OF ROBERT EARL OF ESSEX. 337 



mayor and sheriffs for the city, and be with you 

 again within half an hour ;&quot; issued with his troop 

 into London, to the number of two hundred, be 

 sides those that remained in the house, choice men 

 for hardiness and valour, unto whom some gentle 

 men and one nobleman did after join themselves. 



But from the time he went forth, it seems God 

 did strike him with the spirit of amazement, and 

 brought him round again to the place whence ho 

 first moved. 



For after he had once by Ludgate entered into 

 the city, he never had so much as the heart or 

 assurance to speak any set or confident speech to 

 the people, (but repeated only over and over his tale 

 as he passed by, that he should have been mur 

 dered,) nor to do any act of foresight or courage ; 

 but he that had vowed he would never be cooped 

 up more, cooped himself first within the walls of the 

 city, and after within the walls of an house, as 

 arrested by God s justice as an example of disloyalty. 

 For passing through Cheapside, and so towards 

 Smith s house, and finding though some came about 

 him, yet none joined or armed with him, he pro 

 voked them by speeches as he passed to arm, telling 

 them, They did him hurt and no good, to come 

 about him with no weapons. 



But there was not in so populous a city, where 

 he thought himself held so dear, one man, from the 

 chiefest citizen to the meanest artificer or prentice, 

 that armed with him : so as being extremely ap 

 palled, as divers that happened to see him then 

 VOL. vi. z 



