Description:After the battles of the Armada in 1588, a fear of foreign invasion continued to dominate English military defense tactics. This is evident in the Summary of Defences at Kent produced by Sir John Leveson in 1589. The document refelcts the extensive military preparations undertaken to protect against foreign assault.
The summary provides details of assembled troops of ‘lighthorsemen’ and ‘Trayned’ and ‘Untrayned’ bands of ‘Armed’ forces. In addition, Leveson provides a list entitled ‘Preparation’ in which he includes ‘Carriages’, indicating that ‘twoe shalbe appointed to eche 100 of men…with draught of horses’.
Leveson also provides information about the ‘Assembly of Forces’. He writes ‘Upon the fyering of the Beacons, or other notorious warning from the Sea, of any hostile attempte, all the Bandes of Footemen, and horsemen of all the said sortes, with their Capitaines, are to reasorte to the severall places of Rendevous aforesaid with all speede’.
The document also outlines the tactics to be employed in the event of an ‘Attempt to Lande’ in the waters around Shepey. He writes that ‘the Bandes within the Lorde Cobhams division and the East division of Aylesforde, and in the hundred of Reylton, are to runne they ther for resistance’.
Leveson states ‘the residue of the Bandes’ which had not been involved in the ‘firste attempte’ against the enemy and ‘also all the vnarmed people' were to 'remaine, vntill they shall reccave direction to move forwarde’. This order was made ‘lest all doe runne to one parte of the Shoare, the Enemy doe make attempt vpon an other parte, and delude therin.’
It is significant that in this document, produced immediately after the Armada battles of 1588, that in a summary describing ‘Order at home’, Leveson states that ‘Papistes, and all persons of suspected faythe, and loyaltie, be disarmed, and looked vnto.’ This reflects the suspicion of Catholic people throughout Elizabeth’s reign, something which was particularly prominent in the context of the Spanish threat to England. Leveson also refers to the increasing number of ‘Straungers’ in ‘Sandwiche, Dover, and other Maritime Townes’. Again, a pervading fear of ‘straungers’ or people not recognised as being from the local area reflects the increased emphasis on security amidst the threat of foreign invasion.
In addition, Leveson writes that ‘Meete Justices and officers be lefte to governe the vnarmed multitude’, indicating that ‘A Provost Martial’ would be available ‘to suppresse theeves, Rogues, Tellers of false newes’. The need for increased social control reflects endeavours to keep the country in order whilst military forces focussed on protecting against foreign invasion.