ad, only sixteen years before, refused
even bread and shelter in her harbours to their "Beggars of the Sea."
Noblemen joined the army and navy as volunteers, and in the ranks there
were no pressed men. There was one heart in all the land, from Berwick
to the Lizard.

Lastly, a prayer was issued, to be used in all churches throughout the
kingdom, every Wednesday and Friday. But ecclesiastical dignitaries
were not called upon to write it. The Defender of the Faith herself
drew up the form, in a plain, decided style, which shows that she could
write lucidly when she liked it. This was Elizabeth's prayer.

"We do instantly beseech Thee of Thy gracious goodness to be merciful to
the Church militant here upon earth, and at this time compassed about
with most strong and subtle adversaries. Oh let Thine enemies know that
Thou hast received England, which they most of all for Thy Gospel's sake
do malign, into Thine own protection. Set a wall about it, O Lord, and
evermore mightily defend it. Let it be a comfort to the afflicted, a
help to the oppressed, and a defence to Thy Church and people,
persecuted abroad. And forasmuch as this cause is new in hand, direct
and go before our armies both by sea and land. Bless them, and prosper
them, and grant unto them Thine honourable success and victory. Thou
art our help and shield. Oh give good and prosperous success to all
those that fight this battle against the enemies of Thy Gospel."
[Strype.]

So England was ready.

But Philip was ready too. He also, in his fashion, had been preparing
his subjects for work. Still maintaining an outward appearance of
friendship with Elizabeth, he quietly spread among his own people copies
of his pedigree, wherein he represented himself as the true heir to the
crown of England, by descent from his ancestresses Philippa and
Katherine of Lancaster: ignoring the facts--that, though the heir
general of Katherine, he was not so of her elder sister Philippa; and
that if he had been, the law which would have made these two sisters
heiresses presumptive had been altered while they were children. Beyond
this piece of subtlety, Philip allied himself with the Duke of Parma in
Italy, and the Duke of Guise [Note 1] in France; the plot being that the
Duke of Medina Sidonia, Commander-in-chief of the Armada, was to sail
first for Flanders, and take his orders from Parma: Guise was to land in
the west of England: some other leader, with 12,000 men,