Source 2: SP 12/212 f.167

Lord Howard of Effingham, the Admiral of the English fleet, sent this report to Francis Walsingham, one of Elizabeth's councillors, on 21 July.

Sir, I won’t bother you with a long letter as we are too busy. Last Friday, when I was at Plymouth, I received some information that a lot of ships had been spotted off the Lizard point (Cornwall). Although there wasn’t much wind, we sailed out of the harbour that night and on Saturday continued with great difficulty because the wind was coming from the southwest (against them). At about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, the Spanish fleet was spotted and we tried to get the wind on our side, which we managed to do by the next morning. The Spanish fleet contained 120 ships, including 4 galleasses and many large ships. At 9 o’clock we fought them, which continued until one fight where we forced some of them to move away to repair their leaks. We did not dare to move too close, as the Spanish fleet is so strong, but we will do everything we can to beat them.

Sir, the captains in Her Majesty’s ships have been very brave and will carry on in the same way. Please pray for our success. Farewell. Written from aboard the Ark, off the coast of Plymouth, on 21 July 1588.

Your very loving friend
C. Howard

Sir, the southerly wind that brought us back from the coast of Spain, brought them out – God blessed us with turning us back. Sir, for the love of God and our country, send us some cannonballs and some gunpowder of all sizes as soon as possible, so that we can carry on for a long time.