dual personalities

In honor of today being the 430th anniversary of the “invincible” Spanish Armada being sighted in England on July 19, 1588, when it appeared off The Lizard in Cornwall,

here is the famous lighting of the beacons scene in The Return of the King (2005).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIhnYFRu4ao

The news of the Armada was likewise conveyed to London by a system of beacons that had been constructed all the way along the south coast. Do you think this is where Tolkien got his idea?

A stone building, a signal station, at Culmstock Beacon in Devon, UK, built in 1588 to enclose a wooden pole, which protruded through the roof to support one or more fire baskets. This is one of a chain of signal stations along England’s southern counties – but the only remaining stone building – the purpose of which was to warn of the Spanish Armada being sighted.

On the evening of July 19, the English fleet was trapped in Plymouth Harbour by the incoming tide. The Spanish convened a council of war, where it was proposed to ride into the harbor on the tide and incapacitate the defending ships at anchor and from there to attack England; but Medina Sidonia declined to act and decided to sail on to the east and towards the Isle of Wight. As the tide turned, 55 English ships set out to confront them from Plymouth under the command of Lord Howard of Effingham, with Sir Francis Drake as Vice Admiral. Howard ceded some control to Drake, given his experience in battle. The rear admiral was Sir John Hawkins.

Sir Francis Drake playing bowls on Plymouth Hoe is informed of the approach of the Spanish Armada.

This brief look into an exciting piece of history makes me want to go back and re-read Garrett Mattingly’s The Armada, first published in 1959. I know I have a copy…if I can just find it!

In May fifteen hundred and eighty-eight,
Cries Philip, “The English I’ll humble;
For I have taken it into my Majesty’s pate,
And their lion, oh! down he shall tumble.
They lords of the sea!”—then his sceptre he shook,—
“I’ll prove it an arrant bravado.
By Neptune! I’ll knock ’em all into a nook,
With the invincible Spanish Armada!”

This fleet then sailed forth, and the winds they did blow,
Their guns made a terrible clatter;
Our noble Queen Bess, ’cause she wanted to know,
Quill’d her ruff and cried, “Pray, what’s the matter?”
“They say, my good Queen,” replied Howard so stout,
“The Spaniard has drawn his toledo,
He’s cock sure that he’ll thump us, and kick us about,
With the invincible Spanish Armada.”

The Lord Mayor of London, a very wise man,
What to do in this case vastly wondered;
Says the Queen, “Send in fifty good ships, if you can.”
Says my Lord, “Ma’am, I’ll send in a hundred.”
Our fire-ships they soon struck their cannons all dumb,
And the Dons run to Ave and Credo.
Great Medina roars out, “Sure the devil is come,
For the invincible Spanish Armada.”

On Effingham’s squadron, though all in a breast
Like open-mouth curs they came bowling;
But our sugar-plums finding they could not digest,
Away home they ran yelping and howling.
When e’er Britain’s foes shall, with envy agog,
In our Channel make such a bravado—
Well, huzza, my brave boys! we’re still able to flog
An invincible Spanish Armada!

—The Spanish Armada by Irish actor and dramatist John O’Keefe (1747-1833)

Happy Thursday!