Thus did the Fight continue for the best part of this whole Day; during which the Spanish Fleet was closely pursued, extremely battered, and reduced to the utmost Distress[[100]]. The English Commanders in general, shewed on all Occasions great Resolution and Bravery; and in this last Action, the Earl of Cumberland, the Lords Henry Seymour, Thomas Howard, and Edmund Sheffield; Sir William Winter, Sir Robert Southwell, Sir George Beeston, Sir John Hawkins; and the Captains Edward Fenton, Richard Hawkins, George Ryman, and [[101]]Robert Cross signalized themselves in a remarkable manner; the latter, in particular, sunk the great Galleon of Biscay above mentioned, and two other Vessels. As for the Spaniards, though some of them performed their Duty, and fought with great Bravery, yet, in general, they acted but faintly, and stood for the most part only upon the defensive, especially after they saw themselves disappointed of the Duke of Parma’s Assistance. “The Duke of Medina, we are told[[102]], to his Dishonour, was lodged in the Bottom of his Ship for his Safety, and the rest of the Commanders would never turn their Ships, nor stop them, to defend any of their own Friends that were forced to tarry behind, but suffered divers to perish; and so fearful was the Admiral, that if the English had offered to board the Spanish Ships, it was thought they would have yielded without making any Resistance.” [[103]]In this last Engagement the Spaniards lost five thousand Men, a thousand whereof were drowned[[104]]; and the next Day two Venetian Ships sunk, having eight hundred and forty three Men on board, which all perished.
[[105]]After this Fight there remained of the whole Spanish; Fleet but one hundred and ten, or one hundred and twelve Ships, and those extremely battered and shot through, and having their Rigging much damaged with the Shot.
[[106]]The next Day, July 30, the Lord Admiral ordered the Lord Henry Seymour, and Sir William Winter to return back with their Squadron into the narrow Seas, to guard the Coasts; as for himself, he resolved to follow the Spanish Fleet, ’till they came as far Northward as the Forth in Scotland, if they bent their Course that way; and, in the mean time, he thought it best not to attack them any more, ’till he saw what they proposed to do: However, being persuaded that they intended to put into the Firth of Forth, his Lordship had devised Stratagems, and taken Measures to make an utter End of them there.
[[107]]July 31. This Day the Spaniards would fain have retreated, early in the Morning, thro’ the Streights of Dover; but the Wind coming up with hard Gales at North West, forced them towards the Coast of Zealand; the English then gave over the Chace, because they perceived them hastening fast enough to their own Destruction; for with the Wind at West North-West, they could not fail of being driven among the Shallows and Sands of that Coast: But the Wind soon happening to come about to the South-West and by West, the Spaniards tacked, and sailing before the Wind, got out of Danger. In the Evening, they held a Council of War, wherein it was unanimously resolved[[108]], That seeing they were in want of many Necessaries, especially of Cannon-Ball, that the Ships were very much shattered, their Anchors left in Calais-Road, their Provisions short, their Water spent, a great number of their Soldiers slain, many of their Men sick and wounded, and that there was no hopes of the Duke of Parma’s coming out to join them, they should return to Spain, by the North of Scotland. Pursuant to this Resolution, being now out of Danger, and in the main Ocean, and having thrown all their Horses and Mules over board |[General Chart].|to save Water, they steer’d Northward, and the English renew’d the Chace after them; now and then the Spanish Ships slacken’d their Sails, and seem’d to stay for the coming up of the English, so that it was generally thought their Fleet would tack about, but they thought best, after all, to keep on their Course Northward.
Here it will not be improper to leave them for a while, and see what was doing in the mean time in England[[109]].
The 9th of August Queen Elizabeth was pleased, in order both to comfort her People, and to shew her own Magnanimity, to come and view her Army and Camp at Tilbury; the next Morning after her Arrival, she rode with a General’s Truncheon in her Hand, thro’ all the Ranks of the Army, like armed Pallas, attended by the Earls of Leicester and Essex, Henry Norris, Lord Marshall, and others; having the Sword carried before her by the Earl of Ormond; and among other kind and obliging Discourses, made the following most excellent Speech to her Army[[110]]:
My loving People,
WE have been persuaded by some that are careful of our Safety, to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed Multitudes; but I assure you, I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving People. Let Tyrants fear; I have always so behaved myself, that under God I have placed my chiefest Strength and Safeguard in the loyal Hearts and Good-Will of my Subjects; and therefore I am come amongst you, as you see at this time, not for my Recreation and Disport, but being resolved, in the Midst and Heat of the Battle, to live or die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my Kingdom, and for my People, my Honour and my Blood, even in the Dust. I know I have the Body but of a weak and feeble Woman, but I have the Heart and Stomach of a King, and of a King of England too; and think foul Scorn that Parma or Spain, or any Prince of Europe, should dare to invade the Borders of my Realm; to which, rather than any Dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up Arms, I myself will be your General, Judge, and Rewarder of every one of your Virtues in the Field. I know already for your Forwardness, you have deserved Rewards and Crowns; and we do assure you, in the Word of a Prince, they shall be duly paid you. In the mean time, my Lieutenant-General shall be in my stead, than whom never Prince commanded a more noble or worthy Subject; not doubting but by your Obedience to my General, by your Concord in the Camp, and your Valour in the Field, we shall shortly have a famous Victory over those Enemies of my God, of my Kingdoms, and of my People.
[[111]]It is scarce to be conceived what a Spirit of Bravery this great Queen’s Presence and noble Behaviour infus’d into the Officers and Soldiers: [[112]]They saluted her with Cries, with Shouts, with all Tokens of Love, of Obedience, and of Readiness to fight for her; they praised her stately Person and princely Behaviour, prayed for her Life and Happiness, and cursed all her Enemies, both Traitors and Papists, with earnest Desire to venture their Lives for her Safety: [[113]]One who was an Eye Witness relates moreover, that “the whole Armie in every Quarter, did devoutely, at certaine Times, sing in her hearing, in a very tunable manner, divers Psalmes put into Forme of Prayers in Praise of Almighty God, which she greatly commended, and with very earnest Speech thanked God with them[[114]].”