From aboarde the Ark, the 7th of August, 1588.
Your verie lovinge friende
C. Howard.
The Right Honorable
Sir Fra: Walsingham, knight.
Good Mr. Secretarie, lett not Her Majestie be too hastie in dissolvyng her forces by sea and land: and I pray you send me with speed what advertysements you have of Dunkerk, for I longe to do some exployt on their shippinge. If the Duke’s[49] forces be retyred into the land I doubt not but to do good. I must thank your favourable using of my brother[50] Hoby. He telleth me how forwarde you were to further all thyngs for our wants. I wold some were of your mynde: If we had had that which had been so, England and her Majestie had had the greatest honor that ever any nation had: but God be thanked it is well.
THE NAVY OF 1588.
Source.—W. Murdin: A Collection of State Papers ... 1571 to 1596 ... at Hatfield House, p. 615. (From MS. Harl.)
The Names of all her Majesty’s Ships, and others that served under the Lord Admiral and the Lord Henry Seymour on the Seas against the Spanish Forces. Collected the 13th of December, 1588.
| Tonnage | Ships. | Men. | Captains. |
| 800 | The Ark Raleigh | 400 | The Lord Admiral |
| 600 | The Elizabeth Bonaventure | 250 | The Earl of Cumberland |
| 500 | The Rainbow | 250 | The Lord Henry Seymour |
| 500 | The Golden Lion | 250 | The Lord Thomas Howard |
| 1000 | The White Bear | 500 | The Lord Edmund Sheffield |
| 500 | The Vanguard | 250 | Sir William Winter |
| 500 | The Revenge | 250 | Sir Francis Drake |
| 900 | The Elizabeth Jonas | 500 | Sir Robert Southwell |
| 800 | The Victory | 400 | Sir John Hawkins |
| 400 | The Antelope | 160 | Sir Henry Palmer |
| 1100 | The Triumph | 500 | Sir Martin Frobisher |
| 400 | The Dreadnought | 200 | Sir George Beeston |
| 600 | The Mary Rose | 250 | Edward Fenton, Esq. |
| 500 | The Nonpareil | 250 | Thomas Fenner, Gent. |
| 600 | The Hope | 250 | Robert Crosse, Gent. |
| The Galley Bonavolia | 250 | William Borough, Esq. | |
| 400 | The Swiftsure | 180 | Edward Fenner, Gent. |
| 300 | The Swallow | 160 | Richard Hawkins, Gent. |
| 300 | The Foresight | 160 | Christopher Baber, Gent. |
| 250 | The Aid | 120 | William Fenner, Gent. |
| 200 | The Bull | 100 | Jeremy Turner, Gent. |
| 200 | The Tiger | 100 | John Bostock, Gent. |
| 150 | The Tremountain | 70 | Luke Ward, Gent. |
| 120 | The Scout | 70 | Henry Ashley, Esq. |
| 100 | The Achates | 60 | Gregory Rigges, Gent. |
| 70 | The Charles | 40 | John Roberts, Gent. |
| 60 | The Moon | 40 | Alexander Clifford, Gent. |
| 50 | The Advice | 35 | John Harris, Gent. |
| 50 | The Spy | 35 | Ambrose Ward, Gent. |
| 50 | The Marlin | 35 | Walter Gore, Gent. |
| 40 | The Sun | 24 | Richard Buckley |
| 30 | The Sinnet | 20 | John Sheriff |
| The Brigandine | 36 | Thomas Scott | |
| 120 | The George | 30 | Richard Hodges |
| 12190 | 34 | 34 |
Ships serving by Tonnage with the Lord Admiral, viz.