415 years ago Spain was the foremost sea-power in Europe and for two years before 1588 there was great business doing in all the Spanish Arsenals and Workshops — great forging of weapons of all kinds — guns, swords, cutlasses, etc.; and if anybody had asked “What are all these for?” the answer would have been “For those island dogs, the English; they are heretics, and the Pope has cursed them. They have defied our King, too, and helped his rebel subjects, but we shall soon settle them. Our Invincible Armada will soon be ready—230 big ships and 20,000 soldiers and 200 holy fathers carrying the Pope’s blessing. Yes we shall soon settle England.” So they sailed when all was ready in July 1588. They were big ships — too big, for the little English vessels could run under their guns, and there were a great many of them — too many—for they got in each other’s way. And when after six days’ fighting in the Channel, and after being driven by Drake’s fire-ships from Calais, they turned tail to go home, a strong wind drove them north instead of south, and they found themselves on the rocky coast of the Hebrides. And as ship after ship went down in the awful storms, the Spanish sailors muttered “God is fighting against us!” Yes, He was fighting against them, for they were fighting against a nation to whom He had said “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” “I will bless him that blesseth thee, and curse him that curseth thee.” What could the Pope's blessing avail against that?