The State of of the French, who commonly print more Lies, then Truths, in fuch doubtful Times, and not of you, whofe Honour and Wifedome I thought would not bee iuftly touched with fo great Vntruthes and Lies: confidering alwaies, a fmall Time will difcouer Things that are in Facts reported vntruly, and bringeth the Authours to Difcredit and Infamie. There hath been a Speech alfo reported here, to have proceeded from you in France, that hath caufed a great mifliking of you in Scotland: which is, that you fhould in open Affembly, and in a Bravery fay, that the young King of Scots (whom you called in your Language a Boy) had deceived the K. your Mafter: but if the King's Nauie might profper against England, the King of Scots fhould loofe his Crowne: and of this the King of Scots hath been aduertifed out of Fraunce, and vfeth very euill Language of you, which I will not report. But now to leave this Digreffion, and to return to let you know the Truth of the State of the Queene's Nauie this Sommer. The fame was in the Beginning of the Yeere, when the Brute was brought of the Redines of the King's Armada in Lisbone, and of the Armie by Land upon the Sea Coafts in Flanders with their Shipping, deuided into three Companies: the greateft vnder the Charge of Charles L. Haward High Admirall of England, whofe L. Admirall. Father, Grandfather, Vncles, great Vncles, and other of his House, being of the noble House of the Dukes of Norfolke, had alfo bene High Admirals afore him, whereof both Fraunce and Scotland haue had Proofe. L. Haward, L. Henry Sir Frances Another Company were appointed to remaine with the L. Henry Seymour fecond Sonne to the Duke of Somerset that was Protector in King Edward's Time, and Brother to the now Earle of Hartford: and thefe Companies for a Time continued in the narrow Seas betwixt England and Flaunders, vnder the Charge of the faid High Admirall, to attend on the Duke of Parma's Actions. A third Company were armed in the Weft Part of England towards Spaine, vnder the Conduct of Sir Francis Drake, a Man by Name and Fame knowen too too well to all Spaine, and to the Kinge's Indias, and of great Reputation in England: and this was compounded, partly of fome of the Queene's owne Shippes, and partly of the Ships of the Weft Parts. But after that it was certainely vnderftood, that the great Nauie of Spaine was readie to come out from Lisbone, and that the Fame thereof was blowen abroad in Chriftendome to be inuincible, and fo published by Bookes in print, the Queene and all her Counfell, I am fure, (whatfoever good Countenance they made) were not a little perplexed, as looking certainly for a dangerous Fight vpon the Seas, and after that for a Landing and Inuafion. Whereupon the Lord Admirall was commaunded to faile with the greatest Ships, Ships, to the Weft of England towards Spaine to ioyne with Drake, whome he made Vice-Admirall, and to continue in the Seas betwixt France and England, to ftoppe the Landing of the Nauie of Spaine. And with the Lord Admirall went in certaine of the Queene's Ships, the Lord Thomas Haward, fecond Sonne to the laft Duke of L. Tho. Norfolke, and the Lord Sheffeld, Sonne to the Admiral's Sifter, who Haward. is Wife to the Queene's Ambaffadour in France, with a great Num- L. Sheffeld. ber of Knights of great Liuelode: And at that Time the Lord Henry Seymour was left with a great Number of Ships in the narrow Seas, vpon the Coast of Flaunders, to attend on the Duke of Parma. Whileft these two Nauies were thus diuided, I confeffe to you, that I and others of our Part fecretely made a full Accompt, that none of all thefe English Ships durft abide the Sight of the Armada of Spaine, or if they would abide any Fight, yet they should all be fonke at the firft Encounter. For fuch constant Opinion we had conceived by the Reports of the World, that the Greatness and Number of the Ships, and the Army of Spain, being the chofen Veffels of all the King's Dominions, was fo exceffive monftrous, beyond all the Nauies that ever had bene seen in Chriftendome, not excepting the Armada at Lepanto, that no Power could abide in their Way. But how farre deceived we were therein, a very fhort Time, euen the first Day, did manifeftly, to the great Dishonour of Spaine, discouer. For when the Catholique Armie came to the Coast of England, which indeede the English confeffe did feeme farre greater then they looked for, and that they were astonied with the Sight of them, yet the Lord Admiral and Drake having but only fifty of the English Ships out of The Fight of the Haven of Plimmouth, where the reft remained for a new re- the English uitualing, without tarying for the reft of the Nauie that was in Nauie with Plimmouth, they did offer prefent Fight, and furiously pursued the Spanish. the whole Nauie of Spaine, being above 150 Ships: fo as the fame, with the furious and continual Shot of the English one whole Day, fled without any returning. And after, the English Nauie being encreased to an hundred great and fmal, renued their Fight with terrible great Shot all the whole Day, gaining always the Wind of the Spanish Navy. And as