great　fleets　approached。
  It　chanced　that　one　fine　carack　had　outstripped　its　consorts　and
  came　sweeping　along；　all　red　and　gold；　with　a　fringe　of　twinkling
  steel；　a　good　half…mile　before　the　fleet。　　Edward　looked　at　her
  with　a　kindling　eye；　for　indeed　she　was　a　noble　sight　with　the
  blue　water　creaming　under　her　gilded　prow。
  〃This　is　a　most　worthy　and　debonair　vessel；　Master　Bunce；〃　said　he
  to　the　shipman　beside　him。　　〃I　would　fain　have　a　tilt　with　her。　　I
  pray　you　to　hold　us　straight　that　we　may　bear　her　down。〃
  〃If　I　hold　her　straight；　then　one　or　other　must　sink；　and　it　may
  be　both；〃　the　seaman　answered。
  〃I　doubt　not　that　with　the　help　of　our　Lady　we　shall　do　our　part；〃
  said　the　King。　　〃Hold　her　straight；　master…shipman；　as　I　have　told
  you。〃
  Now　the　two　vessels　were　within　arrow　flight；　and　the　bolts　from
  the　crossbowmen　pattered　upon　the　English　ship。　　These　short　thick
  devil's　darts　were　everywhere　humming　like　great　wasps　through　the
  air；　crashing　against　the　bulwarks；　beating　upon　the　deck；　ringing
  loudly。　　on　the　armor　of　the　knights；　or　with　a　soft　muffled　thud
  sinking　to　the　socket　in　a　victim。
  The　bowmen　along　either　side　of　the　Philippa　had　stood　motionless
  waiting　for　their　orders；　but　now　there　was　a　sharp　shout　from
  their　leader；　and　every　string　twanged　together。　　The　air　was　full
  of　their　harping；　together　with　the　swish　of　the　arrows；　the
  long…drawn　keening　of　the　bowmen　and　the　short　deep　bark　of　the
  under…officers。　　〃Steady；　steady！　　Loose　steady！　　Shoot　wholly
  together！　　Twelve　score　paces！　　Ten　score！　　Now　eight！　　Shoot
  wholly　together！〃　　Their　gruff　shouts　broke　through　the　high
  shrill　cry　like　the　deep　roar　of　a　wave　through　the　howl　of　the
  wind。
  As　the　two　great　ships　hurtled　together　the　Spaniard　turned　away　a
  few　points　so　that　the　blow　should　be　a　glancing　one。　　None　the
  less　it　was　terrific。　　A　dozen　men　in　the　tops　of　the　carack　were
  balancing　a　huge　stone　with　the　intention　of　dropping　it　over　on
  the　English　deck。　　With　a　scream　of　horror　they　saw　the　mast
  cracking　beneath　them。　　Over　it　went；　slowly　at　first；　then
  faster；　until　with　a　crash　it　came　down　on　its　side；　sending　them
  flying　like　stones　from　a　sling　far　out　into　the　sea。　　A　swath　of
  crushed　bodies　lay　across　the　deck　where　the　mast　had　fallen。　　But
  the　English　ship　had　not　escaped　unscathed。　　Her　mast　held；　it　is
  true；　but　the　mighty　shock　not　only　stretched　every　man　flat　upon
  the　deck；　but　had　shaken　a　score　of　those　who　lined　her　sides　into
  the　sea。　　One　bowman　was　hurled　from　the　top；　and　his　body　fell
  with　a　dreadful　crash　at　the　very　side　of　the　prostrate　King　upon
  the　forecastle。　　Many　were　thrown　down　with　broken　arms　and　legs
  from　the　high　castles　at　either　end　into　the　waist　of　the　ship。
  Worst　of　all；　the　seams　had　been　opened　by　the　crash　and　the　water
  was　gushing　in　at　a　dozen　places。
  But　these　were　men　of　experience　and　of　discipline；　men　who　had
  already　fought　together　by　sea　and　by　land；　so　that　each　knew　his
  place　and　his　duty。　　Those　who　could　staggered　to　their　feet　and
