PEASANT REVOLTS 153 



with the loss of 300 men. Next day a herald with 

 a trumpeter was sent to the insurgents with the offer 

 of a free pardon if they would lay down their arms. 

 They refused this and renewed the attack and entered 

 the city, where "many bloudie conflicts" took place, 

 in which many were killed and wounded on both 

 sides. Lord Sheffield was slain, " though he pulled 

 off his head-piece and declared who he was and offered 

 largely to the vilans if they would have saved his life." 



Lord Northampton being defeated, retreated from 

 the city and returned to London. Kett then made 

 preparations to meet a powerful army under the Earl 

 of Warwick, Somerset's great rival, which he heard 

 was coming^ against him. The rebels were "rnen not 

 slack to make themselves strong and ready to abide 

 all the hazard that the fortune of war might bring." 



The Earl of Warwick soon arrived at Wymond- 

 ham with his army and "diverse men of honour and 

 of great worship as lords, knights, squires, and gentle- 

 men." Norwich was summoned to surrender. A 

 herald with trumpeters was again sent with an offer 

 of pardon " out of the exceeding greatness of the 

 king's bountifull mercie and clemencie." The offer 

 was refused. It was distrusted as having "no other 

 end but to bring them to destruction." 



Warwick then assaulted the city and drove out 

 the rebels with great slaughter on both sides. During 

 the conflict "threescore were taken and incontinently 

 executed according to martial law." The insurgents 

 immediately attacked the city again and took some 

 pieces of the king's artillery (and other munitions of 

 war), which they turned against the city and "blew 

 down Bishop's-gate and much of the walls." The 

 Earl of Warwick was in great straits, and his followers 



