ARMADA. 
Thames. On these, and other accounts not 
less mortifying to the pride of Spain, Philip 
looked for speedy and ample revenge, by 
the overthrow of the power and credit of 
Elizabeth, who was every where regarded, 
as the protector and bulwark of the Pro- 
testant religion. These preparations were 
conducted with secrecy, but with all the 
vigour of which he was capable. His mi- 
nisters, admirals, and generals, were em- 
ployed in the business ; and measures were 
taken, not only in Spain, but in the ports of 
Sicily, Naples, and Portugal, for fitting out 
a most tremendous fleet. In Flanders also 
there were considerable military prepara- 
tions ; and an army of 14,000 men was as- 
sembled in the Netherlands, which was kept 
in readiness to embark, in flat-bottomed 
vessels constructed for the occasion. To 
the most renowned nobility, and princes of 
Italy and Spain, who were ambitious of 
being enrolled among the conquerors of 
England, were added many hundreds of 
English desperadoes, under the conduct of 
a man who had been banished for selling a 
Dutch fortress to Spain. 
It was hoped that England would not 
understand till it was too late, that these 
efforts were directed against her peace and 
existence as a nation ; but the queen was 
never without secret intelligence of what- 
ever was carrying on in the different parts 
of the Continent. The spies employed on 
this, and on every other occasion during her 
reign, were priests, it being a favourite 
maxim with her minister, Walsingham, that 
an active but vicious priest was the best 
spy in the world. 
Elevated with the prospect of certain 
success, the Spaniards denominated their 
navy collected for this purpose, “ The In- 
vincible Armada.” The forces of England 
seemed to be unequal to the contest, never- 
theless Elizabeth scorned to fear ; her mind 
was in every respect adequate to the great- 
ness of the cause. At that period the num- 
ber of sailors in this country amounted to 
14 , 000 , and the navy to only 28 sail, many 
of which were small in size, and of no great 
force. The seamen indeed were very su- 
perior to those of the enemy with whom 
they had to contend, which compensated 
in some measure for the inferiority Of the 
size and force of then- vessels. The attach- 
ment to their religion and liberties roused 
the exertions of the English : London sup- 
plied 30 ships and 10,000 men, and other 
places imitated the example. The nobility 
and gentry, among whom were several Ro- 
man Catholics of distinction, united to 
oppose this conspiracy ; they hired, armed, 
and manned upwards of 40 ships at their 
own private charge, and the money which 
the queen demanded by way of loans, was 
cheerfully and readily granted. The com- 
mand of the navy was entrusted to Lord 
Howard of Effingham ; the principal fleet 
was stationed at Plymouth, and a smaller 
squadron of 40 vessels, commanded by Lord 
Seymour, lay oft’ Dunkirk. An army of 
20,000 men was disposed in different bodies 
along the coast, and a like number with 
1000 horse, under the command of the 
Earl of Leicester, was stationed at Tilbury, 
in order to defend the capital. The main 
army of nearly 40,000 men, were placed 
under the command of Lord Hunsdon, 
ready to defend the queen’s person, or to 
march wherever the enemy should appear. 
The King of Scotland avowed his adhe- 
rence to Elizabeth, and his readiness to 
march his whole force, if necessary, to her 
aid. From Denmark and the Hanse-towns, 
she likewise received some help. The Pro- 
testants in general throughout Europe 
were anxious for the success of England. 
On the 29th of May, the Spanish fleetset sail 
from Lisbon, but on the 30th it was dis- 
persed by a violent storm. As soon how- 
ever as it could be refitted, it made towards 
the English coast, consisting of 130 vessels. 
These preparations had been delayed a 
whole year, by a circumstance mentioned 
by Bishop Burnet, and which is referred to 
in the “ Acta Regia” as one of the most 
curious passages in the English history. 
“ When it seemed,” says the historian, “ im- 
possible to divert the present execution of 
so great a design, and there was no strength 
ready to resist it, a merchant of London 
effected it by this means. Being very well 
acquainted with the revenue and expence 
of Spain, and all that they could, do, and 
knowing that their funds were so swallowed 
up, that it was impossible for them to vic- 
tual and fit out their fleet, but by their 
credit on the bank of Genoa, he undertook 
to write to all the places of trade, and to 
get such remittances made on that bank, 
that he might have so much of tire money 
in his own hands, that there should be none 
current there equal to the great occasion of 
victualling the Spanish fleet. He reckoned 
the keeping of such a treasure dead in his 
hands till the season of victualling was over, 
would be a loss of 40,000 1 . He managed 
the matter with such secrecy and success, 
that the fleet could not be set out that 
