Such were the extraordinary Preparations made by the Spaniards for invading England. Preparations so great and so dreadful, that all Europe was alarmed at them. Most Sovereigns expected for some Time, with the utmost Horror and Astonishment, where the threatening Storm, which had been so long gathering, would at last fall. But this, though kept as a great Secret, did not long escape the great Sir Francis Walsingham’s Sagacity. [[27]]He had Intelligence from Madrid, that King Philip had told his Council, he had dispatched an Express to Rome with a Letter writ with his own Hand to the Pope, acquainting him with the true Design of his Preparations, and asking his Blessing upon it; which for some Reasons he would not yet disclose to them, ’till the Return of the Courier. The Secret being thus lodg’d with the Pope, Walsingham, by the means of a Venetian Priest retain’d at Rome as his Spy, got a Copy of the original Letter, which was stolen out of the Pope’s Cabinet by a Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber, who took the Keys out of the Pope’s Pocket whilst he slept. Upon this Intelligence Walsingham found a Way to retard the Spanish Invasion for a whole Year, by getting the Spanish Bills protested at Genoa, which should have supplied them with Money to carry on their Preparations.
Queen Elizabeth, it may well be supposed, could not help being extremely anxious about the issue of the great and dreadful Preparations that were going on, to deprive her of her Crown and Dignity, and perhaps of her [[28]]Life. This inclined her more readily to embrace some Overtures of Peace, made to her by the Spaniard[[29]]: But it being soon found out that they were intended only to lull her asleep, and induce her, by depending upon a Peace, to be careless of her own Defence; and moreover, Henry III King of France sending her Word, [[30]]she ought to stand upon her Guard; she did not therefore rely much on the Negociations in hand, but took all proper Measures for securing herself, and protecting her Dominions.
Her Situation was indeed very melancholy, and her Fears well grounded: For she was without so much as one Ally abroad, except the United-Provinces, which themselves wanted Assistance; and at home she had a factious and discontented Party, ready to join with the Enemy: But, by the Assistance of Heaven, by her good Management, and the sincere Affection of the Generality of her People, she surmounted all Difficulties, and came off Conqueror.
When she was sure the Spaniards Preparations were design’d against her, that she might not be taken unprovided, she fitted out as strong a Fleet as she possibly could; and herein so great was the Diligence of her Subjects, [[31]]that though her Preparations were begun but about the 1st of November 1587, yet her Fleet was ready to put to Sea by the 20th of December the same Year.
[[32]]Charles Lord Howard of Effingham, High Admiral of England, a Person of great Prudence and Bravery, was appointed Commander in Chief of this whole Fleet. His Instructions were, To repair to the Westward, in conjunction with Sir Francis Drake Vice-Admiral, and Captain John Hawkins, and Captain Martin Frobisher Rear-Admirals: At the same Time, the Lord Henry Seymour, second Son of the late Duke of Somerset, had Orders to lye on the Coast of Flanders, with forty English and Dutch Ships (the latter under the Command of Justin of Nassau, Admiral of Zealand) to prevent the Duke of Parma’s putting out to Sea with his Forces.
For Land Service, there were disposed along the Southern Coasts of England twenty thousand Men. Besides which, two Armies were raised of choice, well-disciplin’d, and experienced Men; one (under the Command of Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester, consisting of one thousand Horse, and twenty two thousand Foot,) was encamped at Tilbury, near the Thames Mouth, for the Safeguard of the City of London; because it was given out that the Spaniards, after having joined the Duke of Parma, intended to come up the Thames, in order to make themselves Masters of the Metropolis of the Kingdom. The other Army, under the Command of Henry Carey Lord Hunsdon, consisted of thirty four thousand Foot, and two thousand Horse, and was destined to guard the Queen’s Person.
Arthur Lord Grey, Sir Francis Knolles, Sir John Norris, Sir Richard Bingham, and Sir Roger Williams, Knights, and excellent Soldiers, were chosen to consult about the best Way of managing the War at Land. After mature Deliberation, they thought fit that the most convenient Landing-Places for the Enemy, as well out of Spain as out of the Low-Countries, should be well mann’d and fortify’d, namely Milford-Haven, Falmouth, Plymouth, Portland, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, the open Coast of Kent called the Downs, the Thames Mouth, Harwich, Yarmouth, Hull, &c. that the Train’d Bands, all along the Maritime Counties, should meet in Arms upon a Signal given, to defend the said Ports, and do their best to prevent the Enemy’s landing; and, in Case of their landing, that they should lay all the Country waste round about, and leave neither Booty nor Forage for them; that they should annoy them Night and Day with continual Alarms, so as to give them no Rest; but not venture the Hazard of a Battle, ’till more Commanders with their Companies should come up; of whom one in every Shire was nominated Chief.
Moreover, the active Queen, in order to quicken the Zeal and Diligence of her Subjects, especially of those who lay near the Sea-Coasts, caused Letters to be sent to the chief of them: Wherein, after putting them in mind of the common and imminent Danger the whole Nation was in, she told them, that she “expected on this extraordinary Occasion, a larger Proportion of Furniture, both for Horsemen and Footmen; thereby to be in their best Strength against any Attempt whatsoever, to be employed, whether about her own Person, or otherwise. And the Number she required them to signify to her Privy-Council[[33]].” She required moreover the Nobility in the several Counties, to provide themselves, and their Servants and Dependants in like manner, with Horses and Armour, to be ready to repair upon Summons to the Queen, for Defence of her Person: And to this Purpose Letters were address’d to them from the Lords of the Council, by her Command.
Such were the Directions given. [[34]]And accordingly Cities, Counties, Towns, and Villages, the Cinque-Ports, and all other Havens of England, manifested as great Forwardness in their zealous Love and Duty, as either Subjects could perform, or Prince expect. The City of London, in particular, being requested by the Privy-Council, to find five thousand Men, and fifteen Ships, they willingly and cheerfully furnished thirty Ships provided with all Necessaries, and ten thousand able Men, well armed and trained; besides which, they kept in readiness thirty thousand Men more, prepared to march wherever there should be Occasion[[35]]; and also lent the Queen fifty one thousand nine hundred Pounds, in ready Money.