THE SPANISH ARMADA.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 195, 20 August 1888, Page 8

THE SPANISH ARMADA.

Tercentenary Celebration.

Now'that interest has been excited in the great event in English history of three hundred years ago, which has lately been celebrated in England, many readers will be glad to have the following facsimile of a London newspaper of the time, containing an account of the first sighting of the formidable Armada :—■ THE ENGLISH MERCURIE. Publif hod by AUTHOiUTIE. For the Prevention of Falfo Reportes. Wdtflall, July U3rd, JsBB, \ TiARLIE this Morninge arrived a Mefjj feager-at Sir Francis Walfingham'a Ollice, with Letters of the 22d from the Lords'; High Admiral! on board the AryRoyal, containing the following: materar Advices. , . _ _, On the 20th of this Inftant Capt. Fleming, who had bceno ordered to cruize in the Chops of tho (Jhannoll, foi? Difcoverie, brought Advice into Plymouth that he had defcried tho Spanifh Armado neare, the Lizard," making for the Entrance of tho 'Channel! with a favourable Gale. Though this Intelligence was not received till near foure in the afternoone, and the Winde at that time blew hard into the Sound, yet by the indefatigable Care and Diligence of the Lorde High-Admiral, ■the Ark-Koyai, with five of the largeft Frigates, anchored out- of the Harbour that very E veninge. The next Morninge, the greateft Parb of her Majefiie'B Fleet gotb put to them. They made in all about eighty Sail, divided into four Squadrons, commanded by his Lordship in Perfon, Bis Francis Brake Vice-Admiral, and the Rear-Admirals Hawkins arid'Forbifher. : But about one in tho Afternoone, they came in Sighte of the Spanifh Armado two Leagues to the Wef tward of the JGdditborie, Points whereof were feven Leagues afunHor. By the befb Computation, that could be made on the fudden (which the Prifbhers have fince confirmed)j they cannot bq fewer than' one hundred and lifty Ships of all Sorts ; and a feverall of them called Galleons and GallaHres, are of a Size never feene before in our Seas, and appeare onthe Surface of the Water like floatinge Cafties. But the Sailors were foe far from being daunted by the Number arid Strengths of the Enemie, that as foon as they were difcorned from the top-maft-Head, acclamations of Joy refounded'through the wl^ole Fieete. The Lqrd High Admirall obferving hia generall Alaoritie, after a Council-of War had, been held, ■ directed .the Signal} of Battle to be hana out--' We ; attacked the Enemy's Heave with the Advantage of the VVindo: The Earl of Cumberland mv the .Defiance, gave the iirffc Fire : My Lord Howard himfelfe was next engaged for about three Hours with Don Alphonfo' de Lbyva in. the St. Jacques, which would certaynly have f truck if fhe had not beeue feafonably refcued by Ango de Moncada. In the mean tymd, Sir Francis Drake and the two Rear-Admirals Hawkins 'and Forbifher vigbrouiiy broadfided the Enemies fturnmoib Ships com * manded by ViecrAcUnir^lKecalde which were; forced to/retreat much fhtittered to the maine Body of their Fieete, where the Dukb de Medina himfelf commanded.1: About: Sun-fet we had the Pleafura of feeing this invincible Armado till all their Sails to get away /from us. The Lord Adniuall fiackencd his, in order to expect the Amvail of twenty "frefh Frigates, with which'he' intends to puri'ue the Enemie, whom, we hops, by the Gji'ace of : God.too prevent from laudinge brie 'Alan on Englilh grounde. In the Night the,St; Francis Galleon of which" Don Pedro de Valdez was Captaine, fell in with. Vico-Admiral Drake, who tooke her after a ftout 'Boiiftance. ■■•_ ( She r W£i.s!d]fftbled fronV keepingf c' up" "vvitti'' ch'e ' re'f£' of t|ic Floete by an Accident, which' happened to her, of fpringing her Fore Mafte. She carryes fifty 'Guiiis'arid five hundred Men,: botliSoiildiersatid Jilariners., TheCaptours ioitiid on board five thoufundGolde Ducataj" which they * fharod amongft' them after bringing her into Plymouth. .■':..* ■■', Such preparations have -beene long made, by her... Muje.f tie's Wifdom and Forfighte for Defence of tho;liingdpme,^that (febcing abde the common Accidents'of War), no great/Danger is to be apprehended ■ though the, Spaniards fhould lande in any Parte of it; fince. beddes the. two Cainpes at arid Blackhead), large* Bbdyes of Militia are difpofed . ; along the Coasto : under: ' experienced: Commadours. with.proper instructions how© to behave, in case a Defccnb cannot, •be :prevented till a greater: Force may be drawne together, and -foverall;.of the, principall of her-; Majesties Council, and the Nobility have raised Troops of Horse at their owns. charge, •tvell trained and officered, which ' are readye to take the Field at an Houre's warning. ■ The; Queene was pleased to review them laate Weeke in. the' Parke at Nonsuch, and expressed theh'ighest Satiation^; at their gallant Appearance: In foe much,, that by God's blessings there is. no doubtothat this unjust and dareing enterprise of the King of Spayhe will t'nrh'e out all Rankes of people, without Respect of Religion, feeme refolute to defend the sacred Persone of their/sovereigne and the Lawes / and /Liberties /of this- country, a'minst all foreign Invaders, i" Ostend, July.27th N.S. Nothing is now talked of in these Partes, but1 the intended Invasion of- -England. :■{. His Highnefle the Prince of Parma has compleated'his Pfe-; parationes, of which the following Accounts trrjay. be depended upon as ,_exacte and authehtique. .The Annie defigned I'ortlib Expedition is selected out of all.the S'pahifh

