SPANISH ARMADA DOCUMENT signed by ROBERT DUDLEY EARL OF LEICESTER 1588

Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester 24th July 1588 Captain General of all the armies and forces raised to resist The Spanish Armada - signed at Tilbury - London Favorite, companion and suitor to Queen Elizabeth 1, ordered to resist the Armada and protect England with his outnumbered forces at Tilbury - The Queen gave her legendary clarion call to the troops here - “My Loving People………I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a King, and a King of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any Prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm………” This document appoints Sir Moyle Finch, the Queen’s Treasurer at Wars for the armies and forces under Leicester’s command, a Colonel of a regiment of foot, in English, signed by Lord Dudley and sealed with his armorial papered seal. - Robert Earle of Leycester Baron of Denbighe: Lord great Steward of her Majesties householde etc. And her highness Lieutenant and Captaine Generall of all her Armyes and forces imployed aswell against all forrene Enemyes & invasions as domesticall Traitors and Rebellions…… FORASMUCHAS yt hath pleased the Quenes Majesty (upon certaine Intelligence of the great preparacons, that the Kinge and other Complices and confederates of the league, hade made and of thapproches of their forces, with intent to invade this her Realme of England) to appointe me her Highness Lieutenant generall of all her Armyes and forces leavyed and imployed for the defence of her Royall person and defence of her people and Contrey against all attemptes of forreine Ennemyes………-