1888.] on the Invincible Armada: a Tercentenary Betrosjpecf. 311 



once dispossessed, she was merely the illegitimate offspring of an 

 abominable and incestuous concubinage. James appeared to be the 

 legitimate heir ; but Philip himself was lineally descended from John 

 of Gaunt, and had a theoretical claim to the throne of England 

 distinctly superior to that which, in the case of Henry VII., had been 

 held sufficient. As an abstract problem in genealogy, Philip's claim 

 was by no means absurd. Whether it could become something more, 

 and take a practical form, might very well depend on the fortune of 

 war. 



Prej)aratious were therefore now hurried on in earnest. Ships 

 were collected at the several ports, and especially at Lisbon and 

 Cadiz. It seemed probable that the invasion would be attempted in 

 the summer of 1587, when, some months before, Drake, with a fleet of 

 twenty-four ships, all told, appeared on the coast. The orders under 

 whichhe sailed from England on 2nd Ajjril, were to p>revent the different 

 Spanish squadrons from joining, and where he found their ships, to 

 destroy them. It was a grand and masterful stej), but it had scarcely 

 been ordered before the Queen repented of it. Counter orders were 

 sent post-haste to Plymouth, but Drake had already sailed. They 

 followed him, but never found him ; perhaps the bearer of them 

 was not too eager to find him. At any rate, Drake never got these 

 orders, and acting on those first given, with which he had sailed, he did 

 at Cadiz " singe the king of Spain's beard " in a most etFective 

 manner. Thirty-seven ships there cojlected, were sunk, burnt, or 

 brought away. They were as yet unarmed, unmanned, and, when' the 

 forts were once passed, could offer no resistance. Other damao-e 

 Drake did, insulting Santa Cruz in the very port of Lisbon, offerino- 

 battle, which Santa Cruz was in no position to accept. Ships he had 

 in numbers ; but they too were neither manned nor armed ; nor had 

 he arms for them ; and though, with Drake off the mouth of the 

 Tagus, the happy thought occurred to the authorities on shore to 

 melt down the church bells, and make guns to di'ive him away 

 before the guns were ready Drake had stretched off to the Azores' 

 where he captured the San Pliilij:), a very large and rich East India- 

 man, whose treasures are said to have first opened the eyes of our 

 English merchants to the capabilities of Eastern trade, and to have 

 led to thi foundation of the East India Company. 



The destruction of shipping and stores at Cadiz necessarily 

 delayed the equipment of the Spanish fleet ; the year passed away, 

 and it was not ready. The following February (1588) the Marquis 

 of Santa Cruz died. The loss to Spain was incalculable, for he was 

 the only man who by birth was entitled, and by experience was com- 

 petent, to command such an expedition as that which he had set on 

 foot. His name was encircled with a halo of naval victory. He 

 had held a high command at the battle of Lepanto ; and in the action 

 at Tercera was accredited with having put to ignominious flicrLt these 

 very English who were now the object of attack. Curiously, how- 

 ever, the king and his court do not seem to have realised their loss 

 and with a light heart appointed Don Alonso Perez de Guzman ei 