  helped　up　a　score　or　more　of　knights　who　were　rolling　and　clashing
  in　the　scuppers　unable　to　rise　for　the　weight　of　their　armor。　　The
  bowmen　formed　up　as　before。　　The　seamen　ran　to　the　gaping　seams
  with　oakum　and　with　tar。　　In　ten　minutes　order　had　been　restored
  and　the　Philippa；　though　shaken　and　weakened；　was　ready　for　battle
  once　more。　　The　King　was　glaring　round　him　like　a　wounded　boar。
  〃Grapple　my　ship　with　that；〃　he　cried；　pointing　to　the　crippled
  Spaniard；　〃for　I　would　have　possession　of　her！〃
  But　already　the　breeze　had　carried　them　past　it；　and　a　dozen
  Spanish　ships　were　bearing　down　full　upon　them。
  〃We　cannot　win　back　to　her；　lest　we　show　our　flank　to　these
  others；〃　said　the　shipman。
  〃Let　her　go；　her　way！〃　cried　the　knights。　　〃You　shall　have　better
  than　her。〃
  〃By　Saint　George！　you　speak　the　truth；〃　said　the　King；　for　she　is
  ours　when　we　have　time　to　take　her。　　These　also　seem　very　worthy
  ships　which　are　drawing　up　to　us；　and　I　pray　you；　master…shipman；
  that　you　will　have　a　tilt　with　the　nearest。〃
  A　great　carack　was　within　a　bowshot　of　them　and　crossing　their
  bows。　　Bunce　looked　up　at　his　mast；　and　he　saw　that　already　it　was
  shaken　and　drooping。　　Another　blow　and　it　would　be　over　the　side
  and　his　ship　a　helpless　log　upon　the　water。　　He　jammed　his　helm
  round　therefore；　and　ran　his　ship　alongside　the　Spaniard；　throwing
  out　his　hooks　and　iron　chains　as　he　did　so。
  They；　no　less　eager；　grappled　the　Philippa　both　fore　and　aft；　and
  the　two　vessels；　linked　tightly　together；　surged　slowly　over　the
  long　blue　rollers。　　Over　their　bulwarks　hung　a　cloud　of　men　locked
  together　in　a　desperate　struggle；　sometimes　surging　forward　on　to
  the　deck　of　the　Spaniard；　sometimes　recoiling　back　on　to　the
  King's　ship；　reeling　this　way　and　that；　with　the　swords　flickering
  like　silver　flames　above　them；　while　the　long…drawn　cry　of　rage
  and　agony　swelled　up　like　a　wolf's　howl　to　the　calm　blue　heaven
  above　them。
  But　now　ship　after　ship　of　the　English　had　come　up；　each　throwing
  its　iron　over　the　nearest　Spaniard　and　striving　to　board　her　high
  red　sides。　　Twenty　ships　were　drifting　in　furious　single　combat
  after　the　manner　of　the　Philippa；　until　the　whole　surface　of　the
  sea　was　covered　with　a　succession　of　these　desperate　duels。　　The
  dismasted　carack；　which　the　King's　ship　had　left　behind　it；　had
  been　carried　by　the　Earl　of　Suffolk's　Christopher；　and　the　water
  was　dotted　with　the　heads　of　her　crew。　　An　English　ship　had　been
  sunk　by　a　huge　stone　discharged　from　an　engine；　and　her　men　also
  were　struggling　in　the　waves；　none　having　leisure　to　lend　them　a
  hand。　　A　second　English　ship　was　caught　between　two　of　the　Spanish
  vessels　and　overwhelmed　by　a　rush　of　boarders　so　that　not　a　man　of
  her　was　left　alive。　　On　the　other　hand；　Mowbray　and　Audley　had
  each　taken　the　caracks　which　were　opposed　to　them；　and　the　battle
  in　the　center；　after　swaying　this　way　and　that；　was　turning　now　in
  favor　of　the　Islanders。
  The　Black　Prince；　with　the　Lion；　the　Grace　Marie　and　four　other
  ships　had　swept　round　to　turn　the　Spanish　flank；　but　the　movement
