in Dr. Birch is given
by one of the most considerable of the adventurers.

** Monson, p. 267.

*** Monson, p. 159.

Had they sailed directly to Portugal, it is believed that the good will
of the people, joined to the defenceless state of the country, might
have insured them of success: but hearing that great preparations were
making at the Groine for the invasion of England, they were induced to
go thither, and destroy this new armament of Spain. They broke into the
harbor; burned some ships of war, particularly one commanded by Recalde,
vice-admiral of Spain; they defeated an army of four or five thousand
men, which was assembled to oppose them; they assaulted the Groine, and
took the lower town, which they pillaged; and they would have taken the
higher, though well fortified, had they not found their ammunition and
provisions beginning to fail them. The young earl of Essex, a nobleman
of promising hopes, who, fired with the thirst of military honor, had
secretly, unknown to the queen, stolen from England, here joined the
adventurers; and it was then agreed by common consent to make sail for
Portugal, the main object of their enterprise.

The English landed at Paniche, a seaport town twelve leagues from
Lisbon, and Norris led the army to that capital, while Drake undertook
to sail up the river, and attack the city with united forces. By this
time, the court of Spain had gotten leisure to prepare against the
invasion. Forces were thrown into Lisbon: the Portuguese were disarmed:
all suspected persons were taken into custody: and thus, though the
inhabitants bore great affection to Don Antonio, none of them durst
declare in favor of the invaders. The English army, however, made
themselves masters of the suburbs, which abounded with riches of
all kinds; but as they desired to conciliate the affections of the
Portuguese, and were more intent on honor than profit, they observed a
strict discipline, and abstained from all plunder. Meanwhile they found
their ammunition and provisions much exhausted; they had not a single
cannon to make a breach in the walls; the admiral had not been able to
pass some fortresses which guarded the river; there was no appearance
of an insurrection in their favor; sickness, from fatigue, hunger, and
intemperance in wine and fruits, had seized the army; so that it was
found necessary to make all possible haste to reembark. They were not
pursued by the enemy, and finding at the