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 be sent to her assistance. The fire was put out, and the enemy's fleet, which had been standing towards the ship, stayed its course when it saw that the commander-in-chief approached her. The vessel, therefore, was protected, and carried into the main body of the Armada.

"In the course of this casting about, the foremast of Don Pedro's ship broke off near the deck, and fell upon the mainyard. The duke turned to help her and to give her a hawser; but, in spite of all efforts, wind and sea rendered this impossible, and she was left unmanageable. This was in consequence of Diego Flores having told the admiral that, as it was night, if he shortened sail, the Armada, being far ahead, would not see him; that by morning more than half the fleet would inevitably be missing; and that, looking to the proximity of the foe, the Armada must not be imperilled, — for it was certain that, if sail were shortened, the expedition would be brought to nothing. On the strength of this opinion, the duke directed Captain Ojela to remain with four pinnaces near Don Pedro's flagship. He also ordered the second flagship of Don Pedro's squadron, the flagship of Diego Flores, and a galleass, to be ready to tow her and take off her people; but nothing of the sort was found practicable, owing to the heavy sea, the darkness, and the state of the weather. As for the duke, proceeding on his course, he rejoined the fleet, and took pains to draw it together for whatsoever might happen on the day following.

"On Monday, July 22nd, the duke ordered Don Alonso de Leyva to carry over his van to the rear, and so make one squadron of van and rear; and directed the combined divisions, with three galleasses, and the galleons San Mateo, San Luis, Florencia and Santiago — being in all forty-three of the best vessels of the Armada — to turn upon the enemy, so as to avoid all hinderance of the junction with the Duke of Parma. As the duke, with the rest of the Armada, formed the van, the whole fleet was now divided into but two squadrons, Don Alonso de Leyva having command of the rear, and the duke himself taking charge of the van.

"The latter summoned all the sergeants-major, and ordered them to go in a pinnace and pass through the fleet in a prescribed order; and directed each of them in writing to put every ship in his assigned station, and, without delay, to hang the captain of any ship which should leave her station and not keep order. ... At eleven this same day the captain of the Almiranta of Oquendo advised the duke that his ship was in a sinking condition; and the duke ordered the king's treasure and her people to be removed, and the vessel scuttled. On the same day, in the evening, the duke dispatched the ensign-bearer, Juan Gil, in a pinnace, to the Duke of Parma, to advise him of the position of the Armada."

Such was the first battle of the campaign. Howard gained a success, but not an important one. He had, however, made