So the King—­as fortune flew away from him, wrapped himself in his virtue; and his counsellors, imitating their sovereign, arrayed themselves in the same garment.  Thus draped, they were all prepared to bide the pelting of the storm which was only beating figuratively on their heads, while it had been dashing the King’s mighty galleons on the rocks, and drowning by thousands the wretched victims of his ambition.  Soon afterwards, when the particulars of the great disaster were thoroughly known, Philip ordered a letter to be addressed in his name to all the bishops of Spain, ordering a solemn thanksgiving to the Almighty for the safety of that portion of the invincible Armada which it had pleased Him to preserve.

And thus, with the sound of mourning throughout Spain—­for there was scarce a household of which some beloved member had not perished in the great catastrophe—­and with the peals of merry bells over all England and Holland, and with a solemn ‘Te Deum’ resounding in every church, the curtain fell upon the great tragedy of the Armada.

ETEXT EDITOR’S BOOKMARKS: 

Forbidding the wearing of mourning at all
Hardly a distinguished family in Spain not placed in mourning
Invincible Armada had not only been vanquished but annihilated
Nothing could equal Alexander’s fidelity, but his perfidy
One could neither cry nor laugh within the Spanish dominions
Security is dangerous
Sixteen of their best ships had been sacrificed
Sure bind, sure find

*** End of the project gutenberg EBOOK history United Netherlands, 1588 ***

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