of the Iesuites that more care and choice be had of such English men as are hereafter to be sent into England and not to send euery yong man that hath more boldnesse then learning and temperance for such a function In the former part of this my declaration to you of the vniuersall concurrence of all men of value wealth and strength in the body of the Realme to serue and defend the Quéene the Realme I forgot to report vnto you the great numbers of Ships of the subiectes of the Realme as of London and other port townes and cities that voluntarily this yeare were armed able to make a full Nauie of themselues for an armie all at the proper costes of the Burgesses for certain moneths with men victuall and munition which did ioyne with the Quéenes owne Nauie all this Sommer a thing neuer in any former age heard of otherwise then that such ships were alwayes hired waged victualled by the Kings of the Realme which argued to the griefe of me and some others a most vehement and vnaccustomed affection deuotion in the Cities and port townes such as they shewed them selues therein ready to fight as it had bene pro aris focis Of the number and strength of the Quéenes owne ships of warre I thinke you haue bene sufficiently enfourmed many times heretofore But yet I will make you a true report of the state of them this present Sommer what I haue credibly heard thereof because I haue bene very sory to heare how you others haue bene therein abused and that not onely in this matter of the Quéenes ships but in some other things also of late whereof some part hath bene here by very many maliciously and in common spéeches imputed to your owne inuention and publication whereof in a few wordes I will make some digression before I shall shewe the estate of the Quéenes Nauie In this Sommer past there was Printed in Paris by your direction as it was reported a notable vntruth which I did sée reade that the King of Scots had besieged Barwicke and had won it by assault and possessed it quietly whereof no part was true nor any cause to imagine the same though I wish it had so bene but not for any good will that I now beare to that King but for the trouble to this Quéene For in truth there is no good for vs to be hoped for from the King of Scots howsoeuer the Scottish Bishops in France haue sought to make you beléeue otherwise who is so rooted in the Caluinists Religion as there is neuer hope that he can be recouered to the church of Rome and so I thinke you are of late duely enfourmed and by his violent actions against diuers Catholiques against all that fauour the Spaniards may certainly appeare And likewise another great vntruth was lately Printed as your enemies say by your direction also in Paris that now in Iuly last when the Spanish Fléete and English had met and fought betwixt France and England the Spaniards had then a great victorie wherein they had sonke the Lord Admirall of England with sixtéene of the Quéenes great ships into the bottome of the Seas and that all the rest were driuen to flie with the Uice admirall Frances Drake Upon these two so notable vntruthes which the Aduersaries spitefully called Don Bernardin Mendozas mendacia many who honour you were right sory that you should giue so hastie credite to publish the same as your enemies say you did though I haue to my power for cléering of you honour giuen it out that these and such like haue procéeded of the lightnes of the Frēch who cōmonly Print more lies then truths in such doubtfull times and not of you whose honour and wisedome I thought would not be iustly touched with so great vntruthes and lies considering alwayes a small time will discouer things that are in facts reported vntruly and bringeth the Authours to discredit and infamy There hath béene a spéech also reported here to haue procéeded from you in France that hath caused a great misliking of you in Scotland which is that you should in open assembly and in a brauery say that the young King of Scots whom you called in your language a boy had deceiued the King your master but if the Kings Nauy might prosper against England the King of Scots should loose his Crowne and of this the King of Scots hath bene aduertised out of France and vseth very euill language of you which I will not report But now to leaue this digression and to returne to let you know the truth of the state of the Quéens Nauy this Sommer The same was in the beginning of the yeare when the brute was brought of the readines of the Kings Armada in Lisbone and of the Army by land vpon the Sea coasts in Flanders with their shipping deuided into thrée companies the greatest vnder the charge of Charles L. Haward high Admirall of England whose father grandfather vncles great vncles and others of his house being of the noble house of the Dukes of Norfolke had also bene high Admirals afore him wherof both France and Scotland haue had proofe An other company were appointed to remaine with the L. Henry Seymour second son to the Duke of Somerset that was Protector in King Edwards time brother to the now Earle of Hartfort and these companies for a time continued in the Narrow seas betwixt England and Flanders vnder the charge of the said high Admirall to attend on the Duke of Parmas Actions A third company were armed in the West part of England towards Spaine vnder the conduct of Sir Francis Drake a man by name and fame knowne too too well to all Spaine and to the Kings Indias and of great reputation in England and this was compounded partly of some of the Quéenes owne ships and partly of the ships of the West parts But after that it was certainely vnderstood that the great Nauy of Spaine was ready to come out from Lisbone and that the fame therof was blowne abroad in Christendome to be inuincible and so published by bookes in print the Quéene and all her Counsel I am sure whatsoeuer good countenance they made were not a little perplexed as looking certainely for a daungerous fight vpon the Seas and after that for a landing and Inuasion Whereupon the Lord Admirall was commaunded to saile with the greatest ships to the West of England towardes Spaine to ioyne with Drake whom he made Viceadmiral to continue in the seas betwixt France and England to stop the landing of the Nauy of Spaine And with the Lord Admirall went in certaine of the Quéens ships the Lord Thomas Haward second sonne to the last Duke of Norfolke and the Lord Sheffeld sonne to the Admirals sister who is wife to the Quéenes Ambassadour in France with a great number of Knights of great liuelode And at that time
THE COPIE OF A LETTER SENT OVT OF ENGLAND TO DON BERNARDIN MENDOZA AMBASSADOVR IN FRANCE FOR the King of Spaine declaring the state of England contrary to the opinion of Don Bernardin and of all his partizans Spaniardes and others This Letter although it was sent to Don Bernardin Mendoza yet by good hap the Copies therof aswell in English as in French were found in the chamber of one Richard Leigh a Seminarie Priest who was lately executed for high treason committed in the time that the Spanish Armada was on the seas Whereunto are adioyned certaine late Aduertisements concerning the losses and distresses happened to the Spanish Nauie aswell in fight with the English Nauie in the narrow seas of England as also by tempests and contrarie winds vpon the West and North coasts of Ireland in their returne from the Northerne Isles beyond Scotland Imprinted at London by I. Vautrollier for Richard Field 1588. THE COPIE OF A LETTER SENT OVT OF ENGLAND TO DON BERNARDINE MENDOZA AMBASSADOVR IN FRANCE FOR THE KING OF SPAINE MY Lord Ambassadour though at the time of my last large writing to you of the state of this countrey of our long desired expectation of succours promised I did not thinke to haue had such a sorrowfull occasion of any second writing as nowe I haue of a lamentable change of matters of estate here yet I can not forbeare though it be with as many sighs as liues to aduertise you of the truth of our miserable condition as now to me others of our partie the same appeareth to be that by comparing of all things past in hope with the present nowe in despaire your L. who haue had the principall managing hitherto of all our causes of long time both here there in France betwixt the King Catholique assisted with the Potentates of the holy League all our countrimen which haue professed obedience to the Church of Rome may now fall into some new better consideration how our state both for our selues at home and our brethren abroade now at this present fallen as it were into vtter despaire may be reuiued restored to some new hope with better assurance of successe then hath happened hitherto For which purpose I haue thought it necessary to aduertise you in what termes this countrey now standeth farre otherwise then of late both we at home and others abroad did make accompt of You know how we haue depended in firme hope of a change of the state of this countrey by the meanes of the deuout and earnest incitations of the Popes holines and the King Catholique and of other Potentates of the holy League to take vpon them the Inuasion and conquest of this Realme and by your assurances and firme promises we were now of a long season past perswaded that the King Catholique had taken vpon him the same glorious Act and thereof from yeare to yeare we looked for the execution being continually fed and nourished from you to continue our hope and sundrie times solicited by your earnest requests and perswasions to encourage our partie at home not to wauer as many were disposed by sight of continuall delaies but to be ready to ioyne with the outward forces that should come for this Inuasion Neuerthelesse the delayes and prolongations of times appointed for the comming of the Kings forces specially by Sea haue bene so manie as vntill this last Spring we were in despaire at what time you aduertised vs with great assurance that al the Kings preparations which had bene in making readie these thrée or foure yeares together were now in full perfection and without faile would this Sommer come into our Seas with such mightie strength as no Nauie of England or of Christendome