I am fory to remember the The flying Particularities, which the English haue largely written to their owne away of the Praife, fo to fpeake all in one Word, for nine Dayes together, Spanish Nauie they ftill forced them to flie, and destroyed, fonke, and tooke in three Daies Fight diuers of the greatest Shippes: out of which, fpecially out of the principall great Ship of Andaluzia, and out of the Admiranta of Guipufque, and thirdly out of the principal great Galliaffe of Naples, great Numbers were brought (befide many moe killed and drowned) to London, and to fundry other Portes of the Realme, to the great Difhonour of Spaine: amongst which Pri G 2 Prifoners were a great Number of Captaines both for Land and Sea. And befides that which deeply blemisheth the Honour of Spaine, and vexeth me at my Heart, to confider the Inequalitie of Fortune, it is vaunted by our Aduerfaries, that in all the Time of thefe The Spaniards Fights fo many Daies, the Spaniards did neuer take or fink any Prifoners fay, English Ship or Boate, or breake any Maft, or tooke any one A Matter that in deede thefe Spaniards which are taken doe maruaile greatly, and chafe thereat: fo as fome of them in their anguish of Minde let not to fay, that in all these Fights Chrift fhewed himself a Lutheran. that Chrift fhewed him felfe a Luthe ran in this Sommer voiage of the Spanish Nauie. God fhewed no fauour to the Spanishe Nauy from the beginning to the ending. Man Prifoner. And though fuch Speeches be vnadvised, and not to be regarded, yet furely it is most manifeft, that in all this Voiage from the comming of the Nauie out of Lisbon euen to this Houre, God did fhew no fauour to ours any one Day, as he did continually to these Lutherans: which percase may be done for our good to correct vs, as putting our truft wholy in our worldly Strength, and to the Confufion hereafter of the Lutherans, by puffing them vp, being his Enemies, with Profperitie for a Time, to be afterwardes the Cause of their Ruine. And amongest other things reported to the difhonour of the Duke of Medina, who, it is faid, was lodged in the bottome of his Ship for his Safetie, and to a great touch to the Commaunders of the Spanish Nauie, that they neuer would turne their Shippes, nor ftay them, to defend any of their owne Shippes. that were forced. to tary behind, but fuffered diuers to perifh: as Don Pedro de are good Witneffes therof the three great Veffels. One wherein. Valdez, Cap- Don Pedro de Valdez was taken: another Galleon of Guipufque that of the Armada was fpoyled with Fire: and the noble Galliaffe wherein Hugo de. of Andaluzia. Moncada was flaine: of which lack of Care by the Duke of MediHugo de Mon- na, thefe Spaniards that are taken geue very euill Report. The like cada, Generall is faide in Zeland by the Spaniardes there, that were faued with Diego fes of Naples. de Pimentelli, though the Galleon wherein he was, being beaten. Diego de Pi- with the English Shot, and not fuccoured by the Nauie of Spaine, mentelli, Cap- did there perish in their comming to Flushing, and fo did another likewife perifh for lacke of Succour before Oftend. taine Generall of the Galliaf taine of the Galleon named S. Matthew. And now I must needes thinke that you are ftricken with fome Grief of Mind, or rather with fome Anger towards me, to heare from me fo much of thofe aduerfe Things, although they are too. true: and therefore I also imagine you may be defirous, for your better Contentation, to vnderftand what Opinions we that are here haue, being thus fruftrate of our expected Deliverie, by the Defeat. of this Enterprise: whether we do comfort our felues with a Conceit that this Action may be, by any Probabilitie, once againe renewed this next Yeere, for the Recouerie of our loft Hope this Yeere, famously spoken of by the Nomber of 88. and fo verified to the Loffe next Yeare to of all Catholiques. Wherein furely for our owne partes, as by fecret Conference I finde with many with whom I haue fecretly of late A Confideration what may be done the renew this Action. vpon vpon this vnfortunat Accident conferred, we cannot iudge of any likelihood of good Succeffe for any long Time: and if there fhould any be hoped for, furely the Sea-Forces of the King Catholique, muft of neceffitie be more increased, and better alfo be gouerned then they were this Yeare. For this we here do confider that this Enterprise of Inuafion and Conqueft, was alwaies principally grounded vpon many probable Opinions of the euil State of the Realme. Firft, of the weaknes of the English Nauie: for fo you know you were diuers waies this laft Yeare aduertifed from hence, and The 3. hopes fo alfo many of vs here did conceive the fame: wherein we gainft Enfee by all this Yeare's Seruice with these Ships, we did all notably erre. Next, of a fuppofed euill Contentment of a Nomber of People in this Land to ferue the Queene, and her Gouernment, against her Enemies. Laftly, and moft principally, of a great ftrong Partie that would be found here in the fauour of vs for the Catholique Religion, that fhould take Armes against the Queene vpon the firft fight of the