for such a charge is proved by the fact that the Duke of Parma was continued in his post of Governor of the Netherlands long after the defeat of the armada. It is also certain, that he used his utmost exertions to put his troops on board. The Duke of Medina was afraid to engage with the English navy: he depended en(tirely on the landing of the Spanish army on the English shores. The council of King Philip never supposed that the armada would be thwarted by the English fleet they imagined that they should be masters of the sea; and that the transportation of troops from the Netherlands to the mouth of the Thames would be perfectly easy. In this hope they were disappointed: the armada wes unable to save itself; while the forces of the Duke of Parma were prevented from leaving their harbours by the Dutch shipping assisted by some English vessels. For some time, however, after the dispersion, the Duke of Par(ma expected the return of the armada to protect him in embarking his troops.

The Duke of Medina also imputed his ill success to his not being joined by Parma, and to his being too strictly tied by his injunctions which were framed by the council in Spain. It was said, that, but for the prohibition of not entering into an engagement until joined by the Duke of Parma, Medina would have attacked the English fleet, when they had first met with it in the Channel, and when it had not more than half its complement of ships*.

* CARTE, iii. 629.

The truth is the Spaniards had boasted so much before the sailing of the armada, that they were ashamed of their conduct when their defeat placed it in > its true light before their eyes. The Romanists have often made success an argument of a good cause. One of Bellarmine's notes of the Church is Temporal Felicity. Strada, the historian of the Netherlands, remembering what the members of his Church had often said on the subject, in alluding to the loss of the armada, says, That the English were not more holy because they were more fortunate: since by the same reasoning the creed of the Saracens and the Turks, who had often been successful in engagements with the Christians, is to be preferred to that of the Christian Church*. This reasoning is perfectly correct, and is admitted by Protestants. Papists, however, use success, when on their own side, as an argument in their favour: while they are unwilling to allow others the use of the same argument.

It was stated in a previous chapter that the Pope had promised a million of crowns in aid of the ex- > penses of the armada. The Pontiff, however, took special care not to advance a single farthing: nor was a single farthing ever paid to King Philip. He freely renewed the bull of Pius V., which cost him nothing; and most kindly gave away Elizabeth's kingdom to his Majesty of Spain: but no money was forthcoming. The Pope merely promised the specified sum as soon as he received certain intelligence of *See GIBSON'S Preservative, Tit. ii. 87.

Still

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. 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.