[1] Long it were and tedious to recite what reuell these rebels kept in their raging madnesse,The rebels increase their number & [...]e|bellious band. who ran|ging about the countrie from towne to towne, to in|large their vngratious and rebellious band, taking those with force which were not willing to go, & lea|uing in no towne where they came anie man aboue the age of sixtéene yeares, so increased this number, that in short time they had gathered three thousand to fauour their wicked attempts, and had like to haue gathered more, had not the Lords goodnesse through prudent circumspection of some interrupted the course of their furious beginning. For first came the kings gratious and frée pardon,The kings pardon offred, receiued, refused. discharging & par|doning all them and the rest of the rebels, of all trea|sons, murthers, felonies, & other offenses doone to his maiestie before the one & twentith of August, 1549. Which pardon although Ombler contemptuouslie reading, persisted still in his wilfull obstinacie, dis|suaded also the rest from the humble accepting of the kings so louing & liberall pardon: yet notwithstan|ding with some it did good, who of likelihood submitted themselues, assuredlie belieuing if they perseuered in their enterprise, there was no way with them but one, namelie deserued death, wherewith there was no dispensing after the contempt of the princes par|don and refusall of his mercie; so that in this hea|uie case they might verie well complaine and saie:

Funditùs occidimus, nec habet fortuna regressum. Virgil.