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THE
TERCENTENARY
·
OF
ENGLAND'S GREAT VICTORY
OVER
SPAIN AND THE ARMADA.
1588-1888.
BY REV. JAMES LITTLE, M.A.
TORONTO, CANADA:
WILLIAM BRIGGS, 78 & 80 KING STREET EAST.
MONTREAL: C. W. COATES. HALIFAX: S. F. HUESTIS
1888.
..
•·.·↑
Ma
Entered, according to the Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one
thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight, by REV. JAMES LITTLE, M.A., in the
Office of the Minister of Agriculture, at Ottawa.
1
PREFACE.
MR. COLERIDGE observes that there are three pointswhich
the writer of a book must settle in his preface, viz., to what
sort his book belongs, for what description of readers it is
intended, and what is the specific end it is to answer.
Accepting this view as satisfactory, my preface shall con-
sist mainly of brief replies to these three inquiries.
In reference to the first point, I answer that my little book
does not treat of Philosophy, Science or Theology, though it is
not out of harmony with what is known in these high spheres
of thought. Nor does it belong to the more popular, if less
elevated, realm of thought—the biographical fiction, or histori-
cal romance. The sort to which it does belong, but of which
it is merely a fragment, is the historical. It describes, how-
ever, an epoch of rare interest in the history of our Anglo-
Saxon race and of human progress.
As to the description of persons for whom I intend the
book, I answer-I offer it to all who love the religious and
rational freedom, to all who cherish the traditions and
memory, for all the descendants-natural or political-of the
iv
PREFACE.
heroic fathers who in 1588 struggled against and conquered
the despotism and intolerance of the Chief Priest and the
Most Catholic King of Christendom, and won the heritage of
freedom and independence which has fallen to their children.
I intend it especially for the young of this large family, the
great Anglo-Saxon household. To them 1588 was not only
an era in their history, as a race, but in progress toward
freedom of intelligence, of civil rights and of religion. The
heirs of such an inheritance must not sink into supineness
or indifference in regard to it, but must clearly recognize
and firmly stand by and defend it, if possible, extending the
blessings it brings to those who yet enjoy them not.
Then, as to the end the book seeks to promote, I answer—
It is the enlightening, elevation and exaltation of men's aims,
principles and character. It is the exaltation of patriotism
and piety above material and present interests. To show the
people of our time, as the struggle of 1588 so clearly does,
that the victory of great principles, of human rights, of
freedom in our relations to God and men, are better worthy
of a struggle than the conquest of territory or the triumphs
of material wealth or advantage.
I shall only add that I have carefully consulted the best
authorities within my reach, both on the events directly belong-
ing to my subject, and those contemporary with it. I have, as
PREFACE.
▼
to some extent will be seen in the pages of the book, consulted or
cited: “Hume's History of England,"—" Macaulay's Essays
and Criticisms,"-" Camden's Annals of England,"_"Knight's
History of England,"-Motley's volumes on "The Rise of the
Dutch Republic," and on "The United Netherlands," "Froude's
History of England,"—" Hallam's Constitutional History of
England,"-"Green's History of the English People," both the
larger and smaller works-" McFarlane's Pictorial History of
England," "Macintosh's History of England,”-
"Prescott's
Ferdinand and Isabella," (for character of the Inquisition)—
also, "Dr. McCrie's History of the Reformation in Spain,"
Church Histories of both Scotland and England, for the era.
Besides collateral helps, such as "Aikens' Court and Times of
Elizabeth,”—“ Creighton's Age of Elizabeth," etc.
From one source the information is now more copious than
thirty or forty years ago, i.e., in regard to the Spanish side.
The correspondence of Philip the Second and his cotempo-
raries, which was long kept concealed, has been made accessible
in recent days, and has furnished much fuller knowledge of his
character and of his age than was before enjoyed.
CONTENTS.
CHAP.
I. Annus Mirabilis
II. Magnates on the Spanish Side
III. Leaders on the English Side
IV. The Causes and Motives of the Invasion
·
•
·
•
•
:
•
:
:
V. Causes, Motives and Designs of the Invasion (continued)
VI. The Armada
VII. The Spanish Army
VIII. Various Delays in the Sailing of the Armada
IX. England's Danger
X. England's Danger on the Papal Side
XI. England's Danger, from a Military Point of View
XII. England's Preparations for War-Naval and Military
93
XIII. The King of Spain Prescribes the Plan of Movement.. 104
XIV. The Struggle up the Channel
111
XV. The Struggle off Calais
XVI. The Battle of Gravelines
XVII. The Shattered Armada Escaping by the North Sea
•
··
•
•
··
• 4
A
•
PAGE.
•
9
14
24
31
37
42
48
53
63
73
84
128
138
153
CONTENTS.
viii
!
CHAP.
PAGE.
XVIII. The Political Effects of the Defeat on the King of Spain 170
179
186
XIX. Joyful Thanksgiving in England ..
•
XX. The Character of the Victory
XXI. Effects of the Victory on the Cause of Freedom
XXII. Its Effects on England's National Life
XXIII. Evidences of the Ruling of a Divine Hand
XXIV. Our Heritage should be Preserved
XXV. A Lesson from the Fathers of 1588 to their Canadian
Children ..
..
•
··
··
··
•
I
195
200
209
217
227
}
1588
Conspicuous
in the an-
nals of
English
history.
1588
OR
THE TERCENTENARY OF ENGLAND'S
GREAT VICTORY
OVER
SPAIN AND THE INVINCIBLE ARMADA.
ANNUS
CHAPTER I.
MIRABILIS.
"Our fathers have told us what works thou didst in
their days, in the times of old."-DAVID.

MONG the years memorable in English
history, fifteen hundred and eighty-
eight will long hold, on many accounts,
a conspicuous place. In that year England
began to illustrate such latent powers, imperial
courage and superior skill in naval warfare
ness then that she soon successfully asserted her right to
shadowed, be styled mistress of the seas, an honour hitherto
England's
future great-
fore-
10
THE TERCENTENARY OF
!
enjoyed by Spain. Also, in the promptness with
which she organized, from crude and undisci-
plined materials, a numerous and patriotic army
of defence, she proclaimed her love of queen
and country, of home and altar, as well as her
purpose to defend them against all invaders.
The best of her people gave no less decisive
proof of settled purpose to maintain the prin-
ciples of political and religious liberty and in-
dependence than they had given of sincerity in
receiving and openly professing them. We
Undying
admiration especially cherish an undying and grateful ad-
due the pat- miration of the heroic resistance offered by the
riotic fathers
of 1588. patriotic English fathers of that day to the
superior power of Spain, which menaced their
The occasion country with invasion and conquest. The
of this writ- writer wishes, while the Tercentenary of
ing the ob-
the Ter-
servance of England's glorious victory over the "Invincible
Armada," and the proud hosts of Catholic
Spain, is being celebrated, to contribute his
mite in its honour. He proposes, with this in-
tent, to give his best efforts to impartially re-
lating once again the often, but not too often,
told story of the scenes and incidents of the
contest of that annus mirabilis. He proposes
telling how British freemen, full of British
centenary
of the scenes
and inci-
dents of
1588.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
11
The good
resulting to
human
liberty and
religious
toleration,
valor tri-
How British valour, though comparatively few in number,
umphed over and of limited resources, by the favour of
the superior Providence won a complete victory over the
intolerance. immense, well-disciplined and organized forces
power of
was over-
thrown and
the van-
quished be-
came as
chaff before
the wind.
of Spain. Also, how they defeated and brought
to naught a complicated and dangerous plot for
the subjugation of their civil rights to Spain
How the plot and their religious freedom to Rome; and how
the veteran army of the invaders and their proud
Armada were broken to pieces, and became like
chaff before the winds. While England and her
Low Country allies, together with the reform-
ed religion, were preserved from perishing, as
was threatened, by the hand of the bigoted
King of Spain and the arts of the "Holy In-
quisition." It will further be seen how the
mustard-seed of Christian freedom, then sown
won the
inheritance.
in the good soil of the Anglo-Saxon race, has
become a great tree, under whose shadow and
in whose branches the oppressed of every
nation find shelter.

We wish to
preserve the
memory of
We who inherit the blessed fruits and re-
sults of that unequal struggle, owe the memory
those heroic of those heroic sires by whom they were so
sires who
nobly and successfully achieved, the tribute of
a loving remembrance and appreciative mention,
12
THE TERCENTENARY OF
·
We tell our
generation,
and they
those
who follow.
Recalling
the fathers
inspires us.
point out the way by which the great race and
national heritage we enjoy was secured and
won. Then may they in turn tell it to the
generation following, and so "the unborn may
arise and tell the same to their children."
Besides, it tends to inspire our own patriotism,
fill us with wholesome admiration and love of
the powerful agents, human and divine, which
secured them, and arouses manly purposes in us
to preserve and defend them for those who shall
The Greeks come after us. The Greek historian, never
that their honoured names and deeds may never
fade or perish from the memory of their
children. We also owe it to the young of our
own generation that we make known to them
the historical traditions and remains which
So did the
Hebrews.
celebrated
the heroic tired writing, the bard singing, or the orator
deeds of
their fathers. speaking of the heroic deeds of their fathers at
Salamis, Actium, Marathon or Thermopylæ.
Nor did the sacred historian, prophet or poet
ever cease or weary relating in the loftiest
forms of Hebrew eloquence the grand and
majestic doings of their fathers and their
fathers' God in Egypt, at the Red Sea, in the
wilderness, at the Jordan, and in the conquest
of the Land of Canaan.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
13
We should Why should not the memory of the noble
keep alive
the memory struggle and glorious victory of our English
of, and cele-
brate the
great
achieve-
past.
fleet over the despot of Spain, and his defiant
Armada, be kept in perpetual remembrance?
ments of the Why should not we, who enjoy the rich and
enduring fruits of the freedom, enterprise, and
independence then achieved, write, speak, or
sing, as we can, of the heroic deeds by which
they have been won? Or why should this
Tercentenary year pass by uncelebrated in
Canada, whose civilization is a shoot of the old
Anglo-Saxon stock, which not only conquered
the Spanish invader, but which secured, and
has preserved for their posterity, all that gives
vitality, beneficence and endurance to Our
civilization? For the victory of 1588 was not
merely that of England over the power of
Spain, but of liberty over despotism, of
Protestantism over Popery, of modern life and
progress over mediævalism.
First intro-
duce the
ages of the
drama.
Before proceeding to relate the causes,
chief person- motives, and designs of the Spanish invasion of
England, we will introduce to our readers the
principal personages who acted in, brought on,
or directed the drama of that bold enterprise.
14
THE TERCENTENARY OF
First, the
King of
Spain him-
self.
GIND
CHAPTER II.
MAGNATES ON THE SPANISH SIDE.

N the side of Spain there was, first of all,
the king himself, who was son and
heir of the Emperor Charles the Fifth.
On the morning of almost any day in the spring
of 1588, there might be seen entering a cabinet
in the palace of the Escorial* a man of short
stature, narrow chest, spindling legs and meagre
physique. His hair was gray and close cut, his
* The Escorial, or Escurial, was a magnificent pile of
buildings erected by Philip the Second on an elevated and
lonely plateau in the very centre of Spain, some twenty-
seven miles west of Madrid. It was undertaken soon after
the battle of St. Quentin (in 1557), and was nearly twenty
years in course of erection. It was designed for the triple
purpose of a palace, a fortress, and a convent.
The pile
was erected in honor of St. Lawrence, on whose day the
victorious battle of St. Quentin was fought with France,
and to whom Philip ascribed his victory. That saint had
suffered martyrdom, as it will be remembered, by being
roasted on a gridiron, and hence the peculiar form of the
Escurial, which is after the pattern of the saint's instru-
ment of torture.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA
15
appearance.
His personal eyes a blue-gray, his forehead wide, his nose
long and crooked, his mouth wide and his lower
jaw heavy and protruding. His look was cold,
distant and severe. The expression of his coun-
tenance was haughty, ungenial and almost sullen.
His bearing and manner were timid, mean and
taciturn. It may be added that his soul was
dark and gloomy, as his face was dreary. Such
was the personal appearance of Philip* the Sec-
ond, King of Spain, as he entered the office at
which he laboured daily seven or eight hours.
A plodding For he was most assiduous in prosecuting the
work of his desk. He never ceased for a mo-
ment during these hours, issuing, correcting or
signing despatches to or from different parts of
his vast dominions. Thus by his pen, and ac-
cording to his own good pleasure, he governed
the largest and most powerful kingdom of Chris-
tendom. His power was absolute. His will,
worker at
his desk.
Ungenial,
distant and
silent.
Absolute
and despotic
in his gov-
ernment.
Philip the Second was born in Spain in May, 1527. In
1543 he married his cousin Maria of Portugal, who lived
thereafter only one year. In 1554 he again entered the
married state, having selected for his wife, Mary Tudor,
Queen of England. In 1555, on the abdication of his father,
he assumed the sovereignty of Spain and all its depen-
dencies. Philip was, therefore, in the sixty-second year of
his age, and thirty-third of his reign, at the date of the in-
vasion of England.
16
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Philip exer-
cised abso-
lute power
over the
people's
lives, pro-
perty, etc.
even his whims, was observed and obeyed. No
one dare challenge any of his deeds, or ask a
reason for his most arbitrary and intolerant
exercise of power. He claimed the power of
life and death over all his subjects. He pro-
claimed war or made peace without consulting
any of his nobles, rulers or people. Their sub-
stance—houses and estates, as well as money
and goods—he regarded as his, even as the people
themselves belonged to him. His jurisdiction
over their religious convictions and beliefs he
claimed to be supreme. He appointed or re-
moved ministers of state, judges, admirals, gen-
erals, bishops, and all the rest, not on the grounds
of merit or demerit, but according to his own
will. It might be said of him as Daniel said of
Nebuchadnezzar, the despot of Babylon, that
the despot God had given him a "kingdom" and “ma-
Absolute as
of Babylon.
jesty," and that his people of "every nation
and language trembled and feared before him;
whom he would he slew; and whom he would
he kept alive; and whom he would he set up,
and whom he would he put down."
He did all his work with his pen, doing noth-
Not a man
of words but.
of the pen. ing with his tongue or with his sword. He
never thought of taking the field on great
-
#
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
17
nothing
more.
occasions, as his father delighted to do. He
seldom used many words; never any if he
could help it. He would rather scrawl a
dozen pages than make an oral reply in
either of the monosyllables, yes or no. His
minded and
educated.
Narrow mind was narrow and torpid, rather than com-
imperfectly prehensive or vigorous. It had never been ex-
panded by liberal culture. His education was
limited, and derived chiefly from monks, priests
and inquisitors. He was a pampered child of
full years. He never became a well-rounded
Only a Span- and solidly reasoning man. He knew no lan-
guage but the Spanish, associated with none
but Spaniards, carried on his government almost
exclusively by Spaniards. He had in spirit, as
he inherited by birth, all the pride, exclusive-
ness and intolerance of a genuine Spaniard.
But he was a Spaniard above all in zeal for the
maintain the papal religion, and hatred of all other forms of
papal re-
belief. He had, on succeeding to power in 1555,
ligion.
consciously and resolutely devoted himself,
his life, resources and kingly power, to main-
tain the Catholic religion and to destroy heresy
and heretics in every part of his dominions.
This was the one aim of his life, from which he
never shrunk. He was as regular as a monk in
Devoted
himself to

18
THE TERCENTENARY OF
daily.
Punctual in observing the requirements of the Romish
observing
the ritual of ritual. He attended mass, prayers and vespers
his religion.
Listened patiently to frequent exhorta-
tions on religion, submitted his conscience to
the inspection of his confessor, and had all the
needs of his soul regularly attended to by a
duly authorized staff of spiritual health officers.
These things attended to, he felt at liberty to
indulge in such carnal pleasures as he chose, to
excite wars among neighbouring states, bring
of his neigh- under his sceptre such as were too weak to re-
as to self-in-
No scruple
dulgence or
the rights
bours.
sist him, or, by means of the Inquisition, to burn
alive, torture or imprison, Moslems, Jews, or
Protestants who would not, like himself, believe
that salvation could be found only in the
Church of Rome.
"The Holy Inquisition, thoroughly established
as it was in his ancestral Spain, was a portion
of the regular working machinery by which his
absolute kingship and his superhuman will ex-
pressed themselves. A tribunal which per-
formed its functions with a celerity, certainty
and irresistibility resembling the attributes of
Omnipotence; which, like the pestilence, en-
tered palace or hovel at will, and which smote
the wretch guilty or suspected of heresy with
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
19
a precision against which no human ingenuity
or sympathy could guard-such an institution
could not but be dear to his heart. It was in-
evitable that the extension and perpetuation of
what he deemed its blessings throughout his
dominions, should be his settled purpose. Spain
was governed by an established terrorism. The
Grand Inquisitor was almost as awful a per-
sonage as the king or the pope. His familiars
were in every village and at every fireside, and
from their fangs there was no escape. Millions
of Spaniards would have rebelled against the
Crown or accepted the reformed religion, had
they not been perfectly certain of being burned
or hanged at the slightest movement in such a
direction."*
Extent of
Philip's pos-
sessions.
The kingdom of Philip-the Most Catholic
King, as he delighted to be called—excelled any
in Europe during his day in wealth, popula-
tion and power. It included the whole of the
Spanish peninsula, i.e., Castile, Aragon, Gran-
ada and Portugal; in Italy, the Two Sicilies,
Naples and the Duchy of Milan; in the Low
Countries, the Dukedom of Burgundy and sev-
* United Netherlands, Vol. 2.
20
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Macaulay's
estimate of
his power.
enteen Netherland provinces. He was also
sovereign of all the Americas, lord of Asia
and Africa, and titular king of Jerusalem,
France and England. Lord Macaulay says of
his power: "During the greater part of his
reign Philip was supreme on both elements.
His soldiers marched up to the capital of
France, his ships menaced the shores of Eng-
land. It was no exaggeration to say that
during several years his power over Europe.
was greater than even that of Napoleon."
We may add the acknowledged fact that the
Spanish infantry were the most renowned, while
the Spanish generals were unrivalled in Europe.
These, with the vast resources of the Spanish
dominions, were under the control of one will,
and that the king's.
The king had, in 1588, two principal ad-
visers attached to his cabinet, who were, how-
His two sec- ever, merely his private secretaries. The one
retaries, Idi-
aquez and
Moura.
was Don Juan de Idiaquez, who was called
Chief Secretary of State and War. The other
was Don Cristoval de Moura, head of the
Department of Finance and of the Adminis-
tration of Portugal and Castile. This latter
was the king's chief favourite or attendant.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
21
$
Neither a re- Neither of these men, though both were able
sponsible
minister. and cultured, was a responsible minister. The
king, their master, assumed all responsibility.
Their duty was to elaborate and put in due
form all despatches and state papers after
the king had intimated his will or given his
orders. When they had reduced the crude
materials of the king's orders into proper
form, he scrawled his corrections and added
his signature, so giving them authority. Great,
The secreta diligent and arduous as were their labours,
ries little no-
ticed in his- and even high their rank, their names seldom
tory.
come to notice in the history of the time.
Next to the king in giving effect to the
scheme of the invasion was his general and
chief in the Netherlands, Alexander Farnese,
Alexander
Farnese,
Duke of Par- Duke of Parma, then in the forty-third year
ma, his chief
in the Neth- of his age. Farnese was a man of rare gifts
erlands.
and great talents. He was astute, sagacious, &
intrepid, full of resources, and of immense
energy. To him alone, of all outside his
cabinet, the king confided the plot of the
invasion, and took counsel concerning the
means whereby it was to be carried into effect.
Pope Sixtus
the Fifth.
Another distinguished name and ally on the
Spanish side was Pope Sixtus the Fifth. He
I
!
22
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Assumed hu-
mility, of
great pride
and ambi-
tion.
tion hurled
at all Pro-
testant
princes.
was of humble origin, had been brought up in
a monastery, and bore himself with assumed
humility and gentleness, while yet his heart
was full of pride, ambition and eagerness for
family aggrandizement. He warmly approved
and earnestly urged Philip's enterprise. He
Thunder-
gave all force to the thunderbolts of excom-
bolts of ex-
communica- munication already hurled at the heads of all
the Protestant princes of Christendom—against
William of Orange or William the Silent, King
Henry of Navarre, as against the Queen of
England. For by these means he both hoped
to receive new honours and dignity for his
relatives, and to bring the countries over
which these princes exercised power, to sub-
mit to the papal see. He, therefore, offered
King Philip stimulating arguments in words
and money to help on the scheme of the inva-
sion of England. It is true His Holiness loved
Pope prom-
ises one mil- money, and only after long bargaining with
lion gold
ducats.
Philip promised to give one million gold ducats
to the great enterprise. For by it, above every-
thing else, he was confident he would be
enabled to strike down heresy in England,
and restore her to the ancient faith.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
23
}
The Marquis
of Santa
Crux Cap
tain general
of the Ar-
mada.
There was besides, the Marquis of Santa
Crux, to whom the king first assigned the
work of preparing and organizing the Armada,
and then appointed him Captain-general of the
whole Armada. The marquis was a naval
officer of the highest distinction and long expe-
rience in the king's service. He had the rare
good fortune of having never lost a battle or
sustained a defeat during thirty years of
public service. He had now to co-operate in
the business of the invasion with the Duke of
Parma, for whom he entertained no cordial
affection. The duke reciprocated the like feel-
ings. Unfortunately for the marquis, neither
had his master, the king, any cordiality nor
even kindness of feeling toward him. Indeed,
Illtreated by he treated his greatest sea-captain with cold-
his master.
ness, and paid little attention to any of his
wishes or suggestions. This crippled his efforts
and chilled his zeal in preparing for the expe-
dition. He did not, as we shall by-and-by see,
command the expedition, but was succeeded by
the rich Duke of Medina Sidonia, who, happily
for England, knew less of naval warfare than
his predecessor.
+
·
Of great ex-
perience and
ability.
ملے
24
THE TERCENTENARY OF
\
Queen
Elizabeth.
Was fifty-
five at the
time of the
invasion.
appearance
and char
acter.
Good judg-
ment in
selecting
ministers.
3
'MONG the English chiefs, the first name
in prominence and importance is
Elizabeth Tudor, Queen of England.
When she ascended the throne in 1558 she was
twenty-five years of age. She was, consequently,
Her personal fifty-five when the invasion took place. She
was still in the vigour of mature and buoyant
life. Elizabeth had a commanding presence, a
clear understanding, a strong will and bright
countenance; but possessed a violent temper,
a strong self-will, an arbitrary spirit, and was
liable to fits of jealousy as well toward women
as men. She had a quick discernment of the
character and talents of men, and always
selected with good judgment her ministers and
officers of state. It must also be said she
was not free from that deceit and craft which, in
her day, were regarded by princes as a becom-
CHAPTER III.
LEADERS ON THE ENGLISH SIDE.
&
"1"

ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
25
Vivacious
and pleas-
ing, not
beautiful.
Hot temper,
coarse in
speech.
A great
queen and
true patriot.
ing qualification and a rightful heritage. Her
personal appearance and manners were pleas-
ing and vivacious, though she was not a model
of grace or beauty. Her complexion was fair,
her hair almost red, her nose rather long and
crooked, her eyes small and bright. The lines
of her face were strongly marked and rather
masculine. Dickens says, "she was rather a
hard swearer, and coarse talker." She loved to
exercise absolute power. She magnified her
prerogative, and bore with unsparing severity
on any one who infringed upon its sacred rights.
After all, however, we must admit that she was
a woman of superior capacity, judgment and
spirit, a successful ruler and a great queen.
If
she was imperious, she was politic; if intoler-
ant, she was considerate; if passionate, she was
firm in her purpose and persistent in its accom-
plishment. If strict in the exaction of money,
she was prudent, even economical, in the use of
it. It should also be remembered that she
spent both her money and her life in promoting
the well-being of her country, which she greatly
loved.*
•
* "Elizabeth was more exacting," says Macaulay, “of
the homage of her subjects than Louis XIV., but, unlike
3
26
THE TERCENTENARY OF
At that time, and during the reign of Eliza-
beth, the population of England did not reach
That
England's
population
less than
four and a
half millions quite four and a half million souls.*
is to say, it did not quite equal the present
population of London, the capital of the empire;
and was about equal to that of our Dominion
The queen's in this Tercentenary year. The revenue of the
revenue only
million
sterling.
one-half queen, for stinginess in the use of which she
is often severely blamed, was not one-hun-
dredth part of England's present revenue.
Lord Macaulay makes this remark when
comparing it with that of her great adversary,
Philip of Spain. He says, "His annual revenue.
amounted in the season of his greatest prosper-
ity to four millions sterling, or eight times as
large as that which England yielded to Eliza-
beth." He might have gone much higher in
estimating Philip's revenues. They reached
fourteen millions for many years.
him or Philip of Spain, she had no power to enforce it.
Hers was simply the popular deference paid to the office;
to the ancient line in which it resided and in the sense of
security enjoyed by the people. The English people of the
sixteenth century were free, though they had not the
witnessed forms nor present modes of asserting it."
* Hallam's Const. History of England.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
27
Some
There are English gentlemen who now think
English
gentlemen themselves hardly pressed to meet their per-
spend more
than did the sonal and private expenses, whose incomes are
queen. yet larger than that on which the Queen of
England maintained her royal state. The popu-
London in lation of London in that day was about one
1588 had
only 150,000 hundred and fifty thousand, which, our readers
population.
will observe, is little more than the estimated
population of our own city of Toronto at the
present time.
The Earl of
Leicester.
The Earl of
. Essex.
Next after the queen we may mention the
name of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester-a
gallant courtier, an enterprising general, and
chosen favourite of the queen, to whom she
entrusted the chief command of her army at
the crisis of the invasion. Leicester, though
ambitious, and inclined to be vainglorious, yet
freely spent his fortune and talents in the
queen's service, and on behalf of his country
and of liberty.
There was also the accomplished and bril-
liant young nobleman, Robert Devereux, Earl
of Essex, whose career closed both unhappily
and early. He was younger by a whole gene-
ration than Leicester, yet, after the latter's
death, he became the queen's special favourite
G
28
THE TERCENTENARY OF
•
Lord Bur-
leigh, ere-
while Sir
William
Cecil.
Sir Francis
Walshing-
ham, First
Minister of
Elizabeth.
in her most capricious days—a distinction which
proved fatal, though for the time tending to
his promotion. He did most gallant service
for his queen in the present crisis.
The queen had long experience in the gov-
ernment of England at the date of the Spanish
invasion. She had the aid of many singularly
wise, able and patriotic statesmen. First, she
had Lord Burleigh, the minister who so wisely
and successfully directed public affairs at the
time of her accession, and who was then known
as Sir William Cecil. In his green old age he
was still able to do valuable work, and give
prudent counsel. For he knew the resources,
temper and peculiarities of the nation better
than any statesman of the realm, as well as
how to adjust and harmonize their often con-
flicting forces.
Her present chief minister and adviser was
Sir Francis Walshingham-a man of high char-
acter, an indefatigable worker, a quick dis-
cerner of men's schemes and plots, capable,
patriotic, and every way worthy of the great
trust reposed in him. No monarch ever had
a more conscientious, vigilant, sagacious and
upright minister, or one better suited to the
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
29
Sir Walter
Raleigh.
times. His almost infallible detection of trea-
sonable plots and schemes more than once
saved the queen's life.
Sir Walter Raleigh, somewhile the queen's
favourite, filled many posts of public usefulness.
He was gifted with a rare versatility of talent.
He could command an army or a fleet, write a
book or grace the court of his sovereign, scour
the high seas, or plant colonies in America, all
of which works and positions he had, one time
or another, performed and filled. He had
recently returned from a rather unsuccessful
attempt at colonizing those parts of America
on the Roanoke which are now included in
Virginia and North Carolina. This bold spirit,
like so many distinguished and patriotic gen-
tlemen and sea-captains, rallied to his country's
defence when the note of her invasion by the
intolerant Spaniard was sounded.
Lord Howard of Effingham—a brave and
genial peer-was by the queen appointed
Lord Admiral of England, and to him she
entrusted the command of her navy. Sir
Sir Francis Francis Drake-who was the first Englishman
Drake.
He and
other patri-
ots rally to
the defence
of their
country.
Lord How-
ard.
to circumnavigate the globe, and who had, by
his bold deeds upon the high seas, made his
30
THE TERCENTENARY OF
name a terror to the King of Spain-was ap-
pointed vice-admiral of the English fleet. The
Frobisher. intrepid and gallant Captain Frobisher, who
had three times penetrated the polar seas, com-
manded the largest ship in the queen's navy.
Hawkins. The courageous Hawkins, who had sailed two
oceans, captured many prizes, and made the
name of English seamen a terror to their ene-
mies, was rear-admiral. Among the other bold
seamen whose names are remembered is that of
Cavendish. Cavendish, who, in the beginning of 1588, was
on the Pacific Ocean despoiling Philip's galleons
off the coasts of Chili and California. Also,
Lord Thomas Seymour, Sir William Winter
and many others were conspicuous for gal-
lantry and patriotism.
Bacon,
Spencer, and
Shakes-
peare.
-
Besides such statesmen, sea-captains and sol-
diers, England was in that age illustrated in
the realms of thought and letters by the genius
of Bacon, Spencer and Shakespeare-names
sufficient to throw an undying lustre on any
age.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
31
·
CHAPTER IV.
THE CAUSES AND MOTIVES OF THE INVASION.

