landers caused new coin of silver and brass to be stamped : which on the one side contained the arms of Zeeland, with this inscription: GLORY TO GOD ONLY and on the other side, the pictures of certain great ships, with these words THE SPANISH FLEET: and in the circumference about the ships: IT CAME, WENT, AND WAS. Anno 1588. That is to say, the Spanish fleet came, went, and was vanquished this year; for which, glory be given to God only. Likewise they coined another kind of money; upon the one side whereof was represented a ship fleeing, and a ship sinking on the other side four men making prayers and giving thanks unto God upon their knees; with this sentence: Man proposeth; God 'disposeth. 1588. Also, for the lasting memory of the same matter, they have stamped in Holland divers such like coins, according to the custom of the ancient Romans. While this wonderful and puissant navy was sailing along the English coasts, and all men did now plainly see and hear that which before they would not be persuaded of, all people throughout England prostrated themselves with humble prayers and supplications unto God: but especially the outlandish churches (who had greatest cause to fear, and against whom by name the Spaniards had threatened most grievous torments) enjoined to their people continual fastings and supplications, that they might turn away God's wrath and fury now imminent upon them for their sins: knowing right well, that prayer was the only refuge against all enemies, calamities, and necessities, and that it was the only solace and relief for mankind, being visited with affliction and misery. Likewise such solemn days of supplication were observed throughout the United Provinces. Also a while after the Spanish fleet was departed, there was in England, by the commandment of her Majesty, and in the United Provinces, by the direction of the States, a solemn festival day publicly appointed, wherein all persons were enjoined to resort unto the church, and there to render thanks and praise unto God: and the Preachers were commanded to exhort the people thereunto. The foresaid solemnity was observed upon the 29th of November; which day was wholly spent in fasting, prayer, and giving of thanks. For Likewise, the Queen's Majesty herself, imitating the ancient Romans, rode into London in triumph, in regard of her own and her subjects' glorious deliverance. being attended upon very solemnly by all the principa. estates and officers of her realm, she was carried through her said city of London in a triumphant chariot, and in robes of triumph, from her Palace unto the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, out of which the ensigns and colours of the vanquished Spaniards hung displayed. And all the citizens of London in their Liveries stood on either side the street, by their several companies, with their ensigns and banners and the streets were hanged on both sides with blue cloth, which, together with the foresaid banners, yielded a very stately and gallant prospect. Her Majesty being entered into the Church, together with her clergy and nobles, gave thanks unto God, and caused a public sermon to be preached before her at Paul's Cross; wherein none other argument was handled, but that praise, honour and glory might be rendered unto God, and that God's name might be extolled by thanksgiving. And with her own princely voice she most Christianly exhorted the people to do the same: whereupon the people with a loud acclamation wished her a most long and happy life, to the confusion of her foes. Thus the magnificent, huge, and mighty fleet of the Spaniards (which themselves termed in all places invinc ible) such as sailed not upon the ocean sea many hundred years before, in the year 1588 vanished into smoke; to the great confusion and discouragement of the authors thereof. From "Hakluyt's Voyages," 1598 THE LAST FIGHT OF THE REVENGE 1591 THE Lord Thomas Howard with six of her Majesty's ships, six victuallers of London, the barque Raleigh, and two or three other pinnaces riding at anchor near unto Flores, one of the Westerly Islands of the Azores, the last of August in the afternoon, had intelligence by one Captain Middleton of the approach of a Spanish Armada. Which Middleton being in a very good sailer had kept them company three days before, of good purpose, both to discover their forces the more, as also to give advice to my Lord Thomas of their approach. He had no sooner delivered the news but the fleet was in sight: many of our ships' companies were on shore in the island; some providing ballast for their ships; others filling of water and refreshing themselves from the land with such things as they could either for money or by force recover. By reason whereof our ships were all pestered and everything out of order, very light for want of ballast, and that which was most to our disadvantage, the one half part of the men of every ship sick, and utterly unserviceable. In the Revenge there were ninety diseased; in the Bonaventure, not so many in health as could handle her main sail. had not twenty men been taken out of a barque of Sir George Carey's, his being commanded to be sunk, and those appointed to her, she had hardly ever recovered 232 For England. The rest, for the most part, were in little better state. 'The Spanish fleet having shrouded their approach by reason of the island; were now so soon at hand, as our ships had scarce time to weigh their anchors, but some of them were driven to let slip their cables and set sail. Sir Richard Grenville was the last that weighed, to recover the men that were upon the island, which otherwise had been lost. The Lord Thomas with the rest very hardly recovered the wind, which Sir Richard Grenville not being able to do, was persuaded by the master and others to cut his main sail, and cast about, and to trust to the sailing of the ship; for the squadron of Seville were on his weather bow. But Sir Richard utterly refused to turn from the enemy, alleging that he would rather choose to die than to dishonour himself, his country and her Majesty's ship, persuading his company that he would pass through the two squadrons, in despite of them, and enforce those of Seville to give him way. Which he performed upon divers of the foremost, who, as the mariners term it, sprang their luff, and fell under the lee of the Revenge. But the other course had been the better, and might right well have been answered in so great an impossibility of prevailing. Notwithstanding out of the greatness of his mind, he could not be persuaded. In the meanwhile as he attended those which were nearest him, the great San Philip being in the wind of him, and coming toward him, becalmed his sails in such sort, as the ship could neither make way, nor feel the helm: so huge and highcarged was the Spanish ship, being of a thousand and five hundred tons. This ship after laid the Revenge aboard. When he was thus bereft of his sails, the ships 1 High-carged: burdened with lofty upper works. |