The following article was first published in 1588, in its own words, ‘a little before the Spanish Invasion’. This transcribe was taken from a small book (as in thin) published in `1680 and titled ‘Englands Defence’.

A brief Discourse what Orders were best for repulsing of Foreign Forces, if at any time they should invade us by Sea, in Kent or elsewhere. Exhibited in Writing to the Right Honourable Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, a little before the Spanish Invasion in 88, by Thomas Diggs Esq; Muster-Master General of all her Majesty’s Forces in the Low Countries.

The accustomed Order hath bin by Firing of Beacons to put the Shire in Arms, and presently all Forces to repair to the Landing-place, there without delay to give them Battel. But because there are other Opinions, I think it first convenient to set Down the Reasons of each Opinion, and then a Resolution what I find Best. Such as maintain this old accustomed Order, alleage, besides the good success that many times it hath taken; that in Reason also it is best dealing with the Enemy at Landing before he hath firm footing, and before he shall have leasure to range his Men in due Order or Battel, and before he shall be able to Land his Ordnance, Horse, and Carriages; and that a very few Men thus in time shall be able to give greater annoyance, and do greater Service upon the Enemy, than ten times so many when the Enemy is Landed, and setled in strength of Order, with all his Horse, Ordnance, and Carriages. They also add these Reasons ensuring for confirmation of their custom.

First, The fury of the Country upon the first firing of the Beacons is great, every Man, pro Aris & Focis, violently running down to the Sea-side to repel the disordered Enemy at the first confused landing; which fury if we suffer to grow cold, we shall not easily enflame again.

Secondly, Every Man knoweth how great advantage they have, that have firm footing on Land, to encounter an Enemy that must land out of Boats, in a confused stragling manner, and therefore more willingly and speedily will go to enjoy the Benefits of this Advantage; whereas if you suffer the Enemy to land, and put himself into Military Order, be becometh more terrible unto us.

Also, while the Enemy is landing, if he find any Difficulty or Danger, being in Boats, they are ready to retire to their Ships again; but if they be once landed, with their Artillery, Horse, carriage &c. it is not possible for them to retire to their Ships again, without extreme danger of their Lives upon the Retreat, and the dishonourable Loss of all their Munitions, &c. and therefore Necessity enforcing them to fight, and all hope of Escape by flight, being taken away from them, they become ten times more dangerous Enemies to deal withal than before.

Further, there is in this Realm (as in all States divided in Religion) no small Numbers of Traiterous Minds, who having time to confer, and seeing an Enemy of Force already landed, may and will then discover their Malice, which on a sudden they dare not, nor cannot.

Some others hold this old Custom of running to the Sea-side to be a barbarous Custom, void of Order and Warlike Discipline, very perillous to our selves, not hurtful to the Enemy , but rather a means to lose all; and therefore with, by especial Commandment that Order of Repair to the Sea-side be restrained, and the Enemy suffered to land quietly; and in the mean time to drive and carry away all Cattel, Victual, Forage, Carriage, &c. and certain Places of Assembly appointed a good distance off the Sea, from whence they may march in Warlike Order, and so by driving and carrying away all Victuals, and fortifying of all Streigths and Passages, to weary the Enemy with Time. And these be the Reasons for maintenance of this second Opinion.

First, It is said, the invading Enemy bringeth a select Company of disciplin’d and well trained Souldiers, whom we seek to encounter with a confused Multitude of Men untrained, in which Match there is no Comparison, but Loss certain.

Again, it is said, An Enemy of Force meaning to land, will do it in despite of us, and then the Country offering to repell him, and finding themselves not able, grow much more fearful, than if quietly without resistance we had suffered the Enemy to land.

Again, while we suffer the Enemy to land, we may drive away all Cattel and Provision further into the Country, and then maintain streights and Passages, well fenced and fortified, so as the Enemy shall be forced to approach us upon our own Strengths and Fortifications, to his great Peril and Danger.

