# List of ships of the English Armada

The English Armada, also known as the Counter Armada, was an attack fleet sent against Spain by Queen Elizabeth I of England that sailed on April 28, 1589, during the undeclared Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) and the Eighty Years' War under Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Norris with three tasks:
* Destroy the battered Spanish Atlantic fleet, which was being repaired in ports of northern Spain
* Make a landing at Lisbon, Portugal and raise a revolt there against King Philip II (Philip I of Portugal) installing the pretender Dom António, Prior of Crato to the Portuguese throne
* Take the Azores if possible so as to establish a permanent base.
None of the objectives were achieved. The attempt to restore the Portuguese Crown from Spain was unsuccessful, and the opportunity to strike a decisive blow against the weakened Spanish Navy was lost. The expedition resulted in very heavy losses in English lives and ships, and depleted the financial resources of England's treasury, which had been carefully restored during the long reign of Elizabeth I, Its failure was so embarrassing that, even today, England barely acknowledges it ever happened. Through this lost opportunity, Philip was able revive his navy the very next year, sending 37 ships with 6,420 men to Brittany where they established a base of operations on the Blavet river. The English and Dutch ultimately failed to disrupt the various fleets of the Indies despite the great number of military personnel mobilized every year. Thus, Spain remained the predominant power in Europe for several decades.

## List of Squadron Commanders

* Sir Francis Drake, commander of the Squadron of the Revenge and admiral of the fleet
* Sir John Norris, commander of the Squadron of the Nonpareil and general of the army
* Thomas Fenner, vice-admiral and commander of the Squadron of the Dreadnought
* Edward Norris, John's brother, commander of the Squadron of the Foresight
* Roger Williams, commander of the Squadron of the Swiftsure

## Composition of the fleet

As recorded on the list of April 8 1589 o.s., there were Royal galleons, English armed merchantmen, Dutch flyboats, pinnaces and other ships for a total of 180 vessels broken down thusly:
| Assignment | Ships |
| Troops and mariners | 115 |
| Baggage | 33 |
| Horses | 10 |
| Victuals | 10 |
| Munitions | 2 |
| Support | 3 |
| Pioneers | 7 |
The list of April 9 o.s. names 84 ships divided amongst five squadrons each with "near about 15 flyboats", which would give a total of about 160. However, in the payment list of September 5, 1589 o.s. naming 102 ships that returned, there are 33 ships named that were not on the April 9 o.s. list. Those 33 ships were not flyboats hence they should be added to the 160 from the April 9 o.s. list. With expectations of sizable profit and this expedition being mostly commercial, and last minute additions being made up until the fleet sailed on April 28, one cannot really give a precise total number of ships but at least 193 can be documented. Nevertheless, what is rather telling is a February 15, 1591 o.s. notice to the Lord High Treasurer of England, Burghley, wherein the number of vessels was "180 and other ships". It's not outside the realm of possibility that the number "reached nearly two hundred sail." Furthermore, of the 84 ships on the April 9 o.s. list that set sail, only 69 appear on the September 5 o.s. list, thus, according to Wernham, 17 ships were lost. But the number of those not listed and failed to return is unknown. In addition to the 69 that are known to have sailed and returned, another 33 returned with them; most of them medium sized. Considering the number of boats that sailed, many of them small, it must be the case that the losses among these small boats was extremely high. So, without any more precise information, a figure of 70-90 ships lost does not seem exaggerated.
| Complement | Men |
| Soldiers | 17,390 |
| Cavalrymen | 95 |
| English mariners | 3,200 |
| Dutch mariners | 900 |
| Pioneers | 295 |
| Ship captains, officers and servants | 1,500 |
| Total | 23,375 |
In the April 8 o.s. list, there were two different figures recorded for the number of men participating in the expedition. The first, 23,375, is what most historians and authors have used however at the end of this document, the total number of men had increased to 27,667. A critical analysis of the document reveals the figure of 23,375 is illusory, especially when below the signatures of Drake and Norris, and the confirmation of the Lord High Treasurer Burghley, there's the following postscript:
The September 5 o.s. payment list goes on to state that 3,722 men survived of which 1,042 received some pay.

### Ships of the Squadrons

The fleet was divided into five squadrons as listed below. Each squadron included fifteen (15) flyboats which were not named in any of the known lists.