HESE must be traced to and found in
that greatest religious and social
movement of the century—the Refor-
New light had entered men's minds,
The conten-
tion origin-
ated in ideas
which the
Reformation
introduced mation.
into men's
minds. not only in regard to the means by which we
enjoy the divine favour and are made heirs of
heaven, but also as to our rights and privileges
as citizens of the state and members of the
church. A new standard of faith and rules of
conduct had been found. The question was not
now what the pope, the clergy or the church
commanded, but what the Scriptures, the Word
of God, commanded. The authority of this new
rule quite cast out that of the old. In the light
and by the authority of Scripture the minds of
preferred to men were emancipated from the tyranny of
the pope's.
those who called themselves the church and
claimed to sway all the power of heaven and
The author-
ity of the
Scriptures
32
THE TERCENTENARY OF
renounced.
earth. The multitudes whose souls were filled
with these new views, and who felt these new
convictions, could not but cherish and affirm
them. They were so real, so evident and so
blessed, they could not surrender them. In
The latter preference, they gladly renounced the papal
authority and withdrew from the Church of
Rome. The papacy, which then, as now, claimed
supremacy over both state and church-over
both the conscience and conduct of men-stirred
all her power, employed all her arts to allure,
persuade, or coerce all dissentients to return to
Rome and acknowledge and obey the pope. In
the great rational and spiritual awakening—
in the refreshing and reinvigoration of the era
-some of the nations of Europe shared very
largely; others, though roused and agitated by,
did not receive or adopt, the Reformation.
Some obstinately rejected and resisted its bene-
Spain his-
torically and ficent influence. Before all others Spain strove
intolerant. fiercely to extinguish its very life. Like
obstinately
Gideon's fleece, says an eloquent writer, "when
all around was wet with the dews of heaven,
Spain alone remained dry."
Before the Reformation had extended itself
in Christendom, as early as the days of the con-
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
33
Exercises
despotism
quests of Ferdinand and Isabella, that kingdom
over right of put in motion that cruel and murderous ma-
thought and
of belief. chine, “the Holy Office of the Inquisition." By
it she had burnt alive, tortured, imprisoned, en-
slaved or exiled tens of thousands of unoffend-
The Spanish ing Moslems and Jews. When she desired
destroyed spoils or sought revenge on those hapless
Moors and people, she first branded them with the odious
name, Infidel, then in the spirit, not of the
Christ, but of His enemy, she destroyed their
lives, refusing to save them.
multitudes of
Jews.
The Refor-
mation
opened a
A new and fruitful field opened before this
merciless instrument of Spanish despotism
when the Reformation began to draw away
many of those who before belonged to the
new field for established church. In her bigotry and pride
the Inquisi-
tion.
Spain claimed and exercised a monopoly of
papal zeal, and was known and acknowledged
as the most devoted nation of Europe in the
maintenance of the papacy, and relentless oppo-
sition to every form of dissent.
"The Inquisition had a fatally perfect organ-
ization throughout her territory. It was sus-
tained by all the power of the Crown. It had
its spies among the familiars, who entered
34
THE TERCENTENARY OF
every home and presumed to know even the
The famil-
iars, Jesuits
and Domini- thoughts of every heart. It had its inquisitors
cans, work
the machine.
and executioners among the Jesuits and Domi-
nicans, who laid relentless hands on all sus-
pected of heresy, and with iron grasp held them
till they had expiated the crimes with which
they were accused, with torture, exile or their
In the Netherlands, which were in-
In the Neth- blood.
erlands 100,-
000 fell by cluded in Philip's dominions, the Inquisition
the Inquisi- had been set up by Charles V. From the be-
tion from
1521-1555.
ginning of the Reformation to the abdication of
Charles in 1555, we are informed on excellent
authority that "there were burned, strangled,
beheaded or buried alive for such offences as
reading the Scriptures, looking askance at a
graven image, or ridiculing the actual presence
of the body and blood of Christ in a wafer, not
less than a hundred thousand persons. "'*
The effects
of this in-
The terror of the Inquisition paralyzed,
strument on almost extinguished, the young life of the Re-
Spain, Italy,
etc,
formation in Spain, Italy, and parts of
Germany. So closely did its minions watch,
so quickly swoop down upon, and so relentlessly
punish, all who accepted, favoured, or were sus-
pected of favouring the reformed religion, that
few were left who dare own the odious heresy.
To such state of feeling did the devotees of the
* Motley.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
35
Inquisition strive to bring the people, that they
would regard the reformed religion as a plague
or pestilence, which required for the safety of
the well that those infected should be cut off
from among them. It added to the horror to be
assured that the hopeless heretic was excluded
as well from all the bliss of the life to come.
The introduction of this liberty-destroying, con-
science-stultifying institution into the Nether-
lands aroused the people to rebellion, and led to
Netherlands, a terrible war which lasted for eighty years. The
Led to re-
volt in the
royal and sacerdotal despots, the King of Spain
and the Pope of Rome, were united in purpose
The two
despots, the
King of
Spain and
to extinguish the very spirit of freedom, to put
the Pope of a perpetual end to liberty of conscience, and
Rome con-
spire to crush to silence every aspiration of individualism.
((
liberty and
human
rights.
Men in the mass and men severally must
obey the powers God has placed over them,"
said the monarch and the chief priest. They
added, “men must not qualify or condition this
obedience; for God speaks in and through His
anointed kings and priests." In Protestant
England and Holland, the monarch and the
minister of God were loved and honoured; but
the people had rights and privileges which were
also acknowledged and respected. There were
36
THE TERCENTENARY OF
germs, not
yet the de-
veloped
thing.
ism had the
Protestant limits and conditions both to authority and
obedience. These were not then indeed very
clearly defined or well understood; for Queen
Elizabeth was almost as absolute in spirit as
Philip; and the Protestant churches had not
yet learned to practise toleration. There were,
slowly but however, great principles-germs of liberty,
surely
acknowledged, which served in that day; but
which, after many years of bitter struggle,
were developed into and reached a blessed com-
pleteness and maturity.
Toleration
reached.
-
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
37
C
Philip's
bigoted and
persecuting
spirit and
purpose.
His perse-
cutions in
the Nether-
lands.
CHAPTER V.
CAUSES, MOTIVES AND
DESIGNS OF THE
INVASION (CONTINUED).

HE object which the King of Spain set
before himself on ascending the
throne of his kingdom was first, and
above everything else, to destroy heresy and
defend the ancient, and orthodox, which was,
of course, the Romish, Church. He gloried in
this more even than in enlarging his dominions,
or swaying a beneficent sceptre over the millions
who acknowledged it.
In 1559, nearly four years after assuming
supreme power, when about taking leave of his
subjects in the Low Country to return to his
capital in Spain, and at the close of a general
pacification, the royal bigot, in fierce and angry
tones, denounced the heretical tendencies of the
provinces, and gave peremptory orders for the
summary execution of all heresy and heretics,
1
38
THE TERCENTENARY OF
England an
ally of the
Low
ウ
​requiring that "they be burnt, strangled or
buried alive, without respect of persons, accord-
ing to the edicts already in their hands, that so
no vestige of heresy might be left.”
Philip had long desired, but delayed, to
strike England, because she was a check on
France, which was ready to co-operate with his
rebellious Netherland provinces; and because
he feared she might, through her Scotch
connections, gain mastery of England. This
would have barred his own aspirations to the
sovereignty of that country.
England had for several years given aid and
comfort to the Low Countries, in their heroic
Countries
against
Philip's
struggle for freedom against the despotic
persecutions. power of Spain. She had aided them with her
alliance, with her money, her soldiers and her
navy. But for this help the cause of liberty
and Protestantism would then have been
crushed. With England's good will, however,
the provinces were able to maintain a long and
resolute struggle. At length Philip came to
the conclusion that he could not destroy
Protestantism in the provinces and re-establish
the papacy unless he first humbled England.
But Philip's anger was kindled against England,
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
39
supremacy
on the seas
Besides
England's
not only because she had given encouragement
sin against and help to his Low Country subjects who
Philip in
helping and were in rebellion against him, and who wearied
encouraging him with their persistent clamour about their
the Low
Countries.
against his
liberties, their rights of religion and worship,
which was nothing else than the plague-spot of
She sinned heresy; but for her sins against his supremacy
on the seas. Despite the papal decree which
gave and made over the new world to him,
England's ships had crossed the ocean, entered
the waters of the West Indies, traversed the
coasts of Chili and Peru, in the Pacific Ocean,
had despoiled his galleons of their precious
cargoes of gold dust and of the ingots of Potosi,
of pearls, diamonds and precious stones from
Lima. These ships on returning to England,
after so much freebooting on seas which were
his own, were not only not called to a reckon-
ing for their piratical conduct, but were wel-
comed by her majesty as though conquerors.
She did not Francis Drake, their leader, was the son of a
punish
Drake, whom Kentish vicar, and was himself a Calvinist ;
Philip re-
garded as a yet had the queen knighted him, received a
pirate, but
honoured share of his booty and even placed, some of
his gallantry
and received the gems he presented her, in her crown.
presents
from him.
England was the vital and directing head of
•
40
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Philip's
Protestantism.
If he could crush England, it
´reasonings
the over-
throw of
England.
on the good must fall. Besides, he greatly desired to rule
gained to
him and the the people he hoped to subdue. He believed
church by
by collecting a vast army, and concentrating
his resources and his money on a navy, he
could send such a force against England as
would conquer her at a single stroke. Then
his great life-work would speedily reach a
happy realization. Protestantism would be
swept away, and the ancient church be restored.
His own dominions also would be widened, and
would have rest from sectarian strife.
Disregard
of the rights heart
or wishes of
men, or of
the age.
The head of the church was one with him in
and unscrupulousness of purpose. No
matter what wrong was done to men's rights,
to conscience, to human progress, to the ages to
come, neither of these hoary-headed and in-
tolerant bigots either cared or acknowledged
responsibility. The religious king is ready to
use his vast earthly revenues to set up a king-
dom of which its Founder said, "it is not of
this world." The worldly priest is ready to use
the boundless resources of his spiritual kingdom,
its maledictions and benedictions, to pull down
one and set up another temporal dominion. Day
and night King Philip muses over his great enter-
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
41
Philip's in- prise in the Escorial.
decision.
He fears to decide upon
it, though he longs for the results he imagines
will certainly flow from it. It will require vast
resources and preparations-provisions, ships,
munitions, money and men. He writes to his
favourite general, the Duke of Parma, in the
Low Provinces, and asks his views. He waits,
and hesitates in taking decisive action. Even
when preparations begin to be made, he thinks
they may be directed to the Indies or the con-
He evades quest of another province. When challenged by
an answer to
the inquiry, foreign ministers as to the design of these large
preparations now going on, he dissembles and
evades the inquiry. He does not openly
acknowledge his designs until his fleet is
almost ready for sea. Then he regards it as a
"For what
does he
prepare"?
When the
Armada is
prepared, the power so mighty and irresistible that he spreads
king magni- abroad its fame and magnifies its power, that
fies its power,
and hopes to he may strike terror into the hearts of the Eng-
lish, and break down their courage and
humble their spirits before he has struck a
blow. It is needless to say it had no such
effects on them either first or last.
terrify Eng-
land.
42
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The prepara-
tion of the
Armada.
The means
derived from
conquests.
(
Lisbon on
the Tagus.
CHAPTER VI.
HE Armada provided for the invasion
of England comprised the naval
strength of Spain, and was provided
by the gold which, of late years, had flowed
into the nation's coffers from the East and West
Indies, and from the conquests and mines of
Mexico and Peru. The shipyards of all the
principal ports of Sicily, Naples, Spain and
Portugal constantly resounded for over three
years with the ring of shipbuilding and the
The place of bustle of preparation for war. The great ren-
dezvous toward which all vessels, war-ships,
transports, tenders, etc., moved, and in which
all stores, munitions, provisions, soldiers, sutlers,
etc., gathered, was Lisbon on the Tagus. There,
during fifteen eighty-six, seven and eight, were
collected great galleons, galeases and galleys,
together with squadrons of smaller ships, from
rendezvous
THE ARMADA.

ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
43
2
The form
and appear-
ance of the
largest.
Rooms of
state, chap-
els, etc.
The number
of ships in
the Armada. hundred and thirty-four ships, of which nearly
one hundred were galleons, galeases and gal-
leys-ships of the largest size. The galleons,
about sixty in number, were huge, wide oval-
shaped structures. Their bulwarks were very
heavy, being three to four feet in thickness.
Each was built up both fore and aft, prow
and stern, in the form of a castle, in which
were various rooms for the service of the
ship. Between those castles the sides curved
down to near the water's edge at midships.
The galeases were considerably larger than the
galleons. Each had one castellated fortress at
the stern, and another, a little smaller, at the
bows. Between these were the seats of the
rowers, who were galley slaves, about three
hundred in number on each ship. In the
fortress, which in some cases was shot
proof, were rooms of state, oratorys and
chapels for worship, pulpits, gilded saints,
madonnas, and bands of music. The galleys
resembled in almost every respect those just
described, but were somewhat smaller. These
Biscay, Andalusia, Guiposcoa, as well as Castile,
Sicily, Naples and Portugal.
The fleet of the Armada consisted of one
1
44
THE TERCENTENARY OF
large vessels were grand for spectacular
imposingness and for effect, as every writer
who has described them has observed. Nothing
could have exceeded the Spanish fleet in this
respect. But for war purposes, and for success-
fully navigating stormy seas nothing worse in
the line of shipbuilding was ever constructed.
They were too high and heavy above for their
depth and draught below. Little or no canvas
dared be spread on them in ordinary weather;
but when storms prevailed they could not be
managed, as they refused to obey either rudder
Fine targets. or sail. Besides, they formed fine targets for
their enemies, whose guns could hardly miss
Too high in them, while the range of their own generally
fell far over the heals of their enemies. Ships
of such bulk, build and arrangement had never
Ten squad before been used in European warfare., The
whole fleet was divided into ten squadrons.
There was the squadron of Portugal, of Castile,
of Andalusia, of Biscay, of Guiposcoa, of Italy,
of Urcas, and four smaller squadrons.
their range
to strike
their ene→
mies.
rons in all.
Ill con-
structed for
storms.
The Captain-
The squadron of Portugal was in immediate
General the
Duke of Me-command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia,
dina Sido-
nia.
Captain-General of the Armada. The Vice-Ad-
Vice-Admi-
ral de Leyva, miral was Don Alonzo de Leyva. The fleet
!
1
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
45
Caravels,
stones and
wildfire.
mament
was worked by eight thousand seven hundred
and forty-six (8,746) sailors, and two thousand
Parts of ar- and eighty-eight (2,088) galley slaves. It was
armed with three thousand one hundred and
sixty-five (3,165) pieces of cannon, and carried
over twenty thousand soldiers, and had a ton-
nage of about sixty thousand tons (60,000).
There was, besides, some twenty lighter ships
called caravels, each having ten slaves and six
oars, attending the fleet. Every ship had "two
boat loads of stones to throw in the time of
two thou-
sand in
number.
fight, and wildfire to be given out to the most.
Chivalrous expert." There was also a gallant force of vol-
volunteers
unteers, some two thousand strong, most of
them ambitious members of the most noble
families of Spain, Portugal and Italy. There
were Don John de Medici, Don Amadeus de
Sevoi, and the Dukes of Savionetta and Pas-
tronia, all eager for the great enterprise, and
confident of its speedy success.
Priests,
friars, Jes-
There was on board also a large contingent of
Jesuits, friars and priests, who were to be spir-
uits, and
chief of the
Inquisition. itual guides to the soldiers, and to labour as
-
missionaries in the conversion of England when
the people were vanquished. Chief and head
of all this spiritual force was Don Martin Alac-
46
THE TERCENTENARY OF
of torture.
Instruments con, administrator of the Inquisition. He had
with him, it is said, a plentiful supply of those
pointed arguments neck-stretchers, pincers,
thumb-screws, and all such instruments as
humble the proud, and dispose hard-hearted
persons to sorrow, if not repentance. He also
had a large store of mass books, manuals of
matins and vespers, a good many relics and
bones of dead saints, and plenty of rosaries.
He had, besides, a foul and libellous book, en-
titled, "An admonition to the nobility and
people of England and Ireland, concerning the
present war, made for the execution of his
holiness' sentence, by the high and mighty
King Catholic of Spain." It was signed Allen,
Character of Cardinal of England. This book, which was
this book
an insult to the whole nation, charged the
foulest slanders on the queen's birth, right to
the throne, and on her character as a Christian.
Its design was to alienate her Catholic subjects
from the queen's person and absolve them
from obligation to her, that so they might the
more eagerly conspire to set up in England the
authority of Philip and the pope. It served
an opposite purpose.
Popish
books.
against the
queen.
B
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA,
47
The number
The whole number of souls on board the Ar-
of souls over mada exceeded thirty thousand. On the eve of
30,000.
The Armada its departure the Armada was duly blessed
blessed.
by Cardinal Archduke Albert, the viceroy of
Portugal.
perpetuate
man.
Thus the preparations were completed. They
seemed sufficient for successfully carrying out
tyranny and the conspiracy of Philip and the pope against
destroy the
human liberty, i.e., Protestantism: for the
rights of
world's only hope of rational freedom at that
day was bound up in the life of Protestantism.
This immense war force now put in motion by
the King of Spain and the Pope of Rome was
the concrete embodiment of that king's most
fixed purpose to crush out and subdue Pro-
testantism, and bring the whole Christian world
under the tyranny of the chief priest of Rome.
It is pleasant to remember that-
The whole
force a con-
spiracy to
.،
Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again;
The eternal life of God is hers:
But error, wounded, writhes in pain,
And dies amid her worshippers."
سے
48
THE TERCENTENARY OF
T
1
A grand
army col-
lected in
Flanders,
commanded
by the Duke
of Parma.
1
REGI
CHAPTER VII.
THE SPANISH ARMY.

GRAND army was formed in Flanders
of the Netherlands, which was to co-
operate with the Armada in the inva-
sion and conquest of England. It was in
command of Alexander Farnese, Duke of
Parma, the ablest general in the king's service.
He was in the confidence of, and in sympathy
with, his master in the whole enterprise. His
army was largely composed of veterans who
had distinguished themselves on many a field
and in the siege of many a city of the Low
The base and Countries and of France. It was reinforced
brave in it.
and recruited by adventurers of the lowest, as
well as of the highest classes. There were
courtiers of Italy, Spain and Portugal, as well
as idlers, scapegraces and ne'er-do-wells of the
Netherlands and different parts of Germany.
The one class came in the name of religion and
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
49
·
Love of
spoil.
The army
reached
60,000 in
April.
Rapidly
diminished
by disease.
secure.
for the glory of God, the other in the name of
the king, and to obtain all the spoil they could
Both were, however, moved far more
by the reputed wealth of England and the pro-
mise of being allowed freely to possess it as
soon as England was conquered, than by either
love or fear of God or of the king Reinforce-
ments poured into Parma's camp from all
quar-
ters of the Netherlands and Germany, as well.
as those just named. By the end of April
(1588) the duke was in command of sixty thou-
sand troops, supported at a monthly cost of
about half a million crowns. Yet so rapid was
the progress of disease, incident to crowded
camps, and raw climate, that the number was
sadly diminished before the time for employing
their services arrived.

-
An ambition
among
A great ambition sprang up among the ad-
Catholics to herents of the King of Spain and followers of
share in the
overthrow of the pope to crush, by a grand united effort, the
England. force of Protestantism, and so silence their
hated cry for civil and religious liberty. The
early overthrow of England was confidently
expected by them, and operated like the sound
of a trumpet to arouse the Catholic world.
"Scions of royal houses, grandees of azure
50
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Grandees
rush to
Farnese's
camp.
blood, the bastard of Philip the Second, the
bastard of Savoy, the bastard of Medina, the
Archduke Charles, nephew of the emperor, the
princes of Ascoli and Melfi, and many like
them, together with such English traitors as
Paget, Westmoreland and Stanley, all hurried
to the camp of Farnese, as to some famous
tournament in which it were a disgrace to
chivalry if their names were not enrolled."*
King Philip, who had a plodding but not a
Provision for capacious or comprehensive mind, forgot the
the transpor-
tation of Par- important matter of the means of transporta-
ma's troops
neglected by tion for the Duke of Parma's troops from Flan-
the king.
ders to England. He had made no provision
of ships or transports for this important part
of the service. He forgot that, however brave
and powerful Parma's troops might be, they
could not conquer England if they remained
at Ghent in Flanders. The duke, however,
The duke
made prodigious efforts to provide the neces-
supplies the
oversight by sary means of transportation for his cavalry
energy and
great effort. and infantry from Dunkirk, Newport, Grave-
lines, and the Scheldt to the Thames in Eng-
land. He set all carpenters, shipbuilders and
shipwrights of every kind which he was able
*U. N., p. 579.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
51
ports un-
armed.
to procure in Lower Germany, in Flanders or in
the Baltic to build transports on all the rivers,
canals and harbours through which he meant
to pass.
With incredible rapidity the Flemish
forests were transformed, it was observed, into
The trans- floating ships. But none of these vessels had
any armament, nor were capable of resisting
violent storms. They would serve, however, if
the Armada should shield them all the way
across the Channel, if no English ships and no
Parma's sol- adverse winds opposed. But how were they to
get under the protection of the Armada? It
could not go to them. They could not come to
it, because an English fleet lay between. As
matters turned out, they were strong, safe and
sufficient. For none of them were ever used
or found to be necessary.
diers not
provided
with safe
transporta-
tion.
This whole armament for the dethroning of
Resumé of
the Spanish
armament. Elizabeth, the conquest and conversion of Eng-
land was a marvel to an age in which ships of
twelve or thirteen hundred tons were seldom
seen, and in which armies of sixty thousand
men seldom came together, much less crossed
the seas. Here was a whole fleet, numbering
Showing its from a hundred to a hundred and fifty sail,
rare equip nearly all great ships. It has eleven thousand
52
THE TERCENTENARY OF
veterans, nearly as many recruits, on board,
some two thousand noble volunteers. It has
over eight thousand sailors, and nearly half
that number of guns. It has about three hun-
dred barefooted friars and inquisitors, and a
total tonnage of sixty thousand tons. Such a
of invasion. fleet had never before invaded any land. How
An une-
qualled force
How, said
many, can it
fail?
can it fail, under such favouring circumstances,
in such a holy cause, with so many prayers,
said superstitious Catholics? Surely, said
they, when to this great, this invincible
Armada is conjoined the veteran army of Par-
ma-some sixty thousand strong-all moving
under the command of the greatest general of
the age, England must speedily fall, and glory
cover Spain and all her invading force! The
King who rules in heaven had otherwise
determined.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
53
Again, in
1587.
C
CHAPTER VIII.
VARIOUS DELAYS IN THE SAILING OF THE
ARMADA.

ANY unforeseen occurrences conspired
to retard preparations for and delay
MYM the time of the Armada's sailing.
The king's When (in 1585) the king reached a settled
plan of at
once invad- purpose-or as settled as he was capable of
ing England
impossible. reaching to invade England, he thought his
plans could be carried into effect the following
It cannot be year. It was, however, soon ascertained that
done in 1586. neither a sufficiently strong fleet nor properly
equipped army could be put in readiness for
that year. There seemed little doubt, however,
that if resources, energy and skill could suc-
ceed, all would be in readiness in 1587. In the
54
THE TERCENTENARY OF
spring of that year squadrons of ships were
beginning to float in every considerable har-
bour of Spain and Portugal from Biscay to
Cadiz. Many were hastening to the common
ed disaster.
An unexpect- rendezvous in Lisbon. An unexpected and
somewhat alarming interruption again occur-
ther delay. red, and caused a still further delay.
causes fur-
Admiral
On the second of April, Admiral Drake, who
Drake makes
a descent on had already done much damage to Spanish ship-
ping and commerce in the West Indies and on
the ocean, appeared with a squadron of twenty-
six English ships off the harbour of Cadiz, on
the south of the peninsula. He found much
shipping in the harbour, a squadron about to
sail for Lisbon, and great naval stores ready
for transportation and use. He had come out
from Plymouth on this expedition to ascertain
what reality there was in the rumours of pre-
paration for the invasion of England, and, if
opportunity presented itself, to strike an early
Drake's let- blow. He wrote to Walshingham, in his own
ter on the
day he
starts on his
Cadiz and
destroys
many valu-
able stores
and ships.
peculiar style, on the morning of his departure
expedition. from Plymouth. Said he: "The wind com-
mands me away. Our ships are under sail.
God grant we may so live in His fear as the
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
55
enemy shall have cause to say that God doth
fight for her majesty as well abroad as at
home."*
Drake enters
On the ninth of the same month he dashed
Cadiz on the
9th of April. into the harbour of Cadiz in the face of the
* Admiral Drake, the hero o the struggle with the
Armada, was the son of a Kentish clergyman of the Puri-
tan stamp, to which party in the Church Drake inclined,
if he did not actually belong. He possessed many high
virtues beside capacity, talent, enterprise and experience.
He was renowned for moral courage, integrity, trust in
God, devotion to duty and to his country. He reminds
us in many respects of the Protector, Oliver Cromwell,
who appears in English history more than half a century
later; notably in his religious phraseology, his boldness
of action, his conviction that God was on his side, that
he could not fail in his battles because the Divine arm,
on which he trusted, never failed. Of all this his words,
actions and sentiments, recorded in this little volume,
give ample evidence. Here is a specimen : He says:
"Powerful as the Spaniards were, they were still but
sons of mortal men, for the most part enemies to the
truth, upholders of Dagon's image, which had already
fallen before the Ark; so long as their ships would float,
and they had food to eat, he and his men were ready to
stay on the coast, and he was especially anxious the
queen should allow him to do so; the continuing to the
end yielded the true glory; if Hannibal had followed his
victories he would never have been taken by Scipio;
and when men thoroughly believed that what they were
doing was in defence of their religion and country, a
merciful God for Christ's sake would give them victory,
nor would Satan and his ministers prevail against them."
1
56
THE TERCENTENARY OF
great guns frowning from the fortress upon
him, in spite of six large galeases at the
entrance of the harbour, into the very midst
of a large squadron ready to sail for the gen-
Destroys one eral rendezvous at Lisbon. He made himself
hundred ves-
sels, ten master of the harbour, destroyed or captured,
thousand
tons valu-
between galleons and store ships, over one
able provi- hundred, and over ten thousand tons of lading,
sions.
-raisins, dried fruits, biscuits, etc., all in less
Raids
Cape St.
Vincent.
-
than thirty-six hours. Then on his return, off
the coast of Portugal, and at Cape St. Vincent,
he destroyed or captured more than three score
vessels of all sizes. He also threatened Lisbon,
Challenges and challenged the Spanish admiral, Santa
the Spanish
admiral at
Lisbon to
fight him.
Cruz, to come out with his ships and fight him
in the open sea. The admiral declined the
contest, and allowed him without molestation
to complete his work of destruction. He was
about to engage in the daring enterprise of
investing the city of Lisbon, when he received
orders from the queen, who was prosecuting
peace negotiations with Parma, to return to
England. He abandoned his enterprise and
set sail the next morning for England. Thus,
He “singed in his own quaint words, "he singed the king's
the king's
beard."
beard." And besides getting certain knowledge
1
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
57
of the preparations that were being made, he
learned a useful lesson as to the best modes of
handling the light and active English ships
against the large and heavy galleons of Spain.
He delayed This bold and successful raid so affected the
their readi-
ness for a
year.
preparations of the Armada that all could not
be got in readiness before the opening of the
next year. This gave England further time
for preparation.
Learned how
to handle
1
To the Marquis of Santa Crux, who had
the Spanish been in charge of all the preparations of the
ships.
fleet, the king committed its supreme com-
mand, with the title and dignity of Captain-
General of the Armada. When, however, all
was ready for sailing, this brave officer, worn
ready is sail. with the cares of the preparation, and chilled
Admiral
Sauta Crux
dies as the
Armada is
by the coldness towards him of his master,
fell ill of a violent fever, and suddenly died.
The Duke of In his stead the king appointed the Duke
Medina Sid-
onia ap-
pointed
eral in his
of Medina Sidonia-a man of noble family and
Captain-gen- plentiful fortune, but with very little know-
stead. ledge or experience of service upon the sea. It
was pertinently remarked at the time that
"the king had succeeded the iron marquis
with a golden duke." The vice-admiral also
died about the same time, and in as unex-
-
I
5
10
58
THE TERCENTENARY OF
pected a manner; his successor has been already
named. These changes, unfortunate for Spain,
proved advantageous to England. They de-
layed the sailing of the fleet for a month, and
so gave the English a little longer time to pre-
pare. They also offered them less experience
with which to contend when the great struggle
came.
The Armada
sails on the
At length, on the twenty-eighth of May,
28th of May, 1588, Admiral Medina Sidonia issued the
1588.
Leaves the
Tagus and
enters the
sea with
trumpets.
orders to be observed on this voyage to the
shores of England. On the next day, a signal-
gun being fired, the whole Armada, consisting
grand roll of of ten squadrons, dropped down the Tagus from
under the towers of Belim, led by the squad-
ron of the captain-general. As he left the
harbour he sounded his trumpet, every captain
instantly did the same, and the whole Armada
put to sea with a grand blare of trumpets.
Thus, in a most imposing style, the fleet swept
out to sea, entered the vast Atlantic, and
turned their prows northward toward the
shores of England. All hearts were full of
confidence and hope, anticipating a prosperous
voyage, a happy meeting with the troops of
Parma, and a speedy conquest of England.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
59
consent
Invincible.
The Armada All regarded the proud fleet as Invincible, and
designated
and esteemed so gave it the designation, which has ever
by common
since, with an unrelenting irony, clung to it.
Before they had reached Cape Finisterre, the
most northerly point of Spain, a violent storm
overtook them, which seriously broke and scat-
disables it. tered the fleet. Some ships were lost, many
the coast of
Spain and
disabled, and all the remainder were in need of
repair. They therefore put into Corunna to
refit. For a whole month the fleet lay in the
harbour having everything again put in readi-
ness for sea, and waiting for favourable
weather.
A storm
falls on the
Armada off
Puts into
Corunna.
Elizabeth,
hearing of
Exaggerated news of this disaster soon
the disaster, reached England. Queen Elizabeth, thinking
advises Ad-
miral How the invasion would not be again attempted
ard to lay up
dismiss a
part of his
ships and that season, and eager to economize, advised
Admiral Howard to lay up his ships in Ply-
sailors. mouth and dismiss a portion of his sailors.
Before acting on this economical advice the
admiral thought it most patriotic first to as-
certain how much harm had been wrought by
the storm. He also hoped that, perchance, he
might co-operate with the elements in further
crippling the Armada. Accordingly he sallied
out from Plymouth with a portion of his fleet,
Admiral
Howard re-
connoitres
the Armada.
60
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Finds it not steering toward Corunna. But learning the
seriously
damaged.
fleet had not been so badly disabled as re-
ported, and seeing the winds favourable for
bearing them toward England, he feared they
might reach it in his absence, and so he
speedily retraced his course to Plymouth. He
had not yet begun to dispose of his ships or
diminish his staff of sailors, but, on the con-
trary, urged more earnestly increased prepara-
tion for the approach of the invincible Armada,
which he knew would soon appear.
Parma, in a
During the delay caused in the sailing of the
spirit of dis-
simulation, Armada, the Duke of Parma, by the directions
negotiates
for peace.
of Philip, amused and engaged Elizabeth in
meaningless peace negotiations. The queen
sent plenipotentiaries to treat of the business
in Flanders. The Hollanders utterly refused to
participate in the negotiations. England and
Spain carried them on for some time, espe-
cially dealing with preliminaries. Spain dis-
sembled and concealed her designs, for she was
at the same time increasing her preparations
for the invasion. The queen wished peace, but
it if possible. a peace without sacrificing the Netherlands,
The queen
also desired
was impossible. That Elizabeth would have
yielded to such treachery toward her Protest-
Urges re-
newed pre-
parations.
•
C
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
61
ant allies is hardly credible. She, too, may
have been gaining time to prepare for a strug-
gle, which she still hoped might be averted.
Elizabeth looked with comparative indifference
on the religious aspects of the struggle of the
The zeal of Netherlands. But the growing fanaticism of
the English.
the Catholics, the prevailing importunities of
the Jesuits-Allen and Parsons and Co.-with
Philip, and the various atrocities which had
been committed by the Spanish and French
Catholics, aroused the Protestants of England,
whose zeal more than compensated for the
Stimulated queen's apathy. The tidings which, from
to the high-
est pitch by time to time, reached the people through re-
the atroci-
ties commit- turned soldiers, officers, refugees or travellers
ted against
Protest- (newspapers were as yet hardly known),* of
the
ants of
France and
the Nether-
lands.
*
It is of interest to notice the entrance into life, in the
midst of the excitements and solicitudes of 1588, of that
new and powerful agent for speedily spreading among the
people intelligence of matters of public interest—THE
NEWSPAPER. Till this time despatches and brief notices
from the Government to the people were made in writing.
Matters of more detail, on politics, or observance of the
laws, were circulated in pamphlets. The convenience of
combining in one these two modes of communicating with
the people became apparent to the Ministry. Accordingly,
in April, 1588, the first number of the English Mercury
was issued for this purpose, and seems thereafter to have
appeared daily, or almost every day. There is framed, in
the British Museum, a copy of this paper, dated July
62
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Alva's butcheries in the Low Countries-the
horrid massacre of St. Bartholomew, the assas-
sination of William the Silent of Orange, the
like attempts on the queen herself, the intoler-
ant spirit of Spain and the cruelties of the
Spanish Inquisition-these revived in the peo-
ple memories of the tragic scenes of Queen
Mary's day, and stimulated the spirit of Pro-
testantism to the highest pitch. The people's
The people
in advance
of the queen. spirit and purpose of resistance to Catholicism
was far stronger than the queen's. The Eng-
lish people were thoroughly imbued with the
love of liberty and independence, and they
were determined to contend for the right to
enjoy them.
Elizabeth's
hope of suc-
cess lay in
Philip's hesi-
tating tem-
per.
Queen Elizabeth's hopes of success with
Philip did not spring from a belief she could
outrival him in military force and appliances,
but from her knowledge of his character. His
temper was slow, hesitating, and over-cautious.
He was always waiting and watching for a
greater advantage. Elizabeth was active, ver-
satile, abrupt but bold in her movements, and
acted promptly when she saw an advantage.
23rd, which is marked Number Fifty, pointing back to the
date of its first publication.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
63
Was Eng-
land pre-
pared ?
The peril of
England
great. She
is self-
reliant and
confident.
CHAPTER IX.
ENGLAND'S DANGER.

