d been given.
With not a single ship taken and but one, the small bark of Cock, lost,
and not more than sixty men killed, the English fleet sent up a paean of
joy, and drew up for conference before following further the fleeing
enemy.

"Ye two," said the lord admiral to Francis and Devereaux, "seeing that ye
lie under Her Most Sovereign Majesty's displeasure, shall bear to her the
tidings of our victory. None deserve it more, and, please God, by so
doing ye shall win pardon from her. As for me I shall on after the
Spaniard as long as provisions and ammunition will permit."

And so it came about that Francis and Devereaux proceeded to the camp at
Tilbury, where the queen was at this time. She was dining in the tent of
Lord Leicester, the lieutenant general of the land forces, herself being
the generalissimo, when they arrived. There were present, beside the
queen and the earl, Sir Francis Walsingham, who had come down from London
for conference with the queen; Hatton, the vice chamberlain, the young
Earl of Essex who, despite his inexperience, had been made the
captain-general of the cavalry, and Lord Shrope, who had hastened to
return to England upon hearing of his country's peril. Francis flashed a
glance of joyful recognition at him, but was deterred from other greeting
by the presence of the queen.

Elizabeth had risen at their approach, and when the girl beheld her high
pale forehead furrowed by lines of care, the lofty features sharpened by
anxiety, she felt her heart glow toward her sovereign and the last
feeling of animosity which had lain so long in her heart faded away never
to return. It was therefore with a sincere feeling of reverence that she
knelt before Elizabeth, who had shown herself at this time to be a true
daughter of the lion-hearted Plantagenets.

"Ye bear messages from the lord admiral," cried the queen somewhat
anxiously. "Rise, Edward Devereaux, and deliver thyself of them."

"Most gracious madam," said Edward, rising gracefully, "the strength of
the enemy is broken. Dispirited and distraught they fly before the lord
admiral. Madam, the Armada is no more. Here are letters writ by Lord
Howard, in which he gives the victory in detail."

"Now God be praised," ejaculated the queen, "but this is news indeed. My
Lord of Essex, do you spread the tidings throughout the camp that my
loving people may rejoice with me. Thy indulgence, Master Devereaux,
while I peruse my Lord Howard's dispatches. Reta