CHAPTER FOUR.
THE INVINCIBLE ARMADA.
"His power secured thee, when presumptuous Spain Baptised her fleetInvincible in vain; Her gloomy monarch, doubtful and resigned To everypang that racks an anxious mind, Asked of the waves that broke upon hiscoast, `What tidings?'--and the surge replied,--`All lost!'"
_Cowper_.
King Philip of Spain was coming at last. Every Englishman--ay, andevery woman and child in England--knew that now.
When Drake returned home from "singeing the Don's whiskers," he told hisroyal mistress that he believed the Spaniards would attempt seriousinvasion ere long. But Elizabeth then laughed the idea to scorn.
"They are not so ill-advised. But if they do come"--and Her Majestyadded her favourite oath--"I and my people will send them packing!"
The Queen took measures to prepare her subjects accordingly, whether shethought the invasion likely or not. All the clergy in the kingdom wereordered to "manifest unto their congregations the furious purpose of theSpanish King." There was abundant tinder ready for this match: for thecommonalty were wider awake to the danger than either Queen or Council.The danger is equal now, and more insidious--from Rome, though not fromSpain--but alas! the commonalty are sleeping.
Lord Henry Seymour was sent off to guard the seas, and to interceptintercourse between Spain and her Flemish ports. The Earl of Leicesterwas appointed honorary commander-in-chief, with an army of 23,000 footand 2352 horse, for the defence of the royal person: Lord Hunsdon, with11,000 foot more, and 15,000 horse, was sent to keep guard over themetropolis; and Charles Lord Howard of Effingham, Lord High Admiral ofEngland, was appointed to conduct the naval defence.
It is the popular belief that Lord Howard was a Papist. He certainlywas a Protestant at a later period of his life; and though it isdoubtful whether positive evidence can be found to show his religiousviews at the time of the invasion, yet there is reason to believe thatthe popular idea is supported only by tradition. [See Appendix.]
Tilbury, on the Thames, was chosen as the rendezvous for the landforces. The Queen removed to Havering, which lay midway between her twoarmies. It was almost, if not quite, the last time that an Englishsovereign ever inhabited the old Saxon palace of Havering-atte-Bower.
The ground around Tilbury was surveyed, trenches cut, Gravesendfortified, and (taking pattern from Antwerp) a bridge of boats was laidacross the Thames, to stop the passage of the river. Calculations weremade as to the amount requisite to meet the Armada, and five thousandmen, with fifteen ships, were demanded from the city of London. TheLord Mayor asked two days for consideration, and then requested that theQueen would accept ten thousand men and thirty ships. The Dutch cameinto the Thames with sixty sail--generous friends, who forgot inEngland's hour of need that she had, only sixteen years before, refusedeven bread and shelter in her harbours to their "Beggars of the Sea."Noblemen joined the army and navy as volunteers, and in the ranks therewere no pressed men. There was one heart in all the land, from Berwickto the Lizard.
Lastly, a prayer was issued, to be used in all churches throughout thekingdom, every Wednesday and Friday. But ecclesiastical dignitarieswere not called upon to write it. The Defender of the Faith herselfdrew up the form, in a plain, decided style, which shows that she couldwrite lucidly when she liked it. This was Elizabeth's prayer.
"We do instantly beseech Thee of Thy gracious goodness to be merciful tothe Church militant here upon earth, and at this time compassed aboutwith most strong and subtle adversaries. Oh let Thine enemies know thatThou hast received England, which they most of all for Thy Gospel's sakedo malign, into Thine own protection. Set a wall about it, O Lord, andevermore mightily defend it. Let it be a comfort to the afflicted, ahelp to the oppressed, and a defence to Thy Church and people,persecuted abroad. And forasmuch as this cause is new in hand, directand go before our armies both by sea and land. Bless them, and prosperthem, and grant unto them Thine honourable success and victory. Thouart our help and shield. Oh give good and prosperous success to allthose that fight this battle against the enemies of Thy Gospel."[Strype.]
So England was ready.
But Philip was ready too. He also, in his fashion, had been preparinghis subjects for work. Still maintaining an outward appearance offriendship with Elizabeth, he quietly spread among his own people copiesof his pedigree, wherein he represented himself as the true heir to thecrown of England, by descent from his ancestresses Philippa andKatherine of Lancaster: ignoring the facts--that, though the heirgeneral of Katherine, he was not so of her elder sister Philippa; andthat if he had been, the law which would have made these two sistersheiresses presumptive had been altered while they were children. Beyondthis piece of subtlety, Philip allied himself with the Duke of Parma inItaly, and the Duke of Guise [Note 1] in France; the plot being that theDuke of Medina Sidonia, Commander-in-chief of the Armada, was to sailfirst for Flanders, and take his orders from Parma: Guise was to land inthe west of England: some other leader, with 12,000 men, in Yorkshire:while Philip himself, under shelter of the Armada, was to effect hislanding in Kent or Essex. Ireland was looked upon as certain to revoltand assist. Parma harangued the troops destined to join the invadingforce from Flanders, informing them that the current coin in England wasgold, only the very poorest using silver; the houses were full of money,plate, jewellery, and wealth in all shapes.