AVING briefly described the causes
and design, pointed out the plans, pre-
parations and movements of the force
of invasion, let us now inquire what was
the state of things in England, and what pre-
parations were there being made to resist the
attack of so formidable a power.
There is no use in trying to conceal the
greatness or manifoldness of the peril in which
England at that moment stood. From a purely
human point of view, it seems to us she had
far more ground for fear than hope, for dismay
than confidence; yet brave, self-reliant and
patriotic, she did not for a moment quail or
waver. But she resolutely set herself to the
work laid on her, determined to do her whole.
duty and confide the results to the Supreme
Disposer of all things.
64
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Danger from
the Catholic
element in
the country.
In the first place, she was in danger from the
devotees of the papacy who were in England.
That system had then many adherents in the
country. Fully one-half the population still
adhered to the Catholic Church. Every con-
sideration calculated to arouse their religious
zeal and sectarian bitterness was spread in
Pope Sixtus the
Romish Fifth, noted no less for his capacity than for
against her. his intolerance, heartily espoused the enter-
Plots against prise. He had been the animating spirit of
Pope Sixtus glaring colours before them.
Fifth excites
bitterness
her.
the abortive plot for the murder of Queen
Elizabeth, and the advancement of Mary Queen
of Scots to the English throne. He longed to
see the power of Protestantism broken by
whatever means. As England was its strong-
hold, she must first be crushed, if it is to fall.
He gives up his temporary enmity to Philip,
and they become friends, as long before Pilate
had done with Herod, that they may destroy
One who had done them no wrong. For he is
determined to re-establish the religion of Rome
in England, although its queen and people are
Defames and opposed. For this object he directed his spir-
excommuni-
cates her.
itual thunders against the queen. Though she
did not belong to his communion, he enforced
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
65
the bull of excommunication his predecessor
had issued against her. He branded her name
Deprives the with infamy. He deposed her from her
queen of her
kingdom, throne and deprived her of her kingdom,
and absolves
from obli-
gation to
her.
from
He also
promises
her subjects though his supremacy was not acknowledged
in England. He absolved her subjects
obedience and oaths of allegiance
to her, and proclaimed a crusade against Eng-
land, as a nation of heretics and infidels. He
also granted plenary indulgence to all who
would participate in the crusade and engage
in the invasion. This warlike pontiff did
material aid. yet more. To stimulate Philip's zeal and
strengthen his hands in this work of religion,
he entered into a treaty with him, promising
him an immense subsidy the moment the
first English port came into the possession of
He encouraged his adherents in Eng-
land and his followers elsewhere with the
promise of rewards, if they promptly and
liberally co-operated in the enterprise. He felt
confident of a grand and immediate success.
Invites the Spain.
co-operation
of the
faithful.
It may be well, in passing, to present to our
readers the leading historical facts concerning
the plot (in 1586) for the assassination of Queen
Elizabeth, in which both the pope and the
The plot for
the assas-
sination of
Queen
Elizabeth.
—
66
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The Jesuit,
John Bal-
lard, the
King of Spain were implicated. The concep-
tion of it sprung out of the pope's bull ex-
comunicating the queen, and from the zeal of
the "Most Catholic King" for the enforce-
ment of that decree. The principal agent,
however, in organizing the plot, was John
agent in the Ballard, a Jesuit and Seminary priest, who
plot.
considered himself called to give effect to that
part of the pope's bull, which authorizes the
removal of the excommunicate from among
the living.
principal
The Pope's
sanction
given.
Philip of
Spain to co-
operate.
Ballard had obtained the pope's sanction to
the plot, and secretly pressed forward his
scheme to accomplishment. Disguised in dress
and name, Ballard travelled over England as
Captain Fortescue, conferring with young
Catholics, and inciting them to engage in his
enterprise. This included a Catholic insur-
rection in England as well as the assassin-
ation of the queen. The plan was for the
Scots, liber- Catholics to rise in mass as soon as the queen
Seize the
Queen of
ate her, and
Queen of
England.
proclaim her had been dispatched, liberate the Queen of
Scots from her imprisonment, proclaim her
Thus would Queen of England, and thus through her, draw
England be
off England and reunite her to Rome. Many
Catholic noblemen espoused the cause: lords
again
united under
her to the
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
67
Percy Arundel, Henry Howard, Stanley, and
others, had bound themselves by an oath to
stand by one another and the Church of
Rome. Others were ready to co-operate with
the Scotch Catholic lords-Maxwell, Huntley,
and Claude Hamilton-in effecting a revolt,
and so uniting Scotland and England in Mary's
crown
The man most active in executing the details
of the plot of assassination in England was An-
thony Babington, of Derbyshire, a susceptible
of assassina- young gentleman of some fortune and culture,
who had come under the spell of Mary's fascin-
ations and had devoted himself to her cause.
out the plot
tion,
Church of
Rome.

Babington,
of Derby-
shire, the
chief actor
in carrying
men of the
Six young Babington had access to Queen Elizabeth's
household, to which many Catholics freely re-
sorted, and taking dishonourable advantage of
his privilege, he enticed six young men, who
belonged to the queen's household and had con-
stant access to her person, to promise to kill
her, stabbing her, or in some safe way dispatch-
ing her; the condition of their so doing being
the co-operation of the insurgent Catholics,
and of the King of Spain, to liberate the Queen
of Scots and place her on the English throne.
queen's
household
enter the
plot.
68
THE TERCENTENARY OF
i
Ballard in-
forms Philip
of the ripe-
ness of his
scheme and
seeks as-
surance
of his help.
Ballard went back to the continent, assured
Philip all was arranged; that the English
Catholic nobles were ready to move, had even
bound themselves by an oath to rise as one
man when the King of Spain assured them of
his readiness to co-operate with his forces in
placing the new queen upon the throne.
Walshing-
ham discov-
ers the plot
Walshingham had discovered the plot, secured
copies of the correspondence of Babington, Bal-
the guilty to lard and others in the plot. In fact, he knew
the gallows.
and brings
15
more about it, in a short time, than any one of
the conspirators. When the proper moment
came and the scheme was ripe, the conspirators
were arrested: they were put on trial. The
proof was full and undeniable. The guilty re-
ceived the legal rewards of their treasonable con-
duct. Terror, exasperation and dread of com-
ing evils agitated the hearts of all Catholics.
But besides her danger from her Catholic
people, she was also in danger from her neigh-
bour on the north. James VI. of Scotland was
the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, who had, a
few months before, been executed in England
for treason. Through his agents, well supplied
with Spanish gold, it was known Philip was
James VI.
approached
by Philip,
but secured
in the Eng- making every effort to induce James to join
Dangers ap-
prehended
from Scot-
land.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
69
lish inter-
ests.
the Spanish cause. Thus it was suggested to
him he could, as in filial duty he was bound,
execute righteous vengeance for the execution
of his mother. James knew, however, how
that mother had murdered his own father and
had plotted to deprive him of his royal birth-
right in Scotland. Besides, it was known that
lords Huntley, Maxwell and other Catholics.
had formed plans for organizing and putting
in motion a revolutionary force as the basis of
a Spanish movement in Scotland, or at least
for a diversion of the English army so as to
weaken its strength against the army of inva-
sion which it would have to meet in England.
To meet and overcome these dangers, Queen
Elizabeth sent commissioners to Scotland to
treat with James and secure him in the inter-
ests of England and of Protestantism, which he
professed to believe. She also wrote to him in
her own hand, presenting, as it is said, "stout
arguments," liberal promises and large pay-
The Church ments. The Church of Scotland, which was
of Scotland
also ad-
dresses him.
Queen Eliza-
beth sends
commission-
ers to James;
she also
writes him.
much interested in their young king's adhesion
to England, exerted their influence with him
both on the ground of his own prospective in-
terests as heir of the English crown, and on
70
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Philip's
schemes of
the ground of his profession of the reformed
religion.* James was secured, and with him
Scotland.
The three
powerful
feelings or
impulses
We may observe three powerful feelings or
impulses in Philip, by one or the other of
which ruled which all his public actions were influenced.
Philip.
These were ambition, religion and revenge.
The Protestants had successfully resisted his
persecuting measures in the Netherlands. He
had been thwarted in all his schemes for bring-
ambition
thwarted by
England. ing them to submit to the authority of the
papal church, and respect the persecuting edicts
of the king and “the Holy Office" of the Inquisi-
tion. This, he believed, was mainly due to the
intervention of English power and influence.
He also had titular claims on the sovereignty
of England. He had, as husband of his cousin,
the late Queen Mary, eldest daughter of Henry
VIII., been styled King of England. After
Mary's death the insolent islanders had indeed
Will enforce refused to longer recognize the title. He had,
his title in
England as however, never ceased to regard it, and longed
he had done
in Portugal for an opportunity of making it good. His
ambition would, perhaps, have been already
gratified, had not the Princess Elizabeth stood
Hetherington, Hist. of Ch. of Scotland, in loco.
*
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
71
Seeks re-
venge for
in the way. Then England would have been
an appanage of Spain. But had he not suc-
cessfully asserted a like claim in right of his
deceased wife, Maria of Portugal, only a few
years before ? Had he not conquered that
country and made it part of his dominions?
The reach of Why not now do the same in England? He
Philip's am-
bition. determines, therefore, to secure it by the force
of arms and the arbitrament of war. When
that is done his Netherland subjects, he thinks,
will yield to his will, and even France, which
he now divides into two camps-Catholic and
Huguenot-will soon fall exhausted under the
strain of the conflict. So far does his ambition
reach.
many
insults.
had refused
He had also, he thought, great wrongs to
avenge. In this lay the deepest motive of his
great undertaking. He had, as sovereign of the
greatest nation of Europe, been insulted by
England. In the first place, she
to acknowledge him as her king.
present queen had rejected his earnest suit,
after encouraging it. She had, moreover, in
disregard of his intervention, given the head
of the Catholic Queen of Scots to the block.
The flag of Spain had been insulted on the
Besides, her
72
THE TERCENTENARY OF
high seas: many of his ships, with much treas-
ure, had been made prizes by Drake, Hawkins,
and other English sailors. England's queen
had looked on approvingly, instead of punish-
ing the leaders in these foul deeds. England
must now drink to the dregs the cup of retri-
bution which he had poured out for her. The
invincible Armada will begin, Parma's army
and the Inquisition will complete her subju-
gation and conversion.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA,
73
Philip's fan-
atical zeal
for the papal
religion.
CHAPTER X.
ENGLAND'S DANGER ON THE PAPAL SIDE.

HILIP claimed, however, that his sup-
reme motive in this great "enter-
prise," as he called it, was the love of
God and the honour of religion. By which he
meant the coercion into submission to the
Church of Rome of all dissentients. In this
work he claimed to be the leader and champion.
"The point," says Hume, "on which Philip
rested his highest glory, the perpetual object of
his policy, was to support orthodoxy, and ex-
terminate heresy." He zealously employed
that bloody machine, the Spanish Inquisition,
which, with its swarms of monks and familiars,
as spies, and Dominicans and Jesuits, as execu-
tioners, had already immolated thousands of
unoffending Moslems, Jews, and Protestants, in
the Spanish kingdom. In the name of religion,
and for the glory of God, he proposed intro-
6
74
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Philip a fan-
atical bigot.
ducing it into England, so soon as the Armada
had effected the safe landing of his soldiers,
and the conquest of the Island was made sure.
Thus he would convert England, and restore
her people to the arms of their loving mother,
England to
be converted
by force of
arms and the
Inquisition. the Church of Rome.
Philip was, in truth, a cruel and fanatical
bigot the impersonation of all that is narrow,
obstinate and hateful in religion.
He was
sullen and ungenial in his temper, hard and
implacable in his resentments, and inhuman
in the cruelties he wantonly inflicted on thou-
sands of his fellow-creatures. He could witness
the tortures and hear the cries of anguish of
an auto-da-fé, as he often did, and, without a
spark of feeling for the innocent sufferers, cry,
"So let all Thy enemies perish, O Lord." He
was far happier when executing the most
savage vengeance than in exercising the most
becoming clemency. Let me here present a
picture of his bearing and part in one of these
blood-freezing scenes-the celebration of an
auto-da-fé in the fair Spanish city of Valladolid,
in 1559. Early in that year, Philip finding
that, notwithstanding all his vigilance, the
Lutheran doctrines were spreading, wrote to
A cold-
blooded per-
secutor.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
75
The pope's
Inquisitor-
the pope for further power, if that might be
given, to increase the stringency of the "Holy
Office of the Inquisition." His Holiness, ap-
proving the fidelity of the king, issued a bull,
directing the Inquisitor-General Valdez to
to burn the consign to the flames all imprisoned as sus-
prisoners.
bull to the
Gen. Valdez
pects, relapsed persons, or known heretics.
This gentle order Valdez cheerfully proceeded
to execute.
He proceeds
to do so by
In the autumn of 1559, after the king's return
celebrating a to Spain from the Low Countries, in conform-
autos-da-fé, ity to the pope's bull Valdez celebrated one of
series of
one in Valla-
dolid, in
which the
a series of autos-da-fé,* which had been in
progress during the summer, both that he
might honor the king and publicly exhibit
his zeal on behalf of religion.
On October 8th, a company of victims.
who had been detained, some of them a
king took
part.
An auto-da-fé, or act of faith, was a public solemnity
observed by the Court of the Inquisition, at which those
who had fallen under sentence of the Court had their sen-
tence and punishment publicly announced. The victims
were then delivered over to the secular power, which in-
flicted forthwith the death penalty upon them. The execu-
tion of the victims, with whatever form and variety of
torture the Court had recommended, was publicly and
promptly proceeded with, in presence of the Inquisitors,
Princes, Grandees, and Ecclesiastics, and all who chose
to be present.
*
76
THE TERCENTENARY OF
long time, in the dungeons of the In-
quisition, and among whom were persons of
rank and learning-were brought out before
an august assemblage in the city of Valla-
dolid, for celebrating an auto-da-fé.
The king was seated on a throne on an ele-
vated platform, beside him his sister and his
son. All the civil and ecclesiastical dignitaries
of the land-many nobles, foreign ministers and
clergy, and a great concourse of people were
present. The sermon (for such gentle address
always preceded this Christian entertainment)
was preached by the Bishop of Cunca. The
inquisitor-general then arose, and said aloud:
"O God, make speed to help us!" The king
drew his sword, and Valdez, approaching him,
The king's read the king's oath: "Your Majesty swears by
oath admin- the cross of the sword, whereon your royal
istered by
tor-General
Valdez.
the Inquisi- hand reposes, that you will give all necessary
favour to the Holy Office of the Inquisition
against heretics, apostates, and those who favour
them, and will denounce and inform against
all those who, to your royal knowledge, shall
act or speak against the faith."
The king answered in an audible voice, “I
swear it!" and signed the paper.
Takes a
conspicuous
part.
The sermon
by the
Bishop of
Cunca.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
77
Immediately the fires were kindled and
Thirteen vic- thirteen distinguished victims were burned
alive before the king's eyes.
tims burned.
Also the body of a victim whom a timeous
death had snatched from the hands of the
Holy Office.
king's heart- platform to the
less reply.
Among them was a young nobleman of high
character and commanding talents, named
DeSessa's re- Carlos de Sessa.
As the king passed from the
quest. The
stake, De Sessa said to him,
How can you look on and permit me to
be burned?" The king made the cruel but
characteristic reply, "I would carry the wood
to burn my own son withal, were he as wicked
as you.
""*
(C
* Dr. McCree, in his History of the Reformation in
Spain, describes a general auto-da-fé as follows :—“In it
a number of heretics were brought out, and the celebra-
tion was performed with imposing solemnity, and formed
an imitation of a Roman triumph, combined with that of
the last Judgment. It was always celebrated on a Sunday
or holiday, in the largest church, but more frequently
on the most spacious square of the town in which it hap-
pened to be held. Intimation of this was publicly made
beforehand, in all the churches and religious houses of the
neighbourhood. The attendance of the civil authorities, as
well as the clergy, secular and regular, was required; and
with the view of attracting the multitude, an indulgence
of forty days was proclaimed to all who should witness.
the ceremonies."
78
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Praised
Charles IX.
of the Bar-
massacre.
He approved Philip had not only been privy to, but an
tholomew's accomplice in, the terrible massacre of St.
Bartholomew, which cut off at one fell stroke
not much less than a hundred thousand Hugue-
nots. His expressions of joy and approval
of the cowardly conduct of the King of France,
in that cruel scene, are revolting and heart-
less. Says the French envoy then at the court
of Spain: "The king, on receiving the intelli-
gence, was more delighted than with all the
good fortune of his life, declared that Charles
IX., and no one else, deserved the title 'Most
Christian King."" He sent his felicitations to
rid butchery the envoy, and added: "I am just going to St.
of France
for the hor-
Jerome's to render thanks to God, and to offer
prayer for his Majesty of France that he may
receive divine support in so great an affair.”
The cruel
contribution
About the same date Philip wrote to the
sand French
Protestants
of one thou- Duke of Alva, in the Netherlands, in regard to
certain French prisoners, to the number of
Philip to the one thousand, who had been taken by Alva on
horrid trage- the field. Many of them were persons of dis-
made by
dy of St.
Bartholo-
tinction, who, at that date, lay in the gaols and
mew in
the Nether prisons of the Netherlands. Philip issued this
lands.
horrible order of wholesale murder: "I desire,
if you have not already disembarrassed the
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
79
world of them, you will do it immediately, and
inform me thereof, for I see no reason why it
should be deferred."
In this cold-blooded and inhuman manner he
sent a thousand French Protestants, all of them
prisoners of war, to instant execution. This
was his contribution to the sum total of the
horrors of the tragedy of St. Bartholomew.
Assassina-
tion includ-
ed in the
system of
government
Philip regarded assassination as an important
and proper part of his system of government.
He had successfully employed it to remove
of the King persons who stood in the way of his schemes.
of Spain.
He had a bureau of assassination, which was
situated at Brussels, as the point most con-
venient to the victims he wished to dispatch.
The Count of Fuentes-an intriguing and un-
scrupulous, but persistent and plausible min-
ion was appointed its head.
The liberal rewards he offered for the assas-
The rewards
he offered for
the assassin-sination of William the Silent, induced several
ation of the
Prince Wil- miscreants, at different times, to attempt the
liam of
Orange.
life of this, the most virtuous, wise and patrio-
tic citizen of Holland. At length, on the 10th
of July, 1584, he was cut off by one of them
-Balthaser Gerard. Philip, on receiving cer-
tain information that the deed was done,
80
THE TERCENTENARY OF
:
coldly remarked: "If it had only been two
years earlier, much trouble might have been
spared me; but it is better late than never."
The cold-
blooded re-
mark of
Philip on
being in-
formed of
the assassin-
In recognition of these disreputable services
ation of the the blood-guilty king ennobled the family of
Prince of
Orange.
Gerard, and endowed it with an estate taken
from the children of the man he had murdered.
He also wished, as did his holiness the pope,
He wished to
see the same
end brought a like end for the Protestant princes-Henry
to Henry of
Navarre
and Queen
Elizabeth.
of Navarre and Elizabeth of England. The
proof of these matters is now abundant. We
shall wait to cite only a single case in evi-
dence—that of the English envoy at the court
of France in 1584, at the very time William
of Orange had been assassinated. The envoy
wrote home immediately after the occurrence
of that tragic event. Said he: From infor-
mation gathered at the Spanish minister's
house, there were more than two or three
about to execute the same practice upon her
majesty, and that within two months. There-
fore exercise the greatest vigilance, and eschew
the danger."
66
Philip and
Both Philip and the pope confidently looked
the pope ex- to their English co-religionists for co-operation
co-operation and help against the queen. The Jesuits and
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
81
lish Catho-
lics.
of the Eng- seminary priests had already tried their skill
in many dark and treasonable plots for dis-
patching her, and raising to the English throne
her faithless rival the Queen of Scots. Many
of these emissaries had been banished, but
some still skulked among their Romish con-
federates. There were many undoubtedly
The Catho- among the English Catholics, who in heart
lics did not
wish to lose favoured the Spanish project, and who desired
reunion with the Church of Rome. But they
their English
independ-
ence, but
preferred
Church.
regarded organization or open expressions of
the Romish sympathy alike impolitic and dangerous. In
general, they were unwilling to exchange their
English independence for Spanish subjection
and submission; though they would willingly
have exchanged the Established Church of
England at any moment for the Church of
eas- Rome. It is true the queen and government
found stringent measures necessary to prevent
conspiracies and repress outbreaks in this ele-
ment of the population; but it is also true
that while such measures were enacted, it was
Strict meas-
not often found necessary to put them in prac-
ures re-
quired to
repress out-
breaks.
Stringent
measures
enacted, but
enforced
only when
treason or tice. They were enforced only against such as
crime ren-
dered it ne- allied themselves with traitors or enemies. In-
cessary. dividually, Roman Catholics were treated with
82
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Catholics not the same tolerance as Protestants. They were
excluded
not excluded from the army or navy, nor from
any part of the queen's service. In proof of
this impartiality, the queen appointed Lord
Lord How- Howard of Effingham, a Roman Catholic peer,
ard, a
Roman
Catholic
Lord Admiral of England and commander of
all her fleet. There were also Roman Catholic
landed proprietors, who, prompted by interest,
or their convictions of duty, or perhaps by loy-
alty to their rightful sovereign, organized their
tenants into military companies, and tendered
their services to the queen. These gentlemen.
recoil on
The slanders knew the baseness of the libels, and falseness
of priests
and Jesuits of the slanders which the priests and Jesuits—
themselves. such men as Allen, Campion and Ballard—had
so assiduously spread about the queen. Instead
of giving credence to, or feeling sympathy
with them, they aroused indignation and dis-
gust. We introduce the following note at the
close of this chapter to show our readers the
objects and designs of those English Catholics.
who had recently founded seminaries and col-
leges to train priests for England, in Spain,
Flanders and Rome.
from any
part of the
queen's
service.
peer, ap-
pointed to
command
the English
fleet.
"In order to uphold their violent ultramon-
tane policy seminaries were founded, in which
1
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
83
young men were trained for missionary work
in England, and led to believe that the conver-
sion of their countrymen and the deposition of
the heretical queen were objects worth any risk
to accomplish. The principal intriguer, who
was also the founder of the first English semi-
nary at Douai, in Flanders (1568), was Wm
Allen, once a fellow of Oriel College, Oxford,
afterwards a cardinal. This man procured the
establishment of English colleges both at Rome
and in Spain, besides that at Douai. In 1580
he sent into England the first Jesuit mission-
aries, Fathers Parsons and Campion. These
men were pledged to do the mandates of a
church which had excommunicated and de-
posed the queen-came, in fact, as traitors to
the government, and could expect nothing
when apprehended but the treatment of trait-
ors. At the time of the Armada, Parsons and
Allen put forth a book openly advocating the
cause of the King of Spain against Elizabeth.
Plots against the life of the queen were con-
tinually being organized by some of these
intriguers."
"'*
* Dean Perry's History of the Church of England.
84
THE TERCENTENARY OF
England's
condition on
military
grounds not
encouraging.
CHAPTER XI.
NGLAND'S condition was insecure and
her coasts much exposed in a military
point of view. She had no standing
army except the queen's guards and a few gar-
rison troops on the northern border. The
queen's revenues were unequal to maintain a
larger force.
She had no allies on the con-
tinent, except the Protestants of the Nether-
lands. She was not sure whether the King of
Scots would continue true to her cause. And
she had reason to fear the sympathies of her
Catholic subjects might carry them over to the
side of Spain. The safety of the country at
that crisis really fell into the hands and on the
shoulders of the liberal and loyal people of
patriotism England themselves. If they did not respond
the cause
The hope of
and of the
war lay in
the liber-
and.
of the
people.
on a scale adequate to the emergency-if they
ENGLAND'S DANGER, FROM A MILITARY POINT OF
VIEW.
S
4.3

ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
85
did not furnish the means and men for the
war—all would be lost. The temper and patri-
otism of the nation, however, was then higher
than that of the queen, and quite equal to that
of her foremost statesmen and sea-captains.
Her resources and population were then com-
paratively small.
She was ill prepared for
carrying on either offensive or defensive war;
and she had hitherto made very little prepara-
tion for meeting her invaders. Both on her
coast and in the interior her defences were few
coasts of any and feeble. Her power of resisting an attack
strength.
No forts
along the
C
from the sea on any part of her coast consisted
of a few crumbling towers scattered at great
distances along her seaboard, not one of which
was capable of resisting a formidable attack.
"They were better calculated," it has been
justly said, "to repel a few bands of sea rob-
bers, than the great force of the Spanish in-
The old feu vasion." The strong feudal castles, which in
dal castles
either fallen earlier times protected the interior and gave a
into decay
or converted sense of security to the people, had either fallen
into modern into decay or been converted into baronial resi-
residences.
↓
dences, and were utterly incapable of sustaining
an attack of the artillery of the. time. The
whole coast from Cornwall to Kent, from the
86
THE TERCENTENARY OF
England's
danger from
the queen's
Lizard to the North Foreland, was without any
No adequate adequate fortification. There was no place of
coast protec-
tion.
strength into which the queen, in case of an
emergency, could escape with confidence of
finding even temporary security.
disbelief of
sign of in-
vading Eng-
land.
No danger was more likely to prove fatal to
England's cause at the last moment than the
Philip's de- queen's own reluctance, her persistent refusal,
to believe that the great preparations of Spain
were to be directed against her kingdom-with
such consummate duplicity and crafty dissimu-
latton did the Duke of Parma carry on peace
negotiations with her up to the summer of 1588.
Her great and true minister, Walshingham, who
well knew the designs of Parma's preparations,
and the drift of his actions, even to his pur-
chase of trappings and finery to be worn by his
victorious soldiers on entering London, could not
induce her to believe that she was in danger.
Deceived her So carefully had Parma kept his secret, and so
with peace
till the last.
negotiations skilfully had he executed his part of the king's
plot,that few of Philip's ministers or court knew
when the fleet would sail, or to what point it
might move. During the winter preceding the
invasion Philip wrote to his chief, the Duke of
Parma, in the Low Countries, thus charging
Would not
believe Wal-
shingham,
who knew.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
87
Philip to
Parma.
Hatred of
the Jesuits
The English
people more
eager than
the queen.
him :-"Keep secret the plot of the invasion,
protract your peace negotiations, shift the
points in discussion to save time, conclude
nothing, and so blind the eyes of the English
as to the design of our preparations."
The boldest of England's sea-captains, such as
Drake, Hawkins, and Frobisher, felt chagrined
and disappointed that they were neither allowed
to strike disabling blows at the preparations of
Spain, nor to press forward their own. They
had seen service, encountered many dangers,
and captured numerous prizes on distant seas.
All these gallant men longed for action. Said
Hawkins, Let us have open war with the
Jesuits. Then every man will contribute, fight,
devise and do for the liberty of our country."
He hated, he said, the sneaky, underhand ways
of the crafty and silent Jesuit. They were the
emissaries of Philip and the Pope. He knew
they had the spirit of their masters, and were
always actuated by love of Rome and hatred of
England, love of Popery and hatred of Protest-
antism.
((
Admiral Howard, from his little flag-ship, the
Howard also
preferred ac-
tion to nego- "Ark Royal," defiantly said, as tidings reach Eng-
tiation. land magnifying the vastness of the Armada's
88
THE TERCENTENARY OF
preparations, “Let me have the four great
ships and twenty hoys, with but twenty men
apiece, and each with but two iron pieces, and
her Majesty shall have a good account of the
Spanish forces, and I will make the King of
Spain wish his galleys home again.”
These four great ships were the principal ones
in the queen's navy. They lay at their docks
in Chatham. Howard wished them at once
put in order and in action. For this he made
fruitless entreaty to the queen. Her ear was
still lulled and her heart inclined to rest in the
plausible but dissembling negotiations of
Parma, promising peace when he had no
thoughts of peace.
In this place it may be proper to make a
few observations in reference to the navy of
Queen Elizabeth's day. It may strike us as
No regularly strange, but it is nevertheless true, that
organized
naval depart. England at that time had no such institution
ment in the
days of
Elizabeth.
as a distinctly organized naval department,
nor had she any staff of professional seamen
in the service of the government. Whenever a
Sea- captains necessity arose, the government solicited from
and sailors
merchant
ships, etc.
taken from among the sea-captains of the commercial
marine such as had risen into notice by their
Only four
large ships
in the
queen's
navy.
[
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
89
The ships of
small ton-
The largest merchant ships then in England
nage in that did not exceed four hundred tons, and of them
day.
The queen's
navy con-
sists of only
thirty-four
ships.
Only five
large.
own daring and success. Such were Drake,
Hawkins and Frobisher. Nor had she any
sailors in her service, but hired for a given
period-a month, two or three months at a
time—such as could do sailors' work, wherever
they could be found.
she had very few. Those armed cruisers, which
had done such famous exploits and made such
marvellous voyages, were no larger than the
The "Gold-schooners of our time. The "Golden Hind,"
en Hind "
only one
hundred
tons.
in which Drake "ploughed his memorable.
furrow round the globe," was only one hundred
tons burden.
The entire English navy had, all told, only
thirty-four ships. Of these only thirteen were
over four hundred tons, and sixteen were cut-
ters, pinnaces or schooners, under that tonnage.
There were only five ships called large, and of
these the greatest was only one thousand tons.
A commission, consisting of Burleigh, Wal-
shingham, Drake, Howard and Frobisher, had
been appointed four or five years before the
invasion, to ascertain the condition of her ma-
jesty's ships, stores and supplies. This com-
I
7
90
THE TERCENTENARY OF
10
These five
had been
mission recommended the construction of five
constructed larger ships, of new design, being longer of lines
and not so wide as before. These were con-
structed as follows: The "Ark Royal" and the
not long be-
fore the war
on the re-
commenda-
tion of a
commission.
"Victory," eight hundred tons each; the "Bear"
and the "Elizabeth Jonas," each nine hundred
tons, and the "Triumph," of one thousand
tons. These were the great ships of the
queen's navy in 1588.
Lord How-
Lord Howard felt a keen disappointment at
ard's disap-
the queen's
refusal to let
him use
even one of
her ships.
pointment at the queen's persistent refusal to allow even one
of these great ships to take its place in the
fleet. Said he, When should she serve if not
at such a time as this? Either she is fit now
to serve, or is fit for the fire. I hope never to
see in my time so great cause for her to be
used. I dare say her majesty will look that
men fight for her, and I know they will at this
time. The King of Spain does not keep any
ship at home, either of his own or any other
that he can get for money."
After all, it must be said, to the honour of
queen and people, that when, at length, they
became undeceived, and doubt gave way to
the terrible certainty that the King of Spain
was about to hurl the whole power of his king-
<<
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
91
The courage dom on England for its conquest and over-
and forti-
tude of the throw, they did not quail or tremble, but
with brave and courageous hearts, even with a
şense of relief, set themselves with renewed
purpose and energy to organize means of de-
fence.
queen and
people of
England
when the
reality of
the invasion
becomes
certain.
Mr. Motley eloquently describes the feeling
of queen and people at that moment, as
follows:
"When the great queen, arousing herself
from the delusion into which the falsehoods of
France and of Philip had lulled her, should
once more represent-as no man or woman
better than Elizabeth Tudor could represent-
the defiance of England to foreign insolence ;
the resolve of a whole people to die rather
than yield, there was a thrill of joy through
the national heart. When the enforced re-
straint was at length taken off, there was
one bound toward the enemy. Few more
magnificent spectacles have been seen in his-
tory than the enthusiasm which pervaded the
country as the great danger so long deferred
was felt at last to be closely approaching.
The little nation of four millions, the merry
England of the sixteenth century, went for-
ward to the death-grapple with its gigantic an-
tagonist as cheerfully as to a long expected
92
THE TERCENTENARY OF
holiday. Spain was a vast empire, over-
shadowing the world; England, in comparison,
but a province; yet nothing could surpass
the steadiness with which the conflict was
awaited."*
*Motley's U. N., p. 574.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
93
CHAPTER XII.
England's
main hope
in her navy.
ENGLAND'S PREPARATIONS FOR WARNAVAL AND
MILITARY.