#### Squadron of The Revenge

The "first" squadron consisting of seventeen named ships and fifteen flyboats led by admiral Francis Drake on the flagship Revenge.
| Name | Home Port | Tons | Captain | Survivors | Fate | Note |
| Revenge | Her Majesty's | 500 | Francis Drake | 200 | Ship returned home 56 men received their pay | The Revenge served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Tiger | London | 200 | Captain John Young | 60 | Ship returned home 36 men received their pay | The Tiger, formerly Sea Dragon, served against the 1588 Armada. John Young served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Bark Reynolds | London | 200 | Reynold Goldingham | 60 | Ship returned home 9 men received their pay | |
| Prudence | Portsmouth | 200 | Captain Riddelsden | 60 | Ship returned home 44 men received their pay | The Prudence served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Veyntyard (Vynearde, Vineyard) | London | 180 | Captain Dale | 40 | Ship returned home 28 men received their pay | The Vineyard served against the 1588 Armada. Captain Dale served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Gift of God | Harwich | 160 | Captain Troughton | 50 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Daniel | Yarmouth | 190 | Captain Christopher Piggot | 24 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | The Daniel served against the 1588 Armada. Christopher Piggot served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Centurion | London | 260 | John Fisher | 60 | Ship returned home 39 men received their pay | The Centurion served against the 1588 Armada. John Fisher served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Thomas | Plymouth | 150 | Captain Martin | | Lost | |
| Gift | Dover | 72 | Captain Neale | | Lost | |
| Primrose | Portsmouth | 140 | Captain Weynold | 30 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | Captain Weynold served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Manuel (Emmanuel) | Dartmouth | 120 | Captain Wilson | | Lost | |
| Mayflower | Bricklersea | 100 | Captain Bringborne | 16 | Ship returned home 1 man received his pay | The Mayflower served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Diana | Hampton | 90 | Captain Webbe | | Lost | |
| Greyhound | Plymouth | 40 | Captain Crockeham | 16 | Ship returned home 17 men received their pay | |
| Advice | Her Majesty's | 50 | Samuel Foxcroft | 20 | Ship returned home 17 men received their pay | The Advice served against the 1588 Armada. Samuel Foxcroft served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Susan | Aldeburgh | 140 | Captain Clifford | 30 | Ship returned home 17 men received their pay | |
| 15 Flyboats | NA | NA | NA | MIA | No record of their return | |

#### Squadron of the Nonpareil

Seventeen ships and fifteen flyboats led by general of the army John Norris.
| Name | Home Port | Tons | Captain | Survivors | Fate | Note |
| Nonpareil | Her Majesty's | 500 | Captain Sackville | 200 | Ship returned home 68 men received their pay | Formerly called the Philip & Mary, the Nonpareil served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Samaritian | London | 200 | Captain Lylley | 40 | Ship returned home 11 men received their pay | |
| Roger and Catherine | Newcastle | 100 | Captain Fowler | 20 | Ship returned home 1 man received his pay | |
| James | Ipswitch | 180 | Captain Bynder | 20 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| William | Ipswitch | 160 | Captain Boyer | 16 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | The William of Ipswitch served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Mayflower | Yarmouth | 190 | Captain Bringborne | 30 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Golden Nobel | London | 240 | Captain Adam Seager | 60 | Ship returned home 27 men received their pay | The Golden Nobel served against the 1588 Armada. Adam Seager served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Fortune | Plymouth | 150 | Captain Williams | | Lost | |
| Mary Jarman | Lynn | 100 | Captain Bailey | 30 | Ship returned home 5 men received their pay | |
| Godspeed | Hampton | 140 | Captain Cotton | | Lost | |
| Gift of God | Hampton | 120 | Captain Richeman | | Lost | |
| William | Lynn | 72 | Captain Barthridge | | Lost | |
| Golden Hind | London | 50 | Captain William Adams | | Lost | This is not the same Golden Hind that Drake used to circumnavigate the world, it was on exhibition in Deptford at the time. The Golden Hind served against the 1588 Armada. William Adams served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Phoenix | Dartmouth | 100 | Captain Champernon | | Lost | The Phoenix served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Red Lion | Ipswitch | 160 | Captain West | 16 | Ship returned home 1 man received his pay | The Red Lion served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Gregory | London | 180 | Captain Ambrose Mannington | 40 | Ship returned home 17 men received their pay | Ambrose Mannington served against the 1588 Armada. |
| The Bark Taylor | London | 150 | NA | 30 | Ship returned home 10 men received their pay | |
| 15 Flyboats | NA | NA | NA | MIA | No record of their return | |

