comrades in such a glow of triumph that they would have fought
Satan and all his angels with Drake at their head.

Our West-country annals still tell how the country people streamed down
in their best clothes to see the great _San Philip_ towed into Dartmouth
Harbour. English Protestantism was no bad cable for the nation to ride
by in those stormy times, and deserves to be honourably remembered in a
School of History at an English University.

LECTURE VIII

SAILING OF THE ARMADA

Peace or war between Spain and England, that was now the question, with
a prospect of securing the English succession for himself or one of his
daughters. With the whole Spanish nation smarting under the indignity of
the burning of the ships at Cadiz, Philip's warlike ardour had warmed
into something like fire. He had resolved at any rate, if he was to
forgive his sister-in-law at all, to insist on more than toleration for
the Catholics in England. He did not contemplate as even possible that
the English privateers, however bold or dexterous, could resist such an
armament as he was preparing to lead to the Channel. The Royal Navy, he
knew very well, did not exceed twenty-five ships of all sorts and sizes.
The adventurers might be equal to sudden daring actions, but would and
must be crushed by such a fleet as was being fitted out at Lisbon. He
therefore, for himself, meant to demand that the Catholic religion
should be restored to its complete and exclusive superiority, and
certain towns in England were to be made over to be garrisoned by
Spanish troops as securities for Elizabeth's good behaviour. As often
happens with irresolute men, when they have once been forced to a
decision they are as too hasty as before they were too slow. After Drake
had retired from Lisbon the King of Spain sent orders to the Prince of
Parma not to wait for the arrival of the Armada, but to cross the
Channel immediately with the Flanders army, and bring Elizabeth to her
knees. Parma had more sense than his master. He represented that he
could not cross without a fleet to cover his passage. His transport
barges would only float in smooth water, and whether the water was
smooth or rough they could be sent to the bottom by half a dozen English
cruisers from the Thames. Supposing him to have landed, either in Thanet
or other spot, he reminded Philip that he could not have at most more
than 25,000 men with him. The English militia were in training. The
Jesuit