High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! White Bear was a 40-gun ship of the English Royal Navy, launched in 1564. She was repaired in 1585-86 at Woolwich, and recommissioned under Lord Howard of Effingham. In 1588 she took part in the actions against the Spanish Armada, under the command of Lord Edmund Sheffield. She was rebuilt in 1599 as a 57-gun royal ship.