#### Squadron of the Dreadnought

Seventeen ships and fifteen flyboats led by captain Thomas Fenner, vice-admiral.
| Name | Home Port | Tons | Captain | Survivors | Fate | Note |
| Dreadnought | Her Majesty's | 400 | Captain Thomas Fenner | 160 | Ship returned home 24 men received their pay | The Dreadnought served against the 1588 Armada. Thomas Fenner served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Edward Bonaventure | London | 300 | Captain Thomas Baker | 100 | Ship returned home 46 men received their pay | The Edward Bonaventure served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Toby | Harwich | 200 | Captain John Cordinall | 40 | Ship returned home 9 men received their pay | John Cordinall served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Tiger | Plymouth | 200 | Captain William Hawkins | 50 | Ship returned home 9 men received their pay | Sir William Hawkins served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Pelican | Aldeburgh | 180 | Captain Appleton | 30 | Ship returned home 6 men received their pay | |
| William | Wells | 160 | Captain Madeley | 16 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Crescent | Dartmouth | 190 | Captain Gifford | | Lost | The Crescent served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Salomon | London | 210 | Captain James Lancaster | 58 | Ship returned home 47 men received their pay | The Salomon, a.k.a. Salmon, served against the 1588 Armada. James Lancaster served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Susanne | Blackeney | 130 | Captain Whitehand | 25 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Bartholomew | Exmouth | 140 | Captain Rainsford | | Lost | The Bartholomew served against the 1588 Armada. |
| William and Joan | Lynn | 130 | Captain Kelly | 30 | Ship returned home 4 men received their pay | |
| Antelope | Plymouth | 120 | Captain Haulse | 24 | Ship returned home 23 men received their pay | Captain Haulse served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Nightingale | Plymouth | 120 | Captain Triggs | | Lost | The Nightingale served against the 1588 Armada. |
| White Lion | Bristol | 100 | Captain Horwell | 29 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | The White Lion served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Relief | Portsmouth | 80 | NA | | Lost | |
| Mary Katherine | Ipswitch | 150 | NA | 16 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Tiger | Lee | 140 | Captain Jobson | 30 | Ship returned home 23 men received their pay | |
| 15 Flyboats | NA | NA | NA | MIA | No record of their return | |

#### Squadron of the Swiftsure

Sixteen ships and fifteen flyboats led by captain Roger Williams.
| Name | Home Port | Tons | Captain | Survivors | Fate | Note |
| Swiftsure | Her Majesty's | 360 | Captain Goring | 160 | Ship returned home 40 men received their pay | The Swiftsure served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Toby | London | 300 | Captain Osborne | 60 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | The Toby served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Hopewell | Orford (Orphanate) | 200 | Captain Jervis Wild | | Lost | The Hopewell served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Gift | Dartmouth | 250 | Captain Ar. Gifford | 50 | Ship returned home 1 man received his pay | |
| Greyhound | Aldeburgh | 180 | Captain Walt. Pullison | 30 | Ship returned home 10 men received their pay | The Greyhound served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Charity | Newcastle | 160 | Captain Anthony Potts | 36 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | Anthony Potts served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Minion | Fowey | 150 | Captain Atkins | 30 | Ship returned home 1 man received his pay | |
| Valentine | Blackeney | 160 | Captain Endicke | 25 | Ship returned home 1 man received his pay | |
| Bark Selenger | London | 200 | Captain Sellinger | 40 | Ship returned home 25 men received their pay | The Bark Selenger served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Antelope | Lynn | 150 | Captain Burword | 15 | Ship returned home 2 men received their pay | |
| John Trelany | Plymouth | 120 | Captain George Drake | 20 | Ship returned home 13 men received their pay | |
| George Bonaventure | Blackeney | 130 | Captain Barker | 25 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | The George Bonaventure served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Handmaid | Bristol | 80 | Captain Laughton | 25 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | The Handmaid served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Edward Bonaventure | Cichester | 70 | Captain Ed. Fenner | 12 | Ship returned home 2 men received their pay | Edward Fenner served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Emmanuel | Harwich | 200 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home 3 men received their pay | |
| Grace of God | London | 140 | NA | 30 | Ship returned home 20 men received their pay | |
| 15 Flyboats | NA | NA | NA | MIA | No record of their return | |

