PEASANT REVOLTS 157 



Thus the rebellion in the west of England, like all 

 other peasant outbreaks, was drowned in blood. It 

 must be remembered, however, that these brave men 

 were conquered, not by English soldiers, but by 

 foreio^n mercenaries. 



There are one or two things connected with these 

 uprisings that are worthy of notice — first, the skill, 

 powers of organization, strength and determination 

 of the peasant leaders, and the confidence they in- 

 spired in the minds of their followers ; secondly, the 

 dog-ored courage and endurance of the men, which 

 warrant the description given of them as the "finest 

 peasantry in the world." 



We have already seen the brave mettle of the army 

 of rustics in the east, led by Kett. The "rebels" in 

 the western counties were of the same quality. They 

 were united to a man, and had no michers among 

 them. In one of the fiercest of the fights they were so 

 surrounded that " they could not by any means escape, 

 but must yield or fight. The one they would not, and 

 the other they prevailed not. Valiantly and stoutly 

 they stood to their tackle, and would not give over so 

 long as life and limb lasted, yet in the end they were 

 overthrown, and few or none left alive. Great was 

 the slaughter, and cruel was the fight. "^ 



a circumstantial account of the occurrence. Before repeating it, however, 

 I consulted a Cornish antiquary, who seemed to have no doubt about the 

 matter. An account of it is given in the "Life and Reign of Edward VI," 

 by Sir John Hayward, 1630; also in Carew's "Survey of Cornwall," 4th 

 edition, 181 1. The first edition was published in 1602, only a compara- 

 tively short time after the transaction. Besides the evidence, there is 

 the fact that such a crime as this was in accordance with the brutal treat- 

 ment inflicted by those in power at the time on the so-called " rebels." 

 The foul deed, in the eyes of his peers, cast no blot on the escutcheon of 

 the "noble knight" who committed it. 

 ^ Holinshed, Vol. Ill, p. 957. 