It is well to remember that England was no strange, unexplored land, atleast to the higher officers of the Armada. Philip himself had beenKing of England for four years: the courtiers in his suite had livedthere for months together. Their exclamation on first journeying fromthe coast to Winchester, twenty-three years before, had been that "thepoor of this land dwelt in hovels, and fared like princes!" They hadnot forgotten it now.
Lord Howard took up his station at Plymouth, whence he purposed tointercept the Armada as it came; Sir Francis Drake was sent to the westwith sixty-five vessels. But time passed on, and no Armada came. TheEnglish grew secure and careless. Many ships left the fleet, somemaking for the Irish coast, some harbouring in Wales. The Queenherself, annoyed at the needless cost, sent word to Lord Howard todisband four of the largest vessels of the royal navy. The Admiraldisobeyed, and paid the expenses out of his own purse. England ought tobless the memory of Charles Howard of Effingham.
It was almost a shock when--suddenly, at last--Philip's ultimatum came.Spain demanded three points from England: and if her demands were notcomplied with, there was no resource but war.
1. The Queen must promise to withdraw all aid from the Protestants inthe Netherlands.
2. She must give back the treasure seized, by Drake the year before.
3. She must restore the Roman Catholic religion throughout England, asit had been before the Reformation.
The first and second clauses would have been of little import inElizabeth's eye's, except as they implied her yielding to dictation; thereal sting lay in the last. And the last was the one which Philip wouldbe most loth to yield. With a touch of grim humour, His CatholicMajesty sent his ultimatum in Latin verse.
The royal lioness of England rose from her throne to return her answer,with a fiery Plantagenet flash in her eyes. She could play at Latinverse quite as well as Philip; rather better, indeed,--for his questionrequired some dozen lines, and one was sufficient for her answer.
"Ad Graecas, [Note 2] bone Rex, fient mandata kalendas!" was the promptreply of England's Elizabeth.
Which may be rendered--preserving the fun--
"Great King, thy command shall be done right soon, On the thirty-first day of the coming June."
Some knowledge of the terrible magnitude of Philip's preparations isnecessary, in order to see what it was which England escaped in 1588.The Armada consisted of 134 ships, and, reckoning soldiers, sailors, andgalley-slaves, carried about 32,000 men. [The exact figures are muchdisputed, hardly two accounts being alike.] The cost of sustenance perday was thirty thousand ducats. The cannon and field-pieces were
unnumbered: the halberts were ten thousand, the muskets seven thousand.Bread, biscuits, and wine, were laid in for six months, with twelvethousand pipes of fresh water. The cargo--among many other items--consisted of whips and knives, for the conversion of the English; anddoubtless Don Martin Alorcon, Vicar-General of the Inquisition, with onehundred monks and Jesuits in his train may be classed under the samehead. Heresy was to be destroyed throughout England: Sir Francis Drakewas singled out for special vengeance. The Queen was to be taken alive,at all costs: she was to be sent prisoner over the Alps to Rome, thereto make her humble petition to the Pope, barefoot and prostrate, thatEngland might be re-admitted to communion with the Holy See. Did Philipimagine that any amount of humiliation or coercion would have wrung suchwords as these from the lips of Elizabeth Tudor?
On the 19th of May, the Invincible Armada, as the Spaniards proudlytermed it, sailed from Lisbon for Corufia.
The English Fleet lay in the harbour at Plymouth. The Admiral's shipwas the "Ark Royal;" Drake commanded the "Revenge:" the other principalvessels were named the "Lion," the "Bear," the "Elizabeth Jonas," the"Galleon Leicester," and the "Victory." They lay still in port waitingfor the first north wind, which did not come until the eighth of July.Then Lord Howard set sail and went southwards for some distance; but thewind changed to the south, the fleet was composed entirely of sailingvessels, and the Admiral was afraid to go too far, lest the Armadashould slip past him in the night, between England and her wooden walls.So he put back to Plymouth.
If he had only known the state of affairs, he would not have done so.He had been almost within sight of the Armada, which was at that momentbroken and scattered, having met with a terrific storm in the Bay ofBiscay. Eight ships were driven to a distance, three galleys cast awayon the French coast; where the galley-slaves rebelled, headed by a Welshprisoner named David Gwyn. Medina regained Coruna with some difficulty,gathered his shattered vessels, repaired damages, and put to sea againon the eleventh of July. They made haste this time. Eight days' hardrowing brought them within sight of England.