could resist or abide their force and for more suretie and for auoiding of all doubts to make the intended conquest sure the same should also haue ioyned to it the mightie Army which the Duke of Parma had made readie and kept in readinesse in the low countries all this yeare past wherewith he should land and so both by Sea and land this Realme should be inuaded and a spéedie conquest made thereof to the which were alwaies added sundry reasons whereupon was gathered that neither by sea nor by land there would be any great resistance found here but a strong party in this Realme to ioyne with the forreine force For otherwise then with such helps to be assuredly had from hence I know it was alwaies doubted that no forreine force could preuaile against this realme being as it is enuironed by sea and notably replenished with more mightie and stronger people then any country in Christendome But with the hope of the landing of these great Armies and our assistance in taking part we here continued all this yeare past in assured hope of a full victorie vntill this last moneth But alas and with a deadly sorrow we must all at home and abroad lament our sudden fall from an immeasurable high ioy to an vnmeasurable déepe despaire and that so hastilie fallen out as I may say we haue séene in the space of eight or nine dayes in this last moneth of Iuly which was from the apparance of the Catholique great Nauie vpon the coast of England vntill it was forced to flie from the coast of Flanders neare Callice towardes the vnknowen parts of the cold North all our hopes all our buildings as it now appeareth but vpon an imagined conquest vtterly ouerthrowen and as it were with an earthquake all our castles of comfort brought to the ground which now it séemeth were builded but in the aire or vpon waues of the sea for they are all perished all vanished away from our thoughtes And here with I am astonished what I may best thinke of such a worke so long time in framing to be so suddenly ouerthrown as by no reason could procéed of man or of any earthly power but only of God And if so it be as no body can otherwise impute this late change fall from our expected fortune but to God almighty then surely our case is either dangerous or doubtfull how to iudge thereof whether we haue bene these many yeares in the right or not For I do find and know that many good and wise men which of long time haue secretly continued in most earnest deuotion to the Popes authoritie begin now to stagger in their mindes and to conceiue that this way of reformation intended by the Popes holines is not allowable in the sight of God by leauing the auncient course of the Church by Excommunication which was the exercise of the spirituall sword and in place thereof to take the temporall sword and put it into a Monarches hand to inuade this realme with force and Armes yea to destroy the Quéene thereof and all her people addicted to her which are in very truth now féene by great proofe this yeare to be in a sort infinite and
mine owne knowledge but I haue heard it reported when I was gréeued to thinke the same to be so true that there was through England no quarter East West North and South but all concurred in one mynde to be in readines to serue for the Realme and that some one countrie was able to make a sufficient Armie of twentie thousand men fit to fight and fiftéene thousand of them well armed weaponed and in some countries the number of fortie thousand able men The maritime Countries from Cornewall all along the Southside of England to Kent and from Kent Eastward by Essex Suffolk and Norfolk to Lincolnshire which Countries with their Hauens were well described vnto you in perfect Plots when Francis Throgmorton first did treat with your Lordship about the same were so furnished of men of warre both of themselues with resort of aide from their next shires as there was no place to be doubted for landing of any forrein forces but there were within eight and fortie houres to come to the place aboue twentie thousand fighting mē on horsebacke and on foote with field ordinance victuals pioners and cariages and all those gouerned by the principal Noble men of the Countries and reduced vnder Captaines of knowledge And one thing I heard of that was very politikely ordered and executed at this time as of many late yeares was not vsed that as the Leaders officers of the particuler Bāds were men of experience in the warres so to make the Bands strong and constant choise was made of the principall Knights of all Countries to bring their renantes to the field being men of strength landed of wealth whereby all the forces of compounded were of a resolute disposition to sticke to their Lords and Chieftaines the Chieftaines to trust to their owne tenants And to remember one strāge spéech that I heard spoken may be marueiled at but it was auowed to me for a truth that one Gentlemā in Kent had a Band of one hundred fiftie footmen which were worth in goods aboue one hundred fiftie thousand pounds sterling besides their lands such men would fight stoutely before they would haue lost their goods and by likelihood at this time many other Bands were made of such principall men both of wealth and strength Of these thinges I am sory to haue cause to write in this sort because you may see how heretofore you haue bene deceiued with aduertisemēts of many which had no proofe to know the truth thereof and so I confesse my selfe in some thinges to haue erred namely in imagining that whēsoeuer any forreine power should be séene ready to land in any part of this Realme there would haue bene found but a small number resolute to withstand the same or to defend the Quéene but that the same would haue bene very vnable for the warres vntrained raw and ignorant in all warlike actions without sufficient armour and weapons and that also the Noble men and Gentlemē that were in this Realme of our Religion whereof you know we made accōpt when you were here in England of very many although many of thē be dead since that time but at this time there are not so many tens as we accompted hundreds whom we thought would haue shewed them selues like men of courage for our common cause and would haue sodenly surprised the houses families and strength of the heretiques and aduersaries But now such is our calamitie that it hath pleased God as I thinke for our sinnes or els for confounding of our bold opinions and presumptions of our owne strength to put in the hearts of all persons here one like mynde courage to withstand the intended Inuasion as well in such as we accompted Catholiques as also in the Heretiques so as it hath appeared manifestly that for all earnest procéeding for arming and for contributions of money and for all other warlike actions there was no difference to be séene betwixt the Catholique and the heretique But in this case to withstand the threatned conquest yea to defend the person of the Quéene there appeared such a sympathie concourse and consent of all sortes of persons without respect of Religion as they all appeared to be ready to fight against all strangers as it were with one heart and one body And though some few principall Gentlemen of whom heretofore you haue had the names in such Catalogues of Catholiques as you haue bene acquainted withall werelately vpon the report of the comming out of the Armie to the seas sent to the Isle of Ely there to remaine restrained of their former libertie during the expectation of this intended Inuasion yet it hath appeared that they were not so restrained for any doubt that they would with their powers haue assisted our Army but onely thereby to make it knowen to all our friends and countrimen in Spaine and Flaunders yea euen to your selfe for so I heard it spoken as accompting you to haue bene the most principall Author and perswader of this action that there should be no hope to haue any of them or of their fréends to assist these great Armies And in very truth I see now whosoeuer of our fréends in Spaine or in Flaunders or els where made any such accompt of any aide against the Quéene or against her partie here they should haue bene deceaued if the Army had offered to haue landed For I my selfe haue heard that the best of those that were sent to Elie did make offers yea by their letters to the Counsell here signed with their hands that they would aduenture their liues in defence of the Quéene whom they named their vndoubted Soueraigne Lady and Queene against all forrein forces though the same were sent from the Pope or by his commandement Yea diuers of them did offer that in this quarell of inuading of the Realme with strangers they would present their owne bodies in the formost rankes with their countrie men against all strangers Whereupon I heard also by a secrete friende of mine in the Court that it was once in some towardnes of resolution amongst the Counsellers that they should haue bene returned and put to their former libertie But the heate of the warre being kindled with the knowledge of the Kings Armada being at that time come to the Groigne and the Duke of Parmas readines with so great an Armie and shipping in Flaunders daily looked for to land in England yea to come to London and a generall murmur of the people against all such Recusants of reputation was the cause of the staying of these Gentlemen at Elie notwithstanding their offers of their seruice to the Quéene and so they doe remaine in the Bishops pallace there with fruition of large walkes about the same altogether without any imprisonment other then that they are not suffred to depart into the towne or countrey and yet for their religion I thinke surely they doe and will remaine
