492 THE ANCIENT DEFENCES OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT. 
In a catalogue of men and archers, we find 54 men at arms and 141 
archers or bowmen. At this time, five men at arms and twenty bowmen 
were furnished by the Churches in the East Medine (that part of the 
island lying to the east of the River Medine, and still so designated, 
1899), and four men at arms, and twenty-three archers by the churches 
of the West Medine. The King sen(t 100 slingers and bowmen, and 
the City of London 300. A record or roll is in existence, which con¬ 
tains the names of all the officers who were told off to command the 
militia of the Island in different parishes and districts. The Warden of 
the Island at this time appears to have been posessed of great power and 
authority. He was authorized to “ array ” the men at arms, or probably 
horsemen, hoblers, who were light armed soldiers, and mounted on 
small horses called “ hobbies,” and bowmen or archers, as well as all 
others, both horse and foot. He was instructed to levy new forces if it 
was found that the existing ones were insufficient, and to take men from 
the County of Southampton. Absentees, on failure to appear within a 
limited time, had their lands and tenements, goods and chattels con¬ 
fiscated and forfeited to the use of the King. 
Towards the latter end of the reign of Henry VIII., about the >ear 
1543, the French made an attempt to destroy the English fleet. Failing 
in their attempt, they made a descent on the Isle of Wight, but they 
were driven back. 
The necessity of some form of Coast defence was thus made apparent 
and the Captain of the Island, Worsley, had several forts constructed 
on the coasts of the Island’., One of these in particular was called 
Worsley’s Tower, on Norton Common, on the coast immediately op¬ 
posite Hurst Castle, and still known (1899) as Tower Point. 
Captain Worsley’s exertions were most effectively productive of the 
means of defence. 
From a return made to certain commissioners in the first year of 
Edward VI., we find the ordnance and ammunition distributed as 
follows: — 
YARMOUTH CASTLE 
Richard Ewdall, Captain in 1543. 
The following list of ordnance stores in possesion is given : — 
12 pieces of brass and iron ordnance of different calibres, 
1 broken. 
291 shot, of which 50 were stone, and 50 a mixture of lead 
8 half barrels, and 3 double barrels of powder. 
19 hagbuts , and half a barrel of common powder. 
150 bows. 
2 gross bowstrings in a firkin. 
240 sheafs of arrows. 
223 bills. 
CARISBROOKE CASTLE 
Richard Worsley, Governor of the Isle of Wight. 
5 pieces iron ordnance. 
520 shot of various sizes. 
