in accordance with the Spanish custom, the ships' boys were to call out the morning salutation at the foot of the mainmast. On the approach of night they were to recite the Ave Maria, and, on certain days, the Salve and Litany. As symbolising the Catholic faith and Spanish dominion,[1] banners bearing the figure of Christ, the figure of the Virgin, and the arms of Philip, were to be carried by the fleet.
At last the Armada was in a condition to sail. It put to sea from Lisbon on the morning of May 20th, 1588,[2] and on June 9th, Medina Sidonia, with part of it, entered Corunna. The rest of the fleet was to have entered the same port on the following day, but was scattered, and to some extent damaged, by a violent storm. Medina Sidonia was at once disheartened, and advised Philip, seeing that the ships were separated, many of the people sick, provisions bad and scarce, and officers and men unfit for their work, to make an honourable treaty with the English.[3]
The commander-in-chief of the Armada, in a word, wished to give up his undertaking before he had left Spain or caught sight of the enemy. And, indeed, he had reasons for not feeling entirely satisfied. He mentioned the absence of many of his ships; and that the crews had complained of the victuals. Yet he showed clearly enough, by his attitude on that occasion, how unsuitable he was for the leadership of men.
It is remarkable that Philip, thus informed by Medina Sidonia himself of the character of that officer, did not appoint a stronger man to supersede him. Philip, however, kept his admiral, while he wholly neglected his admiral's advice. He directed Medina Sidonia to await the arrival in port of his heaviest ships, and expressed a hope that they would be ready for sea on July 2nd.[4]
In the course of a short time, almost all the missing vessels safely reached Corunna and other Spanish ports. Some of them had been driven nearly as far as the Scilly Isles.[5] Haste was made over the repairs of the damaged ships, and in the furnishing of
