ved by the excitement about him, is calmly fishing under
the walls, without even turning his head toward the scene of tumult,
must be blessed with an apathy of disposition which the poor enraged
dolphins and porpoises might have envied.

With these exceptions the tapestries are all sea pieces with only a
distant view of the coast, and portray the two fleets in different
stages of their progress, sometimes with engagements between single
ships, but generally in an apparent state of truce, the English always
the pursuers, and the Spaniards generally drawn up in form of a
crescent. The last however shows the invading fleet hurriedly and in
disorder sailing away, when bad weather, the Duke of Parma's delay,
and a close engagement of fourteen hours, in which they "suffered
grievously," having "had to endure all the heavy cannonading of their
triumphant opponents, while they were struggling to get clear of the
shallows," convinced them of the impossibility of a successful close
to their enterprise, and made them resolve to take advantage of a
southern breeze to make their passage up the North sea, and round
Scotland home.

"He that fights and runs away,
May live to fight another day."

So, however, did _not_ the Spaniards. "About these north islands their
mariners and soldiers died daily by multitudes, as by their bodies
cast on land did appear. The Almighty ordered the winds to be so
contrary to this proud navy, that it was, by force, dissevered on the
high seas west upon Ireland; and so great a number of them driven into
sundry dangerous bays, and upon rocks, and there cast away; some
sunk, some broken, some on the sands, and some burnt by the Spaniards
themselves."

Misfortune clung to them; storm and tempest on the sea, and
inhospitable and cruel treatment when they were forced on shore so
reduced them, that of this magnificent Armada only sixty shattered
vessels found their home; and their humbled commander, the Duke de
Medina Sidonia, was led to understand that his presence was not
desired at court, and that a private country residence would be the
most suitable.

It was on this occasion, when the instant danger was past but by no
means entirely done away, as for some time it was supposed that the
Armada, after recruiting in some northern station, would return, that
Elizabeth with a general's truncheon in her hand rode through the
ranks of her army at Tilbury, and addressed them in a style which
caused t