A blazing sun, and a strong south-west gale, inaugurated the morning ofthe nineteenth of July. The fleet lay peacefully moored in PlymouthSound, all unconscious and unprophetic of what the day was to bringforth: some of the officers engaged in calculating chances of futurebattle, some eagerly debating home politics, some idly playing cards orbackgammon. These last averred that they had nothing to do. They werenot destined to make that complaint much longer.
At one end of the quarter-deck of Drake's ship, the "Revenge," was agroup of three young officers, of whom two at least were not much moreprofitably employed than those who were playing cards in the "ArkRoyal." They were all volunteers, and the eldest of the three was buttwo-and-twenty. One was seated on the deck, leaning back and apparentlydozing; the second stood, less sleepily, but quite as idly, beside him:the last, with folded arms, was gazing out to sea, yet discerningnothing, for his thoughts were evidently elsewhere. The second of thetrio appeared to be in a musical humour, for snatches of different songskept coming from his lips.
"`We be three poor mariners, Newly come fro' th' seas: We spend our lives in jeopardy, Whilst others live at ease.'"
"Be we?" laughed the youth who was seated on the deck, half-opening hiseyes. "How much of thy life hast spent in jeopardy, Jack Enville?"
"How much? Did not I once fall into the sea from a rock?--and waswell-nigh drowned ere I could be fished out. More of my life thanthine, Master Robert Basset."
In something like the sense of Thekla Tremayne's "Poor Jack!" I pauseto say, Poor Robert Basset! He was the eldest son of the deceased SirArthur. He had inherited the impulsive, generous heart, and thesensitive, nervous temperament, of his ancestor Lord Lisle, unchecked bythe accompanying good sense and sober judgment which had balanced thosequalities in the latter. Hot-headed, warm-hearted, liberal toextravagance, fervent to fanaticism, unable to say No to any whom heloved, loving and detesting with passionate intensity, constantlybetrayed into rash acts which he regretted bitterly the next hour,possibly the next minute--this was Robert Basset. Not the samecharacter as Jack Enville, but one just as likely to go to wreckearly,--to dash itself wildly on the breakers, and be broken.
"Thou art alive enough now," said Basset. "But how knowest that I neverfell from a rock into the sea?"
Jack answered by a graceful flourish of his hands, and a stave ofanother song.
"`There's never a maid in all this town But she knows that malt's come down, - Malt's come down,--malt's come down, From an old angel to a French crown.'"
"I would it were," said Basset, folding his arms beneath his head. "Iam as dry as a hornblower."
"That is with blowing of thine own trumpet," responded Jack. "I say,Tremayne! Give us thy thoughts for a silver penny."
"Give me the penny first," answered the meditative officer.
"Haven't an obolus," [halfpenny] confessed Jack.
"`The cramp is in my purse full sore, No money will bide therein--'"
"Another time," observed Arthur Tremayne, "chaffer [deal in trade] nottill thou hast wherewith to pay for the goods."
"I am a gentleman, not a chapman," [a retail tradesman] said Jack,superciliously.
"Could a man not be both?"
"'Tis not possible," returned Jack, with an astonished look. "Howshould a chapman bear coat armour?"
"I reckon, though, he had fathers afore him," said Basset, with his eyesshut.
"Nought but common men," said Jack, with sovereign contempt.
"And ours were uncommon men--there is all the difference," retortedBasset.
"Yours were, in very deed," said Jack obsequiously.
This was, in truth, the entire cause of Jack's desire for Basset'sfriendship. The latter, poor fellow! imagined that he was influenced bypersonal regard.
"Didst think I had forgot it?" replied Basset, smiling.
"Ah! if I had but thy lineage!" answered Jack.
"Thine own is good enough, I cast no doubt. And I dare say Tremayne'sis worth something, if we could but win him to open his mouth thereon."
Jack's look was one of complete incredulity.
Arthur neither moved nor spoke.
"Hold thou thy peace, Jack Enville," said Basset, answering the look,for Jack had not uttered a word. "What should a Lancashire lad know ofthe Tremaynes of Tremayne? I know somewhat thereanent.--Are you not ofthat line?" he asked, turning his head towards Arthur.
"Ay, the last of the line," said the latter quietly.
"I thought so much. Then you must be somewhat akin unto Sir RichardGrenville of Stow?"
"Somewhat--not over near," answered Arthur, modestly.
"Forty-seventh cousin," suggested Jack, not over civilly.
"And to Courtenay of Powderham,--what?"
"Courtenay!" broke in Jack. "What! he that, but for the attainder,should be Earl of Devon?"
