battle near Cuba with a Spanish fleet, of which the event was
not decisive, he returned to England. The Spaniards suffered some loss
from this enterprise but the English reaped no profit.[**]

* Camden, p. 584

** Monson, p, 167.

The bad success of this enterprise in the Indies made the English rather
attempt the Spanish dominions in Europe, where they heard Philip was
making great preparations for a new invasion of England. A powerful
fleet was equipped at Plymouth, consisting of a hundred and seventy
vessels, seventeen of which were capital ships of war, the rest tenders
and small vessels: twenty ships were added by the Hollanders. In this
fleet there were computed to be embarked six thousand three hundred and
sixty soldiers, a thousand volunteers, and six thousand seven hundred
and seventy-two seamen besides the Dutch. The land forces were commanded
by the earl of Essex; the navy by Lord Effingham, high admiral. Both
these commanders had expended great sums of their own in the armament;
for such was the spirit of Elizabeth's reign. Lord Thomas Howard, Sir
Walter Raleigh, Sir Francis Vere, Sir George Carew, and Sir Coniers
Clifford had commands in this expedition, and were appointed council to
the general and admiral.[*]

The fleet set sail on the first of June, 1596; and meeting with a
fair wind, bent its course to Cadiz, at which place, by sealed orders
delivered to all the captains, the general rendezvous was appointed.
They sent before them some armed tenders, which intercepted every ship
that could carry intelligence to the enemy; and they themselves were
so fortunate, when they came near Cadiz, as to take an Irish vessel, by
which they learned that that port was full of merchant ships of great
value, and that the Spaniards lived in perfect security without any
apprehensions of an enemy. This intelligence much encouraged the
English fleet, and gave them the prospect of a fortunate issue to the
enterprise.

After a fruitless attempt to land at St. Sebastian's, on the western
side of the Island of Cadiz, it was, upon deliberation, resolved by the
council of war to attack the ships and galleys in the bay. This attempt
was deemed rash; and the admiral himself, who was cautious in his
temper, had entertained great scruples with regard to it: but Essex
strenuously recommended the enterprise; and when he found the resolution
at last taken, he threw his hat into the sea, and gave symptoms of the
most ex