i:86 A. D. 1588. 



over to the Low Countries ; but thofe who were wrecked on the Irifli 

 coafts were ahnoft every where put to the fword. And thus were not 

 only England, Scotland, Ireland, and the new republic of the United 

 Netherlands, preferved from imminent deflrudion, but alfo the equili- 

 brium of the general liberties of all the reft of Europe, as well as 

 the proteftant religion in Britain and elfewhere ; for at this time Spain 

 was undoubtedly the moft potent monarchy in Europe, although by 

 mifcondud, and the growing power of Holland and England, and foon 

 afterward of France (when its civil wars fubfided), that kingdom foon 

 after this time began to fhew evident fymptoms of a decline. Out of 

 134 fhips, which for this great attempt came out of Lifbon, only 53 

 returned ; only one of the galleaffes of Naples, and one of the four 

 great galleons of Portugal ; and only ^^ of the 9 1 galleons and hulks of 

 other provinces ; fo that in all Spain loft 81 ftiips, and 13,500 foldiers 

 and mariners, befides much treafure *. 



Grotius.in his Hiftory of the Netherlands [L. i, /. 171] obfervesupon 

 this occafion, that the glories of Greece and Rome were fully equalled 

 by the valour and fortune of the Englifti, though their advantages over 

 Spain were more flowly and more fafely obtained ; and all the time they 

 fought with the Spaniards they loft not one capital ftiip, nor above an 

 hundred men ; whereas the Spaniards fuffered every extremity of mifery, 

 loft many capital ftiips, and near five thoufand men. 



Daniel Rogers, whom the queen had fent to Denmark with compli- 

 ments of condolence on the death of Frederic II, and to cultivate the 

 friendfliip of the tutors of the young king, was commiflloned alfo to re- 

 monftrate againft the arreftment of ftiips at the Sound for the offences of 

 individvuals, and againft the evafion of the antient treaty, whereby the 

 privilege of fifliing at Iceland was to be renewed to the Englifti every 

 feven years. He alfo demanded, that the toll for pafting the Sound 

 ftiould not be paid till the return of the ftiips from the Baltic, and 

 then in the ufual money of Denmark ; that owners ftiould not be liable 

 to fuffer for frauds committed by the mafters of their veflels ; that the 

 packages (or wrappers) of cloths ftiould not be charged with duties : 

 and that the toll called Injl-gelt Ihould be remitted to the Englifti. 

 But the Danes, who were diipleafed that the EngUfti failed to Ruftia by 

 the North fea, inftead of paflnig through their Sound, evaded comply- 



* The antient femicircular line of battle was chief, who prudently declined a niodt of fighting, 



flill in ufe. In one of the engagements iii the wherein the fiiperior fizc and lofty fides of the 



Channel, the Spunifli fleet was drawn up in that enemy's (liips would have given them a decided 



form, and the two points of the femiclrcle or fuperiority over his low-built veflels, aiid which 



crefcent were feven miles afunder. Neither was would have entirely thrown away the great advan- 



the old method of condutling a fea engagement tage which his fad-failing fmall veflels ha in the 



by griippling the hollile fhips, and fighting hand agility of their manoeuvres. \_Camdem At. ad an^ 



to hand, fo far exploded, but that fome of the ijS8.] M. 

 Englilli ofSccrs propofed it to the commander in 



