And these professional soldiers had been taught to consider the English as a pacific, delicate, effeminate race, dependent on good living, without experience of war, quickly fatigued and discouraged, and even more easily to be plundered and butchered than were the excellent burghers of Antwerp.
And so these southern conquerors looked down from their great galleons and galeasses upon the English vessels.

More than three quarters of them were merchantmen.

There was no comparison whatever between the relative strength of the fleets.

In number they were about equal being each from one hundred and thirty to one hundred and fifty strong--but the Spaniards had twice the tonnage of the English, four times the artillery, and nearly three times the number of men.
Where was Farnese?
Most impatiently the Golden Duke paced the deck of the Saint Martin.

Most eagerly were thousands of eyes strained towards the eastern horizon to catch the first glimpse of Parma's flotilla.