On the 8th March 1587, the Queen sent a letter, followed by one from the Privy Council, to the same effect, informing the Mayor that certain intelligence had been received of warlike preparations being made in foreign parts, and calling upon the City to provide a force of 10,000 men fully armed and equipped, of whom 6000 were to be enrolled under Captains and Ensigns and to be trained at times convenient.
The men were raised in the following numbers from each ward:—
| Farringdon Ward Within | 807 |
| Bassishaw | 177 |
| Bread Street | 386 |
| Dowgate | 384 |
| Lime Street | 99 |
| Farringdon Without | 1264 |
| Aldgate Ward | 347 |
| Billingsgate | 365 |
| Aldersgate | 232 |
| Cornhill | 191 |
| Cheap | 358 |
| Cordwainer | 301 |
| Langbourne | 349 |
| Coleman Street Ward | 229 |
| Broad Street | 373 |
| Bridge Ward Within | 383 |
| Castle Baynard | 551 |
| Queenhithe | 404 |
| Tower Street | 444 |
| Walbrook | 290 |
| Vintry | 364 |
| Portsoken | 243 |
| Candlewick | 215 |
| Cripplegate | 925 |
| Bishopsgate | 326 |
| ——— | |
| Total | 10,007 |
We may apply this total in order to make a guess at the population of London in 1587. Thus supposing x to be the percentage of the population taken from each ward to fill the ranks, since the population of each ward = the number taken, multiplied by 100, and divided by x,
Therefore the whole population of the City
= whole number taken, multiplied by 100, and divided by x
= 1,000,700 ÷ x
If 10 per cent of the population were taken we should have a total of 100,070 or roughly 100,000.
W. A. Mansell & Co.
THE SPANISH ARMADA (THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT)
From Pine’s engravings of the House of Lords tapestry hangings.