[The commandement by the capteine of Kent, sent vnto Thomas Cocke aboue said.]
For your instruction, first ye shall charge all Lumbards and strangers, being merchants, Genowais, Venetians, Florentines, and others, this daie to draw them togither, and to ordeine for vs the capteine, twelue harnesses complet of the best fashion, foure & twentie brigandins, twelue battel axes, twelue glaues, six horsses with sadle and bridle completlie harnessed, and a thousand markes of readie monie. And if this our demand be not obserued & doone, we shall haue the heads of as manie as we can get of them.
Abr. Fl. ex I. S. 654, 655, 656, 657, &c.
And to the intent the cause of this glorious capteins comming thither, might be shadowed vnder a cloke of good meaning (though his intent nothing so) he sent vnto the king an humble supplication, affirming that his comming was not against his grace, but against such of his councellours, as were louers of themselues, and oppressors of the poore commonaltie; flatterers of the king, and enimies to his honor; suckers of his purse, and robbers of his subjects; parciall to their fréends, and extreame to their enimies: thorough bribes corrupted, and for indifferencie dooing nothing. ¶ Here, bicause a full report of this insurrection maie passe to the knowledge of the readers; it is necessarie to set downe the articles of the commons complaints touching the premisses, whereof a copie was sent to the parlement then holden at Westminster, with their bill of requests concerning abuses to be reformed.
[The complaint of the commons of Kent, and causes of their assemblie on the Blackheath]
1 Inprimis, it is openlie noised that Kent should be destroied with a roiall power, & made a wild forrest, for the death of the duke of Suffolke, of which the commons of Kent thereof were neuer giltie.