THE SPANISH ARMADA ad. 



1588. 

 depart, because they sawe but a few mariners, who were 

 by constraint drawne into this expedition, and also 

 because they had very bare provision of bread, drinke, 

 and other necessary victuals. 



Moreover, the shippes of Holland and Zeland stood 

 continually in their sight, threatening shot and powder, 

 and many inconveniences unto them : for feare of which 

 shippes, the Mariners and Sea-men secretly withdrew 

 themselves both day and night, least that the duke of 

 Parma his souldiers should compell them by maine force 

 to goe on boord, and to breake through the Hollanders 

 Fleete, which all of them judged to bee impossible by 

 reason of the straightnesse of the Haven. 



But it seemeth that the Duke of Parma and the The Spaniards 

 Spaniards grounded upon a vaine and presumptuous ^'^'^^^ opinion 

 expectation, that all the ships of England and of the '^lyirlwn fleet 

 Low countreys would at the first sight of the Spanish [i. 601.] 

 and Dunkerk Navie have betaken themselves to flight, 

 yeelding them sea roome, and endevouring onely to 

 defend themselves, their havens, and sea coasts from 

 invasion. Wherefore their intent and purpose was, that 

 the Duke of Parma in his small and flat-bottomed 

 shippes, should as it were under the shadow and wings 

 of the Spanish fleet, convey over all his troupes, armour, 

 and warlike provision, and with their forces so united, 

 should invade England ; or while the English fleet were 

 busied in fight against the Spanish, should enter upon 

 any part of the coast, which he thought to be most 

 convenient. Which invasion (as the captives afterward 

 confessed) the Duke of Parma thought first to have 

 attempted by the river of Thames ; upon the bankes 

 whereof having at his first arrivall landed twenty or 

 thirty thousand of his principall souldiers, he supposed 

 that he might easily have woonne the Citie of London ; 

 both because his small shippes should have followed and 

 assisted his land-forces, and also for that the Citie it-selfe 

 was but meanely fortified and easie to overcome, by 

 reason of the Citizens delicacie and discontinuance from 