#### Squadron of the Foresight

Seventeen ships and fifteen flyboats led by captain Edward Norris.
| Name | Home Port | Tons | Captain | Survivors | Fate | Note |
| Foresight | Her Majesty's | 300 | Captain William Winter | 120 | Ship returned home 13 men received their pay | The Foresight served against the 1588 Armada. William Winter served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Merchant Royal | London | 400 | Captain Robert Flick | 100 | Ship returned home 44 men received their pay | The Merchant Royal served against the 1588 Armada. Robert Flick served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Elizabeth | Yarmouth | 200 | Captain Musgrave | 40 | Ship returned home 2 men received their pay | Captain Musgrave served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Minion | Plymouth | 200 | Captain Cripps | | Lost | The Minion served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Mayflower | Lynn | 150 | Captain Alex Musgrave | 40 | Ship returned home 2 men received their pay | The Mayflower served against the 1588 Armada. Alex Musgrave served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Seraphim | Dartmouth | 220 | Captain Norwood | 40 | Ship returned home 4 men received their pay | |
| Bark Bonner | Plymouth | 150 | Captain Vaughan | 30 | Ship returned home 23 men received their pay | The Bark Bonner served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Rubyon (Ruben) | Dover | 140 | Captain Nealls | 30 | Ship returned home 10 men received their pay | |
| Unicorn | Bristol | 150 | Captain Johnson | 33 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | The Unicorn served against the 1588 Armada. Captain Johnson served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Francis | Fowey | 140 | Captain Dyer | | Lost | The Francis served against the 1588 Armada. |
| William | Plymouth | 120 | Captain Crosse | 25 | Ship returned home 1 man received his pay | The William served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Bark Hawkins | London | 120 | Captain Josias | 30 | Ship returned home 25 men received their pay | The Bark Hawkins served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Bark Parnell | Bricklersea (Briquelsey) | 100 | Captain William Furthor | 20 | Ship returned home 6 men received their pay | |
| Hearty Anne | Chatham | 60 | Captain Heron | 15 | Ship returned home 3 men received their pay | The Hearty Anne served against the 1588 Armada. |
| John | Newhaven | 30 | Captain John Pinfold | 12 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| William | Ipswitch | 200 | Captain Forth | 30 | Ship returned home 8 men received their pay | The William served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Unity | London | 120 | NA | 25 | Ship returned home 15 men received their pay | |
| 15 Flyboats | NA | NA | NA | MIA | No record of their return | |

#### Additional ships

These ships were named on the Sep. 5 o.s. list but not on the April 9 o.s. list. William Fenner was in command of the HMS Aid but didn't lead a squadron.
| Name | Home Port | Tons | Captain | Survivors | Fate | Note |
| Aid | Her Majesty's | 240 | Captain William Fenner | 80 | Ship returned home 4 men received their pay | The Aid served against the 1588 Armada. William Fenner served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Blessing | Portsmouth | 80 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Brownfish | Hoorn | 150 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home 2 men received their pay | |
| Crested Eagle | Hamburg | 200 | NA | 30 | Ship returned home 2 men received their pay | |
| Desire | London | 10 | NA | 6 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Elizabeth Drake | NA | 30 | NA | 16 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | The Elizabeth Drake served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Flyboat of Mr. How | NA | 60 | NA | 16 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Flying Hart | Wering | 150 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home 1 man received his pay | |
| Fortune | Aldeburgh | 100 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | The Fortune of Aldeburgh served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Fortune | Danzig | 300 | NA | 30 | Ship returned home 4 men received their pay | |
| Fortune | Hamburg | 200 | NA | 30 | Ship returned home 1 man received his pay | |
| Fortune | London | 100 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Francis | Liverpool | 100 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home 1 man received his pay | |
| Gift | Lynn | 100 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home 2 men received their pay | |
| Grace of God | Dover | 110 | NA | 25 | Ship returned home 5 men received their pay | |
| Greyhound | London | 80 | NA | 16 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Hope | Hamburg | 200 | NA | 40 | Ship returned home 1 man received his pay | |
| Hopewell | London | 80 | NA | 25 | Ship returned home 5 men received their pay | |
| Lion | Elsinore | Illegible | NA | 30 | Ship returned home 13 men received their pay | |
| Lion | Edam | 200 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Little Francis | NA | 10 | NA | 6 | Ship returned home 2 men received their pay | |
| Ma. Flyshborne | NA | 60 | NA | 12 | Ship returned home 3 men received their pay | |
| Merlin | Her Majesty's | 50 | Ralph Bostock | 30 | Ship returned home 4 men received their pay | |
| Moonlight | London | 60 | NA | 12 | Ship returned home 5 men received their pay | |
| Murrayon | Hamburg | 200 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Myninge Lorel | NA | 200 | NA | 40 | Ship returned home 1 man received his pay | |
| Red Lion | Newcastle | 140 | NA | 30 | Ship returned home 19 men received their pay | |
| Relief | London | 20 | NA | 10 | Ship returned home 6 men received their pay | |
| Sea [illegible] | Hamburg | 200 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Speedwell | NA | 60 | NA | 12 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | The Speedwell served against the 1588 Armada. |
| Spreadeagle | Emden | 200 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home 2 men received their pay | |
| Susan | London | 100 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home 12 men received their pay | |
| Swan | NA | 10 | NA | 6 | Ship returned home None of the men received their pay | |
| Young Froe | Lübeck | 300 | NA | 20 | Ship returned home 2 men received their pay | |
| Diana | London | 80 | NA | 16 | Ship returned home 3 men received their pay | The Diana served against the 1588 Armada. |