converted into a bazaar, and burnt down rather more than fifty years ago. It contained a handsome oak staircase, with carvings of lions on the same. The entire woodwork for the chapel and house was carved and made in Holland, and brought over for erection. The site of this building is now covered in part by Mr. Buckingham's boot warehouse.

Another was issued at Hornchurch, bearing on its obverse the profile portrait of Edward IV., and the inscription "Edward IV. granted the Charter A.D. 1465."

Maldon also has one, bearing on one side the arms of the Clockmakers' Company, and on the other the arms and crest of the town. It is a fine specimen, and far from common, It was designed by Davies, and manufactured by Good at Birmingham. Warley Camp is represented by at least three varieties. It is very similar in design to one issued from the camp at Brighton. All the above are for the XVIII. century, and of the halfpenny size.

Early in the present century there were several varieties of the penny size issued at Walthamstow. A Dunmow halfpenny bears date 1793, and a Wanstead penny 1797. The

Leigh halfpenny is dated 1796. Woodford has halfpenny and farthing, both dated 1796.

A shilling token was issued at Epping in 1796. These tokens, like those of the XVII. century, were prohibited by Act of Parliament. They had their uses, and were helpful in trade when small current coin was scarce, It is hardly probable any future necessity for such things will arise, but should such be the case our successors will have two series to follow.

Before closing these few remarks, it will be necessary to revert to the XVII. century to mention what is known as the Colchester siege piece. It, or rather they, for there were two varieties, one round and the other an octagon-an oblong with the corners cut off. Both are extremely

Fortuna

3 byla

scarce.

They have on one

side a rude representation of the castle, with the in

scription "Caroli Fortuna Resurgam," the other side

is quite plain. They are

known as representing a shilling and a twoshilling piece. The former sold at the Bergue sale, in 1873, for £7 15s., at the Hastings sale, in 1880, £15 10s., at Marsham's, in 1888,

£11. Ruding also mentions two as selling for £11 15s. and £12 5s. Evidently this was struck by an ardent Royalist, possibly at a period when the expectation of the return of Charles II. was almost an accomplished fact. One specimen of the round type is in the museum at Colchester, It was presented some years ago by the late Bolton Smith, a then noted local antiquary, and mayor of the town in 1846-7.

In the same museum are pennies of Edward the Confessor, and of William I., minted at Colchester. There are also a large number of coins issued by Cunobeline, which in all probability were minted in the same town. Colchester being

the first Roman town in Britain, is rich in remains of that people and period, and should any reader of these lines have failed to visit the town, let him delay no longer, but come at the earliest possible opportunity, for no town will better repay a visit than Colchester.

Queen Elizabeth at Tilbury: A Glance

TH

at Armada Days.

BY EDWARD LAMPLOUGH.

HE fort at Tilbury associates the county of Essex so intimately with the great Armada, that a brief account of that attempted invasion may be justly included in the pages of

Bygone Essex.

When Elizabeth declined the hand of Philip II. of Spain, gave her support to the reformed church, and afforded assistance to the United Provinces in their desperate resistance to Spanish tyranny, she gave mortal offence to that proud monarch, and as early as the year 1586 the apprehension of a Spanish war troubled the nation.

Nevertheless, Elizabeth pursued her deadly purpose against the life of Mary Stuart, and the tragedy being consummated by that last fatal blow in the great hall at Fotheringhay Castle, Elizabeth found that she had raised a new claimant to her throne and realm in the person of the Spanish monarch.

Philip at once charged Elizabeth with the murder of her kinswoman, and openly prepared to visit England with the sharp invasion of the sword.

John Leslie, Bishop of Ross, with his pen supported the pretentions of Philip, which also found favour with the Duke of Guise. Mendoza, the Spanish ambassador at the English court, thus expressed himself to his royal master"God having been pleased to suffer this accursed nation to fall under his displeasure, not only in regard to spiritual affairs by heresy, but also in what relates to worldly affairs, by this terrible event, it is plain that the Almighty has wished to give your Majesty these two crowns as your own entire possession."

The organisation of the expedition, or Armada, was vigorously proceeded with; but ere it sailed Drake made his famous expedition to Cadiz, and had the pleasure of "singeing the King of Spain's beard," to quote his own grim humour.

On the 29th of May, A.D. 1588, the great Armada left Lisbon, under the command of the Duke de Medina Sidonia, who was assisted by Martinez de Recaldo, and other experienced officers. An army of 20,000 soldiers, including