"He," responded Basset, a little mischievously, "that cometh in a rightline from the Kings of France, and (through women) from the Emperors ofConstantinople."
"What kin art thou to him?" demanded Jack, surveying his old playmatefrom head to foot, with a sensation of respect which he had never feltfor him before.
"My father's mother and his mother were sisters, I take it," saidArthur.
"Arthur Tremayne, how cometh it I never heard this afore?"
"I cannot tell, Jack: thou didst never set me on recounting of mypedigree, as I remember."
"But wherefore not tell the same?"
"What matter?" quietly responded Arthur.
"`What matter'--whether I looked on thee as a mere parson's son, withnought in thine head better than Greek and Latin, or as near kinsman ofone with very purple blood in him,--one that should be well-nigh PremierEarl of England, but for an attainder?"
Arthur passed by the slight offered alike to his father's profession andto the classics, merely replying with a smile,--"I am glad if it givethee pleasure to know it."
The contempt in which the clergy were held, for more than a hundredyears after this date, was due in all probability to two causes. Thefirst was the natural reaction from the overweening reverence ancientlyfelt for the sacerdotal order: when the _sacerdos_ was found to be but apresbyter, his charm was gone. But the second was the disgrace whichhad been brought upon their profession at large, by the evil lives ofthe old priests.
"I believe," said Arthur, gravely, "it was because he accounted thehousehold service of God higher preferment than the nobility of men."
"Yet surely he knew how men would account of him?"
"I misdoubt if he cared for that, any more than I do, Jack Enville."
"Nor is thy mother any more than a parson's daughter."
"My father, and my mother's father," said Arthur, his eyes flashing,"were all but martyrs; for it was only the death of Queen Mary thatsaved either from the martyr's stake. That is my lineage, JackEnville,--higher than Courtenay of Powderham."
"Thou must be clean wood, Arthur!" said Jack, laughing. "Why, therewere poor chapmen and sely [simple] serving-maids among them that wereburnt in Queen Mary's days; weavers, bricklayers, and all manner ofcommon folk. There were rare few of any sort." [Of any consequence.]
"They be kings now, whatso they were," answered Arthur.
"There was a bishop or twain, Jack, if I mistake not," put in Basset,yawning; "and a Primate of all England, without I dreamed it."
"Go to, Jack!" pursued Arthur. "I can tell thee of divers craftsmenthat were very common folk--one Peter, a fisherman, and one Paul, atent-maker, and an handful belike--whose names shall ring down all theages, long after men have forgotten that there ever were Courtenays orEnvilles. I set the matter on thine own ground to say this."
"Stand and deliver, Jack Enville! That last word hath worsted thee,"said Basset.
"I am not an orator," returned Jack, loftily. "I am a gentleman."
"Well, so am I, as I suppose, but I make not such ado thereof as thou,"answered Basset.
The last word had only just escaped his lips, when Arthur Tremaynestepped suddenly to the side of the vessel.
"The Don ahead?" inquired Basset, with sleepy sarcasm.
"I cannot tell what is ahead yet," said Arthur, concentrating his gazein an easterly direction. "But there is somewhat approaching us."
"A sea-gull," was the suggestion of Basset, with shut eyes.
"Scantly," said Arthur good-humouredly.
Half idly, half curiously, jack brought his powers to bear on theapproaching object. Basset was not sufficiently interested to move.
The object ere long revealed itself as a small vessel, rowing in allhaste, and evidently anxious to reach the fleet without losing an hour.The "Revenge" stood out furthest of all the ships to eastward, and wastherefore likely to receive the little vessel's news before any other.Almost before she came within speaking distance, at Arthur's request,Jack hailed her--that young gentleman being in possession of morestentorian lungs than his friend.
The captain, who replied, was gifted with vocal powers of an equallyamazing order. He announced his vessel as the "Falcon," [Note 3]himself as Thomas Fleming; and his news--enough to make every ear in thefleet tingle--that "the Spaniard" had been sighted that morning off theLizard. Arthur darted away that instant in search of Drake: Jack andBasset (both wide awake now) stayed to hear the details,--the latterexcited, the former sceptical.
"'Tis all but deceiving!" sneered the incredulous Jack. "ThomasFleming! why, who wist not that Thomas Fleming is more pirate thansea-captain, and that the `Falcon' is well enough known for no honestcraft?"
"`Fair and soft go far in a day,'" returned Basset. "What if he be apirate? He is an Englishman. Even a known liar may speak truth."
"As if the like of him should sight the Spaniard!" retorted Jackmagnificently, "when the whole fleet have scoured the seas in vain!"
"The whole fleet were not scouring the seas at three of the clock thismorrow!" cried Basset, impatiently. "Hold thine idle tongue, and leaveus hear the news." And he shouted with all the power of hislungs,--"What strength is he of?"
