For Land Service, there were disposed along the Southern Coasts of _England_ twenty thousand Men. Besides which, two Armies were raised of choice, well-disciplin’d, and experienced Men; one (under the Command of _Robert Dudley_ Earl of _Leicester_, consisting of one thousand Horse, and twenty two thousand Foot,) was encamped at _Tilbury_, near the _Thames_ Mouth, for the Safeguard of the City of _London_; because it was given out that the _Spaniards_, after having joined the Duke of _Parma_, intended to come up the _Thames_, in order to make themselves Masters of the Metropolis of the Kingdom. The other Army, under the Command of _Henry Carey_ Lord _Hunsdon_, consisted of thirty four thousand Foot, and two thousand Horse, and was destined to guard the Queen’s Person. _Arthur_ Lord _Grey_, Sir _Francis Knolles_, Sir _John Norris_, Sir _Richard Bingham_, and Sir _Roger Williams_, Knights, and excellent Soldiers, were chosen to consult about the best Way of managing the War at Land. After mature Deliberation, they thought fit that the most convenient Landing-Places for the Enemy, as well out of _Spain_ as out of the _Low-Countries_, should be well mann’d and fortify’d, namely _Milford-Haven_, _Falmouth_, _Plymouth_, _Portland_, the Isle of _Wight_, _Portsmouth_, the open Coast of _Kent_ called the _Downs_, the _Thames_ Mouth, _Harwich_, _Yarmouth_, _Hull_, _&c._ that the Train’d Bands, all along the Maritime Counties, should meet in Arms upon a Signal given, to defend the said Ports, and do their best to prevent the Enemy’s landing; and, in Case of their landing, that they should lay all the Country waste round about, and leave neither Booty nor Forage for them; that they should annoy them Night and Day with continual Alarms, so as to give them no Rest; but not venture the Hazard of a Battle, ’till more Commanders with their Companies should come up; of whom one in every Shire was nominated Chief. Moreover, the active Queen, in order to quicken the Zeal and Diligence of her Subjects, especially of those who lay near the Sea-Coasts, caused Letters to be sent to the chief of them: Wherein, after putting them in mind of the common and imminent Danger the whole Nation was in, she told them, that she “expected on this extraordinary Occasion, a larger Proportion of Furniture, both for Horsemen and Footmen; thereby to be in their best Strength against any Attempt whatsoever, to be employed, whether about her own Person, or otherwise. And the Number she required them to signify to her Privy-Council[33].” She required moreover the Nobility in the several Counties, to provide themselves, and their Servants and Dependants in like manner, with Horses and Armour, to be ready to repair upon Summons to the Queen, for Defence of her Person: And to this Purpose Letters were address’d to them from the Lords of the Council, by her Command.