Compare 1577 edition: 1 But now touching these other that rose in this present summer. At the first they were in great hope that the other disordered persons, which stirred in o|ther parts of the realme,Their hope in others failed them. would haue ioined with them, by force to haue disappointed and vndoone that which the prince by law and act of parlement, in re|formation of religion, had ordeined and established. But afterwards perceiuing how in most places such mischeefous mutinies and diuelish attempts, as the commons had begun, partlie by force and partlie by policie were appeased, or that their cause being but onelie about plucking downe of inclosures, and inlarging of commons, was diuided from theirs; so that either they would not, or could not ioine with them in aid of their religious quarrell: they began somewhat to doubt of their wicked begun enterprise. Notwithstanding now, sith they had gone so farre in the matter, they thought there was no shrinking backe: and therefore determining to proceed, they fell to new deuises, as first before all things to bring into their hands all such places of force, wealth, and defense, as might in anie respect serue for their aid and furtherance. Herevpon the second of Iulie, they came before the citie of Excester,Excester be|sieged. incamping about the same in great numbers, and vsed all waies and meanes they could deuise how to win it by force, sometimes assaulting it right sharplie, sometimes firing the gates, otherwhiles vndermining the wals, and at other times (as occasions serued) procuring skirmishes.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Finallie, nothing was left vndoone which the eni|mie could imagine to serue his purpose for the win|ning of that citie. And albeit there wanted not lustie stomachs among the citizens to withstand this out|ward force of the enimie: yet in processe of time, such scarsitie of bread and vittels increased, that the peo|ple waxed weari [...] & loth to abide such extremitie of famine.The great loialtie of the citizens of Excester. Howbeit the magistrats (though it gréeued them to sée the multitude of the citizens in such di|stresse) yet hauing a speciall regard of their dutie to|ward the prince, and loue to the common-wealth, left no waies vnsought to quiet the people, & staie them in their dutifull obedience to resist the enimies: so that comforting the people with faire promises, and reléeuing their necessities verie liberallie, so farre as their power might extend, did in such sort vse the matter, that euerie of them within resolued with one generall consent to abide the end, in hope of some spéedie reléefe. And in the meane while, when their corne and meale was consumed, the gouernors EEBO page image 1003 of the citie caused bran and meale to be moulded vp in cloth, for otherwise it would not sticke togither.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 Also they caused some excursions to be made out of the citie, to take and fetch into the citie such cattell as were found pasturing abroad néere to the wals, which being brought in, were distributed among the poore. To conclude, into such extremitie were the mi|serable citizens brought, that albeit mans nature can scarselie abide to féed vpon anie vnaccustomed food; yet these sillie men were glad to eat horsse flesh, and to hold themselues well content therewith. Whi|lest the siege thus remained before Excester, the re|bels spoiled and robbed the countrie abroad, and lai|eng their traitorous heads togither, they consulted vpon certeine articles to be sent vp to the king. [...] Iohn Fox [...] Acts & Sacraments. But herein such diuersitie of heads and wits was among them, that for euerie kind of braine there was one maner of article: so that neither appeared anie con|sent in their diuersitie, nor yet anie constancie in their agréement. Some séemed more tollerable, o|thers altogither vnreasonable, some would haue no iustices, some no state of gentlemen. The priests euer harped vpon one string, to ring the bishop of Rome into England againe, and to hallow home cardinall Poole their countriman. After much a doo, at length a few articles were agréed vpon, to be di|rected vnto the king, with the names of certeine of their heads set therevnto, the copie whereof here in|sueth.