“Laud be to God therefor!” answered Lord Grey, gravely; “yet be wary. How soon may Dorset and Wilts be up likewise? My Lord of Northampton layeth siege to Norwich, and ere this, I trust, is my Lord Russell and his troops around Exeter. But our work is not yet done by many a day’s labour.”
“I pray you, noble sir,” asked Dr Thorpe, “if I may aventure myself to speak unto your Lordship, what think you of this rebellion? Shall it be a thing easily crushed, or a more graver matter?”
“I know not,” said Lord Grey, turning his head to the speaker. “It should seem a very grave matter—another Jack Cade’s rebellion. Yet it may be subdued readily. I know not. This only I know—that ‘unless the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.’”
Lord Grey, turning, called to him one of his officers, and spoke quietly with him a moment. Then turning again to Philippa, he said, “Look you here, Mrs Basset, an’t like you. I will send with you twelve picked men, that shall be a guard unto you, and shall not leave you until (by God’s allowing), they have you safe in London. And there come,” pursued he to the captain of the men, “report yourself unto Sir Francis Jobson, and await his order. Stay—take with you a token.”
Lord Grey drew a ring from his finger, and gave it to that officer who seemed to be in authority as captain over the twelve men forming the guard. Then bowing low, he bade God keep them; and the troops marched forward at his giving the word.
The little group journeyed on towards Dorset, their guard marching before with their halberds in their hands. The captain (a fictitious person) had some talk with Dr Thorpe and Avery; he told them he was a London man, and that his mother—a widow—dwelt in the Minories; and both were Gospellers. So in due time they reached Dorchester; and thence Salisbury, both which they found quiet. And at Windsor they heard a rumour that Norwich had yielded; which on coming to London they found true. They heard further that Exeter was taken by Lord Russell; and that Lord Grey de Wilton had reached Cornwall.
The captain of their guard took them to his mother, Mistress Brent, (fictitious persons) whom they found a pleasant and pious woman. The next day they began looking for a house; and being inclined to settle in the Minories (Note 3), Mrs Brent told them of a comfortable house which was empty next door to her own. John and Isoult went to see it, liked it, and took it. Philippa went to her sister, Lady Elizabeth Jobson, in the Tower; and Dr Thorpe agreed to remain with the Averys until he should make up his mind what to do. Perhaps it was difficult to make up; for without any regular agreement on the subject, yet to everybody’s satisfaction, they formed one family thereafter.
Meantime there was sad work at Exeter.
The Lord Privy Seal (John Russell, afterwards first Earl of Bedford), who was sent there with his troops, finding his own forces fewer than the rebels, stayed at Honiton, while the rebels besieged Exeter: and right valiantly the men of Exeter kept their town. (King Edward, from whose Diary these details are taken, spells these names Honington and Outrie.) The rebels burnt the gates, but those within “kept them off by hot fire, till they had made a rampart; and when they were undermined, they drowned the mine and the powder with water.” The Lord Privy Seal, hearing of their bravery, endeavoured to go round a bye-way to reinforce them; but the rebels, having spies, discovered his movements, and cut down all the trees between Saint Mary Ottery and Exeter. Lord Russell then burnt the town, intending to return home. But the rebels held a bridge against him, forcing him with his small band to fall upon them; when he gained a great victory, killing some hundreds of them, and retreating homeward without any loss of his own men. Then Lord Grey came to his help, and together they raised the siege of Exeter.
At Bodmin, Sir Anthony Kingston, who was sent there, hanged the Mayor, a fervent Papist: and Father Prideaux would have fared ill at his hands, had not all the Lutherans and Gospellers in the town risen in his favour, and testified that he had not joined with other priests in the rising (for the priests urged and fomented all these risings), but was a good Protestant and faithful subject.