¶But Iacke Cade despairing of succours, and fea|ring the reward of his lewd dealings, Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 661, 662. in Quart. put all his pil|lage and goods that he had robbed, into a barge, and sent it to Rochester by water, and himselfe went by land, and would haue entred into the castle of Quin|borow with a few men that were left about him; but he was there let of his purpose: wherefore he disgui|sed in strange attire, priuilie fled into the wood coun|trie beside Lewes in Sussex, hoping so to scape. The capteine & his people being thus departed, not long after proclamations were made in diuerse places of Kent, Sussex, and Southerie, that whosoeuer could take the foresaid capteine aliue or dead, should haue a thousand markes for his trauell. A copie of which proclamation, touching the apprehension of the said Cade and his complices, hereafter followeth.
15.1. A copie of the said writ and proclama|tion by the king, for the taking of the said Cade and his felowship.
A copie of the said writ and proclama|tion by the king, for the taking of the said Cade and his felowship.
_HEnricus Dei gratia rex Angliae & Fran|ciae, & dominus Hiberniae, vniuersis & sin|gulis custodibus, &c. For so much as one Iohn Cade borne in Ireland, which calleth himselfe Iohn Mortimer & in some writing calleth himselfe capteine of Kent, the which Iohn Cade the last yeare tofore his dwel|ling in Sussex with a knight, called sir Thomas Dagre, slue there a woman with child, and for that cause tooke the gréeth of the church, and after for that cause forsware the kings land: the which Iohn Cade also after this, was sworne to the French part, and dwelled with them; which hath now of late time (to the intent to inrich himselfe by robbing and despoi|ling of the kings liegemen, as it is now openlie knowne, to bring himselfe to great and high estate) falslie and vntruelie deceiued manie of the kings people, and vnder colour of holie and good intents made them to assemble with him against the kings regalitie & his lawes, & nought setting by the kings grace and pardons, granted not onelie to him but to all the kings subiects, the which by his deceit haue as|sembled with him, the which he with great reuerence receiued on mondaie last passed, and so did all that were assembled with him. Notwithstanding all this, he laboureth now of new to assemble the kings peo|ple againe, and to that intent beareth them on hand, that the kings letters of pardon granted to him and them, be not auaileable, nor of none effect, without authoritie of parlement: whereas the contrarie is true, as it is openlie knowne by that, that the king granteth from time to time his charters of pardon to such as him list, of all manner of crimes and offen|ses both generall and speciall.
The king therefore willeth and commandeth, that none of his subiects giue faith nor credence to the said false informations of the said false traitor, nor accompanie with him in anie wise, nor comfort nor susteine him nor his with vittels, nor with anie other things: but will, whosoeuer of the kings subiects may take him, shall take him; and that who so euer ta|keth him, and bringeth him quicke or dead to the king or to his councell, shall haue a thousand markes for his labour trulie paid him, without faile or delaie by the prouision of the kings councell. And who so e|uer taketh anie of those that from this daie foorth ac|companie with him, shall haue fiue marks for his re|ward, trulie to be paid in maner and forme aboue said. And ouer this, commanding all constables, mi|nisters, and officers of the said shire, that none of them (on paine of death) take vpon them to execute a|nie commandement by word or writing sent or made vnto them by the said Cade, calling himselfe Morti|mer and capteine, be it to reare any people, or to any other inten: tbut to arest and make so be arested such, as take vpon them to bring anie such commande|ment by writing or by word. Et hoc nullatenus omittatis. Teste me ipso apud Westm. 10 die Iulij, anno regni 28.]
Compare 1577 edition: 1 After which proclamation thus published, a gentle|man of Kent named Alexander Eden awaited so his time,Capteine of Kent taken & beheaded. that he tooke the said Cade in a garden in Sussex: so that there he was slaine at Hothfield, and brought to London in a cart, where he was quarte|red; his head set on London bridge, and his quarters sent to diuers places to be set vp in the shire of Kent. After this, the king himselfe came into Kent, and there sat in iudgement vpon the offendors: and if he had not mingled his iustice with mercie; more than fiue hundred by rigor of law had beene iustlie put to EEBO page image 636 execution. Yet he punishing onelie the stubborne heads, & disordered ringleaders, pardoned the igno|rant and simple persons, to the great reioising of all his subiects. Abr. Fl. ex I. St. 663, 664. ¶ But saith another, the king sent his commissioners into Kent, and caused inquirie to be made of this riot in Canturburie, where for the same eight men were iudged and executed, and in other townes of Kent and Sussex was doone the like exe|cution.