A HISTORY OF SURREY 



side of the county was evidently still thought to be exposed to imminent 

 attack. At Godstone 836 infantry were to assemble, the same at 

 Reigate, the same at Dorking, and at Croydon 2,500 infantry and 

 1 20 horse. 1 Counting four or five servants as attending on each lance 

 in Essex, this makes a total of about 260 horse and 6,600 foot from 

 the county. They did well if so many men really assembled. But 

 we may fairly doubt if they were soldiers in any sense besides being 

 Englishmen prepared to fight for their country. Arms supplies and, 

 above all, trained officers and commanders must have been sadly want- 

 ing to this last levy en masse. Happily by August 2 the Spanish fleet 

 was scattered in the North Sea, and Parma was, by report, chafing at 

 Ostend ' like a bear robbed of her whelps.' In fact, though, he was 

 not sorry to be honourably rid of an enterprise of which he scarcely 

 approved. But it was fortunate that the first commander and the finest 

 army in the world, at that time, did not have the chance of meeting 

 the Surrey levies, under their valiant squires, directed by the incompe- 

 tence of Leicester and Hunsdon. It was impossible to keep the troops 

 together for want of supplies. On August 4 the cavalry, such as they 

 were from Surrey, were ordered home, 2 it being impossible to feed all 

 the men collected near London ; and the 500 foot of Lord Hunsdon's 

 force followed. 8 They were ordered however to keep themselves in 

 readiness for service. The danger had passed, for weather and their 

 demoralization prevented the Spanish fleet from throwing troops ashore 

 in the north. The fear remained for a time. On August 1 2 the 

 Bishop of Winchester wrote to More for intelligence concerning the 

 'dismal and depressing rumour' that the Admiral had returned from the 

 sea with the navy. 4 So he had, with no powder and failing supplies, 

 but the invader was in full flight. On August 24 Leicester wrote to 

 More that the county levies must be still kept ready for service. 8 On 

 September 4 Leicester died, and the more peaceful atmosphere that 

 had suddenly supervened on the turmoil of the last few months is 

 shown by the light in which Lord Montague regards his kinsman's 

 death. It is an event which will render necessary some new arrange- 

 ment for keeping the deer in the bailiwick of Surrey. 6 



The inevitable process of paying the bill at once began. On 

 December 26 Lord Howard inquired for the names of persons in 

 Surrey competent to advance money to the queen on privy seals. 7 For 

 the rest, the warlike remainder of Elizabeth's reign, the demands for 

 money were constant. Besides Parliamentary subsidies, loans were in 

 continual demand. In February, 1589, instant payment was ordered 

 from those who had promised money, and a list of the names of those 

 who had had the hardihood to refuse to lend. 8 Pressure was often being 



1 Lord Buckhurst to Sir W. More and others, Canterbury Cathedral Library, MS. y, 7, 5. 



* The Surrey horse therefore were not at Elizabeth's famous review at Tilbury on August 9. 



3 Loseley MSS. date cited, vi. 55. * Ibid, date cited, xi. 20. 6 Ibid, date cited. 



6 Lord Montague to Sir W. More, Loseley MSS. September 8, 1588, x. 108. 



7 Loseley MSS. date cited, xi. 44 (misdated in Hist. MSS. Comm. calendar). 



8 Ibid. February 7, 1589, xii. 72. 



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