Compare 1577 edition: 1 After Christmasse, and whilest the truce yet dured, Lewes and the barons assembled at the councell which they held at Cambridge, & the lords that tooke part with the king met likewise at Oxford, and much talke there was, and great trauell imploied to haue concluded some agréement by composition be|twixt the parties, but it would not be, nor yet anie longer truce (which was also so [...]ght for) could be granted: wherevpon Lewes besieged the castell of Hidingham, the which togither with the castels of Norwich, Colchester, and Oxford, were surrendered vnto him, to haue a truce granted vntill a moneth after Easter next insuing. And so by this meanes all the east part of the realme came vnto the possession of Lewes. For the Ile of Elie was woon by his peo|ple a litle before the last truce, whilest he himselfe lay in siege at Berkehamstéed, except one fortresse be|longing to the same Ile, into the which the souldiers that serued there vnder the king were withdrawen. But yet although Lewes might seeme thus partlie to preuaile, in hauing these castels deliuered into his hands, yet being aduertised that dailie there re|uolted diuerse of the barons of England vnto king Henrie, which before had taken part with him: he stood in great doubt and feare of the rest, and there|fore furnished all those castels which he had woone with conuenient garrisons, and namelie the castell of Hertford, and after went to London, Polydor. there to vn|derstand what further trust he might put in the rest of the English lords and barons: for as diuerse had alreadie forsaken him, as it is said, so the residue were doubtfull what they were best to doo.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 For first they considered,The perpl [...]tie in which the barons stood. that the renouncing of their promised faith vnto Lewes, whome they had sworne to mainteine as king of England, should be a great reproch vnto them: and againe they well saw that to continue in their obedience towards him, should bring the realme in great danger, sith it would be hard for any louing agréement to continue betwéene the French & Englishmen, their natures being so contrarie. Thirdlie, they stood somewhat in feare of the popes cursse, pronounced by his legat, both against Lewes and all his partakers. Albeit on the other side, to reuolt vnto king Henrie, though the loue which they did beare to their countrie, and the great towardnesse which they saw in him greatlie mooued them; yet sith by reason of his yoong yeares, he was not able either to follow the wars himselfe, or to take counsell what was to be doone in publike go|uernement, they iudged it a verie dangerous case. For whereas in wars nothing can be more expedi|ent than to haue one head, by whose appointment all things may be gouerned: so nothing can be more hurtfull than to haue manie rulers, by whose autho|ritie things shall passe and be ordered.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Wherefore these considerations sta [...]ed and kept one part of the English lords still in obedience to Lewes, namelie, for that diuerse of the confederats thought that it stood not with their honours so to for|sake him, till they might haue some more honorable colour to reuolt from their promises, or that the mat|ter should be taken vp by some indifferent agrée|ment to be concluded out of hand betwixt them. Her|vpon EEBO page image 199 they resorted in like maner vnto London, and there with Lewes tooke councell what was to be doone with their businesse touching the whole state of their cause. ¶Here ye shall note, that before the con|cluding of this last truce, Fouks de Brent the cap|teine of the castell of Bedford gat togither a num|ber of souldiers out of the garrisons [...] the castels of Oxford, Northampton, Bedford, and Windsor, and comming with them to S. Albons the 22 of Februa|rie,S. Albons destroied. he spoiled the towne & abbie, in like maner as he had doone all the townes and villages by the way as he passed through the countrie, from Bedford vnto S. Albons.