One gentleman in the English fleet, named Dodington, occupied part of his time in writing a hasty despatch to the Privy Council:-- "Right Ho. Heare is a ffleete at this instant cominge in upon us, semid at north-west, by all likelywode it should be the enymy: hast makes me--I can write no more. I beseech your L. to pardon me, and so I referr all to your Ho. most depyst considerationes. "Your Ho. most humble to comand "ED. DODINGTON. "ffrom the ffleete at Plymouth." The covering address of this letter is curious; the little gallows expresses _haste_. [Illustration: FOR HER MA|ties| SPETIALL SERVISE] +------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | FOR HER MAties SPETIALL SERVISE | | --------- | | | | | To THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORDS OF | | | o | HER MAts MOST HO. PREVY CUNSELL, | | | | _hast post hast, for lyfe hast! for lyfe!_ | | | +------------------------------------------------------------+ When it was about three o'clock in the afternoon of the 20th, the English saw approaching them a huge fleet--ships with lofty turrets like castles, like a half-moon in front, the wings of which were spread out about the length of seven miles. They were coming on very slowly, though with full sails, for their blunt bows churned up the resisting wave. Lord Howard did not attempt to stay them, as the wind was against him, but he let them ride lazily by in all their pomp and show. The Spaniards, seeing that the English were ready for them, and were not to be caught napping, turned west again and anchored in the bay of Looe, a few miles from Plymouth Sound. Next morning, Sunday, the 21st of July, the Spaniards weighed anchor early, with the idea of sailing east and seizing a harbour in the Isle of Wight, and then of going on to the Hague to take on board the Prince of Parma and his men. Lord Howard let the Armada pass Plymouth, keeping his sixty ships in the haven. When about nine o'clock on this Sunday morning the Armada had all passed eastward, Howard weighed anchor and hoisted sail. "We durst not adventure to put in amongst them, their fleet being so strong," he wrote in his first report. But he sent after them his swift pinnace, the _Disdain_, which fired the first shot; then came fire, smoke, and echoing cannon, for Howard in the _Ark Royal_ followed the _Disdain_, thundering furiously upon a big galley which he thought was the admiral's flagship, but which proved to be the Spanish vice-admiral's, Alphonso de Leyva. Meanwhile Drake, Hawkins, and Frobisher were playing fiercely upon the rear division under Juan de Recaldé.