336 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 



which stood in array far into the heath, near to the 

 ascent of the hill. So that the earl with his forces 

 mounted the hill, and recovered the plain without 

 resistance. The Lord D Aubigny charged them 

 with great fury ; insomuch as it had like, by acci 

 dent, to have brandled the fortune of the day : for, 

 by inconsiderate forwardness in fighting in the head 

 of his troops, he was taken by the rebels, but imme 

 diately rescued and delivered. The rebels main 

 tained the fight for a small time, and for their 

 persons shewed no want of courage ; but being ill 

 armed, and ill led, and without horse or artillery, 

 they were with no great difficulty cut in pieces, and 

 put to flight. And for their three leaders, the Lord 

 Audley, the blacksmith, arid Flammock, as com 

 monly the captains of commotions are but half- 

 couraged men, suffered themselves to be taken alive. 

 The number slain on the rebels part were some 

 two thousand men ; their army amounting, as it is 

 said, unto the number of sixteen thousand. The 

 rest were, in effect, all taken ; for that the hill, as 

 was said, was encompassed with the king s forces 

 round about. On the king s part there died about 

 three hundred, most of them shot with arrows, 

 which were reported to be of the length of a taylor s 

 yard ; so strong and mighty a bow the Cornish men 

 were said to draw. 



The victory thus obtained, the king created 

 divers bannerets, as well upon Blackheath, where 

 his lieutenant had won the field, whither he rode in 

 person to perform the said creation, as in St. 



