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John Norris, attended on foot; and placing herself at their head, she made this memorable oration to her soldiers :-" My loving people," said the lion-hearted princess, 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 hearts and good will of my subjects; and therefore, I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live or die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honour and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm! To which, rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms,-I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already, for your forwardness, you have deserved rewards and crowns; and we do assure you, on the word of a prince, they shall be duly paid you. In the mean time, my lieutenant-general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject; not doubting but, by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp, and your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over those enemies of my God, of my kingdoms, and of my people."*

On the 20th of May,t the Armada sailed from the

*Cabala, p. 373.

Substance of certain Mariners' Report touching the Spanish Fleet, in State-paper Office. A transcript of the original plan for the Armada, drawn up in Spanish, is amongst the MSS. at Hatfield.

Tagus, the decks crowded with an array of chivalry such as had seldom before been mustered, and amidst the shouts of a multitude which believed that the doom of England was sealed. From the instructions of the Spanish commander-in-chief, preserved in the State-paper Office, it appears that the fleet was to rendezvous first off Cape Finisterre; but in case of separation they were to make for the Groyne. Thence they were to stretch for England, the point of meeting being the south side of the Scilly Islands; or, if this should be impracticable, to anchor in Mounts Bay on the coast of Cornwall. Preparations had been hastened in Flanders to facilitate a co-operation with the Armada; and a flotilla was equipped to receive troops, which were to sail for the opposite shore on receiving intelligence that the great fleet had arrived on the western coast. To ensure success, a squadron of large Portuguese galleasses were directed to separate from the Duke of Medina Sidonia the moment he reached his destination, for the purpose of supporting the Duke of Parma.

These arrangements were unexpectedly disconcerted. Steering to the northward, within a league of Cape Finisterre the fleet was attacked by a violent storm, which dispersed the greater ships, sunk some of the smaller, and drove others for shelter to the neighbouring harbours. It was soon after confidently reported in England that the whole had been destroyed; and the queen, with too hasty economy, ordered the high-admiral to lay up four of the largest vessels. To this he returned the noble answer, that rather than dismantle them at a moment of such danger, he would take upon him to disobey his mistress, and keep them at his own charges. Howard now called a council, in which it was determined to sail towards Spain, to complete the destruction of the Armada if disabled, or to ascertain if it had been refitted and was again at sea; but though chase was given to fourteen ships, descried between Ushant and Scilly, they, as well as the great body of the fleet, escaped the English, and arrived in a shattered condition at the Groyne. Upon

this the high-admiral, becoming afraid lest in his absence they might reach Plymouth, returned thither with expedition; and, having discovered that all was still safe, allowed his men a short period of relaxation on shore.

It was fortunate he did so return; for on the very day of his arrival, being the 12th July, the Duke de Medina Sidonia once more stood out to sea and sailed for England, having been informed by a fisherman that Howard had laid up his ships, and considered the danger over for that year. The Armada had a slow and perilous passage through the Bay of Biscay, at times becalmed, or involved in thick fogs; but, on the 19th of July it entered the British Channel, and at sunset was observed off the Lizard by Fleming, a Scottish pirate or rover, who brought the intelligence to Plymouth. At the moment this notice was given, the captains and commanders were engaged in playing bowls on the Hoe; and Sir Francis Drake, it is said, insisted, in the true spirit of a sailor, that the match must be played out, as there was ample time both to win the game and beat the Spaniards. All was now bustle and preparation, and the wind blowing stiffly in from the south-west, the ships were warped out, a difficult task, but performed with great activity and skill. The object of the Spanish admiral was to make his way through the Channel to Calais, there to meet the squadron under the Duke of Parma.

It was on the evening of Saturday, the 20th of July, that the English first descried the enemy. The Armada came majestically on, the vessels being drawn up in a semicircle, which from horn to horn covered an extent of seven miles.* Their appearance, owing to their height and bulk, though imposing to an inexperienced eye, inspired confidence in Drake and the best officers, who reckoned upon having the advantage in tacking, and knew that, from the light build and better management of their own ships, they could out-manœuvre them.

* Camden, in Kennet, vol. ii. p. 546.

Howard accordingly suffered the whole to pass, and doubling upon their rear, followed for some time without coming to close action. The Defiance, a pinnace, commanded by Captain Jonas Bradbury, was, in the feudal spirit of the times, despatched to carry a defiance to the enemy, and commence the battle by discharging her ordnance against the first antagonist she might approach. Immediately after this the English admiral, in his own ship, the Ark Royal, engaged a Spanish galleon commanded by Don Alphonso de Leva, into which he poured a well-directed broadside. At the same moment Drake in the Revenge, Hawkins in the Victory, and Frobisher in the Triumph, the largest vessel in the English fleet, brought to action the galleons which were astern under Rear-admiral Juan de Recaldo, a veteran of great courage and experience. His abilities, however, were unequal to this contest; and, after an obstinate resistance, his squadron was dispersed, one ship burnt, the flag-ship of Pedro de Valdez, leader of the Andalusian division, taken by Drake, with 55,000 ducats aboard (which were immediately distributed amongst the sailors), and the rest compelled to seek shelter under the main body of the fleet. The Duke de Medina Sidonia, however, held on his course, throwing out signals, and crowding all sail; whilst Howard, satisfied with the advantage, intermitted the cannonade till he should be joined by forty vessels which had been detained at Plymouth: so ended the first engagement of the 21st July.

At this crisis the following characteristic letter was written by the lord-admiral to Sir Francis Walsingham:—

"SIR,-I will not trouble you with any long letter; we are at this present otherwise occupied than with writing. Upon Friday, at Plymouth, I received intelligence that there were a great number of ships descried off the Lizard; whereupon, although the wind was very skant, we first warped out of harbour that night, and upon Saturday it turned out rain, hard by, the wind being at south-west, and about three of the clock in the

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afternoon descried the Spanish fleet, and we did what we could to work for the wind, which by this morning we had recovered, descrying their fleet to consist of 160 sail, whereof there are four galleasses and many ships of great burden. At nine of the clock we gave them fight, which continued until one. In the fight we made some of them to bear down to stop their leak, notwithstanding we durst not adventure to put in amongst them, their fleet being so strong. But there shall nothing be either neglected or unhazarded that may work their overthrow. Sir, the captains in her majesty's ships have behaved themselves most bravely and like men hitherto, and I doubt not will continue to their great commendation. And so, recommending our good success to your godly prayers, I bid you heartily farewell. From aboard the Ark, the coast of Plymouth, the 21st of July, 1588.— Your very loving friend, "C. HOWARD."

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The orders of the Spanish commander to pass Plymouth and join Parma being peremptory, he held on his course, despatching at the same time a pinnace to hasten the duke and inform him of the loss already sustained. Hitherto the action had continued in a succession of skirmishes, the English avoiding a close engagement till their enemy should get farther into the Channel.† Raleigh in the mean while, afraid that the principal fight might take place without his presence, left his charge by land to proper officers, and, with a company of nobles and gentlemen in a small squadron, joined the fleet on the morning of the 23d of July.

By this time the Armada had advanced opposite to Portland, and the battle which ensued occupied the whole day. The younger and more ardent officers were anxious to board the enemy. But Howard, by the counsel of

*This letter is published from the original in the State-paper Office: the old spelling has been altered.-Bruce's Report, Ap. No. 54.

+ Substance of certain Mariners' Report. Original in Statepaper Office.

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