THE BEACONS IN KENT (1596)

THE PERAMBULATION OF KENT
by William Lambarde

As in warre, celerity availeth no lesse, than force it selfe: So the Right honorable Sir William Brooke, Lord Cobham, the Lorde Chamberlaine of hir Majesties houshold (who hath been sole Lieutenant of this shire, since the first of hir Majesties Raigne) foreseeing how necessarie it was to have the forces of the countrie speedily draw togither, for the encounter of any hostilitie: and finding, that upon the fiering of the Beacons (which are erected for that service) not only the common sort, but even men of place and honour, were ignorant which way to direct their course, & thereby (through amasednesse) as likely to run from the place affected, as to make succour of it: caused the true places of the Beacons to be plotted in carde, with directorie lines, so many sundrie waies, as any of them did respect the other: By which, any man, with little labour may be assured where the danger is, and thereof informe his neighbours.  For example: suppose our first Beacon, standing on Shooters Hill, to be light: he that will go thither may know by the watchmen from whence they received their light, which must be either from the west near London, or Hamstede: or else from the East, by warrant of the fiered Beacon at Stone, neare Dartford, or that which is neare to Gravesende.  The like of the reste: and so much for use. 

Touching the Antiquity, and name: it seemeth they came from the Saxons: for their word Becnian, which is to call by signe (or to becken, as we yet speake) they are named Beacons: and I find, that, before the time of king Edward the third they were made of great stacks of wood (of which sort I my selfe have seene som in Wiltshire) but about the xj. yeere of his Raigne it was ordeined that in our shire they should be high Standards with their Pitch-pots. 

And now, if any man shall thinke, that this laying open of the Beacons, is a point not meete to bee made publike: I pray him to give me leave to dissent in that opinion from him.  For, as the profit of the Realm & subject is manifest, in that it speedeth the service, where speed is most profitable: So there is no secret hereby disclosed, whereof the enemie may take advantage, seeing that Beacons stand open to the eie, and all men know the end for which they be advanced, though few know the best use and advantage of them.  Yea, rather, the enimie is prevented, when he seeth that we can & do make so good and readie use of our Beacons.  If it be replied, that peradventure the common people shall not be permitted to run to the shore, Tumultuaria manu, as the old manner was: but shall stay till they be called upon, & that the trained companies only shall resort to the place of their appointed Rendezvous: the answere is, that whatsoever course be directed, yet the speedie knowledge of the danger, is all alike profitable, which without this cannot be discerned.  And otherwise it must follow, that there will be no use of the Beacons at all: which if it be, the countrie might well be delivered of that continuall and great charge which it sustaineth by the watching of them.  But as (no doubt) the necessitie of them is apparent: so were it good, that for the more speedie spreading of the knowledge of the enimies comming, they were assisted with some horsemen (anciently called of their Hobies, or nags, Hobeliers) that besides the fire (which in a bright shining day is not so well descried) might also run from Beacon to Beacon, and supply that notice of the danger at hande.