Thirty years later, had England still held Calais, the Spanish Armada might, in all probability, have been completely destroyed there.
The naval campaigns of 1557 and 1558 were hardly more satisfactory. In the former year a squadron of twelve sail, under Sir John Clere of Ormesby, Vice-Admiral of England, was sent to sea to annoy the Scots, and to protect the home-coming Iceland fleet of fishing vessels. A descent was made by it on the mainland of Orkney on August 12th; but on the day following, an overwhelming force of Scots fell upon the landing party, killed three captains belonging to the squadron, took all Clere's artillery, and drove the survivors to their ships. Clere's boat, as he was being pulled off, was upset, and he was drowned.[1]
In the summer of 1558, Lord Clinton put to sea with a fleet of one hundred and forty sail, reinforced by thirty ships belonging to Philip's Netherlands possessions, with orders to attempt the reduction of Brest. Part of the command seems, however, to have been detached to the northward; for, on July 13th, twelve English ships, chancing to find themselves off Gravelines, where a battle was being fought between Count Egmont and the Marshal de Thermes, were able so to gall the French with their gun-fire as to decide the fight, which resulted in a decisive victory for Egmont.
But the main fleet, under the Lord High Admiral, effected no good. It landed seven thousand men in Brittany, and on July 31st, 1558, took and burnt Le Conquêt. Against Brest, however, it did nothing; and a party of Flamands, who had wandered into the country out of gun-shot of their ships, was cut off by the French.[2]
Queen Mary died on November 17th, 1558.
Queen Elizabeth, who succeeded her sister, was a little more than twenty-five years of age. "There never was, perhaps," as Campbell remarks, "a kingdom in a more distressed condition than England at the accession of this princess. It was engaged in a war abroad for the interest of a foreign prince; at home the people were divided and distracted about their religious and civil concerns. Those of the reformed religion had been lately exposed to the flames, and those of the Roman communion found themselves now in a declining state. On the continent, we had no allies; in this
