time to form up, Sidonia ran down with
the windward ones and formed farther off. Howard then led in pursuit.
But seeing the _capitana_ of the renowned Italian galleasses in distress
near Calais, he became a medieval knight again, left his fleet, and took
the galleasse. For the moment that one feather in his cap seemed better
worth having than a general victory.

Drake forged ahead and led the pursuit in turn. The Spaniards fought
with desperate courage, still suffering ghastly losses. But, do what
they could to bear up against the English and the wind, they were forced
to leeward of Dunkirk, and so out of touch with Parma. This was the
result of the Battle of Gravelines, fought on Monday the 29th of July,
1588, just ten days after Captain Fleming had rushed on to the bowling
green of Plymouth Hoe where Drake and Howard, their shore work done,
were playing a game before embarking. In those ten days the gallant
Armada had lost all chance of winning the overlordship of the sea and
shaking the sea-dog grip off both Americas. A rising gale now forced it
to choose between getting pounded to death on the shoals of Dunkirk or
running north, through that North Sea in which the British Grand Fleet
of the twentieth century fought against the fourth attempt in modern
times to win a world-dominion.

North, and still north, round by the surf-lashed Orkneys, then down the
wild west coasts of the Hebrides and Ireland, went the forlorn Armada,
losing ships and men at every stage, until at last the remnant straggled
into Spanish ports like the mere wreckage of a storm.

CHAPTER X

'THE ONE AND THE FIFTY-THREE'

The next year, 1589, is famous for the unsuccessful Lisbon Expedition.
Drake had the usual troubles with Elizabeth, who wanted him to go about
picking leaves and breaking branches before laying the axe to the root
of the tree. Though there were in the Narrow Seas defensive squadrons
strong enough to ward off any possible blow, yet the nervous landsmen
wanted Corunna and other ports attacked and their shipping destroyed,
for fear England should be invaded before Drake could strike his blow at
Lisbon. Then there were troubles about stores and ammunition. The
English fleet had been reduced to the last pound of powder twice during
the ten-days' battle with the Armada. Yet Elizabeth was again alarmed at
the expense of munitions. She never quite rose to the idea of one
supreme and finishing blow, no matter what the cost mi