Impact of the Camp - Elizabeth I and the Armada

On 1 November 1588 the churchwardens of West Tilbury were accused by the archdeacon of neglecting their church wall and furniture. They replied

that by meanes of the Campe that did lie there, there churche stooles and wall is muche broken downe.

They were allowed eleven months to put this right - at their own expense!⁴³

and a Braggart

In 1592 William Harding was imprisoned for alleging that William Browning, one of the Bailiffs of Maldon

did report that there weere non at Tylburye Campe but Rogues and Rascalls.

Browning's reaction was to accuse Harding of trying to evade military service:

att the tyme of the last settinge forthe of Souldyers in to Fraunce...the said hardinge answerred that he was not fytt, for that he was boith blynde and dysseased; the said Will [ia] m Brownynge replyinge said vntothe said hardinge,
Who was so good a manne as yew when yew weare at Tylburye Campe, for then yew sett forth yo[u]r selfe as thoughe yew coulde fyght agaynst Fourtie Spanyard [es].⁴⁴