Netherlands for help from the Duke of Parma; the Englifh being within cannon-fhot, and their own vessels too heavy and cumbrous to move in those narrow feas.

"But the Duke, he being unready (as many like called upon be), could not come. His flat-bottomed boats for the shallow channels leaked, his provifion of victuals was mouldy, or not gotten together, the shot did not fit his cannon, nor their carriages fuit the guns; and his failors, having been stayed hitherto against their wills, had now withdrawn themselves by their own confent." So Tarleton faid.

So long as our wife and gentle Lady, Elizabeth, shall rule thefe countries, 'tis not to be feared fuch unreadiness will be found on our part! The danger, haply, with us, being more through the cupidity of undertakers and scheming projectors, who shall, in providing for the war, use unfeemly biscuit and impotent munition, to the robbery of her Grace's Exchequer, and the manifeft ruin of their own kinsfolk and countrymen. But woe to these enemypatriots, thefe fubject foes, these leafing lieges, these Judafes o' the state-bag, an her Majefty catch hold of 'em!

"Tis a conception of her own. By the Queen's com

Elizabeth Dei Gratiâ, &c.

III

mandment, eight crazy fhips, befmeared with wildfire, pitch, and refin, and filled with brimstone and other combuftible matter, are fent down the wind in the dead of the night into the very bowels of the Spanish fleet! 'Twas the most terrific object ever seen!—the most awful cholic ever felt! Which, when the Don efpies approaching (the whole fea being light with the flame thereof), fuppofing that thofe incendiary veffels, befides the danger of the fire, were also provided of deadly engines and murtherous inventions (fuch as his own heart delighted in, for he had many torturing implements on board), raiseth a pityful cry, "Weigh anchors!" "Cut cables!" "Up fails!" Out oars!" In a terrible panic fear, with great hafte and confufion, all put to fea. Some wear on to the land at Calys, grounding thereon; fome get entangled together and sink, still ftruggling; fome fall foul of the fire-fhips, adding to the mischief in their own conflagration. Others are blown. here and there; up and down, and acrofs the Channel: mere lobbing wracks, for neither fails nor rudders were cared for in the dread terror of that fearful night. All was diforder and fright!

'Twas a vain attempt, though daring enough of the

Spanish Admiral, to venture home round by the North Sea! But when men quit a finking ship they must need float on any stray spar, or go at once to the bottom: and, with a Fear behind 'em, folk heed no precipice!

Wherefore, with a fhattered relic of that great Armado, poor provisions, wounded men, difabled hulks, rent fails, exhausted munitions, they hardly paffed over the Godwin Sands, and fo into the deep, directing their course northward; the English fleet having them still in chase: against which, now and then, they bravely turned, loath to part without an Amen fhot, as who should fay, "I'm not dead yet!"

"No man is valianter by being angry,

But he that could not valiant be without."

fc. III.

UEEN Elizabeth eat a Goofe on St. Michael his

day, and commanded public rejoicings and

prayers and thanksgivings to be used through

out all the Churches of England; She, herfelf, going as it were in triumph, with a very gallant train of noblemen, through the streets of London, the walls hung with blue cloth, the Guilds of the city companies ftanding on both fides, with their banners in goodly order; their faces new fhorn and clean, their best hofen, and here and there a new coat on. Her Majesty

fate in a chariot drawn by two horfes: the like had not

VOL. II.

I

heretofore been seen or attempted. When fhe reached St. Paul's (where the banners taken from the enemy had been skilfully hung forth by Master Camden, to the great delight of Sir Thomas), England-in her perfon-gave thanks humbly to God; listening carefully to a difcreet and orderly fermon, wherein the glory was given to Him only to whom it was clearly due. She repeating to herself at fundry times, after a mechanical fashion, Non nobis, domine! Non nobis, fed tibi !

And there were divers moneys and quoynes ftamped by her Grace's will to commemorate this great victory: to wit, fome of a fleet flying with full fails, with this infcription,

Venit, vidit, fugit!' (thus, you will fee, figging the thrafonical Don in his own vein ;) others in honour of the Queen, with incendiary fhips and a fleet confufed, after a most natural and artificial pattern.

This was infcribed Dux famina facti;' so that her Grace might at least share the glory of fo great a fuccefs, albeit fhe knew and acknowleged God the only author of it. Sir Thomas, you may be fure, got two of these for William's fake; they will be to be feen at Chenies in time to

come.