NGLAND'S hope of defence lay largely
in the brave and bold, if numerically
inadequate, body of sailors she was
able to muster; her regular soldiers, still fewer
in number, and lacking in discipline, were loyal
and patriotic. The queen's standing army in
1588 was, perhaps, little more than half the
fourteen thousand which constitute, in 1888, the
metropolitan police force of the great city of
London. But her people were resolute and
almost a unit in purpose to resist the invader
Determines to the last extremity. Walshingham, Raleigh
to increase
its strength. and other patriotic leaders, seeing the weakness
of the coast defences, and knowing the hope-
lessness of soon strengthening them, concluded
that as England's greatest power was on sea, it
was best to increase the power of the navy by
94
THE TERCENTENARY OF
adding new ships and of greater tonnage;
Though the queen, who then, as always, both
preached and practised economy, did her ut-
most to infuse new vigour into this arm of the
service. But it was now too late to build more
Ships pro- ships. Many noblemen, merchants and seaports
vided by
seaport
towns, however, provided at their own expense
towns, and
merchants squadrons of ships fully furnished and equipped
and gentle for the service. The chronicler, Stowe, relates
the following incident, which shows the spirit
of liberality in which the commercial people of
the land helped in this great emergency :-
men.
Incident of
the city of
London's
liberality.
Liberal
con-
tributions.
"The lord mayor and aldermen of the city
of London having asked the lords of the com-
mission on supplies what they considered the
city should raise ?" the lords answered, "Five
thousand men and fifteen ships." The city au-
thorities craved two days in which to prepare
their answer. In replying, they begged their
lordships to accept in token of their love and |
loyalty to queen and country, ten thousand
men and thirty ships, all amply provided."
It may be added that the city of London
contributed even more than this, liberal contin-
gent to the national cause, when the day of
trial came.
Little squadrons were rapidly prepared in
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
95
The "Ark
Royal," the
admiral's
flag-ship.
almost every English port along the Channel-
in Dartmouth, Deptford, Harwich, Portsmouth,
and Plymouth. In the last named harbour the
queen's ships were collected. They numbered,
all told, at that port, just thirty-four sail. Lord
Howard was in command. His flagship, the
"Ark Royal," was eight hundred tons, mounted
fifty-five guns, and was manned by four hun-
dred and twenty-five sailors. Next in com-
mand was Sir Francis Drake, vice-admiral. His
flagship was the "Revenge," of five hundred
tons, manned by two hundred and fifty sailors,
and carrying forty guns. Lord Henry Sey-
mour also commanded a squadron. His flag-
The "Rain- ship was the "Rainbow," of five hundred tons,
bow,"Admir-
al Seymour's two hundred and fifty sailors, and forty guns.
flagship.
His squadron, composed of both Dutch and
English ships, was instructed to cruise along
the French coasts, off Gravelines, Dunkirk,
Newport and the mouth of the Scheldt. An
immense swarm of Dutch crafts of all sizes-
schooners, fish-boats, gun-boats,
A fleet of
small crafts
fly-boats,
watch the
entrance of
all the Flem- blocaded the entrance of these harbours and
ish harbours.
The
"Revenge,"
the vice-
admiral's.
watched the outlets through their sands and
shallows. Thus the Duke of Parma could not
96
THE TERCENTENARY OF
possibly get out into the English Channel,
without a struggle.
Hawkins was rear-admiral; his flag-ship, the
Victory," of eight hundred tons. She was
manned with four hundred sailors, and carried
forty guns. Frobisher commanded the "Tri-
umph." the largest ship in the fleet, her tonnage
being eleven hundred tons; she was manned
with five hundred sailors, and carried forty-two
guns.
(C
The compar-
ative size of
The size of the vessels of the fleet, though.
the ships of the largest of that age, seem in our day
Elizabeth
and Victoria. ridiculously small. A collier's brig of the
present time is as large as the greatest mer-
chantman which sailed from London in the
days of Queen Elizabeth. There lies often-
times, around a single pier in Liverpool in
these days, a far greater ship tonnage than that
of the whole English fleet which conquered the
invincible Armada in 1588. Yet it is worth
remembering, that all England's present emin-
ence, as carrier of the world, must be traced to
that time as its starting-point and true begin-
ning.
Bullshit!

Lord Howard's whole Plymouth fleet con-
sisted, as already stated, of thirty-four ships.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
97
Howard's
Plymouth
tons; 6,279
Their aggregate tonnage was less than twelve
fleet, 12,000 thousand tons. Their seamen were six thou-
soldiers; 837 sand two hundred and seventy-nine; and their
armament eight hundred and thirty-seven
guns. So'rapidly; however, did private liber-
ality increase the fleet that by mid-summer
the number of sail had reached one hundred
guns.
The whole
number of
vessels, 150- and fifty, perhaps nearly two hundred. Many
190.
of them were, however, mere coasters and
traders of less than a hundred tons burden.
·
Whole num-
ber of
sailors 15-
785.
work the
ships and
fight.
The number of sailors of the whole fleet was
fifteen thousand seven hundred and eighty-five,
which included both seamen
seamen and fighting
For in the English fleet they were one
The Spanish and the same. On the Spanish galleons, the
men.
soldiers did
not work the mariners were not soldiers. Besides these, they
ships.
had a large force of galley slaves. The soldiers
were provided for and waited on in a style
The English quite unknown in the English service. Our
wait on
themselves, tars had both to work the ship, wait on them-
selves, and do the fighting. They preferred
their independent position, and yet rendered,
as the world knows, no mean account of them-
Not ten perhaps, all told, were of more than
five hundred tons, and only one reached a thou-
sand tons.

W
98
THE TERCENTENARY OF

The regular
army small.
THE ENGLISH ARMY.
The regular army was then very small, con-
sisting of not more than six or eight thousand
men. The Earl of Leicester, Lord Lunsden,
and Sir Francis Walshingham undertook its
reorganization and enlargement, with the pur-
pose of forming two large armies, one for the
coast and the other for the interior. The army
for the coast was to have twenty-seven thou-
sand infantry, and two thousand cavalry, and
to be stationed at Tilbury, near the mouth of
the Thames. The other was to have several
camps in the interior, and was to consist of at
least thirty-six thousand foot, and such cavalry
force as could be secured, and was designed for
the protection of the queen. Its centre of opera-
The Earl of tion was London. Her Majesty appointed her
Leicester
commander- favourite, the Earl of Leicester, commander-in-
in-chief. chief of her whole army, with his headquarters
at Tilbury. She appointed her relative, Lord
It is re-
organized
in two
grand
divisions.
His camp
camp at
Tilbury.
selves when the day of conflict came. Thus
the tonnage of our ships, the number of our
men, and the might of our armament were not
half as great as those of the Spanish fleet.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
99
Lord Luns-
den in com-
mand of the power to move his camp when necessary.
army of the
interior. The army of the Earl of Leicester was put
Lunsden, to the army of the interior, with
The camp of under drill, and his camp became the centre of
Tilbury.
interest to the country as well as the army.
Though he was to have twenty-seven thou-
sand choice men, he never had in fact more
than seventeen. It was composed chiefly of
train-bands from the adjacent counties. Queen
Elizabeth now threw herself heartily into the
interests of the war. She soon became the life
animates the and soul of all the preparations and training of
The queen
present.
Cheers and
troops.
the camp at Tilbury. She passed freely among
and reviewed the troops and inspected the
new battalions. She encouraged discipline,
which was sorely needed, smiled graciously on
the men as she passed among them, and by her
animated and cheerful bearing greatly en-
couraged them. She was in turn saluted with
She is very
popular and
much loved every demonstration of love, loyalty and obedi-
and honour-
ed.
ence. At certain hours also, an eye-witness
wrote, "Divers psalms, prayers and praises.
She ap-
proves of
worship in ascend to the Almighty from the camp of Til-
camp by the
troops.
bury, which the queen nowise misliked, but
which she greatly commended, and with earn-
est speech thanked God with them."
100
THE TERCENTENARY OF
***
The soldiers The soldiers were quite delighted with and
appreciate
and honour much admired the bearing of their sovereign, as,
the presence carrying a marshal's truncheon, she rode gal-
of
queen.
lantly on a white charger among them, or at her
tent received the knights and nobles who, prof-
fering their services, flocked, with joyful demon-
stration, around her. She addressed her troops,
sitting on her war horse, one rein of which was
The Earls of held by the Earl of Leicester and the other by
Leicester
the Earl of Essex. Her famous and burning
and Essex
each hold a
rein of
speech stirred all hearts. She avowed, as she
her bridle
while she de- undoubtedly felt, ardent devotion to her king-
livers the
dom and her people. The following are the
words of the queen's often-quoted address :—
"My loving people, we have been persuaded
by some that are careful of our safety, to take
heed how we commit ourselves to armed mul-
titudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you
I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful,
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
following
stirring
speech to the
army.
F:
S
1
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
101
the midst and heat of the battle, to live and 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 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 king of
Europe, should dare to invade the borders of
my realm!
To which, rather than that 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 forward-
ness you have deserved rewards and crowns,
and we do assure you, on the word of a prince,
they shall be duly paid you.
(c
In the meantime, my Lieutenant-General
shall be in my stead, than whom never prince
commanded a more noble or worthy subject; not
doubting but that by your obedience to my
General, by your concord in the event, and
your valour in the field, we shall shortly have
a famous victory over those enemies of God, of
my kingdom and of my people!”
-
102
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The queen
aroused the
patriotic
feelings of
her people
and made
Thus she fired the patriotism of the people
and made hersel strong in their love, loyalty
and devotion. Such strength was mightier, at
such a time, than wealth, material resources or
herself se-
cure in their numbers. The army of the interior was also
affection.
organized, and was composed of volunteers of
different ranks and of every class. It consisted
of thirty-six thousand foot, and was commanded,
as already observed, by Lord Lunsden. It was
meant for the double purpose-first, of defend-
ing the queen's person in case the invaders.
should pass Tilbury; and second, as a reserve
force to move whenever and wherever most
needed.
The army of
the interior
It is but truth to say that, when the Armada
organized.
never fully appeared, this army existed only on paper.
Nor did it attain to any fulness or efficiency
at any time. When the danger passed, so,
in large degree, did the enthusiasm, which
for a short time inspired it. Happily, no
invader made demand upon it for service.
It is well, however, to observe that the
The compo- more perfectly organized army at Tilbury
spirit of the was composed of men of all ranks and condi-
volunteers. tions in the country. The ploughman and
farmer followed the landed proprietor to the
sition and
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
103
field-the apprentice and clerk the alderman
of his ward-the tradesman and mechanic the
Self-sacri- employer. All willingly offered themselves
ficing and
patriotic. and were gratefully accepted for whatever ser-
vice they could best perform. No haughtiness
or disrespect was shown by any one towards
another, but feelings of amity and unity of aim
and interest pervaded all. They were all Eng-
lish, were all beset with a common danger, and
were all animated with the love of country,
freedom, home and religion. This heritage
they were determined to defend and transmit
to those who should come after them.
104
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The course
of the Ar-
mada till
joining with
the army.
Pass Cape
Finisterre
Steer near as
safety allows
to the coast
of France.
Make a junc-
tion with
Parma at
Calais.
CHAPTER XIII.
HE order of movement to be observed
by the Spanish fleet and army was
laid down by King Phillip before the
Armada set sail. He directed that, steering
and through clear of the coasts of Spain, the fleet pass near
the Bay of
Biscay.
THE KING OF SPAIN PRESCRIBES THE PLAN OF
MOVEMENT.

as consistent with safety to Cape Finisterre,
keep right on by a north and north-east course
through the Bay of Biscay till entering the
English Channel.
After that to bear as near to the coast of
France as the pilots judged safe until they
reached the narrow sea off Calais, Dunkirk,
Newport, or Gravelines. At some of these
places to communicate with and await the
movements of the Duke of Parma, whose army,
mustered in Flanders, would now join them.
Then, under protection of the Armada, they
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
105
Parma's
troops to
would cross the Channel and enter the Thames.
A landing of Parma's soldiers, together with
land in Kent six thousand troops from the Armada, to be
or Essex,
thence to
advance on
London.
made on the shores of Kent or Essex. He then
desired this force to advance on London-one
part of the Armada would then move toward
The Armada the eastern coast, but the chief portion would
then to guard
the water ap- take charge of all the water approaches along
proaches on
the east and the southern coast, including especially those
west of the
Thames.
of Hampshire and Dorset.
It was further
arranged that the Duke of Guise, leader of the
Holy League, with a small squadron, should
The Duke of effect a landing on some part of the western
Guise to ap-
proach with coast-Cornwall or Devon-to produce a diver-
squadron.
a small
sion while the army of Parma was effecting
the conquest of London and parts to the north.
The plan was known in England before the
fleet arrived in the Channel. Hence a camp
was formed at Tilbury in Essex, which was
connected at Gravesend by a bridge of boats,
which thus united the Essex and Kentish
shores of the Thames.
Admiral
Medina
leaves
Corunna on
July 16th.
Admiral Medina Sidonia was ready, the
winds also favouring, to put to sea from
Corunna on the 16th of July. He was led, as
he drew near the English Channel, to depart a
L
8
106
THE TERCENTENARY OF
little from the instructions of his master, on
receiving information from an English fisher-
Captures an man, whom he there captured. The prisoner
English fish-
erman, who informed him that the English, on hearing of
the violent and disastrous storms which the
informs him
that the
English fleet
was laid up
Spanish fleet had encountered off their own
and the sea- coast, concluded that the attempt on England
men sent
away.
bears to-
ward the
could not be renewed that year, and hence had.
laid up their ships at Plymouth and dismissed
a large number of their sailors. This agree-
The admiral able news disposed the Spanish admiral to
strike out into the English Channel and bear
Lizard, sup- directly for Plymouth, in hope of capturing or
Plymouth. destroying the English fleet. He, however,
mistook the Lizard for the Plymouth light, and
so sailed for this more distant point. This
error proved an advantage to the English
admiral, for he got tidings of the approach of
the Armada, and so gained time to prepare for
his approach and thwart his design. A Scot-
tish pirate, or sea-rover, named Fleming, having
first seen the Armada, and observed it bearing
The English toward the Lizard, hastened to bear the tidings
in-
safely out of
the harbour.
formed get to the English admiral. Though a fresh gale
blew in their face at Plymouth docks, Howard
that night roped out his ships into the roads,
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
107
and promptly put all in readiness for sea. The
Armada's mistake gave the English time to.
make these orderly movements, and rendered
the designed capture or destruction of their
The Spanish fleet impossible. The invaders had their first
view of the goodly land which Philip and
Sextus the Fifth had promised them, and which
they hoped soon to possess, on Friday, July
the nineteenth, 1588. The same evening the
Armada's approach was signalled along all the
southern coast of England by the kindling of
Beacon fires beacon fires on every height from Land's End
first see
England
from off the
Lizard.
on the
English
coast.
Grand
spectacle.
to Margate. These blazing signals told all Eng-
land that the menaced invasion of their coun-
try was now to be attempted.
The Armada
first seen by
On Saturday, the 20th day of July, about
English fleet three o'clock in the afternoon, the drifting rains
on July 20th
of the morning having cleared away, the Eng-
lish fleet got their first view of the great
Armada from Plymouth roads.
The great
ships, galleons, galeases, galleys, and caravels
of that vast armament, to the number of one
hundred and sixty, spread over the Channel in
the form of a crescent, whose horns were fully
seven miles apart. So many ships, having such
high decks, lofty masts, of such bulk and ton-
108
THE TERCENTENARY OF
nage, all so well appointed and strongly
manned and armed, spreading so widely its
white wings, and moving with such stately
majesty and seeming power, had never before
been seen on those waters. It seemed a great
pageant, prepared for scenic effect, rather than
a work of conquest.
Though it is the season of harvest, and the
fertile fields of England are full of store, and
call for many hands to reap them, yet the thou-
Thousands sands of her industrial people for several days.
flock to the
hilltops to gather in crowds on
every hill and upland
the Lizard to the Start,
beholding the vast and menacing spectacle.
This was the reptile age in the arts of ship-
building and navigation. Those huge, clumsy,
crawling monsters of the deep excited wonder
among a people who had never seen the like.
But in the present stage of those arts the fleet
of the Invincible Armada is as great a curiosity
to shipbuilders and seamen as a school of
Ichthyosaurus or crocodiles to the geologist.
No engage-
The dreaded Armada does not, however, steer
ment off Ply- for Plymouth, but shears off and keeps on her
mouth.
course eastward, the admiral now remembering
his master's orders. His designs on Plymouth
It is harvest
time.
see the spec- along the coast, from
tacle.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
109
prove delusive, and are abandoned. His ene-
mies are in possession, and before his eyes.
Will our English admiral make the attack, and
bring on an engagement? He is too astute for
that. His fleet is not yet collected. He has
only thirty-four ships. But many small squad-
rons will pour out from every port along the
Channel, and swell his force.
How rapidly the tidings of the Armada's
arrival in the Channel spread over all Eng-
land is vividly described by Macaulay in the
following verses :—
"Such night in England ne'er hath been,
Nor e'er again shall be.
From Eddystone to Berwick bounds,
From Lynn to Milford Bay,
That time of slumber was as bright
And busy as the day;
For swift to east and swift to west
The ghastly war-flame spread,
High on St. Michael's Mount it shone;
It shone on Beechy Head.
Far on the deep the Spaniard saw,
Along each southern shire,
Cape beyond cape in endless range,
Those twinkling points of fire.
The fisher left his skiff to rock
On Tamar's glittering waves;
110
THE TERCENTENARY OF
i
The rugged miners poured to war
From Mendip's sunless caves;
O'er Lougleat's towers, o'er Cranbourne's oaks
The fiery herald flew ;
He roused the shepherds of Stonehenge,
The rangers of Beaulieu.
Right quick and sharp the bells all night
Rang out from Bristol town,
And ere the day three hundred horse
Had met at Clifton down;
The sentinel on Whitehall gate
Looked forth into the night,
And saw o'erhanging Richmond Hall
The streak of blood-red light.
Then bugle's note and cannon's roar
The death-like silence broke,
And with one start, and with one cry,
The royal city woke.
At once, on all her stately gates,
Arose the answering fires;
At once the wild alarum clashed
From all her ruling spires;
From all the batteries of the tower
Pealed loud the voice of fear;
And all the thousand masts of Thames
Sent back a louder cheer."
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA
111
CHAPTER XIV.
The fleets
approach
and survey
each other.
THE STRUGGLE UP THE CHANNEL.

N the 21st of July, about nine in the
morning, the fleets approached each
other. The Captain-General, Medina
Sidonia, stands in his shot-proof fortress on
the deck of his flagship the "Saint Martin,"
with a full staff of Spanish grandees and mili-
tary officers-generals, colonels and captains-
most of whom know as little of naval warfare
as the admiral himself. The English had many
experienced and able captains, who felt quite
The English at home on the water. Their ships, also, move
ships quick
and rapid, with ease and alacrity; while the great ships.
the Spanish of the Spaniard, which could, by their great
slow and
clumsy.
weight, easily crush the English at close quar-
ters, are clumsy and incapable of rapid or
ready action
With his gallant little fleet Howard ap-
proaches and surveys the giant Armada. In
:
112
THE TERCENTENARY OF
David in
The spirit of the spirit and might with which the stripling
the English,
like that of David long ago encountered the proud giant of
the Philistines, he and his countrymen purpose
to meet the proud fleet of the Armada. The
English captains and seamen, who have before
handled Spanish galleons, neither fear nor are
dismayed. They become strong when they re-
member their homes, their queen, their liberties
and religion which are imperilled, and which
are dearer to them than life. With God's help
they will defend them to the last extremity
with life, honour, and all their worldly re-
sources. The English admiral ordered his
pinnace, called the "Disdain," to give the
Spanish admiral the defiance. The little craft
fires a shot at random, in feudal fashion, at the
first Spanish ship she meets. This is speedily
followed by a lively cannonade from the admi-
ral's ship, the "Ark Royal," on, as he supposed,
the "Saint Martin," the Duke of Medina's
Promptly flag-ship. The Spanish ships promptly re-
sponded. For a little while the scene is
The struggle sharp and hot. The struggle has indeed be-
begun.
accepted.
meeting
Goliath.
The chal-
lenge given.
gun.
The English admiral had, however, prudently
ordered his captains to avoid being led into a
*
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
113
decline a
general en-
The English general engagement, but cannonade the enemy
at safe distance, to hang on his flanks and rear,
and to distress him whenever they had oppor-
to and dis- tunity. Drake and Hawkins kept up a brisk
gagement,
but hang on
tress the
Spanish.
fire on the hindmost squadron, commanded by
Admiral Recalde. In consequence of this his
flagship was so battered and broken that she
was hardly able to regain her place among the
ships of the Armada.
The tactics
and mancu-
vres of the
English ex-
cel the
Spanish.
The superior seamanship of the English was
manifested in the first encounter. They, hav-
ing at once secured the weather-gage, began to
cannonade the enemy with considerable effect.
Their active movements and skilful sallies, were
in striking contrast to the sluggish tactics of
their adversaries. For though the ships of the
latter were of far greater weight, yet the for-
mer could deliver an action with so much
greater point, and more speedily pass out of
The strength the reach of danger. The Spanish were com-
of the latter
superior. pelled to admit, and did not fail to admire,
their superior manœuvring.
For two hours this trial of skill and strength
The Armada
keeps on her
course after lasted, and gave to both sides a foretaste of
the first
brush.
what each might expect from the other in the
days of struggle soon to come. The Armada kept
114
THE TERCENTENARY OF
on her course, inclining a little more to the
southward. The English, though their ships
were still few in number, were encouraged by
the ease with which they could work them, the
quickness with which they could advance, tack,
They suffer- fire, and regain their position. The huge gal-'
ed much
more dam- leons made splendid marks for their fire, but
age than did
the English. were too heavy and large for active movements,
besides their weight was such that the Eng-
lish seldom fell within the range of their guns,
the shot passing harmlessly over their heads.
They could approach, pour out a broadside and
return before a galleon or galley could get their
range or reach them.
The Spanish
fight bravely
The Spanish fought bravely, notwithstand-
nevertheless. ing their disadvantage. Says Drake in a let-
<<
ter then written : So far as we, see they mean
to sell their lives with blows." The English
fire told even in this first engagement. The
Biscayan flagship, the "San Juan," had her
mizzen-mast shot through, some of her spars
carried away, her captain wounded and fifteen
of her men killed. Oquendo, the commander
of that squadron, showed great gallantry in
that he carried into action those who flinched,
and animated all to the highest daring. They
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
115
failed to inflict any serious injury on the
English.
A Guypuz-
A great galley was that day lost which be-
coan galley
blown up by longed to the squadron of Guypuzcoa. One
a Fleming. of her officers, who was a Fleming, took mortal
offence at the reprimand that morning admin-
istered to him by his captain, and determined
to avenge his wrong. Taking a fuse-match, he
secretly set it to the magazine of the ship, and,
unobserved, kindled it. Immediately after he
leaped into the sea. In an instant a terrible
explosion is heard. The whole upper decks of
200 lives lost the ship were torn up, some two hundred men
in her.
killed, and the ship set on fire. The paymaster
of the squadron was among those who perished.
By great effort the flames were quenched, and
those surviving were transferred to other ships.
The English, who saw the burning ship, hast-
ened to capture her. She was found to con-
Military tain considerable powder and military stores, ·
stores gained
by the Eng- which proved of value in replenishing the too
lish.
scanty stores at the disposal of the English.
On Monday, the 22nd of July, the Spanish
admiral made important changes in the rela-
tive positions of certain squadrons of his fleet.
He himself led the van. He placed Vice-Ad-
116
THE TERCENTENARY OF
De Leyva
put in
charge of
the rear
squadron.
miral Don Antonio de Leyva in the rear with
a squadron of forty-three large ships. He
instructed him to deal vigilantly with the Eng-
lish, who were harassing their rear, and bring
To try and them to an engagement at close quarters as
bring an en-
ters.
gagement at speedily as possible. On their part the Eng-
close quar- lish soon proved to his satisfaction that they,
not he, were masters of the situation, and could
choose or refuse a general engagement, just as
they pleased. They would not, however, read-
ily enter such an engagement, as they were
instructed not to fall into any such trap.
The Duke of Medina issued two other de-
The Duke of
Medina
issues two spatches-one to the Duke of Parma, by Juan
despatches,
one to the
Duke of
Parina.
Gil in a sloop, informing the duke of his ap-
proach, stating he had not yet found the Eng-
lish inclined to risk a formal engagement, that
he wished him to send him some pilots who
knew the Channel, for in case of a storm he did
not know where he would find shelter, and
craving information as to the time and place of
meeting.
The second
despatch
The other despatch was to his fleet for the
directs the purpose of promoting discipline. He sent a
hanging of
any officer sergeant-major with written instructions to
who leaves
his position. every ship in the Armada to hang any officer.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
117
The tide of
patriotism
rises high,
time inter-
and for the
nal bicker-
ings cease.
without appeal or consultation, who should
leave the position assigned him; and to ensure
the observance of his orders he sent hangmen
with the bearer of the despatch. We are not
informed how far the threat promoted good
order.
The English
fleet rapidly
On the twenty-third, Sir Walter Raleigh,
increased as with a small squadron, joined the fleet, which
it passed
along the
was off Portland. Many other nobles, mer-
Channel.
chants and gentry poured out from every port
along the Channel, each adding his contingent
to the fleet. For the news had now spread
over all England that the "Invincible Armada”
was in the Channel and hotly pressing the
English admiral every day. Patriotism fired
the heart of England in the face of subjugation
to the intolerant King of Spain. Religious
bickerings and sectarian strife were for the
time laid aside, except by the Jesuits and
their young converts, with the extreme Roman-
ists, as Allen and Parsons, and that ilk. Even
the young Percies, Cliffords, and De Veres
joined Howard's fleet and united with their
Protestant countrymen in swelling his naval
force so that it now reached its fullest dimen-
sions. It was now equal to the Spanish, at
118
THE TERCENTENARY OF
least in number, and Admiral Medina was sur-
prised at the growing force with which he had
to contend. The unanimity and presence of
all classes and parties in the fleet gave new
The seamen power and courage to the seamen, so that each
become
heroes. became a hero, resolved to show himself
rear.
worthy of the respect of his country. The
Armada was not far from the English fleet off
Portland. Drake and Frobisher, who were
ever watching for an opportunity to strike a
The English blow, were in the same (the rear) division of
rear squad-
rons oppo-
the English fleet, over against the hindermost
site the
Spanish
squadrons of the Armada. A heavy cannonade
was opened on these squadrons, which the
Spanish encouraged, desiring greatly to draw
the English into an engagement alongsides
and at close quarters. This the latter wisely
avoided, because the advantage in such cases
was always with the heavier over the lighter
ships. But the English kept tacking about
from side to side, suddenly making sallies in
upon the large ships, pouring in a broadside
and quickly sheering off again. Thus by their
nimble movements they galled the Spanish,
who in their sluggish ships could seldom strike
them, or even find their range, till they were
The former
avoid, the
latter
encourage,
coming to
close
quarters
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
119
?
Sir Henry
Wooton's
remarks on
the English
tactics.
gone. They kept up this mode of desul-
tory attack so systematically that Sir Henry
Wooton, who saw them practise these tactics,
compared their movements to a morris-dance
upon the waters, so light, nimble and orderly
were their manœuvres.*
On that day of successful experiment and
daring enterprise, Drake and Frobisher took
A valuable valuable prizes, i.e., the flagship of Don Pedro
prize taken.
Valdez, commander of the Andalusian
de
"C
war.
* Sir Walter Raleigh, an eye-witness and participator in
the struggle with the Armada, highly approved of Admiral
Howard's prudence and skill in not allowing the English
fleet to fight the Spanish at close quarters. Says he:
‘There is more belonging to a good man-of-war upon the
waters than great daring. There is a great deal of differ-
ence between fighting loose, or at large, and grappling.
The guns of a slow ship pierce as well, and make as great
holes, as those in a swift. To clap ships together, without
consideration, belongs rather to a madman than a man-of-
The Lord Admiral Howard had lost in 1588 had he
not been better advised than to follow such mad course.
The Spaniards had an army aboard them and he had none;
they had more ships than he had, and of higher building
and charging, so that, had he entangled himself with those
great and powerful vessels, he had greatly endangered this
kingdom of England. For twenty men upon the defences
are equal to a hundred that board and enter; whereas,
then, contrariwise, the Spaniards had a hundred for
twenty of ours to defend themselves with.
But our
admiral knew his advantage, and held it, which had he not
done, he had not been worthy to have held his head."
A
120
THE TERCENTENARY OF
squadron. The mainmast of the ship "Cata-
lonia" having been broken two days before,
had in falling torn down and broken much of
the gear and tackle of his ship, so that she fell
behind, unable to make much speed. The
admiral ordered two large ships to take her in
tow, but so heavy was the sea that the cables
broke, and she was left for the night. The
part of the English fleet nearest to her, in
and his ship command of Drake and Frobisher, observing
taken by
Drake and
Don Pedro
de Valdez
Frobisher.
her condition in the morning, encountered her.
After a brief resistance she struck to Drake.
The ship and He took her with him into Torbay, carried
450 officers
and men go
to Torbay.
Valdez and the officers with him, but left the
ship and men at Torbay in charge of the people.
This valuable prize had four hundred and fifty
men and officers, with the commander of a
squadron, and considerable treasure. The
money taken was distributed among the sailors
of the ships making the capture. The ransom
of the admiral went to the officer who ordered
the capture.
The money
among the
distributed
sailors.
Drake gets
the ranson
of Valdez.
Frobisher
engages
Recalde.
The gallant Frobisher and his noble ship the
"Triumph," followed by five merchantmen, were
drawn into close quarters with part of Recalde's
squadron. A desperate fight, which lasted
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
121
Howard more than two hours, ensued.
comes to his
aid.
A Venetian
argosy and
transports
taken.
The "St.
Mark" gives
chase.
Admiral How-
ard, seeing the odds with which Frobisher was
bravely contending, signalled part of his own
squadron to move to his relief. He also
ordered a few of the lighter craft to tow him
out. All were safely drawn off, while still
pouring in effective showers of shot on their
sturdy adversary.
A Venetian argosy and several transports
were taken by the English and sent into the
port of Weymouth. Being still short of pow-
der, and wishing to avoid a general engage-
ment, and also desirous of changing their rela-
tive positions, the English early that morning
put out to sea, to secure again the weather-
gage. The Spanish supposed they were escap-
ing an engagement with them through fear, and
began to pursue, but their ships, save a very few,
made little headway. One, the "St. Mark,"
ran ahead of all the fleet, and soon stood out
several miles from the rest of the Armada. The
English, feeling bound to disable as many ships
as they possibly could, and so weaken their
adversary's power, turned on the "St. Mark,”
and for more than an hour they poured a heavy
fire, both of small and large shot, into her.
G
9
122
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The "St.
Mark
""
rescued by.
Oquendo.
Darkness
closes up a
day of toil
and danger.
She fought gallantly, and successfully defended
herself till Oquendo, coming to her relief, res-
cued her. Darkness at length began to fall on
the sounds of the guns, and brought the strife
of that busy day to a close. Many of the
Spanish ships were crippled; not one of the
English were noticeably injured.
The day following was more quiet, and
proved a prelude to another day of stirring
The 25th of scenes and bloody strife. The twenty-fifth of
July, St.
James' Day, July is St. James' Day, the patron saint of
the patron Spain, to whose honour the day is consecrated
Spain.
in the Roman calendar. Will the saint smile
auspiciously on his devotees? On this day of
peril will he help them in their struggles? The
Spaniard does not seem eager to put his favour
to the test, or to invoke the protection of his
ægis. The occasion, however, soon arrives.
The English have received supplies of powder
sufficient for one day's fighting, and still greater
Off Portland reinforcements to their fleet from the several
on St.
James' Day. ports of Dorset and Hampshire, off which shires
they now lie. They are at their best, and
number a hundred and forty to fifty sail. A
transport, the “Santana,” and a Portuguese gal-
leon, having been somewhat crippled two days
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
123
waxes very
hot.
before, fell behind the Armada. Frobisher, in
his flagship, the "Triumph," with a few others,
The fight proceeded to capture and bring them in. Soon
as his design is seen, three great galleons,
moved by a thousand oars, dispute his claim,
and proceed to chasten him for his daring. At
once four or five of the queen's ships open fire
The English upon them. The "Golden Lion," the "White
and Spanish
fleets gener- Bear," the "Elizabeth," and the "Leicester,"
ally en-
gaged for
some time.
The "St.
Martin
""
about to
strike.
The "Ark
Royal" at-
tacked by
Oquendo.
He was,
bear down into the midst of the Spanish fleet.
They pour in tons of heavy shot upon the
Spaniards, until, it is said, "the blood ran out
a scupper hole." The wind favouring, Howard
bears down on the "St. Martin," Admiral Me-
dina's flagship. The fighting became almost
general. The mainmast of the "St. Martin "
was shot away. His ship was disabled, and
was about to strike to Frobisher.
however, promptly rescued by his brave cap-
tains, Mexica and Recalde, who threw them-
selves between the commander and his enemy,
and so saved him the mortification of surren-
dering his ship. Oquendo, who was always in
the hottest of the strife, strove to retaliate on
Admiral Howard, and threw himself across the
"Ark Royal," thinking to disable her. The
124
THE TERCENTENARY OF
A fierce
fight long
continued.
"Ark,” however, ran into his ship, and two of
his soldiers at the forecastle were killed by the
shock. The "Ark's" rudder was displaced, so
she was for a time unmanageable. She cleared
herself of Oquendo's ship and fell a little to
the leeward. A fierce and prolonged struggle
ensues. Howard directs and animates his men,
who act with great coolness and presence of
mind. They have now begun work in earnest.
The two fleets are nearly yardarm to yardarm.
close conflict Broadside after broadside from the great guns,
The two
fleets in
for a while.
volley after volley of arquebuses from deck
to mainmast and rigging, were hotly ex-
changed. Much greater damage was inflicted
on the Spanish than was received by the Eng-
The English lish ships. For the former made an easy mark,
have the
advantage. while the shot from their high turrets passed
almost harmlessly over the heads of the Eng-
lish. The Spanish admiral wished to bring the
English to engage at close quarters; the latter.
wisely evaded such a mad experiment. Fro-
bisher for a time plunged into close contact,
and but for timely aid might have precipitated
a terrible battle. But he and all the English
behaved with such gallantry that the admiral
There was a gen-
was more than satisfied.
I
→
•
· ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA. 125
withdraw
in safety.
Their ships eral feeling of confidence and cheerful anticipa-
tions of future success, as Admiral Howard
withdrew the "Ark Royal," followed by the
The courage rest of his ships, from further action. Eng-
of the Eng-
lish con-
lish courage and gallantry were conspicuous
spicuous.
all that day. Nothing decisive, it is true, was
accomplished; but the English had come off
safely, for hardly a man had been wounded,
and none killed. They had not made any
prizes. They retained, it is likely, the trans-
ports they had captured in the morning,
but had expended much of their munition.
Nothing de. Though the effects were not visible, they were
cisive,
though
much dam-
real and abiding. The English balls tore up
the heavy timbers and turrets of the Spanish
galleons, and sent splinters of their timbers
age was
done to the
Spanish ;
little loss to,
the English. flying like shells among the men who had been
sent for safety below. The rigging, also arms,
masts, etc., were badly torn. There were many
men wounded, and a considerable number
'The Spanish killed. Instead of settling the contest by one
dismayed.
great battle, the Spanish found that they must
fight every day, and no cheering hope before
them of a successful issue. Their stores of
powder and shot, which they had no ready way
of renewing, were falling low, and the sense of
126
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Medina
writes to
Parma.
insecurity was increasing. That very day Me-
dina wrote to Parma, "The enemy pursues me.
They fire upon me most days from morning to
night, but they will not grapple with us. I
have given them every opportunity, but they
decline to accept. There is no remedy for us,
because they are swift and we are slow. They
straits. have men and ammunition in abundance,
Medina ap-
prehensive
and in
•
while their action has almost exhausted ours;
and if their coolness last, and they continue the
same tactics, as they assuredly will, I must re-
quest your excellency to send me two ship-
loads of shot and powder immediately. I am
in urgent need of it."
On the next day all was quiet on both fleets.
Even the sea was calm and unruffled. The
Spaniards move toward Boulogne, on the coast
of France; the English toward Dover, for sup-
plies, of which they were in great need. How-
ard gathered many of the heroes of the day
before around him, and bestowed on them the
honours of knighthood. Among those so dis-
Admiral
Howard
knights sev- tinguished are Martin Frobisher, John Haw-
eral of his
heroes of
the 25th.
kins, and Roger Townsend. The English now
possessed comfortable proof that the Armada
was not invincible; for, while their own fleet
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
127
had greatly increased, it had considerably de-
creased. They had lost already quite a number
of their proudest ships. Both fleets hold on
their course. The English admiral gave orders
to his captains not to renew the fight till they
the waters had come into the narrow sea between Dover
All is quiet
till reaching
of Dover
and Calais.
and Calais.
BAKG
128
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Arrive at
Calais on
July 27th.
..
GID
CHAPTER XV.
THE STRUGGLE OFF CALAIS.

