ed behind, struck her flag to Drake, and increased
the store of the English fleet by some tons of gunpowder. Another
Spanish ship surrendered, and another store of powder and shot was
rescued for the destruction of the Armada. And so it happened
throughout, until the Spanish fleet was driven to wreck and ruin, and
the remaining ships were scattered by the tempests of the north. After
all, Philip proved to be, what the sailors called him, only "a Colossus
stuffed with clouts."

The English sailors followed up their advantage. They went on
"singeing the Ring of Spain's beard." Private adventurers fitted up a
fleet under the command of Drake, and invaded the mainland of Spain.
They took the lower part of the town of Corunna; sailed to the Tagus,
and captured a fleet of ships laden with wheat and warlike stores for a
new Armada. They next sacked Vigo, and returned to England with 150
pieces of cannon and a rich booty. The Earl of Cumberland sailed to
the West Indies on a private adventure, and captured more Spanish
prizes. In 1590, ten English merchantmen, returning from the Levant,
attacked twelve Spanish galleons, and after six hours' contest, put
them to flight with great loss. In the following year, three merchant
ships set sail for the East Indies, and in the course of their voyage
took several Portuguese vessels.

A powerful Spanish fleet still kept the seas, and in 1591 they
conquered the noble Sir Richard Grenville at the Azores--fifteen great
Spanish galleons against one Queen's ship, the Revenge. In 1593, two
of the Queen's ships, accompanied by a number of merchant ships, sailed
for the West Indies, under Burroughs, Frobisher, and Cross, and amongst
their other captures they took the greatest of all the East India
caracks, a vessel of 1600 tons, 700 men, and 36 brass cannon, laden
with a magnificent cargo. She was taken to Dartmouth, and surprised
all who saw her, being the largest ship that had ever been seen in
England. In 1594, Captain James Lancaster set sail with three ships
upon a voyage of adventure. He was joined by some Dutch and French
privateers. The result was, that they captured thirty-nine of the
Spanish ships. Sir Amias Preston, Sir John Hawkins, and Sir Francis
Drake, also continued their action upon the seas. Lord Admiral Howard
and the Earl of Essex made their famous attack upon Cadiz for the
purpose of destroying the new Armada; they demolished all the forts;
sank eleven of the