A few days after the fight was ended, and the English prisoners dispersed into the Spanish and Indy ships, there arose so great a storm from the West and North-west, that all the fleet was dispersed, as well the Indian fleet which were then come unto them, as the rest of the Armada that attended their arrival, of which fourteen sail, together with the Revenge, were cast away upon the Isle of S. Michael. So it pleased them to honour the burial of that renowned ship the Revenge, not suffering her to perish alone, for the great honour she achieved in her life-time.
THE EARL OF ESSEX: HIS APOLOGY TO THE LORDS OF HER MAJESTY’S COUNCIL, AFTER HE HAD BEEN PRISONER IN THE LORD KEEPER’S HOUSE (1600).
Source.—Carew MSS. (Record Commission). Vol. iii., p. 518.
If it be objected that I came away and left my charge contrary to her Majesty’s express commandment, so accompanied as it made my intent suspected, leaving the government of the Kingdom unsettled, whereupon great inconveniences have grown, and the whole State of Ireland was hazarded, I answer first that (thanks be to God) no dangerous consequence hath followed of it. For during nine or ten weeks after my coming hither the whole kingdom was quiet; and since, even to this day, no important loss hath been received, but only the defeating of a convoy in an open champion[58] country, where our men had safe and near retreats both before them and behind them. So as since the declination of that State I think there will be hardly found so long a time wherein the rebel did less mischief or the subject received less loss; which I must impute to the providence of God Almighty in his mercy, who, foreseeing the unjust imputations and malicious inferences that would be brought against me, hath disfurnished my enemies of that they thought should have been their greatest advantage, which was charging me with the loss of Ireland, though it happened long after my coming over, and though I had remained close prisoner, while they had time to prevent the mischief.
And for my settling of the government before my coming away, if this will not satisfy that I ordered her Majesty’s forces, employed her ablest ministers, and gave particular instructions for every province and frontier, by advice of her Majesty’s Council there: yet I am sure in this Court this one plea will be allowed, that I so ordered all things, as you, my Lords of the Council, having received account of me when I was first committed, have not to this day altered anything of importance in that course of government which I established at my coming away, generally for the kingdom and particularly for every province.
And now, having said enough for the consequence and opportunity of my coming over, I desire to know why my coming should be suspiciously apprehended. Out of Ireland there came in the same passage with me, my Lord of Southampton that was displaced, my Lord of Dunkilline, and Sir Christopher St. Lawrence, that, in this vacancy of offers and time of truce, desired by their own presence to renew the memory of their former services; Sir Henry Davers, that was not through whole[59] of a dangerous wound; Sir Henry Dockwrey, that was before I came away ... to sue for the government of Connaught; and some other knights and captains that were discharged, besides two captains that pretended great business and long absence, and some gentlemen that were my own servants, that were out of pay by the discharging of Sir John Lee’s company. But of all these, there were not ten persons that accompanied me (from the sea’s side) any part of the way, and not above six that came to the Court, the rest taking their own courses and intending their private occasions.
But should my evil intent be?[60] It was as easy for me to do evil as to think evil when I had a kingdom in my government and an army in my hand. And the evil I did was but to myself, for I wasted both my body and state in a costly, painful and discomfortable service. And now, having stripped myself of all, and thrown myself at my Sovereign’s feet, shall enemies or accusations prevail against demonstration, to make my intent of coming over to be held suspect? Justice and charity will not allow of these constructions made of those whose religion or descent might make them suspected, except they enforce probable grounds: and shall I (without any ground) be thus censured, who have lost my father and my brother in her Majesty’s service, spent 13 of my 33 years as an officer about her Majesty’s person, and seven years as a poor councillor of her State, that am of all the subjects of England most hated by all the enemies of her Majesty’s religion and welfare, and for my services to her person and to her crown am so threatened with revenge as no place is safe for me but her kingdom, nor no time but her reign? No! I thank my God I know there doth neither good Christian nor lover of his country suspect my intent. And for the imputations of the rest, I answer them with the old rule, ut quisque est ... bonus et sic e contra. And now it appears that I settled the State before my coming away, and that there grew no dangerous consequence by my coming over.
QUEEN ELIZABETH’S SPEECH TO HER LAST PARLIAMENT, IN ANSWER TO THE COMMONS’ THANKS TO HER FOR SUPPRESSING THE “ENGROSSING” OR MONOPOLIES, November 30, 1601.
Source.—Somers Tracts (from MS. of Bishop of Bangor).[61] Vol. i., p. 244.
Her Majesty being set under state in the Council Chamber at White Hall, the Speaker, accompanied with Privy Councellors, besides Knights and Burgesses of the Lower House to the number of eight score presenting themselves at her Majesty’s feet, for that so graciously and speedily she had heard and yielded to her subjects’ desires, and proclaimed the same in their hearing as followeth: