Text this colour is a link for Members only. Support us by becoming a Member for only £3 a month by joining our 'Buy Me A Coffee page'; Membership gives you access to all content and removes ads.
Text this colour links to Pages. Text this colour links to Family Trees. Place the mouse over images to see a larger image. Click on paintings to see the painter's Biography Page. Mouse over links for a preview. Move the mouse off the painting or link to close the popup.
History of Gravesend by Cruden is in Tudor Books.
It was unfortunate that the Duke of Norfolk should have pressed on to attack the rebels at Strood, without taking the precaution to secure the junction of the force under Lord Cobham, who on the same day wrote the following letter to the Duke for orders, and to apprise him of the probable defection of Bret, the receipt of which is acknowledged by the Duke in the preceding letter.
Lord Cobham to the Duke of Norfolk . " Pleasith yt youre grace to be aduertisyd at my comyng home from you, Wiat percyuyng of my departure [ did ] sende an espiall vnto my house and made an errande to speake with on ( one ) of my house, when he kam ther, my stewarde percyving that he talkyd and whisperyd emongste my Tenaunts, toke hym aparte into his chamber, and examyned hym and serched hym and founde a letter upon hym wherein is declaryd that bothe pentioners, * Garde, + and Londoners wolde tak suche parte as he dyd . And also trusting that his cosyns wolde not se his blod shulde perishe . It may please your grace, if he be not gone this mornyng, he intendeth to fight yt out, for he maketh rekenyng of the saide pentioners, garde, and Londoners with diverse other of your company therfor my opynion is that youre grace be not to forwarde vnto such tyme your company come together . And that Harpar do not practise to ( too ) moche with some other, beseching your grace to sende me worde, whether ye will remove this day or noo, and whether ye will, I bring my men vnto your grace to Gravesende: for I haue no weapons for them, but a fewe blacke bills . I have written to my lorde Warden according to your commaundement . thus the lorde preserve your grace with moche honor . From my house at Cooling the xxix of January . Your graces to commande, " The carrier of this letter unto the Dukes grace is Downyn of Gravysende . "
Monday, In the evening of the same day, Lord Cobham January 29. sent direct to the Queen an account of the pro- ceedings, in a letter of which the following is a copy .
"It may please yor most excellent Matie to be aduertysed that yes- terday the xxviii'h of this moneth, beyng at Gravesend with Mr. Vice- chamberlayne conferyng with hym for our settyng forth towardes the rebelles, we then thought good to deferre our purpose vntill the com- myng of my Lord of Norfolk with his force; vppon whose repayre thither we then consulted with hym what was ferther to be don, who uppon consultacion determyned to do nothyng vntill my Lord Admy- ralles comyng thither with his assembly, whereuppon the next mornyng early I repayred to my Castell, puttyng my self in a redynes with my men, and at my commyng thither I did vnderstand that ther had byn in myne absence [ a spyall ] sent from wyat to my sonnes who were with me at Grauesend . I then forthwith did wryte vnto my Lord of Norff . the copy wherof I send vnto your highnes herin inclosed aduertysyng hym aswell of the sayinges of the spyall which your mat tie may perceyve by the seid copy, as also admonyshyng hym that in no wyse he should not be to ( too ) foreward to make ageynst the rebelles vntill my seid Lord Admyralles assembly came, desyring his grace by the same L're that I might be aduertysed with spede of the tyme of his remove from Grauesend towardes the rebelles, to th'end I might either mete with him with my force by the way, or elles come vnto him to Grauesend, and so to joyne forwardes together . So resting vppon his ferther aduertysement therin, he, contrary to his former determynacion with me, marched with his small power towardes Rochester imme- dyatly after my departure from hym, not sendyng me eny knowlege therof vntill he was almost at Rochester . And I beying then in a redynes when the messynger came, I forthwith, with all spede, made to hym, but before I was half wey I was aduertysed that his men had forsaken hym and were fledd to the rebelles; so that his power beying gon, he was compelled to retyre, and I heryng thereof retyred also to my castell ageyne . Also your highnes shall resceyve a L're sent to me by wyat yesternight herin inclosed, wherby your grace may perceyve his meanying, entendyng to marche towardes London shortly; wherfore it may please your highnes that I may vnderstand your graces pleasure what I shall do herin, which accordyng to my allegeaunce which I shall contynually beare vnto yr highnes I will accomplysshe effectually to the vttermost of my power . Thus prayeng to God for the preservacion of your matie with the victory ouer your enemyes I most humbly take my leave of your grace . " From Cowlyngcastell the xxixth of Janurij 1553. [ 1554. ] " Your most humble and true "To the Queenes most excellent matie ." "Subject & servaunte . "G. COBHAM."
Become a Member via our 'Buy Me a Coffee' page to read complete text.
Enclosed in the above was Wyatt's letter, as follows:- My Lorde you vnderstande in what state we now are, thanks be given to God, I am right sorye that you are so far be hinde hande, yet I will not forsake you in this my ioy, but wolde wishe you to be par- teners of the same . I pray you to be her to morowe for we will march then to london . far your Lordship well, from Rochester the xxix of Januarie 1553. [1554.]
Youre frend and cosyn,
THOMAS WIAT.
I pray you take some order for the taking of the Duke whereso that he be between this and london, wherein you shall gratifye the state of the realme .
The ill concerted measures of the Duke of Norfolk, and the disastrous consequences of his precipitate march against the rebels at Rochester, are described in the following letter:-
Lord Abergavenny to the Privy Council . " After my verye hartie commendacions unto your good and honorable Lordships . Theis maye lieke the same to understand that receyving your letters datyd the 30th of this present, willing me therbye to fol- lowe Wyat and others the Quene's Mates ennemys on the backe, and for the better service thereof to call apon the L. Warden for his ayde: from whome in all this trobelousome tyme I have not herde, nor yet from the L. Cobham . I notwithstanding, with the companye that I hadd made, to the nombre of ijm at the leaste, lying yesternight at Maydeston, to have marched towards Rochester, receyved knowledge about mydnight that the Duke of Norff: whole bande hadd forsakyn hym, with the whiche brute ( bruit or report ) my souldiors some repayred to Wyat, some to their habitacions, and the resydue being not many besydes my houshold servauntes, accompanyd me to my cosyn Southwells ' howse, where I looke hourely they will assault me, as I am informyd . Yet sorye I am that the Duke of Norff . dyd this enterprise without making me and other gentlemen in the partes where I am pryvie, that wer redye to have assisted hym yf wee hadd heard from hym in tyme . Howebeyt by reason my souldiours ar dissperst as aforsaid, leving me in mannr withowt armour, artillerye, and money, am hable to do nothing sodenlye, wherof I am right sorye that I cannot do my dutye accord- ingly . And thus I take my leave of your good and honorable Lordships for this tyme . From Mereworth the last of Januarij [1554.]
Your L. assuryd to his poore ( power )
Henry De Burgavennye.