r Richard Levison, admiral, and Sir William Monson,
vice-admiral, whom she sent on an expedition to the coast of Spain.
The admiral, with part of the squadron, met the galleons loaded with
treasure; but was not strong enough to attack them. The vice-admiral
also fell in with some rich ships, but they escaped for a like reason;
and these two brave officers, that their expedition might not prove
entirely fruitless, resolved to attack the harbor of Cerimbra, in
Portugal; where, they received intelligence, a very rich carrack had
taken shelter. The harbor was guarded by a castle: there were eleven
galleys stationed in it; and the militia of the country, to the number,
as was believed, of twenty thousand men, appeared in arms on the shore:
yet, notwithstanding these obstacles, and others derived from the winds
and tides, the English squadron broke into the harbor, dismounted the
guns of the castle, sunk, or burnt, or put to flight the galleys, and
obliged the carrack to surrender.[*] They brought her home to England,
and she was valued at a million of ducats:[**] a sensible loss to the
Spaniards, and a supply still more important to Elizabeth.[***]

* Monson, p. 181.

* Camden, p. 647.

* This year the Spaniards began the siege of Ostend, which
was bravely defended for five months by Sir Francis Vere.
The states then relieved him, by sending a new governor; and
on the whole, the siege lasted three years, and is computed
to have cost the lives of one hundred thousand men.

The affairs of Ireland, after the defeat of Tyrone and the expulsion of
the Spaniards, hastened to a settlement. Lord Mountjoy divided his army
into small parties, and harassed the rebels on every side: he built
Charlemont and many other small forts, which were impregnable to the
Irish, and guarded all the important passes of the country: the activity
of Sir Henry Docwray and Sir Arthur Chichester permitted no repose
or security to the rebels; and many of the chieftains, after skulking
during some time in woods and morasses, submitted to mercy, and received
such conditions as the deputy was pleased to impose upon them.

{1603.} Tyrone himself made application by Arthur Mac-Baron, his
brother, to be received upon terms; but Mountjoy would not admit him,
except he made an absolute surrender of his life and fortunes to the
queen's mercy. He appeared before the deputy at Millefont, in a habit
and posture suitable to his p