upon the seas with all his fia'ces, and we in the view of them. Then I doubt not but that you wouhl hear that we wouhl make his enterprise very unpleasant. t,, him. But with sorrow I speak it, I am afraid that they will keep me toln tile baths of Bath I,y their long detraction, whet I meant to have been to seek health by tile beginniag of May next." Drake was another of those who advised and hinged for an energetic offensive. Writing on March :40th t the Council) he said :--

"If her Majesty and yore- L,,rdshil thinks that lhe King ,1' Spain meaneh any invasion in England, tileat doubtless his three is and will be great in Spain; and thereon he will make his groundwork or foundation, whereby the P'ince of Parma may have tile better entrance, which, in mine own judgment, is lnOSt to be liare, l. lqut it' there may be such a stay or atop made hy at,y means of this fleet in Spain, that they lnay not come through the seas as conquerors--which, I assu-e myself; they think t, then shall the Princo of Parma have such a check thereby as were meet."

But he added that the ships had not enough powder on board for more than a day's, or a day and a hall's fighting, and that more ought to be sent to them; "f,r it importeth but the loss of all." Nor did he underrate the importance of increasing the active navy. To the queen, on April 13th, he wrote :--'-'

"If your Majesty will give present oler tbr out' proceeding to the sea, and send to he strengthening of this fleet here fimr more of your Majesty's good ships, an,l those D; sail of ships with their pimmces which are preparing in Loudon, then shall your Majesty stand assured, with God's assistance, that if the fleet come out of Lisl.m, as hmg as we have victual to live withal upon that coast, they shall 1,c lbught with .... o,1 increase your most excellent Majesty's firces hoth by sea and laud daily; fla' this I surely think, thet was never any t;rce so strong as Illere is now rea, ly or making ready against your Majesty." 1)rake continued to press his opinion o- that the Spaniards should he met and fought off their own shores. On April Sth he ao'ain wrote to the queen: "These great preparations of the Spaniard may be speedily prevented as much as in your Majesty lieth, by sending your forces to encounter them somewhat far off, and more near their own coasts."

But the Channel ;;as to he the scene of England's defence. This, however, was not the desire of the naval commanders. Writing to lqurghley on May 2;4rd. the Lord High Admiral related what had so far been done.

"l'pon Tues, lay lmt," he says, "being the 21st of this instant, tile wind serving exceedin.,.x'ly well, I cut sail at tile loxms, assi.,_ming mlto my Lord 1Ienry Seymour

q.P. Dom. ccix. 40. From Plyre, ruth. Ib., e*.ix. 112.

lb., ccix. 89. From Plymouth. Ib., ccx. 28. Ft,om Plymouth.