William Cecil of Edward Darcy Arthure Gorge and such others with the rehearsall of whom I do not comfort my selfe but only to shew you how farre we haue bene deceiued to thinke that we should haue had a partie here for vs when as we sée both by land and Sea all sorts of men were so readie of their owne charges without either commandement or entertainement to aduenture their liues in defence of the Quéene and the Realme And for the Earle of Huntingtons forces being Lieutenant Generall in the North it is reported that he hath put in readines for an Armie in Yorkshire and other Countries commonly limited to serue against Scotland to the number of fortie thousand well armed footemen and neare hand ten thousand horsemen to come to him if any occasion of Inuasion should be in the North partes to whom are ioyned with their forces thrée Lordes in the North the Lord Scroop Lord Darcy and Lord Euers There are also diuers other Lordes that are Lieutenants of Countries that haue in readinesse of their proper charges good numbers of horsemen As the Earle of Kent Lieutenant of Bedfordshire the L. Hunsdon Lord Chamberlaine Lieutenant of Norfolk and Suffolk the Lord Cobham Lieutenant of Kent the Lord Gray of Buckinghamshire the Lord North of Cambridgeshire Lord Chandos of Glocestershire Lord S. Iohn of Huntingtonshire Lord Buckhurst of Sussex and so by this particuler recital not vnméet for your knowledge it is to be noted what disposition the Nobilitie of the Realme had at this time to haue withstood all Inuasion And if percase you shall peruse your ordinary Catalogue of the grrat Lordes of the Realme you shal find that these are the substance of all the great Lords sauing thrée young Earles within age Rutland Southhampton and Bedford all thrée brought vp in peruerse religion And so remaineth to be spoken of the Earle of Arundel who is in the Tower for attempting to haue fled out of the Realme by prouocation of him that now is Cardinall Allen who howsoeuer he may be affected to the Catholique religion yet I heare most certainly that he offereth his life in defence of the Quéene against all the world And where accompt was made to haue a partie in this Realme which by these former relations appeare could not be possible the whole Nobilitie being assured to the Quéene and the force of the people not violently bent that way In this very time was offered to the Quéene as great a partie for her to come to her seruice and defence of the Realme as out of all Christendome she could not haue to all respects a stronger Which was the King of Scots who hearing of the intended Inuasion of the Realme sent a Gentlemā to the Quéene with his letter as I credibly heard to offer her all the power that he had to defend her her Realme and if she so would he would come in his owne person and hazard his owne life to defend this Realme against all Inuaders for Religion or any other pretence whatsoeuer So by this you may sée what accompt may be made of any vayne promises made in the name of this King And because you shall perceiue that I haue good meanes to haue intelligence of any other forces of the Realme for defence thereof it is most certaine as I heare and I haue séene a List or Rol of a great number both of horsemen and footmen which the Bishops of the Realme haue of their owne charges with the cōtribution of the Clergy raised vp in Bandes of horsemen and footmen which are to be led by Noble Gentlemen at the Quéenes nomination and these Bandes must be vaynely termed Milites Sacri As to the last point of the thrée foundations of the principal hope conceiued whereupon the Inuasion was chiefly grounded and taken in hand which was most certainly and generally beléeued that there should be found here in the Realme a strong partie of Catholiques against the Quéene to ioyne and assist the Inuaders vpō the appearing of the Spanish Nauie by my former relations of the generall great feruent loue of the people towardes the Quéene and of the great offers of seruice now made by the whole Nobilitie of the Realme this their foundation may appeare to haue bene wrong laied onely by imaginations as it were vpon a quick sand or rather as flying in the aire And yet it appeareth very truely that no small accompt was made hereof by the King of Spaine and by his principall Ministers for there is nothing at this present more vniuersally with one lamentable voyce spoken of by all the multitude of the Spaniardes now here prisoners yea by the chiefest of them then that they now euidently sée that the King their Maister was with such informatiōs greatly abused yea rather betrayed For they say there was no mā of value in all this Army but he heard it constantly affirmed and so deliuered for comfort of all that serued therein before they were shipped that they should not be afrayed of any resistance to land in England for that there was good assurance geuen to the King that they should finde a strong Armie of Catholiques ready in their fauour assoone as euer their Nauie should be séene vpon the Sea coast so they all here say they were incouraged to come to this iourney otherwise many of them sweare they would neuer haue come on shipbord so vnlikely they say it was and against all reason to Inuade a Realme with opinion to conquere it without both some title of right and a partie also but specially without a good sure partie And therefore now finding this report very false many of these prisoners do by name curse you as being the Kinges Ambassadour as him they say who vpon the opinion of the knowledge which you had gotten in England was therein more credited then any other and had these many yeares together tempted the King their Maister vpon hope and other such like perswasions to attempt such a matter as this was being vtterly in all wisedome to haue bene condemned without some certaintie of this latter part specially to haue had a strong partie here They also curse all such Englishmen as haue fled out of this Countrie whom they spare not to call arrant Traitors for offring the sale of their Countrie to the Pope and the King of Spaine And these prisoners adde also that they were borne in hand that this Countrie was so open to march in and so weake to withstand any force and the people so miserable as they thought the Conquest thereof had bene of no more difficulty then the ouercomming of a nomber of naked Indians was at the beginning of the Conquest thereof by King Ferdinand And now for strength of this countrie and people many of these prisoners hauing bene brought from the Sea coastes hether to
me therto and that I had made choice of a friend of mine who had more knowledge in the French tong then I to turne the same into French my mishap was that when he had done some part thereof he fell sicke of a burning feuer whereby my letter remained with him vpon hope of recouery for tenne or twelue daies and séeing no hope thereof I entreated another very trustie a sound Catholique hauing perfect knowledge in the French tong who tooke vpon him to put it into French wherein was also longer time spent so as my letter being written in the midst of August I am forced to end it in September And thereupon I thought good whiles my former letter was in translating to adde some things happened in the meanetime méet for your knowledge About the seuenth of August the Lord Admirall returned with the Nauie hauing followed the Spanish Nauie as they reported as farre as the 55. degrée Northwards the Spanish Nauie taking a course either to the furthest partes of Norwey or to the Orcades beyond Scotland which if they did then it was here iudged that they would goe about Scotland and Ireland but if they should go to Norwey then it might be that if they could recouer prouisions of mastes whereof the English Nauy had made great spoile they might returne But I for my part wished them a prosperous winde to passe home about Ireland considering I despaired of their returne for many respects both of their wants which could not be furnished in Norwey and of the lacke of the Duke of Parmas abilitie to bring his Armie on the Sea for want of Mariners Neuertheles vpon knowledge from Scotland that they were beyond the Orcades and that the King of Scots had giuen strict commandement vpon all the sea coastes that the Spaniardes should not be suffered to land in any part but that the English might land and be reléeued of any wants order was giuen to discharge all the Nauie sauing twentie ships that were vnder the Lord Henry Seymours charge to attend Spaniardes Upon these shewes great reioycing followed And as in Iune and Iuly past all Churches were filled daily with people exercised with praiers and shewes of repentance and petitions to God for defence against their enemies and in many Churches continually thrice in the wéeke exercises of prayers Sermons fastings all the day long from morning to euening with great admiration to sée such generall deuotion which I and others did iudge to procéede more of feare then of deuotion so now since the English Nauy is returned and the Spanish Nauie defeated and intelligence brought of the disorders in Flaunders of the discentions betwixt the Spaniards and the other souldiers of the contempt of the Duke of Parma by the Spaniards being thereto maintained by a Duke called the Duke of Pastraw the King Catholiques bastard and of the departure and running away of the Dukes Mariners here is a like cōcourse of the people to Sermons in all Churches wherein is remembred the great goodnes of God towards England by the deliuery therof from the threatned Conquest praiers also publikely to giue thankes to God for the same At London this of September 1588. The Printer to the Reader ALthough it be well known that neither the first writer of these Letters nowe by me printed nor yet the Spaniard Don Bernardin to whome they are directed had any desire to heare of any good successe to the state of England as may appeare in the writer by shewing himselfe grieued to make any good report of England other then of meere necessitie he was vrged and in Don Bernardin who was so impudent or at the least so blindly rash as to disperse in print both in French Italian and Spanish most false reports of a victorie had by the Spaniards euen when the victorie was notable on the part of England and the Spanish vanquished yet whilest I was occupied in the printing hereof a good time after the letters were sent into Fraunce there came to this Citie certaine knowledge to all our great comfort of sundrie happie Accidents to the diminution of our mortall enemies in their famous Fleete that was driuen out of our seas about the