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prayer is preserved in Strype which was used in the Queen's chapel during the time when the invasion was expected. It had this title: For Preservation and Success against the Spanish Navy and Forces. It merits the attention of the Protestant of the present day. I submit a few passages to the notice of the reader.

“O Lord God, heavenly Father, the Lord of Hosts, without whose providence nothing proceedeth, and without whose mercy nothing is saved; in whose power are the hearts of princes, and the end of all their actions, have mercy upon thine afflicted Church; and especially regard thy servant Elizabeth, our most excellent Queen; to whom thy dispersed flock do fly in the anguish of their souls and the zeal of thy truth.

"Consider, O Lord, how long thy servant hath laboured to them for peace; but how proudly they prepare themselves unto battle. Arise therefore, maintain thine own cause, and judge thou between her and her enemies. She seeketh not her own honour, but thine; not the dominions of others, but a just defence of herself; not the shedding of Christian blood, but the saving of poor afflicted souls. Come down, therefore, come down, and deliver thy people by her. To vanquish is all one with thee, by few or by many, by want or by wealth, by weakness or by strength. The cause is thine, the enemies thine, the afflicted thine; the honour, victory, and triumph shall be thine.

"Give unto all her councils and captains wisdom, wariness, and courage, that they may speedily prevent the devices, and valiantly withstand the forces of all our enemies, that the fame of thy Gospel may be spread unto the ends of the world*."

Happy would it be for England if those in authority would copy the example set them by Elizabeth and her ministers. Such a course would draw down especial blessings upon our beloved country. May all who are invested with power remember that they must give a strict account of its use or abuse to that glorious Being by whom kings reign, and princes decree justice.

* STRYPE'S Annals, vol. iii., part ii., p. 546. This prayer was written by Anthony Marten.—Ibid. 31.

68

CHAPTER IV.

Sailing of Armada. Is driven back. English Admiral sails towards Spain. Returns. Armada sails again. Appears off Lizard. Actions at Sea. Parma. The Fire Ships. Armada dispersed. Resolution to return by the North Seas. The Queen at Tilbury. Dr. Lingard's Misrepresentations.

ALL the preparations being completed, the Armada: sailed from Lisbon on the 29th of May, 1588. The vessels were of large size for that period; and twelve of them were named after the twelve apostles. It was imagined by the Spaniards that they were sailing under the divine guidance, and that to reduce England to subjection to the see of Rome, would be a work most meritorious and most acceptable to God: at least, such was the purport of the language used by the priests and by the leaders of the expedition. With respect to success, they never for a moment believed that they could be disappointed. Going forth under the auspices of the Pope, they viewed the mission on which they had entered as apostolical and divine. When they quitted the river Tagus on the 29th of May, it was intended to steer their course towards one of the harbours, which was nearest to the coast of England. In this object, however, they were disappointed: for a sudden storm overtook the fleet, and compelled the Duke of Medina to put into

the harbour of Corunna and other neighbouring places. Several of the vessels were so shattered, that they were rendered altogether unfit for sailing: and some of them were actually lost on the coast of France.

The English admiral, knowing that the Spaniards were about to sail, made an attempt to put to sea; but was prevented by the same storm from accomplishing his purpose. He was compelled, therefore, to return to his former station. Some of the Spanish vessels, which had been separated from the fleet by the storm, were seen by certain English ships, which also had been dispersed by the winds. It was reported in England that the Spanish fleet had sustained so much damage, that it would not be possible for it to put to sea again this year: a report which Elizabeth, who was ready to believe what she wished, was inclined to credit. She thought that the intention of invading England would be relinquished until the next summer. Acting under the influence of this idea, and being anxious to curtail her expenses, the Queen ordered the admiral to send to Chatham four of his largest ships. This distinguished officer, suspecting that the intelligence respecting the Spanish fleet could not be depended on, and fearing that the armament might suddenly appear in the Channel, ventured to disobey Her Majesty's orders. He solicited as a favour that he might be permitted to retain the ships, even at his own expense, rather than send them home. He hinted that the intelligence from

Spain was not deserving of credit. Instead, therefore, of sending the ships to Chatham, the admiral set sail after some time towards the coast of Spain, in order, if possible, that he might destroy the Spanish fleet as it lay in the harbour. It so happened that the wind changed, when the lord admiral was approaching the Spanish coast. Fearing that the Spanish fleet would now set sail and be carried by the wind, which was then favourable, into the Channel, the admiral returned. The armada quitted Corunna on the 12th of July; so that it is probable that the English fleet passed the Spanish at sea without discovering it*.

To the Christian reader, who views all things as regulated by the superintending providence of Almighty God, the circumstances connected with the two fleets will appear truly wonderful. He may well exclaim, What has not God wrought! The English admiral bent his course towards Plymouth, from which harbour he had departed a short time before. The same gale which brought the admiral back to Plymouth, enabled the enemy to leave Corunna; and almost as soon as the ships were safely moored, the Spanish fleet was seen off the Lizard Pointt. On returning to Plymouth harbour, many of the men were permitted to go on shore, as it was not expected that the armada would so soon make its appearance. While the English fleet was thus at ease, a common pirate accidentally arrived, with the intelligence that

* CARTE, iii., 626.

+ LINGARD, V., 499.

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