will be deeply interested in the detail.

The whole kingdom was animated by one feeling of joy on hearing of the complete dispersion of the armada. It appears that the first public notice of the event was at St. Paul's Cross on the 20th of August: this was as soon as the intelligence of the complete dispersion of the armada could have reached London. On this occasion Nowel, the Dean of St, Paul's, preached a Thanksgiving Sermon, the lord mayor and aldermen being present. The preacher exhorted

* TURNER'S Elizabeth, 674.

his audience to give thanks to God for his great goodness in delivering the nation from papal tyranny. Special offices were also appointed to be used in the churches.

The 8th of September was kept as another day of public thanksgiving. At this time more particulars had been received respecting the fate of the Spanish fleet; and it was known that there was no possibility of the return of the Spaniards. The preacher, on this occasion, therefore, alluded particularly to the overthrow of the armada, attributing the success to God. Eleven ensigns, or banners, were publicly exhibited: they had been taken from the Spanish ships, and were a grateful sight to the people. On one of them was painted the Virgin, with her son in her arms; this was held over the pulpit during the sermon. The next day was the fair usually held in the borough of Southwark, when the same banners were suspended on London Bridge, to be seen by all who passed over*.

* It is stated in the Letter to Mendoza, that "the former rage of the people was greatly assuaged, their fury generally converted into triumph, by boasting in every place that this was the act of God, who had heard the fervent prayers of the people, and was pleased with their former prayers and fastings: to have such banners and streamers which the Spaniards meant to have brought and set up in all places of the city, as monuments of their triumphs, by his good providence in punishing the pride of the Spaniards, now to be erected by the English as monuments of their victories and of perpetual shame to the Spaniards."-See Letter to Mendoza, 36.

The day of Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne was the 17th of November: this day, therefore, had been annually celebrated as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God, and this year it was observed with unusual demonstrations of joy, first, for the Queen's accession, secondly, for the deliverance of the nation from papal tyranny. Cooper, bishop of Winchester, was the preacher at Paul's Cross. Her Majesty was to have been present at this time; but from some cause, not mentioned by our historians, she was prevented from coming, as she had intended. A Form of Prayer, suited to the occasion, was used on this day, from which, as it bears on the question of the deliverance from Popery by the death of Queen Mary, and was used with peculiar fervour by those who assembled on the 17th of November, I select the first, entitled A Prayer of Thanksgiving for the Queen.

"O Lord God, most merciful Father, who, as upon this day, placing on the throne thy servant, our sovereign and gracious Queen Elizabeth, didst deliver the people of England from danger of war and oppression, both of body by tyranny, and of conscience by superstition; restoring peace and true religion, with liberty both of bodies and minds; and hath continued the same to us without all desert on our part, now by the space of these (here the number of years since the Queen's accession were mentioned) years; we, who are in memory of these thy great