An English Garner: Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (8 of 8)
History
An English Garner: Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (8 of 8)
English literature
WYAT, coming in the forefront of his Band, perceiving that he was
thus beset with horsemen on both sides, the great ordnance and the
footmen before his face north-eastward; so that he could no ways
escape, but necessarily must fall into their hands, although for
policy he was suffered and a great part of his men to pass so far
quietly and without resistance through the Horsemen--he suddenly
forsook his way intended through Holborn; and, with might and main,
as fast as they could, he and his mates ran down underneath the
Park Wall of brick adjoining to the Queen's Manor House, called St.
James's.
The Lord CLINTON, observing his time; first with his Demi-lances
brake their array, and divided WYAT's Band in two parts. Then came
the Light Horsemen, who so hardly pursued the tail of his Band, that
they slew many, hurt more, and took most of them.
* * * * *
Whilst the said Horsemen were thus in fight with the tail of his
Band; WYAT himself and 500 men or thereabouts peked [_pushed_] on
still all along under St. James's Park Wall until he came to Charing
Cross: where divers of the Queen's Household servants and others
fought with them, and in the end killed 16 of the rebels.
Nevertheless WYAT, having escaped with a part of his company,
marching along in battle [ar]ray, entered into Fleet street, and came
over Fleet Bridge towards Lud Gate.
And although no man resisted his passage through the streets
thus far: yet, when at length he perceived that he had no help of
friends at London and the suburbs as he looked for, [he] left his men
standing still in battle array; and rode back as far as the Temple
Bar Gate, with a naked [_drawn_] sword in his hands the hilts upward,
as some report.
At which Gate, he would have gone through towards Charing Cross, to
the residue of his men: but he was then stopped by force, of the
Queen's true subjects; who would not suffer him to pass without
Temple Bar.
At length came one Sir MAURICE BERKELEY Knight unto him, and required
him to consider that he could not prevail in this wicked purpose; and
that his men were all taken and slain in the Field: and therefore
willed him to cease off from any further occasion of bloodshed;
exhorting him to yield himself prisoner, and to stand to the Queen's
mercy.
Which to do, WYAT refused; and said That he would rather be slain
than yield to any man.
And yet, nevertheless, as it chanced, there came a Herald of Arms
immediately, riding in the Queen's Coat Armour to this place: to
his Coat shortly after WYAT submitted himself prisoner; and so went
to the Court at Westminster, and there was brought before the Privy
Council; and shortly after, within one hour, sent from thence to the
Tower of London [a] prisoner.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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