that the mariners must resort unto their work, tackle, and navigation," their lodgings were to be on the upper works of the poop and forecastle, otherwise the soldiers would trouble them in the voyage. "The artillery," said the instructions, "must stand in very good order, and reparted among the gunners, being all charged with their balls; and nigh unto every piece his locker, wherein to put his shot and necessaries; and to have great care to the cartridges of every piece, for not changing, and not taking fire; and that the ladles and sponges be ready at hand. Every ship shall carry two boatslading of stones, to throw to profit, in the time of fight, on the deck, forecastle, or tops, according to his burden; and shall carry two half-pipes, to fill them with water in the day of battle, and repart them among the ordnance, or other places as shall be thought necessary, and nigh unto them old clothes and coverings, which, with wetting, may destroy any kind of fire." The wildfire was to be intrusted only to those who understood well how to use it, "otherwise it might happen to great danger." That there might be no excuse for neglecting these orders, on pretence of ignorance concerning them, they were to be publicly read, thrice a week, in every ship, by the purser. Meantime Elizabeth and her wakeful ministers were well aware of the danger, and seeing it in its whole extent, they prepared to meet it with right English spirit. The lord lieutenants of the several counties were required, by circular letters from the queen, to "call together the best sort of gentlemen under their lieutenancy, and to declare unto them these great preparations and arrogant threatenings, now burst forth in action upon the seas, wherein every man's particular state, in the highest degree, could be touched in respect of country, liberty, wives, children, lands, lives, and (which was specially to be regarded) the profession of the true and sincere religion of Christ. And to lay before them the infinite and unspeakable miseries that would fall out upon any such change, which miseries PREPARATIONS IN ENGLAND. 335 were evidently seen by the fruits of that hard and cruel government holden in countries not far distant. We do look," said the queen, "that the most part of them should have, upon this instant extraordinary occasion, a larger proportion of furniture, both for horsemen and footmen, but especially horsemen, than hath been certified; thereby to be in their best strength against any attempt, or to be employed about our own person, or otherwise. Hereunto as we doubt not but by your good endeavours they will be the rather comformable, so also we assure ourselves, that Almighty God will so bless these their loyal hearts borne towards us, their loving sovereign, and their natural country, that all the attempts of any enemy whatsoever shall be made void and frustrate, to their confusion, your comfort, and to God's high glory." ."* Letters, also, were addressed by the council to the nobility, because, in the directions given of late years for mustering, arming, and training all persons, there had been 'no special ones to the nobles, her majesty having "certainly supposed that it was the natural disposition of the nobility, without direction, to be armed, both for themselves, and for furniture of horsemen and footmen, according to their ability. The council, therefore, having a more certain knowledge than by common report, of what preparations were made beyond the seas, very likely for the offence of this realm, required each lord, to whom this communication was addressed, to receive it as one whom her majesty trusted, and as an argument of special love. And in regard thereof," the letter proceeds, we do not doubt but that your lordship, with all the speed you can possible, will be furnished with armour and weapon meet for your calling; and of your servants and able tenants that are not already enrolled in the general musters of the country as special trained persons, to make as many horsemen as you can, both for lances and light horsemen And for the more increase of horsemen, for want of sufficient number of great horse or geldings, we think your 66 lordship may do well to increase your number, if you shall provide able men with petronels upon horses of smaller stature."* A contemporary relates, that "all the noblemen in the realm, from east to west, from north to south, excepting such only as could not be absent from their charge in the country, and some few that were not able to make forces according to their desire, came to the queen, bringing with them, according to their degrees, and to the uttermost of their power, goodly bands of horsemen, both lances, light horsemen, and such other as are termed carbines or argelatiers, lodging their bands round about London, and maintaining them in pay at their own charges. And of these noblemen, many showed the bands of their horsemen before the queen, in the fields afore her own gate, to the great marvel of men; for that the number of them was so great, and so well armed and horsed, that, knowing they were no parcel of the horsemen limited in every country, it was thought there had not been so many spare horses of such valour in the whole