stla of Iuly towards the farthermost North partes of Scotland Wherfore I haue thought it not amisse to ioine the same to this Lettre of Don Bernardin that he may beware not to be so hastie of himselfe nor yet to permit one Capella who is his common sower of reports to write these false things for truthes The particularities wherof are these The Fleete was by tempest driuen beyond the Isles of Orknay about the first of August which is now more then sixe weekes past the place being aboue three score degrees from the North Pole an vnaccustomed place for the yong Gallants of Spaine that neuer had felt stormes on the sea or cold weather in August And about those North Islands their mariners and souldiers died daily by multiutdes as by their bodies cast on land did appeare And after twentie dayes or more hauing spent their time in miseries they being desirous to returne home to Spaine sayled very farre Southwestward into the Ocean to recouer Spaine But the Almightie God who alwayes auengeth the cause of his afflicted people which put their confidence in him and bringeth downe his enemies that exalt themselues with pride to the heauens ordred the winds to be so violently contrarious to this proud Nauie as it was with force disseuered on the high seas West vpon Ireland and so a great number of them driuen into sundrie dangerous bayes and vpon rockes all along the West and North parts of Ireland in sundrie places distant aboue an hundred miles asunder there cast away some sonke some broken some runne on sands some burned by the Spaniards themselues As in the North part of Ireland towardes Scotland betwixt the two riuers of Loughfoile and Lough Svvilley nine were driuen to land and many of them broken and the Spaniardes forced to come to land for succour amongst the wilde Irish. In another place twentie miles Southwest from thence in a Bay called Calbeggy three other ships driuen also vpon rockes In another place Southward being a Bay called the Borreys twentie miles North from Gallowey belonging to the Erle of Ormond one speciall great ship of a thousand tonne with fiftie brasse peeces and foure Canons was sonke and all the people drowned sauing sixteene who by their apparell as it is aduertised out of Ireland seeme to be persons of great estimation Then to come more to the Sowthward thirty miles vppon the coasts of Thomond North from the riuer of Shennan two or three mo perished whereof one was burned by the Spaniards them selues and so driuen to the shore an other was of S. Sebastians wherein were three hundred men who were also all drowned sauing three score A third ship with all her lading was cast away at a place called Breckan In
inuincible so as some begin to say that this purpose by violence by blood by slaughter by conquest agréeth not with Christes doctrine nor the doctrine of S. Peter or S. Paule And to tell your Lordship truly I finde presently a great number of wise and deuout people though they continue in their former religion yet do they secretely condemne this intended reformation by blood and force Insomuch that I heard a good diuine alledge a textout of S. Gregorie in these words Quid de Episcopis qui verberibus timeri volunt Canones dicunt benè paternitas vestra nouit pastores sumus nō percussores Noua enim est predicatio quae verberibus exigit fidem This sentence I obtained of him because it séemeth to be charitably written But leauing this authoritie among Doctors I must néedes say that in very trueth no one thing hath done at this time more hurt to the action then the vntimely hasty publishing abroad in this Realme before this Armie of Spaine was readie to come foorth to the seas of sundrie things written and put in Print sent into this realme to notifie to the people that all the Realme should be inuaded and conquered that the Quéene should be destroied al the Nobilitie men of reputation of honour and wealth that did obey her and would defend her or that would withstand the Inuasion should be with all their families rooted out and their places their honours their houses and landes bestowed vpon the conquerers things vniuersally so odiously taken as the harts of all sorts of people were enflamed some with ire some with feare but all sortes almost without exception resolued to venture their liues for the withstanding of all maner of conquest wherewith euery body can say this Realme was not threatned these fiue hundreth yeares and more These reports were brought to this realme with good credit not in secret but in publique writings printings and tooke déepe roote in all kind of people of this land and in déede was of the more credit first by reason of a new Bull lately published at Rome by the Popes holines which I haue séene with more seueritie then other of his predecessours whereby the Quéene here was accursed and pronounced to be depriued of her Crowne the Inuasion and conquest of the Realme committed by the Pope to y e King Catholique to execute the same with his armies both by sea and land and to take the Crowne to him selfe or to limit it to such a Potentate as the Pope he should name And secondly there followed a large explanation of this Bull by sending hither a number of English bookes printed in Antwerp euen when the Nauy of Spaine was daily looked for the originall whereof was written by the reuerend father Cardinall Allen in Aprill last called in his owne writing the Cardinall of England which booke was so violently sharply and bitterly written yea say the Aduersaries so arrogantly falsly and slaunderously against the person of the Quéene against her father King Henrie the eight against all her Nobilitie and Counsell as in very truth I was heartily sory to perceiue so many good men of our owne religion offended therewith in that there should be found in one accompted a father of the Church who was also a borne subiect of this crowne though by the Aduersaries reported to be very basely borne such foule vile irreuerent and violent spéeches such ireful and bloody threatnings of a Quéene of a Nobilitie yea of the whole people of his owne nation Sory and most sory I am to report the generall cuill conceipt of these vnordinate and vnaduised procéedings of this Cardinall of whose rash choise to such a place the world speaketh strangely as though he came to it through corruption of the Popes sister without liking of the Colledge of Cardinals where otherwise the blessed intention of our holy Father and the desire also of the said Cardinall might without such fatall bloody premonitions and threatnings of future Inuasions and conquests by the Catholique Kings noble forces haue taken better place There was also to adde the more credite to these terrible prognostications such kind of other bookes printed in Spaine and translated into French as it is said by your Lorship containing particular long descriptions and catalogues of Armadas of Castile of Andaluzia of Biscaye of Guipusque of Portingall of Naples of Sicil of Ragusa and other Countries of the Leuant with a masse of all kinde of prouisions beyond measure for the said Armadas sufficient in estimation to be able to make conquest of many kingdomes or countries And one great Argument is published by the Aduersaries to stirre vp the mindes of the Nobilitie of England against the Spaniards which is very maliciously inuented to shew the intention of the conquest not only of England but of the whole Isle of Britaine mouing all men specially to marke by the descriptiō of the Armada that there are specially named such a number of Noblemen as Princes Marquises Condes and Dons that are called Aduenturers without any office or pay such another number also of men with great titles of honour and many of them named Captaines and Alferez without office but yet in sold and therefore called Entertenidos as all those being for no seruice in the Armada may be wel presumed say they to haue come to haue possessed the roomes of all the Noblemen in England and Scotland and this fiction hath taken more place then it is worth And though these armies were in déede excéeding great and mightie yet they were so amplified beyond all measure in these bookes as in no preparation of Christendome in former times against the Sarracins or Turks could be greater By this meanes this Queene and her realme being thus forewarned and terrified tooke occasion with the aide of her people being not onely firmely as she was perswaded deuoted to her but throughly irritated to stirre vp their whole forces for their defence against such prognosticated conquests as in a very short time all her whole Realme and euery corner were spéedily furnished with armed people on horsebacke and on foote and those continually trained exercised and put into Bands in warlike maner as in no age euer was before in this Realme Here was no sparing of money to prouide horse armour weapon powder and all necessaries no not want of prouision of Pioners carriages and victuals in euery Countie of the realme without exception to attend vpon the Armies And to this generall furniture euery man voluntarily offered very many their seruice personally without wages others money for armour and weapons and to wage souldiers a matter strange and neuer the like heard of in this realme or else where And this general reason moued all men to large contributions that to withstand a Conquest where all should be lost there was no time to spare a portion The numbers made ready in the Realme I cannot affirme of