N the evening of Saturday, the 27th of
July, the Armada reached Calais
Roads and speedily cast anchor. It
had come as near to the camp of Parma as was
possible for it. Parma still lay in Flanders
with his great army of invasion, willing, but
still unable, to move.
•
No signs of
the Duke of
Admiral Medina seemed to expect to meet
No the duke with his troops all waiting to join
the admiral him and ready at once to cross the Channel
Parma.
letters for
of the
Armada.
into England. In this he was disappointed,
and more reasonably that he did not find even
a line in answer to his several letters and re-
Parma.
He writes to quests. He wrote again on the evening of his
He
arrival (ie., the 27th July) at Calais.
requested thirty or forty fly-boats or gun-
boats which could move quickly and keep the
English at bay, which his slow and heavy
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
129
vessels could not do. He also expressed
anxiety, if he should be long delayed, to secure
a more safe place of anchorage than that of
Calais Roads.
The Duke of Parma had his own difficulties.
The
difficulties of
Parma.
reach
the Duke of He lacked both money and stores of food. His
troops had not been paid; neither had they
been adequately victualled; and were on the
point of mutiny and famine. He had kept his
troops together by promises and assurances
that supplies were coming with the fleet.
He cannot They were ready to embark with their
Medina transports, but could not get out into the sea,
without pro- because all the passages were guarded with
armed ships, and his vessels were nearly all
flat-bottomed transports without armament.
He expected the admiral to open the way and
protect him in the passage across the Channel.
He could not send gun-boats, because he had
He would provide, "as far as his
poverty would allow," ammunition; but must
trust to the admiral of the Armada for pro-
tection.
tection.
none.
The fleet in
a helpless
and dis-
heartening
Thus the grand fleet of invasion and con-
quest has arrived at the scene of action so
condition. helpless that she begins by begging assistance.
130
THE TERCENTENARY OF
▸
The English
fleet in
between the the
Armada and
Dover.
A critical
moment is
that in
England.
All is at
stake.
The grand army of co-operation is unable to
join the navy, as the navy is to extend its
protecting arms to the army.
The English fleet, which followed closely on
Spanish, took position in the Channel
some two miles west and north of the Armada,
toward Dover. The hours of that Saturday
night and the following Sabbath-day were hours
of great solicitude and peril to England. For
in sight of her shores, only a few miles distant
from the entrance of the Thames, lay the "In-
vincible Armada" waiting to co-operate with the
famous army and the most able commander of
Spain, in conquering England. Within two short
miles of that Armada lies the marvellously
vigilant and daring little fleet of England ready
to venture everything which courage, honour or
manhood might, for queen and country. This
is under God England's main hope of successful
resistance to her enemies and the protection of
her coasts. No resource of generous courage
or daring, no hour of precious time must be
lost, but turned, and that without delay, to the
best account.
It is now clear what the crafty, dissimulating
little old man of the Escorial meant by the
peace
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
131
England
resolute and
uncompro-
mising.
peace
False negotiations, carried on through his general-
pretences of
issimo in Flanders, up to the last moment. The
negotiations. Queen of England wanted peace, and would
hear of nothing else. The people of England—
the statesmen and patriots-wanted freedom,
independence and honour, if with peace well,
but if with war, then were they for war.
Every Englishman then saw that the moment
had come for striking the most telling blows
possible. They must fall thick and fast, until
the foe yields and England is free. She will
not pause till the last ball has been shot, the
last ship sunk, the last arm become powerless,
and the last hope has perished. No one, how-
ever, felt that such a day was near.
Sabbath the
28th July a
day.
That Sabbath was a day on which the heart
sacred and of England beat with devout and Christian, as
momentous with patriotic emotion and solicitude. Earnest
prayer ascended to God from every Protestant
church, from every Christian family and heart
in the land. The cry of all to God was, “Save
and deliver us, we humbly beseech Thee, from
the hand of our enemies."
al'
A day of
prayer and
humble
devout trust
in God.
All truthful historians give us a pleasing
picture of the spirit of true piety and humble
prayer which pervaded England. Queen and
132
THE TERCENTENARY OF
people, Churchman and Puritan, every Chris-
tian, was earnestly calling on God in hearty
The queen accord with every other. The queen herself
composed a prayer, which was sent to the
sent to the army that it might stimulate the men to, as
indites a
prayer
which is
army.
well as to guide them in, prayer. It is not,
certainly, lacking in either earnestness or trust
in God, even if it is a little peremptory in its
requests. It is entitled
·
Queen Elizabeth's prayer or private
meditation:
"Most Omnipotent, and Guider of all our
world's mass, that only searchest and fathomest
the bottom of all hearts, conceits, and in them.
seest the true original of all actions intended,
how no malice of revenge, nor quittance of
injury, nor desire for bloodshed, nor greediness
of lucre hath bred the resolution of our now set-
out army; but a heedful care, and wary watch,
that no neglect of foes, nor over surety of harm,
might breed either danger to us, or glory to
them. These being grounds, Thou that didst
inspire the wind, we humbly beseech, with
bended knees, prosper the work, and with the
best forewinds guide the journey, speed the
victory, and make the return the advancement
of Thy glory, the triumph of Thy fame, and
surety to the realm, with the least loss of
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
133
English blood. To these devout petitions,
Lord, give Thou Thy blessed grant." Amen.
Lord Sey-
Lord Henry Seymour, who, with a squadron
mour comes
with part of of forty Dutch and English ships, lay off the
his squadron
to Calais.
Flemish coast guarding its harbours and watch-
ing the movements of the Duke of Parma's
army, to prevent its getting out into the Chan-
nel from Gravelines, Dunkirk, Newport, or
Antwerp by the Scheldt, now joins the English
with part of his squadron.
A council
of war held.
In the evening a council of war was held on
board the "Ark Royal," Lord Howard's ship.
There assembled Seymour, Drake, Sheffield,
Southwell, Palmer, Hawkins, Winter, Fenner
and Frobisher, Lord Howard presiding. The
decision and subsequent actions of that council
determined the fate of England. The minds
of all were fixed on taking immediate action.
Some things The Duke of Medina must not have time, all
to be pre-
vented.
agreed, given him to form new combinations or
arrange new plans of action. The Spanish fleet.
must be further crippled, if not destroyed, and
this without delay. For if by any means a
junction of the Spanish army is made with the
Armada, the hardships of England will be the
greater.
蛋
​134
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Plan to pro-
duce a panic
among the
Spanish.
The council, knowing the shallowness of the
shoals off the coast east of the Armada, also how
much the Spanish dreaded fire-ships, and believ-
ing good would come of throwing the whole
fleet into a panic in the coming night, determined
Fire-ships to take eight of the smaller ships, of which
employed to
create panic. there was no need, and, smearing them with
pitch, and filling them with tar, resin, dried
wood and all sorts of combustible materials,
towing them out in the darkness, turn them
into the lines of the Spanish fleet. Then when
near enough, set them all at once on fire, leav-
ing them to float in among the Spanish ships.
About two o'clock of Monday morning, the
about 2 a.m. 29th of July, the night being dark and cloudy,
The ships
let loose
!
and the tide flowing strongly from the Eng-
lish to the French coast, when the Armada was
closely gathered in the shelter of the coast, and
the winds also favouring, the eight ships were
towed down; when near the Spanish lines
they were suddenly lighted, and left to float
among the ships of the Armada.
The great
surprise and
Immediately sheets of fire burst out from
singularly every one of them; volumes of sulphurous
flaring light. smoke and lurid flame filled the air. The sin-
gular brightness revealed the towers, forts, and
Are borne
by the tide
and winds
among the
Spanish
ships.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
135
church spires of Calais. The inhabitants of
Dover and the coast of Kent gazed in wonder
at the glare of light. The Spanish soldiers and
seamen were all wrapped in slumber, save a
few on the watch, who saw through the dark-
ness shadowy objects moving toward them, but
were uncertain whether any substantial thing
were approaching them, till a pyramid of flame
and lurid light flashed from sail to sail and
over forecastles, masts, and yards. The alarm
The effect of was raised. All were panic-struck. They
the wild-fire
on the
Armada.
The alarm
and panic
spreads.
thought that some diabolical engine of destruc-
tion had come among them. Many of the
Spaniards remembered the destruction wrought
at Antwerp in 1585 by the wild-fire which
made such havoc of Parma's men, as well as of
The cry of his great bridge. They raised the cry, “Fire
Antwerp." of Antwerp!" "Fire of Antwerp!!"
"Fire of
The panic spread through the entire fleet!
The galleons lying at anchor had each cast
two, and few had provided a third. The signal
came from the "St. Martin" to make for sea.
Many cut their cables and let their ships drive!
Others slipped their hawsers! All broke with
greatest haste, trying to escape the terrible
calamity, and fled, they knew not whither.