"The strength of the very devil!" Fleming roared back. "Great woodencastles, the Lord wot how many, and coming as fast as a bird flieth."
"Pish!" said Jack.
Basset was on the point of shouting another question, when Sir FrancisDrake's voice came, clear and sonorous, from no great distance.
"What time shall the Don be hither?"
"By to-morrow breaketh, as like as not," was Fleming's answer.
"Now, my lads, we have work afore us," said Sir Francis, addressing hisyoung friends. "Lieutenant Enville, see that all hands know at once,--every man to his post! Tremayne, you shall have the honour to bear thenews to the Lord Admiral: and Basset, you shall fight by my side. Iwould fain promote you all, an' I have the chance; allgates, I give youthe means to win honour, an' you wot how to use them."
All the young men expressed their acknowledgment--Jack rather fulsomely,Basset and Tremayne in a few quiet words. It was a decided advantage toJack and Arthur to have the chance of distinguishing themselves by "afair field and no favour." But was it any special preferment for thegreat-grandson of Edward the Fourth? What glory would be added to hisname by "honourable mention" in Lord Howard's despatches, or maybe anadditional grade in naval rank?
Did Robert Basset fail to see that?
By no means. But he was biding his time. The chivalrous generosity,which was one of the legacies of his Plantagenet forefathers, imposedsilence on him for a season.
Elizabeth Tudor had shown much kindness to her kinsman, Sir ArthurBasset, and while Elizabeth lived, no Basset of Umberleigh would lift ahand against her. But no such halo surrounded her successor--whoeverthat yet doubtful individual might prove to be. So Robert Bassetwaited, and bore his humiliation calmly--all the more calmly for thevery pride of blood that was in him: for no slight, no oppression, nolack of recognition, could make him other than the heir of thePlantagenets. He would be ready when the hour struck. But meanwhile hewas waiting.
Fleming's news had taken everybody by surprise except one person. Butthat one was the Lord High Admiral.
Lord Howard quickly gathered his fleet together, and inquired into itscondition. Many of the ships were poorly victualled; munition ran veryshort; not a vessel was to be compared for size with the "great woodencastles" which Fleming had described. The wind was south-west, andblowing hard; the very wind most favourable to the invaders.
Sir Edward Hoby, brother-in-law of the Admiral, was sent off to theQueen with urgent letters, begging that she would send more aid to thefleet, and put her land forces in immediate readiness, for "theSpaniard" was coming at last, and as fast as the wind could bring him.
Sir Edward reached Tilbury on the very day chosen by Elizabeth to reviewher land forces. He left the fleet making signals of distress; he foundthe army in triumphant excitement.
The Queen rode in from Havering on a stately charger--tradition says awhite one--bearing a marshal's staff in her hand, and attired in acostume which was a singular mixture of warrior and woman,--a corslet ofpolished steel over an enormous farthingale. As she came near theoutskirts of her army, she commanded all her retinue to fall back, onlyexcepting Lord Ormonde, who bore the sword of state before her, and thesolitary page who carried her white-plumed helmet. Coming forward tothe front of Leicester's tent--the Earl himself leading her horse,bare-headed--the Queen took up her position, and, with a wave of herwhite-gloved hand for silence, she harangued her army.
"My loving people,"--thus spoke England's Elizabeth,--"we have beenpersuaded, by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how wecommit ourself to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery. But I doassure you, I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and lovingpeople. Let tyrants fear. I have alway so behaved myself, that underGod I have place
d my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal heartsand good-will of my subjects: and therefore I am come amongst you, asyou see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but beingresolved in the midst and heat of the battle to live or die amongst youall,--to lay down, for my God, and for my kingdoms, and for my people,mine honour and my blood even in the dust. I know I have the body of aweak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of aKing of England too; and think foul scorn that Parma, or Spain, or anyprince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm: towhich, rather than any dishonour should grow by me, I myself will takeup arms,--I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of everyone of your virtues in the field. I know already for your forwardnessye have deserved rewards and crowns: and we do assure you, on the wordof a prince, they shall, be duly paid you. For the meantime, myLieutenant General [Leicester] shall be in my stead, than whom neverprince commanded a more noble nor worthy subject. Not doubting but, byyour obedience to my General, by your concord in the camp, and yourvalour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over theseenemies of my God, and of my kingdoms, and of my people."
We are told that the soldiers responded unanimously--
"Is it possible that any Englishman can abandon such a glorious cause,or refuse to lay down his life in defence of this heroic Princess?"
The sentiment may be authentic, but the expression of it is modern.
The speech over, Leicester reverently held the gilt stirrup, andElizabeth alighted from her white charger, and went into his pavilion todinner.