ot thirty tinousana a oote, ana Big"™?" hundred Horfe. Af Nieuporb are quartered thirty. Companies of Italians, ten of W aU' oons, and eight of Burgundians, com-, manded by Camp-Master General -CaniiUo de Monte. At Dixmuyjde lie readye eighty Companies of Flemings, fixty of Spaniards, fixty of Germans, and above ten hundred fugitive Englifh, and headed by the two Irish Arch-Traitours, theEarles of VVeftmorland,an'd SirWilliamStanley. Befidesthefe,four thoufand Men out of the old Spaniih Brigades are lodged in the Suburbs or Corrick, and nine hundred Reifters at Watene, together with the Marquiffo de Guaft General of the Cavalrie. Volunteers of the first Qualities are arrived from difi'ererib Countries, to fhare in tlie Honoure of this En terprizp, as the Duke do Paf trana, the Marquiffe of Brifgawy (son to the ArchDuke Ferdinand), Don Juan do Medicis, Don Amadous Bafbardc/of Savove, befides manio others of lefs note, whome we have not rooms to enumerate. For the Tranfportabion of thefts Forces, Vefiels oi all; fcjorte's are prepared at Dunkirk, Antwerp, and Nieuport, iitted up with all manner ot Conveniences ! the llat-bottomed Boates for the Gayalrie have Bridges fixed to^them, for the nioro etifits Shipping or Difembarkation oflHorfe. The Tranfporte3 for the Foote containe each two Oyens, to bake Bread, in cafe they fliould be kepte longer at Sea then they hope to.■bee. Twenty thoufand Caikes are provided at Griuveliug, with Nailes and Cordage, which can foone be throwno into 'the tforme of . a Bridge: And a greatePile of Falctnes is erected near Nieuporb, dofigned for the fillinga up of Ditches, covering Workemen at a Siege, and other Artes of that Nature. The little, Hoyes,andßargesloaded with Arms, Powder and Provii'ions, are to bee conveyed through Canals, cub from Bruges and Ghentv to j Antwerp, Sluys and Nieuporb, and foe into the British Channel!; The Scheme is fayed to be thus fettled, that as foone as their great Armada arrives in Sighte of the Flemii'h Portes, the Prince of Parma is to geb out with his Transports and joyne them. After which, they are in a Bodie to force their Waye up the River of Thames,; againft all Impediments, and iande as near London as they can. But whilft thefe Harbours are to clofely watched by the united Squadrone? of her Majeftie and the States, commanded by the Lord Henry Seymor, it is tho general Oisinion, thathif Highneffe will tinde it impoiiible to put to Sea, and we hope the Lorde Admiral Howard will prevent the Spanifh Navio from being in a Condition to raife the Blockade. London, July 23rd. The Lord Mayor, Alderman, Couimou-Couiicil and Lieuten-. ancieofthis greate City way ted upon her Majef tie at Weftminfter this afternoone, with Affurances of their hearty and unanimous Refolution, to ftand by and fupporb her Majef tie at this critical Juncture, with -their Lives and Fortunes, when her invaluable Life, the true Proteftant Religion; and all the Priviledges of free-borne- Englishmen aro threatened by an open Attack from our bigofcted and bloode-tliirfty Adverfaries the Spaniards, The Q.usene received them very gracioiifly, and allured them fho did nob doubte their zealous Endeavour to t'erVetheyr Country on the prefenb very important Occafion; that for her Part fbe reived on God's; Providence and the goodrieffe of her Caufe, and was refolved to run all Rifques wiblv her faithful Subjects. •.,:,- ■ ■■■ . , _.. Imprinted at London by Chnfb. Barker, her Highneife's Printer, 1588.