290 THE SEA. 



hand of God completed. The Spaniards " were now experimentally convinced that the 

 English excelled them in naval strength. Several of their largest ships had been lost, 

 others were greatly damaged; there was no port to which they could repair; and to 

 force their way through the victorious English fleet, then in sight, and amounting to 140 

 sail, was plainly and confessedly impossible." They resolved upon returning to Spain by 

 a northern route, and "having gotten more sea room for their huge-bodied bulks, spread 

 their mainsails, and made away as fast as wind and water would give them leave." Effingham, 

 leaving Seymour to blockade the Prince of Parma's force, followed what our chroniclers 

 now termed the Vincible Armada, and pursued them to Scotland, where they did not 

 attempt to land, but made for Norway, " where the English," says Drake, " thought it best 

 to leave them to those boisterous and uncouth northern seas." 



Meantime, it was still expected ashore that the Prince of Parma might effect a 

 landing, and it was at this time that Elizabeth, who declared her intention to be present 

 wherever the battle might be fought, rode through the soldiers' ranks at Tilbury, and 

 made her now historical speech. " Incredible it is," says Camden, "how much she 

 encouraged the hearts of her captains and soldiers by her presence and her words." When 

 a false report was brought that the prince had landed, the news was immediately published 

 throughout the camp, " and assuredly," says Southey, " if the enemy had set foot upon 

 our shores they would have sped no better than they had done at sea, such was the spirit 

 of the nation." Some time elapsed before the fate of the Armada was known. It was 

 affirmed on the Continent that the greater part of the English fleet had been taken, and 

 a large proportion sunk, the poor remainder having been driven into the Thames "all 

 rent and torn." It was believed at Rome that Elizabeth was taken and England conquered ! 

 Meantime, the wretched Armada was being blown hither and thither by contending 

 winds. The mules and horses had to be thrown overboard lest the water should fail. 

 When they had reached a northern latitude, some 200 miles from the Scottish isles, the 

 duke ordered them each to take the best course they could for Spain, and he himself with 

 some flve-and-twenty of his best provided ships reached it in safety. The others made 

 for Cape Clear, hoping to water there, but a terrible storm arose, in which it is believed 

 more than thirty of the vessels perished off the coast of Ireland. About 200 of the poor 

 Spaniards were driven from their hiding-places and beheaded, through the inhumanity of 

 Sir William Fitzwilliam. " Terrified at this, the other Spaniards, sick and starved as 

 they were, committed themselves to the sea in their shattered vessels, and very many of 

 them were swallowed up by the waves." Two of their ships were wrecked on the coasts 

 C'f Norway. Some few got into the English seas ; two were taken by cruisers off Rochelle. 

 About 700 me?i were cast ashore in Scotland, were humanely treated, and subsequently 

 sent, by request of the Prince of Parma, to the Netherlands. Of the whole Armada only 

 fifty-three vessels returned to Spain; eighty-one were lost. The enormous number of 

 14,000 men, of whom only 2,000 were prisoners, were missing. By far the larger 

 proportion were lost by shipwreck. 



" Philip's behaviour/' says Southey, " when the whole of this great calamity was known, 

 should always be recorded to his honour. He received it as a dispensation of Providence, 

 and gave, and commanded to be given, throughout Spain, thanks to God and the saints 