Before the repast was over, Sir Edward Hoby arrived from Lord Howard.He was taken at once to the tent, that the first freshness of his newsmight be for the Queen's own ears. It had taken him three weeks toreach Tilbury from Plymouth. Kneeling before the Queen, he reportedthat he had been sent in all haste to entreat for "more aid sent to thesea," for Medina was known to be coming, and that quickly.
"Let him come!" was the general cry of the troops outside.
"_Buenas horas, Senor_!" said the royal lady within, wishing good speedto her adversary in his own tongue.
And both meant the same thing,--"We are ready."
It was England against the world. She had no ally, except the sixtyDutch ships. And except, too, One who was invisible, but whom the windsand the sea obeyed.
The aid required by Lord Howard came: not from Elizabeth, but fromEngland. Volunteers poured in from every shire,--men in velvet gownsand gold chains, men in frieze jackets and leather jerkins. The"delicate-handed, dilettante" Earl of Oxford; the "Wizard" Earl ofNorthumberland, just come to his title; the eccentric Earl George ofCumberland; Sir Thomas Cecil, elder son of the Lord High TreasurerBurleigh,--weak-headed, but true-hearted; Sir Robert Cecil, his youngerbrother,--strong-headed and false-hearted; and lastly, a host inhimself, Sir Walter Raleigh, whose fine head and, great heart few of hiscontemporaries appreciated at their true value,--and perhaps least ofall the royal lady whom he served. These men came in one by one.
But the leather jerkins flocked in by hundreds; the men who were of noaccount, whose names nobody cared to preserve, whose deeds nobodythought of recording; yet who, after all, were England, and without whomtheir betters would have made very poor head against the Armada. Theycame, leaving their farms untilled, their forges cold, their axes andhammers still. All that could wait till afterwards. Just now, Englandmust be saved.
From all the coast around, provisions were sent in, both of food andmunition: here a stand of arms from the squire's armoury, there a batchof new bread from the yeoman's farm: those who could send but a chickenor a cabbage did not hold them back; there were some who had nothing togive but themselves--and that they gave. Every atom was accepted: theyall counted for something in the little isle's struggle to keep free.
It is the little things, after all, of which great things are made. Notonly the men who lined the decks of the "Ark Royal," but the womenashore who baked their bread, and the children who gathered wood in theforest for the ovens, were helping to save England.
Even some Recusants--which meant Romanists--came in with offerings offood, arms, and service: men who, in being Romanists, had not forgottenthat they were Englishmen.
About noon on the twentieth of July, the Armada was first sighted fromPlymouth. She was supposed at first to be making direct, for that town.But she passed it, and bore on eastward. It was evident now that shemeant to make for the Channel,--probably meant to use as a basis ofoperations, Calais--England's own Calais, for the loss of which herheart was sore yet.
Lord Howard followed as closely as was consistent with policy. And nowappeared the disadvantage of the immense vessels which formed the bulkof the Armada. The English ships, being smaller, were quicker; theycould glide in and out with ease, where the "great wooden castles" foundbare standing-room. Before the Armada could reach Calais Roads, earlyon the 21st of July, Lord Howard was upon her.
When she saw her pursuers, she spread forth in a crescent form, in whichshe was seven miles in length. Trumpets were sounded, drums beaten--everything was done to strike terror into the little English fleet.
"_Santiago de Compostella_!" was the cry from the Armada.
"God and Saint George for merry England!" came back from the "ArkRoyal."
Both navies struggled hard to get to windward. But the Spanish shipswere too slow and heavy. The English won the coveted position. The"Revenge" was posted as light-bearer, for night was coming on, and the"Ark Royal," followed by the rest of the fleet, dashed into the midst ofthe Armada.
Sir Francis Drake made a terrible blunder. Instead of keeping to thesimple duty allotted to him, he went off after five large vessels, whichhe saw standing apart, and gave them chase for some distance. Findingthem innocent Easterlings, or merchantmen of the Hanse Towns, he ranhastily back, to discover that in his absence Lord Howard had mostnarrowly escaped capture, having mistaken the Spanish light for theEnglish.
"'Tis beyond any living patience!" cried Robert Basset fierily to ArthurTremayne. "Here all we might have hit some good hard blows at theSpaniard, and to be set to chase a covey of miserable Easterlings!"
"'Twas a misfortunate blunder," responded Arthur more quietly.
After two hours' hard fighting, the Admiral, finding his vessels toomuch scattered, called them together, tacked, and lay at anchor untilmorning. It certainly was enough to disappoint men who were longing for"good hard blows," when the "Revenge" rejoined the fleet only just intime to hear the order for retreat. Fresh reinforcements came in duringthe night. When day broke on the 22nd, Lord Howard divided his fleetinto four squadrons. He himself commanded the first, Drake the second,Hawkins the third, and Frobisher the fourth. The wind was now north.
