fell to
work battering them.

The Spaniards fought valiantly, but at a disadvantage, for the
smaller ships of the English were so quickly handled that they were
able to take up positions to rake their enemy, without exposing
themselves to the broadsides which would have sunk them. When at
last they had crippled their foes, they would either close upon
them and carry them by boarding, or, leaving them helpless wrecks
upon the water, would hoist all sail and again overtake the Spanish
fleet.

The battle continued day and night for five days, with scarce an
intermission, the various English admirals sometimes attacking all
together, sometimes separately. The same tactics ever prevailed,
the Spaniards sailing on and striving to keep in a compact body,
the English hovering round them, cutting off every ship which
lagged behind, breaking the ranks of the enemy, and separating
vessels from their consorts. Hard was it to say that, in that long
struggle, one man showed more valor than another, but the deeds of
the ships commanded by the Devonshire gentlemen were second to
none.

On the 27th their ships were signaled to sail to join those
assembled near Dunkirk, to check the progress of the Duke of
Parma's fleet. They reached the English fleet in time, and soon the
Spaniards were seen approaching. They kept in a compact mass, which
the English ships could not break.

For a while the fight went badly, and then a number of fire ships
were launched at the Spaniards. Seized with panic, these at once
scattered and, the English falling upon them, a series of desperate
conflicts ensued, ending almost always in the capture or
destruction of the enemy.

The Duke of Medina-Sidonia, who commanded the main Spanish fleet,
sailed north, intending to coast round the north of Scotland and so
return to Spain. The English ships followed for a while, but were,
from the shortness of the supplies which had been placed on board,
forced to put into harbor; and a great storm scattering the Spanish
fleet, and wrecking many, only 60 vessels, and these with their
crews disabled by hardship and fatigue, ever returned to Spain.

As a consequence of their gallantry in these battles, and upon the
urgent recommendations of Sir Francis Drake, her majesty was
pleased to bestow the honor of knighthood upon each of the four
young Devonshire gentlemen, as upon many other brave captains.

After this they went no more to sea, nor took any part in the
disas