Never once was the growing armada out of his mind. This
atrocious outrage was but to feed his monster, and swift and sharp was
the retribution it earned. It was in the last days of May, and, ere June
was out, far and near the seas were swarming with English privateers,
and "The Dragon" was unchained.
Fortified with letters of marque to release the embargoed vessels, Drake
hoisted his flag at Plymouth on the Elizabeth Bonaventura, and there, by
the end of July, "in all jollity and with all help and furtherance
himself could wish," a formidable fleet gathered round him. Frobisher
was his vice-admiral, Francis Knollys his rear-admiral, and Thomas
Fenner his flag-captain. Christopher Carleill was there, too, as
lieutenant-general, with a full staff and ten companies under him. No
such privateering squadron had ever been seen before. It consisted of
two battle-ships and eighteen cruisers, with their complement of
store-ships and pinnaces; it was manned with a force of soldiers and
sailors to the number of two thousand three hundred, and it is not
surprising that constant difficulties delayed its departure.
Yet delay was dangerous in the extreme. The Spanish party had again
taken heart, and were whispering caution in the Queen's ear. Even
Burghley grew nervous that she would repent; but at last he got
sailing-orders sent off, and, with a sigh of relief, entered in his
diary that Drake had gone.
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