The Armada went slowly forward; and except for the capture of one largeVenetian ship, nothing was done until the 25th. Then came a calm,favourable to the Spaniards, who were rowing, while the English trustedto their sails. When the Armada came opposite the Isle of Wight, LordHoward again gave battle.
This time the "Revenge" was engaged, and in the van. While the battlewent on, none knew who might be falling: but when the fleet was at lastcalled to anchor--after a terrible encounter--Basset and Tremayne metand clasped hands in congratulation.
"Where is Enville?" asked the former.
Arthur had seen nothing of him. Had he fallen?
The day passed on--account was taken of the officers and crew--butnothing was to be heard of Jack Enville.
About half an hour later, Arthur, who had considerably distinguishedhimself in the engagement, was resting on deck, looking rather sadly outto sea, and thinking of Jack, when Basset came up to him, evidentlystruggling to suppress laughter.
"Prithee, Tremayne, come below with me one minute."
Arthur complied, and Basset led him to the little cabin which the threeyoung officers occupied together.
"Behold!" said Basset grandiloquently, with a flourish of his handtowards the berths. "Behol
d, I beseech you, him that hath alone routedthe Spaniard, swept the seas, saved England, and covered him with glory!He it is whose name shall live in the chronicles of the time! He shallhave a statue--of gingerbread--in the court of Her Majesty's Palace ofWestminster, and his name shall be set up--wrought in white goosefeathers--on the forefront of Paul's! Hail to the valiant andunconquerable Jack Enville, the deliverer of England from Pope andSpaniard!"
To the great astonishment of Arthur, there lay the valiant Jack, rolledin a blanket, apparently very much at his ease: but when Basset'speroration was drawing to a close, he unrolled himself, looking ratherred in the face, and returned to ordinary life by standing on the floorin full uniform.
"Hold thy blatant tongue for an ass as thou art!" was his civil reply toBasset's lyric on his valour. "If I did meet a wound in the first flushof the fray, and came down hither to tend the same, what blame lieththerein?"
"Wert thou wounded, Jack?" asked Arthur.
"Too modest belike to show it," observed Basset. "Where is it, trow?Is thy boot-toe abrased, or hast had five hairs o' thine head carriedaway?"
"'Tis in my left wrist," said Jack, replying to Arthur, not Basset.
"Prithee, allow us to feast our eyes on so glorious a sign of thyvaliantness!" said Basset.
Jack was extremely reluctant to show his boasted wound; but beingpressed to do so by both his friends (from different motives) heexhibited something which looked like a severe scratch from a cat.
"Why, 'tis not much!" said Arthur, who could have shown several worseindications of battle on himself, which he had not thought worth notice.
"Oh, is it not?" muttered Jack morosely. "I can tell thee, 'tis assore--"
"Nay, now, wound not yet again the great soul of the hero!" put inBasset with grim irony. "If he lie abed i' th' day for a wound to hiswrist, what shall he do for a stab to his feelings? You shall drive himto drown him in salt water; and that were cruelty unheard-of, for itshould make his eyes smart. I tell thee what, Jack Enville--there is_one_ ass aboard the fleet, and his name is neither Arthur Tremaynenor--saving your presence--Robin Basset. Farewell! I go to win alaurel crown from Sir Francis by bearing news unto him of thy heroicaldeeds."
And away marched Basset, much to the relief of Jack.
The encounter of that day had been fearful. But when Lord Howard drewoff to recruit himself, the Armada gathered her forces together, wentforward, and cast anchor on the 27th in Calais Roads.
Here fresh orders reached her from Parma. Instead of skirmishing in theChannel, she was to assume the offensive at once. Within three daysMedina must land in England. King Philip appears to have resigned hisoriginal intention of making the attack in person.
The Armada prepared for the final struggle. The young gentlemen onboard meantime amused themselves by shouting sundry derisive songs, oneof which was specially chosen when the "Revenge" was sufficiently nearto be aggrieved by it: and Arthur, who had learned enough Spanish fromhis mother to act as translator, rendered the ditty into plain Englishprose for the benefit of Jack and Basset. The former received it withlofty scorn,--the latter with fiery vaticinations concerning hisintentions when the ships should meet: and looking at the figure-head ofthe nearest vessel whence the song was shouted, he singled out "LaDolorida" for his special vengeance. A translation of the lyric inquestion is appended. [Note 4.] The speaker, it will be seen, issupposed to be a young Spanish lady.
