The Holinshed Project

Holinshed Project Home

The Texts
1587

Previous | Next

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Which thing maruelouslie dismaid the hearts of the Cornishmen,Manie of the Cornishmen take their héels by night. when they saw themselues thus de|ceiued of the succours which they most trusted vpon, so that manie of them (fearing the euill chance that might happen) fled in the night from their companie, and left them, in hope so to saue themselues. The cap|teines of the rebels perceiuing they could haue no helpe of the Kentishmen, putting their onelie hope in their owne puissance, brought their people to Blacke heath, a foure miles distant from London, and there in a plaine on the top of an hill, they orde|red their battels, either readie to fight with the king if he would assaile them, or else to assault the citie of London: for they thought the king durst not haue encountred with them in battell. But they were de|ceiued: for the king although he had power inough about to haue fought with them before their com|ming so neere to the citie; yet he thought it best to suf|fer them to come forward, till he had them farre off from their natiue countrie, and then to set vpon them being destitute of aid in some place of aduan|tage.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The citie was in a great feare at the first know|ledge giuen,The citie of London sore afraid of the rebels. how the rebels were so neere incamped to the citie, euerie man getting himselfe to harnesse, and placing themselues, some at the gates, some on the walles, so that no part was vndefended. But the king deliuered the citie of that feare: for after that he perceiued how the Cornishmen were all daie rea|die to fight, and that on the hill; he sent straight Iohn Earle of Oxenford, Henrie Bourchier, earle of Es|sex, Edmund de la Poole, earle of Suffolke, sir Rise ap Thomas, and sir Humfreie Stanleie, noble war|riors, with a great companie of archers and horsse|men, to enuiron the hill on the right side, and on the left, to the intent that all bywaies being stopped and foreclosed, all hope of flight should be taken from them. And incontinentlie he himselfe, being as well incouraged with manlie stomachs as furnished with a populous armie and plentie of artillerie, set for|ward out of the citie, and incamped himselfe in saint Georges field, where he on the fridaie at night then lodged.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 On the saturdaie in the morning, he sent the lord Daubeneie with a great companie to set on them earlie in the morning, which first got the bridge at Dertford Strand, which was manfullie defended by certeine archers of the rebels, whose arrowes (as is reported) were in length a full cloth yard. While the earles set on them on euerie side,Blackheath field. the lord Daubenie came into the field with his companie, and without long fighting, the Cornishmen were ouercome; and first they tooke the lord Daubenie prisoner: but whe|ther it were for feare, or for hope of fauour, they let him go at libertie, without hurt or detriment. There were slaine of the rebels which fought and resisted, aboue two thousand men (as Edward Hall noteth) and taken prisoners an infinite number,Thrée hun|dred slaine, & a thousand fiue hundred taken priso|ners, as Iohn Stow saith. & amongst them the blacke smith, and other the cheefe capteins, which were shortlie after put to death. When this bat|tell was ended, the king wanted of all his numbers but three hundred, which were slaine at that con|flict.

Previous | Next