When the news of the execution of the queen of Scots was brought to Elizabeth, she thought it necessary to assume the appearance of excessive grief; she wore mourning, and for some days shut herself up with only her women. The king of Scotland expressed great resentment at the murder of his mother, and threatened Elizabeth with a war; but it was so much the interest of both sovereigns to keep at peace, that James, who was not of a warlike dispositions, suffered his indignation to subside.

A. D. 1588. Philip of Spain had long been meditating an invasion of England; and, having completed his preparations, and collected his forces, he felt so certain of conquest, that he called his fleet, which was now assembled in the Tagus, the Invincible Armada. His land forces, to the number of fifty thousand men, under the duke of Parma, were marched to the coast of the Netherlands, where a sufficient number of transports were prepared.

This whole armament, by land and sea was so very pow erful, both in the size and number of ships, in the strength and discipline of the Spanish soldiery, and the gallantry and spirit of the numerous volunteers who flocked to serve

Did Elizabeth manifest grief for the death of Mary?
Who invaded England in 1588?

in it, that it seemed much more than sufficient to conquer England.

Elizabeth, meanwhile, sure of the affection of her people, at least of all who were Protestants, was undismayed. She made every necessary preparation for defence: but the English fleet, when collected altogether, was so small in comparison with that of the Spaniards, that her chief reliance was on the superior skill and bravery of her seamen and officers.

The fleet was commanded by lord Howard of Effingham. Drake, Hawkins, and Frobisher served under him. The land forces, which were very inferior to Philip's, both in number and experience, were divided into several bodies. One, commanded by lord Hundson, was appointed to guard the queen's person. Another, under lord Leicester, was stationed at Tilbury Fort. The rest were placed wherever it seemed most likely that the Spaniards would attempt a landing.

The chief support of the kingdom was the vigor and prudence of the queen herself, who showing no alarms at the dangers that threatened her, gave her orders with decision, and omitted nothing that could infuse courage into her people, and increase the general security. This heroic woman appeared on horseback at the camp at Tilbury, and, riding through the ranks, made so animating a speech to the soldiers, that every one felt roused to an enthusiastic attachment to her person.

Amongst other things, Elizabeth said on this occasion: "I know I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart 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 realms to which, rather than any dishonor 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."

How did Elizabeth meet this emergency?

Who commanded the sea and land forces at this juncture?

Did Elizabeth encourage the army?

In what speech did Elizabeth remarkably manifest her spirit and capacity ?

While these preparations were making in England, the armada was on the point of sailing, but was a little delayed by the death of the admiral, whose place was supplied by the duke of Medina Sidonia, a man utterly inexperienced in sea affairs. At length on May 29, 1588, this mighty armament issued from the mouth of the Tagus; but a violent storm coming on the next day, so many of the ships were disabled that it was obliged to return into harbor to refit.

It again sailed with orders to proceed directly to the coast of Flanders, thence to convey the duke of Parma and his troops to the Thames. But the Spanish admiral learning from a fisherman that the English fleet was assembled at Plymouth, ventured in the hope of annihilating it at one blow, to disobey his orders, and made for that port.

The armada, as it approached the Lizard Point, was descried by a Scotch pirate, who was cruising in those seas, and he, hoisting every sail, hastened to give notice of the enemy's approach. Effingham had just time to get out of port, when he saw the Invincible Armada coming full sail towards him, in the form of a crescent, and stretching over a distance of seven miles.

Lord Effingham soon perceived how heavily the Spanish ships sailed, and that they were very ill-built and unmanageable; and his confidence in his own little fleet became much strengthened. He was at first fearful of advancing too near, lest the weight of the Spanish ships should run down his own.

Effingham. however, soon saw that the bulk of the ships was an advantage to him, as presenting a larger broadside for his guns to act upon, and that their cannon were placed so high that they shot over the heads of the English. A huge ship of Biscay laden with money took fire, and another

When did the Spanish Armada sail from the mouth of the Tagus?
Whither did the Armada proceed?

Where did the English admiral first perceive the Armada ?
What was the construction of the Spanish ships?

What was the achievement of sir Francis Drake in the first engage ment with the Spanish?

W*

large vessel sprung her mast, and these two, falling behind the rest were taken by sir Francis Drake.

The armada, however, still sailed heavily up the Channel; and the English vessels, many of them fitted out by private individuals, poured forth from every port, and joined lord Effingham, who followed in the rear of the Spaniards, and took many of the stragglers. At last the enemy cast anchor off Calais, in expectation of being there joined by the duke of Parma.

Effingham now filled with combustibles eight of his smaller vessels, and sent them into the midst of the enemy, who, fearful of being set on fire by them, cut their cables, and dispersed themselves in the greatest alarm, During this confusion the English fell upon them, and took twelve of their ships.

The duke of Parma, on seeing these disasters of the armada, and the superiority which the English had gained, refused to hazard his army by sea; and the duke de Medina, finding his fleet nearly disabled, while the English had only lost one small vessel, thought it best to return homewards. The winds being contrary, obliged him to sail to the north, to make the circuit of Scotland; but the English still pursued, and, had not their ammunition fallen short, would probably have taken every ship.

The tempestuous weather nearly completed the destruction of this vast armament. Many of the remaining ships, after beating about at the mercy of the winds, were wrecked on the coasts of Ireland and Scotland; and those Spaniards who lived to return home gave their countrymen such formidable accounts of the bravery of the English, and the tremendous dangers of their coasts, as effectually repressed all inclination to attempt another invasion.

A. D. 1588.

young

The earl of Leicester died, and the
earl of Essex succeeded him in the queen's

What was the progress of the Spanish invasion?
How did Effingham proceed against the Spanish?

How did the Spanish commanders encounter the English?
What was the end of the Spanish enterprise?

Who were the queen's distinguished favorites?

favor. Essex was in many respects more deserving than Leicester had ever been. He and sir Walter Raleigh, who was a distinguished navigator, as well as an accomplished courtier, soon became deadly enemies. The queen, however, who did not perplex herself with any of their quarrels, delighted in the lofty and impetuous spirit of Essex, and permitted him, even when quite a youth, to speak to her with more freedom than she would allow to any of her old and faithful servants.

A. D. 1599.

Essex was appointed governor of Ireland, under the title of lord lieutenant,—a very difficult post, for the Irish had been in an unsettled state during the whole of Elizabeth's reign; and it was with difficulty that sir Henry Sidney, and other wise and experienced governors, could keep them in subjection.

At this time an insurrection had broken out in Ireland, headed by a powerful chief, who had formerly, as a mark of royal favor, received from Elizabeth the title of earl of Tyrone. Many of his people had formerly served in the wars of Philip of Spain, and were very effective soldiers; so that the insurrection assumed a formidable appearance, and required a steadier hand to stem it than that of the impetuous Essex, who, nothing doubting of his own abili ties, hastened to take possession of his government. But he soon found greater difficulties than he had anticipated.

After some months of harrassing warfare, in which his men suffered greatly from fatigue and sickness, Essex, in defiance of the queen's commands, entered into a truce with Tyrone. Elizabeth sent a sharp remonstrance on this and other points in which her general had been guilty of disobedience, and commanded him to remain in Ireland till further orders.

Essex, instantly on the receipt of this letter, set out for England, and arrived at court before it could be known that he had left Ireland. As soon as he reached the end of his journey, Essex rushed into the queen's presence with

Whom did Elizabeth appoint governor of Ireland?

Was the government of Ireland at that time difficult?

Did Essex obey the queen's orders in respect to the government of Ireland ?

How did Essex afterwards displease the queen?