136
THE TERCENTENTARY OF
Injury to
the ships.
Some of the largest ships struck against and
damaged others near them; others again were
driven into shallows, or on the sands of the
Most of the Flemish coast. Many drifted up the Channel
ships off
Gravelines before the wind, and when the morning light
shone on them they were off the harbour of
Gravelines-two leagues from Calais. Most of
the ships were but slightly injured, and in-
The admiral tended to return to their former positions,
meant they
should re- pick up their anchors, and wait till hearing fur-
ther from the Duke of Parma.
when morn-
ing came.
turn to their
former sta-
tions.
128
the confu-
sion lasts,
such as had
not run
ashore.
But the confusion and disorder were gen-
eral throughout the fleet. This the English
desired and had managed to bring about. Now
The English they wish to turn it to good account. Drake,
wished to
strike, while with half the fleet, stood out into the Channel,
""
hanging on the Spaniards' skirts. Howard, with
the remainder, hovered about near Calais, hop-
ing to drive the slowest on the sands or shal-
lows. No time was given the enemy to rear-
range their ships, or form new combinations.
The "Capi- One of the largest galleons, the "Capitana,"
tana on the
bar of
Calais.
having De Monçada on board, had stranded on
the bar of Calais. She had her helm displaced,
and became unmanageable in the panic, and the
ebbin tide had carried her ashore and left her
-
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
137
Taken by
English.
The galley-
slaves
escape.
The Gover-
nor of Calais
claims the
ship, but
allows the
spoils to the
English
sailors.
1
in sand and shallow water within range of the
French batteries. Howard wished to make
sure of her, that she would no longer be avail-
able for sea-fighting.
-
In capturing her a furious and bloody fight
was made, for she was well manned and
equipped, having of soldiers, sailors and galley-
slaves, seven hundred men. Several hundred
of these were slain in the contest for mas-
tery; also a few English sailors. The galley-
slaves, striking for liberty, sprang overboard,
some swam and some waded to shore,
a few of them were drowned. The Eng-
lish sailors climbed up over the bulwarks,
boarding the ship; several of them falling in
the attempt. They claimed her, and tried to
remove her, but were arrested in the effort by
the Governor of the Fort of Calais, who
claimed the ship as lying under his guns. He,
however, allowed the English seamen all the
spoil, because of their gallant conduct in
boarding her. There were fifty thousand gold
ducats found on board, which the captors
retained and distributed among themselves as
prize-money.
10
138
The Armada,
off Grave-
lines, is
pressed by
the English.
Seymour
opens the
battle with
skill and
courage.
THE TERCENTENARY OF
CHAPTER XVI.
:
THE BATTLE OF GRAVELINES.
靠
​
RAKE, whose comprehensive mind took
in the advantages of the situation, had
early taken his position with Seymour
to prevent Medina from ever returning to his
anchors. He was soon joined by Frobisher,,
Hawkins, the lord-admiral and the rest. They
purposed to keep the Spaniard in the danger-
ous seas and shallows all along the coast east-
ward, and not allow him, now that the rising
gale favours their design, to escape from ite
power. The struggle of the day and of the
hour culminates off Gravelines.
Seymour, who had skill, courage and experi-
ence, opened the battle by a cannonade' on the
ships of the Spanish right. He reserved his
not too-plentiful shot till within a hundred
and twenty yards of the enemy, then poured
it in showers, which continued all the fore-
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
139
close quar-
ters, and
pressed in
their confu-
sion.
The Spanish noon from all the ships. The Spanish were
driven into
driven in upon their own centre in a con-
fused and entangled mass The English spared
no strokes they could bestow, but kept up a
perpetual thunder of deadly and disabling fire
The English from their guns at every point. It is said Sir
strike heavi-
ly and inces- William Winter delivered five hundred shot
santly.
while he was all the time within range of
their arquebuses, and sometimes within speak-
ing distance of them.
The Spanish
gun-service
very slow
and poor.
The Spanish gun service was slow, clumsily
performed, and remarkably ineffective. Their
guns, worked on rolling carriages, or plat-
forms, sent the shot sometimes into the air,
sometimes into the water, according to the
roll of the sea, and seldom struck their adver-
Their ammu-saries. Their ammunition was also, it was
nition also
scarce.
enemy
beaten.
afterwards found, well-nigh spent, and partly
accounted for the slowness of the service. The
The English English, who had been pouring in shot upon.
them at some point or other from eight in
pause at
evening,
when almost
the last cart- the morning till five in the evening, paused
ridge is
when all were exhausted with labour, and
gone and the
almost the last cartridge spent. They had
not waited on this day to take prizes, but
T
140
THE TERCENTENARY OF
He encoun-
ters Medina,
Drake in the
hot of the
Admiral Drake, whose judgment and daring
fight all day. were alike conspicuous, boldly encountered the
foremost commanders of the Armada. With
his brave ship the "Victory," he bore against
Admiral Medina on the "St. Martin," the
Rear-Admiral De Leyva on the "Rata,"
Oquendo, and others, who fought gallantly,
Oquendo, and strove to preserve some degree of good
Spaniards. order in the ships under their command. The
and other
S
winds beating on their high ships often ex-
posed their windward sides below the water-
line to the fire of the enemy, so that the great
timbers, which were meant to be a protection,
The English only increased the danger. For they were
shot tells
with great torn to pieces by the shot and the splinters
effect on the driven with fatal effects among the men be-
galleons even
below the
water-line.
A galleon
sunk.
aimed at disabling or destroying every ship
they could.
low-mid-decks thus became a very slaughter-
house, where blood flowed in streams. Their
guns, also, were dismantled, and the carpen-
ters could hardly cover the holes and stop the
leaks fast enough to keep the ships from
sinking.
A large galleon of Biscay was sunk by the
heavy fire poured into her in the morning. A
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
141
1
The "St.
Matthew."
board as she
sank.
few of her crew, who escape, tell a sad tale of
desperate deeds done on her before she sank :
Horrors on Her chief officer, seeing the ship's condition, pro-
posed to surrender her, and was instantly shot
by a fellow-officer for daring to make such pro-
posal. That officer's brother, in another instant,
takes revenge on the murderer by plunging
his poniard into his heart. The spirit of in-
ternecine desperation spreads, and other crimes.
as black are being committed, when the ship
goes to the bottom, and all perish save these
few who tell the tale.
On that Monday the "St. Mary," also with
all on board, went down about the setting of
the sun, not one escaping to tell the sad tale.
The Saint Matthew," a great Neapolitan
ship, attempting to cover one of her comrades,
which was in danger, is swept by the "Rainbow"
and the “Vanguard." A brave Dutch ship fol-
Surrender- lows with a heavy broadside. She is compelled
to surrender. Another Spanish ship, a gal-
A Portugal leon of Portugal, is dismantled, and so, becom-
galleon dis-
mantled and ing unable to escape her pursuers, is captured.
The wind and tides favour the English, whose
fire tells upon the Spanish at many points.
ing.
captured.
"
142
THE TERCENTENARY OF
"..
The "St.
Philip "sink-
ing.
The admiral finds his ships unmanageable, and
many of his men dazed and bewildered.
Another great galleon, the "St. Philip," com-
manded by Don Francisco, being badly crippled
seemed to be about to sink. An English
officer, seeing her condition, called from his
forecastle to her commander, to surrender and
and save the so save life. A Spaniard instantly replied
Called to
surrender
lives of her
men.
Spanish
bravado.
The men and
the rescuing
ship all
drowned.
sunk,
others
with a musket ball, which laid the officer life-
less on his own deck. The English ship bore
away leaving them to their fate, while the
scornful cry followed them from the sinking
ship-" Cowardly heretics!"" Lutheran hens !!"
“We dare you to engage us!!"
This bravado was soon stopped by the sink-
ing ship signalling for relief to a sister ship.
The relieving ship in leaving the "St. Philip,"
received such a raking fire as disabled her,
and before she had borne the men of the
Many trans- sinking ship out of danger, she herself went
ports and
abled or
smaller down. The "St. Philip" was left to drift and at
ships dis-
length floated into Newport roads, giving no
more trouble to the English. Many vessels of
smaller size perished under the rain of shot
unsafe; yet which fell upon them. Others were riddled
pierced by
shots are
others
perish.
through and through, and several sunk.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
143
Even the
winds
against
them.
All the great Spanish ships which survived
this furious storm of cannon balls were
literally riddled, their masts and yards shat-
tered, their sails and rigging torn to shreds.
Thus as the decisive day advanced, the great
The men be- Armada was rapidly becoming disabled. Ad-
heartened. miral Medina tried to rally his men, keep
come dis-
his ships in line, and cheer on the soldiers.
But they became disheartened. Everything
seemed to conspire to bring about their defeat.
The winds blew so stiff a breeze from the S. and
S. W., in the afternoon, that the ships could not
keep their place, but were driven out of line, up
the Channel, on to the sands, or against their
enemies. The anchors and cables of many of
them had been lost the night before, and the
sails of others had been terribly rent and torn.
Unfortunately for the English when all was
going on so favourably for them, they found
places in
line.
More than four thousand Spaniards were!
slain in the battle of Gravelines, and not more
than one hundred English, most of whom had
perished in the struggle for the "Capitana" on
the bar of Calais. It is averred that not an
English ship was lost; a few were, however,
considerably disabled.
Spanish
ships cannot
hold their
144
THE TERCENTENARY OF
English suc- their stores of ammunition beginning to fail.
cessful,
but their
ammunition
fails.
stalwarts.
They were, therefore, compelled to use what
remained sparingly at the very time when an
abundant supply would have enabled them to
have closed the most glorious day in England's
naval history, with the complete destruction or
certain surrender of the whole Spanish fleet.
Howard's They, however, did the best they possibly could.
On the next day Admiral Howard, sending
a despatch to Minister Walshingham, wrote,
Their force is wonderful, great and strong,
and yet we pluck their feathers by little
and little." He wrote a little later, "Notwith-
standing that our powder and shot was well
nearly all spent, we set on a brave countenance,
and gave them chase, as though we wanted
nothing, until we had cleared our own coasts
and part of Scotland."
((
Two results
reached of
Two important results were now achieved by
great value. the furious and prolonged contest of the 29th
of July.
First, the Armada was thoroughly
crippled and no longer inspired terror as an
'invincible" power; and second, the Duke of
Parma could no longer hope to form a junction.
with the Armada and pass under its protection
army made into England. The plan and purpose of the
The junc-
tion of
Parma's
impossible.
،،
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
145
The battle
lines more
of Grave-
severe than
the encoun-
ter of
Lepanto.
The state of
the Spanish
Armada
after the
battle.
armament was, therefore, completely defeated.
These were grand results. The English were
then too thickly enveloped in the heat and
smoke of the conflict to clearly see them, as
they soon after did.
The battle, which lasted from eight in the
morning to five or six in the evening, was fierce,
destructive and unremitting. There were
Spaniards fighting in the Armada, who had
also participated in the memorable action of
Lepanto, in the Levant, who affrmed that this
day's fight off Gravelines far exceeded in
severity that famous encounter. Nor would
the conflict have slacked on the English side
had not their stores of ammunition failed. But
finding their munitions, their powder and shot,
almost spent, they were compelled to slacken
the fight and make out as best they could.
The Spanish admiral, finding his ships crip-
pled and broken, his ship-tackle, sails, cables
and anchors gone, and pressed by a strong
south-west wind so that he could no longer
hold his position, is forced to think of how
he may best escape with what remains of the
Armada. He loses hope of uniting with the
Duke of Parma, and protecting him across
146
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Fears of
Parma's
treachery.
the Channel. He suspects Parma of treachery,
in leaving him to the worst in these shallows
and dangerous seas. He will hold a council of
war when the light of the next day shines.
We quote a few sentences from a contempo-
rary writer, who graphically describes this last
battle of the struggle off Gravelines. We give
his words in their original quaintness of spell-
ing and diction, as follows:-
((
Upon the twenty-ninth of July, in the
morning, the Spanish fleet, after the forsayd
tumult (i.e., from the fire-ships), having
arranged themsuels againe into order, were
within sight of Greveling, most bravely and
furiously encountered by the English, where
they once againe got the wind of the Span-
iards, who suffered themselves to be deprived
of the commodity of the place in Calais Roads,
and of the advantage of the winds near unto
Dunkirk, rather than they would change their
array or separate their forces now conjoined
and united together, standing only upon their
defence.
..
'And how beit there were many excellent
and warlike ships in the English fleet, yet
scarce were there twenty-two or twenty-three
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
147
among them all, which matched ninety of the
Spanish ships in bigness, or could conven-
iently assault them. Wherefore the English
ships, using their prerogative of nimble steer-
age, whereby they could turn and wield them-
selves with the wind, which way they listed,
came oftentimes very near upon the Spaniards,
and charged them so sore that now and then
they were but a pike's length asunder; and so
continually giving them one broadside after
another, they discharged all their shot, both
great and small, upon them, spending one
whole day, from morning till night, in that
violent kind of conflict, untill such time as
powder and bullets failed them. In regard of
which want they thought it convenient not to
pursue the Spaniards any longer, because they
had many great vantages of the English,
namely, for the extraordinary bigness of their
ships, and also for that they were so neerly
conjoined, and kept together in so good array,
that they could by no means be fought withall
one to one. The English thought, therefore,
that they had right well acquited themselves
in chasing the Spaniards first from Calais and
then from Dunkirk, and by that means to
148
THE TERCENTENARY OF
St. Lau-
rance's Day,
Philip's
patron saint.
Has one of
his bones.
Will he
help?
Their
dangers.
have hindered them from joining with the
Duke of Parina, his forces, and getting the
wind of them, to have driven them from their
own coasts.”*
On Tuesday, the thirtieth of July, as the
light of the sun began to shine, the scattered
Armada saw the English following in the dis-
tance. It is St. Laurance's Day, Philip's patron
saint. The king has, as he thinks, enriched
the reliquary of the Escorial with a veritable
bone of the saint. Will he be protected, as he
believes, from all ills on that day by his
favourite saint? Alas! the dead saint seems
not to concern himself about the dangers of
living sinners. Before them were the shallow
seas of the Dutch coast, over which angry
waves were breaking at mountain height.
Behind were their enemies, faint, like Gideon's
braves, yet pursuing. The Spanish ships are in
great peril. They cannot anchor, because these
are left behind at Calais. They cannot turn on
their enemies and risk another battle, for they
have no ammunition. If they go forward, the
sea, which is becoming shallower every mile,
*Hakluyt, Vol. I, p. 602.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
149
They
deliberate.
will surely soon swallow them. Shall they
surrender? for that alone gives hope of relief
The courses or safety.
which open
to them.
Happily for the Spanish, the peril of their
situation is partly removed by a shifting of the
wind to the south, which bears them off the
breakers into the open sea. Now they must
consider "what is to be done." Will they rally
the Armada and make again for Calais, or will
The Spanish they pursue their course up the North seas?
hold a
council of
war..
A council of war is called. Recalde, De
Leyva, Diego Flores, Caso Calderon, and the
admiral, Medina, meet and deliberate. They
see they cannot return to Calais as they
wished, because both of the adverse winds and
the English ships. The great enterprise for
the present has to be given up. Parma must
remain in Flanders. They decide to continue
Decide to
return to
Spain by the their course into the North Sea; they can then
North Sea,
the Orkneys return to Spain by the Orkneys, the west of
and west of Ireland, and through the Atlantic. This, not-
Ireland.
withstanding the roughness of the seas, the
dangers of the islands, and hardships to be
anticipated, is decided to be the safest and
best, if not the only way open to them.
The English admirals also held a council on
150
THE TERCENTENARY OF
:
Parma and
the Armada
as well.
also hold a
council.
The English the same day. They did not yet know how
greatly the Spanish had suffered, or how com-
pletely exhausted were their ammunition and
supplies, and so expected a renewal of the
fight as soon as the Spanish had a little time
to rally. It was therefore decided that Lord
Seymour, with thirty ships, should return to
to watch
Determine the Flemish coast to watch the Duke of Parma,
and that the remainder of the fleet of some
ninety sail should follow and deal with the
Armada. At night, that he might not be seen
by the Spanish, Seymour, though his men were
almost famished, and he longed to continue the
pursuit of the Armada, made his way round
the Brill and returned to his watch.
On the 31st of July all the English fleet,
The 31st of
July still
the Armada.
following saving Lord Seymour's squadron, which had
departed in the night, kept in sight of the
Spanish. As yet there is no disposition
to give up the pursuit, nor belief that the
struggle with the Armada is over. Drake
wrote on this very day, the 31st July, to
Walshingham in his own peculiar style :-
"We have the army of Spain before us,
and mind, with the grace of God, to wrestle a
fall with them. There was never anything
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
151
•
pleased me better, than seeing the enemy
flying with a south wind toward the north-
ward. God grant they have a good eye to the
Duke of Parma; for with the grace of God, if
we live, I doubt it not but ere it be long, so to
handle the matter with the Duke of Sidonia,
as he shall wish himself at St. Marie's among
his orange trees."
Mr. Green gives the following comprehen-
sive view of the struggle of that memorable
day:
"At dawn the English ships closed fairly in,
and almost their last cartridge was spent ere
the sun went down. Three great galleons had
sunk, three had drifted helplessly on the Flem-
ish coast; but the bulk of the Spanish vessels
remained, and even to Drake the fleet seemed
'wonderful, great and strong.' Within the
Armada itself, however, all hope was gone.
Huddled together by the wind and the deadly
English fire, their sails torn, their masts shot
away, the crowded galleons had become mere
slaughter-houses. Four thousand men had
fallen, and bravely as the seamen fought, they
were cowed by the terrible butchery. Medina
himself was in despair. 'We are lost, Señor
152
THE TERCENTENARY OF
!
Oquendo,' he cried to his bravest captain.
What are we to do?' Let others talk of
being lost,' replied Oquendo. 'Your excellency
has only to order up fresh cartridges.' But
Oquendo stood alone, and a council of war
resolved to retreat to Spain by the one course
open to them, that of a circuit round the Ork-
neys.
""*
C
*Green's S. History of the English People, p. 421.
T
-
?
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
153
Why did the
English not
follow up
their advan-
tages?
Because
their powder
and shot
was spent.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE SHATTERED ARMADA ESCAPING BY THE
NORTH SEA.
T has been asked, "Why did not the
English use their great advantages to
completely destroy the Armada?" The
answer is easily gathered from what we have
already related. The few sentences following,
written by Sir William Monson about that
time, gives a true and sufficient explanation.
Says he:
"The opportunity was lost, not through the
negligence or backwardness of the lord ad-
miral, but merely through the want of provi-
vence in those who had charge of furnishing
and providing for the fleet; for, at that time
of so great advantage, when they came to
examine their provisions, they found a general
scarcity of powder and shot, for want of which
they were forced to return."
11
154
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The English
fleet does
grand and
noble ser-
vice.
It must be admitted that the English fleet
did grand service. It had, during two weeks
of almost continuous fighting, crippled and
driven from the English shores the mightiest
armament which had ever approached them-a
fleet more than twice the tonnage of their own,
having of all classes twice as many men, and
The defeated provided at a cost a hundred times greater than
Armada far
and larger
more costly their own. It had also left the great Duke of
Parma helpless on his transports in the canals
of Ghent and Bruges, and the harbours of New-
port and Dunkirk.
than the
English
fleet.
In that short time it had brought to ruin the
plans and preparations of several years, had
turned the vaunted honours and glory of con-
fidently expected conquest into the gall and
wormwood of disappointment. At the same
time, we must remember and admit, that it was
not all achieved by the gallant fleet of English
braves. There was an unseen, a Divine arm
stretched out directing and overruling all-the
arm of the Supreme Ruler of the world. He
commanded, and this huge and diabolical
scheme of wanton Spanish wrong completely
failed. This fact and the mode of its accom-
plishment are aptly expressed in the following
The arm of
the unseen
but Al-
mighty
Ruler of the
world
stretched
out.
S
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
155
The mode
and fact of
inscription on a medal soon after cast: Flavit
Jehovah et dessipati sunt. The Lord blew
upon them and they were scattered. This man
of war, as He is called in Scripture, did by the
presented in breath of His mouth what the great sea-captains
the inscrip- Drake and Seymour, Hawkins and Winter,
medal of the Frobisher and Howard, and all the rest—could
the Lord's
interposition
tion of a
time.
The winds
play a chief
part in the
destruction
of the Ar-
mada.
Ships badly
crippled and
unsea-
worthy.
not have done. By His winds He began, and
by them as His ministers He completed, the
destruction of the Armada, boastfully called
invincible at the setting out. By His winds
several of its great ships were lost on the seas
between Lisbon and Corunna, and many in-
jured. Again, half a dozen or more were cap-
tured or destroyed in coming up the English
Channel. A full score, small and great, were
destroyed or quite disabled off Calais and
Gravelines. And though three-fourths of the
Armada escaped, many of them hopelessly crip-
pled from the fatal battle of Gravelines, it was
only to await a more terrible destruction. On
leaving the action, many of the ships were so
riddled and broken, so utterly unseaworthy,
that it would have been better had they been
totally destroyed.
As the Armada drifted off on the evening of
156
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The English the 29th from the place of action, Drake, Sey-
followed
close to the mour, Howard and the rest, with all their fleet,
Armada,
followed. For some time they closely pursued
them. The Armada, however, had neither heart
nor power to renew the strife. The following
sentences, from the pen of a contemporary
already referred to, comprehensively describe,
in his own peculiar style, the results of the
contest:
((
The Spaniards, that day, sustained great
loss and damage, having many of their shippes
shot throw and throw, and they discharged
likewise great stors of ordnance againste the
English; who, indeed, sustained some hindrance,
but not comparable to the Spaniards' loss; for
they lost not any one ship or person of account
for very diligent inquisition being made, the
English men all that time wherin the Spanish
navey sayled upon their seas, are not found
to have wanted above one hundred of their
people albeit Sir Francis Drake's ship was
pierced with shot above forty times, and his
very cabben was twice shot throw, and about
the conclusion of the fight the bed of a certaine
gentleman lying weary thereupon, was taken
quite from under him with the force of a
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
157
+
Drake's
opinion of
the Arma-
da's destina-
tion.
Fears at
first that the
Armada
might seek
As the Armada reached the coast of
Scotland, fears were entertained that it might
find allies and shelter from the Catholic lords-
•
shelter in
Scotland but
it did not. Huntley, Maxwell and others. It, however,
passed, without entering, the Frith of Forth;
and as there was no other port in the North of
Scotland, which it was believed it would enter,
and as their own provisions would not last
longer than to return, the English fleet ceased
further pursuit, but despatched two pinnaces to
watch the course of the Armada. For Drake
was of opinion it was making for the Cattegat
in Denmark to refit, and would return in good
repair during the autumn.
As the
Spanish
advanced in
the North
Sea they
found their
ships were
disabled.
bullet. Likewise as the Earle of Northumber-
land and Sir Charles Blount were at dinner
upon a time, the bullet of a demi-culverin
broke throw the middest of their cabben,
touched their feet and strooke downe two of
the standers by, with many such accidents be-
falling the English shippes, which it were
tedious to rehearse."
The Spanish, it was found, had been reduced
at the close of these few days of hard struggle
in the English Channel, from one hundred and
sixty to one hundred and ten sail.
But the winds were to work a yet greater
158
THE TERCENTENARY OF
destruction in the still formidable, if no longer
invincible Armada. When the English ceased
further pursuit, the Spanish began to cast over-
They threw board all their horses and mules, in order to
overboard
the horses
and mules.
Their sails,
masts,
cordage,
helms, etc.,
lost.
save water, as they said, for the soldiers; but
possibly they did it because these munitions.
were cumbrous, and even useless, since the pur-
pose of fighting by land had been abandoned.
Many of the ships were also found to be unsafe,
their hulls being so badly penetrated with shot
that they were open as a sieve, very many had
also lost their sails, masts, cordage and anchors,
several sunk in the North Sea and perished
from the fleet. Some were cast on the north
coasts of Scotland, and some also on those
of Norway. But few were really fit for sea.
The admiral ordered all, on reaching the Ork-
neys, to direct their course to the coasts of Spain
and Portugal, by the great Atlantic Ocean;
each squadron to seek its own harbour under
its own commanders.
Storms in
the North-
ern Isles
On the 10th of August a storm more violent
than any they had yet experienced overtook
and west of them and scattered their fleet. Some of them
Ireland.
were driven on the shores of the Orkneys,
others into the fiords of Norway,, and were
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
159
life.
Great loss of broken on the rocks, many of the seamen
being drowned. The storm continued for many
days longer, and drove scores of those which
had hitherto escaped on the rocky coasts of the
west of Ireland.
The pilot of
"Our Lady
of the
Rosary's "
report.
The pilot of the Genoese ship, “Our Lady of
the Rosary," on board of which was the Prince
of Asculi, natural son of King Philip, thus
describes her total wreck in Blasket Sound:-
This ship was shot through four times, one
of the shots was below.the water mark, where-
of they thought she would have sunk, and most
of her tackle was spoiled with shot. After-
wards she struck on the Bleskies, a league
and a half from land, upon Tuesday last at
noon, and all in the ship perished, saving this
examinant, who saved himself on two or three
planks that were loose."
The final catastrophe of the Armada came
it in the land of its most fervid co-reli-
upon
gionists, on the western coast of Ireland-
Kerry, Galway, Mayo and Donegal. From the
10th of August to the 10th of September
some smaller the Armada had been dreadfully tossed and
ships driven
2
Many gal-
leons and
The final
catastrophe
of the Ar-
mada on the
western
coast of
Ireland.
،،
on Galway, broken among the islands and on the coasts of
Kerry and
Mayo.
the North Sea. One ship after another, with
}
160
THE TERCENTENARY OF
hundreds of those on board, had perished.
The worst fell on it on the 10th of September;
and later, along the line of rocky coast stretch-
ing westward, from Sligo to Eris Head, Span-
ish ships were seen all along the coast-two
galleons put in at Dingle, seven at Garriga-
foyle, several at Clew, seven in the mouth of
the Shannon. The natives were terrified, and
greatly exaggerate these numbers. The ship-
wrecked men were emaciated and spent. In
every case they begged for water, from the
scarcity of which they had suffered terribly.
But even this was reluctantly given to the un-
fortunates whether they fell into the hands of
the government officials, or the needy inhabi-
tants, who were looking for the spoils, rather
than to relieve the fugitives.
The great majority of the shipwrecks
occurred along the bold rocky coast running
in a westerly direction for full seventy miles
from Sligo.
-
In the same tempest in which "Our Lady of
Six galleons the Rosary" went down in Blasket Sound on
wrecked on
the cliffs of the 10th September, six galleons were dashed
Clare.
with terrible violence and broken to pieces on
the cliffs of Clare. Only one hundred and fifty
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
161
·
Severa
dashed on
persons succeeded in struggling through the
the coast of surf to the shore All the others perished in
Connemara.
No quarter
given the
Spanish,
the sea.
These escaped the fury of the sea to
meet a more cruel fate at Galway, a few days
later. Several large ships were thrown on the
Connemara coast at the same time. Most of
the men escaped from the wreck to the shore.
These and many others, who like them consid-
ered themselves safe on reaching land, were by
order of Sir Richard Bingham, Governor of
Connaught, brought to Galway, and though
exhausted and powerless, were all shortly
after dispatched, as enemies in arms.
It was
who were
regarded as thought that though food, rest and care would
enemies in
arms.
have restored them, yet it was deemed danger-
ous so to keep them, even as the nourish-
ing of a viper may preserve it to again
bite the bosom that nourished it. There
were, besides, no facilities-hospitals or pro-
visions for sustaining such large numbers for
any length of time. The religious element
among the officials believed that God had
given these enemies of their country and of
her religion into their hands that they might
destroy them. Hence their severity. That
this course, foreign as it is to our ideas of
162
THE TERCENTENARY OF
humanity, was not more severe than the Span-
ish were ready to exact on the English should
they fall into their hands, is made clear from
letters written about that time, when false
pared to in- rumours reached Paris and Madrid, assuring
flict cruelties
The Span-
iards pre-
on the Eng- Philip of a grand victory. Edmund Palmer,
lish.
an English merchant at San Sebastian, in
Spain, wrote when this news came:
"The
town made great feasts all that day, running
through the streets on horseback, with rich
apparel and vizards on their faces, crying
with loud voices, 'That great dog, Francis
Drake, is prisoner, with chains and fetters.'
They also kept up dances in the night revil-
ing her Majesty with villainous words, and
when they could not do any more, with stones
they broke down the windows of
my house."
The native Irish were full of terror. They
had favoured and sympathized with the Span-
ish cause when it seemed sure of success; but
now that it had failed, they refuse to incur
further danger by helping the fugitives.
It
was then in accord with the popular feeling, as
well as by authority of the English officers,
that no quarter should be given to the Span-
iards. Mr. George Bingham, son of Sir Richard,
The native
Irish terri-
fied.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
163
carried out a similar course toward the fugi-
Through
sympathiz-
ing with the tives in Mayo as his father had done in Gal-
religious
convictions way. In the following lines, written to his
of the Span- father at that time, we have an explanation of
ish, now
that they are his course. Says he: "Having despatched all
vanquished,
they do not in both town and country, we rested Sunday
wish to incur
peril.
all day, giving praise and thanks to Almighty
God for her majesty's most happy success and
deliverance from her dangerous enemies."
The disasters of the chivalrous Alonzo de
The sad end Leyva were many and fatal. He survived
of Alonzo de
two hundred
and sixty-
five young
hidalgos.
Leyva and two, and perished in the third shipwreck on
these fatal coasts. He was destined to share
in the doom which had fallen on the whole
Armada. His brave ship the "Rata" was
stranded at Bally-croy. He embarked on an-
other galleon, which was broken on the rocks
of Killibeg. In both shipwrecks he not only
saved his own life, but the lives of the large
company of young Spanish cavaliers, who, re-
garding him as the soul of Castilian chivalry,
craved to be his followers. Early in October
he sailed again with this gallant company on
the "Gerona" from Killibeg. They crept safely
along the coast, passing Tory Island and Lough
Swilly, and had reached, as they thought, the
164
THE TERCENTENARY OF
open sea, when doom arrested them, and sealed
their fate in a watery grave. The ship struck
an unseen rock off Dunluce, and was wrecked.
catastrophe De Leyva and two hundred and sixty-five
This the
closing
of the ill-
fated Ar-
mada.
young Spanish hidalgos perished in this clos-
ing catastrophe of the Invincible Armada.
Estimate of
The Spanish losses have been summed by
the losses by
rary.
a contempo- a contemporary of the events as follows:
Without taking into account the twenty cara-
vels of the fleet, he says: "Of one hundred
and four-and-thirty sail, which came out of
Lisbon, only three-and-fifty returned to Spain.
Of the four galeases of Naples, but one; the
like of the largest galleons of Portugal. Of
the one-and-ninety galleons and great hulks
from divers provinces, only three-and-thirty
returned. In a word they lost eighty-one
ships in this expedition, and upwards of thir-
teen thousand five hundred soldiers."
The more
accurate
estimate is
one hundred
ships and
There are other and more correct estimates
given by other writers, who place the losses of
the Spanish at a much higher figure than
twenty thou- these. They almost all agree that the whole
sand men.
number of ships of all classes which returned
to Spain did not exceed fifty-three, i.e., about
one-third of the whole number which sailed
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
165
from Lisbon. The proportion of men who
returned, there is no doubt, was about the
same as the proportion of the ships, i.e., one-
third of the whole number which started on
the expedition. Hence, as there were about
thirty thousand on departing, there were about
ten thousand who returned to Spain. This,
we believe, is a correct estimate of the number.
The following statement contains a recent and
comprehensive view of the whole matter:-
Not a single Spaniard set foot on English
ground but as a prisoner; one English vessel
only, and that of small size, became the prize
of the invaders. The Duke of Parma did not
venture to embark a man. The King of Scots,
standing firm to his alliance with his illustri-
ous kinswoman, afforded not the slightest suc-
cour to the Spanish ships, which the storms
and the English drove in shattered plight upon
his rugged coasts; while the Lord-Deputy of
Ireland caused to be massacred without re-
morse the crews of all the vessels wrecked
upon that island in their disastrous circum-
navigation of Great Britain, so that not more
than one-third of the vaunted Invincible
Armada returned in safety to the ports of
((
I
166
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Drake's brief
statement of
the loss to
England by
Spain.
Spain. Never in the records of history was
the event of war on one side more entirely
satisfactory and glorious, on the other more
deeply humiliating and utterly disgraceful.
Philip supported indeed the credit of his per-
sonal character by the dignified composure
with which he listened to the tidings of this
great disaster, but it was out of his power to
throw the slightest veil over the dishonour of
the Spanish arms, or repair the total and final
failure of the Catholic cause he had so ener-
getically espoused.”—Court and Times of Eliza-
beth, p. 385.
Admiral Drake wrote, after the fleet had dis-
appeared: "It must be confessed the Spaniards
presented a sorry sight. Their invincible and
dreadful navey, with all its great and terrible
ostentation, did not, in all their sailing about
England, so much as sink or take one ship,
bark or pinnace or cok-boat of ours, or even
burn so much as one sheep-cote on this land."
For weeks after the defeat of the Armada,
and the failure of the whole scheme of the in-
P
The real
knowledge
and com-
pleteness of
the defeat of vasion, England and Spain were alike without
the Spanish,
certain knowledge of the real state of the case.
To the former the fate of the fleet was so little
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
167
Victory of known that most people thought it would soon
England
slowly ascer- reappear and renew the attack. Proof of this
tained.
is afforded by the fact that the complete or-
ganization of the army did not take place till
after the defeat. The queen's activity at Til-
bury, and the filling up of the ranks of both
her armies to their fullest, did not occur till
August and September of 1588-weeks after
the defeat.
-
The sad tid-
ings of his
the King of
Spain.
In Spain the tidings first received were
loss received most flattering to the king. They assured
with impas-
siveness by him of fame and glory from his navy—that
the English fleet had been vanquished and
most of its ships captured or destroyed, and
that Spain was in possession of the Channel,
and commanded the entrance into England.
These tidings were followed by others less
pleasing, intimating that only a partial success
had been achieved, while some unwelcome ru-
mours affirmed the worst. Philip remained in
suspense till October, when Admiral Medina
Sidonia himself arrived at Santander in Spain,
and landed from his broken ships, the few
surviving fragments of his grand Armada. He
himself soon related to his master the sad tale
of his disastrous expedition. The king listened
168
THE TERCENTENARY OF
His words
on being so
informed.
in silence, and with great composure, to the
pitiable story, and after a moment or two, with
an impassive voice, and in resignation of spirit,
he said:
"God's holy will be done. I sent out my
ships thinking I was a match for the power
of England, but I did not pretend to fight
against the elements. I thank God that it is
no worse, and that I am able to place another
fleet upon the sea if I so desire.”
l'he king
forbids the
mourn.
Sorrow was carried into very many of the
most distinguished families of Spain by the
loss of loved ones in this inglorious expedition.
These families were putting on the usual out-
ward badges of bereavement and signs of sorrow.
The king, on hearing of it, peremptorily forbade
bereaved to any such exhibition of grief, under pain of
his displeasure. Then again, there were in
some of the Spanish cities, persons who had
all along looked on the whole enterprise with
disfavour, and were now disposed to make
merry at what they considered a ridiculous
failure. These persons made some public.
demonstration of their feelings in Valladolid
and Madrid. The king, on becoming aware of
it was greatly displeased, and most peremp-
*
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
169
A
He forbids
the merry
to laugh.
torily ordered all such to cease; and brought a
few who were foremost in the folly to account,
and ordered them to the block. Alas! said some
of these sorely-ruled people, "Our king will
neither allow us to weep nor laugh.”
12
170
THE TERCENTENARY OF
1
Philip's de-
feat
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE POLITICAL EFFECTS OF THE DEFEAT ON THE
KING OF SPAIN.

ITH the destruction of the Armada,
disables him
from suc-
and failure of his great scheme of
invasion, Philip's hopes of success-
cessfully
attempting
the further fully accomplishing the conquest of England
conquest of
England.
also perished. Not that his intolerance of
spirit was broken or his desire to conquer his
heretical foe had died; but that his courage and
his resources were not equal to its achievement.
Among the English, however, a bold spirit of
military adventure sprung up. In the year
An expedi- succeeding the defeat, a fleet of nearly two
hundred ships, with twenty thousand vol-
unteers, got up at private expense, sailed from
from Spain England. Its ostensible object was to place
tion goes out
from Eng-
land to sever
Portugal
and set up a
king.
Don Antonio, an illegitimate branch of the
royal house of Portugal, on the throne of that
kingdom. The expedition was under the com-
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
171
mand of Sir Francis Drake and Sir John
Norris the former to command the fleet, the
latter the army. Many joined the expedition
purely for adventure, and gave themselves up
to plunder rather than carrying on war. They
desolated Corunna and several other seaports
proved a
failure
The English of Spain. The object of the enterprise, how-
expedition
ever, was lost sight of, even seemed forgotten.
The land and sea forces failed to make the pro-
posed junction for the taking of Lisbon. Vari-
Spanish sea-ous disasters and wasting diseases conspired to
every way.
No good re-
sulted.
ports deso-
Ïated.
bring the whole enterprise to complete failure.
ond Armada.
Still later another expedition set out from
England under Admiral Drake,which scoured the
West Indies, captured many Spanish galleons,
and levied heavy tolls on the rich cities of the
Spanish American colonies. Philip was natur-
ally very indignant and determined by a second
Philip's sec- Armada to chastise the marauding parties.
But his preparations were broken up by the
bold descent of an English squadron (in 1596)
upon Cadiz, where his stores were being collected
and his preparations made. They plundered
the city, destroyed all his military stores and
some fifteen war-ships which he had provided.
In the year following (i.e., 1597) he actually
172
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The second
Armada
totally
broken by
the storms.
Parma's
army melts
away in
autumn of
1588.
fitted out his second Armada, which put to sea
determined on a new effort of invading Eng-
land. But violent storms struck it on the
Bay of Biscay, and completely wrecked it, so
that the last disaster was worse than the first.
This was Philip's last attempt on England.
His only hope henceforth of chastising her lay
in reaching her through his alliances with
France.
Parma's great army of invasion, lying in
Flanders, was attacked and decimated by dis-
ease, so that in a few months it was reduced to
a few thousand men. Its remnants found
enough work in hindering the Low Countries
from entirely casting off the yoke of Philip's
authority.
His schemes
for the sup-
pression of
ism in
France fail.
His designs on France were also at length
completely frustrated. The Catholic League,
Protestant through which he now operated with renewed
vigour against the Huguenots, held out
Philip's only hope of accomplishing his designs
on behalf of the Church of Rome, and of secur-
ing a hold for himself on the kingdom of
France. That hope was also doomed to disap-
pointment. For after many vicissitudes of
the struggle between the Catholics and Protes-
-
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
173
Died Sept.
13th, 1598.
Also the ac- dispelled Philip's hopes either of the ascend-
quisition of
the country ency of Romanism, or his own family in France.
Thus, one by one, all his schemes of aggression
for his own
-crown.
and conquest in Europe failed. Even his own
He becomes resources and credit failed; so that in ten
bankrupt.
years after the defeat of the Armada his ex-
chequer was insolvent, and Philip laid upon
the bed of death. He died in September, 1598.
From the day of his defeat in the English
Channel, his aggressive policy, as King of
Spain, virtually closed. All the plans and
schemes of his life, one after another, failed and
came to naught.
The gray-headed monarch, disappointed with
the failure of his darling scheme on England,
and feeling little hope of success in the future,
wrapt himself up the more closely in the cloak
of a stolid religious resignation to a necessity
from which he could not escape.
After having pondered for a few days on
the failure and loss of his grand fleet, and on
the disasters which also fell on his army, he
determined to conform to the seemly dictates.
of religion, which command us, "in every
Philip's
resignation.
tants of France, the Protestant Prince Henry
of Navarre ascended the French throne, and so
174
THE TERCENTENARY OF
to observe a
thing to give thanks." He accordingly ad-
dressed letters to all his bishops, ordering them
Determines to observe a solemn thanksgiving in all their dio-
public ceses to Almighty God for sparing that portion
thanksgiv-
ing.
of the invincible Armada which it had pleased
Him to bring home again." Among his Spanish
subjects the feeling generally prevailed that
there was far more cause for lamentation
than rejoicing, for penitence than for thanks-
giving; for there were no families of any note
in Spain which had not lost a member in the
great catastrophe. The thanksgiving was
thanksgiv- observed in due form as ordered; but there
ing in Spain.
were no expressions of heartfelt joy, nor
sounds of genuine gladness.
Orders a
solemn
We may yet follow the results of the defeat
and failure of Philip's great schemes, and the
despotism from which they sprung forward,
a little way into the subsequent history of
A compari- Spain. Compare the Spain of the sixteenth
son of the
sixteenth
with the
Spain of the with the Spain of the seventeenth century, or
even with the Spain of the present century,
and see the outcome of absolutism and despot-
same coun-
try a hun-
dred years ism as opposed to the free and liberal system
later.
under which we live.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
175
Spain then
supreme in
power, in
statesmen,
soldiers
and men of
learning and
letters.
How chang
ed in one
hundred
years.
In that century Spain, as we have already
seen, held and exercised the highest political
power among the nations of Europe. She was
not only the foremost in arms, extent of terri-
tory, wealth and revenues, but she held an
equal ascendency in regard to the number of
eminent men which she possessed. She had
not only the most renowned soldiers, sea-cap-
tains and statesmen, but also men of letters
and of learning. At that day her people and
her name inspired a feeling of something like
awe among their neighbours. A Spaniard
was regarded as a sort of incarnation of dar-
ing, malevolence, craftiness and power-an
evil and malicious, but subtle and powerful,
being.
Look at Spain and those Spanish people one
hundred years after the defeat of the invinci-
ble Armada! Oh! how we find the picture of
their glory and greatness changed! How
rapid and complete the downfall!! Decay and
disintegration has not only set in, but, like a
leprosy, has reached the nation's extremities,
which are falling off, one after another, and the
feeble yet remaining life shrinks into a poor
and sickly trunk. The Netherland Provinces
176
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The decay
and disinte-
gration of
Spain.
ceased to belong to the monarchy of Spain
after the death of Philip the Second. The
small territory included in the kingdom of
The growth Holland, which Philip tried to crush and coerce
and great-
ness of by the might of his arbitrary power, has not
Holland.
only achieved its independence, but has risen
to the rank of a leading power in Europe,
whose commerce and civilization are far
mightier in the East Indies than those of
Spain. Portugal, which had been incorporated
by Philip in the kingdom of Spain, has
regained its autonomy and taken its place as a
power co-ordinate in rank with its late master.
The political states or provinces of Artois,
to be parts French Compté, have returned to their ancient
The prov
inces cease
ish kingdom.
of the pan political relationships; while such claims as
Spain still held on her former possessions in
Italy are feeble, and to her utterly unprofit-
able. The English, and English colonists, held
England's
growth on
the seas and larger areas of the West Indies and North
in coloniz-
ing.
America than Spain, which claimed it in 1588
as absolutely her own, in right of the pope's
gift and title. The power of Spain, we may
add, has long since disappeared from the
western world, save in the one island of
Cuba.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA
177
away.
Moreover, the army of Spain, which had
been the terror of Europe under Alva, Don
John, and Farnese, had become a mere hand-
ful of ill-fed, ill-paid, and ill-disciplined men.
Spain's naval The navy which, in the days of Santa Crux,
and military
glory pass
De Leyva, and Oquendo, was mistress of the
sea and the terror of the world, has sunk to
less than one-tenth of its former self. In the
seventeenth century it fell as far behind
England and Holland as a hundred years
before it exceeded them. Then in thrift,
national prosperity, law and order, the nation
had sunk beneath consideration. These qua-
lities were not to be found in the cities, nor
had they taken up their abode in the fields.
The condi- The peasantry were in poverty and on the
tion of the
lower popu- verge of starvation. Industry had no life.
lation
wretched.
The merchants were broken in resources and
in spirits. The few who, as governors of
provinces, viceroys or chiefs, controlled the
The rulers revenues, were out of touch with the masses
not in sym-
pathy with of the people, and felt bound to them by no
the people. ties of sympathy or of interest. Intrigue,
squabblings, plunderings ruled even in the
royal household.
178
THE TERCENTENARY OF
'
Why Spain
Why had Spain fallen so soon and so low,
sank so low
and so fast. While her small dependency of Holland, and
her feeble, if victorious adversary, England,
had risen to power? There are two reasons-—
one in the arbitrary and unpaternal character
of its government, which never fostered indus-
try, manufactures, culture of mind, enlighten-
ment, or the elevation of the masses. Nine-
tenths of the population of Spain in those
days were no more than the slaves to the other
tenth. The other reason is, that the vivifying
power of the revival of the sixteenth century
was by an intolerant and despotic king and
high priest, with the aid of the Inquisition,
Two great banished from Spain. The people dare not
principles of
industry and breathe the wholesome air of liberty of
liberty
disregarded. thought, of liberty of conscience, of civil or
religious liberty. They did not learn by a
happy experience the power of God in their
hearts and on their lives.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
179
The people,
on realizing
their deliv-
erance and
the great-
ness of the
victory,
full of joy
and grati-
tude.
CHAPTER XIX.
JOYFUL THANKSGIVINGS IN ENGLAND.

