The great English admiral, Sir Francis Drake, was playing at bowls when messengers came hurrying to tell him that the Armada was approaching. He quietly finished his game, and then set sail to fight the Spaniards. His fleet was not so large as the Armada, and the ships were small, but they were light and fast. They met the Armada in the English Channel, and sailed round it, attacking any ship that dropped out of line, and speeding away before the clumsy Spanish vessels could seize them. In this way they did much harm to the enemy. Then, one night, when it was dark, and the Spanish vessels were lying quietly at anchor, Admiral Drake sent eight blazing fire-ships into their midst. In great fear, the Spaniards cut their anchor-ropes, and sailed out to the open sea, and the English ships followed, firing upon them as they fled. For two days the English chased the flying Spaniards. Then their powder and shot failed, and a storm arose; so they had to go back. The Armada sailed on, hoping to escape, but the wild tempest tossed many of the great vessels on the rocks and cliffs of the coast, and dashed them to pieces. Only a few, broken and battered, with starving and weary men on board, ever reached Spain again. And so England was saved. [Illustration: DRAKE IS TOLD THAT THE ARMADA IS APPROACHING] [Illustration: THE LITTLE "REVENGE" FIGHTS FIFTY SPANISH GALLEONS] =The Defence of Lathom House= Lathom House is an old English castle. When the war broke out between King Charles I and his people, the Earl of Derby, who was the master of this castle, went away to fight for the king. He left the Countess at home with her children, with a small band of armed men to guard her and the castle. One day an army of the people's soldiers came to the castle, and the leader of the army sent word to the Countess that she must give up the castle at once. But the Countess was a brave woman. She replied that she would rather set fire to the castle, and die with her children in the flames, than give it up to the king's enemies. Then began a fight which lasted many weeks. The large army outside the walls did their best to break a way in, but the small company inside defended the castle bravely. At last the leader of the besiegers brought a strong new gun, and it was soon seen that this would break down the walls. Then one night the Countess sent out a party of brave men, who seized the new gun and brought it into the castle, and so the worst danger was over. Soon afterwards Prince Rupert, one of the king's generals, came with an army to help the Countess, and Lathom House was saved. The prince drove away the soldiers of the people, and took from them twenty-two banners, which he sent as a present to the Countess, to show how much he admired her bravery. [Illustration: THE COUNTESS RECEIVES THE BANNERS] THE OUTLAWED ARCHERS.