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Protestantism in England From the Times of Henry VIII - James Aitken Wylie

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soldiers, shot down, had received burial <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

ocean; and at least as many more lay wounded and<br />

dy<strong>in</strong>g on board <strong>the</strong>ir shattered galleons. Of <strong>the</strong><br />

English not more than 100 had fallen.<br />

Thankful was <strong>the</strong> terrified Med<strong>in</strong>a Sidonia<br />

when night fell, and gave him a few hours' respite.<br />

But with morn<strong>in</strong>g his dangers and anxieties<br />

returned. He found himself between two great<br />

perils. To <strong>the</strong> w<strong>in</strong>dward <strong>of</strong> him was <strong>the</strong> English<br />

fleet. Beh<strong>in</strong>d him was that belt <strong>of</strong> muddy water<br />

which fr<strong>in</strong>ges <strong>the</strong> Dutch coast, and which <strong>in</strong>dicates<br />

to <strong>the</strong> mar<strong>in</strong>er's eye those fatal banks where, if he<br />

strikes, he is lost. The helpless Armada was<br />

near<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>se terrible shoals that very moment.<br />

Suddenly <strong>the</strong> w<strong>in</strong>d shifted <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> east, and <strong>the</strong><br />

change rescued <strong>the</strong> Spanish galleons when on <strong>the</strong><br />

very br<strong>in</strong>k <strong>of</strong> destruction. The English fleet, hav<strong>in</strong>g<br />

lost <strong>the</strong> wea<strong>the</strong>r-gauge, stood <strong>of</strong>f; and <strong>the</strong> Spanish<br />

admiral, relieved <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir presence, assembled his<br />

<strong>of</strong>ficers on board his ship to deliberate on <strong>the</strong><br />

course to be taken. Whe<strong>the</strong>r should <strong>the</strong>y return to<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir anchorage <strong>of</strong>f Calais, or go back to Spa<strong>in</strong> by<br />

way <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Orkneys? This was <strong>the</strong> alternative on<br />

407

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