realm, except the north part towards Scotland, whose forces consist chiefly of horse." The first who presented himself and his retainers to the queen was a Roman catholic peer, the viscount Mountague, who at this time professed his resolution, "though he was very sickly, and in age, to live and die in defence of the queen and of his country, against all invaders, whether it were pope, king, or potentate whatsoever; and in that quarrel to hazard his life, his children, his lands, and goods. And to show his mind agreeably thereto, he came personally himself before the queen with his band of horsemen, being almost 200, the same being led by his own sons; and with them a young child, very comely, seated on horseback, being the heir of his house, that is, the eldest son to his son and heir: a matter much noted of many, to see a grandfather, father, and son at one time on horseback, afore a queen, for her service." + Strype, iii. part ii. pp. 13, 14. † Copy of a letter, &c. Harl. Muse. (Svo. ed.) ii. p. 76. PREPARATIONS IN ENGLAND. 337 The clergy also were called upon by the primate, archbishop Whitgift. "Being members," he said, "of one and the self-same commonweal, and embarked in the like common danger with others, if not more, in respect of our calling and public profession of religion, whereby we are also bound to go before others, as well in word as good example; we are, therefore, to remember, and advisedly to weigh with ourselves, what dutiful forwardness against these extraordinary imminent dangers, of very congruence, is expected at our hands, for the defence of our gracious sovereign, our selves, our families, and country. And, beside the very good expectation of the best, the stirring up of those which otherwise are but slow to further such service, and the discouraging of the common enemy, our willing readiness herein will be a good means also to stop the mouths of such as do think those temporal blessings, which God hath in mercy bestowed upon us, to be too much; and, therefore, spare not in grudging manner to say that themselves are forced, to their great charges, to fight for us, while we live quietly at home, without providing any munition in these public perils." He required the bishops, therefore, as the letter of the council required him, "effectually to deal with those of their cathedral churches, and other beneficed men in their dioceses, but especially such as were of better ability, for the furnishing of themselves with lances, light horses, petronels on horseback, muskets, calivers, pikes, halberds, bills, or bows and arrows, as in regard of their several abilities might be thought most convenient: and he desired them, by all good persuasions, to move such ecclesiastical persons to be ready with all free and voluntary provision of man, horse, and furniture. present necessary service," he said, "being no great charge, and so expedient for every one to have in readiness, for the defence of his own person, house, and family, upon any sudden occasion.”* This The appeal from such a queen to such a nation was Strype's Whitgift, book iii. App. no. 38. answered with just and enthusiastic loyalty. The city of London set an example worthy of London, such as the metropolis then was. When its aid was asked, the lord mayor requested that the council would state what would be deemed requisite. Accordingly, 5000 men and fifteen ships were required. The lord mayor asked two days for deliberation, and then, in the name of the city, prayed that the queen would accept of twice those numbers. Six thousand were immediately trained and regimented, being armed with musquets, pikes, calivers, and bills the other 4000 were armed and put in readiness, and 10,000 more were reported as able men. The artillery company, which had originated about three years before, proved singularly useful now. At that time "certain gallant, active, and forward citizens," says the old historian of London, "having had experience, both abroad and at home, voluntarily exercised themselves and trained others, for the ready use of war; so that there were almost 300 merchants, and others of the like quality, very sufficient and skilful to train and teach common soldiers the managing of their pieces, pikes, and halberds, and to march, countermarch, and ring. These merchants met every Tuesday to practise all points of war. Every man by turn bore orderly office, from the corporal to the captain. Some of them had now charge of men in the great camp, and were generally called captains of the artillery garden." Most erroneously had cardinal Allen, and the king of Spain, and the pope judged, when they thought that Elizabeth and the English nation were to be intimidated by a display of overpowering force, and denunciations "that the realm should be invaded and conquered, that the queen should be destroyed, and all the nobility and men of reputation, of honour, and wealth, who should obey her, and defend her, and would withstand the invasion, should, with all their families, be rooted out, and their places, their honours, their houses, and their lands bestowed upon the conquerors!" For "these things were universally so odiously taken, that the hearts of all sorts of people were inflamed, some with |