The men died in scores from dysentery brought on by the sour and
poisonous beer issued to them, and Howard and Drake ordered wine
and arrow root from the town for the use of the sick, and had to
pay for it from their own pockets.
But at last the Armada was ready for starting. Contingents of
Spanish, Italians, and Portuguese were gathered together with the
faithful from all countries -- Jesuits from France; exiled priests,
Irish and English; and many Catholic Scotch, English, and Irish
noblemen and gentlemen. The six squadrons into which the fleet
was divided contained sixty-five large war ships, the smallest of
which was seven hundred tons. Seven were over one thousand, and
the largest, an Italian ship, La Regazona, was thirteen hundred.
All were built high like castles, their upper works musket proof,
their main timbers four or five feet thick, and of a strength it
was supposed no English cannon could pierce.
Next to the big ships, or galleons as they were called, were four
galleasses, each carrying fifty guns and 450 soldiers and sailors,
and rowed by 300 slaves. Besides these were four galleys, fifty-six
great armed merchant ships, the finest Spain possessed, and twenty
caravels or small vessels. Thus the fighting fleet amounted to
129 vessels, carrying in all 2430 cannon. On board was stored an
enormous quantity of provisions for the use of the army after it
landed in England, there being sufficient to feed 40,000 men for
six months.
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