Again they say, If in this manner we keep Victuals from them by Land, and her Majesty’s Navy also in the mean time keeping the Seas, the Enemy for want of Victuals only shall be forced to retire, and glad to withdraw himself.

Further, it is alledged, how doubtful a thing Battel is, and how dangerous for a King to commit his Crown upon it, and therefore that temporizing Course extoiled.

These I think be Reasons most effectual to impugn the speedy Repair to the Sea-side, and to maintain the Opinion of suffering the Enemy to land quietly, and by driving and carrying away Victuals and Forage, and fortifying of Streights and Passes, by Time and Famine to weary the Enemy.

But having attentively weighted the Reasons on both sides, and by experience of former Invasions, examining the Success and Sequel of the like Attempts, as I am far from allowing of any confused disorderly running to the Sea-side, to encounter a select trained, well disciplined Enemy invading: so I am also utterly against the second Opinion, viz. to suffer the Enemy quietly to land all his Forces, Munitions, etc. not doubting but a mean Course, far more serviceable than either of them both, may be taken, whereby the Benefit of that old Custom may be embraced, and the Disorders of the other well noted may be reformed, and no Advantage to annoy the invading Enemy omitted; as by these Reasons ensuing better may be judged.

First, I say, one of the chiefest Forces of this famous Island of England, consisteth in this, That it is fortified naturally with such a Trench or Ditch as the Sea is, whereby it is not so subject to Invasion, as other Countries lying on the Main: Which singular Benefit, and peculiar Advantage of this our Country is utterly lost, if we suffer the Enemy quietly to land all his Forces, Munitions, &c. and to take firm footing quietly on the Main.

Again, Whereas this noble Island hath such a Number of Mariners, and good Shipping, both of her Majesty’s Royal Navy, and also of Merchants, as may hope with good Success to encounter on Sea the Force of any Foreign Enemy, we lose a great part of this our chief Strength, if relying on this second Opinion, we should suffer the Enemy quietly to land, and then temporize afterwards.

Again, There is no Man of any mean experience, but knoweth with what danger Men land out of Boats, if there be but any mean Force before Landing to resist them; for if therewhile any Storm arise, the Sea alone fighteth for us, and with any small Resistance on Land, will drown great Numbers of our invading Enemies.

Also any small Trench on Land shall lodge Shot in safety, to spoil as many of our Enemies, as in Boats shall offer to land, before they can approach the Shore.

Also in landing, before they can have time to put themselves in Order, what an Execution may a far less Number of Bills, or Swords, and Targets, do on them, before they shall have time to unite their Forces.

Again, After the Remnant shall land, if they be not all drowned, slain, or repelled in or before their Landing, how easy a matter shall it be for a few Lances, joined with the Weapons aforesaid, to put such a confused, dispersed, scattered, Sea-beaten Company to the Sword, before they shall ever be able to advance Standard, or put themselves in Order of Battel.

Beside all this, if her Majesty’s Forces by Sea should not in time be assembled of such Strength, as to be able before landing to give them Battel; yet any mean Force assailing their Ships, while their Men are in landing, cannot but greatly annoy them, if not utterly defeat them.

Also in most places, except the Enemy bring his Tide justly with him, he cannot land, and then if part land, and any mean resistance made, to give Impediment to the rest, till the Tide pass, their divided Forces may more easily be defeated.

Again, It is no small time that is requisite to land an Army, with Horse, Carriages, Ordnance, Munition, and Victuals, without which an Invader shall never be able to prevail; and then if any mean resistance be made at the landing it much prolongeth the same time, so as any Storm happening, the Winds, Tides, Shelves, Rocks, Bars, and Seas fight for us, wholly in our favour, and to the ruin of our Enemy. And therefore I utterly disallow that Opinion to give the Enemy leave quietly to land, and then by device to temporize afterwards.

