admiring such airy impertinence.
Hugo de Moncada sent a ball after the pinnace, which went through her
mainsail, but did no damage, and the pinnace again disappeared behind
the English ships.

So a Spanish officer describes the scene. The English story says nothing
of the pinnace; but she doubtless came and went as the Spaniard says,
and for sufficient purpose. The English, too, were in straits, though
the Duke did not dream of it. You will remember that the last supplies
which the Queen had allowed to the fleet had been issued in the middle
of June. They were to serve for a month, and the contractors were
forbidden to prepare more. The Queen had clung to her hope that her
differences with Philip were to be settled by the Commission at Ostend;
and she feared that if Drake and Howard were too well furnished they
would venture some fresh rash stroke on the coast of Spain, which might
mar the negotiations. Their month's provisions had been stretched to
serve for six weeks, and when the Armada appeared but two full days'
rations remained. On these they had fought their way up Channel.
Something had been brought out by private exertion on the Dorsetshire
coast, and Seymour had, perhaps, brought a little more. But they were
still in extremity. The contractors had warned the Government that they
could provide nothing without notice, and notice had not been given. The
adventurers were in better state, having been equipped by private
owners. But the Queen's ships in a day or two more must either go home
or their crews would be starving. They had been on reduced rations for
near two months. Worse than that, they were still poisoned by the sour
beer. The Queen had changed her mind so often, now ordering the fleet to
prepare for sea, then recalling her instructions and paying off the men,
that those whom Howard had with him had been enlisted in haste, had come
on board as they were, and their clothes were hanging in rags on them.
The fighting and the sight of the flying Spaniards were meat and drink,
and clothing too, and had made them careless of all else. There was no
fear of mutiny; but there was a limit to the toughest endurance. If the
Armada was left undisturbed a long struggle might be still before them.
The enemy would recover from its flurry, and Parma would come out from
Dunkirk. To attack them directly in French waters might lead to
perilous complications, while delay meant famine. The Spanish fleet had
to be started fr