disperse him. if he accepted action, as lccalde felt stu'e he would. But it has already been shown that Philip preferred that Parma's passage should be mam;ged without a battle. If there shotfid be no fight, continued lecalde, the fleet was to proceed to the Downs, and thence reach out a helping hand to the forces at Dunquerque. The next measm'e was to be the taking of such precautions as would enable Parma's army to safely reach England, landing at the place which I'a_na should designate as being the most suitaiAe for the purpose.

If we may trust Recalde's impressions, the orders then in force prescribed neither that the juuction should be effected off Margate, nor that Medina Sidonia and Parma, after their junction, should proceed thither. Iudeed, he himself offered suggestions as the most suitable place, declaring that it shotlid be one as little as possible removed, either northward or southward, h'om the mouth of the Thames. Margate would, of course, be such a place; but, if Margate had ah'eady heen specified to him as the point selected, I{ecalde would scarcely have written as he did. Parma's passage would, he thougilt, probably occupy several days, for cavah'y was to be sent over; and as all could not cross at once, the transports would have to make at least two trips. After I'arma had crossed successfull)', it would be necessary, according to I-ecalde, to seek a port in Eugland for Medina Sidonia's fleet. He suggested several, and expressed the opinion that even if the Spaniards lieat the English fleet, the latter would hardly be reduced to so impotent a condition as not to be able to again appear at sea in fighting trim.

As has thus been indicated, the details of the original plan were not adhered to. The plan seeIns, in fact, to have been modified little by little until not IMargate, but the coast of Flanders became the immediate destination of the Armada. For, on July :th, the day befiwe the first action with the English, Medina Sidonia wanted to remain off the Isle of Wight until Parma's preparations shinrid he so far advanced as to adnfit of a junction being effected as soon as the Armada should arrive at some place in the neighbour- hood of Dunquerque. It is clear that the admiral then no longer thought of proceeding first of all to lIargate l{oad. Had he

"Las Dunas." But the expression ndght neau The Dunes, or the hanks on Netherlands' coast.

lb,r.. doc.