By these his words it appeared that his principal intent was not to keep out Strangers, which commonly do not invade to our hindrance but by rebellion amongst ourselves; nor to advance Liberty, which ever decayeth through treason: but to advance Heresy, the Lady Regent of his life and doings.
This same Thursday [25th January 1554] as Wyat, Thomas Isley, and others were occupied at Maidstone with Proclamations to stir the people and such like; so were others his confederates occupied in like manner by Proclamations at Milton, Ashford, and other towns in the east parts of the Shire. Through whose allurements, the multitude were grown so earnestly affected to Wyat's purpose that they suffered Master Christopher Roper, a man of good worship and so esteemed of them, to be taken of Wyat's ministers, and carried out of the market place, without any manner of rescue: for that he, The apprehension of Master Christopher Roper by the rebels. having his heart and eye full fixed upon the Queen, not only withstood the reading of Wyat's traitorous Proclamation at Milton; but also in the same place proclaimed him and all his, traitors. And being roughly charged therewith by Wyat and others his gallants, Master Christopher Roper's words to Wyat. when he was brought to Rochester, he answered, "This tongue spake it, and doth now avow it."
The apprehension of Master Tucke and Master Dorrel.
They suffered Master Tucke also, and Master Dorrel of Calehill, being Gentlemen of good worship and Justices of Peace, to be taken out of their houses by the rebels; and conveyed, without any manner of rescue, in the day time, to Rochester, being twenty miles distant: where they, with Master Roper, were kept as prisoners in great danger of life.
In like manner, Sir Henry Isley, Anthony Knevet, William Knevet, with others, were at Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, and other towns in the west parts of the Shire, stirring the people by alarms, drums, and Proclamations.
Now ye shall understand that the evening afore [24th January 1554] the publishing his pretence at How Wyat wrote to the Sheriff of his intent to stir. Maidstone, Wyat sent a letter, by one Thomas Monde, a man of much honesty, to Sir Robert Southwell, being Sheriff of the Shire: unto whom long before, as I can understand, he had neither spoken nor written other than in defiance; they being in contention for matters of religion as it was said. Nevertheless to serve his purpose, dissembling his great malice and haughty courage, he wrote a letter to him of such effect as followeth: