the people of England.

[Illustration: CROMWELL LEADS HIS IRONSIDES TO BATTLE]

=The Spanish Armada=

The Armada was a great fleet which the King of Spain sent to attack
England, in the days of Queen Elizabeth. There were more than a hundred
ships, so large and high that they looked like towers on the sea; and
they came sailing along arranged in the shape of a big half-moon.

The great English admiral, Sir Francis Drake, was playing at bowls when
messengers came hurrying to tell him that the Armada was approaching. He
quietly finished his game, and then set sail to fight the Spaniards. His
fleet was not so large as the Armada, and the ships were small, but they
were light and fast. They met the Armada in the English Channel, and
sailed round it, attacking any ship that dropped out of line, and
speeding away before the clumsy Spanish vessels could seize them. In
this way they did much harm to the enemy. Then, one night, when it was
dark, and the Spanish vessels were lying quietly at anchor, Admiral
Drake sent eight blazing fire-ships into their midst. In great fear, the
Spaniards cut their anchor-ropes, and sailed out to the open sea, and
the English ships followed, firing upon them as they fled. For two days
the English chased the flying Spaniards. Then their powder and shot
failed, and a storm arose; so they had to go back. The Armada sailed on,
hoping to escape, but the wild tempest tossed many of the great vessels
on the rocks and cliffs of the coast, and dashed them to pieces. Only a
few, broken and battered, with starving and weary men on board, ever
reached Spain again. And so England was saved.

[Illustration: DRAKE IS TOLD THAT THE ARMADA IS APPROACHING]

[Illustration: THE LITTLE "REVENGE" FIGHTS FIFTY SPANISH GALLEONS]

=The Defence of Lathom House=

Lathom House is an old English castle. When the war broke out between
King Charles I and his people, the Earl of Derby, who was the master of
this castle, went away to fight for the king. He left the Countess at
home with her children, with a small band of armed men to guard her and
the castle. One day an army of the people's soldiers came to the castle,
and the leader of the army sent word to the Countess that she must give
up the castle at once.

But the Countess was a brave woman. She replied that she would rather
set fire to the castle, and die with her children in the flames, than
give it up to the king's enemies.

Then began a figh