the Lord Henry Seymour was left with a good number of ships in the narrow Seas vpon the coast of Flaunders to attend on the Duke of Parma Whilest these two Nauies were thus diuided I confesse to you that I and others of our part secretely made full accompt that none of all these English ships durst abide the sight of the Armada of Spaine or if they would abide any fight yet they should all be sonke at the first encounter For such constant opinion we had conceiued by the reports of the world that the greatnes number of the ships and the Army of Spaine being the chosen vessels of all the Kings Dominions was so eccessiue monstrous beyond all the Nauies that euer had bene seene in Christendome not excepting the Armada at Lepanto that no power could abide in their way But how farre deceiued we were therein a very short time euen the first day did manifestly to the great dishonour of Spaine discouer For when the Catholique Armie came to the coast of England which in déede the English confesse did séeme farre greater then they looked for and that they were astonied with the sight of them yet the Lord Admiral Drake hauing but onely fifty of the English ships out of the Hauen of Plimmouth where the rest remained for a new reuictualling without tarying for the rest of the Nauie that was in Plimmouth they did offer present fight furiously pursued the whole Nauie of Spaine being aboue 160. ships so as the same with the furious and continuall shot of the English one whole day fled without any returning And after the English Nauy being encreased to an hundred great and smal renued their fight with terrible great shot all the whole day gaining alwayes the wind of the Spanish Nauy And as I am sory to remember the particularities which the English haue largely written to their owne prayse so to speake all in one word for nine dayes together they still forced them to flie and destroyed sonke and tooke in thrée dayes fight diuers of the greatest shippes out of which specially out of the principall great ship of Andaluzia and out of the Admiranta of Guipusque and thirdly out of the principall great Galliasse of Naples great numbers were brought beside many moe killed and drowned to London and to sundry other portes of the Realme to the great dishonour of Spaine amongst which prisoners were a great number of Captaines both for land and sea And besides that which déepely blemisheth the honour of Spaine and vexeth me at my heart to consider the inequalitie of fortune it is vaunted by our Aduersaries that in all the time of these fightes so many dayes the Spaniards did neuer take or sink any English ship or boate or breake any mast or tooke any one man prisoner A matter that in déede these Spaniards which are taken do marueile at greatly and chafe thereat so as some of them in their anguish of minde let not to say that in all these fightes Christ shewed himselfe a Lutheran And though such spéeches be vnaduised and not to be regarded yet surely it is most manifest that in all this voiage from the comming of the Nauie out of Lisbon euen to this houre God did shew 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 trust wholy in our worldly strength to the confusion hereafter of the Lutherans by puffing them vp being his enemies with prosperitie for a time to be afterwardes the cause of their ruine And amongest other things reported to the dishonour of the Duke of Medina who it is said was lodged in the bottome of his ship for his safetie and to a great touch to the Commanders of the Spanish Nauie that they neuer would turne their ships nor stay them to defend any of their owne shippes that were forced to tary behind but suffred diuers to perish as are good witnesses thereof the thrée great vessels One wherein Don Pedro de Valdez was taken an other Galleon of Guipusque that was spoiled with fire and the noble Galliasse wherein Hugo de Moncada was slaine of which lacke of care by the Duke of Medina these Spaniards that are taken giue very euill report The like is said in Zeland by the Spaniards there that were saued with Diego de Pimentelli though the Galleon wherin he was being beaten with the English shot and not succoured by the Nauie of Spaine did there perish in their cōming to Flushing and so also did another likewise perish for lacke of succour before Ostend And now I must néedes thinke that you are stricken with some griefe of mind or rather with some anger towards me to heare from me so much of those aduerse things although they are too true and therfore I also imagine you may be disirous for your better contentation to vnderstand what opinions we that are here haue being thus frustrate of our expected deliuerie by the defeat of this enterprise whether we do comfort our selues with a conceit that this Action may be by any probabilitie once againe renued this next yeare for the recouerie of our lost hope this yeare famously spoken of by y e number of 88. and so verified to the losse of al Catholiuqes Wherin surely for our owne parts as by secret conference I find with manie with whom I haue secretely of late upon this vnfortunate accident conferred we can not iudge of any likelihood of good successe for any long time and if there should any be hoped for surely the Sea-forces of the King Catholique must of necessitie be more increased and better also gouerned then they were this yeare For this we here doe consider that this enterprise of Inuasion and Conquest was alwaies principallie grounded vpon many probable opinions of the euill state of the Realme First of the weaknes of the English Nauie for so you know you were diuers waies this last yeare aduertised from hence and so also many of vs here did conceiue the same wherein we see by all this yeares seruice with these ships we did all notably erre Next of a supposed euill contentment of a number of people in this land to serue the Queene and her Gouernment against her enemies Lastly and most principally of a great strong partie that would be found here in the fauour of vs for the Catholique religion that should take armes against the Queene vpon the first sight of the Catholique Nauie on the coasts of England Of all which opinions setled in good mens minds in maner of iudgements we know that none in the world did more constantly assure the King thereof then you which as the matters haue euil succeeded may I feare bring you in danger of his indignatiō although I know you meant very wel therin And as these three opinions haue all failed this yeare so I assure you though some
of ours on that side y e seas may persist in their former opinions against the experience lately seen as it is likely they may be forced to do to maintaine them selues in credit for continuing their necessary 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 deceiued by them who haue not bene present in the Realme to see such contrary proofs against all their conceits as I and others haue done I will shew you a great number of manifest Arguments though I am sory at my heart to remēber them whereby you in your wisedome if you be not blinded by others shall see it most certaine that these former opinions for comfort to be had from hence will proue the next yeare as strong against vs and in some part more strong then they proued this yeare if any accompt should be made thereof First for the Nauy of England which hath this yere to the sight of the world proued to be of great force value for those Seas and able to ouermatch in their maner of fight double to their number of the great Gallions Carikes Galliasses or Gallies it is certaine that it will be greatly increased this next yeare For I know that within these few dayes bargaines are already made Imprest of money deliuered and certaine sent into the Estlands for great store of all maritime prouisiōs And as for the increase of the number of good shippes for the Quéenes proper vse there is already a great quantitie of timber ready and order giuen to fell more in Nouember and December next in the Countries neare both to the Sea and to Thames to build a number of ships of warre equall to these whose seruice was séene this yeare to haue ouermatched the great Armadas Castles of Spaine Italy And furthermore to ioyne with the Nauie of England this yeare following not onely the Hollanders and Zelanders but also shippes of Denmarke other partes of Estland will certainly be had in great numbers whereof there was none at all required this yeare past to ioyne with the Nauie of Englād Onely certaine Hollanders Zelanders offred their seruice according as they are bound in the end of this Sommer since the conflict neare Callice to ioyne with some of the English Nauie in the narrow seas to defend y e issuing of the Duke of Parma out of the ports of Flāders in that seruice at this time there are aboue fortie and sixe good ships of warre with the Uiceadmirall Iustinian of Nassau a man that agréeth too well with the English Nation and is a sworne enemie to all Spaniardes and Catholiques as it is reported for certaine there are thréescore more comming out of North-Holland to the Seas for the same purpose so as it is to be doubted that this Realme this next yeare will be double as strong as it was this last yeare As to the second branch of our hope depending vpon opinion of some great miscontentment of sundry persons against the Quéene the proofe of the contrary so appeared this yeare both of her actions to maintaine the liking of all her people of the generall earnest deuotion shewed to her by all estates Noble and meane rich poore as I thinke no Prince Christened euer had greater cause of comfort in her people which I may iudge to bréede a pride in her And to recompence the same she did most notably shew her selfe in this time euen when most danger was threatened in all her actions towards her people as carefull for their weale and for the safetie of her Realme without any speciall or particular prouision or regard to her owne person as euer any Prince could do First to let her people vnderstand what care she had to make her Realme strong against Inuasion she politikely yea most carefully by her owne frequent directions caused her whole Realme to be put in armes she tooke accompt thereof her selfe by monethly Certificat from such as were made her Lieutenauntes in euerie Shire of her Realme she caused Armour Powder Weapon to be sent to all Countries and Ordinance to all Maritime Countries There were also sundry Armies described to defend euery coast of the Sea and as I heard it reported by some that did know the secrets of the Court was importunate with her Counsell to leaue no day vnoccupied to bring these seruices to effect and yet she did still continue her Commissioners in the Low Countries to treat of peace which surely she desired to haue obtained so that she might haue had the same with certaine