Thus was Wyat so mated by the Lord Abergavenny, the Sheriff, and their Band as he was at his wits' end, as ye have heard: and chiefly by keeping him from that, which by spial about him they afterwards understood him specially to desire; which was offer of battle. He and his being fully persuaded that there could be no great force raised against him in the Shire; whereof the most part should not be his when it should come to the shew. Wherein although he might be deceived, as indeed he was; yet his quarrel, with the disposition of the people thereunto well considered, with the end of his travail which could be but spoil and ravin (ready means and lures to draw the careless multitude unto him): it seemed to the Lord Abergavenny and such as served with him, better policy for to weary Wyat, and weaken him by the cutting away of his strength from him; than to offer him battle till the Duke of Norfolk's coming: whom the Lord Abergavenny and the Sheriff knew to be at hand towards Wyat; unto whom they and all the Gentlemen of their Band, after their Skirmish with Isley, made the haste possible they might.
But before their coming, the case was wonderfully changed, to the great discomfort of all the Queen's true subjects: and that came to pass that [which] of all men was least feared. For who was it that suspected such cruel and malicious disposition to remain in any English heart towards his country, in any subject's thought towards his Sovereign, that, receiving her Grace's armour weapons and money, would have played so traitorous a part as these Captains did with their Band? It is so strange a case as the world never saw. It is so malicious a part as the Jew would not have done the like, having received his hire to serve.
So it was that the noble Duke, being an ancient and worthy Captain (and yet, by long imprisonment, so diswonted from the knowlege of our malicious World and the iniquity of our Time, as he suspecting nothing less than that which followed; but judging every man to accord The Duke's marching from Stroud to Rochester. with him in desire to serve truly, marched forth the Monday [29th January 1554], about ten of the clock in the morning, from Gravesend to Stroud towards Rochester; and about four of the clock in the afternoon of the same day, he arrived at Stroud, near The names of the Gentlemen serving under the Duke. unto Rochester: having with him the Captain of the Guard; Maurice Griffith, now Bishop of Rochester; Sir Edward Braye, Sir John Fogge, Knights; John Coverte, Roger Appulton, Esquires; and Thomas Swan, Gentleman: with certain of the Guard, and others, to the number of 200 or thereabout.
Bret, Chief Captain of the White Coats.
Besides Bret and other five Captains: who, with their Band, being 600, all in white coats, tarried behind at a hill called Spittle [Hospital] Hill, near unto Stroud; whiles the Duke went to Stroud to see the planting of the ordnance. Which being ready charged and bent upon the town of Rochester; and perceiving Wyat and the other traitors, by hanging out their flags upon the bridge wall, to be in great bravery; which considering the miserable state they were in the night before, could not be, had they not received some new comfort by some traitorous mean: the Duke commanded one of the pieces to be fired for shot into Rochester.
And, as the gunner was firing the piece, Sir Edward Bray's eldest son came in all haste to the Duke saying, "Sir, did I not tell your Grace, this morning, that yonder false wretches would deceive you?"
"How know you that?" quod the Duke.
"Why, Sir," quod Braye, "you may see them, as false traitors [ready] bent against you."
And immediately Bret and other Captains of the White Coats with their Band, being upon the Hill and at the back of the Duke, made great and loud shouts sundry The revolt of the Captains of the White Coats and their Band. times, crying "We are all Englishmen! We are all Englishmen!": fashioning themselves in array, ready bent with their weapons to set upon the Duke, if he had made any resistance.