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 The Catholic Reformation 189 8. The Gospell earnestlie to be promoted, and the Churche not burdened with unnecessarie ceremonies. 9. The Protestants, which onlie are faithfull subjects, are to be comforted, preferred, and placed in authoritie, the Papistes are to be displaced. Theese put in execution, wolde twrne to Goddes glory, the saftie of the Quene's Majestie and make the Realme florishe and stande. VIII. The Latter Part of Elizabeth's Reign The following letter from John Hawkins, the famous English mariner, who participated in the fight against the Armada, gives a lively notion of the conflict with the Spanish fleet, which was in progress as he wrote. My bounden duty humbly remembered unto your good lordship. I have not busied myself to write often to your lordship in this great cause, for that my lord admiral doth continually advertise the manner of all things that doth pass. So do others that do understand the state of all things as well as myself. We met with this fleet somewhat to the westward of Plymouth upon Sunday in the morning, being the 21st of July, where we had some small fight with them in the afternoon. By the coming aboard one of the other of the Spaniards, a great ship, a Biscayan, spent her foremast and bowsprit, which was left by the fleet in the sea, and so taken up by Sir Francis Drake the next morn- ing. The same Sunday there was, by a fire chancing by a barrel of powder, a great Biscayan spoiled and abandoned, which my lord took up and sent away. The Tuesday fol- lowing, athwart of Portland, we had a sharp and long fight with them, wherein we spent a great part of our powder and shot, so as it was not thought good to deal with them any more till that was relieved. The Thursday following, by the occasion of the scatter- ing of one of the great ships from the fleet which we hoped to have cut off, there grew a hot fray, wherein some store 290. John Hawkins' letter about the fight with the Armada (July, 1588)