ss
over the rehearsal hereof to other men, who more delight in vain
amplification than I, and seek to be more curious in these points than I
profess to be.[207]

CHAPTER XXII.

OF ARMOUR AND MUNITION.

[1577, Book II., Chapter 12; 1587, Book II., Chapter 16.]

How well or how strongly our country hath been furnished in times past
with armour and artillery it lieth not in me as of myself to make
rehearsal. Yet that it lacketh both in the late time of Queen Mary, not
only the experience of mine elders, but also the talk of certain Spaniards
not yet forgotten, did leave some manifest notice. Upon the first I need
not stand, for few will deny it. For the second, I have heard that when
one of the greatest peers of Spain espied our nakedness in this behalf,
and did solemnly utter in no obscure place that "it should be an easy
matter in short time to conquer England, because it wanted armour," his
words were then not so rashly uttered as they were politically noted. For,
albeit that for the present time their efficacy was dissembled and
semblance made as though he spake but merrily, yet at the very entrance of
this our gracious queen unto the possession of the crown they were so
providently called to remembrance, and such speedy reformation sought of
all hands for the redress of this inconvenience, that our country was
sooner furnished with armour and munition, from divers parts of the main
(beside great plenty that was forged here at home), than our enemies could
get understanding of any such provision to be made. By this policy also
was the no small hope conceived by Spaniards utterly cut off, who, of open
friends being now become our secret enemies, and thereto watching a time
wherein to achieve some heavy exploit against us and our country, did
thereupon change their purposes, whereby England obtained rest, that
otherwise might have been sure of sharp and cruel wars. Thus a Spanish
word uttered by one man at one time overthrew, or at the leastwise
hindered, sundry privy practices of many at another. In times past the
chief force of England consisted in their long bows.[208] But now we have
in manner generally given over that kind of artillery, and for long bows
indeed do practise to shoot compass for our pastime: which kind of
shooting can never yield any smart stroke, nor beat down our enemies, as
our countrymen were wont to do at every time of need. Certes the Frenchmen
and Rutters, deriding our new archery i