THE SPANISH ARMADA ad. 



1588. 

 first from Caleis, and then from Dunkerk, and by that 

 meanes to have hindered them from joyning with the 

 Duke of Parma his forces, and getting the winde of 

 them, to have driven them from their owne coasts. 



The Spaniards that day sustained great losse and 

 damage having many of their shippes shot thorow and 

 thorow, and they discharged likewise great store of 

 ordinance against the English ; who indeed sustained 

 some hinderance, but not comparable to the Spaniards 

 losse : for they lost not any one shippe or person 

 of account. For very diligent inquisition being made, 

 the English men all that time wherein the Spanish 

 Navy sayled upon their seas, are not found to have 

 wanted above one hundreth of their people : albeit 

 Sir Francis Drakes shippe was pierced with shot above 

 forty times, and his very cabben was twise shot 

 thorow, and about the conclusion of the fight, the bedde 

 of a certaine gentleman lying weary thereupon, was 

 taken quite from under him with the force of a bullet. 

 Likewise, as the Earle of Northumberland and Sir 

 Charles Blunt were at dinner upon a time, the bullet of a 

 demi-culvering brake thorow the middest of their cabbin, 

 touched their feet, and strooke downe two of the standers 

 by, with many such accidents befalling the English 

 shippes, which it were tedious to rehearse. Whereupon 

 it is most apparant, that God miraculously preserved the 

 English nation. For the L. Admirall wrote unto her 

 Majestie that in all humane reason, and according to the 

 judgement of all men (every circumstance being duly 

 considered) the English men were not of any such force, 

 whereby they might, without a miracle, dare once to 

 approch within sight of the Spanish Fleet : insomuch that 

 they freely ascribed all the honour of their victory unto 

 God, who had confounded the enemy, and had brought 

 his counsels to none effect. 



The same day the Spanish ships were so battered with Three Spanish 

 English shot, that that very night and the day following, {^^//^-^ ^^^'^^^ 

 two or three of them suncke right downe : and among ^^ ^ ^-^^ ^' 

 IV 225 p 



