The earle of Essex, and manie knights, esquiers, and gentlemen, with their fréends and seruants, came to aid the citizens, taking great paine to place them in order, for defense of the gates and walles: and furthermore, deuised how and in what sort they might make a sallie foorth vpon the enimies to distresse them: and suerlie, by the intermingling of such gentlemen and lords seruants in euerie part with the citizens, they were greatlie incouraged to withstand their enimies. Yet the rebels, vnder the leading of one Spising, bare themselues so stoutlie at Algate, that they wan the bulworks there, and droue the citizens backe within the portculice, & entered with them, to the number of six or eight: but some of them were slaine with the fall of the portculice that was let downe vpon them, to kéepe the residue out, and those that were entered within the gate were suddenlie dispatched.
The valiancie of Robert Basset alderman.
Héerewith they lashed fréelie the one part at the other with guns and bowes, although no great hurt was doone with shot; till at length Robert Basset alderman (that was appointed to the kéeping of this gate), with the most part of the citizens, and the recorder, named Ursewike, either of them being well armed in strong iackes, commanded the portculice to be drawen vp, and maintenantlie rushed foorth vpon their enimies, putting them backe vnto saint Bothulpes church. At the same instant, the earle Riuers, hauing got togither a foure or fiue hundred men, well chosen and apparelled for the warre, issued foorth at the posterne by the Tower, and assailing the Kentishmen, euen vpon the point as they were thus put backe, mightilie laid vpon them.
And first he plaged them with the swift and thicke flight of his arrowes, and after ioining with them at handstrokes, slue and tooke manie of them prisoners; so that the rebels were fullie put to flight, and followed first to Mile-end, and from thense some vnto Poplar, some to Stratford, and Stepnith, and in maner each waie foorth about that part of the citie, the chase being followed for the space of two miles in length. Manie of them were of Essex, and so made their course homewards; but the more part of them fled to the water side, and getting to their ships, passed ouer the Thames to the rest of their companie. The other likewise that were busie to assault Bishops gate, when they vnderstood that their fellowes were discomfited and fled from Algate, they likewise slipped awaie, and made the best shift they could to saue themselues.
Rafe Iosselin.
There were a seauen hundred of them that fled from Algate, and other places, slaine outright, beside the prisoners. And yet there were fiers burning all at once at Algate, Bishops gate, & on the bridge, and manie houses consumed with the same fiers. But now the bastard, vnder whome that companie was directed that had set fire on the bridge, when he saw that he might not preuaile, and vnderstood the euill succes of those which he had set ouer the Thames, he withdrew also, and left the bridge. Here the hardie manhood of Rafe Iosselin alderman is not to be passed with silence; who (after he had valiantlie resisted the bastard & his band that assaulted the bridge) vpon their retire sallied foorth vpon them, and following them in chase alongst the water side, till they came beyond Ratcliffe, slue and tooke verie manie of them.
The bastard incampeth on Blackeheath.
The bastard notwithstanding gathered his companies togither, and with such as were willing to remaine with him incamped on Blackeheath, by the space of thrée daies next insuing, to wit, the sixteenth, seauentéenth, and eightéenth of Maie, vtterlie despairing of his wished preie, sith he had béene repelled from London, to his vtter confusion. And now to conclude, hearing that king Edward was comming with a right puissant armie, the said bastard and his people durst no longer abide; but brake vp and dispersed themselues, some one waie, and some an other. They of Calis got them thither againe with all spéed, and such as were of other countries repaired likewise to their homes, and manie of the Kentishmen went also to their houses. The bastard with his mariners, and such riotous rebels, robbers, and wicked persons, as sought nothing but spoile, got them to shipboord, and with all their vessels drew downe to the coast.
Edw. Hall.
King Henrie the sixt murthered in the Tower.