Elizabeth was extremely fond of pomp and parade. The magnificence and splendor of the celebrations and festivities which characterized her reign have scarcely ever been surpassed in any country or in any age. She once went to attend Church, on a particular occasion, accompanied by a thousand men in full armor of steel, and ten pieces of cannon, with drums and trumpets sounding. She received her foreign embassadors with military spectacles and shows, and with banquets and parties of pleasure, which for many days kept all London in a fever of excitement. Sometimes she made excursions on the river, with whole fleets of boats and barges in her train; the shores, on such occasions, swarming with spectators, and waving with flags and banners. Sometimes she would make grand progresses through her dominions, followed by an army of attendants--lords and ladies dressed and mounted in the most costly manner--and putting the nobles whose seats she visited to a vast expense in entertaining such a crowd of visitors. Being very saving of her own means, she generally contrived to bring the expense of this magnificence upon others. The honor was a sufficient equivalent. Or, if it was not, nobody dared to complain. To sum up all, Elizabeth was very great, and she was, at the same time, very little. Littleness and greatness mingled in her character in a manner which has scarcely ever been paralleled, except by the equally singular mixture of admiration and contempt with which mankind have always regarded her. CHAPTER X. THE INVINCIBLE ARMADA. 1585-1588 Fierce contests between Catholics and Protestants.--Philip's cruelty.--Effects of war.--Napoleon and Xerxes.--March of improvement.--Spanish armadas.--The Low Countries.--Their situation and condition.--Embassage from the Low Countries.--Their proposition.--Elizabeth's decision.--Leicester and Drake.--Leicester sets out for the Low Countries.--His reception.--Leicester's elation.--Elizabeth's displeasure.--Drake's success.--His deeds of cruelty.--Drake's expedition in 1577.--Execution of Doughty.--Straits of Magellan.--Drake plunders the Spaniards.--Chase of the Cacofogo.--Drake captures her.--Drake's escape by going round the world.--Character of Drake.--Philip demands the treasure.--Alarming news.--Elizabeth's navy.--Drake's expedition against the Spaniards.--His bold stroke.--Exasperation of Philip.--His preparations.--Elizabeth's preparations.--The army and navy.--Elizabeth reviews the troops.--Her speech.--Elizabeth's energy.--Approach of the armada.--A grand spectacle.--A singular fight.--Defeat of the armada.--A remnant escapes.