d thirty
ships.

This spirited precedent was followed all through the empire, all
classes vied with each other in contributing their utmost quota of
aid, by means and by personal service, and amongst many similar
instances it is recorded of "that noble, vertuous, honourable man, the
Viscount Montague, that he now came, though he was very sickly, and in
age, with a full resolution to live and dye in defence of the queene,
and of his countrie, against all invaders, whether it were pope, king,
and potentate whatsoever, and in that quarrell he would hazard his
life, his children, his landes and goods. And to shew his mynde
agreeably thereto, he came personally himselfe before the queene, with
his band of horsemen, being almost two hundred; the same being led by
his owne sonnes, and with them a yong child, very comely, seated on
horseback, being the heire of his house, that is, ye eldest sonne to
his sonne and heire; a matter much noted of many, to see a
grandfather, father, and sonne, at one time on horsebacks afore a
queene for her service."

For three years had Philip been preparing, in all parts of his
dominions, for this overwhelming expedition, and his equipments were
fully equal to his extensive preparations; and so popular was the
project in Spain, and so ardent were its votaries, that there was not
a family of any note which had not contributed some of its dearest and
nearest members; there were also one hundred and eighty Capuchins,
Dominicans, Jesuits, and Mendicant friars; and so great was the
enthusiastic anticipation, that even females hired vessels to follow
the fleet which contained those they loved; two or three of these were
driven by the storm on the coast of France.

This Armada consisted of about one hundred and fifty ships, most of
which were of an uncommon size, strength, and thickness, more like
floating castles than anything else; and to this unwieldy size may,
probably, be attributed much of their discomfiture. For the greater
holiness of their action, twelve were called the Twelve Apostles; and
a pinnace of the Andalusian squadron, commanded by Don Pedro de
Valdez, was called the "Holy Ghost." The fleet is said to have
contained thirty-two thousand persons, and to have cost every day
thirty thousand ducats.

The Duke of Parma's contemporary preparations were also prodigious,
and of a nature which plainly declared the full certainty and
confidence in which the invaders indulged of making good