house where you may also lie. Thus you may comfort not only thousands there, but many more that shall hear of it, and thus far, but no further, can I consent to adventure your person."

The enthusiasm of the people heightened as the danger increased. "It

was a pleasant sight," says John Stowe, "to behold the cheerful countenances, courageous words and gestures of the soldiers, as they marched to Tilbury, dancing and leaping wherever they came, as joyful at the news of the foe's approach as if lusty giants were to run a race. And Bellonalike did the queen infuse a second spirit of loyalty, love, and resolution

into every soldier of her army, who, ravished with their sovereign's sight, prayed heartily that the Spaniards might land quickly, and when they heard they were fled begun to lament."

This regal spectacle, when the queen, with a military baton in her hand, rode along the lines at Tilbury, did not take place until eleven days after the destruction of the Armada; but it must be remembered that this destruction was not known with certainty in England, and that it was still expected that the Duke of Parma would attempt the invasion. The queen on her white palfrey, uttering the heroic and now familiar words, no doubt produced a great impression on the excitable minds of the soldiers- "Let tyrants fear; I have always behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good will of my subjects, and therefore I am come amongst you, as you see at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved in the midst and heart of the battle, to live or die among you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people, my honour and my blood even in the dust. I know that I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king— aye, and a king of England, too; and think foul scorn that Parma, or Spain, or any prince in Europe should dare invade the borders of my realm to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms: I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already for your forwardness you have deserved rewards and crowns, and we assure you on the word of a prince, they shall be duly paid you. In the meantime my lieutenant-general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject, not doubting but by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp and your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over these enemies of my God, my kingdom, and my people."

At that time the famous victory had been achieved by the elements. But if the English were in a great measure ignorant of this triumph, the court of Spain was in still profounder ignorance of all that had occurred. In his closet writing letters, amending dispatches, and duly attending to his devotions, was King Philip, confident of success. Already he regarded the kingdom of England as his own, and the Queen of England as his prisoner. Doubtless the Armada had swept the sea; doubtless Duke Parma had landed at Dover and marched to London; doubtless the

soldiery had won rich store of crowns in the sack of that opulent city; doubtless the priests were celebrating mass in St. Paul's cathedral, and Parma feasting royally at "Whytal." The only intelligence Philip received for a considerable time was concerning the fire-ships off Calais. Other rumours which reached him conveyed the idea of a great victory having been obtained. It was whispered that the Queen of England was already on her way to Rome to do penance barefoot before his holiness the Pope. It was averred that the Armada had captured four Dutch men-of-war and many English vessels; that in one engagement twenty-six English ships had been sunk and twenty-six captured; that every English admiral of renown had been killed, except Drake, who had escaped in a cock-boat; that the storm which had fallen on the Armada had compelled that gallant fleet to take possession of a port in Scotland, where it was refitting that in fact the Armada had maintained the credit of its name and the glory of its sovereign.

As for the Spanish ambassador at the court of France he was vainglorious in his assertions of success, and Seymour, the English ambassador, was anxious to be informed by his government as to the truth. "That which cometh from me," he said, "will be believed, for I have not been used to tell lies, and in very truth I have not the face to do it." So soon, therefore, as intelligence reached the authentic English envoy, a pamphlet was issued, not avowedly official, but at the same time known to be approved, in which the absurd assertions and vain assumptions of the Spaniards were amusingly ridiculed. When the King of France saw the pamphlet he offered a wager it was Stafford's doing and laughed at it heartily. The young courtier relishing the joke plagued poor Mendoza daily with petitions for some appointment in England, and suggesting the gift, for old acquaintance sake, of such trifling towns as York, Canterbury, or London!

Towards the end of August the news of defeat reached even the ears of King Philip. He wrote to Medina Sidonia, "At the very moment when I was expecting news of the effect hoped for from my Armada, I have heard the retreat from before Calais to which it was compelled by the weather; and I have received a very great shock, which keeps me in anxiety not to be exaggerated. Nevertheless I hope in our Lord that he will have provided a remedy, and that if it was possible for you to return upon the enemy to come back to the appointed post, and to watch an opportunity for the great stroke, you will have done as the case required;

and so I am expecting with solicitude to hear what has happened, and please God it may be that which is suitable for his service."

The pious aspirations of Philip were realized in a manner he did not anticipate.

Still good news was sent to Philip, news of partial if not entire victory, and the drooping spirits of the monarch revived, so that he wrote encouragingly to Parma, and suggested that he might readily make the passage to England, as the Armada having refitted would shortly be in the Thames, and adding ""Twill be easy to conquer the country so soon as you set foot on the soil."

Probably it might have been, but the Spaniards had not yet landed, and the Hollanders and English were still on the look out for the invaders and not disposed to leave the Channel free.

Some days later it occurred to the king that, perhaps after all the Armada was so much damaged by the stormy weather as to be incapable for the time of active service, and he straightway wrote to Parma: “In case the Armada is too much shattered to come out, and winter compels it to stay in, you must cause another Armada to be constructed at Emden and the adjacent towns, at my expense, and with the two together you will certainly be able to conquer England."

But before Parma could even respond to this letter, Medina Sidonia and the remnant of the invincible fleet arrived at Santanden, and a messenger was sent post haste to inform his Majesty that the invasion of England had hopelessly failed and that the Armada was completely shattered.

His Majesty's secretaries doubted what they should do when this intelligence arrived. Who should venture into his presence and tell him of his broken, ruined, forlorn expedition? There was some delay, but at length Secretary Moura consented to undertake the task, and entering the monarch's cabinet prepared to deliver the message.

Philip was writing at a desk, but looked up when his secretary entered. Being informed of the arrival of the messenger he laid down his pen and enquired the news. The secretary replied that the intelligence was unfavourable, but that the messenger was charged with full particulars. The courier was accordingly admitted and produced his gloomy budget. The king listened without a change of colour, without any visible emotion.

"Great thanks," he said, "do I render to Almighty God, by whose

generous hand I am gifted with such power that I could easily, if I chose, place another fleet upon the seas. Nor is it of great importance that a running stream should be sometimes intercepted so long as the fountain from which it flows remains inexhaustible."

He took up his pen and went on writing.

"And how does his Majesty receive the blow?" asks Secretary Idiaquey of Secretary Moura.

"His Majesty thinks nothing of the blow," is the answer, "nor do I consequently make more of this great calamity than does his Majesty."

But there was a wail of agony throughout Spain-scarcely a noble or ignoble home-where there was not one dead; no outward sign of mourning might be allowed, but the lamentations could not be utterly hushed— or if hushed, the silence was eloquent.

Throughout Holland and England were heard the sounds of rejoicing; bonfires blazed, bells were rung, oxen roasted; and the solemn Te Deum resounded in every church. The overthrow of the Spanish invasion was complete; never had danger been so threatening, never had victory been so easily achieved.