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1587

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Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 At length, when those commons began to war wearie of taking paines in euill dooings, they tooke counsell togither, and agreed to send two knights, to wit, the lord Morlie, and sir Iohn Brewes, and three of the commons, in whom they put great confidence, vnto the king; to obteine their charter of manumissi|on and infranchising, and to haue the same charter more large than those that were granted to other countries. They deliuered great summes of monie vnto those whome they sent, to bestow the same for the obteining of pardon, and such grants as they su|ed for, which monie they had got by force of the citi|zens of Norwich, to saue the citie from fire and sac|king. These knights as they were on their iournie,A warlike bishop. at Ichingham not farre distant from Newmarket, not looking for anie such thing, met with sir Henrie Spenser bishop of Norwich, a man more fit for the field than the church, & better skilled (as may appéere) in arms than in diuinitie. This bishop had aduertise|ments at his manor of Burlie néere to Okam in the parties about Stamford, of the sturre which the commons in Norffolke kept, and there vpon resol|ued streightwaies to see what rule there was holden. He had in his companie at that time, not passing eight lances, and a small number of archers.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 The bishop méeting thus with the knights, exa|mined them streightwaies if there were anie of the traitours there with them. The knights at the first were doubtfull to bewraie their associats: but at last imboldened by the bishops words, declared that two of the chéefe dooers in the rebellion were there present, and the third was gone to prouide for their dinner. The bishop streightwaies commanded those two to be made shorter by the head, and the third he himselfe went to seeke, as one of his shéepe that was lost; not to bring him home to the fold, but to the slaughter-house, as he had well deserued (in the bi|shops opinion) sith he had so mischéefouslie gone a|straie, and alienated himselfe from his dutifull allegi|ance. These persons being executed, and their heads pight on the end of poles, and so set vp at Newmar|ket, the bishop with the knights tooke their waie with all spéed towards Northwalsham in Norffolke,Spenser [...]ish. of Norwich goeth as cap|teine against the [...]bels. where the commons were purposed to staie for an|swer from the king: and as he passed through the countrie, his number increased, for the knights and gentlemen of the countrie, hearing how their bishop had taken his speare in hand, and was come into the field armed, ioined themselues with him.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 When therefore the bishop was come into the place where the commons were incamped,The fortifi|eng of the re|bels campe. he perceiued that they had fortified their campe verie stronglie with ditches, and such other stuffe as they could make shift with, as doores, windowes, boords, & tables, and behind them were all their cariages placed, so that it séemed they meant not to flie. Herewith the bishop being chased with the presumptuous boldnesse of such a sort of disordered persons, commanded his trum|pets to sound to the battell,The bishop is the first man that chargeth the rebels in their campe. and with his speare in the rest, he charged them with such violence, that he went ouer the ditch, and laied so about him, that through his manfull dooings, all his companie found means to passe the ditch likewise, and so therewith followed a verie sore and terrible sight, both parts doo|ing their best to vanquish the other. But finallie the commons were ouercome,The Nor|folke rebels vanquished. and driuen to seeke their safegard by flight, which was sore hindered by their cariages that stood behind them, ouer the which they were forced to clime and leape so well as they might. Iohn Littester and other cheefe capteins were ta|ken aliue. The bishop therefore caused the said Litte|ster to be arreigned of high treason, and condemned, and so he was drawne, hanged, and headed according to the iudgement.

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