The mayor and his brethren "determined, after long consultation," "that no alien, though he were a denizen, should muster," but only native-born English; and "for especial considerations, they thought it not convenient" that all their able-bodied men should be absent from the City at once. They would have but a picked number; "such as were able persons, and had white harness and white coats, bows, arrows, bills, or poleaxes, and none other except such as bare morris pikes or handguns;" the whole to be "in white hosen and cleanly shod." "And when it was known," says the record, "that the king himself would see the muster, to see how gladly every man prepared him, what desire every man had to do his prince service, it was a joyful sight to behold of every Englishman." White was the City uniform. The lord mayor and the aldermen rode in white armour, with light coats of black velvet, and the arms of London embroidered on them. Massive gold chains hung on their breasts. Their caps were of velvet with plumes; and steel battle-axes were slung at their side. Every alderman was attended by a body-guard, in white silk, with gilded halberds. The richer citizens were in white silk also, "with broaches and owches," and "breast-plates studded with silver." The remainder had white coats of cotton, worked into a uniform, with the City arms, white shoes, and long woven, closely-fitting hose; "every man with a sword and dagger," besides his special arms. The whole number to be reviewed were fifteen thousand men, divided into battles or battalions of five thousand each. The aldermen were at the head each of his ward. The wards were in companies of archers, pikemen, musketeers, and artillery. A preliminary review was held on the evening of the 7th of May. The next morning, before six o'clock, "all the fields from Whitechapel to Mile-end, from Bethnal-green to Radcliffe and Stepney, were covered with men in bright harness, with glistening weapons." "The battle of pikes, when they stood still, seemed a great wood." At eight o'clock the advance began to move, each division being attended by a hundred and twenty outriders, to keep stragglers into line. First came thirteen fieldpieces, "with powder and stones in carts," followed by the banners of the City, the musketeers, "five in a rank, every rank five foot from another, and every shoulder even with his fellows; "and next them the archers, five in a rank also, "and between every man his bow's length." After the archers came "the pikemen," and then "the billmen"; the five companies with their officers on horseback, their colours, and their separate bands.