[1] [2] The king vsed one policie, which much serued to the discomfiting of the aduersaries (as Thom. Wal|singham saith) which was this: he gaue order, that all the gates of London should be streictlie kept and garded, so as none should come in or out, but such as were knowen to go to the king. Hereby came it to passe, that the chiefest succour appointed to come to the capteins of the rebels, was by that meanes cut off, where otherwise suerlie (had it not beene thus preuented and staied) there had issued foorth of Lon|don to haue ioined with them,By this ex|cessiue num|ber it may a [...]peare, that Walsingham reporteth th [...] matter accor|ding to the [...]|mon [...]ame, [...] not as one that search [...] out an exq [...]|site truth. to the number (as it was thought) of fiftie thousand persons, one and o|ther, seruants, prentises, and citizens, confederate with them that were thus assembled in Ficket field. Diuerse also that came from sundrie parts of the realme, hasting towards the place, to be there at their appointed time, chanced to light among the kings men, who being taken and demanded whither they went with such spéed, answered, they came to meet with their capteine the lord Cobham.