conditions So as to content her people shee did both treat and desire peace and did not in the meane time neglect to make her Realme strong for defence if peace could not be gotten But in the end when her demaunds were wholy refused whereof we and all Catholiques were most glad and that she vnderstood very certainely that the Armie of the Duke of Parma should come first to destroy the Citie of London she reuoked her Commissioners approched London in person and did lie as it were in the Suburbs of the same whereby they of the Citie tooke great comfort hauing daily in shew and muster of their owne ten thousand men armed and trained of very able men of the Citie and in readines thirtie thousand more able to fight She caused also an Armie to be brought to incampe néere the Sea side vpon the Riuer of Thames betwixt the Sea and the City twenty miles beneath the City and after the Army was come thither she would not by any aduise be staied but for comfort of her people and to shew her owne magnanimity of heart as she said she would so do though she was a woman she went to that Armie lying betwixt the City and the Sea vnder the charge of the Earle of Leicester placing her selfe betwixt the enemy and her City and there viewed her Armie and passed through it diuers times lodged in the borders of it returned againe and dined in the Armie And first saw the people as they were by their Countries lodged and quartered in their seuerall campes which she viewed from place to place Afterward when they were all reduced into battailes ready as it were to fight with any enemy she rode round about them and did view them curiously being accompanied onely but with the Generall and thrée or foure others attending on her But yet to shew her state I well marked it she had the sword carried before her by she Earle of Ormond There she was generally saluted with cries with shoutes with all tokens of loue of obedience of readinesse and willingnesse to fight for her as seldom hath bene seene in a Campe and army considering she was a Quéene and all tended to shew a maruellous cōcord in a mutual loue betwixt a Quéene and her subiects and of reuerence and obedience of
London whereby they haue obserued the countrie and the people doe speake marueilously thereof counting the same inuincible otherwise then by treason of some great partie within the Realme But whether all these spéeches which are commonly reported of them procéede from their hartes or that they speake thus to please the English because they are well vsed by them who also are easily deceiued with flattery I know not but sure I am they do thus speake dayly with outward shewe of great passions against such as haue bene perswaders to the King for this iourney Diuers of them also which are of good iudgemēt haue heard of such of the English banished men as haue bene in Spaine haue knowen some of them there as of long time Sir Francis Englefield of late the Lord Paget his brother haue curiously inquired of what power they were credit here to haue a partie They also inquired of the Earle of Westmerland although of him they confesse he is a man but of small gouernement But our Aduersaries here haue so abased these all the rest to haue bene of no credit to cary any numbers of men but by the Quéenes authoritie when they were at their best as the prisoners wonder how the king could be so deceiued to giue them pentions otherwise then for charitie because of their religion But they confesse they haue often heard in Spaine how the King was once notably deceiued when one Thomas Stukeley a priuat Englishman who fled out of Ireland for debt other lewd Actions into Spaine not being worth one peny his debts being paied but the second sonne of a meane Gentleman pretended and was beléeued in Spaine by so intitling of him selfe to be a Duke a Marquis and an Earle of Ireland and so was a long time enterteined as a man that could do great seruice against the Quéene of England vntill at length the King vnderstood his falshood and banished him out of Spaine And after repairing to Rome was by the Pope also mainteined for a time vntill he was discouered euen by some good Catholiques that could not endure the Popes holines to be so grossely mocked of whom some of the prisoners vsing mery spéeches how both the Emperour Charles and afterward this King and the Pope were so notably deceiued by this Stukeley do conclude merely that they thinke some of these English that haue thus abused the King haue followed Stukeleys steppes And in very truth I and many others haue bene very often ashamed to heare so brode spéeches of the King and of the Pope yea of the Emperour Charles whom such a companion as Stukeley was could so notably deceiue and it was the more to be marueiled how he could deceiue the King Catholique considering he was knowen to many of his Counsell at the Kings being in England to haue bene but a vaunting beggar and a Ruffian and afterwards a Pirat against the Spaniards Now my Lord Ambassadour by these my large relations of the things euil past and of the opinions of such as I haue lately dealt withall with mine owne conceit also which I doe not vainely imagine your Lordship may sée in the first part our present calamitie and miserable estate in the second part the state of this Quéene her Realme her people their mindes their strength so far contrary to the expectation of the Popes holines the King Catholique and specially of you my Lord and all others that haue bene in hand these many yeares with this Actiō as I know not what course shal or may be thought méete to take séeing it is séene by experience that by force our cause cannot be reléeued Neither will any change amend the matter when this Quéene shall end her daies as all Princes are mortall For both the vniuersalitie of the people through the Realme are so firmely and desperately bent against our religion as nothing can preuaile against their vnited forces and whosoeuer shall by right sucéede to this Crowne after the Quéene who is likely to liue as long as any King in Christendome if the Crowne should come to the King of Scots or to any other of the blood Royall as there are very many within this Realme descended both of the Royall houses of York and Lancaster there is no accompt to be made but euery one of them that now liue at this day are knowen to be as vehemently disposed to withstand the authoritie of the Pope as any of the most earnest Protestant or Heretique in the world So as to conclude after all circumstances well considered for the present I know no other way but to commit the cause to Almightie God and to all the Saints in heauen without continuall prayers and in earth to the holy Counsels of the Pope and his Cardinals with our supplications to reléeue the afflicted number of our exiled brethren and to send into the Realme discrete holy and learned men that may only in secrete maner without intermedling in matters of estate by teaching vs confirme vs in our faith and gaine with charitable instruction others that are not rooted in heresie And for reliefe of such as are forced to pay yearely great sommes of money out of their reuenue because they forbeare to come to the Church it were to be charitably considered whether there might not be some dispensation from the Popes holines for some fewe yeares to tollerate their comming to the Church without changing of their faith considering a great number do stand therein not for any thing as they say vsed in this Church that is directly contrary to Gods law but for that the Rites and praiers though they are collected out of the body of the Scripture are not allowed by the Catholique Church and the head thereof which is the Popes holines and for that cause iustly al true Catholiques accompt this Church to be schismaticall By which remedie of tolleration a great number of such as will be perpetually Catholiques might enioy their liuings and libertie and in proces of time the Catholique religion by Gods goodnesse might with more suretie be increased to the honour of God then euer it can be by any force whatsoeuer For so did all Christian religion at the first begin and spread it selfe ouer the world not by force but only by teaching and example of holines in the teachers against all humane forces And so I will end my long Letters with the sentence which King Dauid vsed foure times in one of his Psalmes Et clamauerunt ad Dominum in tribulatione eorum de angustia eorum liberauit eos And so must we make that for our foundation to lay our hope vpon for all other hopes are vaine and false At London the of August 1588. AFter that I had made an end of this my letter which I found by perusall thereof to haue bene at more length then I looked for although the matters therein conteined did draw
