Excerpts from Dispatches About the State of the Spanish Armada, October – November, 1588.

In this series:

• Replenishing The English Fleet: August 22 -23, 1588.
• Excerpts from Dispatches About the State of the Spanish Armada, October – November, 1588.
• Elizabeth Celebrates the Victory Over the Armada, November 24, 1588.

During October and November of 1588, the Battle of the Armada was only just coming to its end for the united Catholic forces. Here we have excerpts from the highly descriptive letters of Hieronimo Lippomano, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the Venetian Doge and Senate, which show the state of the matter. The losses were devasting, the tales of death and destruction are terse and unvarnished for all they betray a profound distress. While King Philip and his government officials replied with bluster to all who enquired into their plans, surely they knew that the defeat had been devastating and that no second such venture would be possible.

765. Hieronimo Lippomano, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the DOGE and SENATE.

The ships of the Armada are so slow in arriving in Spain that already there begins to exist great anxiety less the larger part of them should have been lost, either through violence of the weather or from lack of provisions; especially as they parted company from the Duke of Medina Sidonia in sixty degrees of latitude and in seas unknown to them, covered by thick mists and full of dangerous shoals. After Recalde arrived at Corunna, with six ships, four more have reached harbour, among them the “Regazzona” a Venetian, but all of them so damaged that they could hardly be worse, for on board Recalde’s galleon, which suffered less than the others, one hundred and seventy of the ship’s company died from sufferings and famine, being reduced to such straits as to serve out only four ounces of biscuit a day to each man; and owing to their sufferings many still continue to die. Recalde, who is very ill, reports that having entered a deserted harbour in Ireland compelled by their extreme need of water, and lying there for thirteen days waiting for fair weather, two other ships of the Armada came in sight, one a Biscayan which sprang a leak and sank in the open sea with all her crew of four hundred souls, the other a Ragusan which likewise went to the bottom in the same place though her crew was rescued on board his vessel, as well as some pieces of artillery. It is said that one of the first six ships to reach Corunna was in such a serious plight through the loss of her rudder, her cables, and most of her crew, that had she not by chance fallen in with a galley which took her in tow, she too would have been lost in sight of Spain.

These reports and the news that Don Alonzo de Leyva has been made a prisoner in Ireland, the absence of all information about the missing ships, which number fifty and more, cause a vast amount of comment;…

Madrid, 22nd October 1588.

 

770. Hieronimo Lippomano, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the DOGE and SENATE.

The Peruvian fleet has arrived at last. It has brought a million and a half of gold for the King, and the like amount for private merchants. It reports that on the high seas thirty sails were sighted; it’ escaped as though by a miracle. They were taken to be English pirates cruising towards the Indies on the look out for the fleet; and as the Mexican squadron has not arrived there is some alarm lest the English have captured it.

Half the ships of the Armada are still missing. Since my letter of the 24th only two more have arrived, and one great galley which put into a port of France, and then came home Through the English Channel, fighting its way bravely against some English ships. The worst fears are entertained for the remainder of the Armada, which includes all the levantine vessels except the “Regazzona” and the Tuscany galley which have come back as T reported. On board the ships which have arrived it is ealeulated that half the crews ard soldiers are missing, and your Excellencies may judge from this what a terrible slaughter there has been; and to crown all, news to-day from Galicia that the ship of the late Captain Oquendo has been burned with a hundred men on board her; her powder magazine took fire. All the same in spite of everything his Majesty shows himself quite determined to carry on the war; and the other evening sitting at his table and talking of this subject he said, “We will sell these candlesticks if no other way of raising money can be found.” The President of the Royal Revenue declares that in six months the King will have as much money in his treasury as he has spent these last two years on Flanders and the Armada, which amounts to ten millions, he says, and upwards.

Madrid, the 1st of November 1588.

 

780. Hieronimo Lippomano, Venetian Ambassador in Spain, to the DOGE and SENATE.

Don Juan de Cardona writes from Galicia that he has now lodged all the soldiers that have returned with the Armada. They do not amount to five thousand out of the eighteen thousand and upwards which embarked, and they are all in a very bad way. He also announces that in obedience to orders, he has sent two ships well found and manned by sailors who know the English seas, to find out what has happened to the missing ships. In order that Cardona may give all his attention to naval matters Gutieres de Vega has been sent as military commissioner.

Madrid, 23rd November 1588.

 

Source: Calendar of state papers and manuscripts, relating to English affairs… Venice… VIII. 405-419.

 

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To Where Did Queen Elizabeth I Disappear in August 1564? July 18, 2021. “Leicestershire was in the opposite direction from London. Nichols could discover no more.”

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Check out the English Renaissance Article Index for many more articles and reviews about this fascinating time and about the Shakespeare Authorship Question.

Check out the English Renaissance Letter Index for many letters from this fascinating time, some related to the Shakespeare Authorship Question.