So soon as he had cast anchor, Howard despatched a pinnace to the Vanguard, with a message to Winter to come on board the flag-ship.  When Sir William reached the Ark, it was already nine in the evening.  He was anxiously consulted by the Lord-Admiral as to the course now to be taken.  Hitherto the English had been teasing and perplexing an enemy, on the retreat, as it were, by the nature of his instructions.  Although anxious to give battle, the Spaniard was forbidden to descend upon the coast until after his junction with Parma.  So the English had played a comparatively easy game, hanging upon their enemy’s skirts, maltreating him as they doubled about him, cannonading him from a distance, and slipping out of his reach at their pleasure.  But he was now to be met face to face, and the fate of the two free commonwealths of the world was upon the issue of the struggle, which could no longer be deferred.

Winter, standing side by aide with the Lord-Admiral on the deck of the little Ark-Royal, gazed for the first time on those enormous galleons and galleys with which his companion, was already sufficiently familiar.

“Considering their hugeness,” said he, “twill not be possible to remove them but by a device.”

Then remembering, in a lucky moment, something that he had heard four years before of the fire ships sent by the Antwerpers against Parma’s bridge—­the inventor of which, the Italian Gianibelli, was at that very moment constructing fortifications on the Thames to assist the English against his old enemy Farnese—­Winter suggested that some stratagem of the same kind should be attempted against the Invincible Armada.  There was no time nor opportunity to prepare such submarine volcanoes as had been employed on that memorable occasion; but burning ships at least might be sent among the fleet.  Some damage would doubtless be thus inflicted by the fire, and perhaps a panic, suggested by the memories of Antwerp and by the knowledge that the famous Mantuan wizard was then a resident of England, would be still more effective.  In Winter’s opinion, the Armada might at least be compelled to slip its cables, and be thrown into some confusion if the project were fairly carried out.

Howard approved of the device, and determined to hold, next morning, a council of war for arranging the details of its execution.

While the two sat in the cabin, conversing thus earnestly, there had well nigh been a serious misfortune.  The ship, White Bear, of 1000 tons burthen, and three others of the English fleet, all tangled together, came drifting with the tide against the Ark.  There were many yards carried away; much tackle spoiled, and for a time there was great danger; in the opinion of Winter, that some of the very best ships in the fleet would be crippled and quite destroyed on the eve of a general engagement.  By alacrity and good handling, however, the ships were separated, and the ill-consequences of an accident—­such as had already proved fatal to several Spanish vessels—­were fortunately averted.