When the King was advertised of these doings, he was somewhat astonished, and not without cause, being thus troubled with the war against the Scots and this civil commotion of his subjects at one instant. But first meaning to subdue his rebellious subjects and after to proceed against the Scots, as occasion should serve, he revoked the Lord Daubeney which (as you have heard) was going against the Scots, and increased his army with many chosen and picked warriors. Also mistrusting that the Scots might now (having such opportunity) invade the realm again, he appointed the Lord Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey (which after the death of the Lord Dinham was made high treasurer of England) to gather a band of men in the county Palatine of Durham, that they, with the aid of the inhabitants adjoining and the borderers, might keep back the Scots if they chanced to make any invasion. The nobles of the realm, hearing of the rebellion of the Cornishmen, came to London every man with as many men of war as they could put in a readiness to aid the King if need should be. In the which number were the Earl of Essex and the Lord Montjoy, with divers other. In the meantime, James Twitchet, Lord Audely being confederate with the rebels of Cornwall, joined with them, being come to Wells, and took upon him as their chief captain to lead them against the natural lord and king. From Wells they went to Salisbury, and from thence to Winchester, and so to Kent where they hoped to have had great aid, but they were deceived in that their expectation. For the Earl of Kent, George, Lord of Abergavenny, John Brook, Lord Cobham, Sir Edward Poinings, Sir Richard Gilford, Sir Thomas Bourchier, John Peche, William Scot, and a great number of people, were not only prest and ready to defend the country to keep the people in due obedience, but bent to fight with such as would lift up sword or other weapon against their sovereign lord, insomuch that the Kentishmen would not once come near the Cornishmen to aid or assist them in any manner or wise. Which thing marvellously dismayed the hearts of the Cornishmen when they saw themselves thus deceived of the succours which they most trusted upon, so that many of them (fearing the evil chance that might happen) fled in the night from their company and left them, in hope so to save themselves. The captains of the rebels, perceiving they could have no help of the Kentishmen, putting their only hope in their own puissance, brought their people to Blackheath, a four miles distant from London, and there in a plain on the top of an hill they ordered their battles either ready to fight with the King if he would assail them, or else assault the city of London; for they thought the King durst not have encountered with them in battle. But they were deceived, for the King, although he had power enough about to have fought with them before their coming so near to the city, yet he thought it best to suffer them to come forward, till he had them far