Further, If such a Resolution by the Prince and State be taken, that the invading Enemy should be suffered to land quietly, to spoil and burn at their pleasure, and the inward Forces of the Country not permitted, even at their first landing, to come to their rescue, it would cause no doubt all the Inhabitants of the Coast to abandon their Towns, and leave the Frontiers naked and desolate, which the wise Kings and grave Counsellers of this Land have ever sought to make populous, by granting many Privileges and Immunities to allure Inhabitants on the Frontiers.

But touching driving or carrying away of Victuals, and leaving the Country waste, and thereby to famish our landed Enemy, it is a thing more easily wished than performed. I confess, in Ireland, where most of their Substance consisteth of Kine, it is easily done; but in this rich and wealthy Country of England, it is not possible but that the Enemy, if he be once landed with all his Forces, shall find Houses full of Provision, and Barns full of all kind of Forage and Corn all the Country over, unless our Prince should command all to be wasted with Fire; which Precedent we see seldom or never out in ure, neither in these late Wars with France and Flanders, nor in any former Invasions that we read of; for it would make the prince odious, and alienate extremely the Subjects Minds, and therefore not to be used but upon great extremities, when all other Means fail.

And here in England, above all other Countries, it may worst be done; for our Towns are poor, weak, unprovided, and unfortified, the Country full of Habitation, populous, rich, and abundant of all Commodities, In the Low-Countries, by reason of the great store of their strong well-fortified Towns, they might much more easily drive and carry to their Cities at hand all Victuals and Forage &c. And yet when the last great Armies of the States and Don John were in the Field, notwithstanding all the Boors and Country-People were fled and retired to the next walled Towns, and had knowledg long before of the approaching of the Armies, yet were they not able so to drive and carry away the Victuals and Forage, but that the Enemy found Barns full in every place, insuch sorts as wee never were forced at any time to forage four Miles from our Camp: So difficult and impossible a thing it is to carry away Victuals and Forage, or leave the Enemy a waste Country. But if here in England we should drive or carry away our Victuals and Forage to the next walled Towns, the Enemy being quietly landed with his Munitions, should have his chief desire, knowing not only how weak and unfortified our Towns are, but also how unprovided for all Necessaries to abide a Siege, if Fortification on sudden could be made. wherefore I could with all provident Means used to give the Enemy annoyance before and at the Landing, and by means to suffer him to land quietly, or to trust to that temporizing Course, which rather to be practised when all other Means fail, than to be relied upon at the beginning.

I grant it perillous for a Defendent Prince to hazard his Crown on a Battel, and more dangerous for Men untrained to encounter expert disciplin’d Souldiers, and most perillous to us that have no strong Towns to make head, if we lose a Battel: And therefore it is no part of my meaning to wish our Prince to give any Invading Enemy Battel with all our Forces, how well prepared and ordered soever we should be. But my meaning is, to have such Provision in every Shire, as we may be able readily on any sudden to give the Enemy all annoiance possible, before and at the Landing, while the inward Forces of our Country may be better assemble, and put themselves in Military order, to proceed after as shall be found most convenient.

And therefore to avoid as well confused Assemblies of our own Forces, as also be able, like Souldiers, orderly to annoy the Enemy, by all means at the landing, and nevertheless to reserve all Advantages of temporizing afterwards, if we should not defeat or repell them at or before the landing, these Notes ensuing I would wish to be considered.

First, That all bad Armor, Weapons, and Furniture, be defaced or taken away, and such new provided as may be serviceable; and this to be better executed, without favour, indifferently on all degrees.

That better Consideration be had of selecting or enrolling of Souldiers, that only active and able Bodies be appointed for Weapon, the rest for Pioneers or Labourers; and that such Labourers be enjoined also to have in readineess their Spade, Shovel, or Pickaxe with them, accordingly as at the Musters shall be appointed. These well directed, shall do service with the best in the Field. I would not have them denied, but rather allowed every Man also his light Pike, or Black-Bill, to execute when Time shall serve.

