History of the United Netherlands, 1588d

籺History of the United Netherlands, 1588d

The Project Gutenberg EBook History of The United Netherlands, 1588
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Title: History of the United Netherlands, 1588
Author: John Lothrop Motley
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4858] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 5, 2002]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII

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HISTORY OF THE UNITED NETHERLANDS From the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year's Truce--1609
By John Lothrop Motley

MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg Edition, Vol. 58
History of the United Netherlands, 1588
Both Fleets off Calais--A Night of Anxiety--Project of Howard and Winter--Impatience of the Spaniards--Fire-Ships sent against the Armada--A great Galeasse disabled--Attacked and captured by English Boats--General Engagement of both Fleets--Loss of several Spanish Ships--Armada flies, followed by the English--English insufficiently provided--Are obliged to relinquish the Chase--A great Storm disperses the Armada--Great Energy of Parma Made fruitless by Philip's Dulness--England readier at Sea than on Shore--The Lieutenant--General's Complaints--His Quarrels with Norris and Williams--Harsh Statements as to the English Troops--Want of Organization in England--Royal Parsimony and Delay--Quarrels of English Admirals--England's narrow Escape from great Peril--Various Rumours as to the Armada's Fate--Philip for a long Time in Doubt--He believes himself victorious--Is tranquil when undeceived.
CHAPTER XIX
. Part 2.
And in Calais roads the great fleet--sailing slowly all next day in company with the English, without a shot being fired on either side--at last dropped anchor on Saturday afternoon, August 6th.
Here then the Invincible Armada had arrived at its appointed resting- place. Here the great junction--of Medina Sidonia with the Duke of Parma was to be effected; and now at last the curtain was to rise upon the last act of the great drama so slowly and elaborately prepared.
That Saturday afternoon, Lord Henry Seymour and his squadron of sixteen lay between Dungeness and Folkestone; waiting the approach of the two fleets. He spoke several-coasting vessels coming from the west; but they could give him no information--strange to say--either of the Spaniards or, of his own countrymen,--Seymour; having hardly three days' provision in his fleet, thought that there might be time to take in supplies; and so bore into the Downs. Hardly had he been there half an hour; when a pinnace arrived from the Lord-Admiral; with orders for Lord Henry's squadron to hold itself in readiness. There was no longer time for victualling, and very soon afterwards the order was given to make sail and bear for the French coast. The wind was however so light; that the whole day was spent before Seymour with his ships could cross the channel. At last, towards seven in the evening; he saw the great Spanish Armada, drawn up in a half-moon, and riding at anchor--the ships very near each other--a little to the eastward of Calais, and very near the shore. The English, under Howard Drake, Frobisher, and Hawkins, were slowly following, and--so soon as Lord Henry, arriving from the opposite shore; had made his junction with them--the whole combined fleet dropped anchor likewise very near Calais, and within one mile and a half of the Spaniards. That invincible force had at last almost reached its destination. It was now to receive the cooperation of the great Farnese, at the head of an army of veterans, disciplined on a hundred battle- fields, confident from countless victories, and arrayed, as they had been with ostentatious splendour, to follow the most brilliant general in Christendom on his triumphal march into the capital of England. The long-threatened invasion was no longer an idle figment of politicians, maliciously spread abroad to poison men's minds as to the intentions of a long-enduring but magnanimous, and on the whole friendly sovereign. The mask