"My brother Don John To England is gone, To kill the Drake, And the Queen to take, And the heretics all to destroy; And he has promised To bring to me A Lutheran boy With a chain round his neck: And Grandmamma From his share shall have A Lutheran maid To be her slave."
The prospect was agreeable. One thing was plain--that "the Don" hadacquired a wholesome fear of "the Drake."
Sunday was the 28th: and on that morning it became evident that Medinameant mischief. The seven-mile crescent was slowly, but surely, closingin round Dover. The Spaniard was about to land. Lord Howard called acouncil of war: and a hasty resolution was taken. Eight gunboats werecleared out; their holds filled with combustible matter; they were seton fire, and sent into the advancing Armada. The terror of theSpaniards was immense. They fancied it Greek fire, such as had wroughtfearful havoc among them at the siege of Antwerp. With shrieks of "Thefire of Antwerp!--The fire of Antwerp!"--the Armada fell into disorder,and the vessels dispersed on all sides in the wildest confusion. LordHoward followed in chase of Medina.
Even yet the Armada might have rallied and renewed the attack. But nowthe wind began to blow violently from the south. The galleys could makeno head against it. Row as they would, they were hurried northward, theEnglish giving chase hotly. The Spanish ships were driven hither andthither, pursued alike by the winds and the foe. One of the largestgalleons ran ashore at Calais--from which the spoil taken was fiftythousand ducats--one at Ostend, several in different parts of Holland.Don Antonio de Matigues escaped from the one which ran aground atCalais, and carried back to Philip, like the messengers of Job, the newsthat he only had escaped to tell the total loss of the InvincibleArmada. But the loss was not quite so complete. Medina was stilldriving northward before the gale, with many of his vessels, chased bythe "Ark Royal" and her subordinates. He tried hard to cast anchor atGravelines; but Lord Howard forced him away. Past Dunquerque ran theshattered Armada, with her foe in hot pursuit. There was one dangerleft, and until that peril was past, Lord Howard would not turn back.If Medina had succeeded in landing in Scotland,--which the Admiral fullyexpected him to attempt--the numerous Romanists left in that country,and the "Queensmen," the partisans of the beheaded Queen, would havereceived him with open arms. This would have rendered the young King's[James the Sixth, of Scotland] tenure of power very uncertain, and mightnot improbably have ended in an invasion of the border by aScoto-Spanish army. But Lord Howard did not know that no thought ofvictory now animated Medina. The one faint hope within him was to reachhome.
Internal dissensions were now added to the outward troubles of theSpaniards. Seven hundred English prisoners banded themselves undercommand of Sir William Stanley, and turned upon their gaolers. TheArmada spread her sails, and let herself drive faster still.Northwards, ever northwards! It was the only way left open to Spain.
For four days the "Ark Royal" kept chase of the miserable relics of thisonce-grand Armada. When the Orkneys were safely passed, Lord Howarddrew off, leaving scouts to follow Medina, and report where he went. Ifhe had gone on for two days longer, he would not have had a charge ofpowder left.
Five thousand Spaniards had been killed; a much larger number laywounded or ill; twelve of the most important ships were lost; provisionsfailed them; the fresh water was nearly all spent. One of the galleonsran aground at Fair Isle, in the Shetlands, where relics are still kept,and the dark complexions of the natives show traces of Spanish blood.The "Florida" was wrecked on the coast of Morven--where her shatteredhulk lies yet. Medina made his way between the Faroe Isles and Iceland,fled out to the high seas, and toiled past Ireland home. The rest ofthe fleet tried to reach Cape Clear. Forty-one were lost off the coastof Ireland: many driven by the strong west wind into the EnglishChannel, where they were taken, some by the English, some by theRochellois: a few gained Neubourg in Normandy. Out of 134 ships, aboveeighty were total wrecks.
So ended the Invincible Armada.
England fought well. But it was not England who was the conqueror,[Note 5] but the south wind and the west wind of God.
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Note 1. This was the same Duke of Guise who took an active part in theMassacre of Saint Bartholomew. He was assassinated at Blois, December23, 1588--less than six months after the invasion of the Armada.
Note 2. The Greeks did not reckon by kalends. The Romans, who did,when they meant to refuse a request good-humouredly, said jokingly thatit should be granted "in the Greek kalends."
Note 3. The nam
e of Fleming's vessel does not appear.
Note 4. I am not responsible for this translation, nor have I met withthe original.
Note 5. No one was more thoroughly persuaded of this than Elizabethherself. Thirteen years afterwards, at the opening of her lastParliament, the Speaker thought proper to remark that England had beendefended from all dangers that had attacked her by "the mighty arm ofour dread and sacred Queen." An unexpected voice from the thronerebuked him. "No, Mr Speaker: by the mighty hand of God."
Clare Avery: A Story of the Spanish Armada Page 4