In the meantime the Common Council had, at the queen's request, agreed (16 June) to fit out six ships of war and one pinnace at a cost of £7,400, to be levied on the companies. This sum was afterwards raised to £8,000.[1698] Towards the close of the year (9 Nov.) the lord mayor and sheriffs were called upon to levy 200 able men to be "pioners." They were to be chosen out of the city of London and the county of Middlesex, and to be despatched to Dieppe for service under the Earl of Essex "a service vearie necessarie and we hope not of any long continuaunce,"[1699] wrote the queen. In addition to men, the queen wanted money; and the Common Council agreed (18 Sept.) to lend her £20,000 for three months, afterwards renewed for six months.[1700]
Search to be made for Spanish emissaries in disguise.
In the meantime Spanish emissaries, disguised as soldiers, mariners, merchants, gentlemen with comely apparel, and even as "gallantes," decked out in[pg 550] colours and feathers, had been doing the work of Philip silently but surely. Some had resorted to the Universities; some to the Inns of Court; whilst others had insinuated themselves into private families; but wherever they took up their abode, and in whatsoever capacity, their one aim and object had been to seduce the queen's subjects from their allegiance. So successful had been their efforts that Philip meditated another attack on England in 1592. At length commissioners were appointed in all parts of the country to search for these "venemous vipers." Householders were at the same time directed to enquire into the antecedents of those who lodged with them, and to mark if they attended Divine Service or not. A register or calendar of particulars respecting them was to be kept, to be shown on demand.[1701] Here is a description of one whose arrest was desired in 1596:—"A yonge man of meane and slender stature aged about xxvjtie wth a high collored face, red nose, a warte over his left eye, havinge two greate teeth before standinge out very apparant, he nameth himselffe Edward Harrison borne in Westmerland, apparelled in a crane collored fustian dublet, rounde hose, after the frenche facion, an olde paire of yollowe knit neather stockes, he escaped wthout either cloake, girdle, garters or shoes."[1702]
Privateering expeditions against Spain, 1591-1592.
Whilst all exportation of munitions of war, corn and other victual into Spain or Portugal was strictly forbidden,[1703] the merchants of London, as well as noblemen and wealthy country gentlemen, were[pg 551] encouraged to deal blows at the enemy by fitting out privateers for scouring the Spanish Main.[1704] Many a rich prize was thus brought home, the spoil being divided by specially appointed commissioners,[1705] whose duty it was, among other things, to see that the Crown was not defrauded of the custom due upon the goods thus captured."[1706] The "fleet of the city of London" was very successful in this kind of work, and a sum of £6,000 fell to its lot as prize-money in 1591. This sum was ventured again in an expedition undertaken by Raleigh in the following year,[1707] with the result that the City netted no less a sum than £12,000, its share of the spoil of a rich "carraque" that Raleigh had captured.[1708]
Proposal to build a pest-house for the city, 1592.
This lucky windfall befell the citizens at a time when money was sorely needed for building a pest-house or hospital for sufferers from the plague, which again visited the city at the close of 1592.[1709] The cost of such a building was estimated at £6,000. Various schemes were proposed for raising the money. At one time (July, 1593) it was resolved that the several livery companies which had taken shares in Raleigh's venture should contribute twelvepence in the pound of their clear gain towards the object.[1710] Later on (May, 1594) the companies were called upon to contribute one-third of their clear gain. Even this[pg 552] proved insufficient, and had to be supplemented by a "benevolence" in each ward.[1711] Another year went by, and the hospital was still unfinished.[1712]
The hysterical Anne Burnell.
The strain which the continuation of the war and the threatened renewal of a Spanish invasion imposed upon the inhabitants of London at large was a great one, and appears to have affected the mind of a weak and hysterical woman, Anne Burnell. She gave out that she was a daughter of the king of Spain, and that the arms of England and Spain were to be seen, like stigmata, upon her back, as was vouched for by her servant Alice Digges. After medical examination, which proved her statement to be "false and proceedinge of some lewde and imposterouse pretence," she and her maid were ordered to be whipt,—"ther backes only beeinge layd bare,"—at the cart's tail through the city on a market day, "with a note in writinge uppon the hinder part of there heades shewinge the cawse of there saide punishmente."[1713]
Six ships, two pinnaces and 350 men provided by the City against Spain, July, 1594.