another place afore Sir Tirlogh Obrynes house there was also another great ship lost supposed to be a Galliasse These losses aboue mētioned were betwixt the fift and tenth of September as was aduertised from sundrie places out of Ireland so as by accompt from the one and twentieth of Iuly when this Nauie was first beaten with the Nauie of England vntill the tenth of September being the space of seuen weekes and more it is most likely that the sayde Nauie had neuer good day nor night Of the rest of the Nauie report is also made that many of them haue bene seene lying of and on vpon the coast of Ireland tossed with the winds in such sort as it is also doubted that many of them shall hardly recouer Spaine if they be so weakened with lacke of victuals and mariners as part of their companies that are left on land do lamentably report These accidents I thought good to adde to the printed Copies of the letters of Don Bernardin that he may see how God doth fauour the iust cause of our gracious Queene in shewing his anger towardes these proud boasting enemies of Christian peace as the whole world from Rome to the vttermost parts of Christendome may see that she and hir Realme professing the Gospell of his sonne Christ are kept and defended as the words of the Psalme are Vnder the shadovve of his vvings from the face of the vvicked that sought to afflict her compasse her round about to take avvay her soule which I doubt not by thankfulnesse yeelded by her Maiestie and her whole Realme will alwayes continewe The 9. of Octob. 1588. CERTEINE ADVERTISEMENTS OVT OF IRELAND CONCERNING THE LOSSES HAPPEned to the Spanish armie vpon the West costes of Irelande in their voyage intended from the Northerne Isles beyond Scotland towardes Spaine VPon Saterday the vii of September the barke which was in peril of wrack in the bay of Trayly of betwéene fortie and fiftie tonne did render them selues in which there were xxiiii men whereof two were the Dukes owne seruaunts and two litle boyes On Tuesday the tenth of this September there was a Frigat cast of as it séemeth by this Nauy which as Sir William Herbert saith wrecked vpon the coast of Desmond On the same Tuesday there wrecked in the sound of the Bleskeys a ship called our Ladie of Rosary of one thousande tonne In this shippe was drowned the Prince of Ascule the Kings base sonne one Don Pedro Don Diego and Don Francisco with seuen other Gentlemen of accompt that accompanied the Prince There was drowned in her also Michael Oquendo a principal sea man chief gouernour of the ship Villa Franca of S. Sebastians Captain of the same ship Matuta Captaine of the Infanterie of that ship Captaine Suwares a Portingall Garrionerie Lopecho de la Vega Montenese and one Francisco Castilliā Captains one Iohn Rise an Irish Captain Francis Roch an Irish man about fiue hūdred persons wherof one hundred were Gentlemen but not of that reckoning as the former were and onely one Iohn Anthonio de Monona a Genuan being the Pilotes sonne of that ship saued The same Tuesday it wad aduertised to the Uicepresident of Mounster that there were lost vpon the coast of Thomond two great ships out of which there were drowned about seuen hundred persons taken prisoners about one hundred fiftie About that Tuesday also as appeareth by a letter writtē to Stephan White of Limmerik the twelfth of this September there was cast vpon the sandes of Ballicrahihy a ship of nine hundred tonnes thirtéene of the Gentlemen of that ship as he writeth are taken and so writeth that he heard the rest of that ship being aboue foure hundred haue sought for their defence being much distressed to intrench themselues He writeth also of another ship which was cast away at the Isle of Clere in Irrise and lxxviij of the men of that ship are drowned and slaine He writeth also that there was about the same time another great ship cast away in Tireawley that there are thrée Noble men a Bishop and a Frier and lxix other men taken by William Brook of Ardnerie and all the residue of that ship are slaine and drowned in somuch as he writeth that one Melaghlin Mac Cab a Galloglasse killed fourescore of them with his Galloglasse axe Wednesday the xi of September seuen of those ships that then remained within the Shenan departed out of that Rode with an Easterly winde and before their going foorth they set on fire one other very great ship of their company which was one thousand tonnes at least It was enformed from the Uicepresident at Cork vpon this seuentéenth of September last that two other great ships of that Fléete should be lost vpon the coastes of Connaught The Admirall called Iohn Martin de Ricalde came into the sound of Bleskeys with one other great ship and a barke about the vi day of this Septēber remaineth there with one other ship of foure hundred tonnes a bark which came in since that time if they be not dispersed or lost by the great tempest that was the xvii and xviii of this moneth for the state of the Admirall at his comming in was thus the ship had bene shot thorough xiiii or xv times her maine mast was so beatē with shot as she durst not beare her full saile and now not lx mariners left in her and many of them so sicke that they lye downe and the residue so weake that they were not able to do any good seruice and there is daily cast ouer the boord out of that ship fiue or sixe of the company After this vvas printed thus farre as euery day bringeth more certaintie in particulars of the losse of the Spaniardes in Irelande these reportes vvhich follovve came from Ireland being the examinations of seuer all persons there taken and saued IOHN ANTHONIO DE MONONA AN Italian sonne to Francisco de Monona Pilot of the ship called Sancta Marie de la Rose of a thousand tonnes cast away in the sound of Bleskey 11. September 1588. EXamined the xi of September saith that he and the rest parted from the English Fléete as he thinketh about the coast of Scotland and at that time they wanted of their whole Fléete foure Gallies seuen ships one Galliasse which was the Captaine Galliasse and there were then dead by fight by sicknes viii thousand men at the least Where he left y e Duke he knoweth not but it was in the North Seas about eightéene daies sithence he saw then no land and therefore can name no place but they seuered by tempest the Duke kept his course to the sea we drew towards land to finde Cape Clere so did diuers other ships which he thinkes to amount to the number of forty ships with the Duke there went fiue and twenty ships Hither he came round about Scotland he thinkes
after a Portingall Gallion ouertaking this ship told vnto those of this ship that there were xxv ships of the whole Nauie passed away with the Duke and that the rest then remaining of the whole Nauy were dispersed by this tempest some eight in one company and foure in another and thus dispearsedly passed on the seas But how many ships remained after their departure from the coast of Scotland of the whole Nauy this examinat can not tell He saith that after this first tempest which was about xxv dayes now past growing of a Southwest wind they had sundry tēpests before they were lost with variable winds sometime one way and sometimes an other The reexamination of Emanuell Fremosa 17. September 1588. EManuel Fremosa mariner examined the same day saith that the day next before the great tempest in which the Duke was seuered from them being a very calme day him selfe counted the Nauie then remaining which then were about lxxviij saile in all when they were farthest of in the North they were at lxii degrées Northward and were then about foure score leagues and somewhat more from any land and at the Northwest part of Scotland Cape Clere being then from them South and by West and this was about foure or fiue dayes before the said great tempest and from that time vntill the same tempest they had the winde most West and West Southwest and sometimes West Northwest but that not very long he saith that it was knowne to very few of the Nauy that the Prince the Kings base sonne was in this Nauie vntill they came to Callice where this Prince about the time of the fight was said to take him selfe into a little boate vpon the coast of Callice but before that he kept him selfe as priuate in the Dukes owne ship as it was said and not noted or spoken of in the Nauy vntill then But he saith there was a great Prince an Italian that was a chiefe man in a great Argosie very wel furnished who before their comming to the English coast did very often banket the Duke and the other great men of the Nauy This Argosie was called the Ratte he saith he did not perceiue if this shippe were in this Fléete the day before the said tempest or not but he saith this being a famous ship it was often demanded if she were in their company and it was answered that she was he saith the chiefest of the treasure that serued for the pay was as he heard in the Galliasse that arriued on the shore at Callice and in a shippe of Siuil made in Galisia called the Gallega of about vij hundred tonnes in which Don Pedro de Valdez was which was taken on the South coast The examination of Pierre Carrea Flemming HE saith that in the ship that he came hither in called Saint Iohn a Galliō of nine hundred tonnes besides Iohn Martin de Ricalde there are fiue Captaines Don Iohn de Lune Don Gomes de Galanezar Don Pedro de Madri the Count of Parades Don Felice and there is also an Italian Marquesse of Piemont called the Marquesse of Faruara He saith also that the Admirall after such time as the fight was at Callice came not out of his bed vntill this day seuen nights in the morning that they ranne vpō the shore He saith his Admirall is of Biskeye either of Bilbo or Allerede and of lxii yeares of age and a man of seruice He saith that there were in this nauie of the old souldiers of Naples vnder the conduct of Don Alonso de Sono of the old souldiers of Sicile vnder the conduct of Don Diego de Piementell◠whose ship was lost néere Callice There was also Don Alonso de Leua maister of the cāp of the Cauallery of Millan he saith there is a bastard sonne of King Phillips of xxviii yeares of age in this Fleete in the ship with the Duke called the Prince of Ascule in Italie who passed from thē in a Pinnace about Callice as he tooke it By other Aduertisements of the fourteenth of September it is certified to the Lord Deputie of Ireland from the Earle of Tyron being at his Castle of Dongannon that vpon intelligence brought to him of the landing of certaine Spaniards in the North of Ireland he sent two English Captaines with their bandes towardes them to the nomber of an hundred and fiftie who found them at Sir Iohn Odogherties towne called Illagh and there discouering their nomber to be aboue six hundred did that night encamp within a musket shot of them and about midnight did skirmish with them for the space of two houres in which skirmish the Spanish Lieutenant of the field and twentie moe of the Spaniardes were slaine besides many that were hurt The next day following they did offer skirmish agayne to the Spaniardes whereupon they all yelded and so as prisoniers were caried to Dongannon to the Earle who meant to send them to the Lord Deputie being iudged to be men of good value and one thought to be a man that hath had some great charge and conduct of men for many yeares whereof the Lord Deputie will geue knowledge as soone as they shall be brought to Dublin There may be some errours in the writing of the Spanish names in English because the same are written by way of interpretation but there is no errour in the nombring of the persons that are either dead or aliue 26. September 1588. SHIPS AND MEN SONKE DROWned killed and taken vpon the coast of Ireland in the moneth of September 1588. In Tyreconnell In Loughfoyle 1. ship 1100 men Of that ship and others that escaped In Connaught In Sligo hauen 3. great ships 1500 In Tireawley 1. ship 400 In Clere Iland 1. ship 300 In Finglasse 1. ship 400 In Oflartie 1. ship 200 In Irrise 2. ships The men fled into other vessels In Galway bay 1. ship 70 In Munster In the Shennan 2. ships 600 In Traylie 1. ship 24 In Dingle 1. ship 500 In Desmond 1. ship 300 In the Shennan 1. ship burnt The mē embarqued in another shippe   Totall 17. ship of men 5394. AFORE THE LOSSE OF THE FORE-said seuenteene ships in Ireland there perished in Iuly August fifteene other great ships in the fight betwixt the English and Spanish Nauies in the narrowe seas of England where no one English Vessell or person of any reputation perished or was taken  Ships Men  First Gallies 4 1622.  Neare Ediston by Plimouth at the first conflict 1 0000.  The same time was distressed taken Don Pedro de Valdes ship 1 422. These two remaine in England At the same time by fire a great Biscaine ship 1 289. Afore Callis spoiled the principall Galeasse of Naples 1 686.  In the conflict was sonke a great Biscaine 1 000.  The Gallion S. Philip. 1 532. These two forced into Flushing being sore beaten by the English great shot The Gallion S. Matthew
