When therefore the bishop was come into the place where the commons
were incamped, he perceiued that they had fortified their campe verie
stronglie with ditches, and such other stuffe as they could make shift
with, as doores, windowes, boords, & tables, and behind them were
all their cariages placed, so that it séemed they meant not to flie.
Herewith the bishop being chafed with the presumptuous boldnesse of
such a sort of disordered persons, commanded his trumpets to sound to
the battell, and with his speare in the rest, he charged them with
such violence, that he went ouer the ditch, and laied so about him,
that through his manfull dooings, all his companie found meanes to
passe the ditch likewise, and so therewith followed a verie sore and
terrible fight, both parts dooing their best to vanquish the other. But
finallie the commons were ouercome, and driuen to seeke their safegard
by flight, which was sore hindered by their cariages that stood behind
them, ouer the which they were forced to clime and leape so well as
they might. Iohn Littester and other cheefe capteins were taken aliue.
The bishop therefore caused the said Littester to be arreigned of
high treason, and condemned, and so he was drawne, hanged, and headed
according to the iudgement.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 5.]
The bishop heard his confession, and by vertue of his office absolued
him: and to shew some parcell of sorrowing for the mans mischance, he
went with him to the galowes. But it séemed that pitie wrought not with
the bishop, to quench the zeale of iustice: for he caused not Littester
onelie to be executed, but sought for all other that were the chéefe
dooers in that rebellion, causing them to be put vnto death, and so
by that meanes quieted the countrie. ¶ To recite what was doone in
euerie part of the realme in time of those hellish troubles, it is not
possible: but this is to be considered, that the rage of the commons
was vniuersallie such, as it might séeme they had generallie conspired
togither, to doo what mischeefe they could deuise. As among sundrie
other, what wickednesse was it, to compell teachers of children in
grammer schooles to sweare neuer to instruct any in their art? Againe,
could they haue a more mischeefous meaning, than to burne and destroie
all old and ancient monuments, and to murther and dispatch out of the
waie all such as were able to commit to memorie, either any new or old
records? For it was dangerous among them to be knowne for one that was
lerned, and more dangerous, if any men were found with a penner and
inkhorne at his side: for such seldome or neuer escaped from them with
life.
[Sidenote: The capteine once slaine the soldiers faint.
An armie of fortie thousand horssemen.