vensey Bay, Rye, Dover, Sandwich, Deal, Walmer, and the back of the Goodwin Sands, are under sail to join the English. The Spanish fleet are now seen in a cluster close upon the French coast off Calais, where they anchored, The English about a league half in their rear.

Chart 9th. Exhibits them in the same position, the wind still a little southerly of west. Eight fire-ships are now seen bearing down upon the Spaniards, having run between them and the French coast, thus gaining the weather gage. These fire-ships are said to have been devised by the Queen. They were dispatched at two o'clock on the morning of the 28th of July.

Chart 10th. The wind has shifted to the southward, the Armada in the crescent form, the larboard horn ten miles distant from the Goodwin. The English vessels hotly engage them. A large Spanish vessel, pursued by English boats, takes shelter under the batteries of Calais, which fire upon the boats. This literally graphic description concludes with one general view of the course of the Spaniards from their appearance off the Lizard to their retreat by the North of the Orkney Isles. They now encountered the anger of the elements. A portion of the fleet intending to touch at Cape Clear in Ireland, with a view of procuring water, of which they were much in want, was wrecked the Irish shores. Of the hundred and thirty ships which had sailed from Lisbon, only fifty-three returned to Spain.

upon

In that part of their course encircling the British shores, they had sailed about 1,200 miles "the water walled bulwark of our isle," by the spirit of the Queen, the courage and union of her subjects in a glorious common cause, unhurt. Thus a noble example of unshaken confidence in a just cause was bequeathed to Englishmen under all future public dangers threatening her constitution and monarchy.

The Queen and her people gratefully acknowledged the protecting hand of Providence, and the medal commemorating the defeat of the Armada bore the pointed and pious sentence," Afflavit Deus, et dissipantur."

Notes from various Documents preserved at Loseley, of precautionary measures and preparations of defence against the Spanish Invasion.

Under the first head was the committing of all recusants to safe custody: "Insomuch as diverse of them most obstinantlie have refused to come to the church to praiers and divine service, for which respects, being so addicted, yt is hardlie adventured to repose that trust in them which is to be looked for in other good subjects; and it is also certaine that such as should meane to invaide the Realme, would never attempt the same but upon hope which the fugitives and rebels abroad doe give and assure them of those badde members that allreadie are knowne to be recusants, it is therefore thought meet, in these doubtful times, they should be looked unto and restrained, as they shall neither be able to give assistaunce to the ennemye, nor that the enymye should have any hope of relief and succor of them." The most obstinate and noted persons were therefore to be committed to prison "for their safe keeping; the reste that were of value and not so obstinate, to be referred to the custodie of some ecclesiastical persons, and other gentlemen well affected, to remaine at the charges of the recusants, in

such sorte as they may be forthcoming, and kept from intelligence one with the other."*

By a previous mandate, the Council had directed that such persons should be "unfurnished of their armour." The Justices of Surrey were directed, "at one selfe same time, to be agreed on between them, to repair in person, with as great secrecy as possible, to the houses of the principal recusants within the county, there to demand and seize such armourt and weapons as they might find;" among which "jacks, and all privy coats," were to be comprehended; leaving with them, notwithstanding, such due proportion only of bows, arrows, and blackbills, as might seem necessary for the defence of their houses. They were also to make inquiry and certify, without partiality, of the yearly revenue of all such persons. Depots of powder, match, &c. were established in the principal towns of maritime counties. Beacons were to be established, and well watched, especially those in the maritime parts. Sir Francis Walsingham seems to have directed the military measures adopted at this juncture. Under his signature were issued orders for putting in strength the powers of the realm. All able persons were to be mustered and trained, under skilful muster-masters, to marching and the use of weapons. Pioneers were to throw up defensive works at landing-places; shot, i. e. musqueteers, were to be sent on horseback, though the

* Letters from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Admiral, Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, dated 4th January, 1587-8.

† A Letter from the Council to the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, dated 13th April, 1588, directs the armour seized to be sold, for the purpose of supplying a deficiency for furnishing the trained bands. The purchase-money was to be paid over to the owners of the armour.

horses should be but mean, that they might reach the coast, in case of alarm, with the greater expedition.

The instructions from the Council to the Deputy Lieutenants, &c. relative to the musters in Surrey, prescribed that horsemen should especially be supplied for defence of the realm. Every man appointed to keep horses for demi-lances, was to have in readiness for every demilance a sufficient horse, or a very large gelding, with a strong leather harness, and a steel or strong bolstered saddle; the arms for the rider were a demi-lance staff, * sword, and dagger. The light horsemen to be armed with a case of pistols. The bands in the county of Surrey reserved for the defence of her highness's own person, were to consist of such persons as would themselves, or by the aid of their families and friends, bear the charges of training, with the exception that powder was to be supplied them at the expence of the Govern

ment.

A return was made by each hundred of the county of the name of every person capable of bearing arms, and they were classed under the different arm which they could use. Thus in the return for the parish of Wonersh, in the hundred of Blackheath and Wotton, were enumerated, pikemen selected 6 names, bill-men selected 8, bill-men of the best sort 20, bill-men of the second sort 42, archers selected 10, archers of the best sort 3, archers of the second sort 5, gunners 11. These returns applied, we imagine, to the posse comitatus, or levy en masse. A requisition was sent to the county for a certain number of men, specifying the number required of each weapon. This was answered by a certificate from the local authorities of the number

Affright the welkin with your broken staves!" says Richard III., in the play, to his cavalry.

raised. The original demand was then abated; and any deficiency after such abatement was to be supplied. The number of infantry required from Surrey was at first 4000; this proportion was afterwards reduced to 2000; shot 400, bows 600, bills 600, corselets (with pikes) 400. Of the shot, the strongest and squarest men were to exercise musquets, the least and most nimble harquebuses;* and the characteristic economy of Walsingham, is evinced in the provision that the training should be performed with the least possible expence of powder.†

*Falstaff says : "Care I for the limb, the thewes, the stature, bulk, and big assemblance of a man? Here's Wart-(you see what a ragged appearance it is)—he shall charge you and discharge you with the motion of a pewterer's hammer. Come, manage me your caliver. Exceeding good! O give me always a little, lean, old chapped, bald shot." And Shallow adds to his description of a nimble fusileer, he knew "a little quiver fellow, and he would manage you his piece thus, and would about and about, and come you in rat ! tat! tat! would a' say, bounce and away would a' go, and again would a' come. I shall never see such a fellow!" See Henry IV. Part II.

+ The following curious document shews how well this provident minister had acquainted himself with the minutest details of the subject:

An Order for the readie and easie trayning of Shott, and the avoyding of great expence and wast of powder.

The leaders and captaines who are appointed to instructe and traine them shall cause an holbert to be sett up in the plaine, whereby every shott maie passe in that order w'ch the frenche men callà la file, or as we terme yt in ranke, like wild geese, and so passing by the halbert, to present his piece, and make offer as thoughe he would shoote, and those w'ch doe not behave themselves with their pieces as they ought, maye receyve p'ticler instructyon and teaching. This exercise