330 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 



being now proud that they were led by a nobleman. 

 The Lord Audley led them on from Wells to Salis 

 bury, and from Salisbury to Winchester. Thence 

 the foolish people, who, in effect, lead their leaders, 

 had a mind to be led into Kent, fancying that the 

 people there would join with them ; contrary to all 

 reason or judgement, considering the Kentish men 

 had shewed great loyalty and affection to the king 

 so lately before. But the rude people had heard 

 Flammock say, that Kent was never conquered, and 

 that they were the freest people of England. And 

 upon these vain noises, they looked for great matters 

 at their hands, in a cause which they conceited to 

 be for the liberty of the subject. But when they 

 were come into Kent, the country was so well 

 settled, both by the king s late kind usage towards 

 them, and by the credit and power of the Earl of 

 Kent, the Lord Abergavenny, and the Lord Cob- 

 ham, as neither gentleman nor yeoman came in to 

 their aid, which did much damp and dismay many 

 of the simpler sort ; insomuch as divers of them did 

 secretly fly from the army, and went home : but the 

 sturdier sort, and those that were most engaged, 

 stood by it, and rather waxed proud, than failed in 

 hopes and courage. For as it did somewhat appall 

 them, that the people came not in to them, so it 

 did no less encourage them, that the king s forces 

 had not set upon them, having marched from the 

 west unto the east of England. Wherefore they 

 kept on their way, and encamped upon Blackheath, 

 between Greenwich and Eltham, threatening either 