That good regard be had to maintain still full Numbers of armed pikes, for as we grow by Wealth more delicate, we shall seek generally with the Italian and French to leave that Weapon, and thereby greatly weaken the Forces of our Land.

That some Games be erected in several places in every Shire of England, to allure Men to shoot in Muskets, &c. and to bestow their Bullets surely; for the usual manner of Training by wasting Powder is ridiculous, and no service in thee World in it.

But especially that Provision be made of one kind of Weapon and Serviture, that in all former Musters hath bin omitted, and in my Opinion ought specially above all others to be provided in all Shires fronting on the Sea, where Invasion may be made, I mean the Argoletier.

These Argoletiers need no such chief Horse, as the Lance, or Man at Arms, but every mean Gelding and ordinary Hackney will serve this purpose, whereby it shall be more easy to have in readiness a thousand of these Argoletiers than an hundred sufficient Lances. And yet would I have most part of their Horses such, as were able for four or five Miles, when need shall be, to take up and carry a Foot-shot or Musquetier behind him; and so shall they be able for repelling sudden Invasions, to do singular Service, being well directed, and far above any other heretofore in our Musters provided.

The Pioneers or Labourers also, being great Numbers, will always readily be at hand to cast Trenches, or make Scones, to lodge Shot in Safety to annoy the Enemy, and fortify Streights and Passages; and finally, when time is, on the scattering or flying Enemy to do execution also.

It shall not be difficult in every Shire to find some such two or three places of Assembly, within a few miles of the Coast, as may discover the Enemy on the Sea far off, and plainly perceive on what part he meaneth to land, from whence Supplies accordingly may be sent.

And first I would wish of those Argoletiers, and Shot on foot, some convenient Companies be sent to the Coast and Order given, that all the Labourers of those parts should attend on them, to make Trenches or Scones to stay the Enemy, as they should be directed; in which time the armed Pikes accompanied with lances, may have space to range themselves in Order Military, without confusion or disorder, to march towards the Enemy. And if these Argoletiers and other Shot should happen by the Enemy to be repelled, yet by the aid of the Labourers of the Country, they may retire in such sort from one Strength to another, as the Enemy with great loss shall very slowly follow them.

And forasmuch as Kent is the most likely Shire of all other for many respects to be attempted, whensoever any Invasion shall be by Sea, it were requisite before-hand by Men of Skill to have the Landing Places well surveyed, and convenient Places of Assembly appointed, and all Passages or Streigths well considered, that good direction may be given where to assemble, and how to proceed upon any sudden, when occasion shall require. For at this present, not only among the common sort of ignorant Captains, but even among some good Judgment and Experience, if such an occasion should suddenly happen, there would be found such repugnance of Opinions, as perhaps the worst and most perillous Resolution might be taken, In other Arts Errors are not so dangerous, but upon better deliberation they may be corrected; but in these Military Causes, especially in matter of Invasion, an erroneous Resolution at the first may utterly overthrow the State for ever, I would with this Matter, of so great Importance effectually considered, before imminent Danger, while Time is. And so is there no doubt (the natural Fortification of this Island considered) with the great store of Shipping and Mariners, and the abundance of Armour and Weapons now in England, and able Bodies also to use them, if they were duly trained and exercised; but we may with good Order repell the Fury of all Foreign Enemies whatsoever.

Thus far Mr. Diggs.

And now I must not omit one thing, which is to let you know that the great strength of this Kingdom lies in Chatham River, and at Portmouth, (and I could heartily with all his Majesty’s Ships there were in that River too). As for the first, it is sufficient secured by the New fortifications at Sheerness, and thereabouts; but for the latter, if an Invasion should happen in those parts, the Enemy may land at Stokes-Bay, secure Gospar with a great deal of ease, destroy the Navy there, and beat down the Town of Portsmouth about their Ears; therefore that Bay ought to be secured upon the first Alarm.

I would have given you a List of the last thirty Ships, but that they are not all yet finished, but when they are, will make the most glorious Fleet in the World.

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