HEN the people of England and Hol-
land became assured of and realized
how great and how complete was
are their victory and deliverance, and saw the
utter destruction of the Spanish plot of inva-
sion, the demonstrations of joy and gratitude
were unbounded and genuine. The people of
all ranks and conditions, of every shade of reli-
gious belief-the rich and poor, the nobles and
common people, Churchmen and Puritans-all
heartily united in rendering praise to God from
whom all their blessings flowed.
Gpla
Eleven
Early in September eleven Spanish flags,
Spanish flags
exhibited on taken by the Londoners, were hung out on
London London bridge as trophies of the vanquished
Armada and the defeated Spaniards. The ex-
hibition was more creditable to the people's
humanity than if, like Alva, they had brought
bridge.
-
180
THE TERCENTENARY OF
out as many heads of prisoners and exposed
them to public view on that great thoroughfare.
There is abundant evidence that a deep sense
hand of God of gratitude, which sought many ways of ex-
All recog-
nize the
and will-
pressing itself, pervaded the people. All felt
that a menacing calamity had been averted,
and a wonderful deliverance had been vouch-
safed them. The hand of the Almighty had
been made bare on their behalf.
ingly re-
spond to the
calls to
thanksgiv-
ing.
Several occasions of thanksgiving were ob-
served in the capital of the kingdom. The an-
The queen's niversary of the queen's birthday, which fell on
birthday a
thanksgiv- the 9th of September, was proclaimed as a gen-
ing holiday.
eral holiday and thanksgiving. Many sermons
were preached and psalms sung in the churches
of London. Bonfires, illuminations etc., bright-
ened the mild autumn night following that
day. Also great festivity and much rejoicing
abounded in many a happy home.
The 24th of November was set apart by
royal proclamation for a public and general
thanksgiving throughout England. The people
willingly responded to the call, and assembled
in their churches, cathedrals and houses of wor-
ship to render, with united hearts and voices,
thanks and praise to the Lord their God for
The royal
proclama-
tion for a
general day
of
giving.
·
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
181
the glorious victory and the marvellous deliver-
ance. The whole nation united that day in
singing a loud Te Deum, from Cornwall to
all over the Northumberland, from Kent to the shores of
The Te
Deum sung
land.
Wales. As on Sabbath, July the 28th, all the
churches and people had humbly supplicated
the Almighty for deliverance from the insolent
and powerful adversary who was concentrating
his forces against them at Calais and on the
Flemish coast, so they now as earnestly render
praise for the answer given to their prayers.
The cathed-
ral of St.
Paul's the
scene of
The thanksgiving in the cathedral of St.
Paul's, London, surpassed in joyfulness, enthus-
thanksgiv. iasm and splendour any in the memory of
ing.
those then living. Everything looked festive
A grand and at her majesty's palace of Whitehall that
pompous
progress
from White-
morning. The queen put on her most elegant
hall to St. royal attire. She entered her sumptuous
Paul's.
in a chariot
chariot, whose seat was in the form of a
The queen throne, and which had four pillars supporting
a rich canopy, and was drawn by four white
attended by horses. She was attended by her nobles and
of state,
her nobles
and officers
of state.
great officers, all moving in imposing grandeur
to the cathedral. The queen, who ever loved
splendid pageantries and shows, outshone her-
self in great magnificence and royal grace. All
182
THE TERCENTENARY OF
men of
England.
the line of progress was thronged with glad-
some and loyal thousands, who feared God and
honoured their queen. The streets through
which the procession passed were hung with
blue cloth, in honour of the navy. All the
great London companies and guilds in goodly
order lined each side of the streets along which
the queen passed. Many trophies of the great
victory were borne in triumphant procession.
All the great All the great sea-captains of the land whose
heroism had won them renown, and England
safety and glory, surrounded the queen. She
graciously saluted them all, naming each one
The queen's by his name. The queen bestowed a pension
of considerable value on the Lord Admiral,
Howard. She promised small annuities to cer-
tain of the wounded sailors, and of the more
necessitous officers. On all the rest she poured
gracious smiles and courteous words, which
she meant to be in lieu of more substantial
rewards.
rewards.
The streets
of London
hung with
blue cloth,
etc.
The Earl of
Leicester
had died on
the 4th of
Sept. inst.
Only one of the leaders of the people, who
had taken active part in resisting the invasion,
was wanting. The place of the Earl of Leices-
ter, the commander-in-chief of the queen's
army, long the queen's special favourite, and
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
183
dear to her to the last, was empty. Returning
from Whitehall to his Castle of Kenilworth,
he had fallen ill on the way at Cornbury in
Oxfordshire, and there, on the fourth of Sep-
tember, just three weeks before this thanksgiv-
ing, suddenly died. The venerable cathedral
was filled with eager crowds. Thousands
could not gain admission, though thousands
were within its portals. The high-spirited
maiden queen, her lion-hearted sea-captains,
great commanders, wise statesmen, and chief
All united nobles, bowed their heads and united their
in worship
God.
ance.
and praise to hearts with the brave sailors, gallant soldiers,
and patriotic people of the land in rendering
grateful and gladsome thanksgiving to the
Divine Majesty who had so graciously and
so marvellously wrought the nation's deliver-
The sacred walls of the venerable
cathedral re-echoed that day with true ex-
pressions of the nation's gratitude and joy
as the notes of the Te Deum rolled through
its fretted aisles. With this appropriate tri-
bute to the name of the Lord of Hosts, the
grand drama of England's triumph over her
Spanish invaders closed, and the curtain fell.
The despot of Spain and the high priest of
The queen
honours the
heroes.
A true and
loyal thanks-
giving in
St. Paul's
Cathedral.
Makan
184
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The King of Rome were excluded forever from supremacy
Spain and
the Pope of in England.* We may apply to Spain those
Rome ex-
cluded from words of Holy Writ, spoken of the invading
England for bands of the Syrians when defeated by the
ever.
King of Israel in the days of Elisha: "So the
bands of Spain came no more into the land of
England."
From following the historical course of
events leading up to and culminating in
victory, and from the becoming thanksgiving
rendered to the Almighty, who bestowed it, we
shall now turn to consider the character and
effects, the fruits and influences, which have
The results
and fruits of
the victory flowed from the victory to the parties engaged
to be con-
sidered in
next Chaps.
* Elizabeth reigned almost fifteen years after the over-
throw of the Armada and the defeat of the Spanish inva-
sion. She died at Richmond on the 23rd of March, 1603,
at the age of seventy, having reigned forty-five years.
During these years the condition of the people, the power
and influence of the kingdom, had advanced to a high ele-
vation. Wealth had immensely increased. The national
revenue, though comparatively small, had advanced a hun-
dred per cent. The people had become united, free, inde-
pendent and patriotic. Intellectual life had been thoroughly
awakened. and literary men of the highest order poured
forth copious and noble streams of wholesome literature.
She had wrested from Spain the supremacy of the seas,
and had herself become mistress of them. Her ships tra-
versed every sea, and she led, if she did not control, the
commerce of the East and West Indies.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
185
in the conflict, especially to those descended
from the victors, to the cause of human freedom,
rights and progress. The struggle of 1588 also
teaches lessons which we should learn and
remember, and by which our attitude and con-
duct should be influenced. We should, as the
natural and political descendants of those
fathers who then struggled and secured the
triumph of great and precious principles which
are ever assailed yet immortal, strive to pre-
serve and maintain them. These topics. I
propose considering in the chapters which
follow.
-
13
186
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Wherein lies
the greatness
of a victory?
In the cause,
principles
and conse-
quences
rather than
the action
which
achieves it.
Sub
CHAPTER XX.
THE CHARACTER OF THE VICTORY.

N eye-witness, judging of a victory as
complete or indecisive, grand or unim-
portant, would form his estimate
from the qualities appearing in the parties
engaged in the conflict. If the victor, though
inferior in numbers and strength, by his cour-
age, skill, impetuosity, or strategy, has over-
come and driven his adversary from the field,
judging from these high qualities he would
pronounce it complete or grand. Neverthe-
less, the greatness of the victory may lie less
in the character of the action, than in the
cause and principles which underlie it and the
fruits and effects which follow. A great poet
has said with general approval,
""Tis the cause makes all,
Degrades, or hallows courage in its fall.”
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
187
The far-
reaching in-
fluence of
the victory
on the
Athenians.
The victory of the little band of Athenians at
Marathon over a veteran army of Persians, five
or six times as large, was great, even in the
action. But the consequences of that victory
quite eclipsed the grandeur of the action, and
made it memorable for all time. For it aroused
in the Athenians consciousness of power, dis-
posed them to call it into exercise, and was the
first step in their subsequent greatness. Its
beneficent influence extended beyond the
Athenian State to every part of Ancient
Greece, and to the utmost limits of Europe. It
was a check on, and a protest against despotism
and barbarism, and an inspiration and impulse
to freedom and civilization.
genians.
Scipio's
Or, when two centuries later, Scipio van-
victory over
Hannibal and quished Hannibal and his Carthagenians at
the Cartha- Zama, the greatness of his victory lay less in
the grandeur of the action in which it was won,
than in the results and consequences of the
power of Rome which followed. For Hannibal
in an action at Cannæ, fourteen years before, with
half as many troops as his adversary, had won
a more brilliant victory over the legions of
Rome. But Zama was the close of Rome's
struggle with the power of Hannibal and
188
THE TERCENTENARY OF
England's
victory great
in its
achievement.
Carthage. Then the Punic wars ended. From
that hour Rome's greatness, which till then
trembled in the balance, became consolidated
and spread, for good or evil, to the ends of the
earth.
The victory of England was indeed great in
the noble struggle by which it was achieved.
The courage, strategy, daring and impetuosity
of her seamen may be paralleled, but not ex-
celled, in the records of history. To vanquish
a navy so renowned, a power so vast, as that
of Spain, was glory indeed for a fleet so small,
and a power so little known, as at that time
England was. But the grandeur of the victory
effects on lies less in the grandeur of the action, than in its
Greater in
its happy
her national
life.
-
protest against intolerance and despotism;
its assertion of the principles of liberty and
independence for Protestantism, for the age, and
for mankind. It gave a new impulse to Eng-
land's national life, a foretaste and promise of her
coming greatness. It constituted her the leader
and patron of western civilization. Above all,
it secured to her and her people the inherent
and individual rights, the civil, religious,
social and spiritual freedom, for which she con-
tended.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
189
In the words of another, we may add-" By
this signal discomfiture of its most dreaded
and detested foe the victory of the English
nation was hailed as the victory of Protestant
principles no less than of national independ-
ence; and the tidings of the national deliver-
ance were welcomed by all the reformed
churches of Europe with an ardour of joy and
thankfulness proportioned to the intenseness
of anxiety with which they had watched the
event of a conflict, where their own dearest
interests were staked along with the existence
of their best ally and their firmest pro-
tector."
"" *
What part
or inherit-
We may now ask ourselves, What share or
inheritance in those great conquests can we
ance have
we in the
conquests of claim whose lot has fallen on this western side
those bygone
days?
of the Atlantic? We answer, We have all
that ancestral bounty can bestow, or lawful
heirship claim. We have all that rich and free
heritage which they won. Let us not, then,
in our earnest pursuit of material interests and
personal advantage, forget this, that a legacy
of moral, social and religious freedom and
privilege has been bequeathed us.
*Aikens' Times of Elizabeth.
190
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Most of our
conquests
are on the
lines of
material
prosperity.
We may glory in conquests over the rough
wastes of primeval forest, which we have re-
claimed to productiveness. We may boast of
those triumphs of energy and skill which have
constructed great highways and waterways of
travel and traffic over great stretches of land,
and over lakes and rivers. We may, also, in
our progress in commercial enterprise and the
arts of life. But most of our conquests are on
the lines and in the interests of material pro-
sperity and civilization. Even the wars waged
by the descendants of the heroes of 1588, on this
side the ocean, have for the most part looked to
achieving material prosperity, rather than the
triumph of great economic or religious prin-
ciples, or to widening the sphere of human
happiness, the reign of righteousness and
good-will among men.
The dis-
The struggle under review is noble and
parity of the instructive in these aspects of it. Those
two forces in
numbers and fathers struggled against despotism and for
resources.
liberty, against intolerance and for freedom,
against the supreme authority of man over the
conscience, and for the absolute authority of God
alone; against dogma, and for the rights of
reason against the reign of ignorance, and for
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
191
This shows
greatly in
favour of
England.
the spread of knowledge. The forces which
assailed them were the massed powers of the
Most Catholic King of Spain, His Holiness the
Pope of Rome, the Catholic League of France,
and the sympathy of the whole papal world.
This immensely superior force, with all its
vast resources, appealing to the arbitrament of
war, moved for the conquest of England and
the establishment of absolute power.
England had not then more than four and
a quarter million of souls-even at the close of
Elizabeth's reign she had scarcely four and a
half millions. In round numbers, then, we may
say she had one-tenth the population and one-
twentieth the wealth, with none of the prestige
of Spain. Her only ally, the little State of
Holland, had not then more than a million and
a half of population, and was herself engaged
in a life-and-death struggle with the same
enemy, on behalf of the same great principles
of freedom. We must farther observe, that
The Catholic scarcely one-half the people of England were
population
of England then Protestants, while the other half were
large as the
Protestant.
Roman Catholics, and, therefore, in sympathy
with Spain. Hence, the victory won under
such circumstances has rare grandeur and a
seldom equalled glory.
The dis-
parity of the
powers con-
tending.
192
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The victory
noble and
glorious.
how changed
the life of
England.
The inspiration under which the people and
their leaders acted was not the hope of
material advantage, gain or glory; but
to secure freedom, independence and the
exercise of their civil and religious rights.
Had Spain Had Spain been victorious in the Channel, had
triumphed, she triumphed at Gravelines, not only would
freedom and national independence have
fled from England, but the rights of conscience
and the liberties of the age been driven into
exile for many a year. The gloomiest despot,
the most intolerant bigot, the most despicable
man whose lot has been to rule, would have
swayed the sceptre and worn the crown of the
land of the free. The chief priest of Rome,
and his legions of Jesuits, with the help of the
Inquisition, would have turned merry England
into a land of sorrow and groans, of crowded
prisons and hideous scaffolds, of bloody blocks
and smoking stakes.
But the greatness of the victory reaches for-
ward and outward beyond that land and time.
It must be followed in the ever-increasing
number of free and enlightened colonies, states
and nations springing from that fruitful source.
England was then beginning her remarkable
The far-
reaching
fruits and
results of
the victory
of 1588.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
193
career as a mother of colonies.
She had even
then made her first experiments. She had
explored the Roanoke, and attempted planting
that fruitful colonial vine, which she named
Virginia, in honour of her maiden queen. A
little later, a company of her conscience-respect-
ing children colonized the regions now known
as Massachusetts and Connecticut. By-and-by
now forming her colonies multiplied in number and power,
Settling in
the colonies
the United
America.
States of and at length formed a great nationality of
their own, working out a destiny for them-
selves—a destiny which will be grand and en-
during while she adheres to and preserves the
great principles which triumphed in 1588.'
The Cana-
Canada, a younger daughter of the same
dian colon- nursing mother, includes a group of colonies,
ies.
most of whom cherish the traditions, love the
history, and wish to carry out the principles of
government, of religion, of progress, of justice
and civilization, which she inherits with the
goodly dower of more than a zone of this broad
continent of North America.
Others
north and
The Mother Country has still other colonies
south of us, and possessions on the north and south of us-
in Newfoundland and the West Indies.
At home the four and a quarter millions have
grown to thirty-six. Her United Kingdom now
194
THE TERCENTENTARY OF
Her posses- includes Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
sions.
ness has
Her great
been from
1588.
Her
colonies are found on the high places of the
earth in all parts of the Eastern Hemisphere-
at Gibraltar, the Cape of Good Hope, on
both the east and west coasts of Africa. Her
hand is on the helm of affairs in Egypt, and her
power upholds the
power upholds the "sick man" at Constanti-
nople. She sways her sceptre over more than
two hundred and fifty millions of the followers
of Buddha and Mohammed in India, and is as
potent in the islands of Sumatra and Java in
the East Indies, as in those of New Provid-
ence or Jamaica in the West. She has become
the teacher of civilization to the nations of the
world as well as the alma mater of many
nations. The throne, constitution, and vast
majority of the people of England in 1888
stand fast by all the benign principles of free-
dom and independence, whose triumphant de-
fence was achieved in 1588 How much far-
ther and for how much longer, Britain's career
outcome of of beneficent expansion, of civilization, liberty
All has
been the
these 300
years.
and power will extend, we cannot tell. Her
principles of right are immortal. She cannot
perish while they vitalize her.
It is
brighter
and fairer
than ever
before.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
195
A new poli-
tical and
moral force
appears and
takes its
place in Eu-
rope.
CHAPTER XXI.
EFFECTS OF THE VICTORY ON THE CAUSE OF
FREEDOM.

HE existence of a new political and
moral force was established. Protes-
tants no longer considered it doubtful
whether they could sustain themselves against
the organized hostility of Spain, Rome and the
Holy League. The spirit of freedom, conscious-
ness of power and conviction of their rights
and convic- had so taken possession of their minds, and
Protestant
principles
tions cannot
be repressed
by force.
these forces so animated them, that the old des-
potisms which ruled only by force could no
longer repress them. Philip's hopes now turned
to and centred in the Catholic League, whose
leader, supported by Philip's gold, was that
unscrupulous Catholic, the Duke of Guise.
Through his intermeddlings with the internal
affairs of France and the influence of his money,
the King of Spain now saw with joy the whole
196
1
THE TERCENTENARY OF
population of France divided into two hostile
camps-the Leaguers and the Huguenots.
The year following the defeat of the Armada,
Henry III. of France fell by the hand of an
assassin, and Henry of Navarre, under the title
of Henry IV., the leader of the Huguenots,
claimed the crown of France. This heroic
young prince was every inch a soldier and a
king, and in the face of Philip, the League and
the Guises, ascended the throne of France.
The Pope, Philip, and the League, all de-
nounced Henry as a heretic, and aroused and
incited the Catholics of France against him.
He triumphed after a severe and sanguinary
contest, and a Protestant prince sat upon the
throne of France. Influenced by his political
interests for Henry looked on both Protes-
tantism and Romanism only as means to an
end-he renounced Protestantism and espoused
Romanism, saying, "Surely France is worth a
mass." But he continued to befriend his old
allies; and in 1598 the famous edict of Nantes
became law, securing a recognition to the
Huguenots of equal civil and religious rights.
Though England had successfully asserted
her protest against the supremacy of the pope,
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
197
The supre- she had not affirmed the supremacy of Christ,
macy not of
the pope,
nor of
but had transferred the headship of the church
Christ, but to her sovereign.
to her sovereign. He had not yet learned to
practice the toleration which inheres in the
England's principles of Protestantism. Queen Elizabeth
held on this point the same opinions as her
of the sover-
eign, was
fact.
Henry VIII. father, Henry VIII. He sent Catholics to the
sent men to
the stake for stake for denying his own supremacy, and Pro-
refusing it
to him.
testants for denying the Romish doctrine of
Transubstantiation. She would allow no
supremacy which she supposed infringed on
her own. She rated with unsparing severity,
treme on her or promptly punished, any one, whether in
prerogative. parliament, through the press, or in the pul-
Elizabeth
almost as ex-
pit, who infringed on her prerogative. She
refused freedom of debate on any question
which touched this tender point.
Penry tried
She sent persons to prison who wrote or pub-
for felony,
condemned lished things offensive to her. A Mr. Penry, a
and hanged.
Welsh minister, the supposed author of a squib
entitled, “Martin Marprelate," was tried for
felony. He was charged with saying, in the way
of aspersion of the queen's good faith, that “the
queen, having been put on her throne by the
gospel, had suffered the gospel to reach no fur-
ther than the end of her sceptre." For this he
198
THE TERCENTENARY OF
was found guilty, was sentenced and hanged.
soned.
Udal impri- Another Puritan minister, Mr. Udal, was tried,
condemned and thrown into prison, where he
was detained till he died. The plea of con-
science, for which Elizabeth had previously
affirmed her respect, did not save them.
Elizabeth's greatest severities arose from her
zeal in enforcing uniformity of worship, or
conformity to the service of the Established
Church. She did not punish men for their
opinions or doctrines, but for refusing to con-
Hated dis- form. She hated Anabaptists, sectaries and all
kinds of dissent, and punished them with im-
prisonment, confiscation of goods and banish-
ment. She thus argued: "To allow churches
Queen Eliza with contrary rites and ceremonies were noth-
beth's fight
for unifor-
mity.
sent.
Elizabeth
punished
non-con-
formity
severely.
Gy
ing else but to sow religion out of religion, to
distract good men's minds, to cherish factious
men's humours, and to mingle divine and
human things."
Her Protes-
tantism com-
Her Protestantism came far short of the
pared with liberal, truly catholic and comprehensive
that of
William the Protestantism of that most virtuous and noble
Silent,
Prince of
Orange.
representative of it in the Low Countries-
William the Silent, whose assassination Philip
had effected four years previous to the inva-
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
199
His the type sion. His included general toleration of every
of that
form of Christian worship which men's con-
sciences bound them to render. He desired
that in the Low Countries freedom should be
given Episcopalians and Puritans, Anabaptists
and Catholics, Calvinists and Lutherans. He
was a strict Calvinist himself, and would have
secured this larger liberty for his own country
had not the bullet of the assassin cut him off
in the midst of his day.
Elizabeth's Protestantism was again very
different in its principles from the Romanism
of her adversary, Philip of Spain. He pun-
ished every form of dissent with burying, or
burning alive, with drowning, imprisonment,
torture or exile. Elizabeth was opposed, at
least in her earlier years, to putting any one to
The Jesuits death on account of his religious beliefs. She
and others of
which is
now ap-
proved and
accepted in
all Protes-
tant and
Christian
countries.
the Catholic did not then exceed imposing fines, banish-
priests who
so for
treason, not
for their
faith.
suffered ment or imprisonment. Those Jesuits, priests,
ishment, did and seminarian renegades who returned after
having been banished, and engaged in treason-
able practices, were executed, not for believing
in transubstantiation or the seven sacraments,
but for treason, and for teaching the people it
was right to disown and murder their queen.
200
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The progress
of modern
life incom-
patible with
the beliefs
and usages
of mediæval
times.
CHAPTER XXII.
ITS EFFECTS ON ENGLAND'S NATIONAL LIFE.

HE supremacy of the pope, the ab-
solute power of kings, obedience
to mediæval dogmas and forms of
religion, were proved by the victory of 1588
to be inconsistent with national growth, inde-
pendence of thought, love of liberty, and the
full development of Protestantism. The results
of the struggle were marvellous and manifold.
Many hitherto open questions were thereby
permanently settled. In the first place, the
The ascend- Protestant ascendency was secured, not only
ency of Pro-
secured.
testantism in England, but also in the Netherlands. In
the latter country the struggle with Spain
was above everything else, we may say was
solely, for religious freedom-for liberty of con-
science, of thought, of belief and of worship.
The destruction of the Armada paralyzed the
power of the Inquisition in those provinces,
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
201
and settled forever their severance from the
crown and kingdom of Spain.
It also prepared the way for and led to the
breaking up of the Catholic League, whose
vital principle was death to Protestantism, to
freedom of thought, belief or worship, all of
which was branded as heresy. It settled the
fate of the Duke of Guise, the leader of the
armies of the League. It determined the sta-
bility of the Reformation in those states of
Germany which had previously received it. To
It leads also it also, and to the power it exercised on the
to the eleva-
Protestant
Prince
Henry of
Navarre to
the throne
tion of the French nation, may largely be ascribed the ele-
vation of the Protestant Prince Henry of
Navarre to the throne of France. It also con-
firmed James VI. of Scotland in his profession
of attachment to the reformed religion estab-
lished in his land, and held out the strongest
It confirmed motives to induce him, as heir-presumptive to
of France.
James VI.
It leads to
the breaking
up of the
Catholic
League.
▸
in his at- the throne of England, and successor to Queen
tachment to
the reform- Elizabeth, to firmly adhere to and defend the
ed religion. Protestant religion.
The victory of 1588 led the great majority
of the Roman Catholic population of England
to conform to the Protestant religion, and
gathered them and those hitherto indifferent
14
202
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Drew in the about religion, into the Church of England.
Catholics
Many who had hitherto hoped for a restora-
tion of the ancient religion now saw their
dream dissipated, and a wider gulf than ever
separating England and Rome. A majority,
perhaps, of the English people had up to that
time hoped that with the advent of a new
sovereign, particularly while the Queen of
Scots lived, who was heir, after Elizabeth, to
the crown, that the papal religion would be
again established.
The events of the year extinguished
all such hopes. For even James VI. of
Scotland, Mary's son, who was sure to
succeed Elizabeth, having espoused the re-
formed religion, and having shown no signs
of sympathy with Philip or the Catholic
League, gave no ground for them to expect
anything in that direction. There was no
to persecu cheering prospect, therefore, before them. It
Elizabeth
not inclined
tion before
1588.
into the
Established
Church.
This the
wisest and
the safest
course.
was either conformity, or privation, hardship,
suffering or persecution. For the queen,
though opposed neither to Romish doctrines
nor persons, rejected entirely the supremacy
of the pope and asserted her own. She enter-
tained up to this period of her life an affirmed
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
203
aversion to persecution for matters of con-
science, and to the Inquisition in all its forms.
The queen
becomes a
But she insisted on uniformity of outward
persecutor rites and worship. In her latter years she car-
in enforcing
conformity. ried out her notions with a severity which no
refinement of reasoning or stretch of charity
can justify. In enforcing this anti-Protestant
enactment she punished Catholics and Protest-
ants, Anabaptists and Calvinists with equal
severity. Indeed the evidence goes to show
that she inclined more to favour Catholic non-
conformists than Protestant. For in her doc-
trinal beliefs she was more Catholic than
testant non-Protestant. Her court, during most of her
More in-
clined to
favour
Catholic
than Pro-
conformists.
life, was more than half filled by young
Catholics. The Puritans had been her safety
and defence, had stood by her in all emergen-
cies, and had shown the highest rectitude, loy-
alty, capacity and character in her service.
Her great ministers, Cecil, Walshingham, Davi-
son and others were Calvinists. They had
formed and shown her how to administer
The con-
spicuous tal-
ents and
character of
the Puritans every wise and great measure, which led to
about the
queen.
her greatness and success.
The Catholics, on the other hand, had con-
spired against her, had risen in insurrection, had
204
THE TERCENTENARY OF
Six of the plotted for taking away her life. Six of the
conspirators
in the plot for young persons engaged in the Ballard and Bab-
the queen's
life were of ington plot to destroy her life, were young Ca-
tholics residing in her household. These being
proved guilty were, by law, executed.
her own
household.
Her
great ministers, whom we have just named, and
others of like fidelity and ability, received
scant rewards and small thanks from her for
their splendid services. Walshingham, to whose
Illiberal to skill and fidelity she owed the discovery and
exposure of the plot, died penniless, and she
even allowed his effects to be sold to pay some
debt said to be due her, while his family re-
ceived no pension or consideration from the
queen. Notwithstanding her illiberal treat-
ment of her Puritan supporters, no one of them
was ever charged with disloyalty to her.
her Puritan
minister
Walshing-
ham.
The feelings of English Catholics rose to
something like patriotism when they saw that
patriotic in Philip meant to destroy the nation's independ-
In the strug-
gle many of
the Catho-
lics become
their feel-
become
ings. They ence, and make England a province of his
kingdom, or dependency for one of his chil-
dren or appointees. In the failure of Philip's
great enterprise, undertaken in the name of
religion, and at the wish, and with the sanc-
tion of the pope, they saw a solemn appeal to
strongly
English.
-
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
205
This view
prevailed
generally
with the
Catholics.
stition of the
age evoked
the result of
the struggle
as an ex-
pression of
the will of
Heaven.
The super- the ordeal of war, going against the church,
and in favour of the queen. The superstition
of that age was so strongly in favour of that
mediæval mode of settling weighty and subtle
questions, that a strong revulsion of feeling set
in afterward among the Catholics. The winds
for England. of heaven, the seas and tempests, were regarded
as God's ministers, and the favour of Heaven
had been invoked by the vicegerent of Christ,
and his blessing bestowed with fullest assur-
ance of success; yet total and terrible failure
had followed.
against
Spain, and
All the circumstances and occurrences of
the struggle signified the disapprobation of
the God of battles to the side in whose
favour their prejudices lay. There was a
general acquiescence in the belief that the de-
cision of Heaven was for England, and against
Spain. No event of modern history, not even
the landing of William of Orange, or the bat-
tle of Waterloo, furnishes such manifold and
palpable evidence of the will of the Supreme
Ruler than is shown in the failure of the
Spanish invasion of England and the grand
catastrophe with which it closed. The battle
of Gravelines was as truly the triumph of
206
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The battle Protestantism and liberty over Romanism and
of Grave-
lines as truly despotism, as the battle of the Boyne under
a triumph of William, just one hundred years later, was the
the battle of triumph of freedom of conscience over sub-
liberty as
the Boyne
of the rights jugation of its rights to either pope or king.
of con-
science.
If Queen Elizabeth's prestige was high before
the invasion, it was much higher after. The
splendid abilities, courage and patriotism of
Admiral Drake, the greatest of England's sea-
captains, outshone the foremost admirals of
mander of the Armada. He was not only the grandest
Admiral
Drake the
foremost
naval com-
his day.
of England's many noble naval commanders
and fighters, but he was second to none in the
world.
English
supremacy
upon the
ocean fol-
downfall of
Spain.
The star of the British navy then rose
above the national horizon. It soon displaced
lowed the Spain from her supremacy upon the ocean, and
became itself mistress of the seas. Through
all the vicissitudes of revolution and change
of dynasty, from that time till now, she has
not surrendered her rule upon the wave. A
sense of yet untried power, the true index of
undeveloped greatness, possessed the hearts of
the younger generation of both nobles and
people at that time. We venture to believe
that a sense of mature and unspent power,
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
207
England's greater than ever before, lies in that glory-
power on the
sea still
fresh and
unspent.
covered arm of her power, in 1888. The ques-
tion of religion soon became identified in the
minds of the victors with that of country.
Unhappily, as we think, the queen clung with
uncompromising tenacity to her notions of
uniformity. She failed to discover or learn
Elizabeth's the possibilities that lay within her power, in
notions
granting a general toleration of religious wor-
about uni-
formity
blind her
eyes to the
ship. It was reserved for a later time, and
blessings of further outworking of the principles of Pro-
testantism to establish it in all parts of the
British realm.
toleration.
Mr. Froude, with equal justness and truth,
says, concerning the influence of the great
awakening of the sixteenth century: "The
countries which rejected the Reformation never
again had freedom offered to them in the dress
of a purer religion. The rejection returned
upon them as a revolution, as the negation of
all religion. In Austria, in Spain, in France,
in Italy, the Church has been stripped, step by
step, of its wealth, of its power, even of its
control over the education of the people. Prac-
tical life has become secularized, and culture
and intelligence have ceased to interest them-
208
THE TERCENTENARY OF
selves in a creed which they no longer believe.
Doctrine may be piled upon doctrine. The
laity are contemptuously indifferent, and leave
the priests in possession of the field in which
reasonable men have ceased to expect any good
thing to grow. This is the only fruit of the
Catholic reaction of the sixteenth century, of
all the efforts of the Jesuits and the Inquisition,
of the Council of Trent, the massacre of St.
Bartholomew, and the religious wars of Philip
II.
While the Church of Rome is
losing the countries it persuaded to refuse the
Reformation, it exults in the converts which it
is recovering from the nations which become
Protestant. It fails to see that its success is
its greatest condemnation. Protestantism alone
has kept alive the sentiment of piety which,
when allied with weakness of intellect, is the
natural prey of superstition.'
""
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
209
Bentivog-
lio's opinion
of the rule
of Divine
Providence.
CHAPTER XXIII.
EVIDENCES OF THE RULING OF A DIVINE HAND.

