Wilts!/ ire Preparations against the Spanish Armada. £47 



Sir Thomas Wroughton ^-The Hundred of Selkley. 



Mr. Kingsmill j High worth, &e. 



Nicholas St. John. < Kingsbridge, &o. 



William Danyell Eamsbury. 



^-The Borough of 'Marlborough, 

 Totall of Hundreds xxix. 



Liberties viij. 

 Boroughs vj. 



In Burleigh's State Papers there is a General Statement of the 

 Forces raised in the different Counties of England at this time. 

 The return for Co. Wilts was : — 



Able Men. Armed. Trained. Untrained. Lances. Light Horse. Petronells. 

 7400 2400 1200 1200 15 100 10 



The " Divisions 33 were reduced to four, under : — ■ 

 Sir James Mervyn. 

 Sir Thomas Wroughton. 

 Sir John Danvers. 

 Sir Henry Knevit. 



8. In order to spread the news of any sudden landing of the 

 enemy, beacons had been set up on the highest hills. This (now 

 obsolete) medium of public information was one which may never 

 have been seen by the present generation. It was a high pole, 

 having at the top, on a little platform, a barrel of wood and tar ; 

 with wooden steps, or footings, nailed at easy intervals all the way 

 up for the watchman to climb quickly and set fire to the barrel. 

 The following instructions (similar, no doubt, to those circulated all 

 over the country,) were issued, 15th July, 1588, by the Justices of 

 Peace, to the Constables, with regard to 



The Beacon on Cley Hill, near Warminster. 



11 First, to see that the Beakon within the Hundred be well and sufficiently 

 furnished with good and dry wood, and well and orderlie watched (as you have 

 bin formerlie comaunded) And you are lykewyse to have in rediness a Barrell 

 wherein pitche hath bin, besides four or five pounds of pitche to put therein. 

 And further that none be allowed to be a watchman there but hable men both 

 of body and discretion. 



Item, to have especiall care from tyme to tyme to the well-looking unto of 

 the said Becon : to th'end the same be not fired upon any lewde devise but upon 

 just cause. 



Item, to warne Mr. Carr the elder of Corslcy, Wm. Blacke of The Ashes, 

 Wm. Blacke of Smalcbrookc, Christopher Daniell of Noriidgo, Wm. Lambo, 

 John Hill, John Knight and Hobbs of Bugley, and two or three more of 