  was　seen；　and　the　Spaniards　had　ten　ships　with　which　to　meet　it；
  one　of　them　their　great　carack　the　St。　Iago　di　Compostella。　　To
  this　ship　the　Prince　had　attached　his　little　cog　and　strove
  desperately　to　board　her；　but　her　side　was　so　high　and　the　defense
  so　desperate　that　his　men　could　never　get　beyond　her　bulwarks　but
  were　hurled　down　again　and　again　with　a　clang　and　clash　to　the
  deck　beneath。　　Her　side　bristled　with　crossbowmen；　who　shot
  straight　down　on　to　the　packed　waist　of　the　Lion；　so　that　the　dead
  lay　there　in　heaps。　　But　the　most　dangerous　of　all　was　a　swarthy
  black…bearded　giant　in　the　tops；　who　crouched　so　that　none　could
  see　him；　but　rising…every　now　and　then　with　a　huge　lump　of　iron
  between　his　hands；　hurled　it　down　with　such　force　that　nothing
  would　stop　it。　　Again　and　again　these　ponderous　bolts　crashed
  through　the　deck　and　hurtled　down　into　the　bottom　of　the　ship；
  starting　the　planks　and　shattering　all　that　came　in　their　way。
  The　Prince；　clad　in　that　dark　armor　which　gave　him　his　name；　was
  directing　the　attack　from　the　poop　when　the　shipman　rushed　wildly
  up　to　him　with　fear　on　his　face。
  〃Sire！〃　he　cried。　　〃The　ship　may　not　stand　against　these　blows。　　A
  few　more　will　sink　her！　　Already　the　water　floods　inboard。〃
  The　Prince　looked　up；　and　as　he　did　so　the　shaggy　beard　showed
  once　more　and　two　brawny　arms　swept　downward。　　A　great　slug；
  whizzing　down；　beat　a　gaping　hole　in　the　deck；　and　fell　rending
  and　riving　into　the　hold　below。　　The　master…mariner　tore　his
  grizzled　hair。
  〃Another　leak！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　pray　to　Saint　Leonard　to　bear　us　up
  this　day！　　Twenty　of　my　shipmen　are　bailing　with　buckets；　but　the
  water　rises　on　them　fast。　　The　vessel　may　not　float　another　hour。〃
  The　Prince　had　snatched　a　crossbow　from　one　of　his　attendants　and
  leveled　it　at　the　Spaniard's　tops。　　At　the　very　instant　when　the
  seaman　stood　erect　with　a　fresh　bar　in　his　hands；　the　bolt　took
  him　full　in　the　face；　and　his　body　fell　forward　over　the　parapet；
  hanging　there　head　downward。　　A　howl　of　exultation　burst　from　the
  English　at　the　sight；　answered　by　a　wild　roar　of　anger　from　the
  Spaniards。　　A　seaman　had　run　from　the　Lion's　hold　and　whispered　in
  the　ear　of　the　shipman。　　He　turned　an　ashen　face　upon　the　Prince。
  〃It　is　even　as　I　say；　sire。　　The　ship　is　sinking　beneath　our
  feet！〃　he　cried。
  〃The　more　need　that　we　should　gain　another；〃　said　he。　　〃Sir　Henry
  Stokes；　Sir　Thomas　Stourton；　William；　John　of　Clifton；　here。　　lies
  our　road！　　Advance　my　banner；　Thomas　de　Mohun！　　On；　and　the　day　is
  ours！〃
  By　a　desperate　scramble　a　dozen　men；　the　Prince　at　their　bead；
  gained　a　footing　on　the　edge　of　the　Spaniard's　deck。　　Some　slashed
  furiously　to　clear　a　space；　others　hung　over；　clutching　the　rail
  with　one　hand　and　pulling　up　their　comrades　from　below。　　Every
  instant　that　they　could　hold　their　own　their　strength　increased；
  till　twenty　had　become　thirty　and　thirty　forty；　when　of　a　sudden
  the　newcomers；　still　reaching　forth　to　their　comrades　below；　saw
  the　deck　beneath　them　reel　and　vanish　in　a　swirling