For it grew by a messenger that came, very late in the night, desiring to speak with the Lord Abergavenny or Master Sheriff, to give them certain advertisement, That Sir Henry Isley, the two Knevets, and certain others, with 500 Wealdish men [i.e., from the Weald of Kent] were at Sevenoaks; and would march in the morning early from thence towards Rochester, for the aid of Wyat A meaning of the rebels to burn Master George Clarke's house. against the Duke of Norfolk: and in their way, burn and destroy the house of George Clarke aforesaid.
Whereupon the Lord Abergavenny and the Sheriff, by the advice of the Gentlemen before named, for that the said Clarke had been a painful [painstaking] and serviceable Gentleman, changed their purposed journey from Rochester, to encounter with Isley and his Band, to cut them [off] from Wyat and save Clarke from spoil.
The marching of the Lord Abergavenny and the Sheriff to encounter Isley.
And so, in the morning early, being Sunday [28th January 1554], the Lord Abergavenny; the Sheriff; Warram Sentleger, Richard Covert, Thomas Roydon, Antony Weldon, Henry Barney, George Clarke, John Dodge, Thomas Watton, Hugh Catlyn, Thomas Henley, Christopher Dorrel, Hugh Cartwright, John Sybil, Esquires; John Clarke, Darsie of Wrotham, Thomas Chapman, James Barram, Jasper Iden, John Lambe, Walter Heronden, Walter Taylor, John Raynoldes, Thomas Tuttesham, John Allen, and Thomas Holdiche, Gentlemen; with yeomen to the number of 600 or thereabouts; marched out of Malling in order till Wrotham Heath. they came to Wrotham Heath: where they might easily hear the sound of the traitor's drums; and so, making haste, pursued them till they came to a place Barrow Green. called Barrow Green [Borough Green] through which lay their right and ready way that the traitors should take, marching from Sevenoaks towards Master Clarke.
The Lord Abergavenny, being very glad that he had prevented [anticipated] them in winning the Green, sent out spials [spies] to understand their nearness, and to discrive [ascertain] their number: reposing themselves there till the return of his spials: who at their coming said, That he needed not to take further pains to pursue them, for they were at hand, coming towards him as fast as they could march. Which was glad tidings to the Lord Abergavenny and his Band. And taking order forthwith to set his men in array; he determined to abide their coming, and there to take or give the overthrow.
The shrinking of the rebels.
Which the traitors understanding, Whether it was for that they misliked the match, or the place to fight; whiles the Lord Abergavenny and his Band were busy in placing themselves; they shrank as secretly as they could by a bye-way. And were so far gone before the Lord Abergavenny understood thereof by his spials; as for doubt [fear] of overtaking them afore their coming to Rochester, he was driven to make such haste for the overtaking of them as divers of his footmen were far behind at the onset giving.
The rebel's overtaken.
The first sight that the Lord Abergavenny could have of them, after they forsook their purposed way, was as they ascended Wrotham Hill, directly over [against] Yaldarn, Master Peckham's house. Where they, thinking to have The displaying of the rebel's Ensigns. great advantage by the winning of the Hill, displayed their Ensigns bravely: seeming to be in great ruff. But it was not long after ere their courage was abated. For the Lord Abergavenny, the Sheriff, and the rest of the Gentlemen, with such other of the Queen's true and faithful subjects, as with great pains taking to climb the Hill and to hold way with the Horsemen, overtook the rebels at a field Blacksoll Field. called Blacksoll Field in the parish of Wrotham, a mile distant from the very top of the Hill; where the Lord Abergavenny, the Sheriff, the Gentlemen aforenamed, and others the Queen's true and faithful subjects, The Skirmish. handled them so hot and so fiercely that, after a small shot with long bows by the traitors, and a fierce brag shewed by some of the Horsemen, they took their flight away as fast as they could. Yet of them were taken prisoners above three score.