A HISTORY OF SURREY 



related to recusants, there may have been other reasons for his resigna- 

 tion. But it shows a lack of zeal that Compton should also be begged 

 off by the Marquis of Winchester, on the ground that he was his 

 servant. He was at first excused, and then straitly charged upon his 

 allegiance to undertake the duty, the Lord Admiral having discovered 

 that the excuse was frivolous.' In April 1596 the Spaniards were be- 

 sieging Calais, and 500 men were raised in Surrey under Sir Richard 

 Wingfield for the force to be sent to its relief It is well known that 

 Henry IV. thought that Calais rescued by English troops would be 

 as bad a loss to France as Calais taken by the Spaniards, and declined 

 the assistance. The men were to sail from Dover, but to reach Dover 

 from Surrey were to march first to Gravesend, presumably to sail 

 thence to Dover ; from which it may be gathered that the cross country 

 roads must have been either very bad or non-existent.* This force, 

 which did not go to Calais, was subsequently sent on the expedition 

 to Cadiz in the same year.* It was a time of very active warfare. In 

 July 50 men were raised to garrison Flushing.* In September 100 men 

 were sent to Picardy, under Sir Thomas Baskerville, to help to defend 

 Boulogne.' On 2 1 October orders were given to call out the whole 

 strength of the county and to move 3,000 men into Kent and Hamp- 

 shire,* as it was thought that the Spaniards, not from Spain but from 

 Calais or the neighbourhood, might try to retaliate for ' the shame 

 and disgrace done him in his owne kingdome.' The invasion against 

 which the Surrey men were actually mustered by order dated 6 Novem- 

 ber 1596,^ was not expected to attempt a landing in Sussex but in 

 Kent or Hampshire, that is Dover or Portsmouth, as Sussex was neither 

 worth attacking for itself, compared with the two ports on either side 

 of it, nor had it any good through communication to London. This 

 great levy was allowed to go home again, but on 9 May 1597 °"e 

 hundred and fifty picked men were ordered into training under Mr. 

 Oliver St. John ' ready to be sent whenever they might be required. 



On 18 July fifty ' masterless men ' were ordered to be apprehended 

 and confined in Bridewell till they could be sent as soldiers to Picardy." 

 It was not the first time that such material had been requisitioned 

 in this way. The Lord Lieutenant had been ordered on 8 September 

 1585 to seize at fairs and places of meeting the ' stoute vagabonds 

 and masterlesse men ' of the county and send them up under charge 

 of the constables to London en route for the Low Countries, 'that the 

 countrie might be delivered of such unnecessary members and they 

 withall employed to some good use.' " We seem to know these levies, 

 from the account of one who had no doubt seen the like • ' Pitiful 

 rascals, food for powder, food for powder ; they'll fill a pit as well 

 as better. On 22 December 1598 the Council wrote to the Lord 



' Loseley MS. vi. 91-3. ^ ibid. vi. o;. 3 iu:h „; ,„c 



.Ibid.vi.96. Mbid.vi.9'8-,00. • bid"- o- 



' Ibii VI. ,04. a Ibid. vi. ,08. . Ibid V !!' 



lJ£^^Z^:- ''^-''-'>«- -1-ng to Sussex and Su.ey ;' the ^d Ad.i.l wa, 



138 