Catholique Nauy on the Coafts of England. Of all which Opinions, fettled in good Men's Minds in manner of Iudgements, we know that none in the World did more conftantly affure the King thereof then you which, as the Matters haue euill fucceeded, may, I fear, bring you in daunger of his Indignation, although I know you meant uery well therein. And as these three Opinions have all fayled this Yeere, fo I affure you, though fome of ours on that fide the Seas may perfift in their former Opinions against the Experience lately fene (as it is likely they may be forced to do, to maintaine themfelues in Credit, for continuing their neceffarie Relief from the Pope, and the King, hauing no other means to keepe them from Steruing or Begging) yet because I would not haue you further deceaued by them, who haue not bene present in the Realme to fee fuch contrary Proofes against all their Conceits, as I and others haue done: I will fhew you a great Nomber of manifeft Arguments, though I am fory at my Hart to remember them, whereby you in your Wifedome (if you be not blinded by others) fhall fee it moft certain, that these former Opinions, for Comfort to be had from hence, will proue the next Yeare as strong against vs, and in fome part more ftrong then they proued this Yeare, if any accompt fhould be made thereof. First, for the Nauie of England, which hath this Yeare to the fight of the World proued to be of great Force and Value, for thofe Seas, and able to ouermatch in their manner of Fight, double to their Nomber, of the great Gallions, Carikes, Galliaffes, or Gallies, it is certain that it will be greatly increased this next Yeare. For I know, that within these few Dayes, Bargaines are already made, and Imprest of Money deliuered, and certaine fent into the Eflands I conceiued a gland, are now all fruftrated. 2 3 The Englihe Estlands, for great Store of all Maritime Prouifions. And as for Nauie will be the increafe of the Nomber of good Shippes for the Queene's proftronger the next Yeare. Offer of Hol. per vfe, there is already a great quantitie of Timber ready, and Order geuen to fell more in Nouember, and December next, in the Countries neare both to the Sea, and to Thames, to build a Nomber of Shippes of Warre, equal to these whofe Service was feene this Yeare to haue ouermatched the great Armadas and Caftels of Spaine and Italy. And furthermore, to ioyne with the Nauie of England this Yeare following, not onely the Hollanders and Zelanders, but alfo Shipes of Denmarke, and others partes of Eftland, will certeinly be had in great Nombers, whereof there was none at all required this Yeare paft to ioyne with the Nauie of England. Onely Certain Hollanders, and Zelanders offred their Seruice, according as they are bound, in the end of this Sommer, fince the Conflict neare Callice, to ioyne with fome of the English Nauie in the narrow Seas, to defend the iffuing of the Duke of Parma out of the Portes of Flaunders: and in that Seruice, at this Time there are aboue fortie and fixe good Shippes of Warre, with the Vice AdJuftinian Naf- mirall Iuftinian of Naffau: a Man that agreeth too well with the fau Admirall English Nation, and is a fworne Enemy to all Spaniards, and Caof Holland tholiques and as it is reported for certaine, there are lx. more comwith 46 Ships ming out of North Holland to the Seas, for the fame purpose: fo ed to theng- as it is to be doubted, that this Realme, this next Yeare, will be double as ftrong as it was this last Yeare. landers and Zelanders, to joyne with the English Nauie. lith Nauie, against the D. of Parma. to proue no mifcontentement of the People towardes the Queene. As to the fecond Branch of our Hope, depending vpon Opinion of fome great Miscontentment of sundry Perfons against the Queene, Argumentes the proofe of the contrary fo appeared this Yeare, both of her Actions to mainteine the liking of all her People, and of the generall earnest Deuotion fhewed to her by all Eftates, Noble and Meane, Rich and Poore, as I thinke no Prince chriftened euer had greater cause of Comfort in her People, which I may iudge to breede a Pride in her. And to recompence the fame fhe did moft notably fhew her felfe in this Time, euen when moft Danger was threatened, in all her Actions towards her People, as carefull for their Weale, and for the Safetie of her Realme, without any fpeciall or particular Prouifion, or Regard to her owne Perfon, as euer any Prince could doe. First to let her People vnderstand what Care dence of the fhe had to make her Realme ftrong against Inuafion, fhe poliQueene to tikely, yea most carefully, by her owne frequent Directions, caufed make her Realme her whole Realme to be put in Armes, fhe tooke accompt thereof ftrong. her felfe by monethly Certificat from fuch as were made her Lieutenants in euery Shire of her Realme: fhe caufed Armour, Powder, Weapon, to be fent to all Countries, and Ordinance to all Maritime Countries there were also fundry Armies defcribed, to defend euery Coast of the Sea and as I heard it reported by fome that did know the Secrets of the Court, was importunate with her Coun The Proui fell |