310 



Professor J. K. Laughton 



[May 4, 



be done from Spain. The whole shipj)ing of the empire was to bo 

 collected. Every available soldier was to be mustered. According 

 to the very detailed project submitted by Santa Cruz on 22nd March, 

 1586, the numbers amounted to : — 



Galeasses 

 Galleys . 



Sailors and Fighting; Men 



Eowers. 



giving a total of 556 ships of all kinds, and 85,332 men, to which 

 were to be added cavalry, artillerymen, volunteers, and non-com- 

 batants, bringing u]) the number of men to a gross total of 94,222.* 



A project so vast and so costly did not come within the king's 

 idea of " practical politics " ; he resolved on the expedition, but con- 

 ceived the idea of doing it at a cheaper rate by utilising the a]*my 

 in the Low Countries. From this grew uj) the scheme which ulti- 

 mately took form. The Duke of Parma was to prepare an army of 

 invaders in the Netherlands, and a number of flat-bottomed boats 

 to carry it across the sea. The Marquis of Santa Cruz was to bring 

 up the Channel a fleet powerful enough to crush any possible opj)osi- 

 tion, and carrying with it a body of troops, which, when joined with 

 those under Parma, would form an army at least as numerous as that 

 which Santa Cruz had detailed as sufficient. 



The necessary j^reparations were extensive ; and it is not quite 

 clear that, as they became more definite, Philip's ardour did not some- 

 what slacken. The cost was certain ; the issue was doubtful ; and 

 even if successful, the result might perhaps not be exactly w^hat was 

 desired. Philip had always posed as a supporter of the Queen of 

 Scots ; but the doubt must have suggested itself whether it was worth 

 while, at this great cost, to conquer a kingdom for her ; a kingdom 

 which, with her French blood and French proclivities, would become 

 virtually a French province. The death of the Queen of Scots, on 

 8-18 February, 1587, removed this difficulty. Even if the conquered 

 kingdom was to be handed over to James, James was not bound to 

 France as his mother had been. Placed on the throne of England by 

 Spanish arms, he might be expected or even constrained to hold it 

 virtually as a Spanish fief. And then, would it be necessary to give 

 it to James at all ? Elizabeth, of course, was outside the reckoning ; 



* Duro, 1. p. 253. 



