tance, a great part of them were crushed
against the rocks, and those others that landed, being very many in
number, were notwithstanding broken, slain, and taken, and so sent from
village to village, coupled in halters, to be shipped for England. Where
her majesty, of her princely and invincible disposition, disdaining to
put them to death, and scorning either to retain or entertain them, they
were all sent back again into their countries, to witness and recount
the worthy achievements of their invincible and dreadful navy: of which,
the number of soldiers, the fearful burden of their ships, the
commanders names of every squadron, with all their magazines of
provisions were put in print, as an army and navy irresistible and
disdaining prevention. With all which so great and terrible ostentation,
they did not, in all their sailing about England, so much as sink or
take one ship, bark, pinnace, or cock-boat of ours, or ever burnt so
much as one sheep-cot of this land. When, as on the contrary, Sir
Francis Drake, with only 800 soldiers, not long before landed in their
Indies, and forced San Jago, Santo Domingo, Carthagena, and the forts of
Florida.

[Footnote 371: Hakluyt, II. 668. Astley, I. 216.]

[Footnote 372: This preliminary discourse, by the famous Sir Walter
Raleigh, is given from Hakluyt without alteration, except in
orthography.--E.]

[Footnote 373: Armada is a general word, signifying in Spanish a ship of
war or a fleet or squadron. Generally in English it has been limited to
the invincible armada, or powerful fleet fitted out by Philip II. in the
vain hope of conquering England.--E.]

And after that, Sir John Norris marched from Peniche in Portugal with a
handful of soldiers to the gates of Lisbon, being above 40 English
miles: Where the earl of Essex himself, and other valiant gentlemen,
braved the city of Lisbon, encamping at the very gates: from whence,
after many days abode, finding neither promised parley nor provision
wherewith to batter, they made their retreat by land, in spite of all
their garrisons both of horse and foot. In this sort I have a little
digressed from my first purpose, only by the necessary comparison of
their and our actions: the one covetous of honour, without vaunt or
ostentation; the other so greedy to purchase the opinion of their own
affairs, and by false rumours to resist the blasts of their own
dishonours, as they will not only not blush to spread all manner of
untruths, bu