POLITICAL HISTORY 



in readiness. By July 28 the number of trained men from Surrey had 

 been raised to 1,871 ; of these 1,000 were ordered to join the Earl 

 of Leicester's army, which was gathered on the Thames with head- 

 quarters at Tilbury, 500 were sent to the force near London, under 

 Lord Hunsdon, which was to guard the queen's person. 1 To Leicester 

 too went the scanty cavalry force, 8 lances, gentlemen in full armour 

 with servants attending them as perhaps demi-lances, and 90 light 

 horsemen.* On July 19 the Spanish fleet had been first seen off the 

 Cornish coast, and by this time was known to be coming to the narrow 

 seas. They reached Calais roads on July 27. It was doubtful where 

 they might attempt to throw troops on shore, but appearances pointed 

 now to an attempt on Kent or Essex. The watchers in every county 

 stood by the beacons, prepared to flash the news of the landing far 

 and wide. This was the purpose for which the beacons were prepared. 

 They were never lighted in this year. On July 23, when the court 

 at Richmond was in possession of the news that the Armada was coming 

 up the Channel, the orders of the Council to Surrey are explicit, that 

 the county levies were to hold themselves in readiness to march when 

 the beacons were fired, the direction from which the signal came giving 

 warning of where the landing had been made. 3 Twice before the 

 beacons had been fired by mistake or by mischievous intent. On 

 December 28, 1579, Walsingham himself wrote to apologize to Sir 

 William More, explaining that the alarm had been raised ' by an error 

 conceaved throughe a fyre made about Portsmouth downe by hunters 

 that had earthed a badger, and thought to have smouthered him.' 4 

 Forces had then hurried off to the seaside. We were not actually at 

 war then, but a Spanish force was known to be assembled in reality 

 for the conquest of Portugal, but regarded with suspicion in England. 

 Again on July 14, 1587, persons were discharged from the Marshalsea 

 who had been committed for firing the beacons. 6 We trust not the 

 unsportsmanlike hunters of eight years before. The alarm in 1 579 

 must have come over Hindhead. Now in 1588 the watchers in Surrey 

 looked anxiously eastward and north-eastward, to Knockholt and Shooters 

 Hill ; or south-eastward, where Crowborough Beacon would catch up 

 the alarm from Hastings cliffs or from hills far off above the Medway. 

 There was great discouragement at Richmond 'that my Lord Admiral 

 hath suffered them to passe on so farre without fight, and that he pre- 

 vented not the opportunity they have now gotten of refreshing their 

 men.' 6 Lady Lincoln so wrote to Sir William More, asking him to 

 come to her house at Horsley, with small hope that he could stay there. 

 In fact two nights before the letter was written the fire-ships had been 

 sent down into the Spanish fleet, and the decisive action, as it proved, 

 had begun. But it was not recognized as decisive for long. On 

 August 2 the whole muster of Surrey was called to arms. The eastern 



1 Acts of Privy Council, ERz. 1588. * Stowe's Chronicle. 



3 Acts of Privy Council, ERz. July 23, 1588. 4 Loseley MSS. date cited. 



5 Acts of Privy Council, ERz. 1587. ' Loseley MSS. July 30, 1588, xi. 172. 



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