E approve the following just and well-
expressed judgment, by the enlight-
ened foreigner, Mr. Bentivoglio, in
reference to the catastrophe of the Armada of
Spain, which threatened the overthrow of the
power of England.
Says he "Few enterprises were ever more
deeply weighed, few preceded by more im-
mense preparations, and none, perhaps, ever
attended with a more unfortunate issue. How
vain and fallacious are the best concerted
schemes of men! Thus often Divine Provi-
dence, in the wisdom of His impenetrable
designs, has determined the fate of our enter-
prises quite contrary to the presumptuous
expectations of human foresight.” *
* Tytler, Vol. V., p. 89.
210
THE TERCENTENARY OF
A most
obvious les-
God's hand
We of eighteen eighty-eight ought to learn
son, i.e., that from fifteen eighty-eight this lasting and ob-
directed and vious lesson, viz., that the overruling hand of
determined Divine Providence directed and determined the
the result.
result of the contest. The same hand is indeed
similarly related to all the occurrences and
events of individual, national and general his-
tory. For God is in the outworking as He is
the final end of the course of human events.
The hand of In no great crisis of modern times is the dis-
God presid-
will deter-
mining at
Waterloo.
ing and His play of a Divine control more manifestly
shown than in England's victory over the
Armada and the invading hosts of Spain. As
the fate of Waterloo in 1815 was not entirely
due, on the one hand, to the decline of Napo-
leon's mental powers, the weakness of his
army, or the slipperiness of the battle-ground
from recent rains; so neither was it, on the
other, to a special exaltation of Wellington's
genius, the greater bravery of the allied armies,
or their more advantageous position or move-
The control ments; but because the will of the Supreme
and direc-
tion of Pro- Ruler directed and controlled the issues of the
vidence
manifest in day.
This was most impressively so in Eng-
the Channel land's struggle with the Spanish Armada in
struggle of
1588.
the English Channel in 1588. God's presiding
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
211
presence was as manifest in the incidents and
occurrences of that momentous crisis, and
as impressively felt in the history of the
Anglo-Saxon race, as His presiding pre-
sence was impressively stamped upon the his-
tory of the children of Israel at the Red Sea
and by the Jordan. The facts of the case
should be remembered, and their obvious sig-
nificance admitted, otherwise we will not learn
the lessons they teach. Observe this, then,
In the death from the first, that when the Captain-General
of the Capt.-
General of of the Armada, that able and experienced sea-
the Armada,
causing a captain, the Marquis of Santa Crux, had his
delay of a
month.
fleet ready to sail from Lisbon, he was taken
seriously ill and suddenly died. The vice-
admiral also, who was little less honoured for
his naval skill, unexpectedly died about the
same time. This caused a delay of a month in
the sailing of the Armada. Philip and Parma
had successfully deceived Queen Elizabeth with
their protracted peace negotiations, so that she
did not make, but even hindered preparations
from being made, to resist the Armada, till
the last moment. This month was of great
value in England, in affording so much more
time to get into some measure of readiness.
This
gave the
English a
little time to
prepare to
resist them.
THE TERCENTENARY OF
212
The violent
storm off the
The death of the great admiral was profitable
to the English in another way, viz., that it
gave them less ability and experience with
which to cope when the crisis came.
coast of
Spain caused
Again, after the Armada had put to sea, the
violent storm which scattered the ships, sinking
a delay of a some, disabling others, and in some measure
Corunna to injuring all, caused a further delay of a month
month at
refit.
in refitting at Corunna. This again afforded
the English longer time for preparing and
strengthening their still comparatively small
navy. Also, the mistake of Admiral Medina,
Mistaking in making for the Lizard rather than the
for the Ply- Plymouth light, gave opportunity to the pirate
mouth light.
Fleming to inform Admiral Howard of the
enemy's approach, and afforded him time to get
his fleet safely out of Plymouth harbour, before
his adversary had opportunity to capture or
destroy his navy, as he intended. Had the
Armada proceeded to England without any of
these delays, she would have found her
England not unprepared, and might have made a successful
prepared to
last moment.
resist till landing upon her shores. But the delays lost
great opportunities to Spain, and opened new
and brighter ones to England. Moreover, the
winds were favourable for collecting and mov-
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
213
English ing the light English ships through all their
acquire con-
fidence from way up the Channel, so that in the opening
opening
success.
engagements they were able to get the weather-
gage, and so acquire confidence in their ability
to deal with their great adversary.
On the memorable Sabbath night of July
the 28th, the wind, the tide, even the dark-
ness, favoured the successful issue of the
strategical effort to throw the Spanish fleet
into panic and confusion. This seemingly
small matter in so great a struggle enabled
Drake and Seymour, Hawkins and the rest, to
enter on the memorable and crowning struggle
of the 29th of July, off Gravelines. The Eng-
lish cannon, which did such splendid service
that day, did not alone, however, achieve the
glorious results of the day. If the stars in
their courses fought against Sisera, so did the
winds against the invincible Armada. They
blew the Spanish ships up the Channel, close
on the Flemish shallows, drove them into clus-
ters too close, one to another, for efficient
action. They also rendered return to Calais
impossible-a move the admiral designed to
make that morning, but was hindered as well by
the winds as the English guns. Yet the arma-
214
THE TERCENTENARY OF
ment was still very strong in numbers of men
and ships at the close of the action of the 29th.
Though not less than twenty to thirty of its
ships and five or six thousand of its men had
melted away since entering the Channel, it still
had from a hundred and ten to a hundred and
twenty ships, even if many of them were
crippled and nearly broken.
The number of their men was still vastly
more than those of the English, even if
they were beaten and disheartened. Had
the winds abated, or had they become
favourable, the English expected that they
would return in a few days, and might
successfully form a junction with Parma off
the French coast, and guard his army to
their shores. The winds proved them-
selves powerful allies to England, so that
they became light and deliverance to her, and
darkness and destruction to the Armada.
God blowed upon them and they were scat-
tered. By far the greater part of the Armada's
destruction was accomplished by them. In-
creasing in fury, the storm drove them along
the north coasts of Scotland, past the Orkneys,
some of them still farther north; and then,
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
215
with a violence of winds and waves seldom
paralleled, dashed them on the rough and
The destruc- rocky western shores of Ireland-Kerry, Gal-
tion of the
Armada
completed
on the west
of Ireland
and west-
ern isles.
way, and Donegal, and some of them on the
no less fatal shores of the isles of Mull and
Arran. The destruction in these ports was
terrible and fatally complete, for not less than
two score galleons and ten thousand men per-
ished on those wild coasts among their Irish
co-religionists.
This all but total destruction of the Invin-
cible Armada, and with it the failure of the
whole scheme of invasion, bears the mark of
the Divine Hand. When it became fully
The impres- known in England the impression produced
sion made
on English on the minds of all Catholics, quite as much
as Protestants, was deep and enduring; for
Catholics by
the provi-
dential de-
cision of the
strife deep
and endur
ing.
all knew that the King of Spain and the
Holy Father at Rome had appealed in the
defence of their cause to the ordeal of war,
and looked for the arbitrament of Heaven,
through it to settle the strife. The winds and
seas were regarded as especially God's minis-
ters. The result was open and decisive. Eng-
land was, by the test, declared in the right;
Spain and the Church of Rome in the wrong.
216
THE TERCENTENARY OF
It was for freedom against intolerance, for
Protestantism against Romanism. The results
profoundly impressed the English Catholics,
and did much to decide them to conformity to
the established religion. Considerations of
utility and the hopelessness of any early or
easy change of the national religion also had
their influence.
ג
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
217
The heritage
fallen to us
demands
watchful-
ness.
CHAPTER XXIV.
freedom
UT this is not all. Fifteen hundred and
eighty-eight recalls the cost and sug-
gests the value of the heritage of
social, intellectual and religious,
which has fallen to us. It also calls us to the
exercise of perpetual vigilance and earnest
endeavour to preserve and transmit the same
to those who follow.
The unre-
formed coun-
tries and
peoples have
Those nations-Spain, France, Italy, and the
rest—which in the sixteenth century excluded
fallen behind the Reformation, with its beneficent and quick-
in progress. ening influences, have fallen behind in the
march of progress. Statistics show the con-
tinued reign of illiteracy among the masses,
and corresponding lack of enterprise and inde-
advanced, pendence; while England,
while England, Germany, the
United States, and all those peoples who
heartily received it, or have sprung from
The re-
formed have
OUR HERITAGE SHOULD BE PRESERVED.

↑
15
218
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The masses those who did, have steadily advanced in
enlightened.
prosperity and enlightenment, and now lead
the van of civilization. It is not easy to
measure, nor possible to exaggerate the eleva-
tion, the power and true manliness of charac-
ter which it imparted to those communities,
peoples and nations which received it; nor is
it to estimate the sources of happiness and pros-
perity which it opened to them.
Let us be well aware that the same spirit of
despotism under different forms and names,
still lives in that system, which makes its proud
boast that it is semper eadem—always the
same. It wishes now, as of old, to subvert the
fair fabric of our Protestantism, and snatch from
mankind the liberties which have been secured
at such great cost. The means now employed
for this are less grim and repellant than of old.
It does not now propose to convert us by the
Not now
force, but
persuasives. power of the sword, or the pains of the Inqui-
sition; but by the subtilties of the Jesuit, and
the persuasives of a persistent propagandism,
Rome puts on the garb and speaks in the lan-
guage of an angel of freedom and human
rights, that so she may restore in the nineteenth
century the sway of that medievalism which
The same
spirit as of
old seeks to
gain the
mastery
under new
forms, names
and modes.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
219
she lost in the sixteenth. If she continues to
denounce the Reformation, it is an admission
that its principles are still a power which she
dreads. In his encyclical of 1885, Leo XIII.
expressed himself in such phrases as these in
The present regard to the Reformation. He denounced it
pope's con-
demnation as "the origin of all the now active principles
of the Re-
of unbridled liberty."
formation.
He repudiated the
notion, "that every man should be allowed
freely to think on whatsoever
whatsoever subject he
pleases." He condemned those "governments
which allow every one to follow the form of
religion he prefers.”
KUR
for 1888.
In his encyclical of the present year he ex-
pounds and defines the sphere of religion and
Criticisms of liberty. It is curious to observe the plausi-
of the pope's ble, almost Protestant, language in which he
encyclical
sets forth his notions of human rights and
liberties, and conceals his undying yearning
for universal and absolute power. We must
discriminate between his theories and practice
in regard to men's religious and civil rights. For
they are widely different. He conditions and
limits them on all sides by his own will. As
the waters surround and limit, and so define our
notion of an island, so does his will surround
220
THE TERCENTENARY OF
What it is,
and where
tolerated.
Extract
from his
ecyclical
for 1888.
*
and limit all his theories of liberty. Whatever
he may describe as the proper sphere of either
religion or liberty in thought, speech or action,
may be modified and must be administered
according to that will. He regards the Church
of Rome, of which he is the head, as the
custodian of those blessings, and men and
nations to enjoy just so much of them as he
deems proper to dispense.
Read the following extract from his encycli-
cal of this year, and judge what it means. He
says:
((
'It is necessary that there should be some
profession of religion in the community, and
that the religion thus professed should be the
true one. It is not difficult, at least in Catholic.
countries, to recognize by unmistakable signs
which is the true religion. This religion the
heads of the State are bound to protect
and to maintain, in the true interests of the
community. For the powers that be are es-
tablished for the benefit of those governed;
and though the immediate end of the State is
to secure the welfare of the citizens in the
present life, it is also in duty bound not to
diminish, but to foster in man that faculty of
attaining to the supreme good, in which lies his
everlasting blessedness, and this attainment is
impossible without religion.”
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
221
How it
refuses
toleration.
about "true
religion."
These are not wild or extravagant, but plausi-
ble and measured words. Still it is clear
enough what the pope means by "the true
His notions religion." He means simply that of the Romish
Church, of which he claims to be the infallible
head, whether that church be organized in Eng-
land, Canada or the United States. If the head
How it toler- of the State is bound to protect it, as he claims
it should, then are civil rulers bound to use
their power to maintain one as against another
form of religion. Hence the course of Philip
the Second and Sixtus the Fifth, may be rightly
followed by other princes. Hence, also, all
false religions, i.e., all except the papal, being
in the opinion of that not impartial judge,
should sup- pestilential and damning, should now, as of old,
ates.
How he de-
termines the.
religion
the state
port.
be suppressed. Then, if the state is in harmony
with the church, it should acknowledge the
church's right to require obedience from all
the people to her dictates, and it is the state's
All history duty to enforce, by means of her power,
teaches us
that if the such obedience. All history reminds us how
state accepts that whenever the state accepted Rome's
Rome's
teachings as teachings as to her sphere and duty, human
to her duty,
liberty is
impossible.
freedom became impossible. If the state should
now carry out the church's will and support
222
THE TERCENTENARY OF
what she defines "true religion," then all forms
of religion, however beneficent, pure and true,
which differ from that religion, would in no
wise be longer tolerated. When, again, the
church and state are not in harmony, i.e., when
the state is on the side of freedom, the pope
would then agree to a system of religious
toleration, which would secure his form of
religion on equal toleration with the one with
which the state is in harmony. But when the
state is in harmony with the Church of Rome,
he promises no such equal toleration to the
other party. This is equal to saying, Where the
state is papal, the papal religion, and no other
should be tolerated; but when the state is
Protestant, there equal religious toleration
should be granted to the papal as well as to the
Protestant.
Liberty
bound up
with Protes-
tantism.
Hence it follows that liberty which has
been bound up with Protestantism for three-
and-a-half centuries, is tolerated only in states
not in harmony with Rome; but in states in
agreement with her or such as come into agree-
ment with her theories and doctrines, toleration
gives way to papal supremacy and to the rule
of absolute power.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
223
Our duty to It surely becomes those who inherit, as we
preserve the
boon we in- do, the great boon of Christian freedom, to re-
herit.
member how these blessings have been won,
and at how great a cost; and so vigilantly pre-
serve and defend them against the persistent
and insidious attacks of Rome.
The boast of
In the present day, one of the boasts of
Romanists Romish propagandists is that they are making
that they
are recover- rapid progress in reconverting those peoples
ing the
reformed
countries.
who, in the sixteenth century, renounced the
pope's supremacy and filled up the ranks of
the Reformation. Especially is this boast often
made of the Anglo-Saxon race and people. If
this is true, though we do not believe it is, it
would be remarkable, that while all those coun-
tries which rejected the Reformation and clung
to mediævalism have fallen behind in the
march of civilization, and the Romish Church
behind the has lost her power over them, that the Anglo-
All unre-
formed
countries
have fallen
reformed in
the march of Saxon race, which has experienced beyond
progress.
others the vivifying and beneficent influence of
the Reformation, has passed into and leads the
van of progress, should now yield to priestcraft
and enter the ranks of reaction. If this view
is correct, then one or the other of these infer-
ences follows: First, that Rome has so stultified
224
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The Romish and deadened spiritual life in those who clung
boast not
creditable
to the vital-
ity and
power of
their reli-
gion.
to her that she no longer has the moral and
spiritual forces necessary to bind them to her
and assure them she can do them any good;
or, second, it goes to show how vital and how
powerful for good Protestantism has been since
out of the exuberance of its life it is able to
impart vitality and vigour to the effete and
decadent system of Rome. Certainly such
perversion of Protestants argues little in favour
of the spiritual power of the Romish system,
while it compliments the vitality and spiritual
power of Protestantism.
It will be found, we believe, that those who
boast most loudly of the success of their efforts,
their desires. not to convert men to the faith that is in Jesus,
pressing
but to pervert them to the faith of the pope,
are themselves perverts; and the Jesuitical
modes employed by them are as little defen-
sible or honourable, as evangelical or spiritually
profitable. We may even regard it true, that
the words which express
which express their success are
rather expressions of the desires and hopes of
those who use them, than of actual results.
That great efforts are, however, being made,
some success attending them, and high hopes of
The boasters
mostly per-
verts ex-
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
225
The state-
ment of one
of them.
future triumph are entertained, is evident from
such vivid portrayals of the work as the fol-
lowing: Dr. Vaughan, the Romish Bishop of
Salford, England, speaking of the progress of
popery in England, recently said:
((
A few years ago the Anglican bishops, with
one or two exceptions, were shocked by the
departure of the Ritualists, and the Legislature
was again and again invoked to put down the
Romanising tendencies. Still the practices have
gone on; churches in which Ritualism is
adopted are arising all over the land, under the
jurisdiction of Anglican bishops, until Catholics
can scarcely distinguish between such places
and the churches belonging to their own com-
munion.
"Even the great Cathedral of St. Paul in
London is being turned to resemble more a Ca-
tholic church than anything else; a magnificent
altar and reredos have been erected, which
could not have been more effectively designed
by an architect in Rome, so perfect are the out-
lines and decorations. It is now only necessary
to provide the relics of the saints and secure
the blessing of the Catholic Church in order to
celebrate High Mass."
He then specifies the aspects of growth in
many particulars during thirty or forty years
now past. He states that from two or three
226
THE TERCENTENARY OF
{
The growth hundred priests the number has increased to as
of Roman-
ism in Eng- many thousands. From two or three score
land.
Perverts
convents and schools the number has reached
several hundred. The number of churches has
kept full pace with the number of priests.
They have now a complete hierarchical system
set up, which covers the whole land, and from
among clerical perverts they have found bishops,
from among
the Church archbishops and cardinals, and all the rest.
of England's
clergy. Perhaps the most discouraging view of the
whole matter is the Romanising or ritualistic
tendencies and proclivities of not a few minis-
tering in the Church of England, who look
lightly on the whole work of the Reformation
in proportion to their nearness of approach to
Mr. Disraeli the Church of Rome. The eloquent words ut-
tered by Mr. Disraeli in Glasgow, in 1874, in a
memorable speech, may have something pro-
phetic in them. Said he:
"It may be open to England again to take
her stand upon the Reformation, which three
hundred years ago was the source of her great-
ness and her glory; and it may be her proud
destiny to guard civilization alike from the
withering blast of atheism, and FROM THE
SIMOOM OF SACERDOTAL USURPATION."
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
227
CHAPTER XXV.
The fathers
entrust us as
their heirs
with the
care of all
they won for
us.
A LESSON FROM THE FATHERS OF 1588 TO
THEIR CANADIAN CHILDREN.
F we are the offspring of the patriotic
fathers who triumphed in 1588—as we
certainly are then are we also their
heirs and successors, and should ascertain what
they have left us, and how we should preserve
and use it. They bestowed upon us a rich in-
heritance of independence, manly enterprise,
free institutions, freedom of thought, of ac-
tion and of religion, respect for law, the rights
of fellow-men, and an open Bible. These have
made our race strong, enlightened, powerful and
prosperous the foremost in the march of pro-
The old ad- gress and civilization. Our ancient adversaries
versaries are
also here full are also on the soil of Canada, in their repre-
of the same
spirit as of sentatives of the unchanging Church of Rome.
old.
They are the offspring and heirs of the princi-
ples, traditions and beliefs for which Philip the
228
THE TERCENTENARY OF
nance in the
land.
Second and Sixtus the Fifth contended. They
encounter us under the full inspiration of the
same spirit of subtlety, intolerance, lust of
Seeks domi- power, longing for the conquest of this new
world for themselves. Romanism, having ex-
hausted its power over the peoples of Italy,
Austria, France, and all those countries from
which, with fire and sword, she expelled Pro-
Having lost testant liberty in the sixteenth century, she
her hold on
the Catholic here seeks the conquest of new fields. She
•
countries of
Europe, the pours into Great Britain, Canada and the
Church of United States her Jesuit militia, her meek-
Rome wishes
to regain
England,
Canada, and
the United
States.
faced nuns and grim-faced monks, with a full-
grown hierarchy, parasite-like, to live upon,
and, if possible, exhaust its free, young life.
She has large and profitable investments in
various corporations which yield her liberal
revenues, but from all taxation she claims ex-
emption on the ground of the spiritual benefits
she affects to bestow upon the state. She
legally holds in Quebec a position of strength
not only superior to Protestantism, but above
The Church what she holds in any other province of the
of Rome
established Dominion of Canada, or in any one of the
United States of America, For the church in
and sup-
ported by
the state in
Quebec.
that province is established and supported by
·
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
229
Repudiates law. She repudiates the doctrine of equal rights
equality and
with other bodies of Christians, and there
practises
her theory realizes her own theory of supremacy not only
of suprem-
acy.
Exercises a
hurtful in-
fluence in
politics,
etc.
over other churches, but over the state as
well. In her eagerness to grasp power she
aims at controlling education, politics, all public
education, institutions such as schools, colleges, convents,
hospitals and asylums. She wishes to exercise
a power as great in every province of the
Dominion. In the meantime she does not
diffuse among the people healthful principles
of independence, of inquiry, of equal rights and
of liberty, but of submission and implicit
obedience to ecclesiastical authority. The
church's property and revenues in Quebec.
are quite beyond what almost any citizen
in this province imagines, because he hears the
cry so constantly of provincial importunity,
begging for more money from the national
treasury.
Her revenues derived from tithes, fees for spe-
cial masses, sacraments and services, rents of
properties, lotteries and such like, amount annu-
ally to from eight to ten million dollars, which
would give for the expense of its nine hundred
230
THE TERCENTENARY OF
parishes, on an average, a revenue of more
than eight thousand dollars a year.
The following statement, prepared with
much care by the Rev. A. B. Cruchet, of
Montreal, may be regarded as by no means an
over-statement of the property and revenues
of the Romish Church in Quebec:
<<
In 1759 she received 2,117,000 acres of
land, which valuable possession has since been
greatly added to by property gained by diplo-
macy and continual begging, and by the natu-
ral increase in the values of certain kinds of
real estate. She owns nine hundred churches,
valued at $37,000,000; nine hundred parson-
ages, along with the palaces of the cardinal,
the archbishops and bishops, valued at $9,000-,
000; twelve seminaries, worth $600,000; seven-
teen classical colleges, $850,000; two hundred
and fifty-nine boarding-schools and academies,
$6,000,000; eight hundred convents, $4,000,000;
sixty-eight hospitals and asylums, $4,000,000—
a total of $61,210,000. As to lands, shops,
houses and invested capital, it is impossible
to reach absolute certainty. We know that
some ecclesiastical orders are enormously rich.
Catholics themselves declare that the Sul-
picians, for example, are richer than the Bank
of Montreal, the most powerful institution of
the kind in America."
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
231
Last year, the Jesuits, who had been suppressed
in 1774, more than one hundred years ago, and
have been without legal domicile in the land ever
since, were incorporated with the papal appro-
The endow-bation by the Romish province of Quebec. In
ment of the
should not
Jesuits the current year the Catholic premier of the
be allowed. province, has passed a bill to indemnify the
order for its previously escheated property as
a future outfit and endowment to the extent of
four hundred thousand dollars. This act for
the endowment of these pernicious intruders is
now before the Dominion Government for
approval or disallowance. If allowed, it be-
comes law. It remains to be seen whether
Has the
government
of the
Dominion
indepen-
dence to
disallow the the government will have the courage to dis-
Provincial
Act.
Reasons
why it
should be
disallowed.
allow the measure, seeing it is entangled in the
meshes of a network of political influence and
intrigue from which it requires boldness to
escape. There are strong and varied reasons
why the measure should not be allowed to be-
come law in Canada. In the first place, the
province is unable to pay the money out of its
able to pay own funds. It is already overwhelmed with a
The pro-
vince not
the endow-
ment
granted.
debt of twenty-two millions; and is constantly
begging aid from the Dominion Government to
meet its current expenses. Again, neither the
232
THE TERCENTENARY OF
The order
regarded
pernicious
incorporation nor endowment of the order
should be allowed because no other country
has given a state endowment to it. In fact,
most Catholic countries have either refused the
Jesuits legal domicile or forcibly expelled them.
from Catho- They are now prohibited from taking any part
and excluded
lic as well as
Protestant in public education in France, Belgium and
countries in
Europe.
Germany. Even in Italy they have no foot-
hold, save in the city of Rome. In Austria
they are under surveillance, and they are wholly
excluded from Mexico. These are Catholic
countries, be it observed. They were excluded
many years ago from England, though they
there conduct schools and colleges, not, how-
ever, at the state's, but at their own expense.
In the third place, it is invidious to endow
this brotherhood and pass over other Catholic
societies, which, if there is any truth in history,
are far more deserving than this one. It not
only grants them equal rights with old and
reputable societies, but it puts a premium on
an order whose casuistry and influence has been
prejudicial to morality and the stability of the
state.
A distinguished theological professor, who
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
233
has been for many years a citizen of Quebec,
thus writes on this whole matter :-
"No student of history or observer of the signs
of the times, can doubt that the plans of the
hierarchy at this moment are most ambitious
and comprehensive. The programme of the
Vatican and the Jesuits is the capture of Britain
and America and through them the subjugation
of the whole world. Nor is it spiritual subju-
gation that is aimed at, but temporal as well.
This has always been the doctrine of the
church, and it is being propagated of late with
unusual boldness in Quebec. La Vérité, the
strongest of our Ultramontane journals, asserts
it with authority. In its issue of the 31st
December last, it says, 'the church is not only
absolutely independent of the state, but, what
is more, superior to it.' Is this claim to be
acknowledged throughout our country? Cer-
tainly not. Romanism as a religious and politi-
cal system-we cannot separate the two fac-
tors, they are thoroughly interwoven-is to
be resisted to the utmost. If we are asked
why? We answer, in brief, because it perverts
and suppresses the truth of God—is now in the
main Jesuitism—corrupts and poisons the foun-
16
234
THE TERCENTENARY OF
tains of education, elementary and advanced-
makes national education and national unity in
Canada on a true basis impossible cripples
human freedom and undeniably impoverishes
the people. The Bible is interdicted and has
been burned at the instance of Rome in this
province. Her schools are hotbeds of super-
stition, in which pupils waste their time over
vapid legends of the saints, and are obliged to
degrade and sacrifice their manhood in the
confessional. The vast majority of the people
are made poor and non-progressive by the un-
limited exactions of the church. They are not
free in any true sense; but the spirit of liberty
is rising in their breasts, and all true patriots
should help them to cast off the yoke. It is
not too much to look for the downfall of
Romanism. That which it hates and fears
most-the Word of the living God-is the
appointed instrument of its overthrow. Let
us, therefore, speedily give it to all; and in
this terrible battle with error, which is daily
increasing in magnitude, let us, with the faith
of the heroic Carey, 'expect great things from
God, and attempt great things for God.'
* Rev. Principal MacVicar.
,"*
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
235
Must be
hurtful to
Canada.
The malign
effects of
educating
priests in
Romish
countries.
In the sixteenth century seminaries and col-
leges were founded in Spain, France and Italy
foreign and by English Catholics for educating young
Catholics for the functions of the priesthood
in England. From these institutions came
those swarms of Jesuits and seminary priests
which, in the middle of Queen Elizabeth's
Its results in reign, filled England with conspiracies and
England.
treason, aiming at nothing less than the life of
the queen and the overthrow of the country.
Canadians should observe that in this year of
grace a Canadian college has been opened in
Rome "to educate young Canadian Catholics
according to the Catholic theology, for the
administration of priestly functions." From
Canadians so educated this country has
nothing better to expect, under similar cir-
cumstances, than sprang from the same source
to the Mother Country three hundred years
ago. The foreign training in medieval doc-
trines, in the Jesuitical and priestly arts, in
dislike of English liberty and history, and
antagonism to Protestant freedom and intelli-
gence, renders them anything but an acquisi-
tion to Canada. They will return full of
devotion to a foreign church, an ancient hier-
236
THE TERCENTENARY OF
cherishes
ancient and
archy, absolute ecclesiastical power, the chair
of St. Peter, and the thunderer of the Vatican.
Romanism Romanism is still inspired by the same prin-
foreign, ciples and spirit of intolerance, cherishes the
same schemes, and pursues the same ends as of
old. Her dominance in Canada will be blight,
and debasement to Canada worse than was
that of Philip the Second and Sextus the Fifth
over Spain. Her aim is to tamper with, and,
if possible, control education. If it cannot be
altogether according to her model, to approxi-
mate it as closely as possible. She aims to
liberal ideas mould the young-young Protestants as well
She has no
sympathy
with gen-
erous and
and pro-
gress.
as Catholics. To this end she has her camps
of instruction-cheap schools and colleges-—
under the suasive instruction of monks and
nuns, novitiates and priests. These drill mas-
She educates ters teach their recruits to respect the triple
the young,
not in the
ideals of the
tiara more than the royal crown, the Church
present, but of Rome more than the Saviour of men, rites
the past.
and ceremonies more than the oracles of God.
The need of Would that we all might be aroused from
being
aroused from our apathy on these matters and that each of
our apathy.
us feeling himself responsible for liege service
to Christ and the best interests of our fellow-
men, would promptly come forth "to the help
obsolete
religious
notions.
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
237
the truth
and to the
interests
and rights
we inherit
needed.
of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against
the mighty." Four years or so ago the
news spread over the eastern parts of this
Dominion that insurrection
insurrection and rebellion
had broken out in the North-West, and were
doing and threatening to do a work of destruc-
tion on the property and lives of the settlers
How speed- in those parts. Immediately a spirit of resist-
ily our
volunteers ance and repression was aroused. Companies,
responded
to the emer- battalions and regiments of brave volunteers
offered themselves to go and quell the tumult
insurrection and restore order. An adequate army was
gency and
suppressed
and rebel-
North-
West!
lion in the organized, which in a few months returned
clothed with honour, having successfully ac-
complished in that short time the patriotic task
they volunteered to perform.
The spirit of
loyalty and
Would that such a regard for the integrity
devotion to and stability of our free Christian insti-
tutions, our cherished traditional rights, the
cause of Christ and the good of our fellow-
citizens, animated all classes and divisions
of our Reformed and Protestant countrymen !
Would that they were one in sentiment and
spirit, to boldly meet and heroically oppose
every invasion of their dear-bought and price-
less inheritance! We want them to be men
238
ENGLAND'S VICTORY OVER THE ARMADA.
of courage and of faith, men of purpose and
of power, "men of skill who can keep rank,
and are not of double heart!"
"When Spain and Rome their force united
To crush out freedom's cause,
Our fathers rallied for the right
And honour of our laws;
Both round the throne and altar,
And home's sweet sheltering tree,
These gallant sons of old contended;
And so, true hearts, will we.
"We want not triumphs sprung from force,
They stain the noblest cause;
For not in might or blood does truth
Inscribe her perfect laws.
Our spears and swords are printed words,
The mind our battle-plain;
We've won such victories before,
And so we can again.
"This makes us stand the foremost
Among the brave and free;
Our gallant sires of old contended,
And so, true hearts, will we."
*
Į
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