7 . ▁ ▁By ▁this ▁time ▁reports ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Arm ada ▁mobil izing ▁for ▁an ▁attack ▁had ▁reached ▁London , ▁and ▁Queen ▁Elizabeth ▁had ▁prohib ited ▁any ▁able ▁ship ▁from ▁leaving ▁England , ▁so ▁that ▁they ▁might ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁coming ▁battle . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁winter , ▁Richard ▁Gren ville ▁was ▁granted ▁a ▁w ai ver ▁to ▁lead ▁a ▁fleet ▁into ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁to ▁attack ▁the ▁Spanish , ▁and ▁White ▁was ▁permitted ▁to ▁accomp any ▁him ▁in ▁a ▁res upp ly ▁ship . ▁ ▁The ▁fleet ▁was ▁set ▁to ▁launch ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 5 8 8 , ▁but ▁unf avor able ▁wind s ▁kept ▁them ▁in ▁port ▁until ▁Gren ville ▁received ▁new ▁orders ▁to ▁stay ▁and ▁defend ▁England . ▁ ▁Two ▁of ▁the ▁smaller ▁ships ▁in ▁Gren ville ' s ▁fleet , ▁the ▁Bra ve ▁and ▁the ▁Ro e , ▁were ▁de emed ▁un su itable ▁for ▁combat , ▁and ▁White ▁was ▁permitted ▁to ▁take ▁them ▁to ▁Ro ano ke . ▁ ▁The ▁ships ▁depart ed ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 2 , ▁but ▁the ▁capt ains ▁of ▁the ▁ships ▁attempted ▁to ▁capture ▁several ▁Spanish ▁ships ▁on ▁the ▁out ward - bound ▁voyage ▁( in ▁order ▁to ▁improve ▁their ▁prof its ). ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 6 ▁they ▁were ▁attacked ▁by ▁French ▁pir ates ▁near ▁Mor oc co . ▁ ▁Near ly ▁two ▁dozen ▁of ▁the ▁crew ▁were ▁killed , ▁and ▁the ▁supplies ▁bound ▁for ▁Ro ano ke ▁were ▁lo oted , ▁leaving ▁the ▁ships ▁to ▁return ▁to