1 397. A Biscaine wrecked before Ostēd 1. 000.  The day after the fight there sank two Venetians 2 843.  A great Biscaine forced by two of the Queenes ships to perish at Newhauen 1 000.   Ships Men  Total of these ships 15 4791.  Totall of both these losses 32 10185. Whereof there are prisoners in England Zeland at the least 1000. besides a great multitude of men not here accounted that were slaine in the fight and that haue died of famine as by the examinations aforesaid appeareth Beside many ships not yet heard of thought to be lost    In what termes England standeth in the opinion of the Catholiques The Spanish preparation three yeeres in making The Duke of Parmas army in Flaunders No forreine force coulde inuade England without a strong party in England Hope of victorie by the Spanish Army with assistance of a partie in England this Sommer All Spanishe hope fallen in nine daies The Catholiques doubt of their cause seeing the hād of God is against the Armie Many English Catholiques mislike of the Popes reformatiō by force The vntimely publishing of the intended conquest before the Spanish nauy was redy did great hurt The heartes of all sorts of people enflamed against the Spaniards vaunting to conquer the land The vntimely publication of the Popes Bull did hurt to the common cause Cardinall Allens bookes haue done much hurt to the intended inuasion and conquest The Cardinals rash violent writing missiked by the Catholiques The multitude of bookes published to shewe the greatnes of the Spanishe Nauy did also hurt The forewarninges of the Armadas greatnes caused the Queene to put all her Realme in force beyond all former The Armies made readie Nauie England in euery quarter of the realme The Maritime Countries prouided at lading places with twenty thousand men All the bands were vnder the principal Knights of the realme compounded of the most mightie men being their tenants and seruants A strange report of the wealth of a band of souldiers An error of the Catholique fugitives in the number of their partners in England A consent and concurrencie of Papistes and Protestants to withstand the conquest The gentlemen Recusants in Elie offer to aduenture then liues against all inuasions whatsoeuer without respect of Pope or other potentate The Recusants are not put in danger of their liues for their religion but are fined at summes of money The Iesuits are not executed for religion but for treasons The Seminaries for the most part come disguised like Ruffians Babington suffered for his treasons voluntarily cōfessed not for religion though at his death hee professed the Romane religion A multitude of gentlemen suspected to be Papists yet neuer indangered of their liues Many of the Priests that are sent into the realm are yong rash of leude life A great strēgth of the English Nauie by the Shippes of the port townes that did serue without wages Two notable lies printed in Paris and imputed to Don Bernardin Mendoza A most manifest lie printed in Paris of a Spanish victory when it was altogether an English victorie Mendacia of Mendoza The state of the Nauie of England this Sommer L. Haward L Admirall L. Henry Seymour Sir Francis Drake L. Tho. Haward L. Sheffeld The fight of the English Nauie with the Spanish The flying away of the Spanish Nauie The Spaniards prisoners say that Christ shewed himself a Lutheran in this Sommer voiage of the Spanish Nauie God shewed no sauour to the Spanishe Nauy from the beginning to the ending Don Pedro de Valdez Captaine Generall of the Armada of Andaluzia Hugo de Moncada Generall of the Galliasses of Naples Diego de Pimentelli Captaine of the Galleon named S. Matthew A consideration what may be done the next yeare to renew this Action The 3. hopes conceiued against Englād are nowe all frustrated The Englishe Nauie will be stronger the next yeare Offer of Hollanders and Zelanders to ioine with the English Nauie Iustinian Nassau Admiral of Holland with sixe and fortie ships of warre ioyned to the English Nauie against the D. of Parma Argumentes to proue no miscontentment of the people towards the Queene The prouidēce of the Queene to make her Realme strong The Queenes being in the Army in Essex when moste daunger was threatned by the enemies landing The notable Applause of the people to the Queene for her presence in the Campe. The singing of Psalmes by the English Army in the Campe. An Army prouided for the Queene beside the Army readie to withstād the landing of the enemie Great power of Horsemen brought by the Nobilitie to attend on the Queenes person The Viscount Mountagues shewe of horsemen was the first A number of great Lordes shewed their horsemen Earle of Lincolne Lord Windesore Lord Chancelour Earle of Warwicke Lord Treasurer L. Compton Earle of Leycester Lord Rich. Sir Walter Mildmay Sir Henry Cromwell Sir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earle of Essex with a great Band of horsemen and footemen afore the Queene at S. Iames. Course of the field Tourney Earle of Worcester Earle of Hertford Lord Audeley Lord Morley L. Dacres L. Lomeley L. Mountioy L. Sturton L. Darcy L. Sands L. Mordant Marques of Winchester Earle of Sussex Erle of Shrowsbury L. Talbot Earle of Darby L. Strange Earle of Bath Earle of Pembrokes noble offer Earle of Northumberland Earle of Cumberland Master Henry Brooke Sir Tho. Cecil Sir Wil. Hatton Sir Horatio Pallauicino M. Robert Carie. Sir Charles Blunt M. Thomas Gerard. M. Wil. Heruie Earle of Oxford M. Robert Cecil L. Dudley Sir Walter Ralegh M. Wil. Cecil M. Edward Darcy M. Arthure Gorge Earle of Huntington L. Scroope L. Darcy L. Euers Earle of Kent L. Hunsdon L. Cobham L. Grave L. North. L. Chandos L. Saint Iohn L. Buckhurst Earle of Rutland Earle of South-hampton Earle of Bedford Offer of the K. of Scots to the Queen of England Bands of horsemen and footmē erected by the Bishops The third and last hope which the Catholiques had of a partie in the realme was all frustrate The Spanishe prisoners condemne the K. purpose as being abused by the exiled Catholiques whō the Spaniards call traitors to their countrey No possibilitie to Inuade and conquere a realme without fauour of a partie inward The Spanishe prisoners condemne the enterprise and course of Don Bernardin of Mendoza Sir Frācis Englefield Lord Paget Earle of Westmerland Thomas Stukleyes abusing of the King of Spaine and the Pope newly remēbred by the Spaniardes A conclusiō by the writer to perswade an other course not by violence No hope for furtherance of the Popes authoritie by any now liuing that may succeede the Queene in the liue Royall A Conclusion what is best to maintaine the Catholike Religion in England A tolleration from the Pope for the Recusants in England Order taken by the K. of Scots in fauour of the English Daily prayers Publike praiers and giuing of thankes The seuenth of September A place neere to Smerwike where the Spaniards were defeated by the Lord Gray Michael Oquēdo was general of the squadrō of xiiii ships of Guipusque Fiue hundred drownd wherof were a hundred gentlemē and one onely saued of the whole number Seuen hundred drowned and one hundred takē prisoners Ballicrahihy Thirteene gentlemen taken Foure hundred haue sought to intrench themselues Seuēty eight were drowned and slaine Threescore taken Melaghlin Mac Cab slue foure score of them A Spanish ship of a thousande tuns burnt by the Spaniards Two other ships lost Ricaldes the Admiral in the sound of Bleskey Eight thousand Spaniards lost by fight sicknesse Two ships sonke A ship of 1000. tonne sonke of 500. persons but one saued The Kings base sonne drowned with other principall perions Fiftie Canons twēty fiue peeces of ordināce fiftie tonnes of secke thirtie thousand Duckets in gold and siluer sonke Fifteene men lost in fight vpon the Disards Fiue and twentie moe lost in the same ship Two ships lost One Galliasse cast on shore Two Gallions and one Byskeine sonke Three Venetian shippes sort beaten with shot The Spanishe Nauy sore beated with shot by the English and their tackling much spoiled The Spaniard cast their horses and mules ouer boord In the fight at Callice were slaine the Maister of the Cauallary of the Tercij of Naples Sicile The Maister of the Campe of the horsemen The Maister of the Campe of footemen And foure thousand others besides a thousand drowned The Admirall after the sight at Callice came not out of his bed in seauen weekes and more Sixe hundred Spaniards assaulted by one hundred and fifty Englishe vanquished taken prisoners * Don Piedro de Valdes taken These two remaine in England * In this vessell Don Hugo de Moncada was slaine * Don Diego Piementel taken in this