The previous day's fighting had used up the ammunition
obtained at Dover. Starvation would drive every English ship from
the sea in another week at the latest. The Channel would then be
open for the passage of Parma's army.
At five o'clock on Sunday evening a council of war was held in Lord
Howard's cabin, and it was determined, that as it was impossible
to attack the Spanish Fleet where they lay at the edge of shallow
water, an attempt must be made to drive them out into the Channel
with fireships. Eight of the private vessels were accordingly taken,
and such combustibles as could be found -- pitch, tar, old sails,
empty casks, and other materials -- were piled into them. At
midnight the tide set directly from the English fleet towards the
Spaniards, and the fireships, manned by their respective crews,
hoisted sail and drove down towards them.
When near the Armada the crews set fire to the combustibles, and
taking to their boats rowed back to the fleet. At the sight of the
flames bursting up from the eight ships bearing down upon them,
the Spaniards were seized with a panic. The admiral fired a gun as
a signal, and all cut their cables and hoisted sail, and succeeded
in getting out to sea before the fireships arrived. They lay to six
miles from shore, intending to return in the morning and recover
their anchors; but Drake with his division of the fleet, and Seymour
with the squadron from the Thames, weighed their anchors and stood
off after them, while Howard with his division remained off Calais,
where, in the morning, the largest of the four galleasses was seen
aground on Calais Bar.
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