in ye least want of my duty. I have sent Sir Io. Norrys, wth sondry notes, and I take Peter Pett wth me. You must apoynt some spetyall man to take the care to dyrect these provissions. I pray you remember also, that yf the enemye shuld land either in Kent, Suffolk, or other Shere, I have no authoryty to command or lead Her Mats subjectes.

Herein it appears, that nothing had been done for the defence of the river at Gravesend, on the 22nd of July, beyond any resolutions that may have been taken, or orders given, in pursuance of the inspection by the Vice-chamberlain and others, on Wednesday the 17th preceding. It is observable, also, that the name of Genibelli does not occur in the above letters, but that the Lord General suggested, that some special man should be appointed to take care to direct the proceedings.

On the day after Lord Leicester had consulted Mr. Pett, he repaired to Gravesend, taking the latter with him; and his proceedings there, are related in the following reports to the Secretary of State; and the Privy Council.

The Earl of Leicester to Sir F. Walsingham. Tilbury, Tuesday, [23 July,] 1588.

"Mr. Secy I came early this morning to Gravesend and found there Sr Henry Cobham, who told me he had given order for Ve pioners to com thether, but he thought that few could be there this day. I did peruse the fort, and find not one platform to bear any ordinance, neither on the ground nor aloft. I did also vewe ye place yt my L. Hunsdon brought the platt of, for ye strengthening of ye pece, wch I lyke well of, to be done, and most requysytt. There wants a couple of demy canons for ye fort.

"I went after to this fort at Tylbury, wch I find further out of order thanthe other, save that there be some better peces of artyllery, but not a platforme to carry ye least pece. I send Peter Pett back for provision of such thinges as are most necessary for the platforms, as also touching the defence uppon this water, wch wth the cheyne and lighters wylbe to great defence, spetyally wth the mastes withall, as we lately agreed uppon. The western barges I se wylbe to great purpose.

"I take order presently to furnysh these peces wth some men, for there is not above vi persons in the best of them.

"I se this place wyll sone be made impregnable, but the [Block] houses buylt to ye least purpose yt ever I sawe and lye most undefencyble, as they be now kept; yet ys the charge very great, and I se yt ys very requysyth y when such poore men as be ye Captens of such places, that they [be] harkened unto, or elles better to demolysh the places then to be at charge in keping them to no servyce. These peces have about x or xii barrelles of poudre a pece, wch ys to (too) lyttle yf they have nede to spende yt. I doe pray you therefore, y' you wyll cause provission of pouder to be sent w spede, as well by water as land; whereof v or vi last to Burntwood, where I wyll take ordre for a place for yt, and the other

v last in some good hoye or crayer wth a desscrete person to take charge of yt, to lye whan the vesselles come down for ye stakeadoe uppon the water, to be reddy yf nede be for servyce.

"I pray you also to remembre implementes for pioners wth all spede; among wch there must be 1. or lx. whelebarowes at the least. And bycause there ys nobody in these fortes able to make present provision, or such as must presently be putt into these fortes, for ye gard of them, hit shall be well that Quareles* may send bear and befe to each fort for 1. men, wch may be defaulked of ther wages, for that these shalbe parcell of soldyers Her Mate wyll enterteyn. For other matters touching this servyce, I trust to receive your further intentes by Sr. Io. Norrys, and so in some hast I comytt you to God, besechyng Hym to send good success to His servauntes for Hys Church sake. At Tylbury this Tewsday, by yo' very assured frend

"R. LEYCESTER."

The Earl of Leicester to the Privy Council. (Extracts.)

24th of July, 1588.

My very good LL.-This morning at iii a clok Sr Iohn Norrys aryved here, and brought me Her Mats comyssion for further authority to comand this servyce; wherein for myn owne parte I wyll seke to dyscharge, to all the lytle skyll I have for Her Ma's best servyce; trusting y as Her Mae hath pleased to comytt this chardge unto me, the importaunce of ye cause being as yt ys, that I shall have all your LL. helpes and furtheraunces for ye advauncement therof, as occasion shall serve from tyme to tyme. And gyve me leave to call ernestly for supplye of such wantes as shal be requysytt.

"My LL-I have putt these fortes in as good strength as tyme wyll permytt, but there must be plankes sent in all hast, and workmen to make platformes; and for the lighters, barges and other vesselles w' mastes for the stakadoes, I leave to yor LL. spedye dispatch away.

"I am even now reddy to goe to Chelmesford, to meet there wt the most of ye gentlemen, to gyve ordre round for the other partes of ye Shere uppon the coast, as also to mete the foote & horse yt I draw hether halong a most apt place to begyn or Camp in, not far from the fort at a place called West Tylbury, where this night or tomorrow ye most of ye iiii footemen I am promysed, shalbe, whom I goe to hasten: a greater suply of horsmen we shall nede, and doe very ernestly comend yt to yor LL. yt there may be order for a 1000 or more horse to be sent for, & for ye present to be taken as nere as may be. And thus humbly I take my leave of yor good LL. in much haste, at Gravesend, this 24th of July 1588.

"Yor LL. assured pore

friend
"R. LEYCESTER."

By the continued importunity of the Lord General for the supply of vessels, and timber or masts for the proposed barrier,

* Victualler of the Navy.

Northfleet

it is clear that the exertions that may have been made to accomplish that work, did not keep pace with his anxiety on the subject; and the event justifies the observation made by Hakluyt, that though certain ships were brought to make a bridge, "it were very late first."

A chart of the Thames from London to the Lower Hope, containing a plan of the disposition of the vessels, was drawn at the time, by Robert Adams, a surveyor; and this coming into the possession of Sir Joseph Banks, was engraved and annexed to a report on the measures of defence in the year 1588, printed by the order of Government some years ago, under the editorial care of the Keeper of State Papers.*

The portion of the chart which explains the operations at Gravesend, given in the accompanying plate,† also confirms the above account respecting the vessels brought to make a bridge or barrier; and it affords other desirable information. It gives the positions of the bulwarks and blockhouses at Gravesend, and at East and West Tilbury; and proves that the Camp was close to West Tilbury Church. The Beacon, on Gravesend Hill, was placed near the Windmill.

As but little information of the transactions at Gravesend and Tilbury, at the stirring time when the Spanish Armada was expected in the Thames, has been published, the following letters written by the Earl of Leicester on the spot, will be acceptable, for the original, authentic, and interesting details they contain, relative to local proceedings.

The Earl of Leicester to Sir Francis Walsingham. 25th July, 1588.

"Mr. Secretary. We have here news commonly spredd abroade, that my L. Admyrall hath taken either Admyrall or Vice Admyrall and the Great Galliass, beside one great shipp sonk. The Almighty God be praysed therfore, and to gyve further victory, to his glory and the comfort of his poore Church, as no dowtes yt must be, wi the greatest renome and perpetuall fame to Her Mate that ever can be to any Prince. And this being trewe, I wold gladly know what Her Mate wyll doe w me. I have here now assembled in camp iiij. footmen, as gallant and

The Report was printed in an octavo volume, with an introductory letter, dated the 17th of May, 1798, from John Bruce, Esq., Keeper of State Papers, addressed to the Right Honourable Henry Dundas, Secretary of State for the Home Department.

+ Copied by permission.